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Reborn to Become A Queen: The Real Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 239: Two People Fall into the Valley
Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Two People Fall into the Valley
Throughout the journey, Zhan Lan smelled the fresh scent of watermelon, chunks of red flesh with black seeds arrayed neatly on the long table.
The soldier cutting the watermelon wanted to salute Zhan Lan, but she waved him off and beckoned, "Everyone come and eat!"
She took a piece of the cut watermelon and squatted down amongst them, taking a bite.
The sweet taste filled her mouth, and a smile curled at the corner of her lips.
These past two years, aside from her family and Chu Yin, Mu Yan was the person who cared for her most, always appearing before her whether it was spring, summer, autumn, or winter, no matter what she thought of.
The soldiers, having their fill of the refreshing watermelon, were pleased as punch. An old soldier with wrinkled brows expressed his concern, "Main General, is your wound feeling any better?"
Zhan Lan chuckled as she flung the watermelon rinds into the wooden bin, her smile radiant, "It’s nothing at all!"
The soldiers laughed along with her.
Zhan Lan washed her hands by a pool, shaking them off before saying, "You’ve all worked hard; go take turns to rest!"
"Yes, Main General!"
After Zhan Lan left, the old soldier gazed at her retreating figure, "My daughter is about the same age as the Main General, yet she’s still being coddled by her mother. General Zhan truly commands respect!"
"Indeed, the Main General says she’s fine, but I’ve seen her covered in cold sweat from the pain when she’s alone..."
"Sigh, how I wish this war would end soon and peace would prevail!"
"Yes!"
After the soldiers finished their watermelon, suddenly, a clear bugle call sounded.
Zhan Lan swiftly lifted the tent curtain of the camp.
A scout came to report, "Report to the Main General, enemy troops spotted thirty miles out!"
Zhan Lan gripped her spear and bellowed, "Form up, prepare to meet the enemy!"
In front of both armies, horses galloped, the earth trembled, and the sounds of battle were deafening.
On the vast wasteland, a huge eagle formation composed of tens of thousands of cavalry roared forward; the Nanjin army shifted its formation in response.
Astride her Ferghana horse, Zhan Lan wielding a long spear, clashed with the Deputy General Lu Fei of Beiyue, and at the moment their spears met, a flash of silver burst forth, and after several breaths, his neck spurted blood into the air.
"Kill!" Zhan Lan withdrew her bloodied spear, and together with Dugu Yan and Xiao Chen in an unstoppable triangle formation, they charged into the heart of the main Beiyue forces.
Ye Xiuhan approached with his spear, and Zhan Lan’s spear collided with his fiercely.
The drumbeats thundered, the deep cattle horn sounded urgently, one after another, both resonating in the air.
The blood-soaked battlefield saw rows of Beiyue and Nanjin soldiers falling, the horses’ mournful neighs and soldiers’ screams soared to the heavens.
Not until both Zhan Lan and Ye Xiuhan had bloodshot eyes did Ye Xiuhan enter the ambush circle Zhan Lan had set in advance.
After many battles, Ye Xiuhan also came to understand Zhan Lan’s character.
As night fell and realizing the situation was dire, he immediately turned his horse and retreated.
Zhan Lan looked towards the direction in which Ye Xiuhan had fled, her lips curving into a nearly imperceptible smile; the real ambush she had prepared awaited him there.
Only when she saw the signal flare did Zhan Lan gallop away.
To quicken her speed, she shed her heavy armor and wore only the Soft Hedgehog Armor.
By the time she reached the cliff edge, Ye Xiuhan had been driven to a dead end by the Dark Night Organization’s men.
He held his spear, his armor fallen away; with his own flesh and blood, he fought against hundreds, resisting the Hidden Guards of Zhan Lan.
Zhan Lan dismounted and looked at Ye Xiuhan, "General Ye, you should surrender; I assure you that you will not be harmed."
Ye Xiuhan’s frosty gaze swept across Zhan Lan’s face; he glanced at the cliff below and stated gravely, "I’d rather die in battle than surrender!"
Zhan Lan’s eyes turned cold as she ordered sternly, "Take him away!"
Just as Ye Xiuhan was about to be captured, suddenly, countless arrows shot fiercely from within the woods.
Zhan Lan was shocked as she watched a Hidden Guard fall before her; a group of mysterious figures in black emerged from the shadows, attacking them.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Ye Xiuhan used his war spear to block the arrows shooting his way; in the heat of battle, he threw a long chain tied around his waist, and Zhan Lan got caught, causing both of them to fall off the cliff together.
As Zhan Lan’s body plummeted, she clutched onto Ye Xiuhan with all her might; Ye Xiuhan wasn’t foolish enough to die alongside her.
During her descent, she caught sight of a blue expanse - a lake; they weren’t going to die.
Indeed, Ye Xiuhan was not easy to kill; even in the face of certain death, he had planned an escape.
With no time to think, they crashed into the lake with a splash, both submerged together.
After crawling to the shore, soaking wet, the two exchanged a look before swiftly engaging in close combat.
But this time, neither of them had their war spears, and could only resort to the daggers they carried and fighting hand-to-hand.
As they fought fiercely, Zhan Lan suddenly caught sight of wild beasts converging from all directions within the valley; their green eyes were chilling in the night.
"Ye Xiuhan, stop fighting, there are wild beasts!"
Zhan Lan dodged a heavy blow from Ye Xiuhan, stepping back and raising both hands in indication.
Ye Xiuhan saw the beasts slowly emerging from the forest.
"It’s a pack of wolves!"
More than twenty wolves surrounded them on all sides, drooling and baring their fangs as they advanced toward the pair.
Zhan Lan found herself abruptly pulled by Ye Xiuhan; with an urgent tone, he said:
"Zhan Lan, let’s call a truce. I’ll watch your back, and whether we can get out of this valley alive is a matter of luck!"
Zhan Lan had no time to hesitate; she immediately stood back-to-back with Ye Xiuhan, dagger in hand, facing the charging pack of wolves.
There are no eternal foes, only common interests; under the threat of life and death, they were forced to become allies, together confronting the pack.
The fight was more brutal than imagined; both had already been through a battle and had just emerged from water, making the struggle against the wolves no easy feat.
The Wolf King, seeing several wolves dead by their daggers, with blood-red eyes, signaled for an even more ferocious attack on the two.
Not only did they have to counter the wolves in front of them but also fend off attacks from the side because protecting their companion was akin to protecting themselves.
A wolf swung its paws, targeting Zhan Lan’s cheek and neck; Ye Xiuhan threw a punch that landed heavily on the wolf’s head. Despite its savage nature, the wolf tore a piece of flesh from his arm with its claws.
"Ye Xiuhan!"
Zhan Lan kicked away the wolf that was attacking Ye Xiuhan from the side.
She suddenly noticed that one wolf was different from the others; it seemed to be circling them, giving orders.
Zhan Lan leaped forward, plunging her dagger’s poison needle from the Blood Drop into the wolf, which instantly collapsed.
With her dagger in the wolf’s neck, the death of the leading wolf caused the remaining pack to flee with tails between their legs.
Both of them, supporting each other, lit a bonfire in a nearby cave; Zhan Lan collapsed, exhausted, on the bloodstained ground.
Ye Xiuhan also sat down dejectedly.
Zhan Lan glanced at the blood flowing down Ye Xiuhan’s arm, where a chunk of flesh was missing.
Yet, that wolf’s attack would have, at most, only scratched her neck and face; why did Ye Xiuhan use his hand to block it?
"Ye Xiuhan, the wolves might counterattack. Let’s cease hostilities; I’ll help you dress your wound," Zhan Lan said as she tore off a piece of her skirt’s hem and put away the dagger.
Ye Xiuhan, enduring the pain, let Zhan Lan bandage his arm. With a furrowed brow, Zhan Lan knew his arm would likely be marred by an unsightly scar.
Zhan Lan curiously asked, "Why did you do that just now?"
Ye Xiuhan’s eyes, as deep as ancient pools, looked toward Zhan Lan and said, "Don’t all you women love beauty? If your face were disfigured, who would want you in the future?"