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Number one Fighter
September 16th, City of Di Du and a night of stormy rains, an unwelcomed guest suddenly arrived at ZiChuan Ning’s mansion.
The newcomer asked ZiChuan Ning candidly: “Is this where Xiu lives?”
ZiChuan Ning stared alarmingly at the newcomer. She was a graceful and mature woman. The way she called ZiChuan Xiu directly by his first name, ZiChuan Ning couldn’t help but ask: “What business do you have with him…”
“Well. I’m his former lover. I’m here to get him to pay for the child support and the damages he caused to my youth.”
The tea cup in ZiChuan Ning’s hand splattered over the floor.
Seeing ZiChuan Ning’s paled expression, the newcomer smiled bluntly and said: “Just kidding. But you really need to work on your sense of humor!”
Before ZiChuan Ning’s heart rate and surprised look could return to normal, the newcomer had already put down her tea cup. She asked respectfully: “You must be Lady Ning?”
“Coming here at such late hour without prior notice, I suppose it was quite presumptuous of me. I’m Far Eastern Army Deputy Commander – Lin Bing. I’m here on urgent business with Sir ZiChuan Xiu. Would you let him know?”
ZiChuan Ning exhaled in relief, but the calm only lasted for a second before Lin Bing sent her right back to hell with her next set of words: “This time, I’m here on official business. The child support and everything else he owe me, will have to wait.”
……
ZiChuan Ning got up and told the servants to wake ZiChuan Xiu up while muttering to herself: “Now I finally understand why the people of Far East wanted to rebel…”
The moment ZiChuan Xiu saw Lin Bing, he instinctively straightened his back and saluted. Back when he was still serving in the Far Eastern Army, he had always paid extra respect to his candid and joyful female commanding officer.
Lin Bing returned the gesture: “I wouldn’t dare, Sir Xiu. We are of the same rank; we are both Deputy Commanders. You don’t have to be so modest.”
Even though on paper they both held the same rank, there was a big difference between the two. Lin Bing was a Deputy Commander with real power. She commanded over hundred thousand troops and was put in charge of million people’s welfares. She was literally a vassal lord. In comparison, a Deputy Commander like ZiChuan Xiu had to worry every month whether he would get paid or not.
ZiChuan Xiu replied sincerely: “No matter where or when, you are always my commanding Officer.”
Lin Bing clapped loudly: “You didn’t forget your past, that is good!” She went straight to the point: “I need you to help me save Luo Bo. He is in big trouble!”
During the Far Eastern Rebellion, Luo Bo and Lin Bing had to fight off nearly a million rebels with their weakened and wounded Army at Fort Warren. They waited desperately for reinforcement’s arrival, to the point they were about to take their own lives in order to preserve the family honour. Finally, the reinforcement came in the form of Stirling’s Central Army, but with them also came the Military Investigation Squad from the Ministry of Supervision. Bunch cold-hearted and atrocious army officers sought to investigate the cause for Battle of Red Lake’s defeat. In order to not implicate anyone else, Far Eastern Army Staff Officer – Luo Bo took all the blames upon himself.
Despite several officers’ complains and many soldiers’ protests, the Judicial officers still dragged the heavily wounded Luo Bo from bed and put him in chains, escorting him to Di Du for Court Martial.
Naturally, Lin Bing followed their footsteps closely and arrived in Di Du as well, hoping to exonerate Luo Bo. However, since the death of Commander Ge Ying Xing, the Far Eastern Army branch had lost its most important and respected spokesperson to represent them in the heart of the decision making, the High Command.
Lin Bing continued infuriated: “Right now, the Far Eastern Army is like a bastard child. No one cares, and everyone thinks they can bully us!”
Especially after they found out that it was Supreme Commander – Luo Ming Hai who was behind the accusation, no one wanted to help.
After exhausting all her options, Lin Bing suddenly remembered, Luo Bo had a subordinate, who was always after his drinks, serving as a Deputy Commander here in Di Du. Even though she heard he wasn’t doing so well for himself either, she had no other alternatives, might as well give it a try…
ZiChuan Xiu’s had a serious look on his face. Luo Bo was his direct commanding officer while he served in the Far East. Back then, when Yang Ming Hua wanted him dead, it was Luo Bo, Ge Ying Xing and other officers of the Far Eastern Army who protected him, a naïve child in his teens. The reason that he could rise up from an exiled convict to the high rank of Banner Master within six years, other than his own merits, Luo Bo’s patronage was also an important factor.
In other words, other than Commander – Ge Ying Xing who recently passed away, he owed the most of what he had to Luo Bo.
ZiChuan Xiu answered resolutely: “I owe everything I have to Sir Luo Bo. I will do everything in my power to secure for his release!”
Lin Bing was stunned by ZiChuan Xiu’s determined gaze, and a wave of warmth washed over her. She had gone through so many of them over the last couple of days, and each time, she was kept at arm’s length. Every time she asked for help, she was met with a wall of excuses:
“Well… about that; let me think about it.”
“Believe in the High Command and the Headmaster. They will not put an innocent man in jail! He will be released soon, I’m sure.”
Some gave her the sarcastic remark: “Three hundred thousand casualties. If Luo Bo is not the one responsible, are you the one responsible? You should worry about yourself first!”
And some even ridiculed her: “Who is Luo Bo to you? Why are you trying so hard to save an old fart…?” then followed their sentence with a lewd gaze, assessing Lin Bing’s captivating figure. One even came in close: “Deputy Commander Lin, I feel we should get to know each other… As long as you are willing, I promise to help Luo…” Before he could finish, Lin Bing’s two inch heels was already planted in his face.
Over the past few days, this was the first time she was given such determined affirmation. Even though it came from a powerless and insignificant Deputy Commander, it provided her with a great deal of moral support.
ZiChuan Xiu and ZiChuan Ning both looked surprised at the watery sparkles filling Lin Bing’s eyes. ZiChuan Xiu asked confused: “Sir, you…”
He didn’t know the right word to say.
As a fellow woman, even though ZiChuan Ning didn’t know the reason behind it all, she understood very well how Lin Bing had to be feeling right now. She quickly interrupted her brother’s line of questioning by handing her the handkerchief.
Lin Bing took the handkerchief and dried her eyes, quickly regaining her composure: “I’m sorry. I got something in my eye.”
ZiChuan Xiu and ZiChuan Ning both nodded, accepting her clumsy excuse.
Lin Bing continued on the subject: “Xiu, Luo Bo was not wrong about you. Sir Ge Ying Xing was not wrong about you. He had such high hopes for you.” When she mentioned the name of the deceased Far Eastern Army Commander, in her eyes there was more than just nostalgic admiration for the man, but also the look of an unexplainable sense of sadness. ZiChuan Xiu thought to himself: Lin Bing and Ge Ying Xing were probably more than just comrades in arms…”
“When Sir Ge Ying Xing died, I was with him the whole time. He once mentioned your name. He said that you were the only one who could bring peace and prosperity to House ZiChuan for the next hundred years.” ZiChuan Xiu was feeling flattered, but he responded modestly: “Sir Ge Ying Xing was too kind, I’m hardly that capable.” However, his big satisfied smile had betrayed his intentions, not to mention he kept making eye gestures, hinting at ZiChuan Ning: Do you see how great I am?
Lin Bing nodded: “I also thought it was impossible, perhaps Sir Ge Ying Xing’s mind had dulled by then.”
ZiChuan Ning burst out in laughter.
“He also said, after his death, Yang Ming Hua might be truly out of control. He was afraid that none of you would be able to stop him. He said if such day comes, I was to give you this box. He wants you to find the master of this box, and kill Yang Ming Hua! That was his words. I didn’t understand what he meant, but he said you would.”
Lin Bing handed him a small black ornate box, with a Golden Pansy flower carved on top. It was obviously an antique. Two hundred years ago, the Empire of Light used the Golden Pansy flower as their national symbol.
ZiChuan Xiu accepted the gift earnestly with both hands. He was awed. Even at the final moment of Ge Ying Xing’s life, he was still worried for the future of House ZiChuan, and how to preserve its eternal glory. How does one even speak of such unwavering loyalty!
Yet, the world often moved in a way we least expected. The outcome of Di Du’s rebellion, ZiChuan Shen Xing’s surprising victory and Yang Ming Hua’s quick demise were events even the wise Ge Ying Xing could not have predicted.
After Lin Bing left, unable to restrain her curiosity any longer, ZiChuan Ning quickly got hold of ZiChuan Xiu and bombarded him with a series of questions: “Brother, who did Sir Ge Xing Ying tell you to look for? When Yang Ming Hua was the most powerful man in House ZiChuan, who could have killed him so easily? This box, it is an antique right? Who does it belong to?”
ZiChuan Xiu carefully put away the box. Unable to dodge her questions, he finally relented and responded with a few words: “Duke Zuo Jia Ming.”
ZiChuan Ning inhaled deeply, feeling the chill filling her longs. She kept her mouth shut.
……
Every generation had its heroes; each directed the flow of its time.
Over the long history of the war ridden continent of Western River, many incredible warriors and heroes were born.
In the Militaristic Society of House ZiChuan, every generation had its “Number one fighter”. For example Lei Xun held the title not so long ago. In some sense, the trio, ZiChuan Xiu, Stirling, Di Lin who killed Lei Xun together, now shared one third of the title “Number one fighter”.
Contemporarily, the arch rival of House ZiChuan for the last hundreds of years, House Liu Feng also had its “Number one fighter.”
ZiChuan Xiu used to make fun of it: “In the hundreds of years of our combined history, if we add all the ‘Number one fighters’ all together, they could form a whole division.”
But amongst all these top fighters, there was only one who was recognized by all, every factions on the continent, to be the true number one.
“Number one fighter” of House Lin, Duke Zuo Jia Ming. A top tier fighter who had lived for over three hundred years.
Zuo Jia Ming was born during the twilight years of Empire of Light. He was quickly recognized for his incredible skills. He wasn’t even twenty one years old, when the Emperor of Light at the time, (The last Emperor of the Empire of Light) Lin Jian Yi made him the Head Advisor to the Emperor. He was given great power and even greater title, hence “Duke Zuo Jia Ming.”
Zuo Jia Ming was grateful for Emperor’s trust, and had sworn his loyalty to the crown, but his relationship with the Empire didn’t last long and fractured soon after. The real reason behind their break up however, would forever remain a mystery.
Some believed that the Field Marshal at the time, Lu Dan Yan was jealous of him and deliberately alienated him from the Emperor. And some believed that Duke Zuo Jia Ming was involved with one of Emperor’s concubine, an unparalleled beauty at the time. (This version of the story was also the most commonly believed one. In the end, everyone wanted to hear about stories with Heroes and forbidden love.) Naturally, some denied anything of the sort ever took place, and there was nothing between him and the Emperor…
However, one thing was certain. When then Battle of Blue River reached its most critical moment, and its outcome could directly alter the fate of the entire Empire, the most powerful fighter of the Empire – Duke Zuo Jia Ming was fishing at the coast of the Western Sea, tens of thousands miles away from the greatest battle of its time.
In the end, the last Emperor – Lin Jian Yi, the Field Marshal – Lu Dan Yan, and the five hundred thousand soldiers of the Royal Army all perished on the open battlefield of Blue River.
A week after the battle took place, a young man dressed in white appeared in front of the Main Camp of the Demon Army, calling the name of the Demon General, demanding a duel.
The Demon Legion laughed at his face. Everyone thought it was a joke. The Demons had just annihilated the last remaining, and the most powerful Human Army. They were about to conquer the entire human world. Who would have time to care for the idiotic demand of a silly Human?
When the Demon General – Yun Long received the report from his scout who couldn’t stop laughing, he simply gave the order without so much as raising his head: “Kill him.”
A moment later, three thousand Demons’ bodies lay sideways on the ground. The massive Demon Army, endless blades and lances, nothing could even delay the man dressed in white from moving through the camp. Everywhere he went, only death remained in his wake.
When the figure in snowy white walked with blade in his hand and into the Tent of the Demon General, Yun Long somehow managed to retain his composure: “I have never known someone as strong as you. What is your name? The times for Humans are at an end. Why would you not join us? We shall shape the future to our will! Fame, riches, anything you want…” (He spoke in Demon tongue.)
Duke Zuo Jia Ming gave him a frown, and admitted freely: “I didn’t understand a word you said.”
Unsheathe, stab, wipe the blood, retract, sheathe, turn and left.
Hundreds of thousands Demons watched silently as everything took place, overwhelmed by shock and terror, no one dared to even approach.
A Demon Officer who spoke the human tongue recorded the whole exchange in their Book of Records, called the “Divine Code”.
After the collapse of the Empire of Light, Duke Zuo Jia Ming became the central focus of all competing factions on the continent, but he politely refused every one of them (ZiChuan Yun, Liu Feng Heng, Ming Lin and many other faction leaders) with the simple phrase of: “I’m not interested.”
However, when the last Emperor, Lin Jian Yi’s daughter, the seven year old princess – Lin Feng Xi who was being hunted by other rival factions, came to him and begged: “Uncle Zuo, I have nowhere else to go, will you help us?”
Duke Zuo Jia Ming gazed deeply into the eyes of the child, and said: “I will.”
His decision came as a great surprise. One of the faction leaders he refused earlier, Ming Lin cursed indignantly: “But why? House Lin has no money, no army and no power! Zuo Jia Ming must be a bloody pedophile!”
Zuo Jia Ming never dignified that insolent remark with an answer.
A week later, Ming Lin was found dead in his own estate, a heavily guarded fortress. At the time of his death, no traces of foul play were discovered, nor did he suffer from any known illness.
Following his death, the covetous ZiChuan Yun and Liu Feng Yun quickly joined hands and destroyed House Ming, dividing his territories amongst themselves.
Not long after, a small faction, House Lin was founded on the continent of Western River. Despite its weak military, it was driven by an incredibly large economy of unprecedented wealth.
In that Era of war where the strong and the powerful destroyed the weak and the small, House Lin was like a pig made of gold walking down the street without a leash. The only thing stopping the other factions from wiping them out was the number one fighter of all time, Duke Zuo Jia Ming.
Naturally, over the course of hundreds of years, not everyone believed in the myth. Like the fourth generation Headmaster of House Liu Feng, Liu Feng Rui.
Unable to resist the temptation any longer, he gave the order to invade House of Lin, a small faction with no respectable military strength, in possession of greatest amount of wealth and holding the richest land of the entire continent.
When the Army of House Liu Feng effortlessly reached of the defenceless Capital City – He Qiu of House Lin, Duke Zuo Jia Ming also effortlessly wiped out the entire House Liu Feng’s Army trying desperately to fend him off, killing Liu Feng Rui in the process.
The younger brother, Liu Feng Li became the next Headmaster of House Liu Feng, and his motto was: “Never give away what you have taken!” He refused to retreat from House Lin’s territory. He even deployed the elite of House Liu Feng’s army, the “Knights of Wind” to defend the Capital, in an attempt to defeat Duke Zuo Jia Ming for good.
Soon, Liu Feng Li died as well and the embodiment of House Liu Feng’s highest form of military strength and combat prowess, the “Knights of Wind” was defeated. Over seven thousand riders, half of them were dead, and half of them were crippled.
Within the week, House Liu Feng welcomed their third Headmaster, Liu Feng Di. He was the unlucky one. He didn’t want to be the Headmaster in the midst of crisis, but he lost the bet and was forced by his compassionless brothers to take the seat.
He said: “I’d rather die than to become the Headmaster!”
House Liu Feng’s elders and nobles replied in unison: “Even if you die you have to take the seat of Headmaster!”
The first order he gave as the Headmaster was: “Retreat from He Qiu immediately!” He was terrified of the idea that Duke Zuo Jia Ming would come for him at any minute.
Since then, no one had dared to invade House Lin ever again, and Duke Zuo Jia Ming had also firmly established his position as the undeniable “Number one fighter of all human kind”.
Well, at least that was what the story suggested. It had been hundred years since then, but it remained to be the most classic and the most legendary story in the world of Western River.
It was said that Duke Zuo Jia Ming had left the Capital – He Qiu after the war, and went to travel the world. No one had ever seen him again, but everyone strongly believed: He was still alive and true to the promise he made that day, to always and forever defend House Lin’s honour.
No matter when or where, if any one ever dared to threaten House Lin in anyway, they would have to answer to his invincible blade…
……
ZiChuan Ning whispered softly: “After all this years, Duke… is he still alive?”
ZiChuan Xiu answered casually: “Probably. That old fart still owes me shit tons of money. You better hope he is still alive somewhere!”
ZiChuan Ning was stunned.
Meanwhile, ZiChuan Xiu had something else on his mind. He was caught in the moment when he made the promise to Lin Bing, but how was he going to save Luo Bo?
Headmaster – ZiChuan Shen Xing was no doubt the most powerful person in the Capital, but… ZiChuan Xiu shook his head: ZiChuan Shen Xing probably felt the same way about him as he felt about ZiChuan Shen Xing right now… which was… “Great.” He was certain.
What about Supreme Commander – Luo Ming Hai? ZiChuan Xiu stopped himself, not even considering the option.
Looking sideways at ZiChuan Ning sitting beside him, ZiChuan Xiu shook his head again. Even though ZiChuan Ning would be the next Headmaster, no one really cared about the seventeen year old “Reserve Headmaster” right now. Even ZiChuan Xiu didn’t take her seriously most of the time.
Central Army Commander – Stirling would no doubt be a good option, and a good friend. Besides, he recently won a big battle, and he had Headmaster’s trust. His words could easily sway Headmaster’s decisions in his favor. The only problem being, he was fighting a war in the Far East, thousands of miles from where he needed him to be.
Out of all the members in High Command, only Fang Jing could be considered as a friend, but he had been ill lately and should be resting at home, away from the Capital.
After pondering for a while, ZiChuan Xiu could only think of one person: He had Headmaster’s trust, the power and influence to turn the tide. He controlled the Ministry of Supervision and Court Martial was under his direct jurisdiction. Most importantly, he was his “good friend”.
Inspector General – Di Lin.
The only problem however, was that ever since the coup in the Capital, ZiChuan Xiu had purposely tried to avoid his “good friend”. Now if he was to visit him only in time of need, would Di Lin even want to help?
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