C16 Reunion of Comrades

The wine flowed bowl after bowl. Ethan was surprised by Li Yizhu’s capacity—he’d always prided himself on being a heavy drinker; many big business deals back home had been won over alcohol. The only time he’d ever gotten dead drunk was with a northeastern client, who’d once worked as a professional government drinking companion with a record of nine jin of pure liquor. Ethan had drunk so much he’d cried and laughed wildly, then passed out on the street. When he woke up, he was hugging a dead dog that had choked on his vomit. He’d fled in shame.

After that, he’d hired Mongolian drinking specialists to handle banquets. His company became famous in the industry as an “alcoholic battlefield champion.”

But tonight, Ethan wanted to get drunk. It was absurd to be drinking with his worst enemy, surrounded by bold female soldiers who could outdrink most men. His old stereotype that women couldn’t hold liquor was completely shattered. He kept catching Li Yizhu’s murderous glances, and he feared the women might take advantage of him once they were all intoxicated.

The drunker the soldiers got, the bolder they became. Women grabbed men freely. Wine truly was a magical substance—it turned heroes into fools and fools into legends. Normally, these women would never dare touch their queen consort or their supreme commander.

“Drink! Drink! Enjoy life while we can!” Li Yizhu shouted, clearly encouraging everyone to black out. Ethan saw his scheming eyes.

“Drink! Don’t worry—we’re in charge!” Ethan laughed. He refused to lose.

More soldiers fell. Drunk women dragged off male soldiers one by one. Ethan and Li Yizhu locked eyes and smiled, continuing their duel. In this female-ruled kingdom, nothing surprised them anymore.

Wine jars piled up. Li Yizhu’s face was bright red. Ethan grinned, feeling confident he’d win soon. The women grew wilder, singing and dancing freely. Zhang Yu touched Ethan secretly.

“You dare take advantage of me?” Ethan thought. He pulled her roughly into his arms to get even.

When he saw Li Yizhu lying in the arms of several women, still challenging him to drink, Ethan burst out laughing.

“The queen consort is done! Who else dares challenge me? I’ll promote anyone who outdrinks me!”

“Count me in! I’m a real man—I won’t lose to this bastard!” Li Yizhu staggered to his feet.

“Real man? We don’t believe you!” the women teased.

“I’ll prove it! Whoever doesn’t drink is a turtle!” Li Yizhu chugged half a jar.

“Real men drink from jars! Right, Ethan?”

“Right!” Ethan agreed instantly—pride as a man overrode his hatred. He lifted his jar and drank deeply.

“We women can too!” the women shouted.

“We have something you women will never have!” Li Yizhu slurred, still trying to embarrass Ethan.

But in his triumph, Li Yizhu collapsed and passed out.

The women roared with laughter.

“Commander, the real man is gone! Can you prove you’re one?”

Ethan laughed wildly. “I need no proof! Drink! The queen is gone—your chance is now!”

He held Zhang Yu close and drank with every woman until they all dropped. Ethan soon blacked out too.

When Ethan woke, his head throbbed. His whole body ached, especially his waist.

He screamed.

He and Li Yizhu were locked tightly together, like tangled tree roots.

“What the hell happened?!”

Ethan panicked. He remembered nothing after Li Yizhu passed out. Why was he sleeping with a man? He would never choose this.

“It’s your fault, you pervert!” Li Yizhu woke up, punched Ethan, and scrambled away.

“I didn’t hug you!” Ethan yelled, punching back.

They rolled on the ground, screaming and fighting.

“Commander! Urgent military report!” a female soldier rushed in, then froze, unsure whether to leave.

Ethan and Li Yizhu jumped apart, their faces bright red. Their clothes were torn. Wine jars and women’s underwear littered the tent.

Both panicked and tossed aside the underwear they’d been clutching.

“Speak,” Ethan ordered, trying to act dignified.

“The rain has stopped. General Zhang has captured more than 80,000 Turtle soldiers. The rest are dead. What should we do with the prisoners?”

“I’ve been sleeping for HOW LONG?” Ethan asked, dizzy.

“Two full days, sir. General Zhang didn’t dare wake you.”

“TWO DAYS?!” both men shouted.

“Leave us. We’ll be out soon.”

As soon as the soldier left, Ethan looked at Li Yizhu’s bruised face and torn clothes and burst out laughing.

“Look at you! Change clothes before you scare the army!”

“You look worse!” Li Yizhu snapped and stormed out.

Ethan stared in the mirror and gasped. His head was swollen like a pig’s, his lips thick as sausages. His handsome, heroic image was completely destroyed.

Outside, the land was flooded. Sunset Mountain was barely visible. Bodies and debris floated in the water. Ethan felt no guilt. In this lawless world, he was free to be as ruthless as needed.

Zhang Yu approached, her eyes strange and shy.

“83,456 prisoners, sir. What’s your order?”

Ethan frowned. Keeping prisoners was too risky. Releasing them was suicidal.

“Kill them all. Keep only Turtle Pig and Princess Bunko—they may be useful later.”

He planned to imitate the ancient general Bai Qi: total elimination.

As he gave the order, a terrifying surge of power exploded from the prisoners.

A flash of white light shot toward Ethan like lightning.

It was a flying dagger.

Faster than a bullet. Invisible to most. Locked onto his throat.

Ethan dodged backward in an instant, swirling his fists to form a vortex of air. The dagger slowed, but still flew toward his neck.

With casual grace, he caught it between his fingers, like plucking a flower. He returned to his original position as if he’d never moved.

Before the soldiers could react, two figures burst from the prisoners. They dodged arrows easily and charged Ethan, blades flashing.

“Hold your fire!” Ethan shouted.

He caught all four blades between his fingers.

“They’re friends!”

The two attackers hesitated, then struck again.

“Stop! I’m Ethan! Your boss!”

Ethan’s body floated into the air, evading their blows.

“Ethan? You look like a pig!”

“I’m your boss! The guy who caught the giant crab! Howard! Han Tao! You idiots!”

The two men froze.

“Boss?!”

They dropped their weapons. The three men hugged tightly, tears in their eyes.

“We thought we’d never see you again! The poison almost killed us!” Howard cried.

“We used the Hidden Dragon Breathing Technique to survive!” Han Tao said.

Ethan laughed through his relief. “I’m the one who poisoned the river! I had no choice—I’m outnumbered!”

“Where’s Raymond? How did you end up with the Turtle army?”

“First… feed us,” Howard begged. “We haven’t eaten in two days.”

Ethan laughed and brought them to his tent.

“Zhang Yu, execute the prisoners. Keep the female Turtle commander. Bring food!”

Zhang Yu stared after Ethan, confused and hurt. The way he’d hugged his male friends made her wonder if he preferred men. She felt mixed emotions—attraction, confusion, and ambition. She decided she would still try to control him.

She ordered the mass execution.

The river turned red.

Li Yizhu arrived and saw the carnage. He thought of his dead Tiger Clan. Ethan was a walking disaster. Li Yizhu’s resolve to kill him wavered—Ethan was growing too strong. His Tiger Dance would soon be complete; he could return home. But should he take Ethan with him? Or leave him here to avoid ruining the Dragon Clan’s ancient plan?

Li Yizhu left, heavy-hearted.

In the tent, Ethan told Howard and Han Tao his whole story. They ate like starved wolves.

“Slow down! You’ll choke!”

“Boss, you’re so lucky here! The women throw themselves at you!” Howard said.

“Did you have any… affairs?” Han 涛 grinned.

Ethan blushed. “I’m a gentleman! Where’s Raymond?”

Howard sighed. “After we fell into a trap, we were sold to the Turtle army. Your voice rival—Raymond—sang love songs and drove the Turtle women crazy. He was taken as a lover by West Wind Snow. He refused to leave—he’s living like a king!”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Of course. Loudmouth gets the girl.”

“He’s with the eastern army now,” Han Tao said.

Ethan’s smile faded. “So the eastern front is active.”

Just then, a soldier rushed in, terrified.

“Commander! Urgent message from the east! Marshal Leng Bing’s army is in critical danger!”

Ethan stood up, his face cold.

The real war had only just begun.