Chapter 1827: Chapter 1827: Farewell to Fallen Comrades
Temporary camp.
"Camp Master."
The three, Lei Ba, approached Li Feng, who was sitting cross-legged. Li Feng opened his eyes and looked at them: "How many casualties?"
"One hundred thirty-two killed in action, the rest are all injured."
Lei Ba’s voice was somewhat somber. Although their lives were not valued, even if they stayed in the Duel Arena, they would eventually die. At that time, Lei Ba might not even feel sorrow because it was their fate.
However, now these people were their comrades in arms.
Li Feng stood up directly, walked to the tent entrance without speaking. At this moment, the bodies of the fallen soldiers were laid out in the open space, but the corpses lying there were far less than the number mentioned earlier, because some had resolutely self-destructed while defending against the Ten Demon Hall, leaving no remains.
Li Feng’s gaze swept over the silent Personal Guard Camp.
"Today, one hundred thirty-two comrades have fallen. They died fighting for me, while I cannot give them any glory."
Li Feng looked at the corpses in front of him, calling out each name of the fallen soldiers: "Yan Eight One, Yan Six Thirty-Five, Yan Qianwu...!"
Many of these personal guards were taken in by the Duel Arena at a very young age, having even forgotten their real names, only remembering the code names assigned to them by the arena. The numbers in the code replaced the previous person; when one died, the next used it, repeating in such a cycle.
They were like numbers, no one cared about their existence, or even their life and death.
Although Li Feng had not spent much time with the personal guards, he had memorized the names and faces of hundreds of them, a necessary ability for someone in his position. If he cannot even remember his own men, how can he expect to command them in battle?
Calling each of the one hundred thirty-two names, the surrounding personal guards gradually shifted from silent to looking up at Li Feng. Earlier they might have chosen to stay because of their identity, but this time, almost a third were killed, and most of the survivors were wounded.
They inevitably thought about whether their choice was truly correct, perhaps considering returning to Ancestor Dragon City....
Some were shaken.
But as Li Feng called out each name, they knew Li Feng wasn’t randomly calling names, even if they could not name them all themselves, recognizing only some familiar faces.
He truly remembered them, the group of war slaves, considering them personal guards, rather than using them as cannon fodder.
Because cannon fodder, is not remembered by name.
Li Feng spent fifteen minutes calling out over ninety names, those whose bodies could still be found as guards.
"Besides these, more than twenty others self-destructed, perished with the enemy, does anyone know who they are?"
"Step forward, tell me."
"Yan Liujiu, Yan Eight Thirteen...!" One person bit their lip, stepped forward, and loudly called out a few names.
Before that person finished, another stepped out from the opposite side: "Shui Qianliu, Tu Wanqi."
One by one, individuals stepped forward, loudly calling out the names of their familiar comrades who self-destructed to kill the enemy. Though just codes, no one found them laughable at that moment.
"One hundred twenty-nine..., one hundred thirty-two."
Li Feng counted the numbers: "Maybe these are just your code names, but I will not forget, nor will they, even if you die in battle, you will always be part of my personal guards."
"Farewell comrades."
Li Feng spoke, issuing the military salute from Ancestor Dragon’s side, raising his arm to pound his chest.
"Farewell comrades."
The three hundred plus personal guards around, still looking ragged, maintained solemn expressions, their previous moment of doubt wiped away.
They were not afraid of death, just afraid of dying unheard, like cannon fodder, without leaving a trace.
Yet Li Feng told them that even if they died in battle, they would live on in others’ hearts, though intangible, it struck a chord.
Perhaps, this is what it feels like to be human.
Over three hundred people pounded their chests, saluting, Li Feng remained silent for three minutes: "Safe travels." Li Feng raised his hand, scattering fire seeds into the air, these seeds fell onto the bodies, igniting shortly.
Quickly.
Corpses blazed, under the guards’ gaze, transforming into ashes carried by the wind into the distant barbaric land.
"This guy sure knows how to win people’s hearts?"
Ouyang Qiuhai whispered.
Sikong Yu glanced at Li Feng, then said: "Qiuhai, this isn’t winning hearts, it’s camaraderie, perhaps that’s his charm."
After sending off the fallen comrades, the heavy atmosphere seemed to ease considerably.
Li Feng had them camp again for a day before proceeding, while in the sky, a three-eyed night crow watched Li Feng’s group heading south.
"They continue south."
"Yes, keep an eye on them, although the Young Prince has temporarily spared Li Feng for the greater plan, Li Feng killed several of our masters from the Divine Dragon Hall and took four Blood God Weapons, he cannot be left unchecked."
A nearby General replied.
"General, Li Feng’s strength is elusive, our masters are not weak, especially with the aid of the Blood God Weapons, we’ve only a handful of us...!"
One cultivator from the Divine Dragon Hall sounded apprehensive. Earlier, with hundreds from the Divine Dragon Hall and Heavenly King Hall attacking, the result was devastating losses, four masters dead, and dozens of generals killed, which were dozens of Golden Cores.
This group has merely one Golden Core General, others only Foundation Establishment Stage bloodline cultivators, likely not enough to handle even one hand from Li Feng.
The General smacked the back of the worried one’s head: "What are you thinking? With you lot, wanting to clash directly, how overconfident are you?"
"Besides, do you think the Young Prince is foolish, or that I have no brains?"
"Ah, of course, the Young Prince isn’t foolish, the General has brains."
"Hmph."
The General snorted, glanced at his subordinates around: "The Young Prince asked us to keep watch, not to face them head-on, they want to go to the Vermilion Bird’s Molten Lava Land, right."
"That place is no less than one of the Ten Demon Ancestor’s Forbidden Zones, not only with mighty Overlords but also with a harsh deadly environment."
If they indeed go there, it will be their death place."
The General’s mouth curled upward, speaking coldly.
"Using a knife trick, General, you are wise."
"Hmph, it’s the Young Prince who is wise, the Young Prince gave me three brocade bags before departing."
"Brocade bags, what’s written inside them by the Young Prince?" The surrounding subordinates looked at the General.
"The Young Prince instructed not to open until reaching the Molten Lava Land, what’s inside, I truly don’t know, but the Young Prince is insightful and decisive, able to control victory from a thousand miles away, this Li Feng is a post-summer locust, he won’t last long."
