Green Mountain
Chapter 337 - 277. Refuge

Chapter 337: 277. Refuge

The once-bustling Qiu Ci Street had lost all vitality. The only lingering presence was the distant wind carrying the scent of ash, whipping up red and green silk scarves that tumbled across the ground. The singers and dancers had long vanished without a trace.

War was as cruel as a biting cold wind. Wherever it swept, tree leaves fell from branches, grasslands withered to brown, and the vast expanse of the land became desolate and barren.

Chen Ji gripped the Whale Blade tightly, his gaze vigilant as he surveyed his surroundings, ears attuned to the faintest disturbances on the street.

Qi Zhenzhuo quickened his steps, sidling up to Chen Ji and whispering, "Chen Ji, in the past, it was my dog eyes looking down on you, my petty-minded thoughts at work. I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against me."

Chen Ji gave him a surprised glance but remained silent.

Qi Zhenzhuo brazenly continued, "Chen Ji, can you teach me how to fight?"

Chen Ji frowned. "No."

Qi Zhenzhuo hurriedly yelped, "Come on! In the future, when I serve alongside the Crown Prince, wherever you point east I’ll never go west, and wherever you point west I’ll never go east. I can officially become your disciple! The Yulin Army has instructors, but to be honest, yours is the skill I admire most—far better than theirs!"

Xiao Man, cradling Wu Yun in her arms, trotted closer. "How can someone be as shameless as you? My master already said no. Just earlier, you didn’t even like my master—don’t tell me you’re plotting something fishy again!"

Qi Zhenzhuo opened his mouth to protest but stopped himself. Unexpectedly, the Crown Prince interjected, "Vice Envoy Qi brings up a valid point. If we make it back to the Imperial Capital alive, the five thousand Yulin Army members serving at the Imperial Court might need a new instructor. I think the Right Guard would be quite fitting."

Chen Ji interrupted, "Your Highness, now is not the time for such conversations. If you wish to stay alive, follow me."

With that, he veered toward Taohuai Square, the place where he had previously eluded the Divine Archer.

Seeing the direction Chen Ji was heading, Chen Liqin quickened his pace to catch up. "Chen Ji, we just had a clear view from the rooftops. That area is crawling with Jing Dynasty marauders, pillaging and killing—going there is suicide!"

Chen Ji didn’t respond and continued on his way.

Seeing no reaction, Chen Liqin turned his appeal to Zhang Xia in hushed tones. "Second Miss Zhang, could you persuade him? He didn’t ascend to the rooftop earlier and didn’t see for himself, but we saw it all clearly. That place is dangerous, full of Jing Dynasty marauders everywhere!"

Zhang Xia shook her head. "Mr. Chen, I will follow Chen Ji."

Chen Liqin, realizing he couldn’t convince Zhang Xia either, turned to Zhang Zheng. "You..."

Zhang Zheng cut him off. "Mr. Chen, there’s no need to say more. I will also follow Chen Ji."

Mrs. Liang quickly attempted to mediate. "Second Miss Zhang, it’s not that we doubt Chen Ji, but we hope you can share what you saw to help him make better judgments."

Xiao Man, still holding Wu Yun, looked back and said coldly, "Lady, my master isn’t some Immortal, nor has he begged or forced anyone to follow him. If you think he’s making a mistake, why not take another path by yourself?"

Mrs. Liang fumed silently.

Chen Ji continued leading the way as if he hadn’t heard anything.

At this stage, there was no truly safe place left in Guyuan City. It was only a matter of time before Jing Dynasty’s Iron Cavalry scoured every corner. Could they flee toward areas not yet seized by the Heavenly Strategy Army? The outcome would be the same—inescapable death.

Their sole path of survival now was to hide in the oil shop’s underground cellar. There was no time to argue. Those who trusted him could follow; those who didn’t were free to choose otherwise.

Seeing Chen Ji walking farther and farther away, even the Crown Prince silently trailing behind him, Chen Liqin and the others exchanged glances before ultimately trailing after as well.

...

...

Chen Ji led the group cautiously through alleyways, finally stopping behind an earthen house. Not far away, the border army and the Heavenly Strategy Army’s cries of battle roared, and the suffocating aura of death felt just a stone’s throw away.

The cries of battle unsettled everyone, making them anxious. Chen Liqin rubbed his hands nervously, repeatedly wanting to persuade Chen Ji but stopping short each time.

Chen Ji silently glanced at the horizon. The last rays of the setting sun were fading, the orange-red light draped like a gauzy veil over Guyuan City, gently being pulled away.

Thirty minutes.

In thirty more minutes, the sky would be completely dark; that would be their moment to move stealthily.

Leaning against the earthen wall, Chen Ji listened to the surrounding battle cries and slowly closed his eyes. Exhaustion washed over his heart like the rising tide, submerging him.

Beside him, Zhang Xia leaned against the same wall, tilting her head to observe the weariness on his face before silently turning her gaze to the sky. She murmured, "If only I were an Executive Officer. Yet my uncle possesses an Official Gateway but refuses to teach me."

Without opening his eyes, Chen Ji replied, "Perhaps your uncle’s Official Gateway isn’t unique, and he fears another Official might discover and assassinate you. Someone once told me that the Official Gateway is a curse. Thinking now, that might hold some truth."

Zhang Xia looked down, sighing. "If I were an Official, today... today wouldn’t have been so disgraceful. I might even be able to protect myself. Should we survive this ordeal, I’ll find an Official Gateway myself, whether by purchase or trade. I’ll seize any chance to become an Executive Officer."

Chen Ji responded with a quiet "That’s your choice."

Xiao Man, still holding Wu Yun, reminded her, "Second Miss Zhang, there are Official Gateways for sale in Panjia Garden of the Imperial Capital, but those can only train up to the Innate Realm."

Zhang Xia chuckled lightly. "Reaching the Innate Realm is better than nothing."

Xiao Man shook her head. "Those gateways come with co-practitioners, and disputes among the same sect are common. You should think it through carefully before deciding."

A thought stirred in Chen Ji’s heart. He did, in fact, have an unused Official Gateway—a Shrouding Cloud that Jin Zhu had helped him acquire from the Prime Minister. It was said to have been seized by the Ritual Supervision from a reincarnated soul once part of the Forty-nine Heavens. Its potential seemed extraordinary. But did it also come with co-practitioners?

As he pondered, night fell completely.

Chen Ji immediately signaled to Wu Yun, who climbed onto Xiao Man’s head and then leapt lightly onto the roof, darting in the direction of Taohuai Square.

Chen Ji followed behind, guided by Wu Yun’s movements.

"Meow!"

Suddenly, Chen Ji halted at the mouth of an alley, raising his right fist. Everyone froze in their tracks, barely daring to breathe.

Chen Wenxiao whispered, "Why do we keep walking and stopping..."

Before he could finish, Chen Wenzong clamped a hand over his mouth, his eyes brimming with warning.

Amid the silence, footsteps echoed, and everyone discreetly peeked into the alley. There, they saw Li Xuan, all alone, carrying a seven- or eight-year-old girl on his back, hurrying past.

Qi Zhenzhuo was about to shout "Brother-in-law" when Chen Ji, seemingly anticipating it, swiftly covered his mouth.

A signal arrow screamed past overhead, its piercing whistle ripping through the moment. Within mere seconds, a squad of Heavenly Strategy Army’s Iron Cavalry galloped in pursuit of Li Xuan, disappearing into the distance.

The saddles of these Iron Cavalry riders bore gory strings of severed right ears—trophies of their bloody conquests.

After a long pause, Chen Ji released Qi Zhenzhuo and sternly warned, "Whatever you wish to do is your business. Don’t drag others down with you."

He swept a cold gaze over the group. "If any of you seeks death, stay behind. Don’t endanger us all. Should anyone overstep my boundaries again, I’ll break your legs and leave you here."

Qi Zhenzhuo, flustered, murmured, "But my brother-in-law... he acted to save someone..."

Xiao Man sneered. "Earlier, you were quarreling with your brother-in-law. I recall your words being terribly spiteful."

Full of regret, Qi Zhenzhuo lamented, "It was just a moment of anger! Chen Ji, isn’t there any way to save my brother-in-law? He can’t die!"

Chen Liqin stepped forward. "We cannot stand by and watch..."

Just then, a quiet meow from Wu Yun reached them from the rooftop.

Chen Ji barked sharply, "Shut up!"

His words barely hung in the air when an Iron Arrow shot toward Wu Yun’s position. The Divine Archer stationed on a high platform nearby had detected even the faintest sound and wasn’t about to spare even a cat.

Realizing he’d missed, the Divine Archer grew suspicious. How could a stray cat evade his Iron Arrow?

He leapt from the high platform, moving nimbly across rooftops, bowstring taut, combing the area where Wu Yun had been seen.

Meanwhile, Chen Ji and his group plastered themselves against the wall beneath the eaves, standing motionless, scarcely drawing breath.

The Divine Archer stopped directly above them, scanning the nightscape like a hawk, his bowstring stretching tighter and tighter.

Unbeknownst to either side, they were inches apart, deadly stealth hanging in the balance.

Just then, further along the street, a supposedly dead civilian "corpse" began to stir. Believing the coast clear, the figure got up to escape.

With a sharp twang, the Iron Arrow flew, pinning the unfortunate man to the ground with deadly precision.

From afar, Li Xuan’s roar echoed. He seemed to have been caught by the Iron Cavalry, drawing the Divine Archer’s attention. He abandoned his perch and headed toward the sound.

Chen Ji immediately crouched and crept toward Taohuai Square.

All around them, corpses of civilians littered the ground—elderly, children, men, and women—all indiscriminately slaughtered.

When they reached Taohuai Square, Chen Ji motioned for the group to stop as he cautiously peeked ahead.

There, Jing Dynasty armored soldiers stood holding torches. Kneeling before them was a line of civilians. One of them shouted, "Sirs! I’m a merchant from Fengsheng State doing business in Guyuan. I have a fire ticket from the Military Intelligence Department!"

One of the armored soldiers pulled a slip of paper from the merchant’s robes. The paper didn’t look like a letter, more like a page torn hastily from a book.

The soldier murmured its text aloud: "The cycles of destiny, ever turning, without fail... Take him, hold him, and wait for the Military Intelligence Department officials to claim him."

The kneeling civilians were all merchants from the Jing Dynasty. Judging by their chatter, it seemed a fire ticket issued by the Military Intelligence Department was required for business dealings in the Ning Dynasty...

Every one of these merchants was, in truth, a spy for the Military Intelligence Department!

It was no wonder the shopkeeper at Yuancao Hall, selling ginseng, had remained so calm. Even the massacre wouldn’t touch them.

After interrogating them, the soldiers led the captured merchants away.

Chen Ji led the group onward again, heading straight for the oil shop!

By the time they arrived, fire had reduced the oil shop to a smoldering ruin. The once mountainous piles of grain in the courtyard were now charred husks, but the well in the courtyard remained intact.

Chen Ji grabbed the well’s rope and handed it to Zhang Xia. "Quick, climb down."

Once everyone had descended into the cellar, Xiao Man lit a candle using a fire inch, illuminating the space.

Everyone gasped in astonishment—inside the cellar were bag after bag of stored grain!

Wang Gui threw himself onto the sacks of food in excitement. "This place is a treasure! With water and food, we could survive here for months... We’re saved! My lord, we’re saved!"

The Crown Prince turned to Zhang Xia. "Second Miss Zhang, was this Chen Ji’s doing?"

Zhang Xia glanced at Xiao Man, who promptly deflected all credit to Chen Ji. "My master plans ahead and thinks strategically—unlike those useless fools around Your Highness. My master... huh? Where’s my master?"

Zhang Xia turned to look but found that Chen Ji hadn’t come down into the cellar. Having escorted them to safety, he had silently departed.