"This old man already considers you a benefactor of the Mu family. Before Master Mu passed away, this old man made a promise to follow the General and the Mu family army for the rest of my life. This old man offers tea in place of wine to thank you for your courage and resourcefulness in saving the General."
Qin Wei tilted his head back and drank the tea in his cup.
Ling Yan sighed softly, seemingly lost in thought, but placed the teacup on the table.
"Elder Qin, you are too kind. Since I follow the General, I will do everything in my power to protect him."
Qin Wei's gaze swept over Ling Yan's teacup, and he stroked his beard with a slight smile.
"Elder Qin."
Hearing Mu Yuan's voice, Qin Wei and Ling Yan stood up and went out of the inner room at the same time.
Mu Yuan on the cot had already sat up and looked like he wanted to get out of bed.
Qin Wei exclaimed in surprise, but Mu Yuan had already stood on the ground, reaching for the inner garment placed beside him.
"General, you absolutely must not get out of bed and walk around so easily!"
Mu Yuan glanced at Qin Wei indifferently, without speaking or stopping his actions of putting on his clothes.
Ling Yan's fingers brushed against his lower lip, a smile appearing on his face.
Qin Wei hesitated, stammered, and dared not speak again.
Mu Yuan finished dressing, picked up his sword, and said to Ling Yan:
"Ling, come with me."
Before leaving, Ling Yan accepted the beast-hide cloak that Qin Wei handed him with a face full of apology.
"Young Ling... I..."
Ling Yan gave Elder Qin a nonchalant smile, cutting him off.
"It's alright, Elder Qin. I understand."
Then, he followed Mu Yuan out the door.
Although Snowgate Island wasn't windy or snowing today, the temperature was still extremely low.
Ling Yan draped the cloak over Mu Yuan's shoulders, and Mu Yuan sighed softly.
"Elder Qin, he..."
Ling Yan knew Mu Yuan wanted to explain about Qin Wei adding something to his tea, so he changed the subject.
"Where is the General taking me? Vice-General Li said you were looking for me?"
Some things, some words, didn't need to be spelled out clearly.
Especially in the current situation.
Ling Yan's attitude towards Qin Wei and Li Qiu was very clear.
He knew they didn't trust him and were suspicious of his identity, but he also knew that Mu Yuan trusted him, and that was enough.
Li Qiu could use sparring as an excuse to probe his limits, even try to kill him.
Qin Wei could put some unknown substance besides tea leaves into his teacup.
He accepted all of this because the more the people around Mu Yuan targeted him, the more it showed that they were people Mu Yuan trusted, utterly loyal to him.
They were "their own people."
[Boss, haven't you noticed something strange?]
[What?]
Mei was scratching at its non-existent fur in its consciousness space, even shouting loudly.
[You're acting weird towards this General Mu Yuan!]
Ling Yan's lips curved into a smile.
[Mei, don't you think this Mu Yuan looks a lot like someone?]
[Huh?]
Ling Yan's words directly stunned Mei.
Look like someone?
How was that possible!
This was the world of a book!
Mei's brain frantically searched, thinking hard, but came up with no answer.
But clearly, Ling Yan hadn't expected Mei to have a reply at all.
Before Mei could speak, Mu Yuan beside him answered the previous question.
"Ah, yes. I want you to come with me to interrogate someone."
Mu Yuan's words made Ling Yan scratch his brow. "This... isn't very appropriate, is it? Interrogate who?"
Mu Yuan stopped walking, turning his face to look at Ling Yan.
"The Imperial Advisor, Wang Quan."
Ling Yan followed Mu Yuan to the cellar of the Mu family army's camp.
In fact, the Mu family army stationed on Snowgate Island, along with the King's army, numbered just over three hundred people. Their food supply mostly relied on transport from the Violet Gold mainland. They had tried to grow some cold-resistant vegetables on the island, but none had survived.
All the ingredients transported to the island from the Violet Gold mainland were stored in the cellar.
At this moment, Wang Quan, the Xingling Kingdom's Imperial Advisor who had drugged Mu Yuan with the Fallen Immortal Powder, was locked here.
The air in the cellar was stagnant, with a smell of rotten vegetable leaves. Unlike the dry cold above ground, it was damp, gloomy, and cold here.
Wang Quan was only wearing a thin layer of clothing. He huddled in a corner, shivering, his lips and nose tinged with blue-purple.
Seeing Mu Yuan arrive, he glared with bloodshot eyes and stumbled towards him.
Ling Yan stepped in front of Mu Yuan, stopping Wang Quan with one hand.
When Wang Quan saw Ling Yan, his lips trembled violently, and his eyes widened in disbelief. "You... you..."
Ling Yan didn't care and didn't reply. Instead, Mu Yuan tilted his head, looking at Wang Quan and then at Ling Yan.
"What? Does the Imperial Advisor know this person?"
When Wang Quan saw Ling Yan, he immediately recalled his encounter two nights ago. A surge of anger made his mouth twist and his eyes bulge.
"Heh, Imperial Advisor, are you having a stroke?"
"Bold thief! You dare to ambush this Imperial Advisor! You... you still haven't reported your name! Once I return to the royal city, I will definitely spare no effort in dealing with you!"
Hearing Wang Quan say this, Mu Yuan felt a surge of joy in his heart.
Ling Yan, I've finally caught you by your little braid!
Ling Yan remained indifferent, still looking at Wang Quan calmly.
As a result, Mu Yuan beside him suddenly turned his face and leaned towards him.
Then, a voice as clear as a spring sounded in Ling Yan's ear: "That night, it really was you."
"General, this Imperial Advisor's mouth is crooked and his eyes are askew. He doesn't look normal at all. You actually believe what he says?"
Ling Yan finished speaking to Mu Yuan with a playful smile, then slowly bent down, leaned closer to Wang Quan, as if carefully examining him.
"The Imperial Advisor has met me? I don't seem to recall."
Wang Quan stared into Ling Yan's chestnut eyes, and suddenly his body stiffened, a chill seeping through him from the depths of his heart.
This coldness crawled along the blood vessels throughout his body to his spine, shooting straight to the back of his head.
He involuntarily swallowed, his stomach clenching.
He rushed towards Mu Yuan as if fleeing for his life.
He felt that if he stayed in front of this imposing soldier for even a second longer, he would be unable to breathe.
In such a short time, Wang Quan was already drenched in cold sweat. His hands were tied behind his back, and he could only hop on his feet as he loudly questioned Mu Yuan.
"Mu Yuan! You must explain yourself clearly! Why have you bound this Imperial Advisor in this cold, damp cellar! The King will absolutely not spare you! I will make sure your Mu family army suffers consequences you can't even imagine!"
"Perhaps the Imperial Advisor can explain this first?"
Mu Yuan took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket. Wang Quan's face changed upon seeing the bottle.
"Fallen Immortal Powder. The Imperial Advisor went to the trouble of coming to our Snowgate Island, and Mu Yuan treated you with courtesy. Yet, you poisoned my drink. Why is that?"
Seeing that his scheme had been exposed, Wang Quan no longer tried to hide anything. He snorted coldly.
"Mu Yuan, it is your good fortune that this Imperial Advisor has taken a liking to you. Everyone in the Xingling Kingdom respects you as the Guardian General. Yes, I admit you are exceptionally strong, but those ignorant commoners don't know that their beloved General Mu Yuan, the dream lover of countless women, actually prefers men!"
As Wang Quan said this, the already pale face of Mu Yuan became utterly white.
"Follow me, and you won't have to stay on this icy Snowgate Island, constantly plagued by alien beasts. Follow me, and you'll live a life of luxury, with daily satisfaction guaranteed! But you, you don't know what's good for you! Not only are you ungrateful for this Imperial Advisor's kindness, but you've even locked me up here! You're truly a bas-"
Wang Quan's words were cut short as Ling Yan casually grabbed a potato from a nearby pile of vegetable baskets and shoved it directly into Wang Quan's mouth, effectively silencing him.
The forceful action caused Wang Quan to fall straight onto the ground.
Before Ling Yan could speak, Mu Yuan had already walked towards Wang Quan and kicked him in the chest.
Wang Quan flipped over like a turtle on its back. Mu Yuan leaned down, his fox-like eyes slightly narrowed, radiating danger.
"Even if I like men, I like men like Ling."