Chapter 269 - Aftermath

"So, when will you put me down?"

"You're wounded, so you should just stay here."

"I believe that it's only a scrape."

Yang Xian glanced to the young girl in his arm and shook his head lightly. "I don't have that great confidence in my ability. If there has been a mistake, you won't be here right now, Liuying."

Wei Liuying didn't answer. She looked at her right arm and the area between her chest and her arm. Her robe was torn and her skin was scraped. If he had missed the shoot just now, it would mean that she might not be able to survive. Worse yet, she might still alive but be a cripple.

"It's the plan."

"You realize it?"

"The smoke signal is clear enough even though the sky is darkening," Wei Liuying replied. It was the signal for them to use the river as a method to eliminate their enemies. Considering how the Xiong Tribe was using heavy cavalries, the plan was a succeed in killing most of the troops.

"Yeah."

Internally, Yang Xian recalled the time of his conversation with Prince Ji Sheng many weeks ago.

*

"I have a question."

"Yes?"

"If I order you to kill Wei Liuying, can you do it?"

Almost immediately, the temperature in the storage room dropped to the lowest degree. The two young men were looking at each other with cold gazes. It was unclear what they were thinking as silence descended in the place.

Time ticked, yet no one answered.

The temperature was getting even colder.

After some time, Yang Xian moved his gaze away and cupped his hands. "If that's your order, General Sheng, I'll have no other choice but to comply."

Prince Ji Sheng watched Yang Xian's movements carefully. The two of them never tried to hide their movements from each other because they were already familiar with the other's habit after spending so much time together in the battlefield. It was to the point that they were more similar to brothers rather than master and subordinate.

Yet, there were times when Yang Xian still had to act as his subordinate because of their difference in status.

"I won't ask something like that to you," Prince Ji Sheng said after a while. "But should the day come, what will you do afterwards?"

Yang Xian didn't immediately answer. He was contemplating what he was supposed to say as he looked at Prince Ji Sheng. There was solemn expression on Prince Ji Sheng's face that was unclear what it wanted to say.

Their lives at the frontline has always been near death. Fighting with their lives on the line every single day, there was no telling when they would be called back by the Heaven and died. All they could do was to live their lives to the fullest each day because no one knew when these all would end.

Just a single mistake in the battlefield could become their end.

It was that simple.

"Nothing," Yang Xian replied. "I'll continue to strive and fulfill my dream that I have in the past."

*

That was not the end of the conversation, but Yang Xian remembered that it took him everything just to answer that question. Should he truly lost Wei Liuying, could he still act as if there was nothing that happened?

Back then, he answered with certainty.

But now, he was not sure anymore.

"Yang Xian, you're daydreaming," Wei Liuying pointed out and looked at Yang Xian's face. His clear gaze fell onto hers. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking what would I do if I have made a mistake," Yang Xian replied. "Not a single mistake can be tolerated here because even the smallest mistake can cost many lives."

Generals, strategist, leaders, and all were all always under pressure. They have to be careful in whatever they did because if they were not careful enough, they would risk sending so many people to their graves. It was a very costly mistake that one might not be able to accept.

"It's fine."

"Yes?"

"If you made a mistake, it just means I'll be leaving you faster," Wei Liuying said unhurriedly.

Yang Xian felt his heart turned cold when he heard what Wei Liuying said. "Do you think your life is that low, Liuying?"

"No, but I'm also a soldier here. The risk for me dying is not zero, so I just try to accept my situation."

The voice was clear and concise, yet Yang Xian could see Wei Liuying's hand was shaking. No matter how many times they faced death in the battlefield, it would never be able to erase the fear they have towards death. Even if they forced themselves to keep calm and faced it bravely, their inner feelings would reveal the truth that they were afraid.

It was inevitable.

It was part of human's nature to fear the unknown. Even though they have seen deaths so many times, they still didn't want to experience it themselves. At least, not now, not until it was their time.

As for when, nobody knew. 

"I won't let you die."

Wei Liuying raised her head and looked at Yang Xian's dark eyes. Under the setting sun, the light shone from behind him, giving her different view of the strategist before her. He was looking at her with determination in his eyes. "No matter what happened, I'll not allow you to die, Liuying. You'll live-no, we're going to live together."

Her hand unconsciously grabbed her side. Slowly, Wei Liuying nodded her head and averted her gaze. Somehow, the thought of staying with Yang Xian didn't seem that bad either. The two of them had been living in the same house for a long period of time and got along quite well.

And… she wished to continue staying with him too. 

Furrowing her brows, Wei Liuying chose to push the thoughts to the back of her mind. She felt that she was thinking too much lately. Having such strange thoughts when she was near Yang Xian seemed to become more common lately.