Chapter 338: To Sacrifice One's Life For The Nation

“Why did Old Qin take a leave of absence? It seems his niece fell ill and was hospitalized,” Principal Chen said, flicking away a cigarette butt impatiently. “You don’t need to worry about things like that. Just focus on your studies and cultivation, especially on bringing up your academic scores. After the Lunar New Year, the top universities will send their recruitment teams to Liuhe. If you want to apply for a guaranteed spot, you need to excel in both academics and martial arts.”

Li Xiaofei responded with a casual “Oh,” and then boasted, “Is there any top university I can’t get into with my level of combat strength?”

Chen Fei was momentarily speechless. Well, Li Xiaofei wasn’t wrong. A high school student who had reached the Five Spirits Realm in combat strength could pretty much choose any university in the country.

“In two days, the recruitment team from Beixia University, the highest-ranked university in the nation, will be visiting Liuhe Base City, led by none other than Vice President Su Yuncao. This is your chance—make sure you seize it,” Chen Fei added.

Oh? So Su Yuncao is coming with the university’s recruitment team?

Li Xiaofei couldn’t help but ask, “Old Chen, you didn’t endure Su Yuncao stealing your paper just so I could get into Beixia University, did you?”

Principal Chen was taken aback. “How do you know about the paper?”

Li Xiaofei shrugged.

It wasn’t that hard to figure out, alright?

“It’s quite difficult, actually. Most people wouldn’t know about it,” Chen Fei replied after a moment. He quickly realized, “Xiao Hongye must have told you, right? She’s probably the only one in all of Liuhe Base City who could get that information.”

Li Xiaofei nodded in acknowledgment. “If you did it for me, that’s unnecessary. Even if I don’t go to Beixia University, I can’t let you suffer this kind of humiliation. We need to stand up to him and fight back.”

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Principal Chen Fei couldn’t help but smirk. He slowly lit a cigarette. “Kid, you really think too highly of yourself. The research paper I wrote over the course of decades, the work that could revolutionize the Great Xia martial lineage; would I really hand it over just because of a punk like you who skips class to hang out with gangs? Please, next time you’re dreaming, try not to make it so grand.”

Damn it!

Li Xiaofei stormed off. In truth, Chen Fei had a point. If it wasn’t for his sake, then there must be another reason.

Could it be that that old fox, Su Yuncao, has some dirt on him from the past?

Whatever it was, Li Xiaofei decided to take things as they came. He returned to the classroom and quietly attended his lessons. However, by afternoon, a new piece of news had spread like wildfire through Red Flag High School.

Principal Chen Fei had been invited to tour the Northwest Region to give a series of lectures due to his exceptional teaching achievements and would be temporarily stepping down from his administrative role. The Education Department had appointed an official named Zhang Deyi as the acting principal.

This news didn’t stir up much debate. Many students were genuinely happy for Chen Fei. Everyone knew that promoting the Great Xia martial lineage and spreading Red Flag’s teaching model had always been Chen Fei’s dream. Being recognized as an exemplary figure and invited to speak at prestigious schools across the Northwest was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him.

But Li Xiaofei, who knew the underlying situation, couldn’t shake the feeling that things were far more complicated than they appeared.

After school, Li Xiaofei received a personal call from Xie Renyu inviting him to dinner. Half an hour later, they met at Qingya Pavilion, a high-end restaurant. Li Xiaofei arrived first in the VIP private room.

“Sister-in-law, just two people. You can arrange whatever you think is best,” Li Xiaofei smiled.

Miao Youwei teased, “Two people? Did you invite your girlfriend?”

Li Xiaofei laughed and replied, “What, are you supervising me on behalf of Little Ying? Haha, don’t worry, it’s a guy. I have some business matters.”

Miao Youwei chuckled and left with the menu. Not long after, Xie Renyu arrived, looking like a secret agent with sunglasses, a mask, and a hat as he snuck into the room.

“This place is nice,” Xie Renyu said. “From now on, this will be our secret hideout.”

Li Xiaofei couldn’t help but comment, “You’re in your thirties, the head of a city, and yet you’re still acting immature like me. Can you try to be more grown-up?”

Xie Renyu grinned and said, “Hey, you didn’t expect me to have layers, did you? it’s fun, isn’t it?”

Li Xiaofei was speechless.

“What’s the big secret? Why did you call me here all mysteriously?” he asked.

Xie Renyu grinned at him. “Congratulations! From now on, we’ll be comrades in the same trench.”

He pulled out a slender, pale gold metal case.

Snap.

Xie Renyu pushed the box directly in front of Li Xiaofei. The small metal case shimmered with a faint golden glow under the sunlight. Its surface was engraved with a detailed image of the Great Wall.

Upon closer inspection, countless indistinct figures stood atop the wall, facing outward as though they were warriors ready for battle, protecting everything behind them.

Below the image, there was an inscription of a line from an ancient poem, “To sacrifice one's life for the nation, to face death as if returning home”.

This was the final line of the poem

Song Of The White Horse

by Cao Zhi from the Wei-Jin period of ancient China.[1]

It had always been one of Li Xiaofei's favorite poems. The final few lines of the poem had always struck a deep chord in his heart:

"Urgent letters came from the north, horses galloped up the high embankment.

Riding swiftly against the Xiongnu, casting glances upon the Xianbei.

To throw oneself upon the blades, how could life be cherished?

Not even parents can be considered, let alone sons or wives!

Your name is written in the warriors' scrolls, personal desires must be forsaken.

To sacrifice one's life for the nation, to face death as if returning home!"

Seeing this most familiar and stirring line suddenly engraved on the metal box in front of him filled Li Xiaofei with an overwhelming sense of emotion.

He stared at the box, his gaze fixed on the Great Wall and that line of poetry, lost in thought, unable to find the words to speak.

The box opened with a snap. It contained three items, a dragon-tail saber that was five fingers wide and 1.5 meters long; a dragon-scale-shaped key token; and a manual titled Heart of the Pure Child. These three simple items, in that moment, carried an indescribable weight.

Li Xiaofei picked up the saber and gently flicked the blade. A long, resonant hum echoed through the room.

What a blade!

Its quality was nearly on par with the bull-horn blade Ning Wuwo had forged.

“This is a temporary saber for trainee members,” Xie Renyu explained. “Once you complete your first mission and become a full member, you’ll be eligible to request a powered dragon saber.”

Li Xiaofei nodded in understanding. Powered weapons were the dream of every martial artist; they were highly coveted and sought after. He hadn’t expected such benefits upon joining the Dragon Group.

He then picked up the dragon-scale-shaped key token. It felt heavy in his hand, as though it carried the warmth of freshly spilled blood.

“This is the identification token of a Dragon Group member,” Xie Renyu continued. “It grants privileges that outsiders can’t even imagine. When you use this key in any light core terminal, it leaves no trace. It also grants access to the Dragon Group’s internal marketplace, where you can purchase or exchange merit points for exclusive manuals, weapons, armor, and cultivation resources. Additionally, you’ll now have access to classified information. With this key, you can query the Dragon Group’s internal database and uncover highly secretive information that most people will never know.”

Li Xiaofei’s heart leapt. This was a highly valuable asset. Joining the Dragon Group definitely came with numerous perks. Now he understood why even someone like Xie Renyu, a wealthy second-generation heir, had chosen to join.

Xie Renyu pointed at the manual and said, “This Heart of the Pure Child manual is mandatory for every Dragon Group member to cultivate. It allows you to unleash combat strength one realm higher than your own for ten minutes in extreme situations. Alternatively, it can assist you in ending your own life to avoid torture or humiliation in the hands of the enemy.”

Li Xiaofei carefully placed the three items back into the metal box, securing them with great care.

Xie Renyu continued, “As a Dragon Group member, there are additional privileges, such as legal immunity. No matter what laws you break, only the Dragon Group has the authority to judge and punish you. You also have absolute investigation rights. You can investigate anyone you suspect... but remember, you’ll bear full responsibility for your actions.”

Li Xiaofei nodded solemnly. “Understood.”

Suddenly, Xie Renyu’s demeanor became more serious than ever before.

With a grave expression, he said, “Li Xiaofei, from now on, we are comrades. The average age of a Dragon Group member is only thirty-five. It’s the department with the highest rate of injury and death in all of Great Xia. To our comrades! Long live Great Xia!”

1. Cao Zhi was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China, and an accomplished poet in his time. His style of poetry, greatly revered during the Jin dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, came to be known as the Jian'an style. ☜