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墨書 Inktalez
In the early morning, as the sky began to brighten and a mist enveloped the surroundings, Cheng Mo had just fallen asleep when she was startled awake again. At that moment, she was sitting inside a military vehicle, gazing at the indistinct outline of the city walls shrouded in fog. Behind her were rows of neatly arranged military green vehicles, their pitch-black wheels crushing the snow beneath them, leaving a series of imprints on the white ground.
She looked at Shangguan Shaoyi in front of the vehicle, riding through the snow on horseback, his military uniform and cloak giving him an imposing presence. Beside him was the traitor Huang Chenghao. This was her first time seeing Huang Chenghao, and he appeared timid and cowardly, certainly not someone who seemed capable of handling significant responsibilities.
"Chenghao," Shangguan Shaoyi said coldly, his gaze sharp as lightning. "Do you think our military plans have changed too suddenly?"
"I dare not say so, but I just don’t quite understand," Huang Chenghao replied quietly, lowering his head as he followed Shangguan Shaoyi. He had received a sudden order while organizing the troops, instructing him to accompany Shangguan Shaoyi to Pingyang Pass, leaving him puzzled and bewildered.
"You will understand soon enough," Shangguan Shaoyi's tone was calm yet carried an unintentional chill that made Huang Chenghao anxious and restless; even in the dead of winter, he felt a heat rising within him, unable to bear the tension.
As their unit arrived at Pingyang Pass, Shangguan Shaoyi waved his hand, signaling the vehicles behind to stop. When he dismounted, Huang Chenghao hurriedly followed suit and walked behind Shangguan Shaoyi as they ascended Pingyang Pass. Cheng Mo felt a deep sense of worry for him, fearing something might go wrong. However, seeing his determined stride calmed her nerves; she sat quietly in the vehicle, waiting for his return.
"Young Marshal!" The guards at Pingyang Pass saluted in unison. The leading guard praised him, saying, "Young Marshal has great courage to dare to bring only this few men to challenge Pingyang Pass."
"Because I believe General Guo that you are genuinely loyal," Shangguan Shaoyi replied with a faint smile that held double meanings. "I, Shangguan Shaoyi, do not suspect those I employ; if all the generals in this world were as suspicious as women, China would be in peril."
"Good!" General Guo was also a straightforward man. "I sincerely pledge my loyalty and am willing to serve Young Marshal like a dog or horse. However, there is one thing I must mention: Lin Hongyao has already learned about our defection and is gathering troops from Zha Province. They are likely to attack us in the coming days; we must be on guard."
Shangguan Shaoyi laughed confidently, exuding an overwhelming aura. "General Guo need not worry; I have already sent Deputy Officer Shen and General Xiao with troops to ambush his supply depot in Zha Province. They will not be able to attack us."
General Guo was taken aback; indeed, Shangguan Shaoyi was both brave and wise—intelligent and decisive. He couldn't help but salute again out of respect. As Shangguan Shaoyi turned around, his gaze casually fell on Huang Chenghao. Huang Chenghao distinctly felt an invisible killing intent in that cold glare and immediately froze in place.
He vaguely sensed that Shangguan Shaoyi had already discovered his betrayal; this seventeen-year-old boy possessed an elusive mind and an innate kingly aura.
The Pingyang Pass City Gate opened wide, and upon seeing Shangguan Shaoyi back on horseback, Cheng Mo's anxious heart finally settled down. He rode forward with an air of elegance, yet each step was firm and imposing. As she watched him, Shangguan Shaoyi seemed to sense her thoughts and turned his head. Their eyes met, and she blushed, quickly looking away. He smiled slightly, giving her a moment of reassurance.
The carriage arrived at a stylish villa. Shangguan Shaoyi dismounted and entered the carriage, sending the driver away before he could truly admire her clear and graceful smile.
Cheng Mo felt extremely shy under his gaze. With her delicate hand, she pushed him away slightly. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
Shangguan Shaoyi did not look away; he continued to gaze at her with tenderness in his eyes. "I just want to see you more. I probably won't be able to for the next few days." Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at him in confusion. He smiled again and added, "I see that Deputy Officer Shen has already been completely subdued by you, so he probably won't say much more. You can stay in this villa for now, and once I conquer another province here, I'll send someone to take you back."
"I'm not going back; I'm not staying here. I want to live in the barracks with you." She felt a surge of urgency, disregarding everything else as she clutched his sleeve, her eyes reddening with tears that threatened to spill over.
Seeing her like this made Shangguan Shaoyi feel uneasy as well. "Mo Su, the barracks are tough."
"I'm not afraid of hardship."
"The barracks are cold."
"I'm not afraid of the cold."
"There are no delicacies in the barracks, no fine silks or satin, no beautiful flowers or exquisite calligraphy."
"Those may be absent, but... there is you." She lifted her head to look at him earnestly. He was momentarily taken aback, noticing the rosy blush on her already beautiful snow-like skin and the rippling depths of her dark eyes. The smile at the corners of her lips was gentle yet resolute. He slowly leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead; the cool sensation from his lips sent a wave of warmth into his heart. After a moment, he spoke again: "But I still want you to stay here."
"I..." Cheng Mo could only gaze into his ink-black eyes, recalling the kiss on her forehead. In that instant, she was so anxious that words escaped her; all she could do was look at him with teary eyes, making his heart ache.
"Mo Su, I promise you that in just a few days, once I take Zha Province, I will come back to get you." His dark eyes looked straight into her heart. As she gazed at his serious expression, her heart sank slowly to the bottom, unable to be retrieved. It seemed he was determined not to let her get involved in this mess. She understood he was still protecting her, cherishing her.
She smiled lightly, two dimples appearing on her cheeks. "Then I will wait for you here. You must come back." Seeing him nod with a smile, she still felt uneasy and added, "Also, no one else is allowed to come to take me back to Shanghai unless it's you. Otherwise, I won't go anywhere."
"Alright." He took her hand, leading her out of the car and into the villa. Cheng Mo Su smiled and insisted on waiting until he left before going inside. He couldn't refuse her and waved goodbye as he got into the car. Once the car drove away, tears silently fell from Cheng Mo Su's eyes; all she could do now was pray for his safety in her heart.
Shangguan Shaoyi arrived at the barracks with a stern expression; another major battle was about to begin.
"Young Marshal!" an officer reported, "We just received a message from Deputy Officer Shen that the supplies have been successfully burned. He requests your next instructions!"
A cold glint flashed in Shangguan Shaoyi's eyes as he spoke with unwavering determination, "Inform Deputy Officer Shen to launch a direct attack, and tell him I have sent General Guo to lead all troops from Re Province for reinforcement. We will have a good fight with Lin Hongyao's forces in Zha Province!" He climbed into the car and said, "Call Huang Chenghao to accompany me to the battlefield; you will be in charge of the defense here!"
"Mission guaranteed!"
Shangguan Shaoyi looked up at the sky; the bright blood-red color seemed to pull him in, while the only clear light was hidden by floating black clouds in his line of sight. The world appeared engulfed in darkness, with howling cold winds and heavy snow stealing away the last remnants of warmth.
Only darkness? Then create light.
Only cold? Then generate warmth.
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