Chapter 47: Promotion? Spy? A Breakthrough

The two of them were in the middle of a conversation when they were suddenly interrupted by the approaching Centurion Wang.

"Xia He, Senior Centurion Fan wants you in his military tent."

"Looking for me?"

Hearing this, Xia He could not help but feel a sudden jolt in his heart.

Why would Senior Centurion Fan summon him alone? What could this possibly be about?

"Centurion Wang, did he really ask for only me?"

Xia He was filled with doubt.

However, facing Xia He's inquiry, Centurion Wang merely scratched his head, a rather strange expression appearing on his face.

Yet, immediately afterward, he smiled fluently and enthusiastically, saying,

"What could possibly be the matter? Kid, you've gained such high favor with Lord Fan lately, and your martial progress has been so rapid, who knows? Before long, you might even be on equal footing with me and be promoted to Centurion!"

"This brother of yours wants to congratulate you in advance!"

Xia He was only just over twenty years old. If he could really become a Centurion, that was far beyond what Centurion Wang could compare to.

In response to Centurion Wang's words, Xia He merely offered a few polite smiles and verbal agreements.

"It is not wartime, nor do I have any military merits to my name. Being promoted to a regular military household is already the absolute limit... A Centurion? That's hardly likely."

Plagued by lingering suspicion, Xia He slowly walked toward the military tent where Senior Centurion Fan was located.

Before long, he arrived at the entrance of the tent, gently lifted the flap, and stepped inside.

Upon entering, Xia He found Senior Centurion Fan standing motionlessly before a massive tactical map, his eyes fixed intently upon it as if he had been lost in deep thought for a long time—so much so that he did not even turn around when Xia He entered and announced his arrival.

With no other choice, Xia He could only stand silently to the side, quietly waiting for Senior Centurion Fan to speak.

Time ticked away second by second. After about the time it takes to brew half a cup of tea, the hitherto silent Senior Centurion Fan suddenly turned his head.

His gaze was like two sharp arrows, piercing straight toward Xia He.

"Do you know why I summoned you?"

"This subordinate does not know."

Seeing that Xia He's expression remained unchanged, Senior Centurion Fan slowly drew closer.

Then, lowering his voice, he said, "There is a barbarian spy within the army! This matter is of utmost gravity and must not be publicized, lest we startle the snake in the grass. But we must investigate thoroughly in secret, without missing even the slightest trace."

At this, Senior Centurion Fan paused slightly, then locked his gaze firmly onto Xia He and continued, "The reason I summoned you is precisely because of my trust in you, viewing you as my most trusted confidant. Furthermore, I heard that you have already reached the minor completion of Blood Refining?"

These words came as a direct shock to Xia He.

"A spy?"

Subconsciously, the image of that woman by Old Zhou's son's side flashed through his mind.

Yet, he quickly realized that the two were likely unrelated.

Hesitating for a moment, he immediately cupped his fists and said,

"Thanks to the blessings of the Senior Centurion and sufficient resources, this subordinate has indeed reached the minor completion of Blood Refining."

"Good."

Only then did Senior Centurion Fan's initially cold expression soften somewhat. He reached out and patted Xia He on the shoulder.

"At your current pace, once the spring campaign comes around to suppress the barbarians and you earn military merit, entering the Four Elite Camps is virtually a certainty."

"You should understand that everything else is secondary; only one's own future matters most."

"You should... understand my meaning, right?"

"This subordinate understands."

"Good!"

"Since that is the case, I want you to secretly investigate the matter of the spy. If you suspect anyone, report it to me immediately."

"This subordinate obeys."

Before leaving, Senior Centurion Fan suddenly asked casually, seemingly with or without intent,

"I heard that Magistrate Chai has sought you out privately several times? What was that about?"

Xia He's expression remained calm as he answered candidly,

"To borrow money."

"Did you lend him any?"

"No, I told him to come find you, Senior Centurion."

Senior Centurion Fan was slightly taken aback, then waved his hand with an amused chuckle and told Xia He to get lost.

As Xia He stepped out of the military tent, Centurion Wang, who had been waiting faithfully outside for quite some time, immediately hurried forward.

All smiles, he cautiously inquired, "Brother Xia, judging by the beaming look on your face, you must have been promoted to Centurion, right?"

Hearing this, Xia He could not help but offer a bitter smile, shaking his head as he said, "Ah, how could anything that good happen? The Senior Centurion merely urged me to practice my martial arts diligently and warned me not to slack off or grow lazy."

Upon receiving this answer to his probing question, Centurion Wang let out a long sigh of relief, as if a massive stone had finally been lifted from his heart.

Yet, he quickly recovered his smile, patting Xia He's shoulder in consolation, "Haha, Brother Xia, do not be discouraged! You are still young, and you have plenty of opportunities ahead of you. As long as you keep working hard, promotion will come sooner or later."

"Centurion Wang is right."

With those words exchanged, Centurion Wang cupped his fists in farewell to Xia He and turned to leave. Meanwhile, Xia He remained standing in place alone, his brow furrowed slightly as he fell into deep contemplation.

"Why would this barbarian spy show up neither sooner nor later, but choose precisely this juncture? Could there be something suspicious behind all this?"

Xia He muttered to himself. Recalling the words Senior Centurion Fan had spoken to him earlier and savoring them carefully, he increasingly felt as though they carried a hidden undertone of insinuation and warning.

He had secretly slipped the prescription for the blood-disease antidote to the yamen, and Chai He had found it, successfully curing the blood disease that had plagued the townspeople for so long.

This should have been a good thing, but he knew very well that doing so undoubtedly blocked Senior Centurion Fan's path to extorting wealth from the situation.

Thinking about it now, it seemed this matter had ultimately failed to escape Senior Centurion Fan's notice and had already aroused his suspicions...

"Senior Centurion Fan is a Bone-Refining martial artist... If I were to clash with him, how many rounds could I last?"

Hard to say!

Therefore, making an enemy of him at present was not a wise choice; he still needed time to grow and develop.

"Brother He, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Er Pang, I need to head back early for a bit."

Since he had been openly tasked with investigating the spy, he still had to go through the motions.

Yet, the most crucial priority right now was still enhancing his own strength.

Upon returning to the town, Xia He made a beeline for the apothecary without a moment's rest.

Stepping through the shop doors, Wang Xing, whom he had not seen in a while, was intently clicking away at an abacus.

Hearing footsteps, Wang Xing raised his head. When he saw that the visitor was Xia He, a warm and enthusiastic smile immediately bloomed across his face, and he hurried forward, covering the distance in two or three strides.

Back when Xia He was merely an unknown nobody, he had now been transformed overnight into a striking military household member, creating a gulf of difference in their status and standing.

Faced with such a dramatic change, Uncle Wang's attitude had naturally undergone a complete revolution as well.

"Uncle Wang, the things I asked you to help look for previously—have you made any headway?"

Wang Xing nodded eagerly without stopping, replying, "Yes, yes! Little He, the task you entrusted to me is something I've kept on my mind every single day!"

With that, he turned around and shouted loudly toward a clerk inside the shop, "Hurry up and bring the items here!"

Before long, the clerk walked out, carefully holding two items in his hands.

One of them was a yellowed booklet with slightly curled, aged pages.