Chapter 28: Rescuing Wei Yun to Gain Freedom

Watching the innate martial artist vanish into the distance, followed by the retreating figures of the remaining Luoyun soldiers, Li Dao hesitated for a moment before deciding not to give chase.

For him, today had been a massive windfall. This outcome was an unexpected bonus. His current priority was to ensure Wei Yun was alright. If this man died, all his efforts over this period would have been in vain.

On the flagpole, Wei Yun’s mouth hung slightly open; he still hadn't fully recovered from the shock of seeing Li Dao slay an innate martial artist. It wasn't until he felt the flagpole being lifted and set down that he gradually came to his senses.

Li Dao looked at the dazed Commander Wei, stepped forward, and patted his face. "Commander Wei, you’re not dead, are you?"

Feeling the slight sting on his cheek and realizing this was no dream, Wei Yun shook his head. "I'm fine. They didn't intend to kill me."

The Luoyun tribe had captured him mainly to force a confession that he was the culprit behind the death of their Third Prince; they hadn't killed him, only tortured him. Though he looked wretched, he was merely drained of internal energy and covered in superficial wounds. For frontier generals like them, injuries that didn't involve lost limbs were considered minor.

Suddenly, Wei Yun looked up at Li Dao, his expression full of emotion. "9527, I never expected you to come and save me. I am truly moved."

As he finished speaking, he opened his arms, seemingly expecting a hug. Li Dao sidestepped him, his face darkening. "You’re moved too soon. I only did this because if you died, there would be no one left to grant us our freedom."

"I know, but couldn't you just lie to me and let me feel touched?" Wei Yun was no fool; he knew their relationship wasn't that close. He had only said that out of sentiment, but he hadn't expected to be so ruthlessly brought back to reality.

Li Dao raised an eyebrow and replied bluntly, "What would I gain from you being touched? Aren't you afraid I'll go back on my word and refuse to grant you your freedom if you act this way?"

"You can try."

In the next second, the black iron blade he had just handed back to Li Dao was pressed against his own throat, sliding back and forth. Under the stimulation of the cold steel, goosebumps broke out all over his body, and his hair stood on end. Wei Yun was certain that if he dared to recant now, this blade would slice his throat without a moment’s hesitation. 9527 was exactly that kind of decisive person. When he had been hanging in the air, he had witnessed this man’s bloodthirst; there was almost an excited look on his face the entire time he was killing—not faked, but entirely genuine. He couldn't imagine what kind of person would view slaughter as a form of pleasure.

Wei Yun turned his body, carefully avoiding the black iron blade, and rubbed the goosebumps on his arms. "Alright, alright, I was just talking. No need to draw a blade."

Hearing this, Li Dao sheathed the black iron blade and extended a hand toward Wei Yun. "We've been out long enough. It's time to go back."

Wei Yun stared at the outstretched hand for a moment, then suddenly smiled. "Thank you." Regardless of whether 9527 acted for the sake of freedom or some other motive, he had ultimately been saved, and he had to acknowledge this debt.

Pulling Wei Yun up, Li Dao scanned his injuries. "Can you ride a horse?"

"Ride a horse? Believe me, if those Luoyun tribesmen came back, I could still fight another round!" He punctuated his words with a gesture, but it pulled at his wounds, causing his mouth to twitch in pain.

Li Dao rolled his eyes. "If you can ride, ride your own horse. I have no desire to share one with a man."

Wei Yun muttered weakly, "As if I’d want to share a horse with a man."

Li Dao: "Who knows?"

Wei Yun: "???"

...

Inside Changgu Town, thanks to Old Ghost’s treatment, most of the remaining Great Qian soldiers had been patched up. The surrounding soldiers looked at Old Ghost with gratitude, as he had reattached limbs for some and saved others who had been on the brink of death with his miraculous medical skills.

Captain Liu looked at his scabbed wound and sighed in amazement. "Old Ghost, you really are a talent." Suddenly, he seemed to recall something and asked, "I say, Old Ghost, with medical skills like yours, why did the Embroidered Uniform Guard record you as a charlatan practicing without a license and selling fake medicine, leading to your arrest?"

Old Ghost gave a soft hum. "Someone repaid kindness with ingratitude. I fulfilled his wish, and he had the Guard arrest me." He then explained the general sequence of events.

After hearing Old Ghost’s story, everyone was stunned. In his tale, a wealthy official had a son, but later in life, the official suddenly wanted a daughter and asked Old Ghost if there was a way to make that happen. Old Ghost had just perfected a concoction and was lacking a test subject. Under his "care," the official did indeed get a daughter.

As for why the official had him arrested, it was because after getting a daughter, the official no longer had a son. Old Ghost had used his medical prowess to turn the official’s son into a daughter—a real one, capable of marriage and childbirth. It was only because that son was a good-for-nothing scoundrel that the Guard felt Old Ghost had actually done society a favor, so they hadn't executed him on the spot, merely tossed him in prison.

Hearing this, everyone present instinctively crossed their legs. Old Ghost added nonchalantly, "Since we are fated to meet, if any of you want to become a woman, I can help you for free."

Shen San, off to the side, couldn't help but say, "Old Ghost, you asked me to be your medical apprentice—you aren't going to pull something on me, are you?" Previously, he had thought being an apprentice was fine—if the medical skills were this good, as long as it didn't kill him, it was fine. But looking at it now, sometimes being alive was worse than being dead.

Old Ghost shrugged. "Hard to say. I'll let you know when I finish my new medicine."

The idle chatter ended. Liu Neng sighed, "I wonder if 9527 managed to catch up and save Commander Wei."

Shen San, who had the most friction with Wei Yun, wore a worried expression. "Wei Yun, oh Wei Yun, please don't die. If you die, who will grant us our freedom? If you make it back, I’ll even call you Grandpa."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he heard the sound of horse hooves nearby.

"Shen San, I heard what you said. Hurry up and call me Grandpa."

Everyone turned their heads to see two figures riding through the broken gates of Changgu Town. One was Li Dao, and the other, naturally, was Wei Yun.

"Commander Wei!" Liu Neng sat up from the ground in surprise. The rest of the Weiwu Battalion soldiers were equally excited, scrambling to stand, even those who couldn't being lifted by their comrades.

Wei Yun looked at his men with a long sigh, but smiled through the pain. "As long as everyone is okay." He then turned his gaze to Shen San. "Fatty, how about that 'Grandpa'?"

Shen San’s face turned varying shades of blue and purple.

"Fatty, you’re a grown man. You wouldn't go back on your word, would you?" Wei Yun teased.

"You bastard!"

Wei Yun waved his hand. "Forget it. Since 9527 saved my life, I'll let you off—"

"Grandpa!"

Shen San called out, then continued without changing his expression, "You think one word is enough to settle the debt for my boss saving you? Not a chance."

Wei Yun: "???"

Shen San walked up to Wei Yun and held out his hand. Wei Yun looked down at the empty hand. "What are you doing?"

"Give us our freedom!"

"I can't right now."

"Why?"

"Fatty, look at the state of the Weiwu Battalion. How am I supposed to grant it?"

"Then when can you?"

"At the very least, I need to rebuild the battalion and contact my superiors."

"Really?"

"Of course." Wei Yun said seriously, "Restoring the household registration of death-row prisoners isn't simple. There is a process. I guarantee I will handle your status as soon as possible."

Shen San was skeptical. "You aren't playing us again, are you?"

Wei Yun shrugged. "If you don't trust me, surely you trust 9527?"

Shen San looked back at Li Dao. "Boss, is this guy reliable?"

Li Dao replied directly, "We'll see soon enough."

...

Time flew. A month had passed since the attack on Changgu Town and Wei Yun's return. To prevent another attack, Wei Yun moved the remnants of the Weiwu Battalion to an abandoned ancient town a hundred miles east. After a month of construction, it had begun to take shape, and Wei Yun renamed it "Changping Town," symbolizing longevity and peace. The only thing that struck him as odd was that whenever he mentioned the name, Li Dao’s expression became peculiar.

One day, inside a tent in Changping Town, the five of them gathered. On the bed, the usually manic "Little Madman" lay quietly. Old Ghost was checking his pulse. A moment later, he released his hand. "Alright."

Little Madman immediately scrambled up, moving around. Staying still had been torture for him. If these weren't familiar faces, he would have started acting out long ago.

Li Dao stood to the side. "How is it?"

Old Ghost shook his head. "It can be cured, but not here." He looked at Little Madman and explained, "I’ve heard of this kind of insect-child sorcery; it originates from ancient tribes in the southern mountains of Great Qian. To save him, we must go there."

Xu Hu stood up. "Go!" After a month together, Xu Hu and Little Madman had grown close. Seeing hope for a cure, Xu Hu naturally agreed.

Old Ghost nodded. "If you say go, we go. I love treating rare ailments. But we must wait for Commander Wei to grant us our freedom."

Shen San grew irritated at this. "Is Wei Yun not planning to free us? It’s been a month!"

Just then, the tent flap opened. A voice came through: "Fatty Shen, I just walked in and heard someone insulting me."

"Insulting you? I want to beat you! It’s been a month—the battalion is fixed, but where is my freedom?" Shen San turned to curse, but seeing what Wei Yun was holding, he froze. "Is that..."

Wei Yun smiled. "The household registration book."

Shen San blinked. "Really?"

Wei Yun: "Guess!"

Shen San: "..."

"Alright, Commander Wei, enough teasing him." Li Dao stepped forward. He, too, was impatient after a month of waiting.

Seeing Li Dao speak, Wei Yun stopped joking, placed the book on the table, and flipped to a blank page. "Now, you just need to state your information, and I will register you. Once submitted, you will officially be citizens again." He looked at the five men. "Who’s first?"

They all looked at Li Dao.

"Fine, I'll go first." Li Dao took a deep breath. Since being thrown into the death-row camp, his journey from despair to hope had been grueling. Now, he could finally cast off that identity.

Wei Yun reminded them, "One thing—don't use your old household registration, or there will be trouble. It’s best to use a completely unrelated, anonymous one."

Li Dao nodded. He understood. Especially given his own sensitive identity, if discovered, the Emperor of Great Qian would never let him go. However, he decided to keep his name. With a population of two hundred million, there were plenty of people named Li. A name alone was nothing to fear.

He provided the details to Wei Yun. One by one, the five men were registered.

"When can we leave this ghost town?" Shen San asked.

Wei Yun put the book away. "I need to submit this, have the records processed, and have your identification plaques made. Only then can you move freely across Great Qian."

...

Three days later, inside the tent, Wei Yun handed out the five identification plaques. With these, they were officially recognized by the state. Holding the plaque, Li Dao felt an invisible shackle break. Both his body and spirit felt completely at ease.

It had been three months since his memories returned. From a Third-Rank Earl to a death-row prisoner, and now back to a normal status—it felt like a dream.

"Happy?" Wei Yun appeared beside him with a smile. He understood the feeling. In all his years, these five were the first death-row prisoners to survive long enough to earn their freedom.

"Naturally." Li Dao carefully stored the plaque and turned to smile. "Commander Wei, you have something to say to me, don't you?"

Wei Yun paused, then laughed. "I knew I couldn't hide it from you. Besides delivering the plaques, I wanted to ask: do you have any interest in joining the army?"

"People like you, once you lose your original identity, often end up drifting. I’ve seen your performance—you’re suited for the military. If you stay, your future will be smooth. Consider it."

Li Dao was surprised. After a moment of thought, he answered, "I'll consider it, but not now."

"What do you mean?"

Li Dao shrugged. "I want to go 'home' and take a look first." This was something he had decided long ago. Especially after learning of the targeting by the Prime Minister’s estate from Sun Zheng and Gao Liang, he was desperate to return.

"Fair enough." Wei Yun nodded. "If you change your mind, you know where to find me."

...

The next day, outside Changping Town, the five prepared to leave.

Li Dao looked at the others. "Are you all set?"

Shen San grinned. "Boss, don't worry. I'll make sure to get Old Ghost and the others to their destination."

Although they were free, Shen San still called him "Boss." As he put it, "Once a boss, always a boss." In the martial world, having friends was good, and he knew these four were no ordinary people. To survive, he needed to cling to the strongest leg—and Li Dao was the strongest.

Li Dao nodded. "Take care of yourselves."

Because Little Madman had been turned into a "Gu-child," he had severe side effects. According to Old Ghost, if he didn't receive treatment, he wouldn't live another year. Thus, Old Ghost was heading to the southern mountains to find a cure. Xu Hu, having no home, decided to protect them. Shen San would accompany them to the mountains before continuing his own journey.

As Shen San prepared to leave, he pulled out a handful of gold and silver. "Boss, the road is long. Take this for your travels."

Li Dao raised an eyebrow. "Is this what you pilfered from our previous missions?"

Shen San laughed. "Just a little something extra."

Li Dao sighed inwardly. *True to his nature as a thief, even as a death-row prisoner, he didn't forget to steal.* He shook his head. "Keep it. I have enough." He had received several hundred taels of silver from Wei Yun—his fair share for the missions completed.

"Alright then." Shen San cupped his fists. "Boss, we’re off."

"Go." Li Dao watched them disappear into the plains before turning his gaze northward. "And I, too, must be on my way."

He whipped his horse and vanished into the northern horizon.

Meanwhile, on the walls of Changping Town, two armored men stood together.

"Commander, isn't it a pity to let 9527 go?" Liu Neng asked.

"Not a pity."

"Why?"

Wei Yun looked ahead, smiling slightly. "Because he will be back. For a man like him, the martial world isn't his place—the battlefield is."

Liu Neng recalled Li Dao’s prowess in battle and nodded. "If he returns to the battlefield, Great Qian might gain a formidable killing machine."

Wei Yun patted his shoulder. "As long as his blade isn't pointed at our throats, who cares?"

Liu Neng laughed. "That’s true."