Chapter 298: Chapter 298: The Send-off
Yu Mingche’s ears instantly flushed red. "The surface healed a long time ago. Besides, it’s not there."
Yu Mingche’s voice was hushed as he spoke, not daring to meet Ning Xuan’s gaze.
"Not here? Then where is it?" Ning Xuan was practically leaning against Yu Mingche now. Her hand roamed restlessly over his abdomen, pinching here and probing there, as if she were genuinely searching for something.
"Lord Contract Master..." Yu Mingche turned his head, his eyes pleading for mercy.
"Call me Xuanyuan from now on." Ning Xuan planted a light kiss on Yu Mingche’s cheek and withdrew her hand.
Seeing the adoring look Ning Xuan gave Yu Mingche, Ying Yaoshi felt his heart seize in a tight, painful grip. He was suddenly short of breath. He had been about to enter the banquet hall, but the sight made him freeze in his tracks. He turned and retreated.
He knew Ning Xuan always had Contractors attending to her, but knowing and seeing it firsthand were two different things. His fists clenched so tightly that he slammed one into the nearby wall. A wave of regret washed over him for asking Yu Mingche to come and get her.
As long as he didn’t see her with other people, he could still console himself. ’I must be the most special one in her heart.’
Ning Xuan’s attention was entirely on Yu Mingche, so she didn’t notice Ying Yaoshi arrive and then turn back. Yu Mingche, however, saw everything.
If Ying Yaoshi hadn’t been so insistent, Yu Mingche never would have planned on coming to his territory in the first place. ’Now I’m here,’ he thought, ’and judging by his expression just now, he’s utterly shocked and furious.’
Recalling Ning Xuan’s behavior when Ying Yaoshi had walked in, Yu Mingche inwardly raised an eyebrow. ’His reaction was so extreme. Did he feel provoked?’
"Xuanyuan, I just saw General Ying. Is my presence here an imposition?" Yu Mingche glanced hesitantly toward the doorway.
Ning Xuan rose and walked outside, arriving just in time to see Ying Yaoshi slam his fist against the wall. She came to a stop right behind him.
"What has you so angry?" Ning Xuan demanded abruptly. Her tone was accusatory; clearly, she was not pleased.
"Xuanyuan, just the thought of you leaving is tearing me apart. We’ve barely had a few days together. On top of that, Yu Mingche has three years of leave—he can stay by your side for three whole years. When I think about that, I’m just consumed by jealousy. I don’t want to see him." Ying Yaoshi didn’t turn around. He was afraid to face Ning Xuan, afraid he’d lose control and do something that would hurt her.
Ning Xuan was one to hold a grudge, and Ying Yaoshi didn’t dare truly get on her bad side.
"Alright, now. We already agreed, didn’t we? I’ll come back to see you when I can make time. And you can come see me if you’re free. We’re leaving right after this meal. Now come on, eat with me." Ning Xuan grabbed Ying Yaoshi’s hand and pulled him into the banquet hall.
Yu Mingche saw Ning Xuan return and rose to greet her. After she was seated, he offered Ying Yaoshi a cupped-fist salute. With a blank expression, Ying Yaoshi returned the gesture and took the seat on Ning Xuan’s other side.
Ning Xuan glanced at Yu Mingche, then at Ying Yaoshi. One was sharp and imposing, the other refined and elegant. Their appearances alone made it clear their personalities were polar opposites. The one thing they had in common was that both their looks and their auras were dazzling. They were both of the absolute finest quality.
And yet, with the two of them sitting there, the air was inexplicably charged with tension, as if swords were about to be drawn.
"General Ying, thank you for looking after the Lord Contract Master during this time. I propose a toast to you." Yu Mingche raised his glass and stood to toast Ying Yaoshi.
"Governor Yu, you are too kind. It is my duty and responsibility to take good care of the Contractor. Xuanyuan traveled a great distance to see me, only to arrive when things were turbulent. I feel terrible for all the trouble she’s been through." Ying Yaoshi looked at Ning Xuan, his face full of guilt.
"Miss Ning, in the little over a month that you have been here, you’ve saved the lives of thousands of soldiers, among them dozens of mid- to high-level generals. Since you are leaving today, I, Lü Tianci, on behalf of all the officers and men of the Twelfth Army who have been healed by you, thank you for saving our lives." Lü Tianci commanded the 12th Legion of the Ten Thousand Meteor Star Domain’s army corps and was one of Ying Yaoshi’s twelve most trusted subordinates.
"All the soldiers in this war are fighting for the Federation. You are the Federation’s guardians. I’ve only done what I could with the knowledge I have. It is my honor to be able to save wounded soldiers. There’s no need for such formality, General Lv," Ning Xuan replied graciously.
"Knowing that you leave today, the soldiers were very sad to see you go. They’ve prepared a dance to perform for you, Miss Ning, to wish you success in all things. I invite you to watch." After speaking, Lü Tianci clapped his hands. Two rows of young soldiers in matching dark tactical suits filed in. They moved with powerful strides and upright posture, bringing a wave of vigorous energy with them.
They bowed to Ning Xuan and Ying Yaoshi, who were seated at the head of the hall.
Without a single command, the soldiers spread out in perfect sync, swiftly forming an arc.
They weren’t holding ordinary props, but standard-issue long knives that glinted with a cold light. In the next moment, a powerful, resonant rhythm seemed to materialize from the air, and the soldiers began to move.
The light from the blades suddenly flared, like lightning crackling across an open field! As their arms swung, the blades sliced through the air with a sharp WHOOSH. Chops, thrusts, upward slashes, swipes, and parries—each a clean, practical combat move, executed with unbelievable coordination and explosive force. Their movements were swift as the wind and perfectly precise. Every strike possessed a powerful grace, weaving a dazzling yet orderly web of steel in the air.
Their young faces were taut with concentration, their eyes burning like torches. They leaped like striking hawks, crouched low like coiling serpents, and spun with a flourish of their uniforms.
The tailoring of their tactical suits perfectly highlighted the explosive lines of their muscles. Every exertion of power, every twist of the body, was a fusion of strength and beauty. It was a "dance" filled with masculine energy, a soul-stirring blend of power and grace.
The soldiers’ movements flowed one into another with majestic momentum, a perfect exhibition of power, speed, precision, and seamless teamwork. The spectacle was absolutely breathtaking.
Ning Xuan was completely captivated. She held her breath, mesmerized by the dance of flashing steel—a tapestry woven from pure power and beauty.
When the dance concluded, Ning Xuan began to clap, and an instant later, thunderous applause erupted throughout the hall, filling the room with an exuberant energy.
Afterward, commanders from other legions came forward to thank Ning Xuan for her service. Some offered performances, others presented gifts. Naturally, all gifts and performances had been vetted and registered beforehand, so Ning Xuan accepted them all.
The meal lasted until noon. Afterward, Ying Yaoshi escorted Ning Xuan to the Starship, unable to hide his reluctance to see her go.
"I left a gift for you in the cabinet by your bed," Ning Xuan whispered in his ear. "You’ll like it, Marshal."
