Chapter 1 (1/2)

Deep in the Yun Yue Plateau in southwest Zhongzhou State, amid vast stretches of primeval forest, was a campsite destined to be unmapped

The campsite as a whole was built inside the primeval forest Apart from the trees that sheltered people fro mountains around the cazhou State and Annan State less than two kilometres away from the front door of the campsite It was somewhere extremely remote that few people ever trod and even birds would not shi+t there

The campsite was small-scale and covered a small area There were only about a dozen thatched huts for people to live in and a sround

A nearly 10- of the Zhongzhou State floating above stood desolately in the hest point in the campsite But in such an environment, the view froround However, it was better than nothing

The sun went down

The setting sun shed its last ray on the training ground of the caust of wind at dusk

Violent currents tore the Star Flag on the flagpole,flutter The wind blew clouds away All this made the whole caroup of soldiers in , looking solemn and respectful

Of the 40 or 50 soldiers, the chief was a ure looked co and even sharp eyes burnished his ih he did not wear theas he looked around

Theoverhead for a long tio back with ed man put down his arm and looked at the old man with the same military unifor the old man, “After years of hard work and valuable service at the border, everyone has noticed that it is tih environood for your health”

The old rey hair, but his hair was neatly coht Unlike the ed man beside him, he wore a military rank which was not low He was a Lieutenant Colonel, but coe, his rank was less likely to be presentable

Upon hearing the ed man’s words, the old man narrowed his somewhat cloudy eyes, shook his head with a smile and said with a cracked voice, “Soldiers should die on the battlefield How can I go back to enjoy the easy and carefree life and wait for death? Dongsheng, I appreciate your kindness, but I won’t go back Old as I a forhere for so long, I will not get used to the easy life even if I go back”

Thehad a look of bitterness He opened his mouth and said worriedly, “Senior Li, Your body… It’s really not a good place for you to stay here anymore”

“I know my body”

The old Lieutenant Colonel sounded indifferent and looked deterun for years Dongsheng, I have made up my mind If it’s just for the sake of my body, then there is no need for you to persuade me any hed at hitu, the little brute who had betrayed our country in those days, and want o with you now That brute betrayed our country and, as his father, I’uilty It is the father’s fault to only feed his son without teaching hi to say about this”

“Senior Li!”

Ye Dongsheng’s expression changed He looked displeased and raised his tone of voice, saying angrily, “What are you talking about, senior? You are the hero of Zhongzhou State Who dares to say that you are guilty? If anyone else dares to do so, I will be the first one to shoot hizhou State has never indicated that one’s crime will implicate others! He is a traitor, but it’s none of your business It’s not the sa If we don’t trust you, how can we keep you at the border for 20 years?”

The old man had no expression on his face He just looked up at the Star Flag overhead with sad eyes

Ye Dongsheng sighed slightly He sed his pride and lowered his voice again, saying, “Senior Li, the case of treason about Kuangtu has been adjudicated and that was an irresistible trend There are a lot of details which are still confusing Frotu would coh 20 years have passed since then, chances are that we ate it carefully Senior Li, we need you, our anchor, to return to Youzhou and to cheer us up”

Li Honghe seemed to have been disheartened He shook his head and replied in an indifferent tone, “Forget about it After all these years, what’s the point of reversing the verdict? Dongsheng, if you are not here to denounce o back This place is very suitable for e of death I surely will suffer a lot in a colorful world like Youzhou Don’t say that anyopened his ht What could he say since things had gone to this point?

“Senior Li, I’ll provide you with time to think about it and come back to visit you in a year If you have any requirement, please don’t hesitate to say I’ll dosilenced himself for a while before he opened his he just shook his head, showing that he had no dehed deeply He did not stay here any longer but directly strode to a helicopter that was stopped in front of the watchtower

The rotor of the helicopter whistled and dust swirled in the air

When approaching the helicopter, Ye Dongsheng suddenly turned around and shouted out loud, “Senior Li, would you like to couiltless and wash off your shahe’s expression a little vague Li Honghe narrowed his eyes and said in a not high but clear voice, “Dongsheng, I’ nodded and directly walked into the cabin

The helicopter took off and flew higher and higher Ye Dongsheng sat in a seat in the cabin and looked down at the sround, to be precise, the old man who turned around and went up to the watchtower as he whispered to hi on to?”

At the sa he asked the sahe entered

“What are you holding on to?”

“You don’t understand”

Li Honghe looked at the youngat theand answered kindly

This was a thin young man in his twenties who could easily leave others a favorable i face appeared to be a little pale due to perennial entle and his eyes were pretty clear No one could see any sharpness, aloofness, and arrogance from all over his body He stood peacefully at theof the upper space of the watchtower, looking at the helicopter flying farther and farther aith an undisguised desire and longing in his clear eyes

Gentle as jade, quiet and cal could be more apt to describe him than these words did

“Why don’t you just leave?”

Hearing the oldman finally turned around and added calmly, “Grandpa, this should be the fourth tiht? Why don’t we leave e can?”

“We can’t”

Li Honghe nodded his head and said in a deep voice

“You are waiting for the highest bid?”

The young htly

“This is an involuntary choice”

Li Honghe smiled bitterly and continued, “Tianlan, you do not understand Only when you leave here and go into the outside world will you understand so”

“Outside world”

Li Tianlan said these words quietly in his mind and then mocked himself, “Outside world?”

He had almost heard these tords since childhood for countless times, but in fact, his world was nowhere except for the cao, but that was a more isolated environment

Outside world?

What was that?

He observed his surroundings silently The top floor of the watchtower resembled a room which ere equipped in all four directions for surveillance The rooed to shelter them from wind and rain by an outer layer of tarpaulin

The interior of the roo bookshelf full of books that could aze at it with awe On either side of the bookshelf, there were two plank beds for people to take rest There were two desks on which writing brushes and Chinese art paper were placed not far away frorandchild practiced calligraphy in daily life

This was the world that Li Tianlan grew up in He did not hate the current environer to go outside again and enjoy the scenery outside

However, his grandpa had kept hio outside, his grandpa would tell hiht tiht time come Recently, however, he had become more and more impatient

He took a deep breath, picked up a piece of white cloth, and wet it in water Then, he walked to a plaque on the desk and wiped it silently

This plaque was arguably thein the entire ca and one-meter-wide plaque made from red sandalwood It was a rarity even if it was presented in the top circle of Zhongzhou State The tords on the plaque ritten so naturally and s water They fully dereat master

Li family!

Li Tianlan looked at these tords silently and suddenly asked, “Does the man who just came here said he could reverse the verdict for my father?”