Some learn the Way sooner; each has their own expertise

The group rode the Fubo Camp's large lift upward.

"Have you checked the inventory? What about the spare parts list? Tally the consumables as soon as possible, and check the communication routes too..."

Without looking up, the quartermaster stared at the list in his hands and instructed the others:

"Here, Xiaoyue, help me take this list up to Arthur..."

When no one answered for some time, the quartermaster looked up, only to find Lu Li watching him with a kindly smile.

"Uh..." The quartermaster froze.

"Oh, you're not Xiaoyue. Where's Xiaoyue... What can I do for you?"

Yangyang spoke first. "Sorry to trouble you. I'm Yangyang, a member of Taibai under the Midnight Rangers. This is A Piao, Lu Li, and the young Taoist Jianxin, who's here looking for someone."

Lu Li draped an arm around Jianxin's shoulders. "This is my disciple, Jianxin. We're here to find someone named Zhiyuan. Do you know anything about him?"

Jianxin nodded and explained Zhiyuan's situation to the quartermaster.

"Zhiyuan..."

"That boy hasn't sent word home even once?"

The quartermaster planted both hands on his hips, looking rather exasperated. "The Midnight Rangers have practically stopped recruiting ordinary people in recent years, but that boy Zhiyuan is a stubborn one."

"Last year, when the fighting wasn't as intense as it is now, he kept secretly tagging along whenever the Fubo Camp marched out, always trying to get to the front."

"We sent him back to the city and talked him into going home, but he ran right back. In the end, I simply took him on to help out in the rear."

"But now the fighting's intense, and the front is dangerous. Keeping him here any longer would be against regulations. I was just planning to have him return to the city with this supply shipment, and then you arrived."

"Oh, right. He should be up above right now."

Jianxin said, "Then I..."

Jianxin turned a questioning gaze toward Lu Li.

"Go find him first."

She cupped her fist in her palm. "Yes. I'll go look for him now and meet up with everyone later."

Jianxin hurried away.

A Piao looked at the quartermaster. "Why is everyone so busy?"

Ever since they had arrived at the Fubo Camp, everyone had seemed frantic, rushed off their feet.

There was no telling how things were going at the front now.

The quartermaster sighed. "Jinzhou is Huanglong's gateway, and Desorock Highland is Jinzhou's second line of defense. If this line is at risk of falling, it'll be far more than just Jinzhou's problem."

"Remnants aren't human. They don't negotiate or agree to ceasefires... As long as Remnants exist, the war will never stop."

"And in an unending war, supplies are an army's lifeblood. My job is to keep that blood flowing, and right now, we're running short."

Lu Li asked seriously, "Do you need help?"

"I saw you helping treat the wounded earlier. Xiulan probably needs your support more."

"Though I appreciate the offer, military supplies are crucial. I have to oversee things here myself."

A Piao nodded at that, then took out the Mangosteen.

Unexpectedly, the sight of what A Piao was holding gave the quartermaster a fright. He hastily raised both hands to cover his face, then started to drop to the ground.

Lu Li: "?"

"What happened?"

A few seconds later, the quartermaster recovered and scratched his head sheepishly.

"Oh... Well... I misread that. I thought you'd pulled out a grenade..."

Hearing that, Lu Li picked up the Mangosteen and examined it closely. "It does look a little like one."

There was even a little loop on top of the Mangosteen that looked very much like a pull ring.

The quartermaster gave an awkward laugh. "Is that... a Mangosteen?"

"What do you know about Mangosteen?" A Piao asked.

The quartermaster pondered for a moment. "It isn't a fruit native to Jinzhou. It has to be imported, mostly by water."

"With the frequent Tacet Discord tides lately, we're prioritizing essential supplies for the city. Fruit like this will have to wait until we receive news of victory from the Norfall Barrens front and General Jiyan returns in triumph."

"Only the water transport route is open now. Imports come through Gunshao Port in Wuming Bay, south of Jinzhou City, and the Midnight Rangers assign Fubo Army soldiers to escort them into the city."

"Hmm... Other than that, this fruit has a short shelf life, and its resemblance to a grenade makes it easy to mistake for one, so it generally isn't used as military provisions."

A Piao nodded. "Thank you. I understand."

On their way to find Jianxin, Lu Li rested both hands behind his head and gazed at the bustling camp with a sigh.

"I never thought Mangosteen would have anything to do with war. If we hadn't come all the way here, we never would have imagined a connection between the two."

Yangyang said, "Yes. I wonder what the other token represents."

The three walked up to Jianxin.

Yangyang asked, "Young Taoist Jianxin, did you find the person you were looking for?"

"Yes, I've found young Zhiyuan. Next, I plan to return to the city with the Fubo supply convoy and let Grandpa Zongye know he's safe."

[Ding! Choices triggered!]

[Option one: return to Jinzhou City with Jianxin. Reward: increase "Run Like a Boss" by one level.]

[Option two: those who follow different paths cannot work together. Leave alone and seek another path. Reward: increase "Cleansing Profundity" by one level.]

[Option three: stay by A Piao's side. Reward: talent, "Sharpshooter."]

A Piao asked, "Didn't you say Zhiyuan refused to leave?"

"Zhiyuan has a pure heart. Under Grandpa Zongye's influence, he became fixated on marching into battle himself. He's always wanted to do his part."

"After everything I've seen and heard on this journey with you, I believe that, at this very moment, things at the front not far from here must be far harsher and more intense than anything we've witnessed along the way."

"All these scenes of life arose from war and suffered because of it."

"Master Rong Fu once told me, 'The highest seeker finds the Way among armies, the middling seeker finds it in cities, and the lowest seeker finds it in mountain forests.'"

"I'm not entirely unable to understand what Zhiyuan feels."

"But Zhiyuan believes those rigorous training exercises and examinations are unnecessary for joining the Midnight Rangers, and that there should be no distinction between ordinary people and Resonators. He believes there are things he can do on the battlefield and enemies he can fight."

Lu Li said, "Some learn the Way sooner; each has their own expertise. Killing enemies on the battlefield isn't the only way to help Jinzhou."

Jianxin nodded in agreement. "I felt there was some reason to what Zhiyuan said, and I couldn't persuade him. Then I remembered how Master Rong Fu handled things."

"Whenever I undertook something, Master would make me pass a test by sparring with him."

Lu Li raised an eyebrow. "So you won him over with 'virtue' and beat some sense into him?"

"I didn't want Zhiyuan to take a beating for no reason. Master Rong Fu often taught me principles through sparring, and I learned from it."

With a smile, Jianxin looked gently at Lu Li. "Master, do you think I won this bout, or lost?"

Lu Li said, "Blunt the sharpness, untangle the knots, soften the light, and mingle with the dust. I'd say you won."