Chapter 120: The Marksman

"Yue'er, it’s been a long time!" He had truly missed her. What Xiao Hongyu didn't say was that ever since she left, he had been living in his main tent, and breathing in the lingering scent of her, he hadn't had a single full night's sleep.

In his dreams, she would always appear in various moods—angry, smiling, shy—but no matter which version of her it was, she would eventually turn and walk further and further away, leaving him behind, unable to catch up. He would always wake up from these dreams in a cold sweat, his heart pounding, feeling a hollow, lonely, and desolate ache in his chest.

Afraid that his excessive enthusiasm might scare the young girl, Xiao Hongyu straightened his expression, let out a soft breath, and maintained his usual composed and serious demeanor.

"Brother Xiao! Was I too abrupt?" Wang Keyue thought perhaps she hadn't explained herself clearly enough, and that arriving in this giant vehicle to pick him up had displeased him.

"I am very happy to see you, truly! Yue'er, don't overthink it!" Xiao Hongyu panicked the moment he heard her.

"Haha, Brother Xiao, I was just teasing you," Wang Keyue said with a laugh.

The two entered the large tent. The weather in the Northwest had already entered winter; standing outside for even a short while left one’s hands and feet chilled.

"The weather here is getting colder. I distributed all the winter clothing you left behind to the soldiers guarding the city wall. We truly owe you for that!" Xiao Hongyu personally poured a full cup of hot tea for Wang Keyue.

"Brother Xiao is too kind!" Wang Keyue remained impressed by Xiao Hongyu’s efficiency.

"How are things on your side?" Xiao Hongyu asked.

"Things are fine. I’ve been busy building houses lately; the cold-protection measures in the surrounding villages are still too backward," Wang Keyue replied. "By the way, have you received any news about the Xiao clan on your end?"

"Don't worry, I have people monitoring them. Things are already in chaos over there, and they won't be able to recover for a while. However, I expect the Prince to send someone to notify me within these next two days! I’ll use this time to get everything here properly arranged," Xiao Hongyu said, full of confidence.

"If there is anything I can help with, just say the word. You know that helping you is, in fact, helping myself," Wang Keyue stated.

"Rest assured, Yue'er, I won't stand on ceremony with you! When the time comes for me to return to the Xiao family, could you use your flying ship to give us a ride? I really don't want to travel day and night in this freezing cold weather," Xiao Hongyu said, shuddering at the thought of riding a horse in the biting chill.

"That’s not a problem. Just send me a message when the time comes, and I’ll be there to pick you up! It’s just a matter of hitting the accelerator," Wang Keyue promised instantly. For her, it was a trivial favor.

***

"Yue'er, when do you plan to return? If you aren't in a rush, I have a bit of good news," Xiao Hongyu said.

"Oh? What kind of good news? Let's hear it." Now that she had the flying ship, Wang Keyue saved a significant amount of time on travel, so she was in no hurry.

"The situation at the city wall has flared up with the Hu barbarians, and I estimate a battle will break out within these next few days. If you hadn't come today, I was planning to head to the wall to garrison and, well... pick up some 'benefits,' you know..." Xiao Hongyu looked at Wang Keyue with a mischievous, knowing grin.

Wang Keyue was taken aback by his roguish smile. Once she realized the subtext of his words, she couldn't help but chuckle. "Since the young general has so cordially invited me, I suppose I cannot refuse! Shall we depart now?"

Seeing Wang Keyue so eager, Xiao Hongyu couldn't suppress his own excitement. Last time he personally killed a Hu chieftain, he had mysteriously obtained a light orb, which turned out to be a spatial ring. It had a large capacity, making it incredibly convenient for storing his personal items, food, and weapons. He wondered if he would have such luck again.

The two were of one mind. They boarded the flying ship, taking along two hundred of Xiao Hongyu’s personal guards—just enough to fit the vessel.

Along the way, not only were the unsophisticated locals stunned, but even Xiao Hongyu, a transmigrator from the future, was amazed by the precision machinery and construction of the ship. Before they could even recover from their surprise, the vessel touched down at the foot of the city wall, having covered a journey that would have taken three hours by horse in just half an hour.

The arrival of Xiao Hongyu shocked Deputy General Li, who was guarding the wall. General Xiao had descended from the sky like a deity; it was truly magical! He was indeed worthy of being a disciple of an immortal predecessor.

Wang Keyue had initially thought they would have to wait several days for the battle to begin, having heard that ancient people needed to exchange formal declarations of war. However, she had clearly overthought it; the Qiang-Hu tribes did not share the etiquette or temperament of the Han people. They launched their first assault on the wall that very night.

Xiao Hongyu commanded the Xiao soldiers to rain down stones and fire arrows from the ramparts, cutting down swaths of Hu soldiers. Yet, it was clear he was not satisfied. He drew the sword at his waist and prepared to join the fray.

Wang Keyue grabbed him, forcefully buckled a protective vest onto him, tucked a weapon into the side of the vest, and finally popped a small pill into his mouth. The pill dissolved instantly, tasting sweet.

The entire sequence of movements was fluid and natural. A faint smile touched the corner of Xiao Hongyu’s mouth.

***

"This is a protective vest, and this is a stun gun—it has twenty rounds. The pill you just took is a Strength Pill. Please, stay safe down there," Wang Keyue whispered.

"Don't worry, Yue'er. If there is... I will return to pick you up. Wait for me..." Xiao Hongyu spoke in a code only they understood.

The surrounding soldiers dared not look, their eyes fixed on the movements of the Hu barbarians below, yet their ears were perked, listening intently to the rare gossip unfolding behind them.

After speaking, Xiao Hongyu didn't hesitate. He drew his sword and leaped from the high city wall.

"His lightness skill is truly impressive," Wang Keyue thought, feeling a twinge of envy. She currently only possessed basic swordsmanship and the Basic Lightning Spell, which she could only cast five to seven times a day; it lacked sufficient lethality. In a massive battlefield like this, it could only serve as a support tool. She hoped that "looting" this time might yield a high-level martial arts manual or something similar.

Wang Keyue stood on the wall, watching Xiao Hongyu move through the ranks of the Hu barbarians with ease—slashing, dodging, and striking with fluid grace. He was like a man who could kill a person every ten steps and travel a thousand miles without leaving a trace.

With the aid of the archers on the wall, the Hu barbarians were thrown into disarray.

Wang Keyue didn't remain idle. Her rapid-fire mini-crossbow came in handy; she fired without restraint. Her accuracy was near ninety-nine percent, and even at extreme distances, the infrared assist made it effortless for her.

The surrounding soldiers couldn't help but feel even more awe for this young boy; he was worthy of being General Xiao’s friend. Just like the General, he was a god of war—a master marksman!