Chapter 326: An Exceptional Promotion

“Other strategists and generals rotated shifts and still ended up dropping like flies from exhaustion, but she was completely fine. And it went on like that all the way until the armies of the two states were driven back, and Panlong City won a decisive victory. That, in addition to her meritorious feats on the battlefield, is one of the reasons everyone is convinced the Red General is a divine general. After all, what she does is simply not something humans can do, cultivators included. Later, even Commander Zhong heard about the bet the soldiers were making. He personally came out to explain that the Red General possesses a demigod’s body and no longer has mundane needs.”

“A demigod’s body...” He Lingchuan rubbed his chin, thinking hard for a good while. “So does that mean she doesn’t bathe either?”

“...”

Why do Broken Blade’s questions always seem so pointed?

Hu Min rolled his eyes. “How would I know? But no matter how badly the Red General’s armor gets damaged in battle, it’ll be pristine again before long. That’s at least a treasured artifact, right? It might even be a divine relic personally bestowed by Mitian. I’ve heard that treasured robes from the Ancient Era had self-cleansing properties, so maybe... hers does too?”

That night, the Red General left others behind to deal with the mine’s aftermath. She herself took Headman Hu and the ferry-crossing ghostspawn’s corpse and rushed back to Panlong City.

As for He Lingchuan, who was battered and exhausted, the moment he returned to his own wood house, he fell asleep.

The neighboring courtyard remained dark and silent as ever.

The next two days passed in calm order. Everything in Panlong City moved forward smoothly, step by step, as if nothing had happened.

And yet He Lingchuan kept feeling an undercurrent, something restless moving beneath the surface where ordinary people could not see.

He found time to visit Duan Xinyu. When the underground palace had reverted to a mine tunnel, Duan Xinyu had been crushed under a boulder. He had survived emergency treatment and had already woken up. His leg bone had shattered into several pieces. Fortunately, however, it could be set and fixed, but the recovery would be long.

Having gone through life and death together, his impression of He Lingchuan had changed dramatically. He no longer greeted him with a cold face.

He Lingchuan was blunt by nature and asked him straight out, “I didn’t offend you before, did I?”

Duan Xinyu hesitated and stammered before finally admitting the truth. It turned out that his fiancée had watched the matches at Arena Seven and became absolutely obsessed with Broken Blade. She talked about him nonstop, to the point of losing her appetite and barely sleeping.

If your future wife turned into an empty-headed fangirl for Broken Blade, how could you possibly like He Lingchuan?

He Lingchuan was stunned for a few moments, then burst out laughing. “Women like that have their brains clogged with powder and rouge. Either stupid or slow. Brother Duan, you’ve got money and looks, so why don’t you go find a sweet, considerate girl? Panlong City’s full of beauties. Why hang yourself on this scabby old tree? What if you actually marry her and your son comes out just as dumb?”

The words had barely left his mouth when there was a loud clatter outside the door.

What followed were hurried footsteps and the faint sound of a woman choking back sobs.

“Y-you—!” Duan Xinyu’s leg was still broken; he was not in any condition to be chasing anyone. He was so angry he could barely form words.

He Lingchuan listened for a few more breaths, then cleared his throat. “Alright, your fiancée probably won’t so much as look at me again from now on.”

He had heard the sneaky footsteps outside earlier.

Duan Xinyu froze.

He Lingchuan patted his shoulder and strode out, laughing.

After that, he disguised himself again, covering one eye, and went to drink with his squadmates.

Doorboard’s injuries had not healed yet, and Willow was taking meticulous care of him. The two of them kept trading looks and expressions, so obviously sweet on each other that it might as well have been an announcement.

Skinny told He Lingchuan that the higher-ups had summoned him for a detailed interrogation about the mine battle, focusing especially on each person’s performance.

Doorboard and Willow had both been questioned like that, too.

It was only He Lingchuan whom no one came looking for.

Two more days passed. Fighting broke out again in the northwest, and the Red General led troops out of the city.

He Lingchuan finished his training, rubbed his flattened stomach, and was about to head out in search of food when someone knocked at the door.

He opened it and found himself face-to-face with Merits Clerk Liu from the Bureau of Bright Prospects.

“Whoa, Old Liu, you actually came here in person?” He Lingchuan blinked. He visited the Bureau of Bright Prospects often and had grown familiar enough with Merits Clerk Liu to speak casually.

The clerk, who was usually stone-faced, actually let the corner of his mouth lift. “I’m here to bring you good news.”

“Oh?” He Lingchuan stepped aside. “Come in, come in!”

“No, no, I’m here on official business.” Merits Clerk Liu waved his hands quickly. “As per the rules of the Bureau of Bright Prospects, when delivering good news, we don’t enter the recipient’s home.”

This was to avoid even the appearance of officials accepting gifts in private homes.

Merits Clerk Liu cleared his throat and recited crisply, “He Lingchuan is wise, brave, decisive, steadfast, and resolute—talent that can be refined and forged. Upon the recommendation of Xiao Maoliang, and the review and approval of the Red General, he is hereby exceptionally promoted into the Gale Army’s Hundred-Tempered Regiment, under the command of Colonel Xiao Maoliang!”

“This is your token, uniform, and boots. Please receive them.” He gestured to a chest by his feet. “You’re provided with two sets of winter gear. Two sets for spring and summer will follow.”

He Lingchuan froze for half a beat, then joy slammed into him like a wave.

“I got promoted? Old Liu, I got promoted!”

“Yes, you got promoted.” Merits Clerk Liu cupped his hands in salute. “Congratulations, congratulations. How long have you even been registered in Panlong City? Hasn’t it only been a few months? And you’ve already caught up to what others struggle years to achieve.”

He Lingchuan flipped open the chest and ran his fingers over the dark red Gale Army armor. He had always envied Hu Min’s uniform, but now he had his own. He could not even bear to let go of it at the moment.

It was brand new, with every copper stud even giving off that clean metallic scent. Even just touching the leather itself made his pulse quicken.

“You can take your time petting it.” Merits Clerk Liu had seen this reaction countless times and knew exactly when to exit, leaving He Lingchuan alone with his new gear. “I’ll be on my way.”

He Lingchuan tried to give him a little celebration money, but Merits Clerk Liu refused so fast it was almost comical. “I came in good faith to deliver your promotion! Are you trying to get me fired? Absolutely not!” With that, he turned, climbed into his carriage, and left.

Before the hoofbeats had even faded, neighbors who had been lurking by their doors rushed up to offer congratulations. A new Gale Army soldier from their street was an honor for the whole street. Children coming home from school suddenly had a living example to admire.

Some eager parents even ran back to fetch meat, wine, and even pickled vegetables as tuition gifts, hoping to beg He Lingchuan to teach their kids.

After finally managing to send everyone off, He Lingchuan shut the door.

He wanted nothing more than to throw his head back and howl at the sky.

However, one could not go around screaming in the city without provoking complaints, so he hammered the wall with seven or eight heavy punches instead.

Yes!

Of course, he did not dare use full strength. He did not want to punch Sun Fuling’s courtyard wall down.

Phase one of his goals was complete. He had finally entered the Gale Army!

He let out a long breath, feeling his chest loosen and open as if something that had been pressing on him for months had finally lifted. Now, even casually twirling his saber felt different, as if the saber light itself had grown more lively.

This exceptional promotion was most likely due to his performance in the mine, stacked together with his prior battle merits, perhaps even boosted by his successful defense of the arena. Only then would the Red General have given a nod of approval.

Otherwise, he would have had to grind his way up to squad captain in the patrol guard ranks just to qualify for Gale Army selection, and even then, it would only be a chance, not a guarantee.

His adventures in the Panlong Dreamscape were about to open a brand-new chapter.

Thinking of that, he felt that everything he endured, all his stubborn persistence of these recent days, had finally paid off.

At that exact moment, Fleeting Life at his waist suddenly trembled.

He grabbed the hilt, and it was hot, scalding hot.

What’s going on? Aren’t I just sitting here perfectly fine?

Did I forget something?

He had fought and struggled through endless twists in the dream and finally gained what he wanted...

But what about outside the dream, in the real world?

Wait.

I still haven’t escaped danger in reality!

* * *

He Lingchuan’s eyes snapped open. The first thing he saw was an ugly ghost face looming over him, and he almost threw a punch on instinct.

He stopped himself just in time, remembering that this was not a ghost but rather just Dong Rui without his mask.

“What are you doing?” Dong Rui’s arm was dislocated, but somehow he had produced a jade bottle. He pinned it against his own chest with one forearm, head lowered, and was trying to bite the stopper loose with his teeth.

This guy... You really can’t relax around him for even a moment.

Dong Rui jumped, startled. His hand jerked. The stopper was not even out yet when He Lingchuan snatched the bottle away in one swift motion.

In agility, Dong Rui was nowhere near his match.

“Give it back.”

He Lingchuan shook the bottle. “What is this?”

“It’s liquid food for the jellyfish,” Dong Rui said, struggling to keep his expression steady. “Otherwise, we’ve been in its belly for two days; why do you think we haven’t been digested?”

“Is that so?” He Lingchuan did not miss the flash of panic on Dong Rui’s face when he had been caught. “Then pour it out. Right now.”

“We don’t have to feed it.” Dong Rui instantly acted as if nothing had happened. “We’re about to reach shore.”

But inwardly, he cursed.

What a waste. The poison water in that bottle killed without leaving a trace! It just works a little slowly.

His plan had been to send He Lingchuan off quietly while he slept.

Dong Rui had fallen asleep later and woken earlier, but his hands would not cooperate. Just getting the bottle out had taken him almost two hours.

Two whole hours!

Is this kid an owl or something? Why wake up now—why not earlier, why not later—why wake up exactly when I was about to pull the stopper and pour the poison out?

He Lingchuan leisurely drew his treasured saber. “I told you before, try any more tricks, and you can forget about keeping those hands.”

After saying that, he slashed cleanly and decisively.

Dong Rui’s body flashed with two bursts of light—one red, one green. It was the glow of protective magical artifacts, triggering and then shattering.

“Oh? You were hiding some protective magical artifacts, eh?” He Lingchuan’s tone stayed calm as he twirled the saber once. “Come on, then. Let’s see how many magical artifacts you’ve got left.”

He’s really going to cut my hands off!

Dong Rui screamed, “I won’t! I won’t ever again! I swear to Heaven that until we both get back safely to the human world, I will absolutely not scheme against you again! I won’t make a move against you again!”

He Lingchuan asked, “You mean it?”

“I mean it, I mean it!” Dong Rui swore viciously, dragging eight generations of his ancestors deep into it.

In this world, oaths had binding power.

“Alright.” He Lingchuan smiled, keeping his saber.

Dong Rui had barely managed to breathe when He Lingchuan slammed a fist into his upper abdomen.

Dong Rui folded instantly like a shrimp, mouth gaping, unable to close it for a long time.

He wanted to vomit, but nothing came up. Cold sweat came bursting from his forehead and dissolved into the water around them.

“Just a small punishment as a warning. Don’t let it happen again.”

Dong Rui finally gave up.

He Lingchuan swept his gaze outward.

It turned out that the giant jellyfish had already drifted out of the raging main current of the Han River and entered a calmer deepwater stretch.

No wonder Dong Rui got impatient and tried to make a move on me. He wanted to get ashore and run as fast as possible.

Good thing Fleeting Life warned me. Otherwise, I really might’ve fallen for his tricks.

He did not expose Dong Rui outright. He just asked, “How long were you asleep?”

“About as long as you,” Dong Rui answered. The pain had not fully faded; he took a slow breath, his words heavy with bleak resignation. “I only woke up not long ago. Jellyfish have natural sedatives. The toxin isn’t strong, but we were soaked in it for a long time.”

Is this kid my natural nemesis? Every time we cross paths, I end up eating dirt.

He Lingchuan looked left and right, trying to figure out where they were.