chapter 40

“Miss Gu, General Bai calls for you . ” A voice of a soldier came from outside .

It was inappropriate for ordinary soldiers to enter her tent, so guards were stationed outside to relay messages . Hearing the voice, Gu Nan placed down the bronze sword that she was in the midst of wiping . “Got it . ”

As Gu Nan spoke, she sheathed the sword back into her scabbard and stood up . Why does Master need me for this time?

Gu Nan felt puzzled but she didn’t care much anyways .

She left the sword on the table and straightened out her armor .

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“Master . ” Gu Nan wore her military uniform and bowed to Bai Qi . Her face showed a slight but noticeable impatience . “Shouldn’t it be around the time that you discuss military matters with Senior Wang? What would you need me for…”

“Hmph . ” Bai Qi snorted, obviously disgruntled by her attitude . “Why can’t I, your master call for you whenever? For instance, if I asked you to come to this battlefield, could you say no?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah . ” Gu Nan said unenthusiastically . This old man’s stinky temper isn’t something she could contend with .

” Look at your expression, you’re probably saying things behind my back . ” Bai Qi’s beard shook, but he decided not to care further .

He stood up from his seat and took a cloak from the wall, draping it over his shoulders .

“Let’s go then . ” Bai Qi folded his hands behind him and walked out of the tent . “Today, it’s a lesson for you . ”

Gu Nan stood behind and barred her teeth angrily . She has assumed Changping would at least be an escape from lessons for several months . But never would she have thought that Bai Qi would bring the classroom to the battlefield .

It’s really so much work, ugh…

Gu Nan slouched her shoulders . Without realizing Bai Qi was already quite a bit ahead, and she hurriedly jolted forward to catch up .

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Army training fields .

The unblocked sun made it feel hot, yet the cold winds chilled relentlessly . Such was the harsh environment of this landscape .

Another gust slipped through the neckline, making Gu Nan shiver slightly, pulling her cloak closer .

She was still perplexed . It’s the training fields, but why does she need to learn martial arts right now?

Thinking of this, Gu Nan’s face turned blue . When his hand falls, he’s neither light nor heavy, but she knows fully that she’ll be beaten up multiple times .

But then, she looked to see about ten of the Iron Cavalry guard push forward a depressive looking man .

The distinctive black armor of the Iron Cavalry gleamed in the sunlight . Their helmets were decorated with fangs and were frightening like demons . The rippleless eyes, exposed from the masks, made the soldiers seem dead .

The ten soldiers were covered in an oppressive feeling, just glancing at them, an imaginary chill could form .

But Gu Nan didn’t feel any of that . She was busy admiring their cool-looking armor, which she felt was magnitudes better than what she was wearing .

Looking down at her own flimsy armor, she sighed and shook her head .

As the dilapidated man being escorted took a look at Gu Nan, his brows furrowed to inspect her .

The middle-aged man wore the armor of Zhao, and there were multiple wounds on his body, although none were life-threatening . From the man’s pale lips and face, his blood loss was grave . Even if he wasn’t fatally wounded, he’s unlikely to survive much longer .

There was a rope tightly tied to his neck, reddening his thin collar area .

Step by step, he was pulled along by the Iron Cavalry guards .

As the soldiers moved forward, they slowly stopped before Bai Qi . Bowing and stepping back, their actions were swift and tidy .

The leader of the group stepped forward and slightly bowed as well . “General, the Zhao spy has been brought . ”

Behind him, two guards flanked the prisoner and pressed their hands down on his shoulders, sending a kick to his legs .

The prisoner’s knees buckled and he slammed onto the dirt .

Spies? Scouts? Gu Nan stood behind Bai Qi and took a look at this man, only to lock eyes with the prisoner .

It was a pair of eyes that held deep resentment and malice . Just from a glimpse, Gu Nan felt her heart become cold .

Bai Qi tilted his head down, asking the Zhao spy with a plain tone, “Do you have anything you would like to say?”

The prisoner raised his head and quietly looked back with a sneer .

Bai Qi nodded undisturbed as if this was just another useless procedure .

He was silent for a while and looked back at Gu Nan .

“Nan’er, kill him . ”

The sun was shining in full and the field felt hot . Yet this sentence made her feel cold .

Gu Nan stood still for a couple moments . Looking at Bai Qi, she gave a strange smile . “Master…”

“Kill him first . ”

Bai Qi didn’t allow her to finish her words, then walking away to stand at the side and looking on .

The surrounding ten Iron Cavalry guards retreated a few steps, leaving Gu Nan and the Zhao spy in the center .

The leader of the group drew a sword from his waist and presented it to her with both hands .

Looking at the girl still somewhat dazed, his eyes flashed some helplessness and frustration, his voice unconsciously became a lowered a bit . “Miss Gu . ”

“Nothing . ” Her face was a tiny bit pale, but she still reached out and slowly gripped the sword . “Many thanks, Brother . ”

“No matter . ” The captain nodded slightly and retreated .

It became only Gu Nan and the kneeling Zhao prisoner .

“Cough, cough . ” The prisoner coughed several times, speckling the ground with bits of blood . He spoke to Gu Nan with a hoarse voice . “Move your hand, Qin dog . Make it a quick death . ”

Gu Nan didn’t know how, but she raised the sword .

She knew that once the sword fell, she would embark on a new path, unable to return . But her sword did not hesitate . Under the reflection of the sun, the pale blade descended straight down .

Some warm blood splashed onto her hands, feeling a bit sticky .

A thin stream of blood dripped down from the sword and fell onto the sandy dirt .

The head landed, followed quickly by the dull thud of the body falling to the side .

It was all over in an instant .

The Iron Cavalry guards stepped forward and lifted away the corpse .

Gu Nan stood as this happened, retaining a grip on the sword .

Bai Qi looked at her, seeming like he turned several years older .

He’s truly not a teacher for pushing their disciple down this path of ruin . But it’s not like there’s a choice .

Bai Qi seems to remember, what Ghost Valley said that day .

————

“Bai Qi, do you know what I once asked Nan’er?”

“What did you ask?”

“I asked her what she thought of you as her master . Care to guess what she said?”

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“She said because you saved her life . ”

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Gu Nan held her sword and strangely, there was no nausea from her first kill, no rueful feeling of sin . It was just an empty feeling as if she wasn’t very clear what she even did .

But she understood that it marked a path down a new road .

This was itself her own choice .

Gu Nan stood on the grounds, her face didn’t show any changes besides some paleness .

With an orderly smile, she bowed to Bai Qi, although her stained hands were faintly shaking . “Master, if there is nothing, I will be going back to rest . ”

She announced her leave .

“Nan’er . ”

Bai Qi was unable to stop her .

“·······”

“Teacher has wronged you . ” His voice was still calm, but it lacked its usual steadiness .

Gu Nan paused for a while and shrugged her shoulders . With a light voice, she said, “If it were not for Master’s meal, I would be starving on the streets . This disciple once said that the grace from life must be remembered . ”

Gu Nan paused and smiled . “Hey, old man, once words are spoken, even a cart driven by four horses can’t chase it back . Isn’t it right? You just wait until this debt has been paid back when I help bury you . ”

Bai Qi folded his arms and after a long time, snorted .

“What a muddled girl . ”