Calamity Messenger-Chapter 99 - 79: Trivial Matters in the Barracks

"The person next to the Night Team Leader is..."

"What a beautiful lady..."

"I don’t believe she has the strength of a Centurion. How could such a beautiful young lady be as strong as the Commander?"

"Remember the guy from six buildings, the one who became a messenger a few years ago and flaunted himself everywhere, even refusing to pay at brothels? He didn’t believe it either. Yesterday, he tried to flirt with her when the Night Team Leader was away, and reportedly got three or four ribs broken and was hung up on the wall after she beat him."

"Hey, Bu Liuguluo is here, there’ll be a good show."

Ping City Military Camp, early morning.

When Ye Si and Jiang Shi appeared at the same time, all the Baibao Guards nearby couldn’t help but gaze at them. Originally, Ye Si, the ’Secret Realm fanatic,’ was already quite noticeable. Now, with the addition of the stunning and exceptionally skilled Jiang Shi, they had become the hottest topic in Ping City.

They didn’t know Jiang Shi’s first name, only that her last name was Jiang, so they called her Jiang Niang.

"Jiang Niang!"

A Baibao Guards Officer blocked their way, his eyes filled with admiration as he looked at Jiang Shi. "I looked for you yesterday. Why didn’t you come out? Were you feeling unwell? I’m acquainted with Physician Guan, should I ask him to treat you?"

"No need, step aside. We’re heading to the Secret Realm."

"Jiang Niang, aren’t you going to the Secret Realm just to accumulate merits and exchange them for tokens? Why go through so much trouble?" The Baibao Guards Officer, with a reverent expression, opened the bag on his back and took out a ring-headed saber without a guard. The blade emitted a faint blue glow, deep and chilling. "Jiang Niang, you excel in saber techniques; this Autumn Ink couldn’t be more suitable for you."

"A rare token, Autumn Ink!"

"Bu Liuguzhen is actually so generous!"

"Isn’t this the family heirloom of the Bu Liugu Family? He dares to give it away?"

Jiang Shi glanced at the ring-headed saber Autumn Ink and nodded. "How much do you plan to sell it for?"

"This is a gift to you!" the Baibao Guards Officer declared loudly. "A famous saber for a beautiful lady. With Autumn Ink in your hand, Jiang Niang, you will surely rise to greater heights and become famous in the Central Plains!"

"I want this saber. If you give it to me, I’ll take it."

Hearing this, the Baibao Guards Officer couldn’t help but glow with joy, but Jiang Shi continued, "But even if I take this saber, I won’t have any fondness for you, nor will I agree to anything from you. Maybe in the future, I will return something of equal value, but I can’t guarantee it. If you can accept this knowing the truth, then I’ll accept it."

The Baibao Guards Officer was stunned. Jiang Shi was so frank that it left him no room for fantasy. However, taking back the gift in front of so many people would be truly humiliating, and Jiang Shi’s tender yet stern beauty was right before him. He gritted his teeth, "Please accept Autumn Ink! This is my willing offer!"

Jiang Shi nodded, accepted the rare token Autumn Ink, and added, "Let me remind you, I’ll have Ye Si use this saber."

"What?" The Baibao Guards Officer was dumbfounded.

"This was meant for you..."

"But Ye Si needs it more than I do, and since it’s mine, I’m entitled to deal with it." Jiang Shi said calmly, "Are you going to take it back?"

"I, he..."

The Baibao Guards Officer’s face turned red as he struggled to find words. Nearby, someone couldn’t hold back a chuckle, and he immediately turned to glare at them. The soldiers quickly shut their mouths and pretended nothing happened, yet faint laughter lingered around him. After a brief reluctance, he couldn’t hold back, with reddened eyes, he asked, "Jiang Niang, do you really not understand my feelings? Why won’t you accept my true heart?"

"Because my body, my mind, my everything, my life, already belongs to someone else," Jiang Shi said. "No matter what you want, you can’t have it. Be it your true heart or anything else, it’s all trash to me."

The entire military camp erupted in commotion, with soldiers buzzing all around. Although the Northern People’s conduct had always been wild, Jiang Shi’s unabashed declaration was still rare in this era, especially since Jiang Shi combined beauty and strength, making countless people look at Ye Si with envy and jealousy.

The Baibao Guards Officer was struck as if by lightning, slumping to the ground, his whole being seemingly drained of color.

Jiang Shi handed Autumn Ink back to him. The Baibao Guards Officer took it in a daze, looking up at Jiang Shi. Whatever he saw or imagined, he suddenly perked up and pointed at Ye Si, shouting, "Ye Si, I challenge you to a duel! The loser shall never approach Jiang Niang again!"

"I’ll use Autumn Ink as a wager. Do you dare not hide behind a woman? Do you dare to accept the challenge?"

Ye Si did not respond. Instead, Jiang Shi asked, "What are the terms?"

The Baibao Guards Officer felt a pang in his heart, and others looked at Ye Si with a hint of ridicule. Jiang Shi was making decisions for Ye Si, and Ye Si showed no reaction, indirectly demonstrating two things: Jiang Shi was very concerned about Ye Si, and that Jiang Shi had absolute authority between the two of them.

They couldn’t possibly guess that the reason Jiang Shi was doing all the talking was simply because Jiang Shi was the main controlled character (player’s primary controlled character) at the moment.

"Don’t worry, it’s not going to be fatal," the Baibao Guards Officer said viciously. "Let’s have a literary duel! No tokens or clothing, take turns punching each other’s chest, and the first to fall loses!"

He wasn’t foolish. The news of Ye Si’s formidable combat prowess had long spread across Ping City. In a straightforward duel, he might lose to Ye Si. But with a literary duel, he felt much more confident.

Strict military discipline within the Baibao Guards meant that such challenge duels were rare, and the news instantly caused an uproar of excitement among the crowd. Jiang Shi and Ye Si seemed frozen, standing silent, leading the Baibao Guards Officer to see this as a sign of cowardice, making him even more confident: "Ye Si, are you so afraid that you don’t even dare to accept an innocent duel? Do you plan to be a coward hiding behind Jiang Niang forever?"

"Are you really sure you want to wager like this?"

Ye Si spoke, but his tone was peculiar. It sounded less like a question and more like a reminder, as if seeing someone eating something disgusting and feeling compelled to remark that it’s disgusting.

"Confirmed!"

"Then let’s go."

The two men stripped off their shirts and tokens, standing face to face bare-chested. Ye Si said, "You go first."

"Alright!" In the Northern Border, there’s no such thing as gentlemanly modesty. Since Ye Si was being so confident, Baibao Guards Officer decided to oblige him!

Gathering strength, he punched out. Baibao Guards Officer felt pain in his fist, while a red mark appeared on Ye Si’s chest. But even so, Ye Si remained stationary, with no expression on his face.

"Your turn."

Baibao Guards Officer took a deep breath, tightening all his muscles.

The reason he chose this kind of confrontation was naturally because he came prepared. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Bu Liugu Family has a set of Hard Qi Skills passed down from the Northern Border, which require daily beatings and medicinal baths starting from youth. The downside is that it takes several years to get started, with no shortcuts, and talent means nothing in this skill. But the advantage is that even a fool can master it; as long as you are willing to spend money and time, the defensive skill can be refined to its peak.

Once initiated into Hard Qi Skill, defense greatly increases, and pain perception is greatly reduced. Therefore, Baibao Guards Officer was not afraid of battling Ye Si; he just chose this method to ensure victory—he was very certain that even the Second-Turn Messenger could not withstand more than he could in a reciprocal brawl!

First punch, he only felt a little itch, no pressure.

Fifth punch, he started to pant a bit, but still felt easy.

Tenth punch, he started to feel slightly stuffy, but still kept his chest upright.

Twentieth punch, he was almost knocked to the ground, forcefully maintaining an erect posture.

Thirtieth punch, his internal organs convulsed, a rib seemed to have been broken.

Thirty-sixth punch.

Just before collapsing, Baibao Guards Officer’s body curled like a shrimp, vomiting out his breakfast with a cry. He struggled to lift his head and looked at Ye Si, who remained expressionless, wanting to ask, don’t you feel any pain?

Ye Si’s chest was already bruised purple and black; not knowing Hard Qi Skill, he had a few ribs broken. Yet even so, Ye Si did not wail, retreating one step back, enduring every blow silently, and counterattacked with equal force.

However, Baibao Guards Officer’s strength was diminishing, and the pain made it impossible to clench his fist.

Impossible, Ye Si can’t possibly endure more than me! He must be on the verge of collapse too; he’s just pretending!

Baibao Guards Officer took a deep breath, dispelling the pain in his chest, shouting as he delivered the thirty-seventh punch.

His fist was aching, Ye Si’s chest seemed to be about to cave in. Yet Ye Si still did not fall, looking at Baibao Guards Officer expressionlessly, then—

Thud!

With a muffled grunt, Baibao Guards Officer fell to the ground, unable to stand again. Breathing heavily, he whispered, "You win."

After a brief silence, the military camp erupted in overwhelming cheers, everyone shouting ’Ye Si’, ’Night Team Leader’. The military camp is such a place; as long as you are strong or the victor, you inevitably earn everyone’s respect.

This time truly defeated, without any excuse, in the field he’s most adept at, with the method he chose, yet he still lost.

Qiumo is gone, face lost completely.

Suddenly, something oily and aromatic stuffed his lips.

"Have a roasted chicken leg."

Baibao Guards Officer opened his eyes wide, seeing Jiang Shi shove a roasted chicken leg into his mouth.

"Eating roasted chicken leg when injured will quickly heal you," Jiang Shi said, "I’ll take that Qiumo then."

Baibao Guards Officer slowly sat upright, eating the roasted chicken leg, watching Jiang Shi and Ye Si enter the camp interior. Somehow, as he ate, his face became covered with tears, crying out, "Jiang Niang, I won’t give up—cough cough cough!"

Not far away, Gai Louxian saw this scene and sighed deeply.

Originally, he intended to officially recruit Jiang Niang into Ping City’s Baibao, but now it seems... a shallow water can’t sustain a True Dragon.

Keeping Jiang Niang here would likely cause more disputes. Bu Liuguzhen was the first to be attracted by beauty, but definitely not the last. Over these past few days, nearly ten families came to inquire about Jiang Niang’s information, even one from Nocturnal Heaven—Jiang Niang has only been here a few days, and her fame has already reached Nocturnal Heaven City?

Bu Liuguzhen, being the son of a Commander, so devotedly likes Jiang Niang, clearly would not give up easily. But Jiang Niang and Ye Si are the kind of tough individuals who train in the Secret Realm every day; it’s impossible for them to have a compliant nature. One day, they will inevitably clash.

At present, the only solution is to seek higher-ranked individuals to stabilize the situation and incidentally send away these two hot potatoes. Ping City Military Camp is too small for the ambitions they want to pursue.

In Gai Louxian’s mind, an image of a noble emerged, and he immediately called a Literary Clerk to write a letter: "Marquis of Lecheng County, your subordinate Ping City Commander Gai Louxian, recently two people have arrived at Ping City..."