Sicherheit

Kapitel 12

The heavily armored general and his personal guards successively beheaded the three kings and generals with their axes. Seeing that the situation was not good, they finally gave the signal to retreat.

As the army withdrew like a receding tide, the refugee army remained in chaos.

Feng Xinglie steadied himself, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes. A clear, melodious voice rang out throughout the army.

"Disarm and surrender your weapons; those who surrender will not be killed!"

Upon hearing that familiar voice, the Liejun soldiers were slightly startled, but they quickly followed suit with a deafening roar. In an instant, the earth shook, almost giving them the illusion that the end of the world was coming.

"Disarm and surrender your weapons; those who surrender will not be killed!"

The fleeing refugees threw their weapons to the ground and crawled on their stomachs, wishing they had more hands to take off their light armor.

They were originally refugees. If it weren't for survival, who would be willing to fight and kill for others? No matter how stupid or foolish they were, they were still citizens of the Great Qin. Which of them didn't already regard "King Feng of Great Qin" as a god in their hearts? Asking them to fight against their own beliefs and gods would only make them fearful and convinced of defeat. It's like Christians being coerced into killing Jesus. Once exposed, how could they possibly have the will to resist?

Many more refugees shouted, "Long live the Wind King! The Wind King is wise! The Wind King is merciful!"

The roar of more than 200,000 people was indeed loud, and in an instant, Feng Xinglie's name reached everyone's hearts and ears!

Ling Yuxiang's expression froze. Looking at Feng Xinglie, who was smiling smugly at him, he could only shake his head and smile bitterly.

Alright, alright. Since we tricked her, isn't it only right to give her some interest?

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[Border Storm: Chapter Twenty-Three: What is Tacit Understanding?]

With the three leaders of the allied forces dead and the heavily armored generals fleeing, Ling Yuxiang's troops led a group to pursue them, and the overall situation was already decided.

The vast and endless shouts of "Long live the Wind King!" almost made everyone's heads spin. Ye Piao and Ling Yuxiang's personal guards had gathered together at this time. Although they were happy, they were also full of doubts.

Seeing Ye Piao's doubtful look, Zi Mo frowned as well: "Why would Lie Jun suddenly come to help us at this time? Apart from our Dark Pavilion and Flying Feather Cavalry, the Prince doesn't have many other confidants around him right now. If there were any actions to contact Lie Jun, we would know. How exactly did the Prince communicate with Feng Xinglie to set up this inescapable trap?"

Hearing her say that, Ling Ke chimed in with curiosity, "Could it be that Your Highness can predict the movements of the Lie Army? Isn't that peerless figure, the Great Qin Feng King, always unpredictable? But in this battle, the two war gods joined forces and won a truly magnificent victory. Your Highness is indeed wise and shrewd!"

However, Ling Yuxiang, whom everyone praised as a wise and shrewd strategist, was acting like a stingy person, nagging incessantly at someone.

"I'm truly defeated by you! I schemed against you once, and you're already in such a hurry to collect interest? You claimed to have an army of 300,000! They at least plundered a lot of wealth in the Southern Domain, but with your rallying, they all became the Lie Army's men. My battle was fought for nothing. How am I supposed to explain this to the Ling Kingdom when I go back? I don't care. You beat me up and then tricked me. You have to take responsibility!"

He kept his voice extremely low. The people who had already been killed by the two of them were piled up in a large circle. Apart from their heads, it was almost impossible to see what was going on inside from the outside. The shouts were deafening, so no one could hear the whispers of the two people inside.

Despite this, Ling Yuxiang's face showed no trace of worry, but rather was full of smiles. Reflecting the crimson of his entire body, he was strangely alluring, and his voice was so gentle that it could melt a person's heart! Everything around him was automatically blocked by his eyes, as if he had found some priceless treasure. In his gleaming eyes, there was only the dashing and heroic Feng Xinglie, who stood with his sword drawn.

Seeing that dazzling smile on his stunningly handsome face, which was like a perfect work of art, Feng Xinglie felt a surge of anger again, and the urge to punch him rose up once more.

"Stop that smug grin on your face before you speak, and maybe I'll believe you!" The two had fought almost back-to-back, and now they were extremely close, practically within arm's reach. However, Feng Xinglie still didn't throw a punch, only angrily saying:

"Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? You never intended to capture these people from the beginning. If they really went to the Great Ling Kingdom, who knows how much chaos they would cause? The cost of feeding such a large group of people far exceeds their usefulness! The most likely outcome is that most of them will die on the way. You can't stand seeing people suffer, regardless of whether they are from your Great Ling Kingdom or not. Even if I don't say anything, you'll probably find an excuse to push it onto me, and at most, extort some money from me!"

Hmph, even if these people were truly useful to the Great Ling Kingdom, even if Feng Xinglie wasn't me, would you really just abandon them? Even if it wouldn't benefit you, you'd probably still arrange for them to join the Lie Army. You're simply...

In her anger, Feng Xinglie wondered if she had lost her mind. Whenever she was around Ling Yuxiang, her emotions became uncontrollable, as if anything could ignite her fury.

Ling Yuxiang's sparkling eyes brightened even more. He felt so exhilarated that he would gladly die right then and there. His burning gaze was almost scalding, yet the words that came out of his mouth were so gentle that they were hard to imagine.

"Lie, you really understand me."

He spoke very softly, and the deafening shouts around him were completely forgotten at that moment!

Feng Xinglie's eyes flashed, his expression suddenly froze, and his body seemed to stiffen for a moment. He didn't deny it, but his pent-up dissatisfaction exploded at this moment: "I know you! You guessed from the beginning that I was almost certainly Feng Xinglie, and you knew that I wouldn't let these locusts continue to grow stronger and wreak havoc on the people after occupying the Southern Domain. You also knew that I would definitely see through your plan and cooperate with you, but after all, it wasn't truly confirmed, was it? How could you set up this trap so confidently! How could you be so indifferent to your own life! If I hadn't arrived in time, and you really had been trapped and died here by that nobody, that would have been the most ridiculous thing ever!"

Ling Yuxiang chuckled softly, and the air around them was filled with the scent of happiness.

"You're worried about me."

"You..." Feng Xinglie was almost driven mad with anger by his beaming face. She was utterly speechless. How could this person be so shameless?! How could his ears be so sharp?! They automatically filtered out all the unpleasant words, filtering out such simple phrases! They let through all her accusations and dissatisfaction! And yet, they hit the nail on the head... It seemed she really couldn't refute them!

Aren't you worried?

If she wasn't worried, why did she rush all the way here at top speed? Why was she so furious at his indifference? Why did she spur her horse and charge into the enemy ranks to settle scores with him the moment she saw his direction?

Not worried? Don't be ridiculous! She's never worried about anyone this much in her entire life!

Even though he knew perfectly well what was going on in his heart, Feng Xinglie was still stubborn and refused to admit it no matter what.

"I don't want someone who's on par with me to tarnish the God of War's reputation!"

Knowing Feng Xinglie's personality well, Ling Yuxiang smiled gently like a spring breeze, no longer dwelling on it. He gently held her fair and jade-like hand, as if his eyes could see no one else but her.

"I apologize to you, please don't be angry with me."

A sudden flutter in his heart caused Feng Xinglie to turn away and remain silent.

What was the point of his apology? And what was she angry about? He was Ling Yuxiang, the War God of Zhenyuan, and she was Feng Xinglie, the War God of Feng, and she had no reason to demand an apology from him. What wrong had he done to make her angry? Even though they were heroes who admired each other, they were just two parallel lines, two people who would never cross paths except on the battlefield.

However, she couldn't shake off his tightly gripped hand, and finally sighed helplessly, looking up at the sky. (Xiao Lie, this is bad, you're completely under his thumb!)

"You suspected my identity when you were practicing swordsmanship in my palace, didn't you?"

"It's not doubt, it's certainty." At this moment, Ling Yuxiang felt that he was the most elated person in the world. His beautiful face was adorned with an extremely bright smile, which was somewhat eerie given the dark circles under his eyes.

“There are very few people in the world whose martial arts are comparable to mine. Although you have suppressed your killing intent, your martial arts skills have already told me about your possible identity. You are completely different from the rumors about my good-for-nothing princess. After all, I am a prince of the Great Ling Kingdom. I know the background of everyone around me. You are full of suspicious points. Why should I not investigate you? In fact, I suspected that you were not Princess Jinghua after I met you. Ye Piao said that Princess Jinghua once fell into the Nanfan River and was seriously injured. I guessed that it was at that time that the real and the fake were switched.”

After feeling relieved, Feng Xinglie couldn't help but shrug and smile when he heard him speak eloquently.

"You're quite good at guessing, and you're not wrong."

The radiant smile on her beautiful face invigorated Ling Yuxiang, as if he had received the best encouragement. He gently smiled again, his fingertips lightly caressing her still somewhat cold hand, his expression filled with heartache: "Later, when your cold poison flared up, I asked Yao Tianlin to help you remove it. Although he didn't reveal your identity, he said you should have gone to him sooner. If he didn't owe you a favor, why would Yao Tianlin have asked you to go to him? There are only a handful of people in the world who have made Yao Tianlin owe a favor, and the Great Qin Wind King is one of them. Plus, there's that widely circulated battle in the capital where a hundred fought against ten thousand. If I still couldn't think of you, should I just find a block of tofu and smash my head against it?"

Feng Xinglie felt a sudden itch in his hand, and his face flushed unbearably. Unwilling to shake off his hand, which always warmed her heart, he could only grumble, "You'd better just kill yourself already! Do you think I don't know you've already guessed what's going on with me? I just..."

"I understand..."

She turned her head in surprise, only to be met with a pair of eyes staring intently at her.

A voice as gentle as a spring breeze brushed past his ears, a stark contrast to the ruthless demon he had just been on the battlefield. Suddenly, the wind outside intensified, causing his red robe to flutter wildly.

Do you know what tacit understanding is?

Ling Yuxiang's smile wasn't very clear amidst his black hair, but it was precisely that smile that left a deep impression on Feng Xinglie's heart.

"Understanding each other is knowing what the other person is thinking before they even open their mouth. It's knowing exactly what the other person is thinking without needing any reason. Lie, do you think we have any understanding?"

Feng Xinglie felt a sudden surge of joy. Yes, who were they? Ling Yuxiang and Feng Xinglie, two peerless geniuses, two war gods! What's in your heart is what it is, why be coy and act like a little girl?

He raised an eyebrow and smiled brightly: "We..."

"Xing Lie!" A clear and bright voice suddenly interrupted Feng Xing Lie's words. Only then did the two notice that Xi Suifeng and the other Flame Riders, as well as Ling Yuxiang's Dark Pavilion subordinates, were also about to gather here.

[Border Storm: Chapter Twenty-Four - A Taste of Sourness]

Feng Xinglie stopped speaking, spurred his horse out of the circle, and looked up to see Ling Yuxiang's army arrayed like a tidal wave on the hillside, their imposing presence quite intimidating. Suddenly, his smile vanished, and he leaped down, lazily squinting his eyes, his slender, fair hand stroking his chin, lost in thought.

Ling Yuxiang followed her out of the circle, reluctantly putting down the softness in his hand. Although they might not care about public opinion, it would still have a negative impact if the soldiers saw it. It was one thing if it was a confidant, but the world didn't know that Feng Xinglie was a woman. If a rumor of a homosexual relationship between them were to spread and become rampant in the army, that would be disastrous!

Moreover, and most importantly, given their identities and the fact that their positions as friend or foe are not yet clear, if they were to arouse unnecessary suspicion among the masses at this time, it would be difficult to guarantee that they would not be used by those with ulterior motives. Therefore, Ling Yuxiang did not dare to overstep his bounds in front of everyone.

A group of men dressed entirely in black galloped over. The Flame Riders were much more agile on their own than the Dark Pavilion and the Flying Feather Riders. While Ling Yuxiang's group was still slowly making their way over, they had already reached Feng Xinglie's side.

Forty-four Flame Riders swarmed forward, forcefully cutting off the refugees' view of the "Wind King" once again, and forming a small circle around the two.

"Xing Lie!" Xi Suifeng, with his full head of white hair, stood out among the group. Unlike Ling Yuxiang, who had to consider whether they were friend or foe, he rushed forward and completely ignored the other person. He excitedly jumped off his horse, grabbed Feng Xing Lie's shoulders, and could hardly hide the anger and worry on his face.

"Why are you being so unreasonable and willful again!"

It's one thing to have no ulterior motives towards Feng Xinglie, but it's another thing to have feelings in one's heart. Although Xi Suifeng appeared decisive and calm just now, she was uneasy countless times. The pain of parting at Zijin Mountain was still vivid in her mind. How could she bear to see her go to danger again? How could she not feel worried and afraid?

Although the tone was reproachful, it was actually a sign of deep concern. Xi Suifeng had followed Feng Xinglie for so many years, and their relationship was naturally extraordinary, so it was normal for him to speak like this. However, to Ling Yuxiang, it sounded inexplicably grating and irritating.

This handsome man, exuding a resolute air, was undoubtedly her loyal subordinate whom she regarded as her right-hand man, the current commander of the Fierce Army, Xi Suifeng!

Ling Yuxiang's eyebrows twitched violently as he stared intently at the hands wrapped around her shoulders, his eyes practically spitting fire. He didn't notice that his fists were gradually clenching, with veins bulging on them.

Excellent! Excellent!

That anxious look on his face, so tense it was practically bone-deep—was it the bond between master and servant? The loyalty of a subordinate? The friendship of a friend? If he believed that, this war god should be thrown into a group of three-year-olds!

Feng Xinglie didn't notice that someone had already started to get jealous. He patted Xi Suifeng on the shoulder and grinned, "Don't you know my abilities? If I wasn't mostly sure, would I act so recklessly? Don't worry, besides, I still have you guys this time."

"Does it make any difference whether we're here or not? You charged into the enemy camp all by yourself and disappeared without a trace!" Xi Suifeng couldn't help but complain.

Seeing her smiling so brightly at others, Ling Yuxiang felt even more depressed!

How can you hug each other so naturally, so decisively, so skillfully!

Anyone with half a brain would know that this couldn't possibly be the first time, and it certainly won't be the last. After fighting for so long, scheming against this and that, I finally got to see her, only to have her beaten up with a black eye! I was so busy with the situation that I didn't even have a chance to properly hug or hold her, and you, you little bastard, dared to beat me to it!

Ling Yuxiang's gaze shifted to Xi Suifeng, sharp and cold enough to pierce a person's heart. If looks could kill, Xi Suifeng would have been dead countless times by now.

With such a vengeful spirit staring at him with intense hatred, Xi Suifeng couldn't possibly be unaware. He glanced up, thought for a moment, and was slightly taken aback. He understood somewhat, but was more surprised than anything else.

The man, clad in a red robe and silver armor, was so handsome he seemed like a celestial being. His innate domineering aura commanded respect and submission. Without a doubt, this man with the fierce look in his eyes was none other than the legendary Great Ling War God, Ling Yuxiang.

But why was he looking at him like that? He asked himself if he had ever had any conflict or grudge against this man, right? The Lie Army had always stayed within the territory of the Great Qin, a world apart from Ling Yuxiang—they wouldn't even have encountered a single soldier! If it were a feud between the Lie Army and the Ling Kingdom, it was completely unrelated! The only possibility…

Xi Suifeng looked again carefully and confirmed that the two murderous gazes were fixed on his hands.

Could this man be interested in Xing Lie...?

His expression suddenly turned strange, and Xi Suifeng abruptly stretched out his long arm, simply pulling Feng Xinglie into his embrace and giving him an incredibly ambiguous hug.

Feng Xinglie was momentarily stunned by his unexpected action, and only reacted after being embraced without any resistance. She glanced at Xi Suifeng in surprise, already realizing his purpose. This man might be slightly less cunning than she and Ling Yuxiang, but his mind was frighteningly sensitive and perceptive.

Or perhaps it was his feelings for her that prompted him to pay attention to everything related to her.

Clearly sensing the strange targeting and probing, Ling Yuxiang, consumed by anger, ultimately could not restrain himself.

A few deep, sharp glints shot from his narrow, phoenix-like eyes. He grabbed the surprised person and pulled him to his side, wrapped his red robe around her, and held her tightly in his arms, gritting his teeth as he roared out a few words.

Stay away from her!

A trap? A test? To hell with it! So what if people find out! Ling Yuxiang simply couldn't stand seeing her in someone else's arms!

The people outside were still shouting, but their voices were so small that they could hardly be heard. However, the forty-four people around them had sharp ears and eyes and heard the words clearly.

For a moment, everyone's mouths gaped open, their eyes widened like saucers, they were dizzy and stunned, and collectively petrified.

This...this...this...this...

What's going on here? I've never heard of heroes cherishing each other to this extent!

Even if Ling Yuxiang has a keen eye and immediately noticed that Feng Xinglie, whose disguise was flawless, was a woman, even if they cooperated seamlessly to defeat the enemy and knew and cherished each other, even if they were supposedly kindred spirits and fell in love at first sight, isn't this all happening a little too fast? How long has it been? In just a short while, after only a few words, such feelings have already developed? Is there something wrong with this?!

Xi Suifeng and Luo Yun looked at each other, each understanding a bit more. There were some twists and turns in the story that they probably didn't know. Judging from this, Xing Lie and Ling Yuxiang were definitely not meeting for the first time. In that case, her strange behavior and her excessive concern for Ling Yuxiang would make sense.

A wave of sadness washed over Xi Suifeng. He could tell that, apart from Lian Ji, Feng Xinglie had never cared about anyone to this extent.

The suspicious gazes were like burning flames. Even though Feng Xinglie's skin was as thick as a city wall, he felt a little guilty. He huddled in that seemingly reliable and warm embrace, and was held contentedly for a long time until the people from the Dark Pavilion approached before he realized what was happening.