Chapter 843: Chapter 529: Stories That Must Be Told About the Barbarians
"Revenge? Revenge against whom?" Tang Fei asked curiously.
"..."
Shen Qingping glanced at Tang Fei, looking as if he was constipated.
He felt that this guy was deliberately asking this question.
If it had been before, he naturally wouldn’t have answered.
Who are you trying to humiliate?
But everyone had just fought side by side, Tang Fei and Lu Siyu, as guests, could have stayed out of it, yet they still accompanied them on the front lines.
Tang Fei killed the most Barbarians...
One with each swing, like slicing melons.
Shen Qingping had guarded Ghost Mountain for many years, and in this living hell where there’s no tomorrow, his personality had undergone a dramatic change.
Previously, as part of the Shen Family’s Direct Lineage, he was a young talent, proud, indifferent, lacking empathy, and vindictive.
Now he felt that as long as they could fight side by side on the battlefield, they were good brothers.
If you win, it’s good for everyone.
If you lose, you die together.
This was also why he saw Tang Fei’s enthusiasm for killing and willingly tossed his Energy Blade to him to use.
Moreover, due to his family’s neglect and disregard, his internal scale had begun to tilt towards Tang Fei...
Shen Qingping took another large gulp of beer before explaining: "These Barbarians are actually the original inhabitants of the Dushan Region. Because the resources in Dushan are scarce, almost bare of vegetation."
"Scorchingly hot during the day, freezing cold at night, with extreme temperature differences between day and night... So these natives developed a nature and lifestyle that is non-productive, uncultured, barbarous, and violent."
"Later, when the Aus Empire and the Sun Never Sets Empire invasion war broke out, the two countries formed a coalition of three million troops, intending to devour and divide the Phoenix Empire... At that time, all major ports and borders were heavily guarded, making it difficult for them to enter easily."
"However, Dushan was a huge breach. The Aus Empire wanted to use resources to buy off the Barbarians, the condition was that the Barbarians would open Dushan’s gate, allowing the coalition forces to smoothly reach the core regions of the Empire."
"Once they crossed Dushan, before their eyes would be an endless expanse of plains and cities, the empire’s territory at their mercy for raids and slaughter..."
"With those cities supplying them, they could focus on advancing towards the Imperial Capital Phoenix City... At the critical moment, your father led a group..."
Shen Qingping glanced at Lu Siyu and added: "He only brought Lu Yu, who was also known as one of the Imperial Double Wall, and the two secretly went to Dushan. No one knows what they said to those Barbarians, but from then on, the Barbarian leader Batur became a significant general under his command."
"Your father organized the Barbarians into three battalions: one for collision, one as suicide squad, and another named Blood Mane... These three battalions, equipped with simple armaments provided by the Lu Family, would always be the vanguard in battles, astonishingly making the coalition forces retreat step by step."
"You could say, the empire defeating the coalition invasion, forcing the Sun Never Sets Empire to split into the Kaman Federation... these Barbarians indeed made great contributions."
"If that’s the case..." Tang Fei frowned and asked, "They should be considered our own people... Why have things become like this now?"
"It seems these Barbarians have some kind of obsession in their minds... Knowing they are like moths to a flame, yet courageously charging forward without fear of death..."
"You know what happened later..." Shen Qingping avoided Tang Fei’s scrutinizing gaze and said in a deep voice: "After the war, whether in the military or civilian circles... everyone regarded your father as a hero who saved the country."
"Only aware of the Tang Family, unaware of the Royal Family... Could the Zhong Royal Family take it? When merit surpasses the sovereign, disaster is inevitable."
"So, Zhong Daolong summoned your father back to the capital to report, and ordered him to bring his key generals back for awards... Although your father had doubts, he still brought people back, including that Barbarian leader, Batur..."
"Your father was captured at Boneless Mountain, Batur was unwilling and fought desperately, being killed on the spot..."
The person who killed Batur on the spot was Shen Qingping’s grand-uncle Shen Wuxiang, of course, this was something Shen Qingping would never mention.
"The empire not only killed the Barbarian leader Batur but also eliminated all the officers of the three main battalions, and revoked all agreements of survival resources for the Barbarians and the development policies for the Dushan Region..."
"Crossing the river and tearing down the bridge, unloading the mill and killing the donkey." Tang Fei sneered repeatedly: "Self-destroying the Great Wall, digging their graves. No wonder these Barbarians are risking their lives to attack Dushan."
"Yes, at that time, those in the empire believed... that the Barbarians, leaderless, elites wiped out, could only degenerate into scattered sand. With the perilous Dushan, even if humiliated and bullied, they couldn’t stir any waves."
"Unexpectedly, these Barbarians are very vengeful... Since Batur’s death in battle, these Barbarians have attacked the mountain every few days..."
"Day after day, year after year... Every time leaving a pile of corpses behind, then coming again as if nothing happened..."
Lu Siyu listened intently, especially since this story involved her father, making her listen even more attentively.
After listening, she sighed deeply: "This is no longer just revenge... It has become an obsession in their hearts..."
"The obsession with crossing Dushan, the obsession with making the empire pay with blood."
"Indeed." Shen Qingping did not deny her words, for he had fought against these Barbarians hundreds of times, and had countless times locked eyes with them.
In their eyes were uncontrollable anger and intense hatred that made one’s heart tremble.
He could see the same two words from the eyes of the Barbarians:
Blood for blood!
Relentlessly!
As long as the Barbarians exist, this conflict will not cease for a day.
After hearing the whole story, Tang Fei and Lu Siyu both sympathized with the Barbarians.
Shen Qingping felt the most conflicted, fighting on the frontline against the Barbarians every day, leaving aside the facts, was there really no mistake in these Barbarians coming to harass every day?
Having narrowly escaped death countless times, he also hated the Barbarians deeply.
However, on careful analysis, the Shen Family played an inglorious role in this incident.
The Barbarian leader Batur was killed by Shen Wuxiang, and the Shen Family left no stone unturned in clearing out the remnants of the Tang Family...
The one who issued cooperation was Zhong Daolong, but work was done by the Shen Family.
This was why he was reluctant to tell Tang Fei about the origin of the conflict with the Barbarians.
It was too embarrassing.
Sometimes he even spitefully thought, the reason why he was banished to Ghost Mountain... was to atone for the sins committed by the Shen Family.
"It can’t go on like this," Tang Fei took a gulp of beer, finishing a bottle in one go.
He then walked straight to the corner fridge in the room and grabbed a few more bottles of beer, even considerately handing one to Shen Qingping.
After all, the beer in Shen Qingping’s bottle was almost gone too.
Shen Qingping glared at Tang Fei in dissatisfaction, this was his monthly supply...
If you want to drink again, you’ll have to wait for next month’s base resupply.
In a place like this where birds don’t poop, wanting a sip of beer is an extravagance.
Moreover, drinking is not allowed in the military.
Tang Fei flicked his fingers lightly, and the bottle cap flew off.
He handed the opened beer to Lu Siyu, and Lu Siyu nodded slightly to express thanks.
He popped open the last bottle of beer and looked at Shen Qingping, asking, "After all these years, is there no way to resolve it? Hasn’t anyone gone to talk to those Barbarians?"
"Talk what? How to talk?" Shen Qingping shook his head in frustration and said, "In the beginning, the Empire tried to resolve the conflict with the Barbarians by offering them some compensation..."
"And what happened?"
"The people sent to negotiate were killed by them, and their heads were delivered to the foot of the mountain."
"..."
"The Barbarians are straightforward, once deceived, they’ll never trust the Phoenix people again," Lu Siyu chimed in.
Shen Qingping glanced at Lu Siyu, thinking about the meaning in her words... Is she sympathizing with the Barbarians?
"Exactly." Shen Qingping nodded, saying, "Whoever goes to talk dies, they’re determined to take Dushan... We can’t give up Dushan; giving it up is equivalent to handing over the Empire’s northern gate..."
"This creates a vicious cycle... Unless the Phoenix Country is destroyed or all the Barbarians die, there’s no way to resolve the conflict and dissolve the tension."
"Do the Barbarians have a leader now?" Tang Fei asked, "I saw their leader was quite formidable, not skilled in cultivation, but evenly matched in a fight with you..."
"Not only resilient and capable in battle, but also quite intelligent... Wasn’t he the one who ordered the retreat?"
"Their current leader is called Bo Gu... Allegedly Batur’s brother... After Batur died, he took charge of the Barbarian Clan."
"Have you interacted with him?"
"He’s the one who personally beheaded the negotiators..." Shen Qingping’s face became strange as he said, "It’s said... he ate those people."
"Ate them?" Tang Fei’s eyes widened.
"Ate them." Shen Qingping nodded firmly.
"..."
In the conflict between two nations, emissaries are not killed.
Clearly, the Barbarians don’t understand this rule...
Who would dare to negotiate like this?
The atmosphere suddenly became silent.
As if this feud turned into a deadlock.
After mulling over it for a long time, Tang Fei looked at Shen Qingping and said, "An enemy should be resolved, not knotted; continuing to fight like this, not to mention the toll on people and resources, also places Brother Qingping in a dangerous situation."
"Sword and spear know no mercy; today you kill someone, tomorrow who kills me, it’s common... If you can leave this place a day earlier, you should leave as soon as possible."
"..."
Shen Qingping drank in silence.
As if he didn’t want to leave.
If there were any choice, he wouldn’t want to stay here for one more second.
However, he had just discussed this with his father and was turned down, saying he would talk to Grandpa and second Grandpa...
Grandpa has always disliked him, saying it would be like not saying anything.
Unless he finds a way to take Tang Fei and Lu Siyu back...
Second Grandpa secluded himself to heal after a serious injury; it’s hard to see him for a while.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but study Tang Fei.
Second Grandpa’s injury... Tang Fei also couldn’t escape responsibility.
"I have a way to resolve our conflict with the Barbarians..." Tang Fei looked at Shen Qingping, saying sincerely, "However, I need Brother Qingping’s help..."
"How to resolve it?" Shen Qingping stared at Tang Fei with a wary look and asked, "What do you want me to do?"
Shen Qingping is not stupid.
Since Tang Fei suddenly appeared in front of him, he has been guarded against him.
Unusual things must have ulterior motives.
If Tang Fei had no agenda, it would be impossible for him to come to such a deadly place looking for him.
Since he showed up, it proves there’s something here he wants... and someone.
Now he feels... that person is himself.
After all, he had once mentioned making him the Lord of Shen Family in a ridiculous conversation.
The Shen Family is full of talents, even if Shen Lewen and Shen Leyou were dead, there are still Shen Xinglan Shen Lewu along with younger generations like Shen Jingkong Shen Wangji.
How could it possibly fall to him?
He wants to win him over, make him his inside man?
If so, once he seizes power and claims the throne, then rewards will be distributed... He might then have the chance to become the Lord of Shen Family?
But, what if Shen Family becomes the ultimate victor?
After all, the situation is currently favorable to his side.
Is it for personal ambition or family interests...
Shen Qingping pondered over it, finding it hard to make a decision.
Hmm, difficult to decide... indicates another answer is within his consideration range.
He’s afraid of being led into a trap by Tang Fei.