Chapter 1253: Chapter 1254: Generals and Elders (Double Chapter)

“I say, Dragon Nine, can’t you just tell me everything about the Dragon Gate at once? I have to explore bit by bit myself.” Song Xiaodong looked at Dragon Nine with dissatisfaction.

Dragon Nine coughed awkwardly and replied, “Young Master, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but my knowledge is limited. The elders also instructed that knowing some things too early might not be good for you. It might even hinder your development. You are the hope of our Dragon Gate; everyone is watching you now, even if they haven’t shown themselves.”

“Why do I feel so overwhelmed?” Song Xiaodong grumbled but didn’t press Dragon Nine further. Since the elders thought this way, it showed that his strength was still far from sufficient.

The next day, Song Xiaodong set off for Beijing, accompanied by Feng Kexin and Qi Lanqin. Being princesses of the Dragon Gate, Song Xiaodong wanted them to learn more about the Dragon Gate matters to feel a sense of belonging.

He Lingzhi was also there. Having run away from the He family for so many days and not yet engaged to Song Xiaodong, it wasn’t a pleasant situation. She had to return to the He family to wait for Song Xiaodong to propose.

Moreover, He Lingzhi had made no progress recently with that spinning True Qi and her Perception Ability. She needed to leave Song Xiaodong temporarily to calm down.

It was a step forward, after all. She had always been too persistent before. Now that she could think about letting go temporarily, Song Xiaodong certainly wouldn’t stop her.

The four arrived in Beijing and stayed at the He family first. In the evening, Song Xiaodong took Qi Lanqin and Feng Kexin to a secret base in the Beijing military district.

Feng Kexin and Qi Lanqin were sitting in a tightly closed Jeep, feeling a bit nervous as they watched the heavily guarded surroundings. They had never experienced such a scene before.

An involuntary tension rose within them, making them feel that what they were doing wasn’t simple.

Though the two didn’t interact much, being both princesses, they naturally had common topics. They had also chatted a lot through WeChat conversations, especially after Qi Lanqin opened up, making the exchanges more warm and friendly.

Soon, Song Xiaodong and the others were led into an underground space. Feng Kexin and Qi Lanqin were stunned. They never imagined such a large underground space existed in a place like Beijing, and everything here seemed so majestic and imposing.

A sense of reverence arose in their hearts involuntarily.

After passing through layers of guards, they reached a secret chamber.

After a while, two people walked in. Both were about sixty years old, dressed in military uniforms. The three stars on their shoulders clearly indicated their ranks — Generals. In the entire China, there were only so many Generals, and now there were two at once.

“Hello, Generals!” Song Xiaodong stood up abruptly, performing a standard military salute, his loud voice echoing in the room.

Qi Lanqin and Feng Kexin hurriedly stood up too but didn’t know what to do, so they just stood on Song Xiaodong’s sides.

The two Generals returned the salute, then a General with a lean face smiled and gestured for them to sit, saying, “Please be seated.”

“Sit down, it’s okay.” Song Xiaodong reassured the uneasy Qi Lanqin and Feng Kexin, adding, “These are our country’s respected Generals, General Lin Feng and General Jin Zhengguo.”

General Lin Feng offered a gentle smile, clasped his hands, and said, “Greetings, Young Master, and greetings to the two young princesses.”

General Jin Zhengguo only smiled slightly and remained silent.

Song Xiaodong looked at General Lin Feng and asked, “Should I call you Elder Lin then?”

General Lin Feng nodded and said, “That’s appropriate.”

Qi Lanqin and Feng Kexin were dumbfounded. A General had actually become an Elder of the Dragon Gate; it didn’t feel real to them.

However, unlike Dragon Six and others, Lin Feng didn’t show particular respect to Song Xiaodong, nor was it disrespect. Lin Feng still held a dignified presence; Song Xiaodong, despite being the Young Sect Master and the princesses, still felt a sense of awe.

This was normal as in the entire Dragon Gate hierarchy, although the Sect Leader was supreme, reaching the level of an Elder meant being outstanding among people. Even as the Young Sect Master, Song Xiaodong hadn’t yet earned the kind of respect due to true capability.

Song Xiaodong smiled and said, “I will still call you General Lin; until the Dragon Gate prospers, how dare I make General Lin call me Young Master? Furthermore, I am just a soldier. No matter what happens, I am always a member of the China Dragon Thorn Army.”

General Jin Zhengguo laughed heartily, saying, “Well said! As expected of our Dragon Thorn’s Eldest Brother. With this awareness, the army hasn’t raised you in vain.”

Song Xiaodong stated earnestly, “Generals, what I have gained is mainly due to the training I received in the army. I will never forget this, no matter how far I go or how I develop in the future. I won’t forget that I am the Eldest Brother of Dragon Thorn.”

Jin Zhengnan and Lin Feng exchanged a glance, both revealing gratified smiles. Lin Feng then said, “Now I truly look forward to calling you Young Master sincerely.”

The implication being that Song Xiaodong’s current accomplishments weren’t enough for Lin Feng to genuinely call him Young Master. The previous address was merely out of courtesy.