MHNEB 28 (2/2)

Book 2: Generals die after a hundred battles; heroes return after ten years’ time.

Chapter 28: The First Companion <3> [Part 2 of 2]

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It's really too exaggerated to say that she hid the merits that she obtained. Truthfully, both of them had relied on Hua Mulan’s protection to keep their lives. 

In fact, the deputy general has noticed the team 16 long ago. The Black camp was subordinate to the right army and was responsible for surveying the battle situation for the right army.  As a matter of fact, the tent and food of Black camp’s team 16 were all raised to higher standards by his commands.

He has been observing whether the soldiers of the same team cooperated with each other tacitly or what were the other reasons that had caused their survival rate to be so high. However, after observing for such a long time, with the exception of the Xianbei male of the A-Dan clan in Wu Chuan and Hua Mulan from the He Rai clan in HuaiShuo, other people are all mediocre and did not have any special skills when cooperating. 

It must be that A-Dan ZhiQi and Hua Mulan possesses some extraordinary abilities.

"Since your archery is mediocre, there are loopholes in your military merits." The deputy general said in full view of the public. What he had announced could probably sentence all the people in team 16 to death. 

“This Subject….” 

"Take a bow, take an arrow and give it to Hua Mulan." He cut off Hua Mulan's words, ordered some other soldiers, and said fiercely:

"Before we can find out the truth behind the dubious military merits, tie up the everyone in team 16 except for Hua Mulan!” 

"Lord Deputy general, if you have any doubts about this subject's military merits, you can take this subject into custody. It has nothing to do with my companions…..." Hua Mulan saw the other soldiers in the black camp had really bound up her companions that had their faces drained of colour. She could not help but kneel down and plead. She wanted to use herself to replace her companions. 

A-Dan ZhiQi accepted his fate to be tied up by the soldiers of the black camp’s other teams. He cannot help but sigh. 

He knew for a long time that people like Hua Mulan could not hide. The deputy general must have found something and wanted to force Hua Mulan to admit it in front of the whole army camp.

However, is it really necessary to have them to suffer?  

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The recruits of Black camp don't know why they have to cause such a big spectacle just because of the conjecture that they are likely to fake their military merits. 

But in the camp, the orders of the superiors can only be obeyed, and the suspicion of any general may send you to your death. 

This is the battlefield. It is cruel not only to the enemies but also unkind to one’s own kind. 

In everyone’s heart, everyone is crazy speculating whether they became the ones who would be punished to serve as an example to others, whether Black Team 16 has faked their military merits and whether Hua Mulan’s archery is really good…… 

Dang, dang, dang, dang. 

The wind from HeiShan is so cold that it’s bone-piercing cold. But now, what it is colder than the wind from HeiShan is Hua Mulan's mood.

The Deputy General of the right army ordered people to tie all her teammates to the targets and let people put bags full of water on their heads.

In full view of the public, her friends are like a joke. They are like monkeys performing in the market. 

The hard bow and feather arrows were sent here. The deputy general handed the bow and arrow to Hua Mulan and opened his mouth in the nervous expression of thousands of new soldiers in the Black camp.

"It's more difficult for a man to control the bowstrings when shooting on horseback than to shoot while standing. Since your partner said there was no problem with your military merits in the team, you can shoot these bags of water as proof.” 

His expression is serious enough to frighten children.

"Hua Mulan, it all depends on you whether your companions are dead or alive.” 

Not far away, Mo Huai'er, who did not know what happened, trembled like withered grass dancing in the wind of HeiShan. His eyes were full of despair.

He was the youngest in the team of Hua Mulan, a lad who had just turned 16. 

He would have died a month ago if he hadn't practised his horse-riding well at home.

A-Dan ZhiQi took a look around and vaguely a bad premonition rose in his mind.

This posture……

Hua Mulan pinched the longbow in her hand. She doesn’t seem to particularly mind about this matter on the surface.

She took a deep breath in the gaze of thousands of people and abruptly pulled the bowstring!

Whiz!

The sound of the trembling bowstring made many people cry out "ah" nervously, and they found that Hua Mulan didn't place any arrow in front of the bowstring. 

"The bow’s bow strength is too weak." Hua Mulan asked in a deep voice. "Can I have another one?"

"This bow is commonly used in the army. You are afraid that you will miss the shot. Thus, did you want to blame the bow?" The deputy general said sarcastically and turned to call out his followers. "You, get the bow that Hua Mulan uses."

All the recruits in the drill ground felt akin that they were being told to climb a mountain to jump down from it and they eventually ascended the mountain, only to be told: "sorry, it's not this mountain" before they got the chance to jump down. 

Some of the recruits booed on the spot.

Many people simply regard this as a bustle, an adjustment of merit and reward.

Now, Hua Mulan's request makes them lose their mood of watching the bustle, and a lot of mumbling sounds were heard from them. 

Mulan felt a sense of inexplicable anger.

Towards herself and these recruits.

Hua Mulan's longbow was soon delivered. The deputy general noticed that Hua Mulan's expression was a little different when she got her bow.

His whole person seemed to be like a flame burning and it shone so brightly it shocked him. 

This is the "battle intent" that the veteran generals in the army possessed.

Hua Mulan once again raised his bow in the attention of all the people, placed the arrow on the bow frame, but pointed the arrow towards the bottom corner. It was not known what she was thinking. 

A-Dan ZhiQi is tied to the target, showing a complex expression.

He probably knew what Hua Mulan is thinking. Because of this, he has to do something about it.

A-Dan ZhiQi grinned and shouted under the surprise of his companions: "Hua Mulan! Shoot me first! I already have a son!"

Hua Mulan's bow trembled a little and looked at the distance in a daze.

A-Dan ZhiQi, wearing simple leather armour, looked at him with the expression of inviting him to have a meal. The crusty armour on his body probably looked like a piece of an old rag because of its age. 

Can such a leather armour resist the piercing of a sharp arrow?

"Captain, did you think that I won’t be able to shoot accurately?" Hua Mulan also squeezed out a smile that looked like she is going to head over to have a meal, and shouted like him: 

“Stop messing around! Your son has to be raised by you!” 

He raised his hand and as if he had done this countless times in the past, was quietly still. 

Hua Mulan, you can do it. 

Aim accurately at the water bag, and in your vision, the water bag would enlarge in size, until……

You shoot the arrow out!

  

Whiz!

At that moment, all sounds seemed to have stopped, even time seemed that way. Hua Mulan pulled her bow to the maximum limit and released the bowstring out faster than ever before. The arrow brought about a might that it could destroy everything, as it charged towards the top of A-Dan ZhiQi’s head.

The deputy general, her companions, and the recruits held their breaths.

The fast and sharp arrow directly hit on the leather bag. A-Dan ZhiQi was ready to die in vain or experience his head being submerged in cold water. But what he had imagined did not come. 

A-Dan ZhiQi's heart started to beat violently.

Heave……ho……

‘This is my breathing, this is my breathing. I am still alive.’

Why is my head lighter……?

The water didn't come rushing down?

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For the first time, Hua Mulan, who had pulled her bowstring to the maximum limit, entered such a mystical state when she is pulling her bow. 

It seems that the moment the arrow flew out, she already knew what is going to happen.

She knew how fast the arrow would fly, how it would hit the target, and……

What would happen next.

The arrow from the bowstring shot out quickly and hit the leather bag on top of A-Dan ZhiQi's head. However, it didn't stop here, it pushed the water bag on top of A-Dan Zhiqi's head with such a huge strength and hit it in an extremely fast speed.

Everyone didn't see how the arrow flew out or where it went. Even A-Dan ZhiQi had felt that his head was lighter, and then the most frightening moment passed.

Some soldiers guarding team 16 went to pick up the leather bag.

The leather bag was sent flying far away and the water inside was still flowing out. The arrow was lodged somewhere further away. 

"He hit the target! There's a hole in the leather bag! " The soldier waved the leather bag and shouted loudly.

“Ahhhhhhh!”

A-Dan ZhiQi who had escaped from the dead was howling and roaring. 

The deputy general hung a smile on his mouth and rubbed his chin with satisfaction. He raised his hand to order several Wei soldiers to untie Hua Mulan's captain.

"Hua Mulan, your archery is really amazing…..."

He suddenly froze when speaking. 

The whole drill ground seemed to be in dead silence.

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Hua Mulan, who had just shot a god-like arrow, accepted the huge praise and raised his longbow again……

And aimed at the deputy general who had has given the orders moments ago.

"What are you kidding about, Hua Mulan? I know you are a good archer, but if you think that I will take care of you just because you are a good shooter…..."

Shoo!

The arrow in Hua Mulan's bow flew over his scalp.

“Hua Mulan!”

Shoo!

Shoo!

Shoo, shoo, shoo!

As if to vent her belly full of anger and fear, Hua Mulan placed her hand into the quiver repeatedly and acted as if she was shooting in random directions as she released arrows after arrows through her bow. 

Each time, she pulled the bowstring to the shape of the full moon. Hua Mulan's movement was so fast that before several other deputy generals could subdue her, three or four arrows had already flown out.

The deputy general who was scared silly was afraid to move even an inch. He was afraid that by blinking, he would cause Hua Mulan’s arrow to shoot slightly off. 

But he doesn't believe that Hua Mulan wanted to shoot him to his death. 

Hua Mulan did not want to shoot him to his death. 

After the sound of the fourth arrow leaving the bow sounded, the bow that Hua Father personally crafted using an ox horn snapped. 

The deputy general's face was so blue that it was frightening. Hua Mulan silently dropped the bow in her hand, showing a sorry expression.

"Ah, my apologies. Today, I am not in a good state. I can’t control my feelings.” 

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Fleur's Corner:

Hua Mulan is so cool!

Next update: Next Thursday (Due to some commitments I have in RL, next update would be only on next Thurs.) Updates would resume as per normal-2days/update after next Thursday.

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