Chapter 34: I Gave It to Him, but He Didn’t Want It

"I'll kill you! Kill you! Die!"

Ling Yunkai had been trapped in a nightmare for who knew how long. When a blurry shadow appeared before him, he lunged, seizing the figure by the throat and shaking it violently.

"My... My Lord... it's me... please, let go..."

Ling Yunkai recognized that something was wrong with the voice. He shook his head to clear his vision and realized the person in front of him was none other than his own subordinate. The man’s face, however, had been beaten into a pulp, looking utterly wretched. Because he had been choked to the point of suffocation, his face was now a deep, congested red.

Releasing his grip, Ling Yunkai felt a dull ache in his shoulder. He clutched his head with both hands and roared twice:

"Wang Lu!"

"Shen Lian!"

"My Lord," the "pig-faced" man wheezed, clutching his throat and weeping. "After you fainted, Centurion Wang claimed you were severely injured and disbanded all the brothers. Centurion Sun was bribed with fifty taels of silver by Centurion Wang, and he reassigned our men under Centurions Shen and Wang."

"Waaah~"

"Stop crying!" Ling Yunkai bellowed. He stared coldly at the man until the sobbing ceased, then asked in a softer tone, "Why didn't you go? Are you reluctant to leave me?"

The man hesitated, words catching in his throat.

"Just say it. You are the only brother I have left now, Ling Yunkai. From now on, you are my own flesh and blood; there is nothing you cannot tell me." Ling Yunkai, having reached the peak of his fury, now felt strangely calm as he spoke.

"They didn't want me."

...

Ling Yunkai decided to move past that topic. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"One day," the man replied, wiping his tears.

"One day! In just one day, my subordinates have been torn to pieces! A fine Wang Lu, a fine Shen Lian!" Ling Yunkai stretched out his arm. "Armor me!"

The man panicked. "My Lord, your blade wounds haven't healed yet. What are you planning?"

"What am I planning?" Ling Yunkai patted the man's swollen face. "Getting my brothers back and seeking revenge!"

The man dared not speak further. After helping Ling Yunkai up, he obediently began to strap on his armor.

Outside the Southern Branch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Wang Lu stood before a century-old white pine, his fingers flicking away the nail-sized ants crawling on the bark.

He smiled faintly.

Wang Lu hadn't expected Ling Yunkai to simply pass out the previous night, but it was a fortunate turn of events that made cleaning up the loose ends much easier. In just one morning, Wang Lu had successfully dismantled Ling Yunkai's fifteen-man squad. Shen Lian had taken in three, he had taken five, and the remaining seven were left for Centurion Sun Qiang to handle as he pleased.

Wang Lu wasn't aware that the beaten "pig-faced" man had been shunned by everyone—that nobody wanted him, leaving him to remain under Ling Yunkai’s command by default.

After wrapping up these affairs, Wang Lu still had time in the afternoon to visit the Warm Fragrance Pavilion. Guo Zhen had yet to wake up, so Wang Lu had Zhou Miaotong feed him another Yuanzhi Hehuan pill.

One could only say that the boy had loved to sleep since he was young. Wang Lu kicked him twice, but there was zero reaction. If not for the faint rise and fall of his chest proving he was alive, Wang Lu would have been worried he had accidentally overdosed the kid to death.

Leaving ten taels of silver behind and ignoring the fawning gaze of the brothel madam, Wang Lu arrived outside the Southern Branch of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to wait for the arrival of Pei Lun, the "pseudo-Sun Wukong."

Among the many Imperial Guards who wielded sabers, Pei Lun, who favored the staff, was truly an anomaly. His skills were a family legacy, and the staff in his hands had been passed down through generations.

The rumored "Embroidered Spring Saber" and "Flying Fish Robe" in the capital were not standard equipment for every guard. At the very least, one had to reach the rank of Flag Officer or Centurion to possess a proper Flying Fish Robe, and the standardized Embroidered Spring Saber was only issued to those at the rank of Centurion and above. Most guards initially used sabers passed down from their ancestors. For instance, the saber "Thunder Cutter" belonging to Shen Lian's father was his own private property.

Wang Lu's previous saber had also been left behind by his predecessor’s father, whom he had never actually met. Having since forged a Miao saber better suited for the Xinyi saber techniques, he had placed his old Embroidered Spring Saber on the altar of his predecessor’s father.

After dealing with Yin Cheng the night before, Wang Lu had gone back to offer a stick of incense at the tablet of that deceased Centurion father. In Wang Lu’s eyes, this was the least he could do. He didn't feel it was immoral to inhabit this body; even if a historical Wang Lu had truly existed, that mediocre fighter would surely never have survived the Battle of Sarhu. Besides, between the name and the face that resembled his own, who would believe this wasn't a body specifically equipped by the System? At the very least, it was a "different world" version of himself.

"Officer Wang."

A voice with a hint of humor sounded behind him. Wang Lu crushed the bold ant that had climbed onto his palm until it burst, then turned around.

He had a large head.

Wang Lu smiled, a hint of melancholy in his expression as he cupped his hands in salute. "Officer Pei, I have long admired your reputation. I am Wang Lu, a Centurion of the Northern Branch."

Pei Lun immediately straightened up and returned the salute. "Pei Lun, Centurion of the Southern Branch."

After they lowered their hands, Pei Lun's face returned to its usual cheerful look. "I can hardly live up to the title of 'Officer Pei.' I don't have a courtesy name; please, just call me by my given name."

"Very well, I shall call you Pei Lun. I believe I am a few years your senior; if you don't mind, just call me Brother Wang."

"Brother Wang." Pei Lun saluted again, a flicker of contemplation in his eyes. "When we finished work just now, the guard at the gate said you were waiting for me. Is there something I can assist you with? Please, command me; I will not refuse."

Wang Lu nodded and gestured with his chin toward a teahouse not far from the Southern Branch. "Let's go over there to talk."

Under Pei Lun's puzzled gaze, Wang Lu reached out a hand and smiled. "Please."

"After you, my lord."

Wang Lu chuckled and headed toward the teahouse first.

At the entrance of the teahouse, a massive copper pot was set firmly over a roaring fire, the water inside boiling vigorously with bubbles constantly churning to the surface. The firewood crackled as it burned, and sparks hitting the copper pot turned into tiny specks of ash. A dark blue silk banner hung to the side of the entrance, embroidered with three characters in golden thread: "Tea Tasting Pavilion."

It was the time when the Southern Branch guards were finishing their shifts, so there were quite a few people inside.

The waiter, his head wrapped in a cloth turban, was busy serving customers when he suddenly heard the manager behind the counter cough sharply. Following the manager's subtle gesture, he looked up to see Wang Lu and Pei Lun, both in their Flying Fish Robes, walking toward them.

Tossing his rag over his shoulder, the waiter understood immediately. He approached them with a beaming smile. "Welcome, my lords. Please, come inside."

Having done business next to the Guard headquarters for so long, the waiter could identify the ranks of his patrons at a glance, and his posture was so respectful that his back was bent at a forty-five-degree angle.

To Wang Lu, a Centurion rank was as low as it could get, but in the eyes of ordinary commoners—and even court officials who claimed to be the Emperor's shepherds of the people—it was a daunting, unreachable height. Except, of course, for hot-headed fools like Yan Junbin.

Wang Lu pointed to a table in the corner and looked at Pei Lun. "Shall we sit over there?"

"I defer to your judgment, my lord," Pei Lun replied respectfully.

Wang Lu walked over. Three men had been sitting at the corner table, chatting happily, but when they noticed Wang Lu approaching, they immediately fell silent.

"Greetings, my lord!" the three men stood up in unison, cupping their hands, their faces filled with anxiety.

Wang Lu smiled faintly, took out his money pouch, and placed a handful of copper coins on the table. "I'll treat you three brothers to your tea. May I borrow this table for a moment?"

"Please, go ahead!" the three said in unison.

"Don't worry about the tea money," the man facing Wang Lu added quickly. "It is our honor that you’ve taken a liking to this table. Please, enjoy your tea; we were just about to leave anyway."

"Let's go, quickly."

The three whispered to each other, quickly gathered their belongings, placed their own tea money on the table, and fled the teahouse as if escaping.