[Great Qi, Main Hall of the Prince of Zhan's Manor]
The underfloor heating was roaring in the main hall, yet it could not melt the cold austerity on Crimson Nine's brow. She tapped her fingertips rhythmically against the table, her eyes fixed on the heavy, vermilion-lacquered doors.
"These tails... they really are persistent shadows," she scoffed.
The moment they had stepped into the manor, the bracer on her left wrist had sent a faint, rapid pulse through her skin—a system warning that multiple surveillance presences not belonging to the household were lurking within a hundred-meter radius.
"That's exactly what I'm complaining about!" Blue Five took a sip of hot tea, rolling her eyes in frustration. She gestured toward Crimson Nine's wrist. "Captain, be honest with me. Is 'Blue One' playing favorites? Why does your bracer have infrared scanning, biological detection, and even a medical suite, while Yellow Seven's and mine are as basic as plain noodles?"
Blue Five leaned in close to Crimson Nine's ear, whispering teasingly: "You know, Yellow Seven and I privately suspect that Blue One must be secretly in love with you. That's why he stuffed all the top-tier gear into yours and left us with the expired products."
"Miss Situ," Xiao Zhan, who had been sipping his tea with aristocratic grace, felt his fingers tremble slightly. His phoenix eyes narrowed, and a sense of inexplicable danger began to radiate from him. "This... 'Blue One'. Who is he? A man or a woman?"
"A man, of course! He was our former Chief of Equipment R—" Before Blue Five could finish, a razor-sharp glare from Crimson Nine silenced her instantly.
"You two are reserves; I am the tactical core," Crimson Nine said, her voice like ice. She made a show of reaching for the buckle on her left wrist. "Equipment is naturally allocated based on risk. How about this? We swap. You take the lead in the front lines, and I'll trail behind throwing grenades. That way, you can have your precious 'destined' blue bracer. How does that sound?"
"Oh, come on, Captain! Look at you, I was just trying to lighten the mood!" Seeing that Crimson Nine was actually serious, Blue Five shrank back and let out an awkward, dry laugh. "A tech-geek like me can't compete with a 'combat machine' like you. Keep that top-tier gear to save your own life; I'm quite content with the basic model, really!"
Xiao Zhan watched their banter silently, his expression remaining composed as if he didn't care at all. Yet, the name "Blue One" felt like a tiny, sharp needle piercing his heart—silent but impossible to ignore.
He set his tea cup down, his fingers lingering on the rim for a heartbeat before his gaze swept carelessly over her bracer.
They came here across space and time.
If so... could that man, who prepared everything for her, also exist in this world?
The mere thought sent a shiver of cold through his heart.
Chu Yuning sat to the side, his hand gripping a cool porcelain cup, his eyes never leaving Blue Five. Watching her lively, almost dance-like gestures as she complained about her "gear," the corners of his long-hardened mouth lifted involuntarily, a touch of indulgence hidden in his eyes that even he hadn't noticed.
She was like a vibrant splash of color dropped into this chaotic world, always able to make the suffocating atmosphere come alive.
"Zhaoning," Chu Yuning said softly, breaking the banter. He turned to Crimson Nine, his expression searching and tense. "Regarding the trip to Southern Tang... what are your arrangements? Can I... accompany you?"
The hall fell into a sudden silence.
Chu Yuning knew full well that as the last Young General of the Chu Army, he should remain in Zhanchuan to consolidate the Nine Stockades under Xiao Zhan's influence, laying the foundation for his future revenge.
But the mere thought of being separated from Blue Five, of the vast distance and the treacherous political currents of Southern Tang, made his chest ache as if it were blocked by stone. He feared that if they parted now, this elf-like woman might vanish into the smoke of war.
"Third Brother, the Nine Stockades were just taken in; the hearts of the men are not yet settled. We need you there," Crimson Nine said, setting down her bracer and looking at her brother with sharp, focused eyes. "The game in Southern Tang is for intelligence agents, not for front-line chargers."
Chu Yuning's eyes darkened, his knuckles turning white as he gripped the cup. He remained silent for a long moment, then looked away unnaturally, though he couldn't help but peek at Blue Five's reaction. His voice deepened. "I understand. It's just... the situation in Southern Tang is complex. The two of you going alone—as your brother, I cannot feel at ease."
Blue Five stopped fussing over her gear. She turned to Chu Yuning, looking at the way he was stubbornly trying to find a reason to follow, his handsome face slightly flushed with frustration. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Oh, Yuning!" Blue Five patted his shoulder carelessly, smiling until her eyes turned into crescents. "Don't worry! With the Captain around, who could bully us? Besides, I've got a pocket full of 'little treasures.' You focus on training the troops here. Once we bring Yellow Seven back, you'll be the one bringing the army to extract us!"
Feeling the slight weight on his shoulder, Chu Yuning's gloom vanished, replaced by a strange lightness because of her radiant smile.
"Ning'er, I will accompany you."
Xiao Zhan's cold, melodic voice dropped into the hall like a stone in a pond, creating ripples of surprise.
"Your Highness? You want to go too?" Blue Five was busy chewing on a pastry; she widened her eyes, staring in confusion between Chu Yuning and Xiao Zhan. "This... we are going to Southern Tang to rescue someone, not for a vacation. Why are you both fighting to join? Is there some hidden treasure in Southern Tang?"
Previously, Xiao Zhan and Chu Yuning had reached an understanding to use this time to forge the散兵游勇 (scattered soldiers) into an elite force. But ever since he heard the name "Blue One"—the man who could equip Ning'er with "top-tier" gear and might even be in love with her—the alarm bells in Xiao Zhan's heart hadn't stopped ringing.
Blue One...
Xiao Zhan's face remained calm, but his fingertips instinctively rubbed the rim of his cup. He would never allow anyone, anywhere, to covet his "Princess."
"The Prince's identity is unique. Entering Southern Tang territory now... if you are recognized, it might trigger a diplomatic crisis," Crimson Nine frowned, feeling puzzled. She had always separated public duty from personal life; in her view, Xiao Zhan remaining in Zhanchuan was the optimal choice.
"Aren't you a master of disguise?" Xiao Zhan set down his tea, lifting his phoenix eyes with a rare, unprecedented sincerity and transparency. "Can't you just give me a face that is 'mediocre, ordinary, and impossible to find in a crowd'? I will assume a new identity. I won't get in your way."
"..." Crimson Nine looked at his god-like, handsome face and fell into a brief silence.
To make this face look 'mediocre' would take a fortune in disguise paste...
"Pfft—" Blue Five nearly choked on her pastry. She leaned toward Crimson Nine and whispered, "Captain, I don't think the Prince is afraid of danger; he's afraid of you being snatched away by that 'Blue One' in Southern Tang! The smell of vinegar is so strong, it's about to smoke out the rafters of the manor."
Chu Yuning looked at Xiao Zhan's stubborn resolve—willing to become ugly just to follow—and felt a rare sense of camaraderie. He gave a light cough to suppress his own inappropriate emotions and spoke in a steady voice.
"Since the Prince has this intention, whether for public or private reasons, it's not a bad thing. The Prince's intelligence network spans many nations. If he accompanies us, the mission in Southern Tang will indeed have a better chance of success."
The hall fell silent again.
Crimson Nine's gaze turned cold, sweeping across both men. She tapped her fingers on the table twice, as if concluding a silent game of strategy. Finally, she spoke softly—
"...Fine."
She looked up, her tone returning to its usual crisp decisiveness:
"We depart in three days."