Chapter 118 – The Army of Submission (2)

Under the command of Ge Jingyun and Leng Xiao, the troops astonishingly quickened their pace, jogging back toward the camp. Gu Yun smiled faintly, gratified—this was precisely the resilience and unyielding spirit she had hoped for.

After a full day of training and countless demonstrations, Gu Yun herself was exhausted. As she turned around, she was startled to find Han Shu silently standing behind her, his deep, unwavering gaze fixed upon her. He had truly watched the entire day.

With a sardonic smile, Gu Yun remarked, "Frontline Commander Han seems quite idle today, doesn't he?" Was this not the man who scorned the idea of women training soldiers?

But this time, Han Shu did not return her jab with his usual sarcasm. Instead, he asked in a composed voice, "How long do you need the dagger to be?"

Gu Yun paused, momentarily taken aback, then answered, "A five-inch blade with a two-inch hilt." She thought back to the short blade she had seen earlier that morning and couldn't help but smile. What she needed was a compact, practical weapon she could easily carry with her.

"Very well. I'll have it prepared," Han Shu said coldly, tossing out the words as he turned on his heel and strode away.

Watching his broad figure depart in such haste, Gu Yun's lips curved into another smile. Men in the army... were rather endearing, in their own way.

The General's Study

Upon a refined huanghuali wood desk sat a still-warm cup of tea. The air was infused with the delicate aroma of fine leaves and natural wood.

Slender fingers delicately placed a white chess piece on the board, seemingly seizing the upper hand. Another long finger picked up a black piece but lingered, unmoving.

On the chessboard, black and white pieces clashed in silent warfare. Yet beside the low table sat but one solitary figure clad in plain robes.

The serene atmosphere was abruptly shattered by an angry voice.

"So the Ministry of Justice thinks throwing this scapegoat at us counts as an explanation for the tampered military rations? Utter nonsense!"

Su Yu slammed a stack of case files onto the table, making the porcelain teacup tremble and spill its contents.

Su Ren set down his piece and sighed. When would Yu ever learn restraint? He picked up the documents, skimmed through them, and offered a knowing smile.

"Calm yourself. Dan Yulan has already intervened. This will not be left unresolved."

In warfare, provisions were paramount. For such a scandal to erupt, the Ministry owed them a proper answer. A month had already passed—it was high time they offered one.

Though Dan Yulan was far more reliable than those Ministry officials, Su Yu still scowled. "Who knows? He's still one of them. He might just be another lapdog in a different coat."

Knowing it was mere venting, Su Ren didn't bother to reply. He simply turned his attention back to the unresolved chess game.

Completely absorbed in the game, Su Ren wore a look of quiet obsession.

Su Yu couldn't fathom how anyone could find amusement in playing chess alone. He turned to leave the study—only to run into Gu Yun.

Glancing at the full moon hanging high in the sky, Su Yu snapped, "What are you doing here at this hour?"

Gu Yun didn't spare him a glance and walked straight to Su Ren.

Upon seeing her, Su Ren actually rose to greet her, setting his chess piece aside.

Su Yu froze, then his expression darkened. Since when did his second brother ever greet him like that—with a smile, no less?

"Sister-in-law, what brings you here tonight?"

"Sister-in-law?"

Already irritable, Su Yu exploded at the title. "Second Brother, are you insane? When did she become our sister-in-law? I object!"

Su Ren responded with a calm smile, "She belongs to our elder brother. That makes her our sister-in-law."

More importantly, Bing Lian had chosen her. Even if their brother disapproved, it would hardly matter—let alone him.

"Pfft," Su Yu scoffed. "At most, she's just a concubine."

Uninterested in their squabble, Gu Yun remained indifferent. "I'm not here for your petty debates. I need two things: thirty wooden stakes, and fifteen thorn vines at least three zhang long."

Ignoring their exchange entirely, she stood coolly, her face devoid of emotion. With a man like Su Ren, the best strategy was indifference—he could not be provoked or swayed by anger.

Su Ren nodded with a smile. "Consider it done. They'll be delivered at the mao hour."

He asked no questions, but Su Yu couldn't hold back. "What do you need those for?" Stakes he could understand. But thorn vines?

Gu Yun turned slowly, a dazzling smile suddenly blooming on her face—yet the words that followed were cold and ruthless.

"None of your business."

Her rosy lips curved into dimples, her round eyes crescented with laughter—she looked utterly charming.

Su Yu, dazed by her sudden smile, was jolted back to reality by her icy tone. Damn it—how could he find her adorable? This woman was nothing but a venomous shrew!

"Don't get too full of yourself, Qing Mo!" Furious with his momentary lapse, Su Yu's words grew even more caustic.

"In ten days, I'll see to it you're utterly humiliated. Let me remind you—the battlefield has always belonged to men! Women should stay home, doing laundry, cooking, and nursing children!"

Gu Yun arched a brow, sneering inwardly. Did he think such remarks would shame her?

She couldn't help but wonder—Su Ling was icy and composed, Su Ren was cunning and reserved, so how was Su Yu this reckless and naïve?

Then again, among the three brothers, Su Yu was oddly the most likeable.

She had been about to leave, but seeing him so riled up, she couldn't resist. Sitting down on a chair beside the low table, she shook her head and sighed.

"Confidence is admirable. Blind confidence is just... pitiful. I pity your ignorance."

"You! You wretched shrew!"

Su Ren nearly burst into laughter while Su Yu looked ready to explode.

Gu Yun was about to offer another jab when her eyes caught a file on the table. She glanced over a few lines—and her heart skipped a beat.

The phrasing and style of this autopsy report were exactly like Qing's!

Grabbing the dossier, she began reading in earnest.

Already furious, Su Yu exploded when she ignored him entirely. Snatching the file back, he snapped, "What's so fascinating? This isn't your business!"

They had solved so many cases together—Gu Yun knew Qing's forensic style and methods like the back of her hand.

It had to be Qing.

Suppressing her excitement, she asked casually, "Who wrote this autopsy report?"

"Autopsy report?" Su Yu glanced at the dossier—it was the coroner's documentation. With a snort, he tossed it back onto the table. "The usual folks at the Ministry of Justice, of course."

He had barely stomached the Ministry's verdict—he'd had no desire to read further.

The Ministry? That couldn't be.

Gu Yun pressed on, "Do they always write like this?"

Su Yu hesitated—how should he know how they usually wrote?

Su Ren, sensing something unusual, replied, "Today's report was... different. The phrasing was especially..."

He trailed off.

Gu Yun completed the thought, "Precise and incisive."

"Exactly." The moment he'd read it, he'd sensed something unique—but hadn't found the words until now.

Could Qing have ended up in this world... and joined the Ministry? It wasn't impossible.

Gu Yun continued, "Who's in charge of this case?"

"Why are you asking so many questions?" Su Yu snapped, clearly irritated.

Gu Yun shrugged, concealing her urgency. "Don't you think this case reeks of inconsistencies?"

A flicker of intrigue passed through Su Ren's eyes.

"Oh? And what makes you say that?"