Chapter 70

Chapter 70

"Xia, slow down, I... I can't keep up." Daniel's cheeks were flushed pink, his blond hair messy, panting heavily with his hands on his thighs, his eyes fixed on the figure about to disappear into the jungle ahead. He had to call out to stop her. Feng Xia was just too fast; he simply couldn't keep pace.

Feng Xia raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Giving up already, kid? Boys shouldn't say they can't handle it." Despite her words, she slowed her pace. Daniel's face reddened, whether from embarrassment or exhaustion.

Spring, the season of rebirth, brought everything to life. Animals that had slept through the long winter were now out foraging. Everything grew, vibrant and thriving.

The air was filled with the fresh scent of greenery. Clusters of tender green buds brushed affectionately against their faces. Daniel gently stroked the veins of a small leaf, his golden hair fluttering in the breeze. It was clear he was happy.

Feng Xia led him deeper into the woods, killing a rabbit on the way. Her move was swift and deadly, killing it instantly. The rabbit weighed about three or four pounds. Daniel pursed his lips beside her, seemingly mourning the poor bunny.

After a moment's hesitation, the young man murmured, "Xia, isn't this a bit cruel? This rabbit endured a winter of hunger, survived, and then, just as spring arrives, we catch it. Isn't that wrong?"

It was evident that Daniel had been well protected by Durarov, perhaps even spoiled. Feng Xia wasn't annoyed by the young man's naivety or excessive kindness. She looked into Daniel's eyes and said seriously, "Daniel, what do you think this rabbit is? A pet? No, it's just a source of meat, food to fill our stomachs. Of course, I'm not saying your kindness is wrong, but survival of the fittest—the strong prey on the weak. Even if I don't eat it, would any other animal let it go? You have to know that in spring, the predators in the forest also wake up."

Daniel was innocent to a fault, so subconsciously he somewhat resisted developing weapons and machinery with his mentor. He often wondered: if there were no guns in the world, would peace follow?

Looking at the rabbit in Feng Xia's hands, Daniel struggled and finally decided to share this confusion, or rather, this torment that had plagued him for so long, with Feng Xia. He asked her nervously, "Xia, am I too weak? But every time I develop a firearm, my heart torments me. I don't want to trouble my teacher either. In some ways, he probably can't understand my pain. He's a very strong person." Daniel's slender index finger ran through his messy blond hair. He buried his face in his arms, looking pained.

Feng Xia patted Daniel on the back, chose a dry rock to sit on, and gently but firmly made Daniel lift his head to meet her gaze, to look into her black eyes. Blue met black, and for a moment, they were silent.

"Guns are not the root cause; the root cause is the people who start wars. Have you ever heard an ancient saying from our Flower Kingdom? 'Sustain war through war, and end war with war.' War doesn't stop just because you don't want to participate. Your teacher is protecting his country in his own way, trying to end the war sooner. Daniel, you need to understand: no device is inherently wrong. It's the people who use them that are wrong."

The 13-year-old girl carried a maturity beyond her years. Her irises, in the sunlight, showed a faint caramel color. Fair skin and black hair—an unforgettable beauty in Daniel's memories for the rest of his life.

Feng Xia's tone was calm. "Daniel, if our Flower Kingdom were still the closed-off nation of decades ago, would you have established diplomatic relations with us? No. People would only plunder. Kindness is always the condescension of the strong. The kindness of the weak often only comes off as ridiculous. Kindness requires power."

Daniel was speechless. "Was I wrong?"

Feng Xia: "No, kindness itself isn't wrong. What you need to do is have enough ability to protect that kindness, rather than obsessing over whether you should be kind."

With that, she lifted the rabbit in her hand. Its eyes had already gone dull, like a dull glass bead.

"Look, I specifically chose a male rabbit. Females breed in spring, so I picked a male. Many people do this, right? You probably think that's kind. But no one cares about the rabbit's opinion because it is too weak. Do you understand, Daniel?"

There was still some confusion in Daniel's blue eyes, but more determination. He thought he probably understood. Some youthful confusion faded from the young man, and a calm resolve took root within him. Feng Xia loved peace, and she believed Daniel would not let her down.

They walked a bit further into the woods. When the ground became thick with animal tracks, Daniel suggested they go down the mountain. That meant they were very close to predators. Feng Xia nodded. Since they had already caught prey, they went down the mountain in single file. Daniel carried a rabbit, while Feng Xia carried a wild pheasant and another rabbit back to Old Lady Wu's house.

For the afternoon snack, they had spicy chicken and stewed rabbit. Though old, Old Lady Wu had good teeth. The rabbit was stewed until soft and tender, with radish added for extra flavor—delicious.

Over the next few days, Feng Xia took Daniel all over the back mountain. The higher-ups knew about Feng Xia's abilities, and since they couldn't stop them, they just let them be. Fortunately, the two were sensible. They didn't go deep into the forest, only hunted rabbits and pheasants on the outskirts. The leaders turned a blind eye.

Days passed happily, and time flew. Unbeknownst to them, Durarov and his team stayed at the Field Army base for another half month. All good things must come to an end. The Bear Country was pressing for information on the silencer and stun baton, so they had to return home quickly and say goodbye to the Field Army base.

The golden-haired young man stood tall, his features clear and bright, as radiant as when he arrived. The car drove far away, but he still turned his head to look at that red figure—like a flame, burning across the plains.

He thought he would never forget this girl from the Flower Kingdom. He hoped they would meet again.

Feng Xia watched the car disappear from sight, stretched lazily, and then felt a tap on her shoulder. Old Gentleman Wan Fulin looked at her gently, comforting his little disciple's sadness over her friend's departure. Even though Feng Xia wasn't really sad, the old gentleman still tried to care for his disciple's feelings.

With Durarov gone, Feng Xia's lessons resumed. Not just firearms manufacturing, but also various books that interested him, including the study of several foreign languages—none could be skipped. Occasionally, she had to go to Yuan Biao for special training. With so much to do, Feng Xia had already forgotten all about her young friend Daniel.

Wan Fulin stroked his beard with satisfaction: "Indeed, keeping busy is good. This girl seems much more energetic these past two days."

Far away in the Bear Country, Daniel thought: "Xia must be missing me as a friend. No, I have to find a way to write her a letter!"

Feng Xia: "Ah, so busy! Really so busy!"