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墨書 Inktalez
The stone-encircled bonfire flickered like a vibrant spirit, sometimes leaping with fierce flames and at other times gently cascading like a tide. The skewers of grilled wings, meats, oysters, and game laid across the grill glistened golden and oily, continuously dripping fat onto the coals below, igniting another burst of lively flames.
The bright flames illuminated the faces gathered around the bonfire, each one flushed red, whether from the effects of alcohol or the warmth of the fire was uncertain.
In fact, at this Monster Base, the temperature at night did carry a hint of autumn chill. Sitting by the fire didn’t feel hot; it was the combination of strong liquor and honey-glazed meat that ignited a person’s passion.
After several rounds of drinks, A Teng and Dali had already become brothers with Hu Tian Er. However, Lu Fei Fan glanced at his two brothers, who were already more than halfway gone. In contrast, Hu Tian Er remained composed, her seemingly bottomless capacity for alcohol evident. Lu Fei Fan shook his head; it seemed his shameless companions had little chance of getting her drunk.
Meanwhile, Mei Xuefeng and Mei San Shao showed no concern that Hu Tian Er would be overwhelmed by A Teng and Dali’s drinking. Eventually, A Teng could no longer hold out and went to the neighboring camp to bring back five or six burly men. The group gathered around the fire, heartily eating meat and drinking, laughter filling the air. A Teng occasionally told risqué jokes to tease Hu Tian Er, who welcomed every bit of it. Soon enough, she was mingling with the group of men effortlessly, handling her drink as if it were nothing despite facing seven or eight at once.
Lu Fei Fan felt a chill run down his spine; this woman’s drinking capacity was terrifyingly impressive, matching her fiery personality that matched her voluptuous figure.
Lu Fei Fan took a swig of liquor and picked up a roasted rabbit leg. Skillfully brushing a layer of honey over it before roasting it again and sprinkling some coarse salt on top, he blew away some steam before digging in. Coupled with the generous flow of wine, he savored every bite. After all, Lu Fei Fan had longed to enjoy roasted meat like this; now that he finally could indulge himself, he thought he might as well eat until he bled from his nose.
“Aren’t you going to help her?” Lu Fei Fan tossed aside the gnawed bone and wiped his greasy hands on his clothes as he prepared to tackle another roasted chicken.
Mei San Shao glanced at Hu Tian Er amidst the crowd where a burly man played a harmonica while she led everyone in song. The surrounding people joined in boisterously; it was pure joy—so much so that it felt out of place compared to their own quieter gathering.
Shaking his head, Mei San Shao replied, “The person who could get her drunk probably hasn’t been born yet.”
“Sounds like you’ve tried,” Lu Fei Fan seized on this opening to probe into Mei San Shao’s drinking history with Hu Tian Er, sensing a painful lesson behind it.
“You brat,” Mei San Shao chuckled while pointing at Lu Fei Fan with a knowing smile. “I did try once; we were both eighteen back then.”
“That can’t be right; you look at least seven or eight years older than her,” Lu Fei Fan interjected to correct him.
“Shut up,” Mei San Shao threw a bottle at him.
He caught it deftly, twisted off the cap, took a sip, burped loudly, and praised, “Good wine.”
“Speaking of which, have you ever liked a girl?” Mei San Shao suddenly took a large sip of his drink, bitterness evident in his tone.
Lu Fei Fan recalled a certain supervisor from his past life, one he often spied on while she bathed. Each time she punished him, it brought him a mix of pain and pleasure. Though it was difficult to endure, he fondly remembered those days. Here, however, he hadn’t encountered any girl who made his heart flutter.
What about that devilish Su Su? That was still too premature to say.
“Share your story; I have wine and roasted meat to share with you,” Lu Fei Fan offered, passing the bottle of wine to Mei San Shao. He then swiftly brushed oil over a chicken wing, flames licking at it and releasing a sweet aroma.
“I once liked a girl. She was very clean-looking, had a sweet smile, and those adorable dimples. The kind that you grow fonder of the more you see her,” Mei San Shao took a swig of strong liquor but didn’t continue.
“And then?” Lu Fei Fan casually asked, still focused on his roasted meat.
“She married my father,” Mei San Shao replied flatly.
“Ah?” Lu Fei Fan was taken aback. “So she’s not…”
“Yeah, my stepmother,” Mei San Shao shrugged. “Maybe it was destined to be.”
“What happened next…” Lu Fei Fan seemed to show a flicker of interest in the story. A single child secretly in love with his stepmother—how could that not be seen as an illicit romance? He found himself eagerly anticipating how the tale would unfold, his mind racing with sordid scenarios and vivid imagery.
“What happened next?” Mei San Shao pondered for a moment. “Well… um, she went out to sea with my father… handling the family’s external shipping business. Something went wrong.”
Lu Fei Fan listened quietly, knowing that the twist in the story was about to arrive.
“During a transaction, she offended a warlord while trying to save a child who had stolen weapons from their home. She ended up killing the warlord's son or something like that. In any case, the warlord was furious and tore up my father’s contract along with our family’s trade agreement. My father took his personal guard to rescue her but suffered severe injuries and died on the way back amidst heavy encirclement; the guard unit was nearly wiped out. Yet she returned, but what she brought back was war. Our family’s business there collapsed completely, and many in the family held grievances against her, even wanting to execute her. But I secretly arranged for her escape, sending her to an unknown place far away—even I didn’t know where.”
Finished, Mei San Shao turned to look at Lu Fei Fan, whose bright eyes seemed lost in some troubling thoughts.
"Truly, this is a story that is not romantic at all," Lu Fei Fan shook his head and said. "I thought you would have an illicit romance with your stepmother, then dramatically evade family pursuits, falling to such depths, striving hard, and eventually rising to greatness."
"Hahaha." Mei San Shao was instantly amused by this fellow. As he laughed, he suddenly quieted down and recited, "Who in their youth does not have love and maidens, poetry and distant lands?"
"Yes, right, you have love and maidens," Lu Fei Fan nodded in agreement, pointing at him and then at himself. "I have poetry and distant lands."
"Hahaha, what poetry and distant lands do you have? Let's hear it," Mei San Shao said, clearly entertained.
"When the tranquil time drowns the noisy ocean, we are all lonely travelers," Lu Fei Fan pointed at his head and shrugged before picking up a knife to cut the roasted meat, sharing half with Mei San Shao.
"Lone travelers... pfft, pretending to be profound. Come on, down it!" Mei San Shao finished speaking and gulped down the entire bottle of strong liquor, wiping his mouth as he looked up at the starry sky.
Lu Fei Fan also finished his bottle and hummed a tune: "The dark sky hangs low, bright stars accompany; insects fly, insects fly, who are you missing..."
After humming this a few times, Mei San Shao listened closely and felt a touch of emotion and insight.
"A man's ambition should soar high; he should not dwell on romantic feelings all day. Now that I have ideals, are you interested in joining me?" Mei San Shao clapped Lu Fei Fan on the shoulder and extended the invitation.
"Without strong ambition, one cannot reach wisdom; without trust in words, actions will not bear fruit," Lu Fei Fan continued roasting the meat.
"What a great line: 'Without trust in words, actions will not bear fruit.' Just wait! I will change this world one day," Mei San Shao waved his hand as if the vibrant world outside was his kingdom—how grand it felt.
At that moment, Lu Fei Fan fell into a quiet contemplation. Listening to the serene sounds of chirping insects around him, he rested his chin on his fist while gazing at the vast ocean under the expansive stars. There was some yearning mixed with helplessness.
"Sometimes one has no choice but to walk paths they never intended to take. Slowly walking along until only oneself remains. We are all insignificant; we are merely stars in this vast universe," Lu Fei Fan pointed at the stars above.
"Who cares? Even if we are but a star, we must illuminate our conquest of this vast ocean!" Mei San Shao boldly waved his hand as if sketching out his grand vision.
Lu Fei Fan smiled upon hearing those words.
"What? Do you find it amusing?" Mei San Shao, slightly tipsy, was struggling to discern the meaning behind Lu Fei Fan's smile.
"No," Lu Fei Fan waved his hand. "I just remembered something I heard a long time ago. I never expected it would apply to me in the future."
"What was it?" Mei San Shao hiccupped.
Lu Fei Fan gazed into the distance at the vast, dark sea, silent for a moment before he spoke.
"My journey leads to the stars and the sea."
…
On a distant hill, Chu Wei Lan sat cross-legged on the ground. His two beautifully crafted Twin Lotus firearms rested on his knees, their intricate patterns shimmering with a subtle metallic sheen under the moonlight and starlight.
In the distance lay the camp where Lu Fei Fan and others were, only a few spots lit up with firelight. The most prominent was a bonfire surrounded by laughter and song, the sounds of revelry echoing from where Lu Fei Fan and his companions were drinking and singing.
At that moment, a middle-aged man slowly approached him, lost in thought as he faced the evening breeze.
This man was Chu Wei Lan's San Uncle.
"Are those your friends?" he suddenly asked Chu Wei Lan, pulling out a metal flask and taking a sip before sitting down beside him, offering the flask.
Chu Wei Lan took it, drank a mouthful, and fell silent, watching the lively bonfire in the distance as if contemplating something.
"If your father were still around, our family would probably be just as lively," San Uncle remarked with a hint of nostalgia.
“Are you sure you want to give up your spot in the Special Training Camp?” San Uncle suddenly asked him with a serious tone.
“Yeah. I’ve made up my mind to join Brother and Sister Two’s team,” Chu Wei Lan replied, seemingly resolute.
San Uncle paused for a moment before advising, “You need to think this through. Your Sister Two and Brother are part of a Special Operations Team that often operates in very dangerous places. You’re still young…”
“I know, San Uncle,” Chu Wei Lan answered calmly, his long fingers gripping his knees where the Twin Lotus rested. “I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”
San Uncle fell silent, as if he saw the shadow of someone.
At the same time, in a villa corridor within the base's residential area, under bright lights, a young man dressed in white sat below. In front of him was a bowl of water, and he was slowly wiping down an exceptionally long Tachi with a white towel.
This person was Bai Xu Chang. After finishing his careful cleaning, he deliberately reflected the blade against the silvery moonlight before casually waving it through the air.
Swish, swish, swish—the sound of air slicing through resonated softly, and several trees in the villa courtyard snapped with a rustling sound. Only then did he contentedly sheath the Tachi and sit cross-legged, gazing into the distance.
After a while, feeling somewhat bored, he murmured to himself, “After today, it will be a new journey…”
The evening breeze swept through the villa courtyard, rustling softly through what seemed to be an endlessly long night.
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