"All right. Aunt Qing will be waiting for your news..."
Huo Qing spoke with relief.
"By the way, Cheng, would you like me to introduce you to our Soul Engineer Corps Commander? Her camp isn't too far away."
"..."
After pondering for a moment, Xu Cheng still shook his head.
"There's no need, Aunt Qing. Given her high position, what she fears most right now is getting entangled in the Succession Struggle. If I visit uninvited, I might only earn her displeasure..."
Unless she came to him of her own accord, Xu Cheng would never ask for a snub.
"That... I hadn't thought it through."
As Huo Qing looked at Xu Cheng, a little more relief entered her beautiful eyes.
This child has his own judgment and a sense of responsibility. He has the makings of a wise ruler. A Ya should be able to rest in peace beneath the nine springs...
"Report!"
An urgent voice rang out from outside the tent.
Huo Qing and Xu Cheng exchanged a glance.
"Come in!"
A woman dressed in vivid red armor rushed into the tent.
She dropped to one knee.
"Reporting to the Battalion Commander! A man claiming to be the Crown Prince is outside with several attendants. He requests an audience with the commander!"
"The Crown Prince?"
Xu Cheng raised an eyebrow.
He hadn't expected Xu Tianran to catch the scent and come running too.
As the Crown Prince, it was perfectly normal for him to court support wherever he could, but Xu Cheng remembered that in the original story, Xu Tianran hadn't been this impatient.
It seemed he, too, had sensed a crisis...
"Cheng, she's one of my trusted confidantes. Her name is Huo Lei."
Huo Qing's expression was serious.
She was also telling Xu Cheng that he could speak freely.
"Heh, we met when I first arrived."
Xu Cheng didn't answer immediately. Instead, he smiled at Huo Lei.
"Greetings, Eleventh Prince!"
Upon hearing that, Huo Lei hurriedly knelt and paid her respects.
With her immediate superior following him, she naturally had little choice. Besides, she owed her life to Huo Qing, so her loyalty was unwavering...
"Then let's go out together. It'll be a good chance to meet my eldest brother."
Xu Cheng spoke with a chuckle.
Outside the tent.
Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair and tilted his head up slightly.
The sky was a clear blue.
High in the Mingdou Mountain Range, the fresh air had also done much to lift the gloom that had weighed on him for days.
But the stern-faced female soldiers in fiery red armor before him spoiled the lovely scene.
He sighed inwardly.
How could he not know that this was a terrible move?
But as things stood, he had no better path to take.
His fourth brother's relentless pressure, coupled with his eleventh brother's powerful rise, had left him deeply uneasy.
Whoosh!
The female soldiers surrounding him parted to either side.
They left a path open.
Several figures emerged from the camp.
"I, Xu Tianran, have come only to request an audience with your commander. All you need to do is announce my arrival. If she declines to see me, I will turn around and leave immediately."
Xu Tianran's voice was easy and assured.
Though seated in a wheelchair, he showed no sign of dejection.
But after he finished speaking, indifference flickered through the beautiful eyes of the tall woman opposite him, who appeared to be the local Battalion Commander. She gave no reply whatsoever.
Xu Tianran was puzzled.
Even with the Crown Prince's name, these female soldiers wouldn't so much as announce his arrival?
The next moment, the voice he least wanted to hear slowly rang out.
"Eldest Brother, I trust you've been well..."
"Eleventh Brother?"
Xu Tianran's pupils abruptly contracted.
A figure slowly stepped out from behind the woman.
It was none other than his eleventh brother, who had been riding high lately!
"Judging by Your Highness's expression, you seem rather surprised to see me?"
Xu Cheng spoke with a broad smile.
"Heh, how could I be? It's been a long time since we brothers last met. To think we'd both come here today. What a coincidence..."
Xu Tianran hurriedly composed himself and spoke calmly.
"Then what brings you here, Brother...?"
"Clearing my head. This crippled leg won't heal, and it's rather depressing." Xu Tianran's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Clearing your head... all the way in the Mingdou Mountain Range?" Xu Cheng feigned surprise.
Xu Tianran: "..."
"Heh, I was only speaking offhand. I'm young, after all, and don't know when to hold my tongue. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
"We're brothers. There's no need to stand on ceremony..."
"In that case, I'll be on my way. Until we meet again, Your Highness."
Xu Cheng smiled and left with Nana, giving Xu Tianran no chance to respond.
"Go. Take a squad and follow His Highness. Escort him out of the Mingdou Mountain Range. The fighting here is intense. If the prince gets caught in it, none of us can bear the blame."
Huo Qing waved a hand and spoke matter-of-factly to Huo Lei beside her.
"Yes!"
Huo Lei accepted the order and took to the air with her squad.
Like streaks of crimson meteors, they sped in the direction Xu Cheng had disappeared.
Then Huo Qing turned back to Xu Tianran and said coldly, "My apologies, Your Highness. Our commander issued orders long ago. This is a restricted military zone, and we cannot receive visitors. Please leave..."
An attendant behind Xu Tianran said angrily.
"What is the meaning of this? A restricted military zone that no one else can enter, yet he can? Don't tell me you don't know who he is!"
"When did I tell you he went to see our commander?"
Huo Qing spoke coldly.
"If you keep making trouble, we'll subdue every one of you, regardless of your status! Fire Phoenix Corps, to me!"
At her sharp command.
The surrounding female soldiers immediately assumed attack formations, encircling Xu Tianran and his attendants.
Looking at the black cannon barrels and the cold gleam of the close-combat blades, Xu Tianran's eyelids twitched wildly. If he'd known, he would have brought Xue Chen along...
With a Super Douluo to fall back on, at least he wouldn't have to fear for his life.
"Wait! Don't act rashly!"
Xu Tianran took a deep breath.
He suppressed the anger in his heart.
He still didn't know whether this was Huo Qing's decision or Fire Phoenix's.
But there was no denying that he was in danger now.
"We'll leave right now!"
"..."
Huo Qing's beautiful eyes remained indifferent.
She gestured with her chin.
The Fire Phoenix Corps behind her opened a path.
"Phew..."
Xu Tianran drew a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, and signaled his attendants to wheel him away.
Under the predatory stares from both sides.
For the first time, Xu Tianran felt as though needles were stabbing his back.
He could sense that Huo Qing had truly harbored killing intent just now. Though he didn't know why it had slowly faded, if he stayed any longer and actually died here, that would be quite a joke...
As Xu Tianran's retreating figure slowly disappeared.
"Battalion Commander, why didn't you kill him? It was such a good opportunity to pave the way for His Highness."
A trusted subordinate spoke quietly.
"He isn't worthy of me taking action..."
Huo Qing narrowed her eyes slightly.
She idly toyed with a small soul tool knife in her hand.
Before, she might have considered using her own life to pave the way for her young lord.
But Xu Cheng's arrival had undoubtedly been a shot in the arm.
She had a chance of becoming a Level 9 Soul Engineer in the future. Losing her life here would be the greatest loss for her young lord...
Elsewhere.
In a small border town.
Xu Cheng looked at the girl wandering the streets in tattered clothes. Though she looked filthy, her fair skin was still unmistakable. The corner of his mouth twitched sharply.
"Tell me your name again?"
The girl looked pitifully at Xu Cheng, her entire body curled into a ball.
"Ju Zi..."
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