37 Ch.37 The Lunatic visits

Luo Yue could feel a headache coming up. So, she pushed the letters into Shen Tian Ping's hands. “Summarise it.”

He took over the meticulously written letters, eyebrows knitting as he skimmed through its excessively long-winded contents.

[The brothers are greatly appalled by your actions.

The absence of your immediate return paints an obnubilating gloom. Morale will keep falling along with the sinking sun as long as the moon no longer rises. Like flesh stripped apart by a knife through the back where a thousand spears could not, the brothers have not foreseen this unexpected move of yours.

Pray tell us where you’ve stashed away your heart when you decided to visit another barrack prior to your very own. Do the Lonewolf no longer hold a worth? Have you reached the ruthless decision to abandon us? A betrayal like this-…]

Shen Tian Ping decided that nothing of much importance would be written on the next few pages and skipped to the very end.

As if the signature mark wasn’t a tell-tale enough sign, the dramatic content was more than enough for them to guess the writer behind the letters.

As Shen Tian Ping continued reading, Luo Yue picked up one of the beautifully stunning black dahlias.

Black Dahlia, a well-known symbol of betrayal.

That lunatic could not be more dramatic.

[Brothers-in-arms, we were once called; unsurpassed monsters, we were once known. Yet, on this dreary day, on the stead of the disheartened brothers, dare this lowly one ask of the God of War,

Were we naught but mere, discardable weapons in your eyes?

Your repentance is greatly desired.

The Lonewolf]

“In other words,” Shen Tian Ping came to a conclusion. “When will you visit?”

5 pages were easily summarized into a sentence.

In response to that, Luo Yue’s answer was even shorter as she tossed the black dahlia back into the pile on the table.

“Clean up.”

“Yes, Master.”

~~

{The Next Day}

When Wu Zhe Yan showed up the next morning, there were conspicuous dark circles under his bloodshot, golden eyes.

Luo Yue spared him a sideway glance but was not interested enough to know what a grown man could have done all night to look so sleep-deprived.

In truth, Wu Zhe Yan had done nothing more than let a certain lady run in his mind all night long.

There used to be a prominent figure, someone whose name had spread across the 4 Kingdoms like an unextinguishable flame. The one person known to be the North’s strongest iron wall of defence, and notorious for a presence that could sense chills down anyone’s spines. That person, the most fabled being to have existed not only in the North but in the Era of War itself, was known as the God of War.

And that person… now stood before him.

That thought alone had rendered him unable to sleep last night. It had taken everything in his willpower to not rush into her room and demanded a match. Instead, he had let his mind wander, wondering how the legendary figure feared across the earth had turned out to be a lady. And such a fine-looking one at that.

He has truly underestimated the little lynx.

A new layer of interest in her had started to grow and while Wu Zhe Yan was beginning to think that they could actually get along, he did not forget the most important thing.

If the Emperor so much as wishes, she would still have to die in his hands one day.

Even if she was the God of War known for her impenetrable defence, it only meant that he would have to try harder to bring down her walls.

“Crazy dog,” she suddenly met his gaze. “What are you staring at?”

“Your beauty,” his lips curled into a slight smirk.

She threw him a disgusted look. “Are you still drunk?”

“What are you talking about? I’m here to get drunk.”

The drinking festival in the Drunken Haven had started and the streets were bustling with activities and of course, people on a drinking spree.

One of those people, Luo Yue, headed straight to the nearest stall. “Give me the one in the blue jar.”

A jovial vendor hurriedly greeted her. “This beautiful lady, you have a good eye! This one was just imported from the West last night. It’s 2 silvers!”

Luo Yue turned back to Wu Zhe Yan and nodded her head towards the jar in the vendor’s hands.

“Hah.” He had never known a hero of a country to be this shameless.

By the time he finished paying, she had already downed half the jar.

~~

While the two lost themselves in the aroma of alcohol, Shen Tian Ping made it his duty to watch after his master’s surroundings. He was seated on the roof, completely clad in a black that easily blended into the shadows when he heard the sudden change of the wind. His ears perked up immediately. Then, those tensed shoulders relaxed.

“Come out.” He seemed to have recognised his sudden visitor.

Someone stepped out from around the corner.

“Who is that brute?” …were the first words the mysterious man blurted out in indignation.

Shen Tian Ping would also prefer it if his master would refrain from hanging out with someone so dangerous. He sighed, “why ask when you already know?”

Dark, black eyes narrowed sharply as he clicked his tongue in disapproval. “To think that we would lose favour against a half-fledging like that... the Lonewolf are stumped into incredulity.”

Shen Tian Ping would not exactly describe the Leader of the Emperor’s personal army as a ‘half-fledging’, but it seemed like the other man was insistent on calling him so. “It seems the Master has no plan to visit the Peach Blossom village for the time being.”

“Impossible. She cannot abandon us like-…” the man halted; those words that were on the tip of his tongue suddenly forgotten as something more important caught his attention.

One of the roof tiles in front of him was misaligned.

He stood out of the shadows, revealing a tall, handsome man in his late twenties. Silky black hair was neatly locked into a high ponytail and secured with a silver pin. He wore white, immaculate inner clothes and an outer robe in gradients of blue and black, colours darkening as it reached his soles. He took a step out into the moonlight, a sharp gaze landing on the tile that was causing a ripple in his sense of ‘perfection’.

The man bent down, making sure his robes would not be dirtied by the roof first before he realigned that one roof tile. Then, he pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his hands with that, before folding it carefully and putting it back into his sleeves.

“Gui,” Shen Tian Ping advised from behind him. “It would be wiser to concede this time.”

The man known as ‘Gui’, the genius and erratic blacksmith of the Lonewolf, merely folded his arms. “My concession has continued for the past five years.”

Indeed, if he had not understood her as well as he did, he would have long intruded on her seclusion in the Forbidden Mountain.

“You should understand Master’s decision as well. Her return will undoubtedly result in a huge ripple. The Lonewolf holds too much power and wariness towards her will only grow should that power return to her hands at such a timing.”

“The Lonewolf can protect her.”

“The master likes to avoid conflicts.”

“I understand her stubbornness, but it would be naïve to think that I would back down this easily. I… have already cast the bait.” Gui swept his eyes down at the lady enjoying her god knows how many cups of alcohol. He huffed, and with a swept of his sleeves, disappeared into the night, “and pray tell our reckless lady to watch her health.”

The Lonewolf had always been obsessed with the God of War. Since that was the main reason they had formed. Even among them, as one of the few people to have seen behind her mask, Gui had maintained the closest relationship with her.

Shen Tian Ping did not stop him. He merely frowned, Peach Blossom village would, after all, be safer than the lion’s den.

~~

“Master, the night is cold,” Shen Tian Ping said as he reached out the blanket in his hands.

The eyelids of the lady who was leaning against a tree slowly fluttered open. She took over the blanket, asking, “so, what did the lunatic say?”

As expected, even the stealthiest of assassins would not escape the God of War’s keen senses.

“He seems adamant that you return.”

A small yawn escaped Luo Yue’s mouth before her eyes closed again. “What a complete mule.”