Chapter 53
At the top of Eagle's Beak Cliff, the cold wind was still biting, carrying with it the smell of unburnt kerosene and the stench of burnt oil.
The towering flames cast flickering light on General Sheng Chi's sharply defined face, and his hawk-like eyes, unusually, lost their sharp focus, staring intently, almost frozen, at the raging, infernal inferno below that was churning and devouring everything.
Time seemed to stand still at the top of the cliff.
Only the crackling sound of flames licking the cliff face and the faint, mournful cries of the worms at the bottom of the ravine could be heard.
The guards held their breath, not daring to utter a sound.
Xiao Qiyun stood beside Sheng Chi, his gaze also falling on the devastating sea of fire below, then sweeping over the small black dot in the distance that struggled on the sand and finally collapsed motionless—that was Sheng Xuan's last figure.
His thin lips were pressed tightly together, and complex emotions surged deep in his eyes: there was sorrow for the sacrifice, fear of the cult's methods, and even a hint of... the coldness of the dust settling down.
Meanwhile, in the right-wing military medical tent a few miles away from Luoyingjian, the atmosphere was equally heavy, as if filled with lead.
Su Yan and Gu Linzhao rushed over from the main camp yesterday afternoon, their faces so grim they could wring water out of them.
They only vaguely told Su Zhelan that "something big is probably going to happen at Luoyingjian, so we need to come over in advance to prepare," and then plunged into the preparations.
Although Su Zhelan was unaware of the situation, seeing the unprecedented solemn expressions on her two masters' faces, she felt a weight on her heart and vaguely guessed that today was probably extremely dangerous.
The heavy smell of blood mingled with the strong aroma of freshly boiled herbs, filling the air and adding to the oppressive atmosphere.
The makeshift operating table, polished white by repeated wiping with strong liquor, gleamed coldly. Silver needles, scalpels, bone forceps, and other instruments churned in boiling water, emitting a muffled bubbling sound.
Hemostatic powder, detoxifying ointment, tissue-regenerating ointment... Su Yan personally filled the table with all sorts of life-saving bottles and jars, categorized and within easy reach.
Several nimble auxiliary soldiers moved back and forth, piling up stacks of clean linen bandages as high as small mountains.
There were no new wounded inside the tent; only a suffocating, deathly silence, as if a storm was brewing.
Su Yan paced anxiously in the limited space, his hands behind his back. He unconsciously gripped his heavy pestle, his knuckles turning white from the force.
He would occasionally stop abruptly, listening intently to the sounds outside the tent, or gazing restlessly toward the tightly closed tent flap, his brows furrowed into an unyielding knot, as if he could see through the canvas to the distant, brutal battlefield.
Gu Linzhao sat silently on a low stool, a soft cloth spread out in front of him.
He was meticulously and slowly wiping several of the sharpest knives, the kind used to treat the most difficult wounds, with the corner of a cloth.
The blade made a very faint "rustling" sound as it rubbed against the fabric. He lowered his eyelids, his movements focused to the point of near-reverence, as if he wanted to grind all the unease and heavy premonition in his heart into the cold blade.
Su Zhelan stood beside the medicine cabinet, unconsciously arranging several freshly ground medicinal powders in her hands.
He watched Su Yan pace anxiously, and watched Gu Linzhao wipe with a silent yet tense expression, and his heart was filled with unease.
He vaguely knew that there was an operation taking place at Luoyingjian today, but he had no idea what it was or what the casualties would be.
The tension between the two doctors spread like an invisible tide, leaving him somewhat at a loss. He could only try to keep himself busy and check the items in the medicine box again, even though he had already checked them several times before.
The three of them tacitly understood that what was being delivered today was probably no longer an ordinary knife or arrow wound.
What awaits them is likely... a mutilated body, a dying struggle afflicted by a strange poison, or even... an empty stretcher and the devastating news that no one survived.
Time ticked by, and even the wind outside the tent seemed to grow cautious. The air inside the tent felt as if it had solidified, with only the bubbling of boiling water and the rustling of cloth rubbing against the blade in Gu Linzhao's hands pressing on everyone's taut nerves.
The fire below Eagle Falling Gorge was still raging, but no more screams could be heard; only the roar of the flames continued.
General Sheng Chi still stood as if cast in iron on the edge of the cliff, his cloak billowing and rustling in the fierce wind.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the sea of fire, yet also seemed to be fixed on that tiny black dot in the distance, unmoving. His hand, gripping the sword hilt tightly, his knuckles bluish-white from excessive force, trembled slightly.
The air around them was oppressive and suffocating. The guards exchanged glances, none daring to approach and disturb them. The general's silence weighed on everyone's hearts like a boulder.
Just then, Xiao Qiyun stepped forward, his voice not loud, but clearly penetrating the wind and the roar of flames, carrying an undeniable calmness: "General."
Sheng Chi's body trembled almost imperceptibly, but he did not turn around.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze swept over the gradually dying fire below and the empty, rocky slope in the distance, and he continued, "Although the fire is fierce, it may not be able to burn away all the evil spirits. There may be fish that have escaped in the ravine, and there may be remnants hiding on the cliff. Now that the fire is slightly weaker, it is a good opportunity to send troops to wipe out the remaining enemies and search for clues."
He paused, his voice still steady, "It's not over yet."
The words “It’s not over yet” broke General Sheng Chi’s silence like a stone thrown into a stagnant pool.
He abruptly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, the acrid smell of kerosene and the stench of charred corpse filling his lungs and triggering a violent cough. When he opened his eyes again, the pain and confusion that had churned in his hawk-like gaze had been forcibly suppressed, replaced by a familiar, cold, resolute and chilling expression befitting a border commander.
He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over the guards and strongmen standing solemnly behind him. His voice was somewhat hoarse from the pressure, yet it carried an undeniable authority: "Pass on the order!"
“Your subordinate is here!” A captain of the personal guards immediately stepped forward, clasped his hands in response.
"Quickly take three hundred elite soldiers and thoroughly search the cliffs on both sides of the ravine. Kill anyone found with suspicion! Focus on searching crevices and caves for relics left behind by the cult!"
"Once the fire has subsided by a third, we'll enter the ravine, clear the battlefield, and collect... collect the remains of the fallen soldiers. Search carefully to see if there are any... survivors." Sheng Chi's voice paused almost imperceptibly at the last few words.
"Seal off the area within ten miles of Luoyingjian, conduct a thorough search of all passersby, and arrest anyone suspicious immediately!"
As orders were issued, the atmosphere on the cliff top instantly shifted from deathly silence to a tense and deadly one. The captain of the personal guard received the orders and quickly mustered his troops to set off. The strongmen also began to prepare the tools for pouring the oil.
His intense gaze returned to the distant, scorched, rocky slope, his expression complex. Just then—
"Report—!!!"
A messenger, covered in soot and with tattered armor, scrambled up the cliff top, his face a mixture of panic and incredulous excitement. He knelt on one knee and shouted in a hoarse voice, "Reporting to the general! Survivors have been found on the rocky slope outside Eagle Falling Gorge!"
The cliff top fell into a deathly silence! All eyes were fixed on the messenger.
Sheng Chi whirled around, striding up to the messenger. His tall figure exuded an imposing aura: "Speak! Who is it? What's the situation?!"
The messenger, panting heavily, said urgently, "It's...it's Sheng Xuan! And...and one of his personal guards, Old Zhang! Sheng Xuan has been shot in the right shoulder with an arrow coated with deadly poison. The wound is black, and he's unconscious! Old Zhang...his injuries are even worse. He's covered in blood, and has been gnawed at by Gu worms in many places. He's barely clinging to life! When we found him, there were broken medicine bottles scattered around General Sheng Xuan. It seems...it seems the powder attracted the Gu worms! Both of them have been rushed to the military medical tent!"
"The military medical tent..." Sheng Chi murmured, repeating the phrase. His eyes suddenly flashed with an indescribable light, a light that was a mixture of ecstasy, lingering fear, and deep worry.
He suddenly waved his hand: "Prepare the horses! To the medical tent!"
Before he finished speaking, he strode towards the plank road leading down the cliff, his black cloak billowing behind him.
Xiao Qiyun followed closely behind, his face still expressionless, but his tightly pursed lips seemed to relax slightly, and a barely perceptible ripple flashed deep in his eyes.
The wind at the cliff top was still biting, but it seemed to carry a hint of the urgency of surviving a catastrophe.
The tent flap was suddenly flung open, bringing in a strong, pungent smell of blood, burnt food, and dust.
Two soldiers, covered in blood, rushed in carrying a stretcher. The person on the stretcher was covered in blood and dust and was barely breathing.
Immediately afterwards, another stretcher was carried in, the person on which was in worse condition, with deep lacerations visible to the bone in many places, and breathing so weakly that he was almost gone.
"Quick! Over here!" Gu Linzhao shouted first, his voice carrying the urgency and roughness unique to military officers. He pointed to the operating table and quickly helped lift the person, clearly familiar with the procedures for treating the wounded, but only with rough work such as moving and placing them.
He didn't know anything about medicine, but he knew from experience that if someone was about to die, they needed to be saved quickly.
The auxiliary soldiers immediately stepped forward to help, carefully transferring the two wounded soldiers to the operating table.
Su Yan rushed forward, his gaze sweeping over the two wounded men like lightning. When his eyes landed on the blood-stained face on the first operating table, his pupils contracted sharply!
“Sheng Xuan?!” Su Zhelan almost cried out, her voice trembling with disbelief.
The medicine powder jar in his hand clattered to the ground. His mind went blank—how could it be Sheng Xuan? And so badly injured?! The familiar black armor was almost soaked in blood, a hideous wound on his right shoulder was gushing black blood, his face was as pale as paper, his lips were an ominous bluish-purple, his eyes were closed, and his breath was frighteningly weak.
Su Yan's gaze lingered on Sheng Xuan for a moment, a deep pain and heavy regret flashing in his eyes. He saw the blackened wound on Sheng Xuan's shoulder, and he also saw the barely recognizable, dying body of his bodyguard on the other operating table. Two... only two... what about the others?
"What are you standing there for?! Are you waiting for them to die?!" Gu Linzhao's roar was like a thunderclap!
Gu Linzhao's roar snapped Su Zhelan out of her daze like a whip.
He snapped back to reality and looked at Sheng Xuan, who was unconscious and on the verge of death on the operating table. His heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly.
He forced himself to suppress his surging emotions, staggered to Sheng Xuan's operating table, and his fingers trembled as he checked Sheng Xuan's pulse on the side of his neck—weak, but still beating! Almost the instant he confirmed the pulse, Su Zhelan's eyes changed.
The initial shock and helplessness were replaced by an almost instinctive focus. He no longer needed any prompting; his gaze, sharp as a knife, instantly locked onto the blackened shoulder wound—that was the primary threat!
Su Yan was also startled awake by Gu Linzhao's roar. He took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart. He quickly glanced at the two operating tables, his gaze lingering for a moment on the black wound on Sheng Xuan's shoulder and the leg of his personal guard, Lao Zhang, which was almost gnawed to pieces. He made a decision instantly.
“Ze Lan!” Su Yan’s voice was firm and decisive. “Sheng Xuan is in your hands! Clean the wound and detoxify! Stabilize him!” He spoke very quickly, and as he spoke, he strode toward the operating table of his personal guard, Old Zhang. “Leave this to me! Gu Linzhao, you hold him down for me! Strong liquor! Hemostatic powder! Silver needles! Quickly!” He knew that Su Ze Lan was fully capable of handling Sheng Xuan’s injuries, so there was no need to go into details.
The order was given, and the tent instantly transformed from deathly silence into a high-speed battlefield!
Su Zhelan was jolted awake by Su Yan's command, but his actions were far faster and more precise than the order. He quickly removed Sheng Xuan's tattered armor and blood-stained clothes, revealing his wounds.
The flesh around the wound was torn open, revealing bone beneath, and the flowing blood was thick, black, and emitted a faint, fishy stench. He immediately grabbed the boiled liquor beside him, soaked a large piece of cotton cloth in it, and pressed it against the wound without hesitation! The movement was swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
"Ugh—!" Sheng Xuan, who was unconscious, suddenly convulsed and let out a muffled groan of extreme pain.
Su Zhelan's heart clenched, but his hands didn't stop moving. He quickly and steadily rinsed the deep wound with strong liquor, washing away the dirty blood.
Immediately afterwards, he put down the wine cloth, his fingertips already holding several silver needles, which he swiftly inserted into several acupoints around Sheng Xuan's shoulders and neck with lightning speed. His technique was extremely precise, both to slow the spread of the toxins and to relieve the pain.
Then, he picked up a small, sharp willow-leaf knife, quickly heated it over a fire, and precisely probed the tip deep into the wound, carefully removing bone fragments and foreign objects embedded in the bone crevice. His movements were as steady as if he had practiced it a thousand times. The whole process was smooth and effortless, requiring no further prompting from Su Yan.
On the other side, Su Yan had already rushed to the operating table of his personal guard, Old Zhang. Old Zhang's condition was ten times more dangerous than Sheng Xuan's! His left calf was almost half-eaten off, the white bone exposed! There was a deep, long laceration between his chest and abdomen, and his intestines were vaguely visible! His breath was as weak as a candle flickering in the wind.
"Strong liquor! Lots of strong liquor!" Su Yan roared, grabbing the liquor jar handed to him by a soldier and pouring it directly onto Old Zhang's bloody wound! At the same time, without looking up, he yelled at Gu Linzhao, "Hold him down! Don't let him move!" Gu Linzhao immediately pounced on him, using all his strength to hold down Old Zhang's body, which was convulsing from the excruciating pain.
"Stop the bleeding powder! Press it on the abdominal wound! And apply the antiseptic ointment!" While directing the auxiliary soldiers, Su Yan personally grabbed the specially made, highly corrosive antiseptic ointment and applied it without hesitation to the tiny Gu worms wriggling in Old Zhang's wound!
"Hiss hiss hiss—!" The moment the putrefactive ointment touched the Gu worm, a pungent blue smoke and a burnt smell rose up! Old Zhang's body convulsed violently in excruciating pain, but Gu Linzhao held him down firmly.
The tent was instantly filled with the pungent smells of blood, alcohol, burnt food, and herbs. Su Yan moved like a high-speed machine, his movements precise and ruthless, racing against time to save his life. Gu Linzhao, on the other hand, used his brute strength to suppress the wounded man's struggles.
Su Zhelan was completely focused on Sheng Xuan's shoulder wound, cleaning, detoxifying, applying acupuncture, and applying medicine... His movements were steady and efficient, demonstrating medical skills far beyond his age. His fingertips were steady, his eyes were focused, and although there were fine beads of sweat on his forehead, there was no trace of panic.
Time slipped away amidst the suffocating tension of the rescue efforts.
Outside the tent, the rapid sound of horses' hooves approached from afar, finally stopping abruptly outside the tent. Heavy footsteps, accompanied by the clanging of armor, rapidly drew near the tent entrance…
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