The Long family enjoys a high status within A city, and an even higher prestige within the military troops. From N's generation, this family has always produced countless talented offsprings who went forth to occupy key positions within the army, current generation included. Like his forefathers before him, the present grandfather Long Haotian is the army's commander-in-chief, father Long Junfeng was the military's top mechanics researcher and a general (deceased due to an explosive experiment accident), and the latest generation's Long Zhanye (this story's gong[1]) is A city's elite troop's top senior officer.
However, the senior officer Long who fears nothing in or under the Heavens is afraid of only one person. The one who brought him up ever since he was a child - his grandfather, the commander-in-chief Long Haotian.
Grandfather Long is already and elderly at the age of sixty-five. Although he still carries the title of "commander-in-chief" these three words, he no longer worries so much over military affairs. His daily pleasure is attending operas, take a stroll and visiting old friends everywhere.
As it is, in Grandfather Long's large circle of friends is someone from B city's flourishing temple, an Elder Taoist priest by the name of Tian Jizi. This Elder's specialisation lies in fortune-telling and is someone of great importance within B city.
It so happens that one day, Grandfather Long recalled that he hasn't paid an old pal a visit in quite a while, hence dragging along his precious grandson, they headed for the Taoist temple.
Now, whenever Long Zhanye recalls how he followed his grandfather to the Taoist temple without the slightest hesitation, he will regret is until his intestines turn green. Because the moment that Elder Tian Jizi laid eyes on Zhanye, he stroked that long, shining white beard of his and shook his head.
"Tsk, tsk…aiya — "
"Good friend, what's with this expression of yours?!" Seeing his old pal staring at his own precious grandson the moment they stepped in the doors, shaking his head with a look of profound mystery, Grandfather Long's majestic eyebrows shot up at once.
If it was anyone else, the moment Grandfather Long's eyebrows rose, both eyes widening with a ferocious glint, their legs would already be trembling non-stop. But it's pretty clear Tian Jizi was already used to it, merely inviting both grandfather and grandson to take a seat, instructing his disciple to brew some tea before answering Grandfather Long's question.
"This grandson of yours is full of Yin energy. A pair of black slanting eyebrows, extremely imposing. A pair of black pupils, deep and godly. Five facial points are all handsome, truly a dragon amongst people." Tian Jizi's head moved as he spoke, expression very serious.
"That's only natural, old pal, he is my precious grandson, after all!" Everyone likes to hear words of praise, and the highly exalted Grandfather Long was no different. That previous ferocious glint in his eyes had long vanished without a trace.
"However…"
"However? However what?" Hearing the Elder say one more word, Grandfather Long's smiling eyes became emotionless.
"Child, tell me your surname and given name, as well as the meaning of each character."
Sitting aside listening to the pair of old men exchanging words, the Long Zhanye who had yet to say a word after entering those doors was suddenly called upon. His expression was distracted but told the Elder his name. "Long Zhanye. Zhan as in "war", Ye as in "wilderness". To be honest, he was a little curious as to what kind of interesting words this Elder might say.
"Long Zhanye…taken from that saying "dragon fights like wilderness, blood staining the earth black[2]". Un, very well. Steadfast and aggressive, but bloodthirsty. If your bloodthirst becomes excessive, you will not live past the age of thirty!" Tian Jizi said while moving his head like a scholar reciting poems.
Once he said those words, Grandfather Long predictably exploded, rashly throwing himself at his old friend to grab that long, shining beard. "What?! Not live past the age of thirty…what nonsense are you, this Elder, spewing?!"
Twenty years ago, his own son died while testing a new type of artillery shell, leaving behind this one treasured child. But now this old Taoist said Zhanye wouldn't live past thirty…of course, everyone will explode in fury ah!
"Ai, ai, ai…don't be impulsive, don't be impulsive. I only said the child will not live past thirty, but I didn't say there's no solution." Although his treasured beard was seized by his close friend, the Elder was not angry, expression showing the same mildness as before.
"Still not spitting it out?!"
"If you find little Zhanye's predestined person, then the accumulated bloodthirst that will cause his death can be dissolved."
"Predestined person? Who is it? Even if this old man is to overturn the entire earth, I will find this person!" This concerns his precious grandson's life ah.
"Huo Yue Zaiyuan, may be the one." The Elder finally spat out this sentence, before lifting his thin fingers to count. "S city, the northern suburb."
Just like this, Long Zhanye was given a direct order by his commander-in-chief grandfather. He has to head for S city to find his so-called predestined person. It doesn't matter if he steals, snatches or swindles…as long as he doesn't have that person in his hands, Long Zhanye is not allowed to return home.
If this was a normal situation, Long Zhanye can probably treat this as his grandfather playing a joke. However, this is a serious military order from his superior, thus, he can only brace himself for whatever may happen in the future and drive his favourite military car to the remote S city.
Upon reaching S city, he exploited his military connections and easily found the only family in the northern suburb with the surname Huo, who was unexpectedly a famous name throughout the city. Therefore, he marched up to their doorstep without hesitation with several of his subordinates. Little did he expect, the head of the family died in a car accident half a year ago, and on the day he drove here, the three members of the Huo family, stepmother, eldest young master and second young master just split the assets that afternoon. And the eldest young master of the family is precisely who he is looking for.
But as soon as he manages to extract himself from the Huo family, that eldest young master Huo has earlier vanished without a trace. Eventually, he has no choice but to abuse his authority and threaten that unable-to-appreciate-goodwill Mrs Zhou into giving up any resources she has pertaining to Huo Zaiyuan. Then he headed towards S city's military command base and ordered people to release an arrest warrant online, thinking that he will be able to catch that man now.
Sure enough, not even a few minutes pass before someone called to tell him Huo Zaiyuan's current address. Hence, the Long Zhanye who hasn't even eaten any meals once more boarded his car and drove to the destination.
With assistance from the landlord who rented the unit out, he finally stood outside the door of Huo Zaiyuan's residence. Who would have thought no one answered when the landlord knocked for a long while. When the landlord gave up and used the spare key to unlock the door, the place was completely empty and not even the slightest shadow of a person could be seen.
The only thing in that spacious and empty house was a small plate with what ought to be the key for the house as well as a wad of cash: the rental fee.
Witnessing all this with his own eyes, Long Zhanye curses until he almost runs out of air.
This little devil sure knows how to escape!
Footnotes:
[1] Gong: for those who don't know the term is seme. Author's addition, not mine.
[2] [龙战于野，其血玄黄] An ancient saying that points out: if two dragons (or a group of them) were to fight each other, even if they fought in the wilderness and away from the city, blood will still flow endlessly until the entire earth is dyed black with it. In other words, two great powers clashing in war will still result in lots of death and bloodshed no matter what.