Green glanced at the file, which was not particularly thick. He did not open it right away, but looked across at the white-haired old general.
"General, what do you mean by sending me to the Eastern Bastion? Are there clues to the mysterious organization there too?" Green met the old general's gaze. Age had clouded those eyes somewhat, but Green would never mistake the man for a doddering fool. He was an old fox who had lived long enough to become a spirit.
The old general neither confirmed nor denied it. "If there are clues, you'll find out when you get there. What's the use of asking an old thing like me, who's got one foot in the grave?"
"You certainly know how to joke, sir. I'd say you have at least another thirty or forty years in you. Plenty of young men won't outlive you." As Green spoke, he picked up the file, accepting the assignment the old general had given him.
Green flipped through it quickly, but saw nothing unusual. He could not help looking up at the old general.
"What? Nothing stood out?" The old general stroked his beard, now entirely white. At last, a hint of a smile appeared on his face. He seemed pleased that Green had decided to go to the Eastern Bastion without making a fuss.
Green nodded. "Judging by this file alone, there's no reason to investigate. It looks like a waste of time. But before I came, Cyrabelle told me you were one of the Kingdom's renowned wise men. If you want me to go, you must have a reason."
"Haha! That little girl Cyrabelle, of course." General Xuetielong laughed heartily. "Since she's already tipped you off, this old man won't keep you guessing. I'm sending you to the Eastern Bastion