The Voyage In The Blizzard - Chapter 20
Next time…
These two words stuck in Longwei’s mind until this next time finally happened.
After the incident in the Battlefield all warriors went back to the mountain. Thirty warriors out of seventy had left alive. And half of them stayed in that battlefield.
Wounded, severely injured, everyone was hardly climbing to the mountain. But knowing that they are alive gave them a strength. Helping each other, they, one by one were climbing to the very top of the mountain. Luckily there was no powerful blizzard or wind. It was like the weather gave them rest for a while..
Following Dewei, Longwei was silent. Still thinking about what had happened after the fight with the Beast he couldn’t look at Lei.
Feeling Lei’s look on himself he with a quick steps was the first who climbed to the very top of the mountain.
Politely saying good bye to other warriors Lei was the only who left. And other warriors went back to their clans which were on tops of two other mountains. (There are three mountains and each clan live on it’s own mountain.)
“Brother let’s go. We should hurry.
The weather will get colder soon.” Dewei said. Looking suspiciously at Lei and Longwei he added, “Brother are you alright?”
To which Lei just nodded.
The next few steps they were silent.
When the roofs of houses appeared before their eyes Longwei rushed towards his house. His steps were so quick that in a matter of seconds he was already inside of the house.
Dewei looking at his footprints on the snow put his hand on Lei’s back and said, “I shouldn’t have brought you with me. In case if something happened to him, there on the battlefield…”
Interrupting him Lei said, “Let’s go. I am tired and hungry.”
“Brother Longwei!”
Baofeng-Xue rushed towards him, his wide eyes were full of tears. Embracing him he shouted, “You stupid!”
Longwei in bewildered looked at Delun and Eagle who were standing behind. Noticing some kind of deep sadness in their expressions he asked, “What happened? Why are you looking at me like that?”
But instead of getting an answer he suddenly fell down. Baofeng-Xue pushed him so hard that he almost felt a little hurt.
“You! I didn’t know that you are such an idiot!” He exclaimed pointing at him with his finger.
“Hey! What is wrong with you? What did I do?”
“That fight with the beast! What were you thinking about? You just came here and already fighting with the beast!”
Longwei looked at Delun and Eagle and then back at Baofeng-Xue. The smile appeared on his face. The smile which turned into a laughter.
“How dare you to laugh? Longwei!” This time Baofeng-Xue’s voice changed. The anger painted his face into red. Clutching his feasts he looked as if he was about to attack him. Seeing him like this for the first time Longwei said, “Brother Xue calm down. I am alright. See, I am all alive.”
Raising his hand up Baofeng-Xue was about to hit him but stopping his hand in mid-air he ran out of the house.
Still in bewilderment Longwei remained on the cold floor.
“Don’t pay attention to him. He was just worrying all these days too much. His anger doesn’t last long. After ten minutes he will be back as if nothing happened.”
Eagle said helping him to stand up. “But brother Longwei, are you alright? Did that beast wounded you?”
“Wait! How did you know about the incident on the battlefield? I mean who told you that? All warriors were with me. So how did you know about it?”
“If something interesting happens then in a matter of seconds everyone knows about it. Rumors are very powerful force. Rumors can get through the ice, through the blizzard and even through the death.” Delun answered and tapped Longwei’s back.
Indeed, rumors has spread way to fast. After Longwei came back it was like everyone forgot about everything and now the main topic of discussion was him and the fight with the beast.
While walking towards the canteen he heard many whisperings about him. Some of them were good and some of them were negative.
“This newcomer. Who do you think he is? He is just another Sun, he is just like him. Remember what he did? He did one brave thing on the battlefield and in a matter of seconds he became the head of the Second clan.”
“Yes. You’re right. This newcomer is way too pretentious. He did it on purpose just because he wants something. I knew it since I saw him for the first time. He doesn’t seem like a usual soldier. I bet his goals are higher than ours. I won’t be surprised if one day he’ll become the best warrior and for nothing. Just like Sun.”
“I think you two are just envious. I don’t think that he is bad. On the contrary I think that he is very unique and smart. And we all have to accept that we are just a bunch of cowards. We will never be able to fight with the beast. Not fight but we won’t even be able to look at it’s eyes. So accept the truth. Longwei, he is another hero.”
“Let’s bet that he is gonna ruin our lives and turn this place into hell. I can feel that there isn’t anything good about him. He will being a lot of problems to Xing-Fu and thus to us.”
“Let’s bet then.”
Hearing all this whispers Longwei pretended as if he did not hear anything. Holding his laughter hard he reached the canteen but once he stepped in he noticed that everyone was standing in a row as if they were expecting someone very respectable.
The guys from his house were there too.
Looking at Delun and Xiaoli he made a questioning expression but none of them said anything.
Everyone’s eyes were directed towards him. Feeling a bit awkward he made a step forward, noticing that they aren’t gonna attack or say something to him he just made his way towards his table.
When he sat to a wooden bench everyone synchronically turned towards him.
Feeling hunger after the trip he decided not to pay any attention to them and began to eat. But he couldn’t feel the taste of food. Being under such a pressure he quickly stood up and asked loudly, “Is there something you all want to tell me?”
Without looking at them he tensed his muscles and was ready to fight back in case if that’s want they want. “If you want to tell me something then tell me now, I am very hungry so don’t take my time.” He shouted, the tone of rudeness was in his voice.
Hearing a quiet whispers he felt that this won’t lead to anything good. Preparing for fight he clutched his feast and when he felt someone’s hand on his back he sharply turned around and hit someone so hard that he screamed out the sound of pain.
But the next what happened made him wonder and get surprised.
All of a sudden everyone began to clap their hands.
Without understanding what was happening he looked at the man whom he hit. He was too happily clapping his hands even though his nose was bleeding.
And then one by one they began to shook his hand. The usual dinner time turned into a happy celebration of something.
Unable to hold his curiosity he asked, “What is happening here? Can someone please tell me?”
But no one told him what was the reason of such happiness.
Lifting him up everyone headed towards the exit.
“Delun, Eagle, can you please tell me what is happening?”
To which Eagle smilingly replied, “You are just famous now.”