《Kali Yuga》Chapter 79. One game played by too many.
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That was how Zhang Xua, Chen Yao and Xia Yue, came along with Chen Fang and Xia Bao, leaing 3,000 armed men to the small village near Gutian Town. Mi Fang and his men were part of those who were volunteered.
They arrived a day before Huang Wen escaped from Gutian Town.
Zhang Xuan told everything to Huang Wen.
Huang Wen was touched, when he knew how Zhang Xuan pleaded to her father. He was also touched by Chen Fang and Xia Bao, they never forgot, what he had done for them at Nan An. Now, they were here to do the same for him. Unfortunately, his parents and his brother already died during the siege.
When Huang Wen told them of his family, Zhang Xuan, Chen Yao and Xia Yue were lost. They didn't know what to say and do.
Zhang Xuan finally took a step closer and hugged Huang Wen.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... we're too late...", she quietly cried on Huang Wen's chest.
Huang Wen hugged her back and took comfort at her presence, but there were no tears. He felt sad, but at the same time calm. The pain and sadness was like a cold dead fish, that was well kept in a freezer. He knew it was there. He faintly felt the sadness, but it didn't affect him now.
"It's alright..", said Huang Wen as he comforted Zhang Xuan.
After a while, she distanced herself and wiped her tears, "Sorry... Am I a cry baby?"
Huang Wen laughed and said, "Well, you are. But that's fine."
Huang Wen then turned to the rest of the men, "Everyone, come now. Let's return to our base first."
"Zhang Xuan, Chen Yao, Xia Yue, sister in law, Brother Song Jian. Let's have some rest tonight. We'll discuss about everything we need to do tomorrow.", said Huang Wen to them.
Since they knew that they were too late to save both of Huang Wen's parents and his brother. The mood became heavy. Huang Wen walked in front, while holding Zhang Xuan's hand. He said no word and his expression was hard. No one dared to speak with him first. They made the short journey in silence.
Long before they were closed enough to see the village, Xia Yue suddenly said, "I'll go first, I'd like to find my father."
Chen Yao quickly said, "Let's go, I want to see my father too."
"Huang Wen, Zhang Xuan, it's okay if we go first, right?", Chen Yao turned to Huang Wen and Zhang Xuan.
Zhang Xuan turned to Huang Wen, "What do you say?"
Huang Wen laughed, "Of course, that's fine."
"See you then.", said Chen Yao and Xia Yue.
Both of them ran fast, with their agility, they ran as fast as a sprinter. Huang Wen who had better understanding of the system, now knew a bit about how skill points distribution works. When someone spent a point in agility, the truth was all the experience points, or as Huang Wen found out, the life energy, or as ancient Chinese called Chi, were spent to strengthen various aspects of the body.
After all, speed was the result of increased strength in certain muscles. But it wasn't enough by increasing muscle strength to achieve the result that was shown by the changes. Without the bones who could endure such movement, a blindingly speed such as Huang Wen's would break his bones. Without nervous system that worked as fast as the movement, he would end stumbling all over the place. So to achieve one point in agility, the truth the Chi were spent to strengthen various aspects in the body.
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Strength, Vitality, Endurance, Stamina and Spirit, each of the stats were actually interrelated.
Spirit however a bit unique. It was unique because other stats were closely related to physics. But spirit stat, specifically related to the soul realm.
As far as Huang Wen's understanding, human was consisted of two part. Mind and body. His physical realm and his soul realm. Both of them are inseparable. If the soul destroyed, the physics would follow. If the physics destroyed, the soul would as well.
So the truth was, strengthening the physical would affect the soul realm as well. However spirit stat was directly related to soul realm.
On the other hand, although improving spirit stat would mostly improved one soul realm, at the end, it also affected all physical stat in its own way.
All those things didn't matter anymore for Huang Wen. Since he already began to have the profound knowledge of the chi, now he could freely distributed it. He still needed to know how his physics work. He still needed to know more of how his soul work. He still needed to find how both related and affected each other.
When he achieved the profound knowledge of both and the relation between both, he would be able to freely manipulated the chi in him.
When they arrived at the village, Chen Yao and Xia Yue already told their fathers about Huang Wen's family fate. The sadness could be felt all over the village. They who volunteered to come, they came wanting to help Huang Wen to save his family. Rows and rows of men, stood before the village, at the most front, were Chen Fang, Xia Bao, Chen Yao, Xia Yue and thirty men who came with Huang Wen from Nanping. Everyone wore a strip white band on their arm and head, as a sign of grief.
"Young hero Huang!", 3,000 men spoke and bowed and the same time.
Chen Fang, Xia Bao and their daughters walked to Huang Wen. Huang Wen stood silently for a while, the pain he buried deep inside was stirred. But after a while, he managed to suppress it and bury it deep inside his heart once more. Locked it in an iron chest. Huang Wen stepped forward to meet them and bowed to show his gratitude.
Chen Fang grabbed Huang Wen shoulder and before Huang Wen knew it, he already drew him closer and hugged him tight.
"What could I do? What should we do?", Chen Fang lamented sincerely.
Xia Bao stood and watched, he knew his sworn brother well. Chen Fang was outgoing and easily moved person. Sometimes it was better to let him handled things, since people could easily see his sincerity. Huang Wen thought he already buried the pain deep inside his heart, but Chen Fang's action almost made him burst in tears. Choking he tried to control himself and it took him some time before he finally held the tears back.
Somehow, Chen Fang's action touched him more than Zhang Xuan who did the same.
Perhaps a kind gesture from someone who are closely related to you, such as family, wife, parents, were expected. When they didn't show that, you would feel disappointed and when they did, it was just as it had to be. But for a stranger to show you that kindness was unexpected. You didn't expect them too and you didn't feel that they were obliged to. Which made it much more meaningful when they suddenly did.
Huang Wen hugged back for few seconds and with a bit hoarse voice he said, "I'm alright. I'm alright now Uncle Chen."
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When Chen Fang withdrew, Huang Wen could see traced of tears in his eyes and he felt even more grateful. Xia Bao patted Huang Wen's shoulder and showed his sympathy in his own way. Huang Wen nodded back and smiled.
"Huang Wen, we all came here on our own wish. When Brother Zhang told about your town under the siege, thousands of men volunteered to come. At the end, Brother Zhang gave 3,000 of them permission to come here to help you free your family. But... haiih....", Xia Bao sighed a long sigh and shook his head.
Zhang Xuan who listened felt a bit annoyed by the way Xia Bao spoke. He didn't speak any lies, but the way Xia Bao spoke, whether it was intentionally or unintentionally, told Huang Wen that there were more than 3,000 men would come to help him, but Zhang Hu only allowed 3,000 men. Of course that was the truth, but Xia Bao didn't spoke the reason.
Zhang Xuan sighed and said to Huang Wen, "My father wish he could send more, but you know... there is a chance that the demon in Fuzhou put Gutian Town under the siege as a bait for us in Nanping."
Huang Wen thought in his heart, 'Ah... so you afraid that I'm annoyed at your father? I lost my parents and my brother and you still busy thinking about your father?'
But he quickly reproached himself, 'And what's wrong with that? Isn't that normal? She still come here to see you and from her story, it was her who initiate this expedition.'
Smiling Huang Wen nodded and squeezed Zhang Xuan's hand, "I know... I know... in fact I also told Mi Fang, to give the message to your father. Not to send any reinforcement. I'm thinking the same thing."
Xia Bao quickly nodded his head, "Yes, Mi Fang did told Colonel Yue Rang and your father that."
Huang Wen sighed and then said, "But still... to know that so many people care about me... I'm grateful to you all for showing kindness."
Huang Wen then once again bowed to everyone present in that place and they bowed in return.
After few seconds of silence, Xia Bao spoke to Huang Wen again, "Huang Wen, we all came here to save your family. I know we're too late for that but since we already here. All of us, each one of us, we pledge our life to you. Once you save my family. Many who came here are Nan An's people who are saved by you. You already done a lot for us. Now it's our turn to do the same for you. Tell me what you have in mind, if you want revenge then lead us to exterminate those zombies. Just give us the words, we'll give our lives to make it happen."
Chen Fang nodded his head, "Just give us the word."
Huang Wen took a deep breath and turned his head to look all the people that gathered in that small village. From one end to another end, thousands of men with a determined look on their face. His heart surged with pride and various emotion.
When his eyes returned to Xia Bao and Chen Fang, it was filled with strength, "Hmm... first I'd like to know all the most updated situation."
Xia Bao and Chen Fang nodded their head.
"Good, we already prepared one for you. You assigned your men to watch the roan from here to Fuzhou, they have something to tell you.", said Xia Bao.
After that Chen Fang and Xia Bao told everyone to return to their post. Before long a small meeting was held. Everyone was present. Huang Wen, Song Jian and the girls. Chen Fang and Xia Bao. Yu Heng, Yie Tang, Jiang Bao, Deng Zheng, Yan Chou and Mi Fang.
Xia Bao gave sign to Yu Heng.
Yu Heng nodded his head and took a letter. He gave it to Huang Wen.
Then he said, "We didn't catch anyone from the zombies, instead we caught this person. An PLA officer, he had this letter with him."
Huang Wen raised his eyebrows, with curiosity he began to read the letter. Everyone watched Huang Wen's expression closely, but he only showed little emotion. Only those with keen eyes, could catch the minor changes in his expression, that happened only in split seconds, from time to time.
When he finished reading the letter he raised his head and said, "Hmm... that changed everything...."
"What is it?", Song Jiang asked.
Huang Wen gave the letter to him and said, "Colonel Wen Liang, sent one of his trusted officer to offer a cooperation to the demon lord in Fuzhou. He also expressed his willingness to serve him as the ruler of Gutian Town."
"From the letter, it seemed that not all the PLA army are agree with his opinion. You already went to the town, what do you think about it?", Xia Bao asked Huang Wen.
Huang Wen nodded his head, "Indeed, at least there is one captain I know, who opposed the Colonel, although not openly."
Zhang Xuan muttered, "If we could contact that captain..."
Huang Wen said, "We could, I mean I could easily sneak into the town."
Yan Chou and Jiang Bao looked at each other, then Jiang Bao asked, "Ehmm.. Leader Huang, if you could sneak in then why..."
Huang Wen smiled and answered, "The first time I came, I wanted everyone in the town knew that I broke through the zombies. So to encourage them, to show that the siege is not something unbreakable. Besides I want to catch the attention of the PLA's officer, which will help me to find my family."
Everyone present nodded their head. Now they knew why Huang Wen chose to break the siege openly.
"And the second time I broke the siege, I had to do that, because I brought along my family. But alone I could sneak passed the siege and into the town easily.", said Huang Wen again.
"Then we'll need to contact this captain and make them prepared for this colonel's betrayal.", said Chen Fang.
Huang Wen nodded and then Zhang Xuan spoke, "Huang Wen, you should know too, that I already ask my father to promise me. If you win the city, then he will give this city for you to rule."
Huang Wen was a bit surprised to hear that. Some of those who presented by that time, didn't know about this too. So Zhang Xuan explained it all to them. Now they knew, if Huang Wen agreed, then they weren't just here to free the town.
"So what do you say about that?", Zhang Xuan asked.
Huang Wen frowned, he wasn't sure about ruling people. Even if it was just a town.
Xia Bao who saw him hesitated spoke, "Huang Wen, when I heard that, I think it is a good idea. No matter who you are, every men need a place where they could live their ideals. Some call it home and consist of nothing but a wife and children. Some even live like a hermit and it consist only of himself. But there are people who are blessed with ability and charisma to influence the life of many people. People like Brother Zhang Hu, people like you."
Zhang Xuan added, "Huang Wen..., don't you want to help more people to live in peace?"
Xia Bao said, "Don't just think about what you want. But also to think whether it's your responsibility or not. If you have the means, but refuse to use it to help other. Won't you feel guilty inside? And perhaps regret it years later?"
Huang Wen sighed and closed his eyes. Many thoughts passed his mind. He hadn't found the truth, his father talked about. Now, he was presented with such great responsibility and power. But he had regret it once, that he didn't take the chance to see his family when he had it. Now, wouldn't he had another regret? If he refused this offer, only to find that he actually could do something. And because he turned down the offer, he ended up let many people suffered instead.
Everyone presented, waited for Huang Wen to answer. Finally he opened his eyes.
He took a look at each one of them and asked, "Is everyone here think I should take this chance?"
Almost at the same time, everyone voiced their agreement. No one opposed Huang Wen to govern the town for himself. Everyone supported him and encouraged him to take that role.
Huang Wen finally nodded, "Well, then I'll do it. I also have some news for you. There is a reinforcement came from Ningde. But at the same time, there is an army of zombies near Ningde, ready to attack Ningde. So this siege is indeed a bait. But not for us. It is a bait for the PLA army in Ningde."
Huang Wen's news surprised everyone. It was a big news. They began excitedly discussed their situation and how they should make their move to get the best result. Out of the players in the game. There is the demon lord in Fuzhou. The colonel inside Gutian Town and the captain. The one million zombies that surrounded the town. The reinforcement that was coming from Ningde.
They didn't know that another player had joined in.Back at Nanping, Zhang Hu or the grand elder received the news from Yue Guang.
He laughed, "Ha ha ha... isn't this wonderful. That stupid demon, he think he can get away with this? Rather than get Ningde, he will lose Fuzhou for sure. At most he could only get the small town to escape to."
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