Volume 1 Chapter 7 Part1 (1/2)

Hi guys! I have left for vacation starting this week for 3 weeks ( I will be back on 27 August) and I've decided not to bring my laptop. I have scheduled 3 additional posts other than this post so you will still get your weekly dose of drunken exquisiteness.

Why not post everything since I have them scheduled? Well, my mom always said that too much of anything is never good. Having a dose of something good periodically is better for your health. :)

Although I doubt anyone would look for me during this time, I will still check my email periodically so you can still use the contact form if you need to contact me.

Happy Summer and Happy Holiday!

** Some Notes:

Just realised that things might be confusing for some people for the translation of 突厥人. I translated them as Mongolian and Uyghur before but after further research, I decided to use Turkic which should be the right translation according to Wiki. They are not the modern day Turkish. Turkic were originated from the present-day South Siberia and Mongolia. More info on these people can be found here.

Anyway, from now on, 突厥 will be translated as Turk, 突厥人 will be translated as Turkic. I hope this is right as I am not very clear on the history of the people in that area.

Part 1- Vast Sand West Wind in Northern Desert

On the northern desert hills, darkness continues. Even though it's within sight, but it was thousands of miles away. It is not reachable in a few days even with fast horses.

There are sparks of bonfire within the military site a few miles from the military wall. Soldiers will come and go through the commander's tent every once in a while. Around a bonfire further away from the commander's tent, some soldiers were sitting, within the sound of sparring swords. The newly hunted prey that was bring grilled on the fire was smoking.

“Unbelievable! No matter where we went, we could only see deserts everywhere during this war!” A soldier roughly rattles the charcoal, but he couldn't help to complain: “My eyes were starting to blur with those sights!”

Another one quickly follows: ”Isn't it as you said, they call him General 'Wolf of PingLu', but that we did not even see Chi Rong's silhouette!”

“The traitor has escaped, but I will kill in one swing of my sword if I see him next time!”

“Do you even have the chance to do that? The fifth price should be the first to punish him! Who can take the responsibility of obstructing the army?”

“That's still too easy for him!”

The soldiers continued to complain to each other, one of them said, “We're still pretty good here. Prince Ling's Black Army at the front line has become isolated. If they don't withdraw, there is a possibility that none of them will come back.”

“Withdraw? They should have b.u.mped into the Turkic by now. They might even have caught up with our army somewhere.”

The conversation paused here, the bonfire dimmed a little, then someone sighed: “Ai…… Undefeatable, but they might be in danger this time!”

“This Chi Rong was actually a Senior General in Prince Ling's camp. Who would have thought that he would be a traitor.”

“Pei! He looked like a weak man, which type of general could he be?”

“Stop your nonsense!” There was suddenly a yell coming from the darker area, a rough and loud voice yelled: “Who said Chi Rong betrayed us!”

The soldiers turned their heads, one of them replied: “Ding Guan, did you know? Chi Rong ran away during the night. If that is not betraying, then what would that be called?”

Ding Guan leaned in towards the bonfire: “Me and Chi Rong were together when we fought along Prince Ling. Even though his nerdy side cause some discomfort, but n.o.body knows the Northern Desert better than him. In the 19th year of Sheng Wu when we defeated the Turk, at least three parts of the labour can be contributed to him. Prince Ling brought him as our guide. I don't believe that he would betray Prince Ling!”

The soldiers here are mostly young soldiers. The moment Ding Guan said this, many of them asked: “Did old brother Ding partic.i.p.ated in the big war during the 19th year with Prince Ling's army?”

Ding Guan spit out the bone in his mouth: “This old man was fighting along Prince Ling till we reached Kodana city, till we destroyed the Turk's imperial court and came back alive!”

Someone within the group quickly said: “Why don't old brother Ding tell us about the situation at that time? Help us expand our horizons.”

Ding Guan looked far away through the desert after hearing that, as though he was looking at the scene that night when the city was attacked. His gaze sparkling under the fire glow: “The war in the 19th year of Sheng Wu, hey! That was the most satisfying war I have ever fought since I joined the army! Our brothers followed Prince Ling attacking up to three thousand miles. An army containing tens of thousand people suddenly destroyed big Turkic army, forcing them to draw back till Kodana city. Even the twenty thousand people guarding the city were unable to stop our attack. King s.h.i.+ Luo had to flee the city going north, but Prince Ling lead the Black Army to take down his head. However, it was a shame that I was not able to witness when the king surrendered his sword……”

“Why not?” the person next to him asked.

Ding Guan pulled his clothes to show the long scar that runs from his neck to the front of this chest, which looks savage under the fire glow: “That war was ferocious. Only eight thousand came back out of fifteen thousand that went. This life of mine was almost lost in that battle!”

Many of the young soldiers sucked a cold breath, to be able to continue living of such injury. A person next to him asked: “I heard that the Black Army come and go like a shadow. Are they really that skilled?”

“The Black Army?” Ding Guan narrowed his eyes while still watching the sparkles of the fire: “Not sure.”

“Not sure?”

“Explain?”

“They are not human,” Ding Guan's face wanes from the movement of the fire. He shook his head saying: “To be able to joining Prince Ling's army, not getting off their horses for five days and five nights till Kodana city, but they were still highly spirited. Within those eight thousand people who came back, seven thousand of them were from the Black Army. The murderous air around them, even the G.o.ds and demons will stay away when they see them. Ck ck, you see tens of thousands of people but, when a command comes, they are one. It's illogical.”

“No matter how great the Black Army is, they are still isolated in this battle.” Someone couldn't help saying.