The One Year War

Initially, Xie Shenhong was indeed speaking utter nonsense. However, as the murmurs of discussion spread among the crowd, he gradually pieced together the true state of affairs. After he and Lyte had coordinated their accounts that day, the kingdom’s high command, perhaps seeking to further protect him, or perhaps hoping to entice the true Crimson Hawk to the royal capital for a purpose, had attributed a significant portion of the credit to the Crimson Hawk. The official narrative now stated that the Crimson Hawk, having been secretly invited by Sima Le to be a guest aboard the Lihuo warship, had caught the imperial spies entirely by surprise, leaving them utterly unprepared. Furthermore, the story had been embellished to claim that Lyte and Xie Shenhong had only managed to persevere until Lord Hai Zhu’s arrival for rescue thanks to the Crimson Hawk’s crucial assistance.

Far from feeling any resentment about a portion of his credit being appropriated, Xie Shenhong found himself eagerly anticipating a meeting with the Crimson Hawk, intending to convey his gratitude and return the Crimson Twin Pistols. This was not born of foolishness; rather, it stemmed from his unwavering belief that such formidable weapons as the Crimson Twin Pistols held greater value in the hands of another than in his own. Moreover, even without the Crimson Twin Pistols, he possessed the skill to craft enchanted firearms whose power, though slightly diminished, could be readily compensated for with the use of live ammunition.

More than his own diminished glory, Xie Shenhong was actually preoccupied with the true intentions behind the kingdom’s high command recalling the Crimson Hawk, and, perhaps even more so, with Lyte’s feelings on the matter. Consequently, as the class bell chimed and the other students settled back into their seats, he promptly dispatched a message to the blond youth seated beside him:

[Lyte, what are your thoughts on this whole affair?]

Lyte, however, offered no immediate reply. Instead, he was discreetly manipulating his phone to the side, appearing to be engaged in a private conversation. Xie Shenhong’s keen eyesight was directly proportional to his exceptional shooting prowess; in times past, he would undoubtedly have gone to any length for an opportunity to pry into Lyte’s secrets. Now, however… he gently averted his head, directing his gaze towards the blackboard instead. Just as he had expressed on their walk to school, they were now firm friends, and to insist on knowing every detail would be an act of profound disrespect and distrust. Furthermore, a subtle intuition suggested to him that Lyte was, in fact, currently undertaking actions specifically for his benefit…

Approximately ten minutes later, Lyte’s reply finally arrived.

[Shenhong, here’s a photo and some general intel on the Crimson Hawk. You should familiarize yourself with it, just in case anyone asks about him later.]

[Understood. Thank you.]

Observing that the reality closely aligned with his conjectures, a warmth spread through Xie Shenhong’s chest, and he immediately began to examine the transmitted information.

Li Tianming, twenty-one years old, male, a nascent Martial Noble, had been stationed on the western frontier for the past five years, earning the profound affection and trust of his subordinates, and had repeatedly achieved remarkable feats in skirmishes against the Empire. Truly, an exceptional individual. Only a person of such caliber could truly be deemed worthy of the title ‘hero,’ could they not?

Xie Shenhong involuntarily exhaled a sigh of relief, feeling the shadow of Sima Le’s mistaken identity finally begin to lift from his spirits.

[And there’s this.]

Lyte then forwarded another document, this one containing a photograph of Li Tianming taken five years prior.

Xie Shenhong silently perused the image, then turned his head to discover Lyte gazing intently at him. He promptly inquired in a hushed tone, “What is it?”

Lyte, with a grave expression, turned his head aside and sent him a message:

[Shenhong, I’ve received a new assignment, but the specifics… I’m afraid I can’t disclose them to you this time. My apologies.]

[Maintaining confidentiality regarding mission details is entirely understandable. There’s no need to apologize.]

[Thank you.]

‘No, it’s I who should be thanking him,’ he thought. Xie Shenhong refrained from sending that message. He much preferred to convey his gratitude through tangible actions rather than mere words. Alas, there was precious little he could do for Lyte in his current circumstances. After a moment’s contemplation, he could only extend an invitation for Lyte to visit his home the following evening.

[No problem at all.]

Lyte’s face lit up with an expectant expression. Witnessing the guilt on Lyte’s face visibly ease, Xie Shenhong, even as he exhaled a silent breath of relief, was once again struck by the profound realization of how much trouble his past misjudgments had inflicted upon those closest to him.

He would have to properly compensate and thank everyone later… No, that wasn’t right. His time was rapidly dwindling; he had to cherish every single moment. With this thought, he immediately sent another message to Lyte:

[Lyte, what else did Brother Qinglong tell you?]

Lyte’s expression subtly shifted.

[Ha, Shenhong, what are you talking about?]

Having finished, he seemed to realize his cover was blown, or perhaps he felt that further deception would only damage their burgeoning friendship. Lyte swiftly dispatched a new reply:

[My apologies, I lied. Everything I just mentioned was indeed told to me by President Dongfang.]

So honest, so endearing… Xie Shenhong finally understood the sentiments of his ‘other self’; teasing Lyte was, undeniably, rather amusing. Yet, this was not particularly difficult to deduce. Dongfang Qinglong had been the one to originally entrust Lyte with the Crimson Twin Pistols, so it was only fitting that he now provided what could be considered ‘after-sales service.’

[It’s alright. I’ll go speak with Brother Qinglong myself later.]

To spare Lyte any discomfort from having to disclose further details, Xie Shenhong decided to address the primary source directly.

****

During the midday break, Xie Shenhong made his way to the exclusive lounge reserved for the student council president. Within the room, a handsome young man, clad in a flowing white mage’s robe, stepped forward to greet him.

“Shenhong, it’s been far too long.”

“My apologies, Brother Qinglong, for taking so long to come and see you.”

Xie Shenhong spoke, a blend of shame and nostalgia tinging his voice. Though only twenty years of age, Dongfang Qinglong served as the student council president within the academy and concurrently held the esteemed position of vice-captain for the Azure Dragon Knights outside its walls, leaving him no less occupied than Duanmu Yun. Consequently, factoring in his previous life and his recent absence from school, Xie Shenhong had not laid eyes on Dongfang Qinglong for a full three years.

“It’s perfectly alright. Your presence alone brings me great joy,” Dongfang Qinglong said with a gentle smile. He then moved to a table, gracefully pulling out a chair. “I’ve prepared your favorite black tea and pastries. Please, do try them.”

“Thank you. In that case, I won’t stand on ceremony.”

Within the kingdom, Xie Shenhong considered four individuals as akin to family, and Dongfang Qinglong stood as one of them. Unlike Nangong Yan, however, his perception of Dongfang Qinglong was that of a slightly older, somewhat indulgent childhood friend. Dongfang Qinglong almost invariably prepared his favorite foods in advance, and in return, Xie Shenhong never felt compelled to adhere to strict etiquette in his presence. Dongfang Qinglong, on the other hand, was consistently the epitome of a gentleman towards him. For instance, just as Xie Shenhong was about to take his seat, Dongfang Qinglong would subtly nudge the chair forward from behind, ensuring he settled perfectly in its center. Indeed, this was undeniably the courteous gesture a gentleman would extend to a lady at the dining table. In the past, Xie Shenhong had never given such actions much thought, beyond perhaps considering Dongfang Qinglong excessively courteous. Now, however… the only plausible explanation was that Dongfang Qinglong had long been aware of his ability to transform into Saintess Hai Zhu.

“Brother Qinglong, regarding the Crimson Hawk…”

“There’s no rush. Let’s eat first; I’ll tell you everything at leisure afterward,” Dongfang Qinglong said, his gaze filled with affectionate indulgence.

Xie Shenhong could only acquiesce, lowering his head to savor the cup of black tea, a product of the esteemed Dongfang family—

“Ah! This flavor…” With but a single sip, Xie Shenhong’s eyes widened in astonishment. “It’s Darjeeling!”

“As long as you enjoy it,” Dongfang Qinglong chuckled, pleased. Naturally, genuine Darjeeling black tea did not exist in this world. However, with the aid of magical cultivation and Dongfang Qinglong’s persistent inquiries and refinements, such an impossibility had been rendered reality. Having silently savored the black tea, which bore an identical flavor profile to Darjeeling, and the dessert, which tasted ninety percent like Tiramisu, Xie Shenhong found himself utterly content.

“Brother Qinglong, thank you.”

“It’s merely a trifle. Next time, I shall endeavor to recreate the Ceylon black tea you spoke of. As for dessert… how does Valrhona cake sound?”

“Excellent… No, wait.”

Xie Shenhong swiftly shook his head, dispelling the eager anticipation from both his face and heart, and adopting a serious expression befitting a discussion of important matters. “Brother Qinglong,” he stated, “it’s time you told me the current state of affairs.”

“Shenhong, what you truly need right now is to simply relax,” Dongfang Qinglong countered, his gaze upon him tinged with a hint of heartache. Truth be told, Xie Shenhong harbored the very same thought within his own heart. Yet, he knew he could not allow himself that luxury. In his previous life, after protecting him and facilitating their escape from the royal capital, Dongfang Qinglong had tirelessly counseled his grief-stricken self, striving to coax him back to his usual smile. He had even, at one point, considered simply succumbing to that escape. But this very cowardice had ultimately led to the departure of this last remaining family member… He absolutely refused to endure such an experience again. Now, the future he knew had already been altered; the Crimson Hawk, who had never returned to the royal capital in his previous life, was suddenly back. How could he remain ignorant, idly observing from the sidelines? Not to mention, until he completely dissipated or lost his utility as a power source, he was the Saintess of this nation.

“I understand. However, before that, I hope you’ll answer one question for me, Shenhong.”

“No problem.”

Staring at Shenhong’s resolute and beautiful countenance, Dongfang Qinglong’s thoughts drifted to the distant past, finally settling upon that deep blue silhouette—

“Between Yun-jie and me, who do you think is more formidable?”