Chapter 45: Welcome to the Frontier

Zhao Shantong could not tell whether Lin Shize was feigning ignorance or genuinely oblivious to the events of the previous night.

Yet, she decided to stick with Lin Shize. Everyone among them was carrying injuries; even without encountering the Mongolians, it was uncertain whether they could make it back to the main camp alive.

Pulling Chu Luolong aside, she whispered, "My lord, we would be much better off following them."

Chu Luolong, however, remained rather unconvinced and pressed on, "Shantong, look at them, all battered and bruised. They seem thoroughly unreliable."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Zhao Shantong countered. "Every frontier soldier turns pale at the mere mention of the Mongolians."

"Look at them now. Hearing that Mongolians are about, they remain completely calm and composed. That shows an immense confidence in their own strength."

"Besides, observe their armor—it is uniform and of the highest grade. This is definitely not standard equipment for ordinary soldiers."

"Therefore, we had best heed their advice."

Having finally placated Chu Luolong, Zhao Shantong walked over to Lin Shize, cupped her fists in a salute, and said, "Brother, my apologies. My young master was startled last night and is still somewhat shaken. Please forgive any offense given."

Watching Zhao Shantong, Lin Shize inwardly nodded in approval.

This woman was no simple character; she could read the situation clearly and knew what course of action was most advantageous to her. No wonder she was the leader of the bodyguards.

Lin Shize nodded. "Never mind that. Feed the horses and give them water shortly, then we'll grab some food and prepare to move out."

During the meal, Zhao Shantong asked curiously, "Seeing that you are impeccably equipped and possess such an extraordinary bearing, what rank do you hold in the army?"

"Just a humble lieutenant."

Lin Shize's understatement sent a jolt through everyone present. Especially upon seeing his youthful face, they found it even harder to believe.

Zhao Shantong was also startled. From Lin Shize's appearance, she had initially guessed he might be a personal guard to some high-ranking general.

Only a general's elite guards would be outfitted in uniform iron armor.

She had never expected him to be a lieutenant. Could he perhaps be the scion of a military family?

"Where does your esteemed father serve?" Zhao Shantong asked.

Lin Shize waved a hand and replied, "My father is a retired veteran. What post could he possibly hold?"

Hearing this, the others found it even more unbelievable. Without a powerful background, just how many enemies must one kill to rise to the rank of a lieutenant?

Zhao Shantong calculated mentally: achieving such military merit probably required taking at least a hundred enemy heads in battle.

No wonder he acted as though hearing of Mongolians was nothing out of the ordinary.

***

"May I ask your esteemed name, brother?" Zhao Shantong inquired.

"Lin Shize."

Lin Shize? Why did the name sound vaguely familiar? Zhao Shantong wrung her memory for a moment, but failed to recall.

"I am Zhao Shantong. It is truly impressive that Brother Lin has attained the rank of lieutenant at such a young age."

Lin Shize shook his head. "If not for my brothers-in-arms, even if I were made of iron, how many nails could I possibly pound into myself?"

Suddenly, a voice piped up from nearby, "Boss, didn't we leave a dead Mongolian in that courtyard? Does that count as military merit?"

Zhao Shantong frowned and said, "We didn't kill him at all. What does his military merit have to do with us?"

Chu Luolong's eyes lit up. "That's right! Number Ten, go quickly and cut off that Mongolian's head! When I return, let's see how my father can still accuse me of accomplishing nothing."

Lin Shize sighed. This was merely an immature child; only children were so eager to prove themselves to their fathers and elder brothers.

Zhao Shantong drew closer to Lin Shize and lowered her voice. "Brother Lin, what odds of victory do you think we would have if we faced the Mongolians in a head-on clash?"

"You? A head-on clash?" Lin Shize thought about it seriously before answering, "One and nine, I suppose. In less than a quarter of an hour, the other side would be home for dinner."

Zhao Shantong's pretty face flushed red as she retorted, "Not a single shred of winning chance? In the military camp, the Thirteen Protectors can steadily defeat Great Qi soldiers in single combat. Against Mongolians, shouldn't we at least have the strength for a fight?"

Remembering how they had lined up yesterday to generously offer their heads to the Mongolian iron armor, Lin Shize couldn't help but smile.

"A martial arts tournament is about determining victory and defeat, but a battlefield is about life and death."

"A true battlefield gives you only a single opportunity to strike: it is either you die or I live!"

"A single soldier may not be a match for a martial artist, but when a hundred soldiers form a military formation, three hundred martial artists can only flee from their sharp edge."

"An army is a collective entity. If one day I need to lie in a ditch to cushion a horse's leg, I will do so without the slightest hesitation. That is what a soldier is."

Lin Shize felt that Zhao Shantong was somewhat naive; the pugilistic world of martial artists was not merely about brute force and bloody fights, but also about human relationships and worldly favors.

Could Great Qi soldiers truly not defeat the Thirteen Protectors? Not necessarily. It was merely out of consideration for the Chu family's standing.

Lin Shize's words delivered a massive shock to Zhao Shantong's worldview.

Recalling the overwhelming, crushing momentum of the Mongolians from the previous night, she still felt a lingering chill—she had been defeated precisely by that style of combat where every single blow was meant to trade life for life.

Lin Shize's voice was not particularly low, and the others cast unfriendly glares in his direction.

Faced with their murderous gazes, Lin Shize remained completely unperturbed, calmly taking another unhurried bite of his dry rations.

***

Number Ten was the first to lose his self-control. He sprang to his feet and shouted, "I started practicing martial arts at age six, and roamed the pugilistic world by eighteen, mastering every style of northern kicks and southern fists. If I fought that Mongolian hand-to-hand, the outcome would still be anyone's guess!"

"Me too! I've never lost a single fight since I was a child. With my ghost-head saber, I cut down gods if gods stand in my way, and Buddhas if Buddhas block me!"

"My family's Yang clan spear technique—the threshold of our courtyard has been worn flat by people coming from miles around to seek apprenticeship!"

The others also rose to their feet one after another, boasting about how diligent and hardworking they had been in their martial arts training.

Lin Shize turned a deaf ear to all of it. On the battlefield, a foot soldier and a general were no different; once a blade sliced down, no one was granted a second life.

Besides, with a sharp sword in hand, who on earth would bother wrestling with you? Utterly naive.

While everyone was still bragging, the sound of rhythmic hoofbeats drifted from afar, turning their complexions pale and sending them scurrying to hide inside the houses, too terrified to step outside.

Chu Luolong was so frightened that even his speech stammered.

"This is... it. I told you we shouldn't have waited for him! What do we do? What do we do?"

Lin Shize remained unhurriedly chewing his dry rations, while Zhao Daha and the others went about their respective tasks.

They had already spotted the scouts' signal in the distance; the approaching riders were their own people.

Zhao Shantong also anxiously asked, "Brother Lin, the enemy is coming! Why aren't you preparing to meet them in battle?"

The events of the previous night were etched into Zhao Shantong's memory forever; even if she were to die today, she would never allow the enemy to humiliate her.

Observing the panic of the others, Lin Shize said with disdain, "A bunch of grown men acting worse than a woman. Truly disgraceful."

"If those Mongolians arrive this time, what do you intend to do?"

Lin Shize directed this question straight at Zhao Shantong.

"Fight to the death!" Zhao Shantong met Lin Shize's gaze with resolute eyes, her answer firm and absolute.

Lin Shize nodded, rose to his feet, and walked toward the front gate. Turning his head slightly, he said to Zhao Shantong, "Welcome to the frontier."

Pushing open the gate, the sunlight illuminated Lin Shize's handsome profile, causing Zhao Shantong's heart to skip a beat.

The rapid hoofbeats quickly reached the threshold. Zhao Shantong drew her long sword and stepped up beside Lin Shize, ready for battle, only to find that the armored cavalrymen on horseback had reined in before Lin Shize and executed a crisp military salute.

Liu Wu shouted, "Commander, the Mongolians are coming!"