Chapter 21: Ninth Fortress 21

After two days of riding alone, An He smoothly returned to the Ninth Fortress.

She had checked in with Heidi via radio every so often to report she was safe. Thus, when her figure burst through the yellow sands and entered the sentries’ line of sight, Ide—who was directing defensive works atop the Iron Wall—immediately got the news.

They set aside their work and descended the Iron Wall, waiting for her at the gate.

The lone warrior rode her motorcycle in from the no-man’s-land. A gray cloak and scarf wrapped around An He, revealing only a pair of bloodstained eyes.

Dried, crusted blood stained her right cheek and scarf, while mud caked her entire body, making her look like a defiant fighter who had just emerged victorious from a life-or-death battle, returning in triumph with spoils of war—at least, that’s how it appeared in Heidi’s eyes.

The logistics crew had already heard Heidi hyping it up: the new Thorn Lamp recruit, An He, had gone chasing after First Fortress people alone. Now that An He was back, they hung from the scaffolding, peering down curiously, their eyes full of admiration and concern.

An He pulled her bike up to the gate and dismounted.

“You okay?” Heidi rushed up first to ask.

“Tired.” An He was exhausted. She’d barely gotten a good night’s sleep in the four days away. She wasn’t Gu Xianqing, able to use the heavens as her bed and blanket anywhere.

She hadn’t dared sleep, nor had the conditions allowed it. Even brief dozes on the Wasteland jolted her awake instantly.

So when An He spotted the familiar Ninth Fortress, her whole body relaxed. Exhaustion crashed over her in an instant, leaving her vision hazy even as she looked at people.

Answering Heidi’s question, An He lacked the energy to turn her head—she spoke to the wall instead.

Heidi misunderstood: “Uh… what about your mental state?” Why’s she talking to the wall?

“My mental state is great,” An He affirmed.

Heidi hesitated, sympathy in her eyes as she eyed her filthy companion. An He’s disheveled state and chaotic silhouette didn’t look “great” at all.

A brief silence conveyed Heidi’s doubt.

“My mental state is great,” An He repeated earnestly. “Really, it’s great.”

“Okay, okay, stop emphasizing it—it’s creepy.” Heidi tugged down An He’s hood and turned her around. “The path’s this way.”

An He started to explain she was just leaning on the wall for a breather, but Heidi cut her off: “The commander’s waiting for you, and so is Professor Su.”

Professor Su?

Hearing Professor Su was there too, An He swallowed her words. The drowsiness that had just taken over her brain vanished like smoke. She instinctively reached back, feeling the cold, hard gun.

She’d almost forgotten—it wasn’t time to let her guard down yet.

Someone was waiting ahead.

In that moment of turning, An He brutally pressed the still-healing old wound on her left arm. The pain sharpened her mind. She took a deep breath, and when her eyes opened, her pupils gleamed bright once more.

In the sunlit distance stood Ide and Su Ling.

It was the first time An He had seen the commander and Professor Su standing side by side, so she let out a slight gasp of awe.

The tall Ide carried her Longbow on her back. Sleeves rolled to her elbows from labor, exposing arms knotted with scars. Her golden hair was neatly coiled, and a pair of Wolf King’s eyes steadily watched the returning An He.

Beside her was Professor Su.

Professor Su had one hand in her coat pocket, black hair cascading loose behind her, unbraided. Her glasses and clothes were spotless, a gentle smile on her face as she waved to An He.

Hazy light bathed them, with the yellowish road and buildings behind. For an instant, An He felt like she’d stumbled into a medieval oil painting.

Only the finest painters could capture their radiance—that vibrant life force and tender glow, given form in that moment.

An He was still tense, but oddly, she didn’t feel danger. The Wasteland’s fears washed away, replaced by the sensation of tumbling into a soft, safe embrace.

The feeling lasted until An He drew near and stood before them.

Only then did she shift her gaze and notice Lola, half a head shorter, standing silently behind Su Ling.

Lola stood expressionless, her presence minimal.

An He paused slightly.

Everyone’s… so free, huh. All coming to see me.

Ide keenly spotted the gun on An He’s back: “Find anything? Any results?”

An He had planned a more casual reply, but with Su Ling present, she chose her words carefully. While thinking, she unslung the gun and handed it to the commander: “Found First Fortress people.”

—Dead ones.

“Like Heidi guessed, the gun really is from the First Fortress,” An He answered truthfully. “I brought it back.”

Ide examined the gun closely, brow furrowing slightly: “So First Fortress people invaded our territory?”

“I think so.” —Lola was right there, after all.

An He kept her face impassive as she pulled the badge patch from her pocket: “Also found this.”

Lola: ?

The moment she saw the badge, Lola’s eyes snapped to An He, shock flooding her. But seeing An He’s confident expression, Lola gradually calmed.

Lola thought, An He’s capable. She must have her reasons for this.

Ide gripped the badge tightly: “Lurking nearby… just the one?”

“Yeah, just one.”

“Strange.” Ide looked down. “A premeditated attack wouldn’t send just one person.”

Heidi clapped her hands: “Ah!”

Everyone turned to her at the loud sound.

Heidi hurriedly explained: “Could that person be the so-called spy? Still looking for a chance to sneak in, but got spotted by our patrols?”

She looked surprised, nodding as it made more sense: “Professor Su’s been hunting the spy for ten days with no leads—maybe they’re still outside.”

An He smiled without responding, but the others seriously mulled Heidi’s guess.

With everyone’s info asymmetric, it made things easier for An He. Handing over the badge positioned her safely—no one would suspect her now.

As expected, Ide pocketed the badge: “Not impossible. What about that person? Dead?”

“I gravely wounded her and tracked her to outside the First Fortress. She probably survived, but I don’t know where she went.” An He straightforwardly recounted Gu Xianqing’s story. The high-intensity crises of the past days had honed her to this maneuvering; deception came effortlessly now.

Even Su Ling couldn’t pick holes in it.

“Probably fled back to the First Fortress,” Ide followed up.

“Right.” An He took the initiative: “During the clash, I learned the First Fortress’s supplies and vehicles weren’t robbed—our intel was wrong. Commander, where’d our info come from?”

“Data provided by the First Fortress itself,” Ide said thoughtfully. “We once signed a resource trade pact, so fortress leaders maintain comms for major issues. The First Fortress… was the last to send word.”

An He didn’t know who Ide contacted, but she’d find out someday.

An He pondered seriously for a moment, then voiced her idea decisively: “Commander, I think the Ninth Fortress needs more anti-human defenses. If the First Fortress attacks, we need countermeasures.”

An He casually swept her gaze over the group, locking eyes with Lola before shifting to Professor Su.

Lola: ?

Lola felt uneasy. Was An He doing this for Professor Su?

An He spoke again, eyes steadily meeting the Ninth Fortress commander’s: “If necessary, we need to strike first.”

Seize the initiative.

But given the Ninth Fortress’s state, Thorn Lamp couldn’t easily aggress, so An He added: “At least, we need accurate intel on the First Fortress’s current situation.”

“You have a point.” Ide’s mind worked fast; she agreed with An He. Wolves didn’t fight unprepared—the proposal matched her recent thoughts.

Ide looked down approvingly at the petite member, an idea taking shape. She held it back, saying only: “Well done, An He. Next, I want you in Thorn Lamp’s professional training ASAP. I’ll have Asta teach you everything she’s got, compressed schedule—it’ll be grueling. You up for it?”

An He looked up: “Yes!”

It was exactly what she needed most now.

“Good. Hit a bottleneck, come to my office anytime—I’ll support you however I can.”

An He’s palms sweated with excitement. She knew what this meant: a busy commander offering any time to her warrior meant Ide truly valued her.

This mission had earned her a power boost.

Thanks, Gu Xianqing—though I hate her… thanks, Gu Xianqing.

Light gleamed in An He’s eyes as she smiled.

After Ide finished with An He, the silent Su Ling finally reached out, wiping blood from An He’s brow bone, asking with concern: “This much blood—did you get hurt?”

An He met Su Ling’s gaze.

In that moment, she understood why Lola submitted to her. Professor Su’s eyes were sincere and warm. While the commander only asked about the mission, Su Ling noticed the wound.

An He felt cared for—like by a big sister, a mother, any kind elder woman.

Indeed, gentleness and kindness were Su Ling’s strongest weapons—piercing armor, unstoppable.

Even An He couldn’t resist.

She lowered her eyes, murmuring softly: “Thanks for your concern, Professor Su. I’m not hurt—it’s the enemy’s blood.”

“Good. Take a hot shower and get some real sleep—you look beat.” Su Ling naturally patted her shoulder. “Ide said your room’s ready. Let Heidi show you.”

A room!

An He lit up again.

Since arriving in this world, she’d stayed in the Research Lab, hospitals, or overnighted on the Wasteland. Now, she finally had her own room!

…

An He’s room was on the Iron Wall in East Side District 8. Room 807, same floor as Asta and Heidi.

After washing up in the communal area, Heidi led An He to settle in, happily announcing her own room was 806—next door.

As an enthusiastic neighbor, Heidi first dragged An He into her room to gift some spare “furniture.”

Following Heidi inside, An He saw the tiny space filled with delicate iron crafts: wire cleverly bent and twisted into little lions, squirrels, and other figurines.

Next to the bedhead workbench, pliers and clutter piled up beside an unfinished baby elephant, missing its four legs and tail.

“Ah, this.” Heidi seemed embarrassed, blocking the bench. “Just fiddling before bed—don’t look.”

An He smiled, lips pursed. This person said art was meaningless in the Ninth Fortress last time.

“They’re beautiful,” An He praised sincerely. “You like elephants?”

Not just the one on the table—a herd of finished ones lined the nearby rack, varying sizes, the largest leading at the front.

“Like them? I guess so.” Heidi scratched her short hair. “Auntie gave me a stack of old picture books as a kid—stories of elephant herds trekking home. I loved them.”

An He drew out an “Ooooh.” Heidi hadn’t mentioned Su Ling—unlike Lola, she seemed to genuinely love elephant herds.

While An He toured, Heidi dragged two iron stools and a bucket from under the bed: “Made these from scrap. Don’t need ’em—yours now.”

“Thanks.” An He happily took them, feeling like a rich woman. Shoes, clothes, now a room and bucket—freebies rocked.

“Um…” Heidi coughed, fingers intertwining nervously. “If you really like these iron doodads, I could make you a Raven sometime?”

Seeing Heidi so bashful was rare; An He burst out laughing: “Definitely! Could you make a flock? I want a whole group.”

“Sure!” Heidi slung an arm around An He’s shoulders, and the two headed together to An He’s room.

The room assigned by the Thorn Lamp wasn’t large. The side facing the fortress interior had an openable window. The opposite side, facing the Wasteland, opened onto a corridor. There was also a liftable iron panel along the corridor for security reasons—it was only vent-sized, meant for observation.

Inside An He’s room sat a ready-made bed with mattress and sheets, plus a wardrobe, a simple iron desk, and a single chair. That was it; nothing else.

Heidi clasped her hands behind her back and sighed. “Nice. My room was this clean and tidy when I first moved in. Now it’s piled high with junk.”

“If you have stuff you don’t want, you can put it here,” An He said.

“Get real—soon you won’t have space for your own things.” Heidi waved her off. “Rooms just accumulate more and more clutter the longer you live in them. Unless it’s temporary lodging and you think you might leave anytime, you subconsciously keep things sparse.”

An He paused.

She suddenly thought of Lola. Lola’s room is probably still just like when she moved in.

An He set down her things. “Then I’ll try to make good use of the space.”

“Mm, you’ve already been to the water room and the communal wash area, so I won’t show you around.” Heidi made up An He’s bed. “Get some sleep first. When you wake up, I’ll take you to see Asta’s room.”

An He looked surprised. “She’s out of the hospital already?”

“She got discharged yesterday. It was just an external injury, not an illness—she could recover on her own after a couple days. She’s in Room 801.” As she spoke, Heidi headed for the door and pulled it shut behind An He.

Before leaving, Heidi flashed An He a big smile. “An He, I’m so glad you made it back alive. Sweet dreams.”

An He waved, then let her strength drain away. She collapsed onto the bed.

So soft. Having sheets is the best. Half-dreaming, half-awake, An He felt like she was back in the peaceful daily life of before. She kicked off her shoes, hugged the blanket, rolled once, and curled into a comfortable ball.

Sweet dreams?

An He closed her eyes wearily, her mind fuzzy as she pondered.

I wonder if Gu Xianqing will show up this time.