Chapter 66: Deputy Commander of the Xuanwu Camp? Snatching People Away

Just as Xia He was brainstorming, weighing whether he should desperately fight back right then or simply agree to stall for time while figuring out a way, caught in this agonizing dilemma, a crisp and clear female voice suddenly echoed from outside the military tent.

"Commissioner, trying to snatch people away from the Four Elite Camps without even a courtesy greeting—isn't that rather improper?"

Following the voice, a graceful yet stunning woman strode directly into the tent like a sudden gust of wind.

The guards stationed outside rushed forward to intercept her, but it was like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot; they were utterly powerless to halt the woman's advance.

"I truly have eyes but failed to recognize a person of consequence. May I ask who this young lady might be?"

Zhen Jie looked at the sudden and uninvited guest with a face full of puzzlement, secretly astonished in his heart. After all, for a mere woman to dare to barge alone into a heavily guarded military camp meant she was certainly no ordinary person.

The woman slightly raised her chin, reached out to retrieve a heavy iron medallion from her waist, and lifted it high, presenting it directly before Zhen Jie.

Zhen Jie peered closely and saw that the iron medallion was vividly engraved with a colossal, crouching black tortoise, its tail transformed into a winding, coiling giant serpent with its maw wide open, its scarlet forked tongue flicking in and out, resembling the legendary divine beast Xuanwu manifest in the mortal world.

"This humble person's surname is Shan, and my given name is Ling."

Upon seeing this iron medallion, everything instantly became clear to him.

Zhen Jie quickly wiped the look of contempt from his face, put on a smile, cupped his hands, and bowed to Shan Ling, saying, "Pardon my offense, pardon my offense! So it is Deputy Commander Shan of the Xuanwu Camp who has graced us with her presence. I am Zhen Jie. I truly failed to welcome you from afar, and I beg Deputy Commander Shan to forgive me!"

Although the Four Elite Camps had always been on poor terms with officials of regional military commissioner domains like themselves, at this moment, superficial courtesies and pleasantries were still indispensable.

It was just that the military nobility in the imperial court and the Crown Prince were locked in a fierce struggle, so naturally, there was no need for excessive politeness.

"Aren't the selection trials for the Four Elite Camps scheduled for after spring next year? Why is Deputy Commander Shan in such a rush?"

Xia He could not help but look toward Shan Ling as well.

The selection trials of the Four Elite Camps?

They had arrived so early.

Earlier, Lord Chai had warned him that the selection officers might arrive ahead of schedule, and it turned out that the news was actually true.

The Deputy Commander of the Xuanwu Camp was a woman?!

Yet she had appeared at such an opportune moment; it seemed it would not be so easy for Zhen Jie to coerce him after all.

"What? Does the Xuanwu Camp need to report to Commissioner Zhen before doing anything?"

Her opening remarks were already bristling with hostility.

"Uh... naturally not."

Zhen Jie chuckled dryly, but his smile appeared somewhat stiff, and the gleam of amusement that had previously flickered in his eyes was now completely gone.

"I am merely acting on orders."

Standing nearby, Shan Ling could not help but display a trace of a disdainful smile at those words.

She folded her arms across her chest and lifted her head. "There are long-standing rules in the military. The Four Elite Camps hold a special status; if there are any exceptional talents, they have priority for selection, and other military units are not permitted to contend for them."

This was also the original intention of the late Emperor when he established the Four Elite Camps—to cultivate military generals and geniuses in martial arts.

"Acting on orders? Whose orders? Could they outweigh the rules established by the late Emperor?"

Hearing this, Zhen Jie's expression instantly turned gloomy.

"Deputy Commander Shan, pinning such a massive charge on me is something I simply cannot bear!"

Shan Ling no longer bothered with him. Instead, she looked toward the young man beside her and motioned, "Come with me for a moment; I have something to ask you."

With that, she took Xia He and walked straight out without even looking back.

Inside the military tent at that moment, Zhen Jie's face was ashen. His eyes burned with rage as he stared fiercely at Millennium Commander Fan, grinding his teeth as he demanded, "What on earth is going on with this woman? Why did she suddenly run over here? And none of you even thought to report it to me in advance!"

Millennium Commander Fan trembled all over in terror, lowering his head as he hastily explained, "Lord, appease your anger, this subordinate truly knew nothing about this..."

Before he could finish, however, he was brutally cut off by Zhen Jie.

"You know nothing? Then what use are you?!"

After cursing a few times, Zhen Jie slightly steadied his emotions, pondered for a moment, and analyzed the situation: "For this woman to arrive so early, she must have an ulterior motive. In my view, it is most likely that the Crown Prince sent her here deliberately to cause trouble for us..."

"If you don't want to die, you'd better prepare in advance. This kid surnamed Xia probably cannot be allowed to live any longer..."

"If this truly brings trouble upon the regional commander, I will have your head!"

Millennium Commander Fan's expression shifted slightly.

He had already given Xia He several chances earlier, but this kid simply didn't know what was good for him, and was far from as honest and simple-natured as he appeared. He had clearly misjudged him.

That being the case, even without Zhen Jie's instruction, he could not let this kid live. A deep murderous intent instantly welled up in his eyes.

...

Leaving the garrison post, Xia He had no mind to pay attention to the astonished gazes cast by the group of military households behind him.

At this moment, his mind was filled with bewilderment, and he could not help but frequently turn his head to closely observe the young woman of about his own age walking beside him.

Deputy Commander of the Xuanwu Camp?

It was said that the Four Elite Camps only recruited geniuses; just what level of martial prowess did this woman possess?

Furthermore, her sudden appearance in the military tent to rescue him—how could there be such a coincidence in this world?

While secretly pondering, Xia He hurried to keep pace.

Unwittingly, they arrived at the edge of a field.

A slightly dilapidated donkey cart was parked ahead, and a figure stood quietly beside it.

As they drew closer, he saw that it was none other than Town Magistrate Lord Chai.

When Lord Chai saw the two of them returning safe and sound, the heavy stone that had been weighing on his heart finally dropped.

He let out a long sigh of relief and hurried forward to greet them.

Xia He was also puzzled as to why Lord Chai was here, but he quickly realized—could the two of them know each other?

Sure enough, Lord Chai hurried forward to cup his hands in gratitude to the woman.

Then he walked over, grabbed Xia He's hands, and looked him up and down.

"I heard the Commissioner was inspecting and feared he might act against you, which is why I asked Miss Shan to go to the military camp to find you."

"Miss Shan, old Chai, you this..."

Lord Chai wanted to explain, but was directly interrupted by Shan Ling.

"According to the records in the garrison archives, you began practicing martial arts two months ago, achieved skin-tempering in ten days, blood-tempering in a little over a month, and attained mastery in blood-tempering another month later. Is that true or not?"

Shan Ling was completely different from any woman Xia He had previously encountered; her tone even carried a hint of majesty.

He thought to himself internally, "It wasn't ten days; it should have been eight days..."

Moreover, he was no longer merely at the initial mastery stage of blood-tempering; he was about to begin bone-tempering.

Since she was on their side and this was for the selection trials of the Four Elite Camps, Xia He felt there was no longer any point in concealing his abilities.

"This subordinate is currently preparing for bone-tempering."

"Bone-tempering...!? "

Shan Ling looked at Xia He in astonishment.

Shan Ling had originally been entrusted by Lord Chai to rescue him.

The two had previously been betrothed, but Shan Ling was completely devoted to the martial path, and coupled with the decline of the Chai family, the two families were no longer well-matched. Lord Chai had taken the initiative to call off the engagement, so Shan Ling harbored no ill will toward him and thus did not refuse the request.

However, after examining Xia He's record archives and confirming his current martial arts progress, she was still thoroughly astonished and could not help but develop a sudden surge of interest.