Chapter 7, The Prophecy of Life and Death
"Because this is what a true sage told me. He has prophesied many things in his lifetime, and he has never been wrong." Qi Tianyou replied seriously as he looked at him.
"Yesterday morning during the operation, I saw that you had a knife in your hand that seemed quite sharp. May I borrow it to take a look?"
Upon exiting the Windmill Tomb, one arrives at Zhumadian. Further ahead lies the boundary of Tianfeng, leading into the territory of the Zhishui Kingdom. Of course, the Tianfeng Empire has already claimed this area, which it effectively controls, as part of its domain.
Along the way, the warriors of the Bear Clan did not appear again, and everyone's tense hearts gradually relaxed
They discovered that being a hero is truly not an easy task. The splattering of fresh blood, the dying cries, the dual assault on both sight and sound repeatedly echo in people's minds, as if they were classic scenes from a movie, forever leaving an indelible and profound memory.
Under the sunlight, the dagger glimmered with a sharp cold light. Qi Tianyou squinted his eyes, held it in his hand and examined it carefully for a while, before saying: "Where is this weapon produced? I have never seen one like it. What material is it made of? It is neither copper nor iron, yet it is exceptionally hard. The design is also very attractive, and it feels particularly comfortable to hold"
Or perhaps oneself, is the only one who has truly died once, yet has come to a new world to gain a new life. However, he once again immerses himself in the crucible, to experience the various separations and reunions of fate. Perhaps one day, he too will truly die, with no chance of rebirth. ... But by that time ...
Some matters truly cannot be explained forever. Should I tell him that this is a combat knife manufactured with the most advanced technology from another world? Forget it, I might as well attribute all of this to a master from beyond the world.
The shadow of death always looms over the new recruits, inescapable.
No, we should have four thousand five hundred people, but there are only five hundred who have been watching the excitement from beginning to end. " Fang Hu glanced angrily into the distance
This roar, accompanied by a piercing scream, once again shattered the sky, shocking everyone.
"Issue the order to retrieve the bodies of all the fallen soldiers. Collect the arrows and clean the battlefield. Then... prepare to set out." With a cold expression, *Tu* *Shu* looked on at all of this and calmly issued the commands
He is fine. Qianshuiqing gestured towards the distance with his lips.
It was as if a thunderclap on a clear day struck heavily upon Qian Shu Qing, causing him to tremble all over as he shouted, "Brother Qi! What are you saying?"
... ...
What secret
"In fact, I have a secret too," Qi Tianyou said with a smile. "I can tell you one first, would you like to hear it?"
The convoy of five hundred people that had squeezed in was already prepared for battle at the onset of the conflict, yet they never engaged in combat.
A tremor of clarity surged through the shallow waters as I gazed at Qi Tianyou
Qian Shui listened blankly to Qi Tianyou's words, not expecting that a single tiger tooth could evoke such sentiments in him. Nevertheless, he smiled and said, "I didn't expect this knife to be so good. Today you saved my life, so it is only natural for me to gift you this knife. Just accept it. People often say that a discerning buyer recognizes quality. You are that discerning buyer; if not you, then who else?"
He gazed at the distant blood-red expanse, his eyes filled with confusion, unaware of what thoughts occupied his mind
Fang Bao said with great pride: "The 'Debt of Life Group' means the debt of life owed to Qi Shao. Generally speaking, on the battlefield, it is quite normal for you to save me and for me to save you. However, in our outpost, this situation is somewhat unusual. Because it has always been Qi Shao who saves others. Up to now, I have been saved by Qi Shao four times, my brother three times, and more than half of the one hundred brothers in the outpost have been saved by him, yet he never gives others the chance to save him. Therefore, everyone formed a 'Debt of Life Group' to see who will have the opportunity to save Qi Shao once in return. That would be impressive."
Miracles have always been present on the battlefield
Over there, Qi Tianyou stands quietly alone in the wind
A rider, drenched in blood, flew in and called out, "Have you counted the number of people?"
Fang Hu waved his hand to Qian Shuiqing, who was at the front of the team. Qian Shuiqing rode over, and Fang Hu said: "Young Master Qi wants to see you"
"None of them were taken down independently." Qianshui sneered.
At this moment, Qi Tianyou approached and said: "Do not speak of this any further. Protecting one's own soldiers is a responsibility that every officer should uphold. Have you not also saved many of your own brothers? There will be many such incidents in the future, so refrain from discussing them openly."
Everywhere, there are bodies that have been stabbed to pieces, resembling chunks of rotten flesh, devoid of any signs of life
Today marks my first official participation in battle. The combat was fierce. I killed a total of three bear warriors, yet I have already been saved once by Lei Huo and once by Qi Shao. If there is anything on the battlefield that is worthy of our emotions, it must be this bond of brotherhood forged through shared life and death struggles. I do not know what the generals think, but in this era where victory is determined by close combat, blood and loyalty have become the only measures of value. I am beginning to understand and comprehend this world. Perhaps one day, I will become Qi Shao, or perhaps one day... I do not know what the generals think, but in this era where victory is determined by close combat, blood and loyalty have become the only measures of value. I am beginning to understand and comprehend this world. Perhaps one day, I will become Qi Shao, or perhaps one day... I will surpass him. But he has already become the elder brother in my heart. Until forever.
They followed the veterans to learn how to carefully search the corpses, how to discreetly draw a knife to deliver a final blow to the still-twitching bodies—striking down the enemy as well as their own comrades.
Leihuo approached and asked him: "How many have you killed?"
The bear clan warriors never leave any survivors. Not to mention that they cannot be saved; even if they are saved, they would merely become a useless person. This is how the veterans explain it
It is called Tiger Tooth... as for the material... it is made of iron mixed with some other substances. I can't quite say what it is. It was given to me by my father, who accidentally saved an old man in his youth, and that old man gifted it to him, which was later passed down to me. Qianshuiqing can only speak nonsense.
Qi Tianyou was taken aback by the call of "brother". He looked at Qianshui Qing and then laughed: "You call me brother?"
Some people may collapse as a result, while others may grow from it
Qian Shui was taken aback; he truly had not anticipated this. He did not bring much from his original world, and this tiger tooth was one of the few items, also the most practical one. In this militaristic world, it could actually be sold as a divine weapon, which he genuinely did not expect
"Hehe, no one can take down a bear clan alone." Lei Huo opened his honest lips. His left arm was injured, having been grazed by the last flying axe of a dying bear clan warrior, but the injury was not serious. According to that old soldier, this did not count as being wounded.
His expression was carefree, as if the person he spoke of who was about to die was not himself, but merely an unrelated other. With a smile, he watched the winds rise and clouds fall, the vastness of life and death, and that feeling of indifference towards the joys and sorrows of existence—was it really like this?
Then, he mysteriously said to Qianshuiqing: "Do you know why we would rather give up the opportunity to achieve success and wealth elsewhere to serve as the squad leader here? Because this post has the lowest number of casualties among our Longya troops."
"Alright, I will acknowledge you as my younger brother," Qi Tianyou said, patting Qingshui's shoulder. "I am twenty-five years old this year, and you are only twenty-three. As an old soldier, it is not unreasonable for me to be your elder brother. In thirty-nine days, it will be my twenty-fifth birthday, which is also my death anniversary. On that day, remember to offer me some incense, so that I do not regret taking you as my little brother."
"How did you know?" he asked eagerly
What does "Qianming Tuan" mean? Qianshuiqing is somewhat confused and does not understand its meaning
I am also three, you are not bad at all. "Leihuo chuckled.
The terrain around Zhumadian is open, with an unobstructed view. At a glance, one is greeted by a vast expanse of green grass, which is refreshing and uplifting to the spirit
Qian Shuiqing suddenly realized that her understanding of this world was still too limited, far too limited. The only thing she understood was the cycle of life and death, which ultimately was something that no one could escape.
Qi Tianyou still shook his head: "There is no need for that. Qianshui Qing, I have high hopes for you. I know you have some secrets that you cannot express, so you can only keep them all in your diary. Is that right?"
I... I am about to die soon," Qi Tianyou said slowly. "In thirty-nine days, I will die. Therefore, giving me this knife is also a waste.
There were 42 injured, all with minor injuries. The death toll reached 385, including 23 veterans, while the rest were all new recruits. The opposing side suffered 178 fatalities... They had approximately 500 personnel, whereas we had 4,000.
He did not mention who the prophet was, yet before Qianshuiqing's eyes lay a sea of confusion
"It is!" exclaimed the multitude of soldiers in unison
The convoy continues on the road
There are warriors from the Bear Clan, as well as our own people
On this side, Fang Bao laughed heartily as he embraced Qian Shuiqing, saying: "I heard that you were saved by Qi Shao once? Haha, congratulations on joining our life-debt group"
Then, Qi Tianyou let out a long sigh: "The world is vast, and extraordinary individuals are everywhere. That old man must be the most outstanding master of weapon forging in this world; what a pity. If only we had such a craftsman in our army."
What exactly is life, and what is death? He can no longer distinguish between the two
A tremor surged through my heart at the sight of the shallow water
Some things, once seen frequently, become familiar. Only through numbness can one attain tranquility; only with a tranquil heart can one survive through the battles of bloodshed.
Everything that happened today has been deeply etched in the minds of every new recruit, becoming an integral part of their souls
Saying this, he strode away. Fang Bao made a face at Qi Tianyou's back and burst into laughter.
Qian Shuiqing silently observed everything, and he thought to himself, in this case, I cannot even be considered a victim.
On that day, Qianshuiqing recorded the following entry in her diary
How can you be certain that you will die on that day
"Do not concern yourselves with them. They have their own tasks. Or... they may have reasons they cannot express." Mu Xue let out a muffled grunt and then shouted, "Quickly gather the fallen comrades and bury them on the spot. Rest for an hour and then we shall set off. This area is remote, with no villages or inns nearby, making it easy to be ambushed. Everyone, move quickly!"
I have no other hobbies; I simply enjoy collecting weapons. When you pierced that fellow's foot with the knife this morning, I immediately recognized it as a fine blade... and indeed, a truly fine blade. There are many good knives in this world, beautifully shaped and exquisitely crafted, like a lavishly adorned princess, but they cannot withstand the battlefield and fail to endure the test. However, your knife is simple, elegant, resilient, and durable. The materials are unique, the edge is sharp, and the design is beautiful, not only pleasing to the eye but also possessing practical significance. In my lifetime, I have seen many knives, but I have never encountered one like yours; it embodies the true meaning of a knife and reveals its genuine charm... which is killing. This knife is inherently meant for killing, not for collection.
Qi Tianyou looked at him strangely and said, "Do you realize that this knife of yours can already be considered a divine weapon? If it were to be sold on the market, it would probably be enough for you to hire a mercenary group of three hundred men to protect you for half a year. Yet you just gave it to me like this?"
The wilderness is filled with arrows featuring white feathers and black shafts, swaying in the wind
It seems that Qi Shao really likes this knife; how about I give it to you instead?" Qianshui Qing said casually
At this moment, Qi Tianyou was sitting on his horse, watching Qianshuiqing ride over on the newly changed warhorse. He smiled slightly and said to him, "I called you over because I have something to ask you"
A piercing scream echoed: "Enemy attack! A formidable foe is approaching!"
Some new recruits are vomiting, their faces pale
The answer is Qi Tianyou
Most of the new recruits began to follow the veterans in cleaning the battlefield
Amidst the melancholy, a sharp whistle sounded once again
Silence has replaced the original clamor
"Tch!" Fang Hu glared fiercely at the convoy over there, spat, and then cursed loudly, "Damn it, a bunch of trash just watching the fun, what a bunch of nonsense!"
Almost every fallen bear warrior is covered in gunshot wounds and knife scars
My ribs are not broken, my wrist still hurts, but I am still intact; this is simply a miracle
Qian Shuiqing's face flushed slightly
Qianshuiqing took out a dagger from her bosom
Such days are no longer far away
When the battle ended, the ground was already strewn with corpses
The numb nerves begin to thrive, until they eventually collapse. In the future, they will ultimately grow into formidable soldiers.
As for that scout, there are a total of three. What about you
What is the matter
Several veterans patted each other's backs, comforting one another by saying: "Go ahead and let it out; it will get better as you do. There will be many more days like this in the future"