Chapter 864: Wolf, Snake, and Dog (3/4)

Chapter 864: Wolf, Snake, and Dog (3/4)

Zayid could not bear to look at the old man, but still sighed and followed.

“……The esteemed elder, the Great Leader summoned me, I’ll take my leave now.”

Kabah did not look at him, only stared wide-eyed, fixedly at that officer.

On Abusayek’s orders, the officer never once glanced at him, letting him fume and rage, and led Zayid away……

……

The Leader’s Mansion office.

Abusayek, seated behind the desk, put down his pen and scrutinized the smiling youth.

That smile was very genial.

Yet he could see, behind that harmless smile, a sharp sword was hidden.

Like a snake in the bushes.

Truly worthy of the Snake Clan.

Though he was not a racialist, he could not help but think so.

Just as he was sizing up this fellow, Zayid did something he never expected.

“I pay homage to Your Majesty the Great Leader!” With that, he raised his hand, making as if to bow.

“What are you doing!”

Abusayek, startled, momentarily forgot to study the man, and quickly rose to support him.

But Zayid lowered his head, apologizing timidly.

“Forgive me, seeing you stirred me so, I forgot the proper rites……”

Abusayek sighed and said earnestly.

“I must criticize you—the Empire is fallen, the survivors of Bara have stood up; they must not kneel again.”

“You are right, you are right……” Zayid smiled sheepishly, his face dull and foolish, as if truly aware of his error.

Watching him, Abusayek smiled on the surface, but inwardly grew more contemptuous.

Even somewhat disdainful.

That the Survivor’s Daily would compare such a fellow to him—an outright insult!

He, Abusayek, was no saint, but in all Bara Province, only Rasi was worthy of comparison.

His magnanimity in not squabbling with those people was grace, yet they climbed right onto his nose.

Abusayek’s mind stirred, and his old fox smile grew ever brighter.

“……Ah, you said you wanted to enlist—that’s easily settled. I’ll grant your wish.”

With that, Abusayek returned to his desk, took out paper and pen, and wrote a commission.

Then he cleared his throat and spoke in a solemn tone.

“From this day forth, I appoint you commander of the Grey Wolf Army, to proceed to the Snake Province war zone and prepare for battle with the Legion.”

He almost laughed writing that commission, but managed to hold it in.

The Grey Wolf Army was now a band of brigands—neither obeying the new Emperor Akbar nor accepting the United Front’s amnesty, holed up in the mountain valleys of Ma Province, sulking over Alayan’s ashes, occasionally skirmishing with Mammoth’s border troops.

That army was not Bara’s at all; when he had the time, he’d clean them out. This commission wasn’t even worth scrap paper.

Not to mention the vast distance between northeastern Ma Province and southern Snake Province.

If this fellow actually took that commission there, he’d either be flayed alive by the Grey Wolf remnants or toyed to death by his “Horse King” Shahrukh.

Better to scurry off to Golden Harbor and lie low.

Abusayek smiled at the commission in his hand, stamping it firmly with the official seal.

Trying to play tricks with me—you’re still wet behind the ears!

Zayid indeed looked troubled.

But seeing Abusayek hand him the commission, he steeled himself and took it.

“……As you command!”

“This mission is vital…… do well, I have faith in you!” Abusayek patted his shoulder, like an old superior, speaking earnestly.

“……Thank you for your guidance, Great Leader. I shall not fail.” Zayid’s face bore a bitter smile.

Abusayek smiled, pleased with the man’s expression; his earlier gloom lightened considerably.

Yet he did not notice the cold smirk that curled at the corner of that face as it turned away.

Accepting the commission, Zayid left the office with heavy steps, as if the paper weighed a thousand pounds.

But the moment he stepped out, his stride grew light, as if wings had sprouted.

Those high above saw only their own light, blind to the desires in common eyes.

Abusayek was indeed capable—Zayid had shown no flaw, yet still aroused his wariness.

But alas, perhaps emboldened by the Alliance, arrogance had finally veiled that man’s eyes.

Passing the Leader’s Mansion, Zayid humbly bid farewell to the old committee member, hinted at his new orders, and amid the old man’s indignant protests and earnest warnings, reluctantly left the mansion.

The young man waiting by the roadside saw him, hurried over, and fell in step behind him.

“Sir, did Abusayek give you trouble?”

Zayid smiled faintly.

“That fellow’s been scared witless by the blood splashed on him—a thief who wants to take but dares not. If he truly had the nerve for decisive slaughter, I’d have gone to Rasi, not him.”

Sawa paused, pressing his cap, puzzled.

“He’s not decisive? But Yanush was……”

Worrying about internal affairs agents, he cut himself off.

Zayid laughed out loud.

“If that fellow counts as decisive, then what was Yanush?”

Seeing Sawa’s confusion, Zayid continued unhurriedly.

“Take that old man Kabah—he dares to curse Abusayek to his face. Do you think he’d dare fart a single word in front of Yanush?”

Not even a fart.

One breath, and he might be cut down.

Sawa asked, puzzled.

“……But you said Mr. Kabah is a good man.”

“Yes.”

Buying a newspaper at a roadside stall, the cold man said expressionlessly.

“Do you also want to be a good man?”

Sava immediately shook his head, speaking with humble shyness.

“I belong to the master.”

Zaid grinned, reaching out to pat the back of his head.

“Time to go.”

The tall and short figures gradually faded away on the narrow road, then hailed a rickshaw and headed for the inland river port outside the eastern gate of Tiandu.

A dozen transport ships had just docked, and a squad of soldiers in gas masks marched in orderly steps off the pier, heading straight for the military base north of the city.

They seemed to be in a hurry, never pausing for a moment, even if hell lay ahead.

People spontaneously made way for them.

Whether it was travelers rushing with luggage, laborers moving goods, or boatmen, townsfolk, and villagers picking through nearby stalls, all alike cast glances of reverence, even admiration, toward those men—

Those lofty idealists.

Standing in the crowd, Sava suddenly sighed with envy.

“…If only we could have someone to die for like that.”

Gazing at the same towering figures, Zaid said in a very soft voice.

“We will.”

At the same time, on the front lines of Shizhou.

A scrapped steel train lay overturned in the wilderness northwest of Ridebur County.

The armored carriages were crumpled together, deeply sunken into the earth, and the 902mm heavy cannon was even more gruesome—dented inward by an electromagnetic shell.

Leaning against a wrecked Chimera armored vehicle, Old Na gasped for breath, glancing at the LD-47 assault rifle in his hand, then at the steel tide approaching in the distance.

This thing probably won’t be of much use…

With a bitter laugh, he looked at the captive sitting on the ground nearby, bound tightly.

The black hood over the Velantian’s head had fallen off, and his face now stared at him in terror.

He didn’t send him to meet his marshal; Irena just shouted at him.

“Get lost.”

Having killed so many, one or two more wouldn’t matter, and killing prisoners wasn’t exactly moral.

The Velantian stared at him in disbelief, his expression as if doubting his own ears.

But Irena didn’t explain; he simply raised the rifle and aimed at him.

“Bang!”

He fired a shot with his mouth, grinning at the fellow who had tumbled into the mud in fright.

The Velantian soldier twisted himself up from the muddy ground, not daring to look back, and stumbled away.