Chapter 255: Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter 255: Behind Enemy Lines

Inside the restaurant, Cui Yuanyong treated Zhao Changhe to a meal. Originally, he had intended to discuss some serious matters with him, but when the Tome of Troubled Times suddenly made such a broadcast, the topic of their conversation naturally shifted.

“I never expected someone on the Ranking of Earth like him would fall like this. If it was not for the report from the Tome of Troubled Times, I’m afraid no one would have known that such a formidable figure died all of a sudden,” Cui Yuanyong lamented. He actually seemed to feel somewhat regretful. “What was he even doing in the Central Plains?”

Zhao Changhe explained, “He originally came to the Central Plains to cause trouble, intending to provoke the Wang Clan to publicly rebel. If he succeeded, not only could that end up causing more chaos to arise within the Central Plains, but it could have also drawn away much of Yanmen’s military strength. For the barbarians, it would have been a vital act of sabotage behind enemy lines during wartime. Unfortunately for him, there was an unexpected turn of events....”

“What unexpected turn of events?”

“The Wang Clan still upholds righteousness. Wang Daozhong personally intervened and injured He Lei, causing him to realize the futility of his actions and retreat.”

Cui Yuanyong stared at him expressionlessly, while Zhao Changhe casually sipped his drink.

Naturally, Cui Yuanyong was not an idiot, and neither was he unaware of the situation. He quietly pondered and silently marveled.

In other words, Zhao Changhe had actually quelled a storm without anyone noticing. Shifting the praises—and the blame—onto Wang Daozhong was a stroke of genius. It seemed like an offhand remark at the time, but its impact was profound. Not only had it thwarted the barbarians’ plans, but it had also prevented any potential collusion between the Wang Clan and the barbarians.

Moreover, Zhao Changhe had also ruined any chances of an alliance between the Wang Clan and the Maitreya Cult by killing an envoy of the cult right at the gate of the Wang Clan.

Now that I think about it, wasn’t it also Zhao Changhe who was responsible for exposing He Lei in Sword Lake City? Saying that he single-handedly ruined the barbarians’ plans and ultimately caused the death of a warrior ranked seventh on the Ranking of Earth isn’t actually that far-fetched.

It’s so weird... On the surface, what he did didn’t seem like a big deal, but the impact was strangely significant. His actions almost seem to be driving fate.

No wonder my father has been paying more and more attention to him. He’s been personally inquiring about almost every detail he can about Zhao Changhe. Others think that he’s merely concerned about his potential son-in-law, but it’s probably much more than that... Was Xia Longyuan this much tied to fate as well?

While Cui Yuanyong was deep in thought, Zhao Changhe sighed to himself. “It truly is somewhat lamentable. The person ranked seventh on the Ranking of Earth dies without a shred of heroism or grandeur, practically no different from any random shrimp.”

“...Well, there is a difference. The Tome of Troubled Times would not report the death of random shrimp. Besides, how would you know whether the scene of his death was grand or not? It’s possible that Vermillion Bird had to expend a lot of energy to kill him, perhaps she even sighed with admiration at her tenacious opponent in the end.”

Zhao Changhe scoffed. “Have you been reading too many stories?”

Cui Yuanyong scratched his head and said, “What’s wrong with what I said? I feel like if I were in her place, I would do just that!”

Zhao Changhe sneered, “You are you, Vermillion Bird is Vermillion Bird. She probably just glanced at his corpse and left. That old woman...”

Cui Yuanyong quipped, “I know, I know. You understand old women very well.”

“...Fuck you.”

In fact, Zhao Changhe had just not recovered from Xia Longyuan’s words and actions. Because of what he had seen back then, he felt like those on the Ranking of Earth were indeed as insignificant as random shrimp, a sentiment that Cui Yuanyong naturally could not relate to.

Zhao Changhe shook his head to clear his thoughts and deliberately shifted the topic back to what it was originally supposed to be about, “You said you wanted me to do something, what is it?”

“Our camp is mostly made up of figures from the jianghu who came to help. Each has their own tasks. Some directly joined the ranks of the army, while others organized elite squads to raid enemy lines. This is all quite standard for those from the jianghu. Of course, as I mentioned earlier, there are also those who go on solo missions, and who knows how many of them have died.”

Zhao Changhe nodded and said, “Hm, I think I’d be most suitable for those special operations of raiding enemy lines and harassing them from behind. How about you give me a map, marking the distribution of forces, and I’ll go have some fun.”

“We have maps of the land, but don’t even bother looking for a map showing the distribution of forces. Those ones change too frequently,” Cui Yuanyong said. “But don’t get sidetracked. What I wanted to tell you about is that a team went missing a few days ago. We don’t know whether they’re alive or dead. We’re organizing people to scout in the direction they went. If they’re still alive, rescuing them would be a stroke of luck.“

“Are you asking me to participate in a search and rescue operation?”

“I feel that it’s quite suitable for you. You’ve got a fast horse, and you’re alert and quick-witted, unlike the haphazard mob we got here,” Cui Yuanyong said. He took out a sheepskin map and pointed to a location. “This is the topographic map of the area. There’s a water source here, and there was originally a tribe stationed there. The intelligence we received indicates that they did not have many troops. We aren’t sure how our people ended up falling into enemy hands without a single one of them being able to escape. In fact, it’s possible that they did not even fall into enemy hands. Regardless, we need someone with a clear mind and a good head on their shoulders to go check it out.”

Zhao Changhe took the map and looked at it for a while before confidently tucking it into his pocket. “Alright, I came here precisely to get some specific tasks to do. I knew coming to the camp was a good choice.”

Cui Yuanyong said seriously, “Don’t die out there like He Lei.”

Zhao Changhe said, “You saying that makes me worry about someone...”

“Hm?”

“Where’s Yue Hongling?”

Cui Yuanyong raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think there’s any need to worry about her...”

“If someone as strong as He Lei could die in the Central Plains, then is there really no need to worry? There are many strong people in the Grasslands.”

Cui Yuanyong’s expression turned grim. “Well, now that you mention it, it has been quite a while since I last saw her...”

“Fuck!” Zhao Changhe suddenly lost his appetite. He stood up abruptly and strode downstairs. “Boss, prepare some dry rations for me. I need enough for ten days!”

Cui Yuanyong helplessly followed him downstairs. “Why are you in such a rush? Even if you get a hundred days’ worth of rations, would you really be able to find her?”

“...”

“This map marks a place called Huangsha Market. It’s a trading hub for the various tribes of the Grassland. If you have the chance, you can go there to gather information and resupply. It is better than looking around aimlessly searching around like a headless fly. Just remember, be extremely careful. That place is a lot messier than Sword Lake City.”

1. These are prestigious universities in China, ranking among the top in the world. ☜

2. Zhao Changhe’s original line is something like “Yeah, I guess I'm a cabbage, all curled up and vegetative.” 卷心菜 means cabbage, and it’s also slang for people who are involved in some internal competition but they feel awkward and are actually unwilling to participate. Cui Yuanyong then replies “You know, sometimes the things you say are really funny... If you're like a vegetable, then everyone else must be a bunch of melons. By the way, what do you mean by all curled up? I've never heard that before, but it feels oddly fitting.” ☜