Chapter 195: Oath of Sovereignty
March 16, Monday.
S Province, C City.
In the morning, the Western Monitoring Zone of An Arrow held a commendation meeting for Operation 308 in the auditorium of the logistics courtyard.
After in-depth analysis and careful planning, with three points of attack, they ultimately achieved a resounding victory, annihilating a large number of high-ranking Black Blood Clan members. This was a significant victory that caused a sensation throughout the An Arrow forces, sweeping away nearly a year of misfortune in the Western Monitoring Zone and eliciting envy from several other monitoring zones.
The An Arrow headquarters dispatched a delegation led by Major General Han Ting, the Deputy Minister of the Political Affairs Department, to award medals to the units or individuals in the Western Monitoring Zone who contributed to the victory and conduct several days of grassroots research.
Several front-line action units were collectively awarded third-class merit, and even a few second-line support units received collective third-class merit, with the least also earning a commendation.
The two heroes, the Director of Intelligence and the Director of Operations, who had worked tirelessly for over ten days, were awarded individual third-class merit.
According to convention, as the organizer and direct person in charge of this operation, Zhen Guangquan could not “claim” credit. Although he only received a personal commendation this time, it was obvious that the leaders from the headquarters held him in high regard.
Although Han Ting was just a deputy minister, she was one of the main leaders responsible for evaluating middle and senior officials at the An Arrow headquarters. She had initially recommended Zhen Guangquan to Chief of Staff Wu Zhongxian for the position of Chief of Staff in the Western Monitoring Zone.
Zhen Guangquan’s performance was a matter of pride for some headquarters leaders. He exemplified excellent military command talent, able to accomplish great feats with a few decisive moves, leading to the rapid destruction of a large number of Black Blood Clan members.
Those with keen eyes could see that after this battle, Zhen Guangquan had already made a name for himself in the eyes of the headquarters’ leaders; it was a certainty that he would rise to prominence in the coming years.
……
……
Northern Myanmar, Old Street.
Nine hours ago, the battle at the Hong Tian Entertainment Center lasted less than ten minutes before it ended. Nava suffered a heavy blow, losing a baron and three knights, a significant setback.
This outcome produced a strange chemical reaction both inside and outside Old Street.
After dawn, the local warlords’ gunfight on the mountain outside the city surprisingly did not continue; the sounds of gunfire and cannon fire ceased, as if the struggle for Old Street had entered a halftime break.
How many hidden Black Blood Clan members remained within Old Street, and what Nava and others would do next, Guo Hao did not know. However, around noon, the local warlord Chairman Yin, who had previously issued a “goodwill ultimatum,” surprisingly sent a batch of valuable supplies.
Chairman Yin’s sudden generosity was both unexpected and anticipated. These local warlords ultimately still operated with a speculative mindset based on the situation.
A full truckload of fresh vegetables, meat, fruits, and drinks, along with a small amount of ammunition cleverly concealed among the food supplies.
At least half of this ammunition consisted of urgently needed silver-plated bullets, and the knight responsible for receiving them was overjoyed, as this provided them the confidence to continue the fight.
The lethality of silver-plated bullets against the blood clan was far lower than that of proper silver alloy bullets, but they were still much better than ordinary bullets, adequate for dealing with the majority of blood servants and attendants among the blood clan, without any need for picky criteria.
The imitation and smuggling of silver special ammunition has always been a highly profitable business, with underground black gun workshops rife throughout Southeast Asia, many of which are controlled by local officials behind the scenes.
Especially in Northern Myanmar, major warlords with intricate ties to the blood clan all possess specialized workshops for producing silver special ammunition. While catering to the blood clan’s demands, they also provide the material basis for the blood clan’s internal conflicts, creating a bloody symbiotic relationship.
The Hermit’s Alliance has long been the biggest underground smuggling force in the Chinese blood clan world, with at least one-third of the silver special ammunition flowing into China coming from Myanmar.
The first-floor hall of the Hong Tian Entertainment Center, after simple battle cleanup, had some damaged defensive structures redeployed.
All around, bullet holes, dark red blood stains, shattered walls, charred pillars, and lingering smells of blood were shockingly apparent, still narrating the bloody battle from hours ago.
However, the heavily invested and purposely crafted establishment proved to be well thought out. The materials used were solid, and the structure sturdy, almost designed to withstand bombardment. Hence, the majority of visible damage was superficial, with the interior decor remaining unharmed.
In the center of the main street outside the main entrance, more than twenty bulging body bags formed a small mountain, faintly emitting a foul odor, attracting countless flies; anyone who saw it would feel a chill run down their spine.
Since the invention of war, humanity has developed various strategies and tactics to deter opponents, showcasing battle achievements being one of them.
In ancient Europe, rows of crucified captives lined both sides of the Roman road, creating a powerful visual impact. In a certain major country in the East, there exists a more elegant historical term and a bloodier ceremonial feel—sacrifice viewing.
This is what Meng Huai arranged post-war, amplifying the intimidation perceived by the blood clan and demonstrating his resolve to fight to the death.
In this regard, Meng Huai felt no need to create any humanitarian spirit towards the Black Blood Clan. Perhaps he was entirely unaware that there was little respect for the dead within the blood clan world.
Most of the time, blood clan corpses were considered the highest-value trophies. Refrigerated for preservation and sold for profit, that maximized their value. A final resting place is a luxury for most blood clan members.
Meng Huai’s decision appeared exceptionally “wasteful,” but none of the others, including Xiao Hai, expressed opposition aside from their sighs of lament.
After all, not even knowing if they could survive, they were reluctant to ponder whether to preserve these “war trophies” worth tens of millions, especially with one of them being the priceless corpse of a baron.
……
On the fifth floor of the Hong Tian Entertainment Center, in a single room, Jiang Yan woke up. Although she had not slept for long, the continuous days of hiking, combined with the stress of battling a baron and hormonal disruptions, did not eliminate the pervasive sense of weakness and exhaustion throughout her body.
“Yan Jie, you’re awake!”
In the room, there was an additional woman, or rather, a knight from the Ba Fu who had been guarding the room since Jiang Yan fell into a deep sleep, being diligent and responsible.
“Xiao Guo, how long did I sleep?”
Jiang Yan inched her body up, still feeling somewhat dizzy.
“It’s just past ten.”
In the Ba Fu knight’s perception, Jiang Yan’s breath seemed somewhat disordered, no longer as restrained and substantial as before the battle, and her complexion wasn’t too good, indicating that the aftereffects of blood boiling and exertion were slowly manifesting, although it could be said she was doing a bit better than Guo Hao.
“Yan Jie, should we draw some blood? It would help you recover faster…” Guo Hao said, “You can use the blood stored in the basement as you please!”
Xiao Guo quickly approached the bed, helping the weak and powerless Jiang Yan sit up, while pointing to the medical temperature-controlled storage box in the corner of the room.
Looking back on the seemingly easy and pleasant kill from a few hours ago, it was now a high-risk gamble in hindsight. Jiang Yan had already become the guardian of these isolated Ba Fu troops; even if Guo Hao had not been injured, that fact couldn’t be changed.
“No need, I haven’t reached the point of blood thirst. By the way, is the bathhouse on the third floor still open?”
Perhaps due to relaxing, Jiang Yan noticed an off smell coming from herself upon waking. Lowering her head to look at her combat uniform that she hadn’t taken off in over a week, her face flushed slightly.
……
On the sixth floor, Guo Hao’s room.
Following Guo Yanglin’s great victory, Guo Hao, who had previously been bedridden, remarkably managed to eat independently and even walk, with the unhealthy flush on his face considerably diminished.
Throughout Myanmar, countless blood clans and gangs abound, but those of baron rank and above likely number only a handful. The capability to kill a baron would be enough to send shockwaves through Northern Myanmar.
Guo Hao’s spirits had lifted significantly; he was no longer the picture of despair he had been earlier. According to his own optimistic assessment, given another week, he was confident he could fully recover from the heavy toll of blood parasites.
Only Meng Huai knew that Guo Hao’s current state was largely related to the blood Jiang Yan had secretly provided him.
Thinking about how Jiang Yan had stealthily given him her blood, Meng Huai felt an inexplicable discomfort rise within him.
At that moment, Meng Huai stood by the window, pulling back a corner of the curtain, and expressionlessly gazed out at the street.
“Brother Li, thank you for you and Xiao Yan; I never expected that you could wipe out Nava’s first wave of attackers in just a few minutes!”
“Xiao Yan’s strength has increased again; she is the most powerful half-barony I have seen. I really don’t know how your sister-in-law teaches her!”
As Guo Hao ate the heavily salted military meat cans, he continued to speak praises. After the night, he could only understand the thrilling battle from the mouths of Xiao Hai and others.
“Besides Nava, what do you know about other blood clan forces?”
Meng Huai spoke coldly without turning his head.
Guo Hao was taken aback, awkwardly grinned, and then sighed deeply, “Various factions, surrounding Old Street. Several Black Blood Clan and rogue blood clan gangs have gotten involved. It’s just that Nava has the most people and the strongest power.”
“Which side does Nava represent?”
Meng Huai turned around, walked to the desk at the side, spread out the map on it, grabbed a pencil, and habitually began intelligence work without lifting his head.
It should be the government army of Myanmar; otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible for them to develop so rapidly under the nose of Myanmar’s secret troops over the past decade or so; this place is not like at home.
Nava’s stronghold is to the south, but his relations with the various blood clan gangs in Northern Myanmar are also good… So other than the shachu killed by Xiao Yan at dawn today, his main force has not suffered significant losses, mainly consisting of cannon fodder from other small gangs…
Guo Hao thought for a moment and shared all the information he had at hand. Although he had talked about Nava with Jiang Yan yesterday, this Brother Li in front of him clearly cared more about deeper intelligence.
Some of this information was gathered by himself, but most were provided by Chairman Yin, who was sitting on the fence—when it came to using blood clans to balance other blood clans, all the warlords in Northern Myanmar had done it to perfection.
Every time Guo Hao provided useful information, Meng Huai would carefully mark it on the map. Within half an hour, the map was filled with various annotations.
Each point on the map represented a temporary foothold of a local warlord or blood clan gang besieging Old Street.
“Hao Ge, you rest well; I’m going to discuss with Jiang Yan how to proceed next.”
Meng Huai rolled up the map, briefly greeted, and strode out of the bedroom.
Waiting in the living room, Xiao Tao only entered Guo Hao’s bedroom after Meng Huai had exited, with a mysterious expression.
“Hao Ge, are we really letting Jiang Yan and Li Huai be in charge of everything here?”
Xiao Tao glanced back and lowered his voice, “Chairman Yin sent supplies this morning, and it’s still the same saying: as long as we are willing to withdraw, he can persuade the public to let us go.”
Guo Hao’s expression slightly changed, his brows furrowing, seeming hesitant, “What leverage does that Yin have to persuade Nava? Nava previously wouldn’t give even the Myanmar government army face, let alone a speculative warlord from Northern Myanmar.”
“Hao Ge, as long as the brothers preserve their strength, we will have bargaining power. Although Brother Xiang is dead, the goodwill he accumulated at Ba Fu over these years is enough for us to find a more suitable foothold…”
Xiao Tao’s face twitched slightly as he moved closer.
“Xiao Tao, I know you’re closer to Old Man Feng and Sister Deng, but Brother Xiang once said that if anything happens to him, we should listen to Sister Wan. Now that Sister is sending people from so far to help us, how can we just give up first?”
“And besides, there are too many mysteries surrounding Brother Xiang and Sister Wu’s deaths. With the alliance in such turmoil, the Ba Fu brothers all watching from the sidelines, we shouldn’t place our bets lightly. We might become pawns for someone else!”
Guo Hao’s expression darkened, his fists clenched tight, gritting his teeth, seeming to have his own thoughts on Xiang Zuxing’s death.
“Understood, Hao Ge, let’s wait and see…”
Xiao Tao showed a trace of disappointment, shook his head, and turned to leave.
Watching Xiao Tao’s departing back, Guo Hao sighed softly.
In fact, a long time ago, Xiang Zuxing had discussed many matters with Guo Hao, regarding leaving a way out for Ba Fu and finding a retreat—Guo Hao had initially found it hard to comprehend, but now he understood.
He and Xiang Zuxing shared familial ties, both belonging to the Gao clan of the Hermit’s Alliance, leaving little room for choice. But not everyone shared his absolute loyalty to Xiang Zuxing’s philosophy.
Now, among those still holding the fort at the Hong Tian Entertainment Center, not everyone was a life-and-death brother. They were merely trapped together in a well, forced to band together and fight for survival.
“Brother Xiang was right; those who should part ways must part…”
Guo Hao lay back on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, muttering to himself.
……
“Where is Jiang Yan?”
On the fifth floor, outside Jiang Yan’s room, Meng De, gripping a map, blocked a Ba Fu guard, Xiao Guo, who was tidying up some items.
“Yan Jie just ate something and went up to the third floor… Hey, Brother Li, Jiang Jie…”
Before Xiao Guo could finish her sentence, Meng De hastily walked down the stairs, decisively and without delay.
“Yan… Yan Jie is in the bathhouse…”
Watching the other person’s back disappear around the staircase, Xiao Guo finally blurted out the last half of her sentence. A few seconds later, she hurriedly dropped what she was holding and chased after him.
The third floor was a high-end bathing area that Zhu Bixian had invested heavily in. There weren’t many rooms, all lavishly decorated oversized bathrooms. The outer area was a large bathing pool, while the inner area included massage tables and sleeping spaces.
The clientele included not only those extravagant gamblers willing to spend lavishly but also clients seeking special services. Zhu Bixian and Pang Yun were both from the Ganges Blood Clan, and their battered bodies greatly needed such intensely comforting locales.
The battle in the early morning had damaged most of the wall lights in the third-floor corridor; even in broad daylight, the lighting was severely lacking, making it feel quite dim. At this moment, only one room’s frosted glass door elegantly glowed with light, leaving a striking impression.
Inside, Jiang Yan was soaking in the luxurious bathtub filled with steaming warm water, wearing an expression of pleasure. The deeply felt warmth permeated her body, filling her with ease, even alleviating the dull aches from over-exertion and blood deficit.
To be honest, aside from last time when she and Wan Yue experienced a hot spring bath in the Wang family’s villa, Jiang Yan had never had the opportunity to enjoy such a lavish bathing experience on her own.
If it weren’t for being in a war-torn Old Street, she genuinely wouldn’t mind spending the entire day here.
“Jiang Yan, we might need to take the initiative soon…”
The door opened, and Meng De entered with the map, only to stand dumbfounded by the edge of the bathtub, staring at Jiang Yan without moving.
Jiang Yan maintained the pose of bending her hands backward to loosen her long hair at the back of her head, staring blankly at the towering young man who had just entered, her mouth slightly open as she blinked her beautiful big eyes.
Before Meng De was a slender, alluring naked young girl, her body’s curves half exposed and half concealed in the steamy bathtub.
Two long white legs were bent to one side, and her familiar beautiful face, nose, and lips gleamed with moisture, radiating a rosy glow, all caught in his view…
A few seconds later, Jiang Yan silently lowered her hands from behind her head, then reached for the large towel at the edge of the bathtub, covering her chest.
It felt somewhat shocking to be so directly exposed, even if her reaction wasn’t exaggerated… But failing to react seemed unreasonable?
Jiang Yan didn’t know how she should respond right now. Perhaps it was the water temperature, but her face and ears began to flush.
“I’ll come back in ten minutes…”
The two exchanged glances, their eyes locking for nearly a minute, finally, Meng De swallowed lightly, stepped back two paces, and shut the door behind him.
Jiang Yan snapped back to her senses, sinking her body deeper into the water, leaving only the bridge of her nose above the surface.
He stood there without blushing, looking over her completely…
Jiang Yan felt a mix of exasperation and amusement.
Ten minutes, or rather six ten-minute intervals later, lunchtime had passed by the time Jiang Yan emerged from the bathing area, her face expressing a cool demeanor, dressed in a brand new Ba Fu combat uniform.
After over an hour in a warm water bath, Jiang Yan’s complexion was rosy and fragrant.
However, there was no trace of Meng De in the third-floor corridor, not even his presence could be sensed.
Behind Jiang Yan, the already familiar Xiao Guo was stifling laughter, desperately covering her mouth.
News about Meng De accidentally walking in on Jiang Yan bathing had swept through the entire Hong Tian Entertainment Center within the past few minutes.
She had noticed the ambiguous relationship between this lower-ranked knight named Li Huai and Jiang Yan since yesterday. This time, under the pretext of discussing important matters, he directly entered the bathing place, remaining for a solid minute before exiting unscathed.
This scene, rather than a misunderstanding, seemed more like a display meant for everyone—he didn’t want others to have unrealistic thoughts, nor did he plan to flaunt it or suggest anything; he was using the most straightforward method to assert his claim!
At least, that’s what Xiao Guo thought.
On the rooftop terrace of the Hong Tian Entertainment Center, in a secluded corner sheltered on three sides, Meng Huai was holding a secure phone, his expression grave.
… The tactical satellite map has been successfully downloaded. Please check your storage device. Do you require any further assistance?
The voice on the line remained completely emotionless.
Meng Huai didn’t respond, directly pressed the off button, then flipped the secure machine over, feeling around for a few seconds before extracting a small component resembling a USB drive.
Stepping out of the corner, he gazed contemplatively at the dark green mountains surrounding Old Street, several points distinctly visible, crucial from a military perspective, and Meng Huai fell into deep thought.
“Weren’t you supposed to find me about something?”
Uncertain how long it had been, a familiar voice sounded beside him.
Meng Huai turned around, discovering Jiang Yan, looking refreshed, vibrant, and standing elegantly in front of him, even clad in the combat uniform of Ba Fu she still exuded an unusual grace.
Recalling the earlier confrontation by the bathtub, Jiang Yan averted her gaze, her face turning slightly red again.
However, Jiang Yan did not appear alone; Xiao Guo followed closely behind her.
“Is your body alright?”
Meng Huai struggled for a long time to formulate his words and barely managed to squeeze out a sentence.
“I’m fine, just lacking strength and feeling drowsy… I’m going to draw some blood later,” Jiang Yan replied as she sat on a nearby concrete step, resting her elbows on her knees, holding her chin with her hands, gazing toward the distant mountains.
“Then when you feel better, let’s discuss… um, can you please take care of her? I’ll go grab a bite to eat first.”
Meng Huai scratched his nose, turned away and, after pausing for a few seconds, strode off.
“Previously so bold, yet now acting so shy… Yan Jie, how about I help you back to your room for a blood draw now?”
Xiao Guo stepped forward, a strange expression on her face as she glanced back at Meng Huai’s retreating silhouette.
“No need, I’ll just sit here… I’ll go down by myself soon.”
Jiang Yan bit her lip, tilting her head away.
Sigh, he saw everything and acted completely unfazed, and now I’m the one who’s awkward…
If it were Xiao Yao and Zhong Jing, I wonder how they would handle a situation like this?
A myriad of strange thoughts raced through Jiang Yan’s mind, the more she pondered, the hotter her face felt.
……
……
In C City, Longquan Mountain, Hyacinth Villa.
“Zhong Jing, I’m out of strength… Carry me to the restaurant, please.”
As dusk approached, in a certain wooded area, Jiang Yao had just completed her routine full-blood stabilization training. She was now sprawled on a yoga mat, sweaty, her face flushed, appearing utterly weak and helpless.
“More carrying? Your legs have been regressing for several days now.”
Zhong Jing, responsible for accompanying her, was sitting casually on a large rock to one side, boredly fiddling with her phone, not lifting her head even once.
I’m suffering through this training just to protect Hyacinth, to protect a weakling like you! Can’t you show even a little concern?!
Jiang Yao erupted in anger, hurling her empty water bottle at him.
“Miss Jiang Yao, if you’re not feeling well, I can carry you back to the villa.”
Suddenly, He Jianqing stepped out from the woods nearby, his expression soft with a gentle smile.
“No need, I can walk by myself!”
Jiang Yao patted her backside, standing up, glaring fiercely at Zhong Jing before turning away and striding off.
“Jing Jun, the negotiations with the EVN Group haven’t gone smoothly, but Miss Emma has already given me the special medicine.”
He Jianqing lightly hummed in reference to the retreating figure of a pale blonde girl, then turned with a sweet smile back to Zhong Jing.
Perfectly normal—ask for a sky-high price, settle for a lower price. Reduce our terms by two less significant items, then add one of the new items from my list you received.
Zhong Jing lit a cigarette, smiling cunningly, ignoring the small vial of medication He Jianqing held.
Thunder rolled and dark clouds gathered again—another spring shower was about to fall.
