Qinglin

Flowing robes, celestial music.

Even late at night, the City Lord's Mansion in Rock Desert City was lively. Wine cups clinked, toasts were exchanged, dancers moved with grace, creating a scene starkly out of place in the Dou Qi Continent, leaving Chen Guan feeling somewhat dazed.

He had arrived in Rock Desert City at dusk and, after meeting with the two brothers Wang Yan and Wang Dalang, naturally came to the City Lord's Mansion to spend the night.

General Huang, an enthusiastic man, insisted on arranging a surprise for him, which led to the current situation before his eyes.

However, although the surprise was meant for him, watching the general above, eyes glued to the dancers, Chen Guan couldn't help but feel this wasn't arranged especially for him.

"General Huang is a free-spirited man. He has defended Rock Desert City for over thirteen years, repelling numerous attacks from the Snake-People Tribe. He's highly respected here, and his only hobby is this."

Wang Yan, seated beside him, softly explained, worried that the young man might form an unfavorable opinion of the old general because of this.

Chen Guan came to his senses and chuckled lightly.

Wang Yan's concern was unnecessary. He had no particular thoughts, just a sense of surprise.

General Huang was a one-star Dou King who had defended the empire's border city for years, achieving great feats—why shouldn't he enjoy himself a little?

"Indeed, the general lives freely. I used to imagine living like this. But enough about that. Did you find Qinglin today?"

"No, Brother Wang and I searched around the city but didn't find the girl you mentioned. However, we've already informed the general, and he has sent many people to search the city. I believe there will be news soon."

Wang Dalang, seated next to Wang Yan, replied.

Chen Guan nodded. He planned to stay in Rock Desert City for a while, so there was no rush.

Though he thought this way, what he didn't expect was that just as Wang Dalang finished speaking, a soldier hurried in from outside. Whispering something to the general, the latter immediately sat up straighter, his expression becoming more serious.

He waved his hand to dismiss the dancers and stopped the music.

"Haha, my young friend, they've found the little girl you were looking for."

The old general laughed heartily and signaled his subordinate to step forward and report.

The soldier, slightly nervous, stepped up and saluted, saying, "Reporting to the City Lord and the three lords, I wasn't the one who found the girl. When I saw her, the deputy commander of the Desert Metal Mercenary Group was about to take her back. I happened to encounter them and managed to stop it."

"The Desert Metal Mercenary Group?"

The familiar name caught Chen Guan's attention.

If he wasn't mistaken, this seemed to be the group Xiao Yan's two brothers had formed.

It seemed Xiao Yan was in a tough spot now, prompting his brothers to go out and carve a path for him.

"Yes, my lord, it's the Desert Metal Mercenary Group. The commander and deputy commander are brothers who only recently came to Rock Desert City and formed the group. Neither of them has advanced to Dou Master yet, but one is skilled in combat and the other in strategy. Ruthless yet organized, they quickly established themselves in the city and gained some fame among the smaller mercenary groups."

"Hmm, did any conflicts arise?" Chen Guan asked.

"No, after I revealed my identity, the deputy commander handed over the girl without issue. I even tried to give him gold coins, but he refused. He's quite easygoing."

The soldier reported truthfully, leaving a good impression of Xiao Li.

Recalling the original story's description of Xiao Li, Chen Guan shook his head with a smile. The soldier's account was enough to prove that the man had some cleverness.

"You've worked hard. Never mind, I'll go see for myself." Chen Guan stood up, and as he passed the soldier, he handed him a bottle of Tier 1 pills as a reward.

Tier 1 pills weren't of high value, but for soldiers like them, a whole bottle was already a luxury. Holding the jade bottle, the soldier's delight was plain to see.

"I'll escort you, my lord!"

Chen Guan didn't refuse and nodded in agreement.

The Wang brothers exchanged a glance but chose not to follow and disturb him.

As for General Huang, he had no intention of moving at all. To live freely, one must not meddle in too many affairs or let curiosity get the better of them.

"Come, let the music resume."

On the other side, Chen Guan, from a distance, saw a girl standing quietly outside the pavilion in the front courtyard. Her hands were nervously wringing the fabric of her clothes, betraying the unease in her heart.

Her head hung low, and in the dim light, her face was unclear, yet her frail aura was unmistakable. Combined with the information he had learned earlier, a wave of sympathy welled up in Chen Guan's heart.

He dismissed the soldiers and walked over slowly.

Though his steps were light, the girl still heard him, and like a startled rabbit, she hurriedly raised her head for a brief glance before quickly lowering it again.

"Do I look that scary?"

"S-Sorry, they said I shouldn't look around too much."

Chen Guan had already tried to appear as kind and approachable as possible, but the girl still stuttered, afraid to meet his gaze.

After years of hardship, bullying, and scorn, fear had ingrained itself into her very being, not something that could be changed with just a few words.

"Alright, I'm not blaming you. I'm not one of those ill-tempered mercenaries. I'm only a few years older than you. I might even need your help in the future, so there's no need to be so tense."

Hearing this, the girl cautiously glanced up and saw the boy's smiling face. He did seem quite approachable.

But she wondered if he would still see her the same way after discovering her peculiar traits.

Biting her lip, the brief comfort she had felt vanished, and she once again lowered her gaze, too timid to look directly at him.

"Come, sit. Let's introduce ourselves first. What's your name?"

"Qinglin."

"Your name sounds much better than mine. I'm Chen Guan. In the imperial capital, there's a mischievous girl who always complains about how awful my name is. It drives me crazy."

Seeing the girl clutching her sleeves tightly, Chen Guan understood her unease. He didn't rush to change her entirely but preferred to guide her slowly. In his mind, it was better to let her build confidence naturally through friendship.

They sat in the pavilion, and the two, who were not much different in age, chatted for nearly half an hour without stopping.

To be precise, it was Chen Guan who kept talking. He shared amusing stories, embarrassing moments he hadn't dared to mention before, and other trivial thoughts.

His chatter, though endless, succeeded in loosening the girl's nerves. She even giggled occasionally, their bond quickly growing stronger.

However, this also earned him the label of a chatterbox in the girl's mind.

She had never met anyone who could talk so much, endlessly complaining about one thing or another, though she found it oddly amusing.

In truth, she too longed to speak freely, to discuss her thoughts without holding back.

But she didn't dare.

Silently brushing aside these thoughts, the girl had a feeling that following this boy might bring some joy to her life in the future.

(End of Chapter)

P.S

Advance 25 Chapters are up on my Patreon.

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