BXBX NOVEL Chapter 159 - A Slip-Up
However before Ai Lan leaves, she says. "Thank you for your hard work, I will be going now." Then she turns around and leaves as the commander looks up.
Leaving this busy military barracks, she feels much better once she arrives in the castle where life is more peaceful and often easy going, yet still often fast paced. Either way, as she walks through the halls, she realizes something. \'Daddy did not ask for the bracelets back. But I should still ask him if I may keep them, among other things. Also, he said the pill did its job, I wonder what he means by that. Well at breakfast, it should be the perfect time to ask my questions.\'
Heading for her room, she reads each of the files she has been given. Thus learning more about each and every soldier that had died in her and her fathers service. More specifically the ones that died on this trip, not all the others. With the commanders folder on the bottom it takes a while, even after she gets into her room, before she gets to it..
Although, finally getting to the file she is most interested in, she starts reading. Finding out lots of interesting information, she thinks. \'So his name was John, intriguing. He has been in the service of my father for almost a century now, not that long it seems. No offences, a perfect soldier over all, but seriously.... It seems I have to ask father about making another trip. ...\'
\'... All the other soldiers are of this planet, but he just had to be from a few planets over. Although I thought all the people died on that planet due to the cold centuries ago. At least that was what I was taught, it seems I have another mystery to solve.\' With such thoughts, she starts making a list of how much needs to be paid out, as well as the locations for herself, but also to let the accountants know the exact expenses and what they are for.
A hour passes, and she heads to a room near the throne room to meet with the accountants who keep track of all the royal funds, not counting the system information as that is a secret. The accountants are all hand picked, and should they betray the family in any way it is cause for immediate execution.
Once Ai Lan arrives in the accounting room, she walks up to the head accountant due to not wanting to have to waste time, and says. "I need to withdrawal a small amount of money, here is the list of the expenses and why. If you could have this ready by tomorrow morning that would be great, because the sooner the better, however I understand that you are busy with the current crisis at hand. Therefore if it is not ready by morning, just let me know when is the best time as long as it is within the next few days."
The head accountant quickly stands up and says. "Princess we will get this done as quickly as we can I am sure those working here will gladly take a few extra hours of their time for shift. After all, for us marketing and working is our life. Please come back soon." He says in a slightly louder than normal voice, thus causing all the accountants in the room to cheer.
With that said the princess smiles more than she already was and says. "Thank you, I knew I could count on you all. You all are many of the most reliable people that I know. See you tomorrow after breakfast." Ai Lan says with a wave as she leaves, looking like a fairy, and thus boosting the accountants morale as they get straight to work.
Once she leaves the room she quickly goes back to hers. Then once inside, she lays down on the grass, as the creatures begin to surround her clearly able to tell she had a long day. She quickly drifts off to sleep as the various creatures surround her, especially the dragons as they encircle her, then raise their wings to create a cover from the light as well as if there were ever rain or other things falling from the sky.
---- 6 Hours Later ----
Yueliang gets up and able to move freely in the tunnel, he starts his morning exercises. After he finishes those, he tries reading the wall, however finishing the entire thing in mere minutes this time, he feels it is time to move on, thinking. \'It seems I have learned what I can here, time to advance. ...\'
\'... Sadly I have yet to be as good as my other self, however at least I can now shatter them into big chunks. It is not just about what I learned before, but also understanding your enemy. There is one last thing I need to understand before full mastery of this technique but it will not be long now.\'
With that thought, Yueliang walks back into the tunnel and makes his way through and feeling heavy pressure about a third of the way through. But as he can still walk decently, he still continues onward. However as he is walking through he notices stalactites coming from the ceiling and stalagmites rising from the ground, causing him to wonder. \'I do not feel much humidity, so where does this all come from? Maybe centuries ago?\'
He wonders as he notices the path he is walking on is getting more narrow the farther he goes through the tunnel. Maneuvering himself on a small path that seems to be made up of stalagmites as well. If he were to fall now unlike before he would likely be impaled or injured depending on how he hits the ground far below the path he is walking on.
While walking on, he feels the pressure more and more, but using the stalactites to keep himself balanced he maintains his stance on top of the small path that now seems to have stopped thinning out at only 5.08 cm. However all of a sudden the path ahead no longer has the stalactites, and seeing this, Yueliang carefully sits down. Then starts trying to adapt to the current pressure.
A few hours later, he gets up, and thinks to himself while doing so. \'This must be testing my balance, my desire to move forward, and determination under pressure. Or I am just over thinking this and am heading to my death.\' He ponders as he starts walking on feeling little to no pressure as he moves. However maintaining his balance right now is only because the small path is not slippery, and a lot of careful movements.
Although looking ahead he mumbles to himself. "You have to be joking with me! What is this training for acrobatics, a thief, or what?" However not wanting to waste any of his time he starts walking forward increasing his speed with each step until he is running. Then at the end of the line he jumps, grabs the stalactite in front of him, and using his momentum to slide around it without stopping he jumps to the other side.
...
\'Please make it. You can do it.\' He reassures himself in midair as he nears the small area he has to land on.
Landing one foot, he gets excited. Then he slips before he can stabilize himself and starts falling. Grasping for anything he can get his fingers onto, he tries to catch himself. Then seeing a small ledge below him, he positions his foot before landing, and launching himself back up. Quickly reaching for the small platform he is supposed to wall on he catches it with is fingertips.
His fingers starting to slip, he uses all his strength and pulls himself up higher than needed, then lands on the path once more. Trying to balance himself he hears something break behind him, then turning around he sees what he jumped off before fall, and thinks. \'It seems this is likely a one way trip. Hopefully there is a way out on the other side, or gramps might not know where I am. Not to mention that even I do not know.\'
Then noticing that he does not feel anymore pressure, he says quietly. "Yes, I must be getting close."
Proceeding to go forward he gets better and better at his balance the farther he goes. He even notices that he is now seeing in the dark since there have been no torches for a long while now. Surprised by this sudden arrival of such a thing, he smiles, but stays focused as distractions will get you killed faster than most anything else.
A few minutes later seeing a light in the distance, Yueliang starts running towards it. The path starts getting a little wider as well, which allows him to run faster, but he has to jump between spaces every step he takes.
Making it to the opening, his eyes quickly adjust to the light again. Then he looks around, and exclaims. "You have to be joking? What sadistic person created this? If this was made by dragons, it certainly does not seem like it was meant for humans, and they must be far more skilled than any human I have ever met."