Qin Bing knew Qiao Mingxuan was dead. There was no point in waiting. The next day at noon, she gave the order. The combined force of the White Shark and Orca Battalions began the long trek back to Black Shark headquarters.
Two grueling days on the road brought them to the fortress. The Black Shark base, less than a hundred klicks from Vermilion Bird City, was a grim bastion against the apocalypse. High walls bristled with heavy cannons, and the gates were manned by soldiers whose eyes missed nothing. This wasn't just a base; it was the heart of the Southern Frontier's war against the dead.
As their convoy rumbled closer, a voice boomed from the walls. "Identify yourselves!"
Qin Bing leaned out her window, her voice cutting through the engine noise. "Chiliarch Qin Bing, returning with the Orca and White Shark battalions. Open the gate!"
A moment of silence, then recognition. "It's the Valkyrie! Open her up!"
The massive iron gates groaned open, revealing a reception party of heavily armed guards and a medical team in full hazmat gear. No one got back inside without a thorough screening. A single infected soldier could turn their sanctuary into a tomb. After fifteen tense minutes of tests and inspections, they were cleared. Clean. Qin Bing led her weary soldiers into the heart of the base.
A liaison officer met them just inside. "Chiliarch, welcome back."
"Status report," Qin Bing said, cutting to the chase.
"Lord Bai Longyin has officially assumed command," the officer reported. "He's been reorganizing the main forces. We took heavy losses in the last engagement… every battalion was hit hard." His eyes flickered over to Xiao Ke and the rough-looking soldiers with him.
Qin Bing didn't miss the glance. "They're mine," she said flatly. "My core unit, now officially the Orca Battalion. The others are White Shark, under my temporary command. Both units are understrength."
"So is most of the Legion," the officer admitted. "Command is either assigning replacements or dissolving understrength units and reassigning the soldiers. For now, take your people to the 102nd barracks—your old quarters. Wait for new orders there."
"Fine," Qin Bing nodded. "I also need to file a full report."
"Lord Bai is tied up. He's dealing with the aftermath of the battle and hosting Lord Qiao Zhennan from the Phoenix Legion. I can check with his aide, but don't expect a meeting anytime soon."
"Understood."
Qin Bing led her troops to the quartermaster to turn in their vehicles and weapons, standard procedure. They were allowed to keep only their combat knives. After drawing fresh supplies, they settled into the 102nd.
She figured it would be days before Bai Longyin had time for her. She was wrong. She had barely finished assigning bunks when a soldier came running, out of breath. "Lord Bai Longyin wants to see you. Now."
Qin Bing found him in his study, sharing a laugh with another man—Qiao Zhennan. The air was thick with the smell of old books and power.
She snapped a crisp salute at the door. "Chiliarch Qin Bing, reporting as ordered!"
"Come in, come in," Bai Longyin said with a wave of his hand.
Qin Bing stepped inside, saluting both men. "My Lords."
"At ease, Qin Bing," Bai Longyin said, his smile looking genuine. "I've read your field reports. Impressive work. To forge a unit out of deserters and conscripts and achieve what you did… It's a testament to your leadership."
"I only followed your orders, my Lord," she replied. "We held Ginkgo Town and hunted the stragglers who broke from your lines. Nothing more."
"You're too modest," he chuckled. "I sent the White Sharks to support you, and both your centurions—Qiao Mingxuan and your man, Xiao Ke—performed exceptionally. In fact, headquarters has selected both of them for a month of elite training at the Glory Military Academy in Qilin City."
Qiao Zhennan, a man known for his unshakable composure, stiffened at the mention of his son. His wife had borne him five daughters, but a brief affair years ago had given him his only son, Mingxuan. He doted on the boy in secret, terrified of his wife finding out. He had even pulled strings with Bai Longyin to get Mingxuan assigned to Qin Bing's supposedly safer mission, far from the main front.
Bai Longyin, knowing Qiao Zhennan was only here to see his son, pressed on. "Speaking of which, where are our two young heroes? I'd like to commend them in person."
Qin Bing felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "Xiao Ke is in the barracks, my Lord. But Centurion Qiao Mingxuan…"
Qiao Zhennan's eyes narrowed. "What about him?"
"He failed to report back at the designated time," Qin Bing said, choosing her words carefully. "I extended the deadline by a full day and sent out search parties, but we found no trace of him. I had no choice but to bring the rest of the unit home."
"What?!" The word exploded from Qiao Zhennan as he shot to his feet.
Even Bai Longyin's smile faltered. "Brother Qiao, let's not jump to conclusions," he said quickly. "The boy was probably so caught up in the hunt that he lost track of time."
But Qiao Zhennan was already lost in his own storm. "I… I don't feel well," he muttered, his face pale. "I need to rest."
Bai Longyin knew exactly where he was going—to mobilize his own people to find his son. He simply nodded. "Of course."
The study was suddenly quiet, occupied only by Bai Longyin, his two silent guards, and Qin Bing. The warmth had vanished from the room.
"My Lord," Qin Bing began, "do you still wish to see Xiao Ke?"
The meeting had been a pretense, a way to orchestrate a reunion for Qiao Zhennan. With Mingxuan missing and Qiao Zhennan gone, Bai Longyin had no interest in meeting some low-level centurion. More importantly, he had given his word that the boy would be safe under his protection. Now, Qiao Mingxuan had vanished on a mission Bai Longyin himself had approved. It made him look incompetent, and he would have hell to pay with Qiao Zhennan.
His tone, once friendly, was now ice. "No. With Centurion Qiao missing, we'll postpone it."
Qin Bing felt it like a physical blow. The blame for Qiao Mingxuan's disappearance was already settling on her shoulders.
She decided to press the issue. "My Lord, about my battalions. Both are understrength. I request permission to merge the White Sharks into my Orca unit, or to receive recruits to bring us to full combat readiness."
Bai Longyin's gaze was cold and distant. "That's on hold. I'll review the situation. Perhaps I'll give you reinforcements. Or perhaps I'll disband the Orca Battalion and transfer your soldiers to other chiliarchs."
The message was crystal clear. I'll review the situation, and he will wait for news of Qiao Mingxuan. If the boy turned up alive, she'd be rewarded. If not, her career was over. She wouldn't be formally punished, but she would be shelved, left to wither in obscurity.
Xiao Ke and his men were buzzing with anticipation. They had racked up a serious body count, and they were ready for their reward. Xiao Ke knew a spot at the prestigious Glory Military Academy was a long shot, but his official tally—a level-six Frieza-class zombie and over two hundred grunts—had to be worth something. At the very least, he hoped, they would get enough reinforcements to bring the Orca Battalion up to a full 500-man fighting force. That would be enough.
Duan Canglong and Luo Hou were already planning their promotions. With a full battalion, they figured they were shoo-ins for centurion, serving as Xiao Ke's right and left hands.
Hope was a palpable thing in the barracks. Then Qin Bing returned.
The mood died instantly. Her face was a mask of frustration, her eyes clouded with worry. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
She disappeared into her private office without a word. The men looked at each other, desperate for answers but too intimidated to ask. Finally, all eyes fell on Xiao Ke. He sighed, then squared his shoulders. "Alright, I'll see what's going on. Don't expect miracles."
He knocked on her door. "Come in," she called, her voice tired.
He found her slumped in her chair, head in her hand, the picture of exhaustion.
"Chiliarch?" he asked softly. "What happened?"
She looked up, and instead of hiding it, she laid it all out—the meeting, Bai Longyin's promise to Qiao Zhennan, the disappearance, and the sudden shift in the political winds. "It's clear what's happening," she finished. "If anything has happened to Qiao Mingxuan, I'm done. I'll be sidelined, and the Orca Battalion will be broken up and fed to other units."
"What?" Xiao Ke was stunned. "They can't do that."
"Why not?" she said with a bitter laugh. "You think Bai Longyin cares more about a minor chiliarch than keeping a powerful ally like Qiao Zhennan happy?" She paused, her gaze sharpening. "And this is bigger than just my career. You need to watch your back. Qiao Zhennan is already investigating. He may never know how his son really died, but he'll find out about your rivalry. He's the type to want revenge, whether you're guilty or not."
The color drained from Xiao Ke's face. A man like Qiao Zhennan could have him crushed like an insect.
Seeing his fear, Qin Bing's expression softened, and a small, wry smile touched her lips. "But it's not all bad news. I did get one piece of good information today. Your name really is on the list for the Glory Military Academy. You're going. It's the perfect way to get out of Qiao Zhennan's reach. If you bust your ass there, prove yourself, and graduate in the top three, you'll catch the Emperor's eye. With that kind of backing, you won't have to fear men like him ever again."
It was a lifeline. But the victory felt hollow.
"Ma'am," Xiao Ke said, his voice thick with guilt. "This is my fault. I'm sorry. I've dragged you and the entire battalion down with me."
She had handpicked him, trained him. Their bond went deeper than rank; she was his mentor. She saw a spark in him, a potential that even he didn't fully grasp.
"It wasn't your fault, Xiao Ke," she said gently. "Qiao Mingxuan was arrogant and reckless. He dug his own grave. And don't worry about the men. A soldier is a soldier, no matter what banner they fight under. They'll be fine. As for me… maybe a long break is just what I need."
She saw the guilt still weighing on him, and it warmed her. He was a good man, loyal to a fault. He wasn't celebrating his own good fortune; he was mourning the consequences for his comrades.
"If you really feel guilty," she continued, a new intensity in her voice, "then use it. The Glory Academy isn't just a school; it's a crucible. It turns champions into legends. The student who graduates at the top of the class—the Zhuangyuan—earns a title as a protégé of the Emperor himself. And with that title comes an ancient privilege, a dream that men would kill for: the right to raise a new army."
She leaned forward, a glimmer of the old fire in her eyes. "You become the Zhuangyuan, Xiao Ke, and earn that right… You just make sure you don't forget about me, or the men who fought beside you here."
She was half-joking, trying to lift his spirits, but Xiao Ke didn't hear it that way. Her words lit a fire in him.
"I won't let you down, ma'am," he said, his voice low and steady. "If they don't want us in the Black Shark Legion, we'll build something new. Something better."
Two days later, the official orders came down. The White Shark Battalion was dissolved, its soldiers scattered to the winds. Qin Bing and her hundred remaining Orca warriors were reassigned to the mess hall. The legendary Valkyrie was now a glorified cook. The message was unmistakable: she was finished.
Xiao Ke, however, was untouched. Along with a handful of other elite candidates, he boarded a transport for Qilin City and the hallowed halls of the Glory Military Academy.
...
On that same road, Qiao Zhennan sat in his armored car, reading a freshly delivered report. The bounty hunters had found his son's body. Or what was left of it after a zombie had been at it.
His face was a mask of cold fury. "Mingxuan wasn't a master, but he was no amateur," he growled. "A single walker could never have taken him down. Keep digging. I want to know exactly how he died."
"My Lord," his aide said hesitantly, "we haven't found a cause of death, but we did discover that he had a violent confrontation with a centurion from the Orca Battalion. A man named Xiao Ke. Apparently, your son even lost his sword, 'Fierce General,' to him. The sword is in Xiao Ke's possession now."
Qiao Zhennan was silent for a long moment. Then, his voice was chillingly calm. "Keep investigating. And as for this Xiao Ke… kill him. I don't care if he pulled the trigger or not. I want him dead. Leave no room for error."
"My Lord, he's on his way to the Glory Military Academy. It will be impossible to touch him there."
"Then wait," Qiao Zhennan said, his eyes fixed on the horizon. "Wait until he graduates. And then kill him."