Mountain Patrol Military Officer
Chapter 254 - 227: Dying for the Nation on the Battlefield, No Need to Return Wrapped in Horsehide (Seeking Monthly Ticket)

Chapter 254: Chapter 227: Dying for the Nation on the Battlefield, No Need to Return Wrapped in Horsehide (Seeking Monthly Ticket)

While the entire Guang’an Prefecture was bustling with activity,

"Sigh"

At the front of a simple residence with a single courtyard in the West City,

A galloping horse came to a stop with the sound of clattering hooves, followed by a long sigh.

Astride the horse, a young Armored Soldier dismounted, pushed the gate open, and briskly entered.

"Clang clang"

His armored skirt clashed against his thighs, producing a muffled sound.

Hearing this noise, a middle-aged couple with gentle expressions emerged from the main house across the courtyard. Upon seeing the figure, they hurried over with surprised joy.

"Son!"

The woman, with her soft features, grabbed the young Armored Soldier by the arm. Her eyes conveyed a mother’s tension and concern as she touched here and looked there.

When the woman felt her son’s left shoulder, the young Armored Soldier immediately furrowed his brow and grunted softly.

The woman became anxious at once, "Child, you are wounded. Let mother have a look."

She tried to help her son remove his armor.

The young Armored Soldier shook his head, "Mother, it’s nothing, just a minor injury. Don’t worry, I have to leave soon."

"Leaving again?" Hearing this, the woman immediately burst into tears.

This made the young Armored Soldier somewhat helpless, so he turned to look at his father.

The father sighed with a hint of reproach, "You’re so close to home, yet you couldn’t even send a message to reassure us. A few days ago, when you went out to battle the demons, your mother was worried sick, unable to eat or sleep, thinking of you. She wanted to inquire, but your ranks were on high alert recently."

"My unfilial actions have worried you and mother!" The young Armored Soldier hugged his parents, "It will all be over soon."

After letting go, he continued, "Father, mother, we need to start packing."

Upon hearing this, both parents’ brows raised in surprise, "What’s going on?"

The young Armored Soldier’s expression turned complex, "The Colonel of our Prefecture has already issued the order to prepare for a full-city evacuation."

At these words, the parents looked at each other in shock, then both tensed. The father quickly asked, "Are we going to be overrun here? But... but the Ninth Mountain’s Colonel just won a battle."

"Yes, son, that noble has immense Divine Skills. Didn’t he repel the demons a few days ago?" Concern appeared on the mother’s gentle face as she tightly clutched her son’s hand.

"Mother, father, don’t panic. Let me explain everything."

"The young Armored Soldier spoke of what he heard from his Military Officer Captain, "The demons have broken through cities near us, and the situation is very unfavorable for us. Therefore, the order has been given to prepare for everyone to retreat eastward." He relayed the information to his parents.

The middle-aged couple sighed deeply.

As ordinary folks, they had no choice in the face of such circumstances.

They could only console themselves, for they had seen firsthand the tragic state of refugees plagued by demons, heard countless harrowing stories, and at least, they still had the chance to survive.

"Evacuate, then, it’s probably for the best. We’ve been in terror for days, fearing the day the demons might break into the city. Thankfully, we have the superior sent from the State City to ensure our safety."

The father, an honest-faced former Mr. Professor, held some dignified composure.

His wife nodded, then with a hopeful look in her eyes, she said, "If we’re evacuating, then you should be too, right? As long as our family is together, everything will be fine."

But the young Armored Soldier shook his head, "I must leave immediately for Weiyuan Pass to the west!"

Both parents were taken aback, since westward lay demon territory. The mother clasped her hands even tighter, her voice trembling, "But I thought we were evacuating?"

Speaking swiftly and with a prideful tone, the young Armored Soldier said, "The evacuation of the entire Prefecture will take some time. The noble will deploy troops to attack Weiyuan Pass, to buy time for the evacuation."

He patted his mother’s gripping hand and looked earnestly at his parents, "Father, mother, do not worry for me. As a Guang’an person, I am only providing backup support for the Ninth Mountain, which is not dangerous. Yet the brothers from the Ninth Mountain will follow the noble, to fight a clear path through the daylight. They too have parents and have suffered many casualties, fighting desperately for our parents and all the people in this city. For me to be part of this battle is an honor you should be proud of."

The parents were moved to tears by these words.

The father’s face trembled slightly, his eyes filled with both pride and sorrow, "Good boy, well said."

"Son..." His mother, her eyes brimming with tears, wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

Just then, a sudden voice emanated from the back door of the main house, "Can I go too?"

A skinny, scar-covered teenager stood there, approximately thirteen or fourteen years old, but his eyes were like those of a young tiger—sharp, filled with the aura of death.

The young Armored Soldier slightly furrowed his brow, glanced at the boy, then looked questioningly at his parents.

The middle-aged couple sighed.

"This child’s name is Chu Fan. He’s had a hard life, escaped from Gulan County in Weiyuan Prefecture..."

The parents had found the boy unconscious among the refugees below the West City wall. When found, he was covered with wounds and his feet were worn raw, carrying a corpse of a woman—a mother—as he fainted from his exertions.

The couple was moved by the child’s unfortunate fate and decided to rescue him, taking him home to adopt.

The elders explained what had happened, and the young Armored Soldier’s gaze softened. He knew his parents were kind-hearted, and he, too, was moved by the sight of the young boy carrying his mother’s corpse across mountains and valleys for thousands of miles, gesturing for the boy to come over.

"Xiao Fan, is it? Come here, from now on, call me brother. The family won’t lack a pair of chopsticks for you, stay here in peace!"

The boy walked over, his wooden gaze flickering with a ripple, "Brother."

"Where did you say you wanted to go?"

"I want to go with you to kill demons and seek revenge!" The boy said, his body filled with a fierce aura.

The young Armored Soldier leaned forward slightly and patted the boy’s shoulder, aware that painful memories were haunting the boy, "You’ve got a fierce spirit, kid. When I get back, I’ll teach you Martial Arts."

With that, he pulled out a small knife from his waist.

"First time we met, here, take it!"

Just then, the sound of hurried, clattering horse hooves came from outside, followed by shouts.

"Houjun, it’s time to leave!"

"I know!" The young Armored Soldier shouted back loudly, then turned to his parents to bow,

"Dad, Mom, I’m off now!" Having said that, he immediately turned around and walked briskly out.

"My child," his mother, tears falling, full of worry, couldn’t help but step forward but was held back by his father, watching their son leave.

That boy, however, chased after him.

Hearing footsteps, the young Armored Soldier, who was almost at the door and called Houjun, stopped and couldn’t help but look back,

Seeing that it was the boy.

"What’s wrong?" He looked puzzled.

The boy suddenly fished out a wooden statue from his sleeve, clutching a Three-pointed Two-blade Spear, which was surprisingly painted with color,

"I heard you... brother, will meet that great person. He’s a benefactor to me and my mother. I have nothing to offer in return, can you give this to him? I want to become someone like him in the future. All you have to do is call his name, and he will appear to save people."

The boy’s words felt strange, brimming with naïveté, yet were resolute.

The young Armored Soldier found this peculiar. With his experience, he couldn’t meet such an important person. Yet he smiled and decided not to shatter the boy’s intent of gratitude, thus he gladly accepted it, "Alright!"

After saying this, he opened the door.

By that time, outside the door, a troop was waiting.

This young Armored Soldier named Houjun swiftly leaped onto his horse.

Then,

"Hyah"

"Hyah"

"Hyah"

"..."

The troop of soldiers headed toward the West City Gate,

Gathering from all around the city and spilling out beyond the border.

Meanwhile, inside the compound of the Sky Patrol Department, in the quiet chamber of Chen Yuan’s other courtyard, a dull thud was heard.

In the quiet room, forty-eight Array Flags as white as jade shimmered with multicolored light, carved with Array Patterns corresponding to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, floating and spinning between Chen Yuan and his four Leading Military Officers.

Demon White Bone served as pole, and their pelts as the flags.

After four hours, they had forged forty-eight of these Array Flags, twenty-four to a set, and this time had managed to forge two sets.

One large, one small.

Right now, amidst the four men, golden flames burned like a fiery furnace, warping the very air.

At that moment, Chen Yuan let his sleeve fly, and with a swell, gathered one set of the smaller twenty Array Flags, then slightly opened his mouth and inhaled towards the Golden Core True Fire.

The boiling True Fire turned into a fiery thread, and in a few breaths, was sucked into his mouth. Then he slowly spoke:

"Gather up this set of Mountain Flipping Formation, Liu Qing, you take it."

Liu Qing acknowledged, chanting an incantation, pointing towards the suspended Array Flags. The foot-long Array Flags twirled, drawing closer to him, shrinking as they flew, and were caught by an Array Plate he held.

"You all should also set off now!"

"Yes!"