Master of Nine Stars

Chapter 575: Chapter 349: Flag (2)

‘Yes, that must be it…’

Under the glow of the city’s Luminous Lantern Paper Cages, everyone quickly returned to the Twelfth Squad’s base, a two-story stone building.

The three of them had just reached the open door of Fu Tiance’s office. Before they could even speak, Fu Tiance, sitting behind his desk, looked at them with a grim expression. “Get your uniforms on! Masks on! One minute, assemble downstairs!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes, sir!” Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei immediately stood at attention and responded.

Rong Taotao had never seen Fu Tiance look so serious before.

Their superior’s stern words instantly snapped Rong Taotao and Gao Lingwei into mission mode.

They returned to their respective offices. Rong Taotao scrambled into his snow-patterned camouflage and combat boots, snatched the vicious warthog mask lying on his desk, and hurried out.

At the door, a tall figure in a ferocious-looking wolf-dog mask was already waiting for him.

Not far away, Fu Tiance was standing at the top of the second-floor stairs. Seeing this, a thought crossed Rong Taotao’s mind.

‘If I’d been the one to finish changing first, would I have just stood at the door waiting for Da Wei under Fu Tiance’s stern gaze, instead of reporting to him immediately?’

“Are your Invisible Headphones in place?” Fu Tiance asked as the two quickly approached.

The Vicious Warthog nodded repeatedly. “Mhm.”

“Let’s go.” Fu Tiance adjusted the dragon-head mask on his head and quickly led the way downstairs.

Rong Taotao asked, “Where are we going?”

Fu Tiance replied, “Wan’an Pass.”

Rong Taotao’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Wan’an Pass!?’

‘The Third Wall???’

‘What’s happening there? Why do they need Da Wei and me?’

Still reeling from the shock, the three of them went down to the first-floor hall, where they saw Miss Mao Rabbit holding several walkie-talkies with a pack at her feet.

Seeing them come down, Mao Rabbit hurriedly handed out the walkie-talkies, explaining, “Use the Invisible Headphones for intra-squad communication and the walkie-talkies to contact other teams. Once you reach the mission location, adjust your channel according to the Snow Burning Corps’ command.

Also, Pig, take this backpack. Your physical condition is unique, so these are extra supplies from the squad for you.”

“Oh, right.” Rong Taotao quickly clipped the walkie-talkie to where an epaulet would be, bent down to pick up the snow-camo backpack, and unzipped it to find it stuffed with Energy Bars.

Though it was only a quick glance, Rong Taotao, a connoisseur of countless snacks, could tell the difference instantly. These weren’t commercially available snacks; they had to be some kind of military ration…

As the group turned to leave, Miss Mao Rabbit’s voice followed them. “Be safe, you two! Make sure you listen to your commander…”

With Miss Mao Rabbit’s parting words of concern, the Dragon, Snake, Pig, and Dog braved the wind and snow, charging toward the North Gate of Hundred Corps Pass.

“I’ve already spoken with your university’s president,” Fu Tiance said. “I promised you two that, before graduation, you would be allowed to live as normal students. The squad wouldn’t recall you except under extraordinary circumstances.

But this is one of those circumstances. As official members of the Twelfth Squad, you have a mission to execute.”

Rong Taotao asked, “What’s the mission?”

CREAK… The gates of Hundred Corps Pass opened, and a frigid gale mixed with frost and snow surged in. The blast was so powerful it forced Hu Bugui back a step.

Fu Tiance spurred his mount forward, leading the team into the vast, snowy expanse. “Operational area: outside the Third Wall. Objective: coordinate with the Third Wall soldiers to relocate the Soul Beasts in the Outer Region.”

The Vicious Warthog’s head peeked out from behind the Ferocious Wolf-Dog, his voice muffled by the mask. “Soul Beasts in the Outer Region?”

Fu Tiance explained, “Outside Wan’an Pass, there are many Neutral Soul Beast villages, most of which our Snow Burning Corps helped them establish.

“Although the areas inside and outside the Wall aren’t far apart geographically, the severity of the snowstorms and the living conditions are different. A considerable number of Neutral Soul Beasts are unwilling to move inside the Third Wall.

“They were forced out by the snowstorms and can’t return to the Snow Realm Vortex, so they choose to live outside the Wall, where the environment is more familiar to them.

“These Neutral Soul Beasts are effectively our allies. We cooperate and look out for one another. According to our intelligence, this blizzard is even more ferocious than the one a year and a half ago.

“To prevent a potential invasion by the Snow Realm Soul Beast Army, and to keep the Neutral Soul Beasts from being attacked and their villages from being massacred, we must help them relocate inside Wan’an Pass as quickly as possible. Advance teams have already departed to persuade and begin relocating them.

“But the night is dark, the storm is heavy, and there are many Neutral Soul Beast villages outside Wan’an Pass. Xu Dog’s Frost Night Xuerong is a powerful asset for providing safe escort. Our brothers at the Third Wall need us.”

The Ferocious Wolf-Dog responded, “Understood.”

Fu Tiance’s voice grew grave. “Since we’re going beyond the Third Wall, we don’t know what we’ll be facing. You two need to be mentally prepared.

“Remember this: no matter what happens, we must complete the mission. Yin Hu is already leading a team on-site. We’re going to rendezvous with them.

“You two are Soul Captains; that’s not a low rank. A four-star Soul Technique is nothing to scoff at, either. It’s time you joined the war. Besides… you’ve been in this fight for a long time, haven’t you?”

The Vicious Warthog said, “Right.”

Beside him, the figure of his older brother, Rong Yang, suddenly appeared.

Hu Bugui ran at full speed, and the illusory body of the Sheep kept pace effortlessly. “Don’t worry, Taotao. I’ll stay right here with you.”

Rong Taotao said, “We’re just relocating some villages. No need to be so dramatic. By the way, are you with my dear sister-in-law right now?”

「Meanwhile, in a dorm room at the Songjiang Soul Martial University’s Martial Arts Hall.」

Rong Yang sat on the sofa, a teacup in one hand, and looked up at something in the distance.

Yang Chunxi was standing before a coat rack, looking at the wolf-fur coat Jiao Tengda had just delivered, one hand stroking its gray-white fur.

Rong Yang smiled. “Yeah, we’re together. She really likes the wolf-fur coat you sent.”

The Snow Burning Corps was very considerate of its soldiers and followed its principles strictly. Since Rong Yang was still recovering from a serious injury, he was meant to be resting, so Fu Tiance hadn’t recalled him.

“Oh, really?” The next moment, Rong Taotao’s ethereal form appeared beside Rong Yang, sitting down on the sofa. He watched as Yang Chunxi, a short distance away, held up the sleeve of the wolf-fur coat and gently brushed it against her cheek.

A faint, happy smile graced her lips, clearly pleased to have received a New Year’s gift from her star students. Her serene, gentle expression was a beautiful, soothing sight.

The sudden mission hadn’t flustered Rong Taotao in the slightest, even though this was his first time venturing beyond the Third Wall.

Si Huan Nian had given an evaluation of Rong Taotao long ago: “In adversity, undaunted. In danger, unafraid.”

‘This is nothing…’

Watching this scene, Rong Taotao broke into a smile. “So, when are you going to pop the question to my sister-in-law?”

Rong Yang glanced at Rong Taotao, and a thought was sent directly into his mind: “Focus. Go execute your mission.”

Rong Taotao shrugged, and his figure shattered and vanished.

「Outside Hundred Corps Pass, amidst the wind and snow.」

Rong Taotao sat on Hu Bugui’s back, his arms wrapped around Gao Lingwei’s waist in front of him.

However, the vicious warthog mask on his head, with its medium-length tusks, got in the way of his usual habit of resting his forehead against her back.

Rong Taotao said, “You’d better get a move on, Yangyang. You’re a full eight years older than me. Don’t let me beat you to the punch again.”

The ethereal Rong Yang flew beside Rong Taotao, chuckling nonchalantly. “You don’t have to wait for me. Go ahead and take the lead. I can even be your best man if you want.”

Rong Taotao pouted. “Forget best man. Mom and Dad might not be there, so you’ll have to play the role of the parent.”

Rong Yang: “…”

“Oh, right, Bro, take down a phone number for me.”

Rong Yang asked, “Who is it?”

Rong Taotao replied, “Soul General Nan Cheng’s daughter, Ye Nanxi.”

“Contact her for what?”

“Tell her for me that I can’t take her to the fireworks celebration. And… that I hope we’ll meet again if fate allows.”

With that loose end tied up, Rong Taotao tilted his head back and took a deep breath.

‘Wan’an Pass. Finally, I’m here.’

He gazed up at the pitch-black night sky, felt the fierce wind and biting frost lash against his mask, and listened to the sharp crackle of the Snow Night Shock’s hooves.

For a moment, amidst the vast, pitch-black, and snowy night, a line of a song escaped his lips in a soft hum:

“On my white horse, I ride through three passes…”

…

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