20: Chapter 20 Conspiracy and Scheme

Immediately after, under the gaze of Zhuge Jinyu, Su Chen, and all the soldiers who had not yet completely evacuated.

Their figures began to emit a soft light.

The wrinkles on their faces, the scars on their bodies, and the traces of time faded away rapidly.

Their hair and beards turned black, their skin regained its luster, and their bodies became tall, strong, and full of heroic spirit.

They had transformed into the youngest, most vibrant, and peak versions of themselves.

The man was a handsome, tall young lieutenant, and the woman was a valiant heroine.

They looked at each other and smiled; their eyes no longer held pain or regret, only the completeness of reunion.

"In this life, I have been loyal to the country and died for the people; I have no regrets."

The female general spoke in a clear, resonant voice that echoed across the fields.

"If there is an afterlife, I will fight side by side with you again to keep these lands safe and sound."

The man gazed at her affectionately, making a promise for the afterlife.

Their spectral forms slowly dissolved into tiny, brilliant specks of light, like dazzling summer night fireworks, gradually fading into the air.

Zhuge Jinyu and Su Chen could both feel as if a lid over the entirety of Jianging City was slowly being lifted.

The commoners who had been hidden by the Ghost Realm reappeared in their own courtyards, completely bewildered.

"Huh? Why am I sleeping in the courtyard?"

"Old Wang, I think I had a dream."

"Yeah, a very, very long dream."

Long after their figures had vanished, Zhuge Jinyu remained standing in place.

The cold moonlight cast down, illuminating the empty courtyard, where only the pot of meat soup remained, still bubbling away.

Her soldiers had already dispersed to attend to and settle the commoners who had just emerged from the Ghost Realm.

Soon, only she and Su Chen, within the mirror, remained in front of the thatched cottage.

The young girl continued to wipe the mirror unconsciously.

"Sir... is this what love is?"

Having grown up in the Zhuge Clan, the only things she had known since childhood were conspiracy and power.

She had never understood the meaning of love in this world.

"So, this is what love is like..."

She gripped the mirror in her hand a little tighter.

When she first met Su Chen, she only felt that he was incredibly knowledgeable, and her feelings were merely those of a student respecting a teacher.

Later, when Su Chen saved her from danger time and again, she began to slowly develop an attachment to him.

Was that attachment similar to the reliance one has on family, on older siblings?

Zhuge Jinyu could not say for sure.

Now, having witnessed the story between the female general and the male lieutenant, she understood.

Because they shared the same ideals and faced life and death together, they loved.

Because they loved, they were willing to transform into the Ghost Realm.

...

Then, what about her and...

Su Chen's faint sigh interrupted Zhuge Jinyu's thoughts.

"This is not just love; it is the light of humanity that can still shine brilliantly within this darkness."

"Xiao Yu, look, this is what we must protect... beyond those hollow imperial powers and hegemonies."

The young girl froze for a moment, a trace of disappointment appearing on her pretty face.

She held Su Chen up and pressed it against her chest.

To this day, she still remembers the words Su Chen said when they first met.

He said he was her "angel investor."

Having spent so much time with Su Chen, she had long since learned many of the terms from his modern vocabulary.

The meaning of "investor" was roughly equivalent to the concept of "hoarding rare goods" found in books.

Perhaps she was merely someone he favored, a tool to help him turn his envisioned blueprint for hegemony into reality.

Nothing more.

"Sir is absolutely right."

"Your student... understands."

With that, she said nothing more and turned to leave.

Behind her, in front of the thatched cottage, only two colorful butterflies remained, fluttering up and down.

It was as if they were affectionately greeting one another, asking if the other had been well.

...

"Report, Prime Minister! The garrison in the east, heading towards Xinzhou Prefecture, has also withdrawn more than half!"

"I know. You may withdraw."

Zhuge Jinyu rubbed her temples and flipped through the military map, signaling for Huang Ying to withdraw.

Several days had passed since the Ghost Realm was destroyed.

Jianging City had already begun its massive reconstruction.

Under the command of Su Chen and her, the daily lives of the city's commoners had largely returned to normal.

Even more gratifying was that some grain and clean wells, previously hidden by the Ghost Realm, had been recovered, and the Daqian Army had even expanded its ranks.

Logically, this should have been a joyful time.

However...

"Sir, please look. The soldiers in the three major enemy-occupied cities to the south, east, and north of Jianging City have all withdrawn..."

"Further east of Xinzhou City lies Lianzhou City, which is the lair of that Guo Wenzhuo."

Su Chen was also deep in thought.

Of course, he was not just contemplating the situation.

For the past few days, Zhuge Jinyu's attitude toward him had suddenly become somewhat strange.

It was overly polite and distant.

Logically, they had been together for nearly two years.

From their initial mutual respect to the point where Zhuge Jinyu could freely joke with him.

He, too, had let down his guard.

Yet, for some reason, the young girl's attitude had taken a 180-degree turn over these past few days.

Su Chen felt that rather than trying to decipher a girl's thoughts, the war situation at hand was simpler.

His gaze swept across Jianging City and the three cities to its east, south, and north.

Logically, a commander with sound logic would, after capturing Jianging City...

do what was necessary, which would be to use Jianging City as a base and then proceed to capture the next, more weakly defended city.

Xinzhou City to the east, in particular, should have been the top priority.

Withdrawing from Jianging City and abandoning its defense could be explained by the Ghost Realm.

But why did the enemy not choose to heavily garrison Xinzhou, instead opting to withdraw half of the troops from every city?

And where did those withdrawn soldiers go?

Su Chen suddenly felt a headache as he recalled a sentence the man had spoken in front of the thatched cottage that day.

"Watch your back!"

"Behind" referred to...

Su Chen's gaze shifted to the rear of Jianging City.

That deep canyon, and the narrow pass at its end.

Because of its unique shape, it was named Flat Gourd Pass.

In an instant, a cold sweat broke out all over him!

Even the surface of the mirror was covered in a layer of moisture!

This was an open plot.

The enemy knew you would jump into the trap, yet you had no choice but to jump!

"Xiao Yu, quickly dispatch a few skilled scouts to investigate the enemy's movements in Jinzhou City to the north, Xinzhou City to the east, and Linzhou City to the south!"

"And pay special attention to... Flat Gourd Pass behind us!"

...

The news the scouts brought back made Su Chen's heart sink.

"Report!"

"Prime Minister, the number of garrison troops in the three cities—Jinzhou City to the north, Xinzhou City to the east, and Linzhou City to the south—has been greatly reduced."

"However, based on our observations, those who remain are all elites, and they have been reinforced by many high-level cultivators."

"The city walls are lined with orderly banners and countless ballistae; the defense is tight, and they appear poised to strike at any moment."

Zhuge Jinyu wiped the surface of Su Chen's mirror and said coldly.

"And what about Flat Gourd Pass in the west?"

The scout captain's voice trembled with suppressed fear, his forehead pressed tightly against the cold ground.

"The third batch of scouts sent to Flat Gourd Pass... still... still hasn't returned."

"Including the previous two batches, a total of nine men have all... lost contact."

Silence filled the tent.