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Finest Servant Chapter 579
🕑 Added 2023-10-21 11:17:30 +0000 UTCChapter 579 Right Before Your Eyes
"It's Yueya'er!" Lin Wanrong was taken aback. Although he couldn't see clearly in the darkness, he recognized her by her voice.
Yujia was bound to a rope, shivering in the cold wind. She gripped the icy rock face tightly, scrutinizing the valley below. In the dim light, she could make out only two figures; one of them had to be Wo Lao Gong.
"Brother Lin—"
"General Lin—"
Two ecstatic shouts came from ropes nearby. It was Gao Qiu and Xu Zhen. Squinting to look downward, they finally spotted Lin Wanrong and immediately began waving at him excitedly.
A thick rope slowly descended along the ice cliff, and the hearty voice of Hu Bugui came from above, "General, quick, grab the rope! I'll pull you up!"
Lin Wanrong glanced at Ning Yuxi, who nodded ever so slightly. He grabbed the rope, tested its strength, and cautiously tied it around his waist.
Seeing her remain silent, Lin Wanrong urgently grabbed her hand and said, "Fairy Sister, you can't run off. We go up together."
Ning Yuxi chuckled, "You've already ruined my cultivation. Where could I possibly run to?"
She took a white silk kerchief from her bosom and covered her exquisite face, leaving only her radiant eyes exposed. She looked intently at him. Lin Wanrong paused, then quickly asked, "Sister, what are you doing?"
Ning Yuxi smiled faintly, "Have you forgotten who I am?"
The Fairy was once the leader of the martial arts division of Jade Virtue Fairy Hall, revered by all under the heavens. If word got out that such a celestial being had fallen into Lin San's hands, there would be chaos. It wouldn't matter if he was Lin San or Lin Si; people would tear him apart.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Lin Wanrong stuck out his tongue in awe.
Ning Yuxi looked at him and said with a smile, "Don't worry. Among the multitudes, only a handful can recognize me. From today onward, my face will be visible only to you."
‘Only to me? Does that mean I'll be the only one who can appreciate her unparalleled beauty from now on?’ Lin Wanrong hastily said, "That might not be a good idea. I'm not so possessive. Besides, at home there's Qiaoqiao, Xian'er, Ning'er, and Eldest Miss. They're all our family. You're so beautiful and kind, of course, they'd all love to see you. Can I really stop them?"
Ning Yuxi smiled and nodded, "If they are your family, then it's a different matter."
Once someone like Ning Yuxi made up her mind, she wouldn't change it. Touched beyond words, Lin Wanrong couldn't help but pull her tightly into his embrace.
His wandering hands caressed her waist, his mouth continuously muttering praises for the smoothness of her skin. Ning Yuxi trembled slightly and said urgently, "We are on a cliff, behave yourself. Our first priority should be getting out of here."
"Are you saying that I'm an unserious person?" Lin Wanrong burst into hearty laughter. Suddenly, he lightly kissed the Fairy's soft cheek and triumphantly shouted, "Brother Hu, I'm secured. Pull me up now!"
Hu Bugui issued a few cautionary words. The rope began to move slowly, and Lin Wanrong gradually ascended.
Suspended in the air, Yujia's gaze continued to peer downward. The ravine was dark, and her eyes could only make out so much. Aside from seeing two closely-huddled figures, everything else was unclear.
As Lin Wanrong's silhouette slowly drew near, that familiar, mischievous face swung back into her view. The bandit chuckled and waved at her, "Hey, Miss Yujia. So you enjoy being an aerial performer too?"
"Wo Lao Gong—" Yujia looked at him, gave a slight smile, and quickly turned her head away. Her shoulders trembled faintly, her voice barely audible.
Finally reaching the peak, a cold wind blew past. No sooner had he sneezed than Hu Bugui and the others clustered around him, hollering ecstatically, unable to contain their joy.
‘If it weren't for Fairy Sister, I would have been done for,’ he mused, patting Old Gao on the shoulder and joking, "Brother Gao, why are you hugging me so tightly? I don't have such preferences."
Gao Qiu laughed heartily, his eyes bloodshot. "I knew Brother Lin would be fortunate enough to be alright. Damn it, staying confined for a whole day and night was torture!"
‘So, I've actually been in the ice cave for a whole day,’ Lin Wanrong was somewhat surprised. ‘Time flies when I'm with Fairy Sister.’
"After that avalanche, the army halted its advance and focused entirely on searching for you," Hu Bugui sighed. "Everyone suspected you had fallen into this ravine, but no one had a way to rescue you. The icy cliff is too steep and slippery to climb, and our ropes were too short to reach the bottom. It was Yujia who came up with a solution—"
"Yujia?" Lin Wanrong glanced around and saw the Turkic young lady standing silently at a distance, lost in thought.
Hu Bugui nodded gravely. "She suggested carving steps into the cliff face, one layer after another, descending until we could reach the bottom."
"And you all agreed? How long would that have taken?" Lin Wanrong sighed in exasperation.
"It was the only solution we could think of," Hu Bugui replied passionately. "Without you, General, we wouldn’t even need to fight this war."
Moved by the sincerity in Hu Bugui's voice, which represented the feelings of all, Lin Wanrong firmly grasped his hand, lost for words.
"Brother Lin—" The voice of Li Wuling sounded from behind. Lin Wanrong turned quickly, seeing the young man hesitating as if wanting to say something.
"What's the matter, Little Li? Why are you being so formal?" Lin Wanrong looked at him quizzically.
Li Wuling hesitated for a moment, then leaned in to whisper, "Brother Lin, you should go see Yujia."
Lin Wanrong was taken aback. "Yujia? What happened to her?"
Li Wuling shook his head. "In her search for you, she has been carving those steps into the icy cliff. She hasn't slept for an entire day and night."
One day and one night? Lin Wanrong was greatly shocked upon hearing this. The cold wind in this mountain ravine chilled him to the bone. He could hardly stand it for even an hour, let alone an entire day and night. Had this girl gone mad?
Little Li sighed, "Although we have a grudge against the Turkic people, perhaps this Yujia is an exception. Brother Lin, if you get along well with her, I'll turn a blind eye. I promise not to tell Aunt Xu about it. Don't worry."
‘Kids say the darndest things!’ Lin Wanrong laughed and patted Little Li on the head. "This situation isn't as simple as you think. Enough talk; give the order to break camp immediately. We must cross the Altai Mountains and reach Khovd within three days."
"Understood!" Li Wuling saluted and left, grinning from ear to ear.
The army set out at once. Wiser from their previous encounter with an avalanche, they proceeded with extra caution, constantly vigilant for any anomalies in the snow-covered mountains.
As Lin Wanrong looked at the long line of torches winding down the icy landscape, his thoughts drifted back to his tender moments with Fairy Ning in the ice cave. It felt both dreamlike and surreal, almost unbelievable.
He noticed an unusual quiet in the distance. Lifting his eyes, he saw the Turkic girl, Yujia, looking gently in his direction. When their eyes met, she seemed startled for a moment before quickly averting her gaze, her cheeks tinted a soft shade of red.
This girl only had a few months left to live. Lin Wanrong shook his head, his emotions a confusing blend of sentiments, and decided to stride toward her.
The sound of his footsteps crunching in the snow seemed to strike a chord in Yujia's heart. Though she had turned away, her slender neck took on a rosy hue, radiantly exquisite.
As he closed the gap between them, Lin Wanrong noticed her clenched hands, her flushed ears, even her trembling eyelashes. Just as he was about to take another step, he felt a tug on his sleeve and turned to find Ning Yuxi standing behind him, dressed in white like a celestial being, her face veiled, smiling at him.
"Fairy Sister, where have you been?" Lin Wanrong was overjoyed and eagerly grabbed her hand. Since emerging from the ravine, he had lost sight of her. To find her now, silently standing by his side, how could he not be thrilled?
Ning Yuxi chuckled, "You seemed to be enjoying your conversation with your men. It wasn't my place to interrupt. I had to wait until they left to join you."
Understanding the impracticality of her appearing in the camp while dressed as a woman, Lin Wanrong winked and suggested, "Sister, why not change into men's clothing later? We can eat, live, and work together."
Ning Yuxi, aware of his thoughts, blushed a little and shook her head, laughing. "If you want to eat, live, and work together, go find Junior Sister An. You seem unusually obedient around her. Are you afraid of her silver needles?"
Lin Wanrong felt his face redden, recalling the night he slept beside Vixen An. It must have all been observed by Fairy Ning, hence her teasing. Grinning sheepishly, he said, "Sister, you misunderstand. If anything, I'm even more obedient around you. Truly, I haven't been this well-behaved in a long time!"
‘Well-behaved?’ Fairy Ning glanced at him helplessly, her charming face tinged with blush, her heart uneasy. ‘If you were truly well-behaved, you'd take your hand off my waist. The way you're touching and grasping is downright embarrassing.’
The footsteps of the bandit drew nearer and nearer. Yujia's heart pounded uncontrollably. Though she wanted to distance herself from him, her feet seemed glued to the ground. Suddenly, the footsteps ceased. The bandit appeared to have stopped, and soft murmurs floated through the air, accompanied by faint laughter.
Lifting her eyes, she saw Lin Wanrong standing beside a composed woman.
The woman was dressed in a white gown, her figure graceful. Standing quietly in the snow, she emanated an indescribable elegance. Although her face wasn't entirely visible, the glimpses of her flawless skin revealed her extraordinary beauty. Her delicate hands occasionally gestured, her thin brows arched like distant mountains—a celestial being descended to the mortal realm. Every moment, every second, she was exquisite.
Despite Yujia's own exceptional allure, she couldn't help but feel somewhat inferior in front of this ethereally elegant woman in white.
Lin Wanrong stood beside her, conversing quietly. The tenderness in his eyes was enough to melt the snow on the mountains.
A vague memory struck her: the figures soaring up the icy cliffs seemed to be these two.
Overwhelmed, Yujia felt as if her soul had been hollowed out. A complex mixture of melancholy, heartache, and anger surged through her. Her teeth gritted audibly as she stared intently at the pair, her eyes awash with a myriad of emotions. Silently, two clear teardrops fell.
"Thief, would you ever hate me?" The Fairy abruptly spoke, her voice tinged with melancholy.
Lin Wanrong opened his mouth in surprise. "Sister, what are you saying? Hate you? Why?"
Ning Yuxi shook her head, pointing at the rapidly retreating figure in the distance. "Look!"
Sometime unknowingly, the figure of the Turkic girl had vanished. Looking ahead, a frail form was dashing through the snow, stumbling and picking herself up repeatedly. Her stubbornness seemed to encapsulate immense energy, yet she never once looked back.
The lines between friend and foe in this dangerous game were increasingly blurred. Who was the fox and who was the hunter? It was no longer clear.
‘Life is truly fascinating,’ thought Lin Wanrong, sighing. His feelings were a tangled mess of satisfaction and loss.
Seeing his puzzled expression and hearing his sighs, the Fairy looked at him, smiling yet not smiling. "Should we chase after her?"
"No, no," Lin Wanrong quickly waved his hands. He wasn't kidding; while the Fairy was gentle and considerate, heaven helped him if she grew jealous. Yujia wouldn't stand a chance.
"Are you sure?" Ning Yuxi shook her head. "This woman is rare in terms of beauty, wisdom, and skill. Wouldn't it be a pity to just let her go?"
‘Why is Fairy Sister suddenly speaking up for Yujia? Is this another test?’ Lin Wanrong chuckled wryly and shook his head. "Yujia is indeed remarkable, but she is a Turk. All her wit will be employed against us. We may cooperate now, but once we cross the Altai Mountains ahead, we become sworn enemies. I aim to conquer the Turkic Khaganate, which may very well be her home. Sister, if you were me, what would you do?"
Hatred between countries, personal vendettas, life and death—these questions were indeed difficult to answer. The Fairy gave him a sidelong glance and smiled. "Why do you throw your difficult questions at me? Don't you know how to handle women?"
Ah, here it came—Fairy Ning's jealousy masked by a smile. Truly more difficult to deal with than a cunning fox. Just as he was about to exchange a few words with Yujia, the Fairy appeared, her timing impeccable. Truly the mark of an expert.
"Why are you silent?" Ning Yuxi smiled as she looked at him.
Lin Wanrong was shocked. "Sister, how could you say that? Anyone who knows me well understands that I always wear my heart on my sleeve and am sincere. How could I deliberately manipulate anyone?"
The Fairy chuckled lightly. "Were you not calculating a scheme to trap Yujia?"
Lin Wanrong hurriedly waved his hands. "How could that be? I sincerely wanted to be with —"
The Fairy gave him a half-smile, and cold sweat trickled down Lin Wanrong's back. Good Lord, he had almost fallen for her trick. This Fairy Sister was truly not to be underestimated.
"Alright, don't blame me," Ning Yuxi said, grabbing his hand gently. "If it weren't for Junior Sister An's instructions, I wouldn't even bother meddling in your messy affairs."
‘Sister An?’ Lin Wanrong was so surprised his mouth hung open. So, the Fairy's timely appearance was all orchestrated by that sly Vixen An? Not only did she want to poison Yujia, but she also wanted to infuriate her. Truly impressive!
The Fairy spoke softly, "Though Junior Sister An has a fiery personality, she is not reckless. She has her reasons for targeting Yujia, and it's definitely for your own good."
‘For my own good? What on Earth was Sister An up to?’ Lin Wanrong reluctantly nodded. The sly Vixen and Fairy Sister, one playing good cop, the other bad cop, had him figured out in no time. If they were displeased, they'd both poke him with a needle. Being accompanied by these two beauties was a true mix of pain and pleasure.
After descending from the Tianshan Mountains, there were no more obstacles. The army galloped, and within two days, they arrived at the foot of the Altai Mountains. Majestic Altai stood tall; facing it was the vast expanse of the Alxa grasslands. Khovd, Nose-piercing Grass, and the Turkic Khan, all were trampled underfoot.
Looking out at the endless blue sky and green grass, Lin Wanrong couldn't contain his excitement. The heart of the Turkic people was now within sight!
