It Will Clear Up

Chen Guan casually took out his Black Tortoise Token. When he pressed his fingertip against the center, a dark glow rose from within the token and spread soundlessly like ripples across a pond.

A few seconds later, a voice carrying three parts laziness and seven parts amusement rang directly through Chen Guan’s mind.

“Well, well, isn’t this our Little Xuanwu?”

The voice was very familiar.

“What’s this? Missing your lonely, unmarried boss?”

It was the detestable White Tiger.

Chen Guan leaned against the headboard and adjusted his position to lessen the pain in his left arm. Not a trace of discomfort showed on his face.

White Tiger chuckled on the other end, his voice tinged with teasing. “Go on, why are you in such a hurry to contact me? What kind of trouble did you get yourself into this time? Or did you run into an enemy you couldn’t handle?”

Chen Guan ignored his jokes and went straight to the point.

“I gave the Azure Dragon Token to Liu Feiyu.”

There was a brief silence on the other end. Only after a moment did White Tiger speak again, his amusement even more pronounced.

“So you really gave it to him. I guessed as much a long time ago, but I’m guessing you didn’t hand it over for free.”

White Tiger knew this kid’s character all too well. He was the sort who plucked feathers from passing geese and stripped the hide from passing rabbits.

He hadn’t taken the opportunity to extort a little something? Give me a break. Don’t make your Tiger Bro laugh.

“My future colleague gave me some real estate as a welcoming gift,” Chen Guan said without the slightest change in expression.

An island and a desert counted as real estate, didn’t they?

White Tiger gave an acknowledging “oh,” clearly not paying much attention. Misled by the phrase “some real estate,” he assumed it meant a house or something similar, so naturally he didn’t care.

He owned properties in many places across the country, making it convenient for him to live wherever he happened to be. He wasn’t about to envy one of his subordinates for owning a house.

Of course, if he learned the truth about that “real estate,” China would gain another case of red-eyed jealousy.

Unfortunately, your Tiger Bro was still completely in the dark.

Chen Guan continued, “There’s one more thing. I’m in the Northern Frontier right now.”

White Tiger was speechless. “Didn’t I tell you to stay put at school? How did you end up running off to a war zone again without saying a word?”

Chen Guan replied with complete justification, “The academy sent me here. I didn’t run off.”

“Fine. That is a legitimate reason.”

White Tiger’s tone became even more helpless. In truth, he had known from the beginning that Chen Guan would never stay put.

Besides, this was hardly an era that allowed people to live quietly. Young people were bound to run around a little.

“So?” White Tiger’s voice lengthened, every word full of teasing. “You didn’t call just to report on your future colleague and the new house you acquired, did you?”

He paused deliberately.

“Is this about the other coffin?”

Chen Guan gave a quiet affirmative.

That was his real purpose.

“I want to know everything about that thing. You’re the one with the clearance. When exactly are you going to authorize my access?”

“What a nuisance. Why do I have so many things to deal with?” White Tiger scratched his head. “I feel like I’ve been so busy lately. So, so busy.”

“Still, since you’ve come all the way to the Northern Frontier, it wouldn’t look right if I didn’t meet you in person.”

Chen Guan was always good at pressing for more. He immediately asked, “When?”

“Why the rush?”

Hearing how Chen Guan sounded as though he feared White Tiger might change his mind, White Tiger’s voice once again took on its familiar playful edge.

Heh heh heh. So the brat finally found something he actually cared about.

“Once some of those troublesome old men leave, I’ll take you inside.”

“For now, just stay put and be a good wounded patient. Enjoy the special treatment from your friends.”

“After all, getting a whole group of peerless prodigies from this era to serve as your bodyguards isn’t an opportunity that comes around often. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Even a dating sim doesn’t go this far.”

Chen Guan: “…”

So you play dating sims too, huh, old man?

“All right, go rest, Little Xuanwu.”

Before White Tiger’s voice disappeared, he added one last thing.

“If your real estate needs renovating, remember to contact me. I know an incredible construction crew.”

The communication ended.

The dark glow on the token slowly faded, and Chen Guan put it back into his storage ring.

Leaning against the headboard, he listened to the dull roar of wind and snow outside the tent and slowly closed his eyes.

Things had come to this.

He might as well sleep first.

…

He slept until dawn.

When he opened his eyes again, he was awakened by the aroma of food and a hushed argument.

“I told you to let him sleep a little longer. Why did you bring the medicine over?”

“Doctor Zhou said it has to be taken on time, or his wounds will heal more slowly!”

“The porridge is getting cold.”

Chen Guan had only just sat up when he found himself facing three pairs of eyes.

Su Yuehe was holding an insulated food container, unmelted snow clinging to her temples.

Long Ao was carrying a bag of medicine, his brows tightly knitted and impatience written all over his face.

An Changqing held fresh bandages, his gaze fixed directly on Chen Guan’s arm as he checked whether the wound had started bleeding again.

One had brought food.

One had brought medicine.

One was in charge of changing the bandages.

Oh, and behind them were two more people, one dressed in silver and the other in red. One was reading, while the other was busy eating.

Liu Feiyu, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen. He was probably overjoyed, studying that lousy token. Clearly, he didn’t care at all about his future colleague. Everything he had said the night before had been a lie meant to fool ghosts.

Looking at the scene before him, the corner of Chen Guan’s mouth twitched.

Oh no. This really did look a bit like a dating sim.

Damn that Kitty Tiger.

“I feel like I can be discharged now.”

“No.”

Three voices answered in unison, firm and decisive. Even the two people in the back sent him disapproving looks.

Chen Guan said nothing more. It was obvious that Doctor Zhou must have given them strict instructions.

He remained under round-the-clock supervision until the snow finally began to ease on the afternoon of the third day. Only then was he permitted to leave the tent and get some fresh air.

The sky over the Northern Frontier showed a faint gray-white glow. In the temporary training grounds in the distance, the soldiers’ training chants had never stopped.

Chen Guan walked in front, with three people following behind him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake them off.

“The air smells better today than it did the past few days,” Su Yuehe said with a sincere smile.

Everything was getting better.

“That’s because there haven’t been many clashes lately. It’s basically a vacation. The smell of blood has dispersed,” Long Ao said, his blunt tone ruining the little bit of atmosphere they had managed to create.

An Changqing ignored him and said to Chen Guan, “Professor Situ said that if nothing major happens, we’ll be able to return to Huaqing in two weeks.”

“Once we’re back, in another month we’ll become senior students and go welcome the new students.”

Chen Guan’s steps faltered.

Returning to Huaqing meant distancing himself from that coffin once again.

“Sounds good,” he replied, his emotions impossible to read.

White Tiger should keep his promise and come over, right?

He should…

The group reached the base of the observation tower at the edge of the camp. From there, they could see the outlines of snow-capped mountains stretching into the distance.

The setting sun was pushing its way out from behind the clouds, casting a fragile golden rim over the snow.

“Look, the sun’s coming out.”

Su Yuehe pointed toward the horizon, her voice filled with delight.

Chen Guan looked up. The warm yellow light fell across his face, dispelling some of the gloom that had lingered for days.

He looked at the friends beside him.

Long Ao still wore the expression of someone to whom the entire world owed money.

An Changqing was as gentle as ever.

The light of the setting sun was reflected in Su Yuehe’s eyes.

It seemed as though everything was still the same. Nothing had changed.

Standing beside him, An Changqing spoke casually.

“The weather forecast says it’ll clear up tomorrow.”