"And why should I follow your order?" Tang Shaoyang took a step closer to Lin Duan. He was a half head taller than Lin Duan, so he gazed down slightly at the man, "Then there's no need for us to listen to your order as well, I and my men will move as we like," Lin Duan did not back down but his eyes wavered under Tang Shaoyang cold gaze.
"Then, it's okay as well if I make all of you stay as well, right?" He grinned at Lin Duan, "Follow my order and stay inside, or I will make sure you will stay in the fort with my force,"
Lin Duan flinched as he subconsciously took a step back. Cold sweats trickled down from his forehead and also soaked his back. Even just looking at the man was already nerve-wracking, now he seemed to anger the man as well.
"Just stay here! We are not going to leave the fort!" Tian Donghai walked over and spoke to Lin Duan, "Do you think we will leave the fort under your care?"
"Then why don't you involve us in your plan!?" Lin Duan looked away from Tang Shaoyang and faced the young Tian Donghai, "Do you think we will bring a group that will not listen to our Leader's order into our plan? We may need your people, but we don't need two Leaders here!"
"Too much chatter, stay or we will make your stay by force. Choose!" Zhang Mengyao spoke up, increasing Lin Duan's pressure. His subordinates were cowering as they lowered their gazes to the ground. This was the second day they had witnessed how damn strong the Tang Empire was. They were not as valiant as the first time they met.
Lin Duan gritted his teeth, "You swear that you are not going to leave the fort?" That was his concern, he was afraid they would be left behind, "Are you deaf or something? Leaving the fort to you guys would be the same as abandoning the objective. If we want to do so, we could have just left from the first day, why would bother you to leave under your nose?" Lu An spoke up that caused Lin Duan to relent.
"Alright, if the next wave attacked and you guys haven't come back, we are going to abandon the fort!" Lin Duan spat those words out and left. His subordinates followed him.
'Just you wait, Tang Empire! Wait until everything is over, we are going to destroy you guys!' Lin Duan still believed his faction, Flame Castle was stronger than the Tang Empire.
At this moment, Wei Xi's group arrived. He bypassed the furious Lin Duan, he paid no attention to the guy as he walked toward his Boss, "We are ready, Boss!"
Tang Shaoyang nodded and looked toward Kang Xue. She came alone without her brother. He walked toward her and asked, "Where's your brother?" Kang Xue shook her head, "He's staying behind, he can't leave sister-in-law and our parents alone without protection from us,"
He shook his head before nodding his head again, "Get ready, then. We are going to leave soon,"
*** ***
Kang Zian returned to his family lodging with his wife, Huo Hongmei. Both respectively brought a tray of food with them, a serving of Tasty Beast Stea, four loaves of Soft Bread, and four bowls of the Cream Soup.
Kang Zian pushed the wooden door open. Inside was a simple room with a table and four chairs. The old couple was sitting on the chair when the sound of the door being opened resounded, Mu Liqiu glanced toward the door.
She smiled when saw her son and her daughter-in-law come in with food. The old lady stood up and helped her daughter-in-law bring the food, "Where's Xue'er? Is she eating with her boyfriend?"
Kang Zian shook his head, "No, let's sit first, Mom," he brought the food to the table. His mother followed as she noticed her son had something to speak. After serving the food, only then Kang Jiayi raised his head. All this time, he had been lowering his head.
"Kang Xue is going to the southern forest to attack the Troll Village with the core team," the core team was of course the Tang Empire. They should know about that by now.
"I heard from her that we will be rewarded for destroying the village. She asked me to join, but I want to stay with you guys," Kang Zian snapped the bread and dipped it into the cream soup.
"What about the soldiers, he excludes the soldiers, isn't he?" Kang Jiayi looked toward his son.
"Yes. He attacked the village only with his people," Kang Zian broke his promise to Kang Xue. He promised to her to not tell anything to their father, "But I wish you don't do anything stupid, Father. The relation between the soldiers and Boss eased up after we fought together. I hope you don't do anything stupid to screw our relationship, and I don't want to lose you either,"
"Then he should share everything with the soldiers! Why is he so selfish?" Kang Jiayi stood up while slamming the table. The Cream Soup spilled over from the impact.
"Father! I know your love for our country and the soldiers, but can you accept the reality by now that our country has fallen?" Kang Zian held his bowl to not spill the soup, he looked up to his father, "If you change your perspective just like he told you, you will find that he is not selfish, at all!"
"You!" Kang Jiayi furiously pointed at his son with his index finger, not expecting he would take on the man's side.
"Have you seen how we fight? He rushed forward alone, killing many monsters alone. He put himself in the most dangerous position only to reduce the burden for the backline! Have you seen that kind of Leader?" Kang Zian smiled at his father, "Did you remember the healing potion used to me? I just found recently that a healing potion is a rare item you could only get from Treasure Chest from killing a strong monster. His people shared the item with me, he shared the healing potion with his subordinates rather than saving it for himself. If he is selfish just like you said, then what kind of people are not selfish? Uncle Qiu Shan? The pervert that tried to get Zhang Mengyao to his bed?" Kang Zian shook his head in disappointment.
Mu Liqiu opened his eyes wide and looked toward her son, "Don't you dare to spout nonsense to your elder, Zian!"
"Ask Father, Mom! Ask father what Uncle Qiu Shan offered to Zhang Mengyao the first time they met. At this point, I felt like a villain myself," Kang Zian shook his head as he smiled self deprecatingly.
Mu Liqiu turned toward her husband, but she only saw her husband slumped back to his seat. Her husband did not even refute the words which meant what her son said was true.
"We stole their supplies and weapons, but they still asked those back by words, very kind of them. They did nothing even though we did not give back their items, but then we tried to kill them? Are you hoping they will treat us and the soldiers kindly after we tried to kill them? Father did not even try to stop the soldiers," Kang Zian had realized everything they did was wrong. At least, he felt that way now, guilty.
"Father, if our country has not fallen yet, then where is our military? Where are they? We had been waiting for them for over a month, but no rescue came for us. I believe his words now, our country has fallen," the son honestly voiced his thoughts.
Kang Jiayi did not talk back or refute his son, he just stared at his son, waiting for what he wanted to say to him. He knew that his son wanted to convey something to him.
"I want to join the empire, fully dedicated myself to the empire, my loyalty!" Kang Zian's eyes met with his father's eyes with a strong determination voice, "Our country is not just the name, but the people. It has no difference whether it is C Nation or The Empire of Tang. As long as I can save them, then I have fulfilled my duty as a soldier!"
Kang Jiayi did not reply to his son's confession. He took the bread and started to eat his meal. After he finished his meal, he went to his room.