White and tender, as thick as an arm, just like an earthworm, all belong to species without vertebrae.

There are roasted sand worms, sand worm porridge, and a big bowl of fresh bamboo shoot tips... It's said they were originally picked to feed the Vajra Beast.

Phoenix and Lu Siyu ate some bamboo shoot tips, Tang Fei ate a roasted sand worm, Little Fatty wasn't picky and tried everything...

And he found them all delicious.

His appetite was really good.

After dinner, Bo Gu, Man Niu, and others bid farewell, leaving the giant ritual hall to the guests.

Tang Fei knew this meant they were to sleep on the floor...

After all, the ground was already covered with animal skins.

One room, two men and two women...

To the barbarians, this seemed reasonable.

It's not like there's not enough room to sleep.

Sometimes, Barbarian soldiers sleep, ten or dozens, in one cave.

Little Fatty, having eaten too much earlier, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Lu Siyu found a spot in the corner, and lay down.

She usually was silent and talked very little. Now that Phoenix was here, she was even less willing to speak.

Tang Fei looked at Phoenix and proactively invited, "Want to go for a walk?"

Having not seen each other for some time, Tang Fei indeed wished to have a good chat with Phoenix.

Especially after all that had happened between them. When he left Henshan, he was in a 'cold war' with Phoenix.

Not a cold war, just unsure of how to interact properly.

Tang Fei overturned the Zhong Royal Family's rule over the Phoenix Empire, escorting the entire Zhong Royal Family to the Old Lands...

Phoenix also learned of Tang Fei's true identity, aware the Zhong Royal Family had wronged them.

Hmm, well, it's just very conflicting.

"Okay." Phoenix nodded.

The two walked along the path they came, soon reaching the hidden entrance of the cave.

The night-watching barbarians knew Tang Fei and Phoenix were guests of the clan, so they didn't restrict their freedom.

The waning moon hung on the iron-gray sky, the north wind like a blade skimming over the rolling sand dunes.

The red pebbles, scorched during the day, now seeped a bone-chilling cold, causing the brittle sound of salt shell cracking under the boots to startle the hibernating sand lizards, their dark red scales brushing against the rock crevices, shedding a handful of fine sand.

The two arrived at a large rock protruding on the Gobi, Tang Fei reached out to dust the surface of the rock, and said, "How about taking a seat for a while?"

"Alright." Phoenix sat on the rock boldly.

Tang Fei sat beside Phoenix, gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, and said with a smile, "I didn't expect you to come..."

"Si Yu sent word to Henshan Base, letting Little Fatty come here to Dushan, then I knew you were going to make a move on these barbarians." Phoenix quietly explained.

"You know Little Fatty's barbarian clan identity?" Tang Fei asked curiously.

"I didn't know." Phoenix shook her head, "But, since you've arrived at Dushan, you must be thinking of opening a path from here..."

"I believe you will surely succeed, so I came. After all, when you drive deep into the territory, maybe I can offer a little help."

"..."

Tang Fei turned, looking at Phoenix, remaining silent for a long time.

A heart cleverer than Bi Gan, a sickness surpassing Xi Zi,

Oh, this refers to Lin in 'Dream of the Red Chamber'.

Phoenix wasn't sick at all.

Not only is she healthy, but she's also a cultivator, in good physical condition.

However, she too has a clever heart like Lin.

She figured out Tang Fei was to make a move on these barbarians through the message Lu Siyu sent to summon Little Fatty to Dushan, using this to open the northern gate into the Empire's heart...

She didn't know Little Fatty was the Barbarian Clan Chief's son but was certain Tang Fei would succeed.

Not only that, she said when the army drives deep, she could offer a little help...

Her identity is the Eldest Princess of the Phoenix Empire, and until the Shen Family completely overthrows the Zhong Royal Family and takes power, her identity remains unchanged.

So, when she stepped out to urge the garrisoned soldiers not to resist...

The persuasion is strong.

Even the rulers of the Empire let us put down our weapons and surrender; what reason do we have to fight desperately?

Apart from those loyal to Shen Family, perhaps others may consider the reasonableness of yielding to the Eldest Princess.

Is this just a little help?

This is like installing a Hurricane engine on Tang Fei's speeding car.

To let him run faster, farther, without any burden and obstruction...

This girl is wholly invested in this romance, wholeheartedly considering for him.

She knows fully well this is knocking at the Empire's stronghold, the foundation of the Zhong Royal Family...

Yet she came without hesitation.

This is tantamount to making herself the middleman between the Zhong Royal Family and Tang Fei, handing over the senior generals previously promoted by Zhong to Tang Fei.

To have such a girlfriend, what more could he ask for?

"What are you looking at?" Phoenix, somewhat shy under Tang Fei's gaze, softly said.

"Why did you cut your hair?" Tang Fei asked, touching Phoenix's ear-length short hair.

Phoenix used to have shoulder-length hair, and during their secret cinema dates, Tang Fei often pressed down on her hair.

Now she cut it short, appearing more simple, crisp, brave, and valiant.

"Does it look bad?" Phoenix asked with some concern.

She knew Tang Fei was fond of her long hair.

"It looks good." Tang Fei quickly responded, "Any hairstyle you cut looks good."

"Sweet talker."

"You can see my mouth is greasy. As for the tongue being slick... it's been a while since you tested it."

"..."

Tang Fei reached out to embrace Phoenix, resting her head on his shoulder, speaking tenderly, "You don't know, when I saw you jumping from the plane, I was so happy..."

"I always worried... thought you were still mad at me, unwilling to pay attention to me."

"She wanted to hold back too." Phoenix's eyes gentle as water, whispered, "Couldn't resist."

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