Tian Luzhang looked at the three familiar faces before him.
All three were brothers who had followed Qi Tian alongside him, clawing their way out of piles of corpses.
He looked up again at the portrait of Qi Tian hanging on the wall, his heart filled with conflicting emotions.
"Army Commander Tian, I believe you're a man who remembers kindness and values loyalty."
When Tian Luzhang gave no answer, Qian Wendao spoke first. "But, Army Commander Tian, are you certain the Qi Legion's current situation is what Qi Tian wanted?"
Tian Luzhang sighed again without answering.
Qian Wendao continued, "Army Commander Tian, before Qi Tian went to Zone 1, he left you a few words, didn't he?"
"Huh? How did you know that, Secretary-General Qian?"
Tian Luzhang's face filled with surprise. He had never expected Qian Wendao to know something so private.
"Qi Tian told me, of course."
"The commander... told you?"
"Yes," Qian Wendao answered firmly. "Qi Tian left his final instructions with Qi Boyuan and you, and he left some with me as well."
"What else did the commander tell you?"
"He praised you at length. He said that not only were you personally formidable and an outstanding commander in battle, but you were also steady, mature, grateful, and loyal. If you were his son, he would have had nothing left to worry about. He could have thrown back his head and laughed as he went to Ander to meet his death."
Tian Luzhang's eyes reddened at those words, and his resolute gaze wavered slightly.
Qian Wendao continued, "He also said that precisely because you valued loyalty so deeply, you might not do as he asked. If necessary, he wanted me to give you a nudge on his behalf. If his spirit were watching from above, would he