CALID Chapter 23

The Lin Family

The winter sun shone brightly, while a biting cold wind howled from the distant north, covering the earth with fine, dense white threads. The old man stood amidst these fine white threads, his unkempt hair flying wildly in the wind. His sharp gaze seemed to cut through the threads of wind, piercing straight towards the walls of Shuozhou Prefecture.

He Simu overheard Meng Wan whispering to someone behind her, saying that Lin Huaide, the patriarch of the Lin family, had secretly provided the Tabai army with the time that the Danzhi army would transport supplies, and this betrayal was exposed to the Danzhi army.

The old man shouted loudly, “Jun’er, have the supplies arrived?”

“They… they have arrived…”

“Is there enough to eat?”

Lin Jun’s eyes were red, and he pursed his lips without answering.

How much was enough? Over twenty days’ worth of food, exchanged for the lives of over twenty members of Lin Huaide’s family. Was it enough or not?

“Can we hold on?” Lin Huaide’s voice, neither sad nor happy, cut through the chilling wind to reach the city wall, causing a sense of despair about the uncertain future.

The Danzhi soldiers standing beside Lin Huaide laughed, as if waiting for the soldiers of Daliang in the isolated city to waver.

Without receiving a response, Lin Huaide fell silent for a moment and slowly said, “Jun’er, do you still remember your grandfather? Your grandfather was the favourite among all the grandchildren when he was alive.”

“Your great-grandfather was a soldier under General Wu Nan and died in battle in Yuzhou without returning. At that time, your grandfather had just been born, and your great-grandmother, with a stubborn temper, refused to flee to the south of the Pass. She raised your grandfather in Shuozhou. Your grandfather earned this foundation for the Lin family. It is because of him that we, your father’s generation, exist today, and the Lin family of Shuozhou exists. Over the years, we have flattered and appeased the Huqi people everywhere for the sake of business and the Lin family. But you must remember, our ancestors died protecting us. Your grandfather once said, if one day Daliang can cross the Pass and drive the Huqi people out of the Central Plains, although the Lin family is just a family of merchants, we will certainly spare no effort to assist, even if it means death.”

The Danzhi soldier sensed that Lin Huaide’s words were inappropriate and slapped him, urging him to speak properly. However, Lin Huaide sternly said, “Jun’er, listen carefully! Even if we can’t hold on, we must continue to hold on!”

“I came to see you today to tell you that Uncle is going to report to your grandfather, to tell him that the Lin family will not disappoint him, and Jun’er will not disappoint him!”

“Someday, the country will return to its former glory!”

Lin Jun stared blankly at the ground below, his eyes wide open, red to the extreme but no tears fell. Intense emotions surged in his eyes, as if they were about to sweep his soul out of his body. From below came the screams and cries, and the blood of the Lin family dyed the frost-covered land red. Lin Huaide lay on the ground, his eyes wide open in a gradually expanding pool of blood. His neck was cut by a sharp blade, but his face bore a frozen smile.

In Lin Huaide’s murky, aged eyes, it seemed like he was proud of something, yet mocking something.

Lin Jun began to tremble uncontrollably. He no longer rushed towards the edge of the battlement but leaned against the wall, slowly bending down. His slender fingers shook like cicada wings, slowly covering his eyes.

He curled up like a cocoon, not making a sound.

All twenty-three members of Lin Huaide’s family were slaughtered beneath the walls of Shuozhou Prefecture.

Chenying clung to the battlement, staring blankly at the unilateral slaughter below the city wall. He Simu reached out to cover his eyes and pulled him away from the battlement.

Chenying didn’t struggle, just murmured softly, “My father was killed the same way.”

Without any means to defend themselves, they were slaughtered like animals.

Surprisingly, this time, Chenying didn’t burst into tears.

He Simu watched as soul lamps rose from below the city, disappearing into the sky under the dazzling sunlight. She had seen life and death countless times and knew that saying anything at this moment would be inappropriate. All she could do was comfortingly squeeze Chenying’s shoulder.

Life is fleeting, just a momentary hundred years, with life and death entangled and persistent, ultimately insurmountable.

Yet there’s no need to dwell on it.

Without attachments, life may lack interest.

After returning to the Lin family, Lin Jun didn’t eat anything for the rest of the day. He sat silently in the pavilion in the courtyard, from the sun’s zenith to the setting sun, until late into the night.

The steward tried to persuade him several times, but Lin Jun refused to budge. It wasn’t until late at night when Duan Xu visited the Lin residence and walked up to Lin Jun that he finally came to his senses, standing up somewhat surprised.

Duan Xu, dressed in casual attire, a round-necked robe, bowed to Lin Jun, saying, “Boss Lin, Shunxi apologizes to the Lin family.”

Lin Jun immediately shook his head and helped Duan Xu up, saying, “General Duan, there’s no need to blame yourself… Everyone will eventually meet their end, my uncle…”

He seemed somewhat hesitant, and Duan Xu sighed before continuing, “I heard that your father passed away early, and your uncle took care of you like a father. The words he spoke under the city today were meant to spare you from further grief. He couldn’t bear to see you like this.”

Lin Jun was older than Duan Xu, so Duan Xu always addressed him respectfully. Lin Jun tried to decline the formality, but Duan Xu insisted, saying, “I know the Lin family is going through a great ordeal, and you’re feeling deeply distressed. However, I have a matter I need to ask for your help with. It’s of great importance, and I hope you’ll agree.”

Lin Jun looked puzzled and asked, “What is it?”

“There’s a spy in the army, and I have a suspicion about someone. I need Boss Lin’s help to verify.”

“Who is it?”

“Han Lingqiu.”

Lin Jun looked at Duan Xu in astonishment, as if he couldn’t believe that Han Lingqiu would be involved in such a matter. “General, what evidence do you have?”

“Miss He was attacked, the supplies were burned, and the grain was ambushed. Every incident is related to him. During the ambush, the Huqi people were ordered not to harm Han Lingqiu. He originally came from Danzhi, claimed to have amnesia, but there are many suspicions surrounding him.”

“Amnesia?” Lin Jun exclaimed.

“I believe he is intentionally concealing his abilities, so I organized a martial arts competition to test his true strength. I heard that Boss Lin is also skilled in martial arts, and there are several guests in your house with extraordinary abilities. Could you please invite them to come and compete with Han Lingqiu?”

Lin Jun nodded solemnly and bowed to Duan Xu, saying, “This matter rests on my shoulders, and I will not disappoint the trust of the general.”

Duan Xu patted Lin Jun’s shoulder and said, “Boss Lin is not only the pride of the Lin family but also the backbone of Daliang.”

After leaving the Lin family, Duan Xu turned back and went to find Han Lingqiu. He called Han Lingqiu, who was patrolling, over and said, “Regardless of your suspicions about me, I am your general now, and you must obey my orders.”

Han Lingqiu lowered his gaze and said, “Yes, General, what are your orders?”

“You have hidden your strength and have not fully revealed your abilities, haven’t you?” Duan Xu cut to the chase.

Han Lingqiu was very surprised, about to say something but was stopped by Duan Xu’s gesture. Duan Xu went straight to the point: “In the upcoming martial arts competition, I want you to win all the matches, but still conceal your true strength unless absolutely necessary to reveal it.”

This strange request left Han Lingqiu stunned in place. After a moment of processing, he asked, “How does the General know about my…”

“This is my command. You only need to say ‘yes’,” Duan Xu interrupted.

Han Lingqiu fell silent for a moment, then nodded his head and replied, “Yes.”

Duan Xu chuckled lightly and continued, “There’s one more thing I need to tell you, remember it well.”

As the moon reached its zenith, Duan Xu finally emerged from the military camp. Carrying a lantern as usual, he walked alone on the moonlit, chilly streets. Red lanterns and red silk adorned the streets, and new couplets were hung on doors. The city’s residents were happily preparing for the upcoming New Year.

They were unaware that the grain and supplies in the city would only last a month, unaware of the endless black tents outside the city, unaware of the twenty-three members of the Lin family who had been killed under the city walls today. This peace, even happiness, seemed astonishing and eerie.

Meanwhile, the one who concealed much remained calm, walking with his lantern through the lively streets.

“Are you here?” he asked.

After a moment of silence, a pair of lotus-coloured cloud boots stepped onto the ground beside him, soundless.

The Ghost King lantern at He Simu’s waist flickered with a subtle blue light. She casually remarked, “Everything arranged?”

“Yes. You already know?”

“I have a general idea.”

“Let’s see how this game ends, and how much you can guess,” Duan Xu replied.

He Simu turned to look at the young man beside her. In his clear eyes, there seemed to be a bottomless abyss. A person who might live only a hundred years, having lived just twenty, yet possessing such eyes.

She asked, “Little General, how old are you? Aren’t you tired?”

Duan Xu’s eyes flickered, he turned his head to look at He Simu, smiled, but said nothing.

The New Year’s martial arts competition was held as scheduled on the morning of New Year’s Eve. He Simu, as the representative of the Tabai Army, was also invited to the training ground. Sitting beside Duan Xu, Lin Jun was also invited by Duan Xu and sat on his other side.

Duan Xu did not participate in the martial arts competition, nor did he allow martial arts enthusiasts like Wu Shengliu to participate. Wu Shengliu was visibly upset about this, sitting at the table with crossed arms and a cold expression, only drinking without speaking.

After several rounds of drawing lots, Han Lingqiu unsurprisingly advanced to the finals. His reputation in the military martial arts was well-known, having only been defeated by Wu Shengliu before.

Also reaching the finals was Song Daxia, a martial artist Lin Jun had invited. Song Daxia was similar in stature to Han Lingqiu, robust and strong, effortlessly defeating opponents in the previous rounds, demonstrating his formidable skills.

The two bowed to each other in the arena, and as soon as the drum sounded, they assumed their stances and began to spar. Duan Xu squinted slightly, Lin Jun leaned forward nervously, while He Simu casually nibbled on melon seeds, occasionally glancing at the field.

Both were skilled fighters, exchanging blows without giving in, their figures flipping back and forth in the training ground, raising dust. After several rounds, they were evenly matched.

According to Duan Xu, if Han Lingqiu was once an unknown elite, his strength should surpass that of Song Daxia. However, adhering to Duan Xu’s orders, he had not revealed too much, but this level of skill might not be enough to defeat Song Daxia.

He Simu cracked melon seeds, thinking to himself that Duan Xu had indeed presented a dilemma for Lin and Han, needing to probe while also concealing, and both sides wanting to win.

As the situation became tense, after several rounds, neither Han Lingqiu nor Song Daxia could gain the upper hand. Lin Jun furrowed his brows and watched for a long time before saying to Duan Xu, “At this rate, we won’t be able to see Captain Han’s true strength. I heard from Song Daxia that there is a martial arts method in the martial world that requires blindfolding, which is the best way to test the opponent’s strength.”

Duan Xu’s hand paused as he drank tea, then he smiled and said, “Alright, since we can’t determine the winner like this, let’s do it this way.”

He called for Meng Wan, announcing the modified rules.

On the training ground, Han Lingqiu visibly hesitated as he raised his eyes, looking somewhat uncertainly at Duan Xu, who in turn gazed back at him calmly. The atmosphere hung with suspicion and unease in the clear sky for a moment. Han Lingqiu lowered his head, seemingly sighed, and took the black cloth handed to him by a soldier, covering his eyes securely.

This was evidently an unprecedented challenge, and the onlookers around the training ground eagerly watched the two blindfolded figures in the centre.

Once Han Lingqiu’s eyes were covered, there was a subtle shift in the atmosphere around him. He Simu noticed a difference in the wind currents around him, similar to when Duan Xu fought Wu Shengliu previously; there were minor fluctuations and distortions. When he dashed towards Song Daxia to engage, his speed was unexpectedly more than twice as fast as before, and his accuracy was impeccable, as if he had grown a third eye.

Blindfolded duelling was said to be a custom in the martial world, but Song Daxia clearly wasn’t accustomed to it. His speed and accuracy slightly decreased, and he hesitated in his attacks. Amidst the flying dust, Han Lingqiu and Song Daxia exchanged a few feints before Han Lingqiu landed a precise punch to his chest. As Song Daxia staggered back, Han Lingqiu swiftly moved forward, grabbed his arm, and threw him to the ground, then accurately seized his neck.

It was swift, precise, devoid of any tricks, only lethal intent.

He Simu dropped the melon seeds in his hand, thinking that Song Daxia probably had several broken ribs, with one almost piercing his heart.

Blindfolded, Han Lingqiu’s attacks were near-lethal, much more ruthless than before.

Without undergoing extremely brutal and meticulous training, one wouldn’t possess such sharp perception and formidable attacking capabilities.

The drums sounded on the field, and the soldiers shouted, “Captain Han wins.”

Han Lingqiu quietly stood up, removed the black cloth from his eyes, and bowed to Song Daxia, saying, “I apologize.”

The people seated were all astonished, and the first one to jump up was unexpectedly Wu Shengliu. He widened his eyes and exclaimed loudly, “How come Brother Han… his martial arts are so formidable? Why didn’t I know about this? What’s he been hiding all this time?”

Amidst a chorus of admiration, Duan Xu set down his teacup and calmly stood up from his seat.

He leisurely walked to the edge of the training ground and loudly proclaimed, “Gentlemen, during our time stationed in the city of Shuozhou, there have been incidents one after another. First, the ambush on the convoy of the Wind Horn Battalion, then the burning of provisions, the ambush led by Zao Dan during the grain robbery, and the betrayal of the Lin family’s main house. Each of these incidents indicates the presence of a spy among us. Today, I finally managed to determine the identity of this spy, and I believe this person is implicated in every one of these events.”

Duan Xu’s gaze fell upon Han Lingqiu, who remained silent, looking at him, his hands clenched but not saying a word.

Duan Xu simply smiled calmly and turned to look at Lin Jun beside him.

“Boss Lin, what do you say? Or perhaps I should ask you, since we took control of the city, where have you hidden the real Lin Jun?”

The author’s note: Duan Xu’s countdown to being exposed begins! How many chapters will it take?