Chapter 58 : The Name That Spread
The fire burned long into the night.
"Hurry, burn it all" Chen Yu threw a wig of a tree lit with fire to one of the grain supplies.
The rest did the same.
"Enemy! Enemy!" The shin troops from far away noticed the big fire and rushed towards the burning supplies.
And by the time they arrived, Chen Yu and others had already left.
Chen Yu walked at the front.His hands still trembled slightly, though he tried to hide it.
“Move quickly,” he ordered.
“Don't let them catch up"
The soldiers followed in tight formation as they slipped back through the forest. Behind them, the pillar of fire slowly faded into the distance.
Yan walked among the troops quietly as well.
The night swallowed their movements.
By dawn, the thousand soldiers returned safely to the garrison.
Word spread quickly through the camp as soon as they returned.
“How is that possible?”
“A thousand men went into enemy territory.”
“And they all came back Unharmed?”
Soldiers whispered.
Inside the command tent, General Hecta sat behind a heavy wooden table, Beside her a commander with a well built body and sharp brows stood to the right side.
Her gaze was sharp as the group entered.
Chen Yu stepped forward and knelt “Reporting to the General.”
“Mission success.”
“We burned the enemy grain supplies.”
Everyone in the tent stared at Chen Yu.
Hecta’s eyes narrowed “Tell me more".
Chen Yu swallowed as his legs trembled slightly.
“We… had help.”
“Help?” Hecta’s voice hardened.
“Yes.”
“A mysterious senior cultivator appeared.”
The air in the tent suddenly grew heavy.
Hecta rose slowly from her seat.
“You are telling me,” she said coldly, “that a mysterious senior appeared in the middle of enemy territory and helped you to burn half their supplies?”
Chen Yu nodded stiffly.
“Yes, General.”
For a moment Hecta said nothing.
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Then continuous air currents rushed out from her position, Chen Yu tried to stay in his place but was being pushed back by the air.
Several soldiers behind Chen Yu already flew away and hit the back of the tent.
"Are you sure it's someone else?"
The air became sharper, and Chen Yu felt few tiny cuts begin to appear on his skin.
Chen Yu’s face turned pale, but he still answered "Yes".
“It was a mysterious senior.”.
“You expect me to believe that?” Hecta said
and stared at him as the wind around Chen Yu not only pushed him back but also sliced his skin, the amount of cuts only increased.
“But it is the truth.”
Chen Yu’s voice shook.
The pressure in the tent grew heavier.
Then suddenly, Hecta stood firm and the air returned to normal, she waved her hand dismissively.
“Leave.”
Chen Yu bowed quickly.
“Yes, General.”
The soldiers hurried out of the tent. Hecta remained where she stood, her eyes cold with thought.
Later that day she summoned another visitor.
Han Defu entered the command tent respectfully.
“General.”
Hecta did not waste time.
“That man. Chen Yu.”
“I want him transferred to the Royal Military.”
Han Defu blinked once and he cleared his throat slightly, “I would gladly comply, General.”
“But the regulations do not permit it.”
Hecta’s gaze sharpened.
“Explain.” she asked.
“Private soldiers cannot transfer directly into the Royal Military.”
“Unless they retire for two years first.”
He paused.
“There is an exceptional clause… but it requires His Majesty’s approval.”
Hecta stared at him for a moment longer.
Then she waved her hand.
“You may go.”
Han Defu bowed and left.
By evening the entire garrison had gathered in the central field, the torches burned along the walls.
Thousands of soldiers stood in formation.
General Hecta stepped forward, “Last night a unit of one thousand soldiers infiltrated enemy territory.”
“They destroyed half of the enemy’s grain supplies.”
Murmurs spread among the crowd.
Hecta continued.“The man who led that mission…”
Her gaze moved through the crowd.
“…Chen Yu.”
Chen Yu froze where he stood.
"Why are you in daze for, go.." Guda pushed him forward.
Hecta nodded once.
“Step forward.”
Chen Yu obeyed as his legs trembled.
Before thousands of soldiers, Hecta declared:
“For extraordinary merit in war, Chen Yu will receive military rewards.”
"Chen Yu"
"Chen Yu"
"Chen Yu"
The soldiers erupted in cheers, Guda joined as well while having bread in his mouth while Chen Yu just stood frozen.
“A thousand men…”
“No casualties…”
“They burned half the enemy supplies…”
People began whispering slowly around them.
Chen Yu stood stiffly, unable to explain the truth.
Meanwhile the thousand soldiers that came along with him quietly murmured that it was the mysterious senior not Chen Yu.
Far back in the formation, Yan watched quietly.
Far away, in the enemy command camp.Contrary to the atmosphere in Noir, the atmosphere was far less celebratory.
The enemy general stood before a table covered with burned grain reports.His expression was calm.
But his fingers slowly crushed the edge of the parchment.
“Half.”
He spoke quietly.
“Half our supplies burned.”
A soldier knelt nearby.
“We managed to contain the fire before the rest spread, General.”
The general nodded slowly and his expression remained unreadable.
“Who was responsible? Who was the enemy commander?”
“Our spies informed us that the raid leader’s name is Chen Yu.”
The general leaned back slightly.
“Chen Yu…”
He thought for a moment and raised his hand.
“Call Commander Yomi.”
Moments later a tall cultivator entered the tent.
He bowed.
“You summoned me, General.”
The enemy general spoke calmly.
“Find this man.” and slid the parchment across the table.
Commander Yomi glanced at the name.
“Chen Yu.”
The general’s eyes hardened slightly.
“He burned half our supplies.”
“He is dangerous.”
Commander Yomi nodded once, “I understand.”
The general’s final order was quiet.
“Kill him.”