Chapter 622 - Border Crossing (2)
Chapter 622
(Unedited)
…
The dense killing intent in the air has caused the Neighs that are pulling the carriage to suddenly become afraid and restless as they began to panic.
"Who are you, people? How did you get here?" a tall man asked with a deep growling voice.
"General Duwei, you're as scary as ever." said a calm voice inside the carriage.
When the people outside heard this, the dense killing intent immediately dissipated.
"It's… it's general! It's General Xang!"
A great cacophony of shouting reverberated through the air as many soldiers jump out from their hiding spot and greeted their general in jubilation.
They have been waiting in this place for many days already and didn't know what had happened. But they could not return as they already received their orders. As soldiers of a powerful empire, these people are well-disciplined than any other soldiers and would follow the command from the higher-ups whether it is right or wrong.
The burly general Wanyu Duwei marches forward to the front of the carriage. Then they saw the wounded General Xang being escorted down the carriage by Yuzhong Long. Upon seeing the wounded general everyone was a bit taken aback and a feeling of worry could be seen in their eyes.
"What happened Old Xang? Who attacked you?"
"Don't fret old Duwei, I was just unlucky to be ambushed by some beasts in the forest." General Xang said while waving his hands.
Then the group walked towards the main camp of the army while talking about what had happened these past few days.
Shin Jiao on the other hand quietly followed the large group into a deep forest until they reached a place with a formation array.
When he saw this, Shin Jiao was a bit amazed that there are people capable of using this kind of natural formation array to confuse those who wish to enter this place. It seems that there are capable experts in array formation in the army.
As they arrive, the soldiers who saw General Xang greeted him with respect.
Suddenly a soldier noticed Shin Jiao and asked him.
"Who are you? Are you with the general?"
"Ah… Yes, yes. I've come here with them as a doctor."
"A doctor?! Really! This is good, come with me."
The soldier said and since Shin Jiao did not have anything to do and the General seems busy with his business he just followed that soldier towards a large tent.
As he walks inside a pungent and bloody smell assaulted his nose. Then he immediately noticed a large row of beds occupied by wounded soldiers with blood-soaked bandages. He shook his head at this scene as he knew that if this is not changed, many of these soldiers would die of infection.
Shin Jiao also noticed a young man his age busily treating the patients. From his look and the way he checked the soldiers, he could say that this young man is doing his job half-heartedly.
The soldier immediately approaches a middle-aged man wearing white garb and with on look, Shin Jiao could immediately tell that this person is a doctor.
"Doctor Ang, this is doctor…" the soldier said but drag his words as he forgot to ask Shin Jiao's name.
"Si Ji… this humble doctor greets Senior Doctor Ang."
The middle-aged man called Doctor Ang took a glance at Shin Jiao and snorted under the cloth covering his face.
"You call yourself a doctor? Haha… I didn't think that everyone could be called a doctor these days." A sarcastic remark coming from one of the medical assistants standing at Doctor Ang side suddenly said.
"A young pop is truly fearless, aren't you afraid to be exposed?"
"Yeah, get out of this place before you throw up and sully our reputation."
Everyone could not believe that a young man could be called a doctor. If one could look at Shin Jiao one could mistake him for a young man below '20s. So, many would really think that he is just too young to even be a doctor's apprentice.
When the soldier who took Shin Jiao to the camp heard those sarcastic remarks, his expression turned a bit awkward. Although he knew the haughty disposition of the medical personnel that came with them, he did not expect them to say something like this towards another of the same profession as they have.
Shin Jiao just raised one of his brows and turn around to walk out of the tent without saying a word.
Nobody stopped him as they just sneered at that young figure.
The soldier chases after Shin Jiao and also left the tent.
"Sorry for that, doctor Ji."
"No worries… What happened? How come there are many soldiers that are wounded?"
"Ah… well… that's because we encountered a large beast in the forest. It took around 100 of our soldiers to take it down… The situation is really getting dire."
"Getting dire? What do you mean?" Shin Jiao asked in confusion.
"Well, it's a long story…"
"I have time…"
Then the young soldier told Shin Jiao about the true reason why the Golden Dragon is attacking the Silver Moon empire, he almost did not believe the young soldier. This is because with the stories coming from both empires being different, how could he know which one is telling the truth?
But one particular truth is that the Golden Dragon Empire needs more iron ore to create weapons to fight against the ever-increasing number of beasts that are coming out of the Valley of the Gods.
The Golden Dragon Empire has already sent envoys to the other empires, but what they did not know is the reason for the other empire's rejection. Plus it is said that the Golden Dragon Empire is being tyrannical for asking their ore mines.
And this is what causing the Golden Dragon Empire to be puzzled. Then without a choice, they sent the 5th prince of the empire to negotiate.
But, who would have known that the prince would be ambushed and killed? And from then on, the Golden Dragon Empire began to wage war against the other empires to vent their anger and also gain more iron ore.
Shin Jiao just listened and just try to hear the opinion of the other party. Every story is different from another and he didn't know whom to trust. Hence he would just judge things according to what he could see.
After listening to the story, Shin Jiao was about to go back to the carriage and wait for General Xang, however, he saw a group of wounded soldiers carrying a few stretchers towards the infirmary tent. But as soon as they were about to approach the tent, a couple of assistants began chasing them away.
"We are already at our limits here. Just find another tent and let the wounded lie in that place. If we have time we would go there and treat their wounds."
When the soldier leading the group heard this, he wanted to lash out, but he was held back.
"Thank you… we will leave then."
With hesitation, the group of around 20 soldiers carried their wounded comrades towards a vacant tent.
Shin Jiao who saw this scene did not want to interfere, but his morals and principles did not sit well with the attitude of the assistant. Plus the way they chase him out is a bit disrespectful, so he decided to help those soldiers.
When Shin Jiao's figure appears inside the tent those soldiers look at him with curious gazes. They are expecting him to be a medical assistant, but judging from his clothes and age it would seem that this young man is not what they expected him to be and changes their expression to disappointment.
But Shin Jiao did not mind the disappointed look on their faces. He just strode towards the man who looks like their leader and the one who almost confronted the doctor's assistant from the tent.
"How many are wounded?" Shin Jiao asked without minding their gaze towards him.
When no one answered the soldier following Shin Jiao frowns and suddenly asked in a strict tone.
"The young doctor is asking you, soldier. How many are wounded?"
Being awoken from their stupor and noticing the rank of the one who is asking him, that soldier stuttered and immediately answered.
"Five of us are heavily wounded and others have light wounds, sir."
When Shin Jiao heard this, he immediately walked towards the first person lying unconscious on a stretcher on the ground. Looking at the gaping wound on the soldier's chest and the slowly fading sound of his heartbeat, Shin Jiao's expression turned serious.
He suddenly remembers that these people actually massacred a whole village and did many atrocities. A conflict between his morals and emotions began to surge in his heart. He suddenly remembers that in this place, war, death, and tragedy is commonplace.
He just heaves a deep sigh and calms his heart. He then turns his attention towards the soldier behind him.
"Get them all out except for the commander of the group."
With his command, the rest followed and went out of the tent. Shin Jiao quickly did his best to save the lives of the soldiers but left them to barely hang on the edge. He would heal them if they are not guilty and would just let them die if they are part of the group who committed some of those atrocities. This is the only way he could justify his own conscience and his morals.
Not long later, he finished treating the five heavily wounded soldiers.
Shin Jiao began asking the commander who was left inside some questions about the background of the soldiers. He didn't ask directly about what they did in the village. But the conversation still drifted towards that part.
Although the commander felt a bit weird and confused he still answered Shin Jiao's inquiries anyway.
As Shin Jiao did this, he learned that one of these five people did something in that village. And so, with that information, he let the others recover and that single person he left to die.
"Umn… Doctor… How about him? Aren't you going to treat him?" the leader asked.
"He is already hopeless. I was able to close his wounds, but he would never make it." Shin Jiao answered nonchalantly while busily checking a patient.
He then shifted his gaze to the leader.
"Tell the others to prepare the beds and clean this place up. Those who are still wounded can come in now." Shin Jiao said which took the leader by surprise.
And once this command was given, Shin Jiao began treating those with light wounds while commanding the cleanup of the tent. Of course, he also asked the same questions while treating their wounds.
But this time it was not that obvious, but he is sure that those guilty would just suffer, though he didn't think of killing them. Their lives would be judge by the heavens.. Anyway, the road is still long, anything can happen.