CHAPTER 175: 169 ENLISTED IN THE MILITARY

Guan Kunling got into the car, sitting upright with a cold and solemn expression, unlike Lu Chi, who leaned back leisurely against the seat.

Without a word or hint of movement, she took stock of the car. She memorized exactly how Lu Chi and the others had opened the car door and started the car earlier.

Seeing her silent and staring straight ahead, Lu Chi suddenly straightened up, turning his head to ask, "Where are you from?"

Guan Kunling glanced at him. It wasn’t so much looking at him as it was looking through him at the air.

"I come from the mountains." She spoke calmly. From that mountain, she had walked her way out to here. That mountain was where her lord and the little master lived. One day, she would return to reunite with them as a family.

Lu Chi pressed his hands on his knees, probing further, "Which mountain?"

"I don’t know." Guan Kunling replied flatly. She only knew the way back but not the mountain’s name.

"How can you not know?" Lu Chi asked, a bit impatient, "At the very least, you should know where you’re from, right? Don’t you have family? Or where your family lives? And what is it that you do?"

"I have neither father nor mother," Guan Kunling responded mechanically. "My family is all in that mountain. I don’t do anything."

No parents, yet family all on that mountain? Were they relatives? But didn’t do anything—what did that even mean?

If it weren’t for her overly serious expression, Lu Chi might have thought she was pulling his leg...

"What about your job?"

A trace of doubt flashed through Guan Kunling’s bright eyes.

"Or rather, your profession?" Lu Chi rephrased. He was eager to know where she came from and what she did for a living.

"No comment." Guan Kunling pursed her lips slightly.

"Fine." Lu Chi switched tactics, "What do you do in the mountains, then?"

"Practice martial arts." Guan Kunling said calmly.

"What—what kind of martial arts?" Lu Chi’s amber eyes showed slight astonishment. Was it Ancient Martial Arts?

In his family, he often heard the elders talk about such things. Ancient Martial Arts did indeed exist. And just now, she had moved so lightly, effortlessly leaping into the car. Could that be described as flying? It really resembled the legendary martial arts.

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a light touch over his heart, as if by a finger. A stream of energy seemed to coalesce there. He wanted to speak, but all that came out were "Ah, ah, ah" sounds. His handsome face turned bright red.

"That’s how it’s done." Guan Kunling touched him lightly again. "Acupoint sealing, unsealing."

Lu Chi gasped for air, his mouth agape. Someone from the mountains, practicing martial arts—was she truly a hidden master? Otherwise, why would her words and actions be so unusual? Not to mention the apricots she had casually taken out. At this time of year, apricots were unavailable locally and rarely seen on the market, yet she had them so effortlessly. Were they grown in the mountains? She said she was heading to a faraway place—could it all be a form of training?

Hidden masters often have eccentric temperaments and are isolated from the world. That much made sense. But still, something felt off.

The driver frowned slightly in the front seat.

"What’s that thing on your waist?"

Still wary from the earlier acupoint incident, Lu Chi cautiously pulled out his gun, waving it before her. "Haven’t you seen one before?"

Had she? A girl raised in the Military District, and she hadn’t seen one? If it were Jiaqi, she surely would have.

Guan Kunling stared at the gun. "How can one acquire this item?"

Lu Chi was stunned, coughing twice. "Handguns aren’t sold on the market. Only special military personnel are issued them."

"So one must be like you to obtain one?" Guan Kunling said coolly, her tone carrying a hint of laziness.

They were sitting quite close, her breath brushing lightly against his face, carrying a pleasant feminine fragrance.

"Yes." Lu Chi’s face flushed as he averted his gaze uncomfortably.

"How does one become like you?"

What?

Soon, they arrived at the military district. As the car stopped, Lu Chi hadn’t even had time to respond. Only then did he realize that throughout this part of the journey, she hadn’t once asked them to stop.

So, they had arrived at his destination, but hers wasn’t here?!!

"Where is this ’faraway place’ you spoke of?"

"Answer my question first."

"Alright. To come into contact with firearms, you have to enlist in the military. Once you join the army, you’ll have access to real weapons."

Several sentries in military uniforms stood motionless at the gate. Guan Kunling’s gaze lingered on them before returning to Lu Chi. Fixing her eyes on him, she asked, "Can you help me enlist?"

Lu Chi replied decisively, "No."

Her gaze was sincere, with a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You don’t have the chance to refuse me."

"Don’t mess around." Lu Chi felt a jolt in his chest.

Military service? As an entertainer? A member of the art troupe? Or communications department? Medical corps?

"I gave you apricots. You must help me." Guan Kunling decided to follow the rules of this world. "I’ll pay you back the money."

Lu Chi laughed, "Give me a reason."

"I like guns." She seemed to recall something, softly asking, "Can serving in the army support a family? The lord said I must find a job that sustains a household."

"Yes." Lu Chi nodded. "But I still can’t promise you."

Girls, especially sweet and delicate ones, ought to be cherished. Ever since Li Qiong’er married him, she spent lavishly. Yet this one—she wanted to enlist? The army was full of rugged men. Gender equality meant no special treatment. Could she endure the training?

Perhaps she could.

But she shouldn’t have to endure such hardship. If it were Jiaqi... though Jiaqi probably could too.

"No matter." Guan Kunling wasn’t displeased. She folded her hands into a fist salute. "If not here, somewhere else will take me. There won’t just be one place like this—I’ll find the next one."

Lu Chi panicked, nervously blocking her path. "Where are you going?"

"Far away."

"You can’t go far away." Lu Chi relented. "Fine, come with me. I’ll help you join the military. But you’ll have to start from the bottom. I won’t assist you even a little."

He wanted to see—was she human or ghost?

"Just let me in. Nothing else." Guan Kunling lifted an eyebrow slightly.

"Do you have an identification card with you?"

"You mean household registration?"

"Yes."

"No." Guan Kunling shook her head, speaking candidly. "I’m undocumented."

Lu Chi hesitated, wanting to say something.

Guan Kunling continued, "I believe you can get it for me."

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Chi sighed and uttered one word: "Alright."

...

"This female soldier is joining the medical corps, right?" A training officer beside Lu Chi remarked. "What a pity—she seems really talented in other areas. Assigning her to the medical team would be a waste."

Lu Chi clicked his tongue. "Female soldiers here only have a few options. We’re not training female spies."

The officer’s eyes lit up. "If she went into spy training, it’s not necessarily—"

"Enough." Lu Chi looked toward the training grounds, speaking wistfully. "Even if you’re willing, it doesn’t mean she is."

At that moment, Guan Kunling was on the shooting range. Her hair had been trimmed short, neat and efficient. Other than missing her first shot, every subsequent shot hit the bullseye. The other recruits gasped in amazement.

Who said daughters can’t compare to sons, trading the love of silks for the passion of arms? Shameful, truly shameful!