Dust swirled along the Official Road outside Black Wind Town.
Lin Jiuwu Erqi sat astride his horse, watching the fortress gate draw ever closer in the distance. At last, the nerves that had been taut throughout the journey began to relax.
The group numbered thirteen. At the very back of the procession followed a young man dressed in tattered hemp clothes, his face deathly pale.
His riding skills were poor, and the jolting saddle had left every bone in his body feeling as though it might fall apart. Yet he gritted his teeth and followed without a word.
He was Zhang Lie.
The Destined Player who had crawled out from that sea of corpses and blood outside Bianzhou City.
Now, having followed Lin Jiuwu Erqi's party from the Central Plains to Guangnan, traveling over a thousand li, he had finally arrived.
Zhang Lie raised his head and gazed at the mountain-backed fortress in the distance, at the black-clad soldiers standing on the fortification wall with bows in hand, and at the two rows of brightly armored guards before the fortress gate. An indescribably complicated emotion welled up within him.
Zhang Lie took a deep breath and tightened his grip on the reins.
Lin Jiuwu Erqi dismounted, tossed the reins to a Clone who came to receive him, and strode toward the fortress gate.
"Lin Jiuwu Erqi is back." The Clone guarding the gate nodded at him.
Lin Jiuwu Erqi returned the look without slowing his stride.
Black Wind Town, North Courtyard.
This residence had originally belonged to Lin Mo. It was later given to Earl of Jiang'an Zhao Hong and his family, and had now become a quiet corner of Black Wind Town.
Several Osmanthus Trees in the courtyard cast wide patches of shade. Beneath them stood a Stone Table