87 AT THE BARRACKS (1/2)

ARGENT played with the jade seal on her hand. It was oval in shape and had the same size as an adult's palm. A dragon soaring in the clouds was intricately carved on it.

It was almost noon when they got out of the palace. The carriage she was riding was currently parked at the side of the street. They were supposed to be on their way to the army barracks right now. But Lei Feng proposed that they eat lunch at a restaurant first before they went there. Argent refused. She wasn't really in the mood to eat after that conversation she had with the Emperor. After she refused, Lei Feng suddenly made the carriage stop. And here she was, waiting for the guy.

She looked down once again at the seal she was holding. And once again remembered what the Emperor said about the thief he encountered 15 years ago. Argent was still not sure if he was telling the truth or just playing with her. Maybe she should have reigned her impudence a bit. She just couldn't stop herself from talking back. If she did, then that Emperor probably wouldn't play mind games with her. Then again, if he happened to be telling the truth, then annoying him was probably a good choice. Because now, Argent might have obtained a clue to her father's disappearance. Something that might even connect to her mother's abduction.

Of course, that's under the assumption that the Emperor was telling the truth. Then Argent just had to find someone who could be familiar with that incident. But who to ask though?

Just then, the door of the carriage opened and Lei Feng went in with a paper bag in his hand. He handed the bag to her and that's when she saw its content. It was full of hot meat buns. Argent looked confusedly at the young general.

”Eat. It's not good to skip a meal.” Lei Feng knocked on the carriage's roof and it started to move again.

Argent looked down at the meat buns. Well, they certainly looked appetizing. And truthfully, she's really starting to feel hungry. She picked one. But instead of eating it immediately, she handed the bun to Lei Feng. ”Then you should eat one too.”

”But I bought it all for you.”Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please click visiting.

”You're joking, right? I couldn't possibly eat all of these.” She didn't wait for him to refuse again so when he was about to speak, she immediately put the meat bun in his mouth. ”Eat. It's not good to skip meals, right?”

His ear tips did its usual routine and turned red. Then he looked away and started eating the bun she gave. Argent also started eating one. She was on her second bun when she once again remembered that conversation she had with the Emperor. Then she happened to glance at the young general who was still silently eating his bun like a squirrel. He was doing it with such a serious expression. The gap between his expression and his action was almost kind of... cute?

Argent shook her head and just asked what she wanted to ask when she glanced at him. ”Hey, Lei Feng, where was your father stationed 15 years ago?”

Lei Feng finally looked at her. ”Father? 15 years ago... if I remember correctly, he just accomplished suppressing rebels in the South and maintaining peace there.”

Maintaining peace, huh? If she remembered correctly, the Emperor said that he was out for an inspection when he encountered that thief 15 years ago. It's possible that he went to inspect the place in the South where a rebellion had occured. If that's the case, then the older general might know about that incident.

Looked like Argent had no choice but to ask the older general then.

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The atmosphere at the army barracks was full of vigor and excitement. Because General Zhang just announced that his son would visit the barracks today. They couldn't help their excitement because this was the first time that the younger general would visit the barracks after he's been away for more than three years.

Almost all the soldiers in the barracks were of the same generation as the young general. So almost all of them admired him and considered him as their idol. After all, they're the same age and yet they're still just a part of an infantry while Zhang Lei Feng was already a famed general. Most of them haven't even had their first campaign and yet the young general already fought off the barbarians in the North. And won against them, no less. So what's there not to admire, right?

The older general even told them that they could spar with the younger general. If they could spar with him, then they would surely learn a lot.

”Everyone, I just saw General Zhang enter the gate!” one announced as he came running in.

The excitement of everyone was immediately ignited again when they heard that. When the young general entered the barracks everyone immediately arranged themselves in rows.

”We'll be in your care today, General!” almost everyone said enthusiastically.

Argent raised one of her brows when she saw such a greeting. This was the first time that no one paid attention to her. What a novel feeling. It seemed Lei Feng was really popular with this group of young soldiers.

”At ease,” Lei Feng said, making the posture of the soldiers relaxed.

”General, is it true that you're going to spar with us today?” one asked.

”General, please spar with me first,” another one courageously said.

”Oh-ho, when did I say that he's the one you're going to spar with?” a booming voice said behind the soldiers. They glanced back and saw the older general standing there. Then General Zhang walked towards his son, no, it's more accurate to say the he walked towards the back of his son. Then he pulled a tall teenager. ”He's the one you're going to fight.”

The soldiers first gaped at the youth. He had silver hair and a pair of indifferent purple eyes. He was wearing western clothing and looked like a beautiful porcelain doll. The soldiers had never seen such a beautiful boy in their lives!

”Wait- isn't that... Argent Blackbourne?!” one exclaimed, even pointing at Argent.

”No way! You mean the creator of sPhones?”

”He's definitely it! I've seen countless photos of him on [Jiffy]. And they looked exactly the same!”

”But what is he doing here? Is he here on vacation?”

”Then why would he be here in our barracks?”

The older general cleared his throat, making all the soldiers there shut their mouths. ”Just as I've said, you're going to spar with this kid today. Aren't you glad you're going to have the chance to exchange blows with the famous maker of esufon?”

Then countless murmurs filled the ground.

”But isn't he a NoGift? Wouldn't it be like we're bullying him if we fight him seriously?”

”And wouldn't his fans be mad at us if we injured that pretty face of his?”

”Maybe the General only wanted us to act like we're seriously sparring with him?”

[Hey, hey, I could hear you, you know?] Argent sighed and walked towards the weapon's rack. She picked one of the training swords and tested its weight. She was satisfied with it so she started swinging it. Then she stretched her arms and legs for a warm-up.

She glanced at the soldiers there. ”Don't worry, I won't hurt you guys that much. Or are you perhaps afraid that this NoGift would beat the crap out of all of you?”

Yes, beating them would surely ease the frustration Argent was feeling due to her conversation with the Emperor.

The older general suddenly laughed. ”Did you hear that? You don't want our guest to think that the young soldiers of Xing are nothing but scaredy-cats, don't you?”

”Then I'll go first,” one said, walking at the center of the barracks' ground. ”You can have the first move.”

Obviously, this soldier still didn't believe that Argent had the ability to fight him. Argent just grinned and walked towards the center as well. ”Then I'll gladly take you up on your offer.”