Ch 70: My Wolf Husband

Seeing that Lin Shuishi was unaffected by the dizziness, Dr. Sun and Jiang Zhao exchanged bewildered glances.

“It’s not the smell,” Jiang Zhao explained. “Everyone who’s seen this diagram has been overwhelmed by dizziness, a splitting headache. We cannot decipher it. We humbly ask for your guidance.”

Realizing the situation, Jiang Zhao decided to lay it all out on the table. There was no point in pretending anymore. How could they solve this? The so-called “Pigskin Scripture” was unreadable by anyone, so how could they break the formation? With no other choice, he signaled to Dr. Sun, who was equally perplexed. Dr. Sun’s family had dedicated generations to the study of medicine, and never had he encountered a diagram that could cause people to faint—especially when Lin Shuishi and Fuli seemed entirely unaffected!

Driven by curiosity, Dr. Sun stepped forward to take Lin Shuishi’s pulse, only for Fuli to pull Lin Shuishi protectively into his arms, preventing any contact.

Lin Shuishi, learning that the pigskin had such an unusual effect, fell silent and looked up at Fuli. It seemed that Fuli hadn’t considered whether the soldiers could understand the diagram when he handed it over—he had simply left it, unaware of the consequences.

“Doctor, we honestly don’t know. Are the generals alright? Is there anything seriously wrong with them?”

Dr. Sun shook his head. “As long as they don’t look at the diagram again, and with some acupuncture and moxibustion, they’ll be fine.”

Lin Shuishi finally exhaled in relief and nodded. It was a close call—if something had gone wrong, they might have been accused of attempted assassination. That would have been a disaster, taking out the military and political leaders in one swoop.

The two were then invited into the tent, where they had a long, earnest discussion with Jiang Zhao. In the end, Fuli reclaimed the pigskin that no one could decipher, and he and Lin Shuishi agreed to remain in the camp.

Late into the night, Jiang Zhao gathered his generals once more to finalize the timing of the attack, leaving aside the matter of the mysterious diagram.

As Lin Shuishi sat in the military tent, he grew increasingly worried. In the end, Fuli would have to accompany the army to break the formation—there was no other way.

He crouched by the brazier, glancing at Fuli, who was standing at the entrance of the tent, gazing up at the stars. The uncertainty of fate weighed on him. He had once dreamed of living a peaceful, fulfilling life with his wild beast in the hidden valleys of Dongshan, growing old together in their secluded paradise. But now, they had been unwillingly swept into the chaos of war.

“Fuli.”

Fuli turned his gaze from the star-filled sky to the forlorn-looking Lin Shuishi.

“Hmm?”

“We… I mean, once this is all over, we’ll return to Dongshan, right? And never come out again, just live a peaceful life.”

Fuli quietly gazed at his somewhat troubled lover. He took a few steps forward, opened his arms, and let the small figure nestle into his embrace, gently stroking Lin Shuishi’s hair and forehead.

“Alright.”

Lin Shuishi, feeling comforted, buried his face in the crook of Fuli’s neck and mumbled, “It’s been so long since we went back, I wonder how the wolf pack is doing, if the new litter of pups is alright, and if the gray geese I raised on the hillside have laid their eggs.” As he spoke, he sighed again.

“What’s wrong?”

“Sigh, the field behind the forest is probably overgrown with weeds by now. All our hard work has gone to waste!” But then, thinking about their little home in Dongshan, he brightened up.

“When we get back, you’ll have to help me weed. Even if you don’t eat vegetables, you still have to do the work.”

Fuli smiled and nodded. Seeing the man finally showing some joy, Lin Shuishi cupped his face, looked at his handsome features, and laughed as well.

During the days of preparation, Fuli was constantly scratching the ground with a grass stick, occasionally looking up at the night sky, and even during the day, he would stare up as if his eyes could see the stars’ paths through the daylight.

Lin Shuishi wasn’t idle either; he was called by Dr. Sun to help with the design of the ballista. Although effective, it was difficult to mass-produce and the firing rate was too slow to keep up with the army’s needs.

The entire army was relentlessly busy, and three days later, the drums of war sounded, and the troops marched straight to Xuancheng!

Lin Shuishi could hardly describe his feelings about being in the midst of an ancient war. He and the scholars were stationed at the rear of the camp, only hearing the earth-shaking roars of warhorses and endless battle cries. His palms were cold with sweat, his heart felt as if it were being fried in oil—he was both afraid of Fuli getting hurt and worried that he might lose control and transform into a giant beast!

While he was consumed with worry, Fuli, on the battlefield, remained much calmer. He didn’t engage in the fighting, only kicking away any barbarian who got too close. Relying on his immense strength and superhuman abilities, Fuli led a group of light cavalry, with heavy crossbows paving the way behind them, charging straight toward the formation at Xuancheng…

Zhao Xing stood atop the city wall, already hearing the sounds of battle.

“Soldiers, prepare for battle!” “Yes, sir!”

“Ready the defenses for an enemy attack!” But just as they were ready to die defending the city, a tall figure suddenly burst out of the mysterious formation, seemingly holding an ivory tusk in his hand!

Zhao Xing was stunned and instantly recognized Fuli. He quickly ordered the soldiers to hold their fire. Just as he was about to shout to inquire about the situation, a group of cavalry charged out from behind the man—it was Jiang Zhao’s trusted aide, the Leap Cavalry Captain, Shen Ping!

“General Zhao Xing! The formation has been broken; the armies are now engaging outside the formation!”

Zhao Xing was initially stunned but quickly shouted, “Open the gates! Charge with me!”

Fuli watched as the city gates suddenly swung open, and the bloodied soldiers, having broken through the siege, surged forward. His golden eyes deepened as he tilted his head, observing the scene for a moment. Without engaging with anyone, he gripped the “ivory” tightly and leaped into the forest by the city’s edge.

The battle was swift and intense. Jiang Zhao could scarcely believe how quickly the thick fog that had shrouded the city gates dissipated, revealing the once-locked Xuancheng with its gates wide open. Strong soldiers burst forth from the city, charging into battle! His spirits soared, and he immediately ordered a tactical shift, using heavy crossbows to break through the barbarian’s vine-armored soldiers and advance to join forces with Zhao Xing, who had broken out of the encirclement.

They had been misled by the fog of the formation around Xuancheng, but in truth, the number of vine-armored soldiers within the barbarian forces was still limited. The remaining barbarians, though physically strong, were still flesh and blood, and therefore, could be fought.

Thus, from dawn until dusk, amidst rivers of blood, the barbarians were finally driven back across the border river, and Xuancheng was temporarily secured.

The entire army, even the cooks, took up spears and charged into battle. Dr. Sun, filled with hot-blooded enthusiasm, wanted to join the fight as well. But when he looked at Lin Shuishi, whose face was slightly pale, his heart softened, and he gave up the idea.

He thought to himself, after all, Lin Shuishi grew up in a small village and was only in his teens—a ger at that! How could he not be afraid? The battlefield was soaked in blood, with severed limbs everywhere. Even newly recruited soldiers were terrified and trembling with fear.

But just as he was about to shield Lin Shuishi from the horrors, he saw the slender youth, his face pale but his eyes dark and resolute, gritting his teeth as he dashed out of the camp, heading straight toward the battlefield.

“Hey! Lin Shuishi, it’s dangerous out there! Come back!” Dr. Sun quickly grabbed a handful of poison needles and powder, chasing after him.

As Lin Shuishi approached the battlefield, the overwhelming stench of blood hit him like a wave, almost knocking him over as his skin broke out in goosebumps!

The stench, the heavy smell of iron, felt like a net wrapping around him. As he moved forward, the chaos of the battlefield unfolded right before his eyes!

Flesh and blood were flying everywhere, bodies being torn apart. Living beings were crushed under the blades and hooves, ground into a bloody pulp, their remains indistinguishable from one another.

Once again, Lin Shuishi was forcefully reminded that this was not the peaceful modern city he once knew. Wars between nations here were not bloodless economic or military maneuvers. He saw a barbarian decapitate a young soldier, blood gushing from the headless body. Just as the barbarian was about to celebrate, a group of soldiers swarmed him, hacking him to death with their blades.

Lin Shuishi felt dizzy, his stomach churning violently. Unable to hold it back any longer, he turned aside and vomited.

Dr. Sun caught up with him, grabbing him just in time, and ducked as a few stray arrows flew past them.

“Get back! It’s too dangerous here.”

But Lin Shuishi’s heart was even more anxious. He mustered his courage and stood up, clenching his fists as he stared at the battlefield dyed red with blood.

What if? What if, in that sea of people, a raging giant wolf suddenly appeared? What if it couldn’t break free, trapped and killed by those frenzied blades? The beast might be a heroic force, but it was still made of flesh and blood—how could it withstand the overwhelming might of an entire army?

Lin Shuishi struggled to move forward, but before he could make much progress, someone suddenly appeared, scooped him up, grabbed Sun Luqian, and quickly disappeared into the forest, taking a long detour around the rear of the army toward Xuancheng.

Sometimes, the sense of smell precedes sight. Lin Shuishi instantly recognized that familiar scent, one seemingly etched into his very bones. Finally, he relaxed, burying his head in the person’s chest, taking a few deep breaths before looking up, his voice trembling slightly.

“You’re back! The formation is broken?”

Fuli nodded. Sun Luqian, who had been carried swiftly, was still concerned about the battle and quickly asked, “Hero, how is the situation? Where are we going?”

But Fuli didn’t respond, silently leaping forward with powerful strides, his muscles moving with the grace and strength of a leopard.

The battle was nearing its end. The retreating enemy wasn’t pursued too far, as the heavy crossbows couldn’t be brought forward, and the vine armor was difficult to penetrate. The army sounded the signal to withdraw.

By the time the three of them reached Xuancheng, small groups of soldiers had already returned, clearing the area outside the city. Once the formation was broken and the fog dispersed, it revealed the bodies of soldiers who had died in the formation, most of them trapped and suffocated, unable to rest in peace.

The soldiers gathered the remains of their fallen comrades, conducting prayers before cremating them. The city was under martial law, and the townspeople hid away in their homes. Sun Luqian led Lin Shuishi and Fuli to rest at a military garrison within the city, using a command token to gain access.

As soon as Sun Luqian had settled down, he was summoned away—there were countless wounded soldiers from the returning army, and he had much work ahead.

Lin Shuishi, still shaken from the earlier events, felt weak and drained. He leaned against Fuli, his breath heavy, his mind replaying the gruesome scenes of the battlefield, causing him some distress.

In the midst of the post-battle chaos and noise within the half-ruined fortress city, the two of them sat quietly together. Soldiers moved back and forth around them, and as night fell, the campfires were lit, and meals were prepared.

After all, the warmth of a fire is a comfort to the soul.

As they sat by the fire, Fuli looked down at Lin Shuishi, who was drifting in and out of sleep, and spoke.

“I need to go back for a while.”

Lin Shuishi stirred at his words, clutching the strong, muscular arm of the man beside him. “Back to Dongshan? What’s wrong?”

Fuli looked up at the moon, a figure of immense strength and stability, like a mountain.

“I need to return an ancestral relic that was lost.”

His eyes, reflecting the brilliance of the starry sky, gazed into the distance as if seeing deep into the lush and secretive realms of Dongshan.

In that secluded ancestral land of the wolf god, moonlight filtered through the crevices in the rocks, shining down on a massive, snow-white wolf skeleton.

The bones of the wolf, each one as white as porcelain, were intertwined with vines, keeping the structure intact. However, something was amiss with the wolf’s skull.

The massive skull, despite the passage of countless years, still exuded an aura of majesty and power. The sharp, gleaming fangs, reminiscent of ivory, were reflected in the pool of water below, glinting in the light.

But one fang was missing. The spot where it should have been was empty, and even the vines were absent from that place.