Chapter 89: The Mask Must Not Slip (Thank you all for your affection)

The two of them chatted, and time slipped by unnoticed.

In the end, Wang Keyue decided to appear as Dr. Wang. After all, Dr. Wang had the appearance of a sage with an ethereal air, which made it convincing to show off; she reckoned it would be easy to earn plenty of gratitude points this way.

She took out her Magical Mask, placed it against her face, and selected Character No. 1. Before Xiao Hongyu’s shocked eyes, in less than a minute, the timid and adorable young girl before him gradually transformed into the dignified and otherworldly Divine Physician Wang.

To fit the character, Wang Keyue donned a long white robe with wide sleeves from her storage space.

Xiao Hongyu looked at the person he once called “Senior,” memories both bitter and sweet echoing in his mind. He smiled wryly, rubbing his brow. The child had grown up and had her own ideas now; he could no longer control her.

Their flying vehicle was now only about a kilometer from the northwest border camp. The two chose to disembark here.

Looking out over the northwest frontier, it truly lived up to its reputation—a desolate, barren land. It should have been desert grassland, but months of drought had left nothing but withered, dead grass as far as the eye could see.

Gazing at the endless dry grass, Wang Keyue couldn’t help but recall the saying, “A single spark can set the prairie ablaze.”

A cold wind swept past, and Wang Keyue instinctively shrank her neck. The climate here in the northwest was indeed colder and gloomier. However, thanks to her protective suit, she didn’t feel cold; only her exposed face and neck felt a bit uncomfortable.

Wang Keyue released two horses from her storage space—one black, one white. As soon as they emerged, the steeds snorted loudly.

The two mounted their horses, one after the other, and headed straight for the military camp ahead.

It was noon, the sun at its fiercest, and they rode their warhorses swiftly to the camp’s perimeter.

Even before they drew near, a dozen warhorses emerged from the camp, each bearing a warrior armed with bows or spears. These soldiers quickly surrounded Wang Keyue and Xiao Hongyu.

From behind them, a booming male voice rang out, “Who the hell dares trespass on our northwest military camp? Got a death wish, you little bastards? I’ll…”

The shouting was accompanied by a burly, bearded man wielding twin axes, riding forward from the rear.

But when he saw the faces of the two “little bastards,” his words froze in his throat.

“Oh my heavens! General Xiao! It’s General Xiao! Are you all blind? Our General Xiao has returned!” The bearded man hurriedly sheathed his axes, his face breaking into a broad smile as he warmly greeted them, not forgetting to signal the others to run back and report the news.

“Hmph. Go run ten laps as punishment,” Xiao Hongyu replied coldly, his face expressionless, addressing the crowd.

“Yes, Young General!” The soldiers hastily bowed their heads; not a single one dared question him. All felt that General Xiao’s aura was fiercer than ever.

Xiao Hongyu wasted no words, leading Wang Keyue as he rode into the camp.

The camp gates swung open. Soldiers lining either side, upon seeing Xiao Hongyu, dropped to one knee, fists clasped in salute: “Your subordinate greets General Xiao!”

The soldiers’ voices were strong and resonant, commanding respect.

Xiao Hongyu remained atop his tall warhorse, not blinking: “Deputy, convene a meeting!”

His tone was cold and hard, a stark contrast to before, appearing even more ruthless.

Wang Keyue watched him, marveling at the transformation. She couldn’t help but give him a mental thumbs-up. Look at that! What acting—this was the true mark of a Best Actor!

To maintain his cold, fierce persona, Xiao Hongyu was going all out.

Wang Keyue surveyed the entire northwest camp, which consisted of communal tents resembling Mongolian yurts. Soldiers patrolled in groups of ten around the camp’s perimeter. From a large open area nearby came the sounds of soldiers training.

On another lawn nearby, the aroma of cooked rice wafted through the air, making her stomach rumble and mouth water.

Wang Keyue resisted the urge to investigate, obediently following Xiao Hongyu.

The largest tent in the center of the camp was Xiao Hongyu’s quarters. Two personal guards stood outside; upon seeing their general return, they dropped to one knee in salute: “Your subordinate greets the General!”

Xiao Hongyu didn’t reply, merely nodding, and led Wang Keyue inside.

The tent was spacious; the main seat was covered in tiger skin. Xiao Hongyu strode forward and sat down heavily. “Xiaoyue, sit here!”

He pointed to the seat beside him, covered in grey-black wolf pelt, warm and inviting.

Following his lead, Wang Keyue sat boldly upon the wolf skin. Yes, she needed to learn from Brother Xiao—keep her identity concealed, never let her mask slip.