Chapter 46: The Flying General

Wu Jue, observing the man's impressive skills, found it difficult to judge whether he was a spy from the Celestial Execution Clan. Raising his hands, he said, "Don't be nervous, we are here seeking help. Tianhai City has fallen, but many people still don't know who our enemy is. We're only here to deliver a message."

The young man glanced at him, but then shifted the tip of his arrow toward Xiao Han and Xiao Yang, who were hurrying over from the distance. "Are you together? Then what about the airship you arrived in? Where did it come from?"

Xiao Yang quickly gestured for him to relax and explained, "We seized the ship from the enemy. If you know what's happening, you should realize that all the disasters have been caused by aliens—and those aliens are the Celestial Execution Clan."

"The Celestial Execution Clan? So it's true," the young man murmured, looking somewhat surprised, as if unsure of the news before.

In that split second of distraction, An Yi suddenly leapt forward, tackling him to the ground. The arrow in his hand shot loose, detonating in midair with a cloud of smoke.

Wu Jue cried out, "Xiao Han, get back quickly! The smoke is poisonous!"

Xiao Yang and his companion retreated in haste. Wu Jue swept his palm through the air, dispersing the smoke.

Meanwhile, An Yi and the young man rolled on the ground, grappling fiercely. The young man drew arrows from his quiver, trying to stab An Yi, but she overpowered him, landing several heavy punches. At last, the quiver was crushed, and the arrowheads inside exploded in a burst of sparks right before An Yi, forcing her to leap back.

The young man took a few steps away, glaring at them, gripping an arrow and aiming at the group with a predatory look. But the astonishment on his face quickly made him drop the arrow to the ground.

"How is this possible? Are you immortal?" For in that instant, the wounds on Princess An Yi's face, burned by the explosion, healed before his eyes, leaving her unharmed.

An Yi stood in the moonlight, her face furious. She raised her fist to strike, but Wu Jue grabbed her arm, looking at her in equal disbelief. "Enough, he's not our enemy. There's no need for us to fight to the death. And, An Yi, is there something you're not telling us?"

At that moment, An Yi of course understood what had happened. She calmed her anger, lowered her fist, and said to Wu Jue, "Very well. Actually, I'm not only the princess of the Jiuli Tribe, but also a warrior blessed by the goddess. I'm the only woman in the tribe who cannot use magic, but I possess invincible strength and an immortal body. My mission is to inherit my mother's will and protect the tribe. But I did not wish to live a life cut off from the world, so I came among mortals and witnessed this catastrophe."

"All right, now you know everything. What do you think?" Princess An Yi shook off Wu Jue's hand angrily and stepped aside.

Wu Jue pressed his palms together, sighing inwardly, then asked the young man, "Now you should see that we're not your enemies. This was just a misunderstanding. We should show some sincerity to each other—even if we can't be friends, we shouldn't be enemies. After all, there are so few humans left alive."

The young man sneered, "It's this young lady's temper that's so fiery. I was just being cautious—you should know, in the apocalypse, many people take advantage of chaos and have no scruples. I have to be wary. I have my own companions, too. If I'm careless with you, it could spell disaster for them."

Wu Jue nodded, acknowledging his point.

The young man then offered his hand. "My name is Gao Lin. You can call me the Flying General—everyone does."

"The Flying General? Because you're skilled with a bow!" Wu Jue couldn't help but laugh, having noticed the young man's remarkable archery.

Gao Lin replied, "No, I learned everything from my adoptive father. He was the real hero. He began preparing for the apocalypse long ago, which is why we survived at all."

"Enough talk," Gao Lin said, glancing into the distance. "Let's find somewhere more concealed to talk. I expect it won't be long before the zombies arrive to feast on that centipede's corpse."

Xiao Yang and Wu Jue conferred, "Though the airship is damaged, there are still plenty of supplies on board. We need to find a way to take them with us."

"I'll help you," said Wu Jue.

An Yi interrupted, "Let me do it. I don't much want to be around this fellow." She followed Xiao Yang to operate the airship.

Wu Jue and his companion followed Gao Lin to a nearby grove. Concealed among the trees, they settled down for the moment.

Gao Lin began, "Okay, let's say I've set aside my hostility. But I can't give you too much help. Like I said, I can't just introduce you to my companions. But I can tell you a bit about the situation in the city. The Celestial Execution Clan began attacking about a month ago. They destroyed our defending troops, infected a large number of animals to attack us, and then started creating hordes of zombies..."

From his account, they learned that Jiangzhou City had fallen almost completely within a month—even the local government's troops had been turned into zombies. The situation had been dire.

Later, Gao Lin's adoptive father led a group of survivors into a prepared underground shelter, narrowly escaping disaster, and began to fight back.

Gao's family had a martial heritage and later joined the revolution, giving them considerable influence in Jiangzhou. They used their resources and technology to create special bows and arrows to combat the enemy.

Gradually, under the Gao family's leadership, the people of Jiangzhou reclaimed half the city, though it was still divided and could fall at any time.

"Your people are still in the city now. How do they resist the Celestial Execution Clan?" Wu Jue asked.

Gao Lin replied, "That's where things went wrong. When my adoptive father was alive, he insisted on underground warfare. We dug many tunnels. But after he died in battle, my elder brother took command and began expanding openly. Now they're living in the old buildings again, which worries me."

"So you keep watch outside," Wu Jue interjected suddenly, "to avoid conflict with your brother and to keep Jiangzhou safe?"

His keen gaze had already discerned the tension between the brothers and their disparate abilities.

Gao Lin sighed, "What can I do? I was trained as a bodyguard by my adoptive father. Before he died, he asked me to support my brother as the leader of Jiangzhou. I have no choice but to obey."

It was clear the Gao family had a troubled history. While the group fell silent, Xiao Yang and An Yi managed to drag back the airship.

But the space was so exposed that it was hard to hide. Xiao Yang stepped out and said, "This is a real problem. We've got nowhere to conceal ourselves—how can we settle here safely?"

Gao Lin said, "I'll take you to my secret base. There's an abandoned mountain behind this grove. I built a cabin there. You can stay nearby for now."

An Yi hoisted the airship with ease. "Then let’s stop talking and get moving."

They followed Gao Lin to the wild mountain behind the grove, a concealed place where thick woods covered most of the sky. Without Gao Lin leading, no one would have guessed there was a wooden cabin here.

They cleared a space beside the cabin, making room for the airship. Next, they tried to reconnect the damaged hull.

"Looks like we need some tools," Xiao Yang suggested. "We’ll have to go to the city. If you’re worried, take us to the Celestial Execution Clan’s location—as a trade, we’ll help you fight them in exchange for your help."

Gao Lin thought for a moment. "I can't take all of you. Let's set some rules. Unless I allow it, don't leave this area. I'll take one person with me to scout the Celestial Execution Clan."

Xiao Yang protested, "That won't do. If only one of us goes, what if it’s a trap? Two at least."

He glanced at Wu Jue, taking extra precautions.

Gao Lin looked them over, then said, "All right. Even if you forced your way, we couldn't stop you. You may send two people, but you must wear these masks and pretend to be my companions."

He handed two black masks to Xiao Yang and Wu Jue, who put them on to hide their faces.

Wu Jue and Xiao Yang nodded to An Yi, leaving Xiao Han and Xun’er behind to repair the airship.

Xun’er came out and grabbed Wu Jue’s hand. "Big monk, come back quickly and don’t make us worry."

Wu Jue smiled faintly, feeling something pressed into his palm by Xun’er. He said nothing, closed his hand over it, and turned to follow Gao Lin.

End of Chapter 46: The Flying General