Beginning with the Ubume Bird

Chapter 311: Chapter 37 Pride and Prejudice

The soldiers in the Black Star armor vehicles remained silent, their fingers lightly flexing on the triggers, waiting for Li Yan’s response.

“Great Demon Lake and its surrounding areas have been designated as a first-level war zone. We have the right to shoot anyone on sight if they appear suspicious,”

said the man with the small mustache glancing at the armored troops slowly approaching, speaking unhurriedly.

Li Yan shrugged his shoulders, planted the tip of his Azure Phoenix Sword into a pile of bricks, and raised his hands to slowly back away.

The soldier who had been held hostage by Li Yan touched the bloodstain on his neck and looked at Li Yan, whose expression remained indifferent, with a mix of fear and awe, before he saluted and fell into formation.

The small-mustached man glanced at his colleagues lying on the ground; Song Zuo had injured four soldiers, two of whom needed professional medical care. Li Yan’s actions had not been severe—two soldiers had been knocked out by the flat of the sword, but another soldier would likely need surgery to save his face after being kicked by him.

He walked up to Li Yan, looked up at him for a while, and then said, “My name is Wu Jianming.”

Li Yan remained silent, his cheeks puffing slightly.

The officer named Wu Jianming removed his tactical gloves embedded with ceramic plates, rubbing his joints while saying, “Normally… I’d have all the time in the world to deal with you, but I know your name, Li Yan.”

Suddenly, he stretched out both hands, grabbed Li Yan’s shoulders, and rammed his hardened knee into Li Yan’s stomach with a dull thud.

Li Yan’s eyelids drooped, his body hunching slightly. Wu Jianming didn’t stop there, his knee bearing incredible force, striking Li Yan’s soft belly repeatedly. The dull thuds combined with the twitching muscles of Li Yan’s arms in response.

Sweat dripped from Li Yan’s hair and arms into the mud.

Both the watching soldiers and Song Zuo had numb expressions on their faces.

Finally, Wu Jianming stepped back, panting heavily.

Li Yan, with his head buried low, shook his head. He licked his sweet-tasting throat but still offered no reaction.

“You two injured eight of our soldiers. We’re even now, and I won’t trouble you any further.”

Even then, Li Yan could still afford a smile, “Then I’d like to ask, why only hit me and not him?”

He pointed at Song Zuo.

Wu Jianming said with a stern face, “I find you displeasing. Is that reason enough?”

Li Yan tilted his head, remaining silent thereafter.

Wu Jianming pointing at Li Yan, ordered, “Take them back.”

Song Zuo, who had been squatting, finally spoke, “The examination and expulsion of non-essential personnel require the person being screened to present a license recognized by the three major powers. They must also leave the war zone within twenty-four hours. Is the officer of the Black Star vehicle planning to keep us overnight?”

Wu Jianming glanced at him, “Indeed, an officer wants to keep you overnight, but it’s not me.”

Li Yan squinted thoughtfully. Black Star vehicles had been expected, so he had quickly contained the restless Black Rider Ghost in the six coins. From this Black Star officer’s words, he not only sensed a whiff of changing times but also had a vague premonition that the clear skies promised might not be what awaited him.

…

“Hello, my name is Liang Wei. Brigadier General of the Black Star armored vehicles.”

This was an interrogation room converted on the fly where Li Yan faced a blank wall and a young man who introduced himself as a Brigadier General, yet seemed even younger than Li Yan.

Li Yan had heard from soldiers’ chatter that area B had entirely fallen. On one hand, he was surprised by the decisive action of the Black Star vehicles, and on the other hand, he was puzzled by the fragility of Medicine Buddha and the lack of reaction from the other two major powers.

Song Zuo presented his license and went unnoticed by many, but he was not released either.

Li Yan, on the other hand, was brought here.

His wrists were shackled with metal cuffs said to suppress genetic abilities below the fourth order, none of which affected Li Yan in the least; thus, he made no objections.

As the young man introduced himself, Li Yan’s gaze kept drifting between his pristine uniform and the ornate car-shoulder insignia.

It wasn’t until the words “Brigadier General Liang Wei” were spoken that Li Yan thought of snapping off the handcuffs, holding Liang Wei hostage, stealing some high-quality serums, fighting a guerrilla war with Black Star, and if the situation soured, making a quick escape. However, no matter how he thought about it, this straightforward and rough approach was not the ideal outcome. To understand Yu Shu’s plan and the need for contact with the three major powers were essential, even if it meant enduring some arrogant treatment that made him want to flip the table in frustration.

Liang Wei, oblivious to Li Yan’s violent intentions, spoke for himself, “Would you like butter tea or instant coffee?”

“Plain water.”

“Alright,” Liang Wei glanced at the attendant taking notes nearby.

It was a slightly fat man wearing glasses, who seemed a bit slow on the uptake. It wasn’t until both Li Yan and Liang Wei’s gazes were fixed on him that he raised his head in a fluster, wiping his clothes with his hands.

“Are you, new here?”

“Yes, sir, transferred here three days ago.”

“Then do you know what I like to drink?”

Liang Wei’s tone was gentle.

“No, no I don’t, sir.”

“I prefer Pu’er tea. One pot of Pu’er and one pot of plain water. Go on.”

“Yes, yes.”

The little fat man finally stuttered to his feet and stumbled out. The interrogation room was now left with only Liang Wei and Li Yan.

“Mr. Li, you’re a wandering Scavenger Hunter, correct?”

“That’s correct.”

Li Yan replied. Wilderness Hunters were what those who lived in the wild called each other, whereas in the lexicon of Black Star vehicle personnel, gene ability users who took odd jobs were collectively known as Scavenger Hunters.

“To be honest, I really felt a kindred spirit with Mr. Li, there is something about you…”

It took Liang Wei a while to choose his words, “It’s a flavor that only people from the old era possess, kind of like… a western cowboy. Have you ever seen the movie ‘Stagecoach’? You give me the vibe of John Wayne.”

Li Yan remembered it was an old Western black-and-white film, but he didn’t say a word, thinking to himself that movies were an exorbitant luxury in this era – not something a Scavenger Hunter should be aware of.

“Ah, forget it, it’s not important. The transcript is just a bunch of miscellaneous stuff, not significant, and nobody’s going to read it. What people really want to know, they never put in writing.”

Liang Wei paused for a moment, “Do you know Afafu?”

Li Yan’s gaze shifted, deliberately pondering his tone, “I did save a mother and her child once, indeed by that name. She claimed to be a researcher for Black Star Vehicles, in search of her husband.”

“Then that’s correct, I’ll be direct.” Liang Wei lowered his voice, which became unpredictable, tinted with intentional lewdness, “You’ve slept with her, haven’t you? Did you do it in front of the kid? How did her breasts feel when you touched them? Did she cry when you were doing it? Did she call out her husband’s name?”

Li Yan’s eyebrows twitched, “General Liang, I didn’t quite catch that. What do you mean?”

“What I mean is exactly as it sounds. Everything comes with a price. You protected Afafu and her child, and she repaid you with her body. It’s only natural.”

Liang Wei looked straight at Li Yan, and Li Yan returned his gaze calmly.

After a while, Li Yan spoke slowly, “That John Wayne you mentioned, General Liang, would he do such a thing?”

Liang Wei’s face drew closer to Li Yan’s, “I’ve been a Scavenger Hunter for three years, I know the true nature of the wilderness. Do you think I would believe that Afafu is of pure virtue?”

Li Yan suddenly laughed, “General, I’ve spoken out of turn, I hope you won’t take offense.”

“Go ahead.”

“Are you homosexual?”

Liang Wei seemed slightly taken aback, a flicker of anger flashed in his eyes but quickly extinguished, and his smile deepened, “I don’t discriminate. Please, continue.”

“Afafu told me her husband’s name is Qiao Xing, which clearly isn’t you. Yet, you’re so concerned about Afafu’s chastity. Given that after a harsh winter, the boundaries of gender become quite blurred, could it be possible that you covet Qiao Xing, and so you’re trying to smear Afafu with your accusations, planning to step in when the opportunity arises…”

Li Yan deliberately paused, observing Liang Wei’s complexion.

Indeed, Liang Wei’s face looked terrible, but he soon calmed down and after pondering for a while said, “I don’t understand the purpose of your provocation.”

“I’m just speculating. You will have to send me away soon, you can’t continue to interrogate me,” replied Li Yan.

“You are a clever man, yet right now, you’re still in my hands.”

“Maybe so.”

Li Yan cracked a smile, it appeared the situation wasn’t as bad as he had anticipated.

Liang Wei lowered his eyes, and he stopped talking; Li Yan also fell silent.

Time ticked by, and the little chubby man came running over in a fluster, “Sir, the logistics department doesn’t have any reserves of Pu-erh tea.”

“We’re here to fight a war, why would we need to stock that?”

Liang Wei asked with a serious face.

The chubby clerk opened his mouth but couldn’t utter a word for a while.

“Mr. Li, thank you for saving Afafu. On behalf of all the associates of Black Star Vehicles, I pay my respects to you. You will always be a friend of Black Star.”

Liang Wei stood up, quickly unlocked Li Yan’s handcuffs, and shook his hand.

“Afafu is on her way here. It should only be a few more minutes before she arrives to take you away from Great Demon Lake. There’s going to be a battle here soon. We’ve received intelligence that the remnants of Ramu Jue’s forces have fled here.”

Liang Wei’s face was stern yet amiable, as if those offensive and indecent words had never been spoken by him.

Li Yan did not avoid Liang Wei’s hand but instead said, “Let me be direct too, what if I had admitted it just now?”

“I don’t know, maybe out of honor for Black Star, I would have killed you,” answered Liang Wei. “Or maybe we’d end up in the same boat… Anyway, you are free to go now.”

He restrained his smile.

Li Yan didn’t leave but instead said, “General Liang.”

“Yes?”

“There will be other days.”

Their eyes met, and they said nothing more to each other.

“Sir, Colonel Qiao’s vehicle has arrived.”

A soldier walked in methodically.

Liang Wei spread his hands, “You can leave now, Mr. Li.”

Li Yan had only taken a few steps when he suddenly turned around, “General Liang, do you have a sergeant named Wu Jianming under your command?”

“I remember that name.”

“Give him my regards.”

With that, Li Yan turned and left.