Chapter Thirty-One: The Banquet of Delicacies

"Before you is today's lunch. You may come and eat now," announced the boy in charge, different from the one before. He was clearly more lively, his appearance friendly and approachable, with large, bright eyes full of vitality. It was immediately clear that not all the shadow guards lacked personality or independent thought, as had been previously claimed.

He gestured toward the many plates in front of them, each holding two different colored pieces of meat and a drink the color of strawberry juice. He summoned everyone to gather around the plates.

The moment Ye Qianling approached the plates, she sensed something was wrong. The drink in the cup was an unsettling shade of red—no fruit juice, no matter how concentrated, could possibly be so vividly crimson. With her years of experience on the battlefield, she could almost be certain: the cup contained human blood.

It was horrifying. Ye Qianling immediately looked up, disbelief in her eyes as she turned to Fu Hui, who was leaning against a tree. The moment their eyes met, Fu Hui understood that the girl had realized what was in the cup. He had expected as much—Ye Qianling was not one to be easily deceived.

Si Yan, too, grasped the truth at once. Both he and Ye Qianling turned their gaze to the meat on the plates—two pieces of brown, but differing in shade, neither resembling any ordinary poultry.

Human flesh and tiger meat—one piece of each.

Had they gone mad? Ye Qianling stared, aghast, her lips trembling. Was this really something humans could do? Was there no shred of humanity left? They couldn’t even let the dead rest in peace? In the short time she had been here, her mind had already conjured the word “monstrous” countless times.

Jian Suifei and Zhao Mengge both sensed something was wrong before anyone else, not even reaching for their chopsticks. But someone nearby, parched from fear and not noticing the scent of blood, gulped down a mouthful. After a brief moment, he spewed it out violently.

That outburst immediately drew everyone's attention. All eyes fixed on the boy, who muttered, "So bloody—how could this be blood?"

Pandemonium erupted. If the drink was blood, then anyone with half a brain could guess what kind of meat was on those plates.

"This is blood?" Another boy nearby picked up his cup and sniffed. Instantly, he dropped it, the cup shattering on the ground.

"This is your final chance," the boy in charge declared. "By now, you must know what’s before you. If you cannot swallow it, or if you spit it out, you are out. Return to where you belong. If you can force it down, you pass this test." His tone was less cold than that of the examiner for the third trial, but his indifference sent a deeper chill into their hearts.

"This meat must have come from those killed by that beast earlier. We were talking to them only a short time ago—how could we possibly eat this?" Zhou Xiaojie, nearby, was stunned by the cruelty. They were all still young, unaccustomed to such darkness. Naturally, it was hard to accept.

Si Yan knew that this test was essential. As shadow guards, they would be forced to do things that could never see the light of day. As long as they bore the title, aside from the battlefield, every mission would inevitably involve darkness. They would face many life-threatening situations, and in the absence of food, they might have to eat things they would never otherwise consider.

Though he had never eaten such things before, having made it to the fourth round, he was not about to give up.

The crowd was in uproar; so many talking at once that it was impossible to make out what anyone was saying. But the sounds of retching and desperate coughing were unmistakable.

One by one, a few managed to force themselves to eat. In the distance, someone was already shoving the food down, barely able to hold it in.

At that moment, Zhao Mengge furrowed his brow, held his breath, and downed the entire cup of blood in a single gulp. He then picked up his chopsticks, stuffed the meat into his mouth, and forced himself to swallow. His face, usually expressionless, was flushed scarlet as his body fought the urge to vomit, but he stubbornly suppressed it.

It took several minutes for Zhao Mengge to recover. His eyes bloodshot, he murmured to the others, "Just bear it for a moment."

This was among the first sentences Zhao Mengge had uttered since arriving. There was an air of elegance about him, despite his youth.

Si Yan, Chu Zimu, and Jian Suifei began their motions almost simultaneously, without a word between them. They picked up the cups first, then the chopsticks, repeating Zhao Mengge’s actions to complete the test.

As soon as they finished, the boys looked to Ye Qianling and Sui Ying’ai, a subtle sense of camaraderie forming among them.

Zhao Mengge, after a moment's thought, spoke in his usual icy tone, though his words were gentler than his demeanor suggested. "We’ve made it through everything else. I’m sure you’ll manage this too."

Ye Qianling and the other girls were together. Though Jian Suifei wasn’t in the mood to flirt, he couldn't suppress his nature. Glancing at Sui Ying’ai, who stared at her cup in silence, he teased, "Miss Sui, with skills like yours, this should be nothing. Once we’re done here, let’s keep moving forward."

The others could see Jian Suifei’s interest in Sui Ying’ai, but all knew him to be a notorious playboy. In a place where their fate was uncertain, this lighthearted pursuit was a welcome distraction from the horror and monotony.

Ye Qianling, seeing one persistently provoking and the other coldly ignoring, took it all in at a glance. She reached for the cup, her eyes meeting Si Yan’s as she did.

Her hand paused midair.

She couldn't read Si Yan’s expression, but the concern in his gaze was unmistakable—he wanted her to succeed. She even found herself wondering if they had met before. The obvious care in his eyes stirred something unfamiliar and comforting within her, desperate as she was for a sense of security.

How starved for affection must she be, to get lost in such a thought? Of all the people in the world, why would someone like him care for someone like her?

Her eyes grew cold. She looked away, picked up the cup, and, her face betraying no emotion, drank it down. She even ate the meat without so much as a frown.

Those nearby were dumbstruck. To eat such things without flinching—how could anyone stomach it?

As Ye Qianling lifted her head indifferently, as if nothing had happened, Si Yan sighed softly. A fleeting sadness passed through his eyes, gone before anyone could catch it.

Yet Jian Suifei noticed that brief look, and was puzzled. From what he had seen, the two did not know each other. So why did their gazes hold such unspoken understanding? How curious. For someone who thrived on chaos, this was pure entertainment.

Fu Hui, having witnessed the scene, straightened up from the wall. The weight of sorrow and sympathy nearly crushed him. Paradise to hell, in the blink of an eye.

After so many years on the battlefield, Ye Qianling had eaten bloodied meat for survival before. She never imagined that a single test at South Garden in the Western Suburbs would go this far.

The first time she had eaten such a thing was only half a year ago. Back then, she and Ye Qianmu had just reconciled and were finally speaking again. They spent their days wandering, buying snacks and treats in hopes of helping Ye Qianmu forget the past. Then, one night, Emperor Guangde summoned her urgently.

She had just bought a simple beige robe, embroidered with a few modest patterns, and she loved it dearly. Having never worn civilian clothes before—only men’s attire, even at war—she treasured it. When she entered the palace still wearing it, Emperor Guangde merely smiled fondly, not minding.

"You’ve enjoyed yourself these past few days, kept your sister company. Tonight, get some rest. Tomorrow you’ll set out for Wulan City," he said.

"Why are we going there, Father? There’s nothing good to eat, and it’s on the border. If it’s not urgent, I’d rather not go," Ye Qianling replied, grabbing a sweet from the table and flopping into a chair.

Emperor Guangde’s mood softened. "Yesterday, the Shiguo army began their assault on Wulan. The commanders were all killed, most of the people buried alive. Now, the city is in ruins."

"What?" Ye Qianling shot to her feet. "Have they lost their minds? Shiguo has always been weak. When did they become so bold?"

...

During that campaign, in order to capture Shiguo’s marshal alive, Ye Qianling and her companions survived ten days and nights in the forest. Only after capturing and beheading him, offering his head to appease the dead, did it end.

Her reverie was broken by a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Zhou Xiaojie, who eyed the plates and cups with curiosity. "What were you thinking when you ate these things? Tell me, please. I want your advice. I really can’t bring myself to do it—even if I did, I’d just throw up."

"If you’re hungry enough, you can force it down. Don’t dwell on what kind of meat or whose blood it is. Just think of it as something to fill your belly," Ye Qianling said.

"How can you not think about it? How do you manage that? It’s impossible," Zhou Xiaojie groaned, ruffling his neatly combed hair in frustration.

Si Yan, watching Ye Qianling, finally looked away. "Zhou, Miss Wu’s right. Think of it as ordinary food, and it’ll go down."

"Drink the cup first, then eat the meat—otherwise you can’t control your reaction," Sui Ying’ai added quietly, having finished already.

"Time’s almost up. If you could get through the third trial, you can get through this," Chu Zimu encouraged.

Hearing this, Zhou Xiaojie seemed to steel himself. "Alright, I don’t care anymore. I’ll take the plunge."

With that, he picked up his cup and began to drink.