Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Grade A Merit
Xianglin Town was a large town at the mouth of the Leigong River. It was a strategic location with a sizable population. The somber Escort Team arrived, first settling the wounded and finding a doctor, then taking the bodies of their fallen comrades to a funerary hall to be laid to rest temporarily.
Zhao Xingyang led the men in offering incense for their dead brothers. The group stood in silence inside the funerary hall, and many secretly wiped away tears.
Most of the men had known each other for many years. Companions in an Escort Team often spent their days and nights together—sparring, drinking, laughing, cursing, and fighting side-by-side. Countless memories now flooded their minds, but they all came to a halt at the very moment their comrades fell in battle.
They would never make any more memories. Their journey together had come to a permanent end.
As a more recent addition to the agency, Xie Yuan’s bonds weren’t as deep as the others’, but he felt the same sorrow.
He had come to know everyone here, especially Kong Chun and Tang Dawei. They were companions from his very first escort, seniors who had taught him the ropes. Now, they lay there, never again able to force more wine on him.
"Xiaoxie, you’re amazing... Brother Yuan, you’re a beast... Brother Yuan, you can really hold your liquor..."
The ever-grinning, ever-enthusiastic Kong Chun; the steady Tang Dawei who became boisterously outspoken after a few drinks...
From calling him Xiaoxie to Brother Yuan, from teaching him the escort chants to following his commands, these colleagues had witnessed his growth. Not long ago, they had all gotten drunk together in a tavern, alive and laughing. Now, they lay there silently, their souls lost in a foreign land.
Xie Yuan tilted his head back slightly and took a deep breath.
’The incense smoke is stinging my eyes, and the smell in here is terrible.’
He turned and left the funerary hall. Gazing at the blue sky and white clouds outside, he let out a long sigh.
’I’m still not used to partings like this.’
"This is exactly the kind of scene I wanted to avoid. That’s why I do my best to guide every brother, especially the new ones. But the path of the Martial Dao is one of endless conflict. No one knows if they’ll see the sun rise tomorrow. And that goes double for escort work."
Zhao Xingyang also stepped out of the funerary hall and came to Xie Yuan’s side. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, looking up at the vast sky.
Xie Yuan was also deeply moved. The fact that all his companions from the last mission, the very ones he had been drinking with just days before, were now left here filled him with a sense of life’s fragility.
It felt both unreal and yet painfully real.
’I also used every trick I had in this fight, pushing myself to the absolute limit. If I had held back even a little, the outcome might have been entirely different.’
Xie Yuan closed his eyes for a moment. ’I love practicing the Martial Dao. It doesn’t just let me protect myself and change my life; it gives me a deep, fundamental satisfaction. I want to walk further down this path, to see the view from the summit. I don’t want to fall by the wayside.’
’If I want that, I have to keep working hard, work even harder, and then harder still.’
’I have to constantly raise my cultivation level, master more Cultivation Techniques, and practice them to greater proficiency. Only then can I scale one peak after another, defeating one enemy after another...’
Xie Yuan clenched his fists, a powerful new motivation rising in his heart.
The group rested briefly in Xianglin Town before continuing toward Wulizhuang. The two places weren’t far apart, and after a little over a day’s travel without any further incident, they delivered the escort goods, handing them over to a bewildered steward who seemed like a complete outsider to the situation.
Zhao Xingyang made no comment on the matter. He led his men back to Xianglin Town, collected the bodies of their fallen comrades and their gravely wounded companions, and they all headed home together.
The closer they got to the Escort Agency, the more the atmosphere tensed.
The survivors of the Escort Team were mostly seasoned veterans. Among the fewer than ten survivors, there were more at the Second Training level than there were Chanters and Junior-level Darts Masters combined.
With their sharp instincts, they naturally sensed that something was wrong, and their feelings were as complicated as Zhao Xingyang’s.
Gazing at the gates of Yunzhao City from a distance, Xie Yuan quietly asked Zhao Xingyang:
"Boss Zhao, have you figured anything out?"
"I already have... a suspect in mind."
Zhao Xingyang replied in a low voice.
Xie Yuan nodded silently, his mind suddenly flashing back to the chance encounter at the Jude Building as he fell into deep thought.
The Escort Team spurred their horses and drove their carts into Yunzhao City.
Many people at the city gate still remembered this Escort Team leaving a few days ago—an impressive procession of strong men and sturdy horses. Now, only a handful were returning, all of them wounded, their mood grim and heavy.
The contrast between then and now was too stark. Onlookers exchanged glances but remained silent.
The Escort Team’s return to the agency was like a giant boulder dropped into a calm lake, shattering the peace. A moment later, a huge uproar erupted throughout the entire agency.
Shen Longteng stared at the row of bodies laid out in the main courtyard. His usually ruddy complexion had gone dark, his face a thundercloud, and his brows were knitted tightly together.
Everyone in the agency had gathered there, each one clenching their fists, not saying a word.
"The last time we suffered losses this great was many years ago."
Shen Longteng spoke slowly, turning to Zhao Xingyang.
"You said the person at Wulizhuang who received the cargo was completely unaware of this?"
Zhao Xingyang looked at Xie Yuan. Xie Yuan stepped forward, cupped his fist, and said in a grave voice:
"That’s right. Landlord Chang’s steward clearly knew nothing. He had to confirm with me several times before he would accept the delivery."
Shen Longteng pondered for a moment, then scoffed.
"Playing games with me, are they? Fine. You all wait here. I’m going to Landlord Chang’s estate to ask a few questions."
He flicked his sleeves and strode out of the agency.
His first two steps were clear, but in the blink of an eye, Shen Longteng had already vanished through the agency gates. No one inside had managed to get a clear look.
The Darts Masters exchanged glances. It had been a long time since they had seen the Chief act in such a fiery manner. His rage must have reached its peak.
They looked at Zhao Xingyang and the others, wanting to ask questions but hesitating to speak.
Lu Zhenyu frowned, walked over to Zhao Xingyang, and noted his injuries and unstable aura. Yet, he could also sense the Blood Qi of the Fourth Training level. After a moment of silence, he said:
"Your injuries are serious. You should go rest first."
Zhao Xingyang shook his head firmly.
"No. I’m waiting here for an answer."
They had thought Shen Longteng would be gone for a while, but in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he returned to the courtyard as if carried by the wind, his face calm.
"Chief, what’s the word?"
Zhao Xingyang took a step forward, unable to stop himself from asking.
Shen Longteng shook his head.
"Landlord Chang is dead."
"What?"
Everyone was stunned. As countless thoughts raced through their minds, Shen Longteng continued:
"When I arrived, Landlord Chang had just died. As I was examining the scene, Yu Chunsheng burst in with a group of government officials, called me a suspect, and demanded I accompany them to the government office."
The crowd heard that something was wrong. Just as shock and anger were rising within them, they heard the Chief give a cold snort.
"I just stared him down for a moment, and he immediately changed his tune. Said he trusted my decades-long reputation, then declared it a suicide without even looking at the body. I looked. Landlord Chang had been stabbed seven times in the back."
The Darts Masters understood immediately. ’How could there be such a coincidence? The Vajra Sect and the County Captain must be behind this. In Yunzhao, the only ones who would dare to target—and want to target—the Escort Agency are this old rival.’
’The only question is whether Landlord Chang was a scapegoat or silenced to keep him quiet. And what will their next move be?’
As the men were pondering this, Shen Longteng spoke slowly:
"On this mission, despite our heavy losses, we did not lose the cargo. The fact that we made it back on our feet is a victory in itself.
"Xingyang’s contribution was immense. As the Escort Leader, your merits speak for themselves. I will fetch you some of my private stock of medicine to help you recover. Xie Yuan delivered the cargo alone, returned to provide reinforcements, and turned the tide of battle. To have such a young talent is a blessing for our agency; his contribution is rated a First-Class Merit. The rest of you fought to the bitter end without retreating and protected the cargo; you are each awarded a Second-Class Merit.
"These losses were due to the treachery of an external enemy. I, Shen Longteng, swear to you all that I will make them pay the price. Now, all of you, go and rest.
"The other Escort Leaders, come with me."
Xie Yuan watched as the few Escort Leaders, their expressions varied, followed the striding Shen Longteng into the Inner Courtyard, and was lost in thought.
’The treachery of an external enemy? I’m afraid it’s more than just that. He’s just saying that to placate everyone.’
Xie Yuan shook his head. For now, what happened in there was not his concern.
Still, obtaining a First-Class Merit was a huge gain. It was the highest honor in the agency. Even so, there was no joy in earning it like this.
In any case, two Second-Class Merits would have been enough to get him more than halfway through Muscle Training. This single First-Class Merit was enough to help him achieve mastery in the Third Training.
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