Chapter 1

Years later, Bei Yan, standing on the hot air balloon test field of the Song Dynasty's Imperial Air Force, could always recall that distant afternoon when Marshal Yue captured Yuancheng. At that time, a thunderous roar resounded beneath Yuancheng, the battlefield was shrouded in rolling smoke and dust, mountains collapsed and the earth caved in. Bei Yan, riding a hot air balloon in the whistling northern wind, flew towards the azure sky, as if about to melt into that blue expanse.

Bei Yan, the camp commander of the Balloon Battalion, stared blankly downwards. His ears were ringing incessantly, and he couldn't hear any other sound, but the entire battlefield was spread out before his eyes. The northern city wall of Yuancheng in the southernmost part had completely collapsed, and most of Yuancheng was shrouded in seven or eight white clouds, vaguely visible. In the Song Dynasty's military camp, countless soldiers and civilians went from chaos to order, and after a while, a torrent flowed from the south of the camp towards Yuancheng. Beneath Commander Bei was an earthen mountain built by the Jin army. One side of the earthen mountain had collapsed by a small half, and people and horses were overturned. Commander Bei recognized the five-colored Sun-Bearing flag on the ground of the earthen mountain, and couldn't help but think that the Jin Kingdom's Prince Wei was probably among that group of Jin military officers in disarray, wondering if he was the unlucky fellow who fell off his horse.

In this way, the Jin army camp below was in near-mutiny, and Commander Bei's balloon was caught by the strong winter wind and flew north. As for Commander Bei himself, he was like a wooden sculpture or clay figure, unable to hear sounds or make a noise, and unable even to move his body. He could only watch helplessly as the ground grew farther and farther away, and the people on the ground became smaller and smaller, like ants, until even the ants could not be seen clearly.

After an unknown amount of time, Commander Bei slowly regained his senses. By this time, his ears were no longer ringing. Standing high in the sky, he thought, "Could this be thousands of zhang high?" The hot air balloon floated slowly in the sky. Commander Bei calmed his mind, looked at the sandbags and bundles of charcoal and firewood piled on the basket under his feet, and then looked around. Surrounded by clouds and mist, he didn't know where his balloon had flown. "This really is a case of being lost deep in the clouds." Although he said so, Bei Yan didn't linger to enjoy the surrounding scenery. He tied the safety rope that Balloon Battalion soldiers routinely fastened around their waists before ascending into the sky to prevent falling, even tighter with a dead knot, and then began to control the fire, allowing the balloon to descend slowly at an extremely slow speed.

After an unknown amount of time, suddenly, a clap of thunder sounded in the high sky, and Commander Bei's ears rang again. Startled, he took a step backward, and because he had a long rope tied around his waist, his foot landed right on the rope. Tripped by the rope, he fell out of the basket and hung on the hot air balloon. At this moment, the thick fog in front of him was blown away by the wind, revealing a dark cloud ahead, not far above him, with silver snakes dancing wildly within, the ink-like dark clouds rolling endlessly.

Commander Bei, hanging in the air, thought to himself, "If this balloon floats under the dark clouds, and it rains, extinguishing the fire..." He looked at the sky below. "Although this high altitude is not thousands of zhang, it is also several hundred zhang high. Today, I'm afraid I'm going to be smashed into minced meat, with no bones left." He couldn't help but shout, "My life is over!" In terror, he fainted.

After an unknown amount of time, Bei Yan slowly woke up. "I'm still alive? It didn't rain? Hahaha..." After a long howl, Commander Bei looked around. He saw that under the reflection of the setting sun, his balloon was still flying in the sky, but the rate of descent seemed to be a bit fast. It was less than a hundred zhang above the ground, and he could already see the ground. He could vaguely see a team of knights wearing Jin armor following him not far away.

"Jin soldiers!" Bei Yan completely woke up and, with all his strength, climbed up the rope and back into the basket. At this time, the hot air balloon was descending faster and faster. Bei Yan quickly threw firewood and charcoal into the already small fire, and threw the sandbags down. Only then did he barely stop the descent when he was still twenty zhang above the ground.

At this time, Bei Yan leaned out and looked at the twenty Jin cavalrymen on the ground. "These damned Jin people!" With the sound of the north wind, he could even hear the Jin people's insults. They must have seen the tiger picture on the balloon and knew that it was a Song Dynasty balloon. Several Jin soldiers even took out bows and crossbows and shot at the balloon.

"Fortunately, these beasts can't fly," Bei Yan thought to himself. "That's something, at least." Then he saw a mountain standing in front of him. "Not good! I'm exhausted. If I crash into the mountainside at this time, I'm afraid I'll be captured by the Jin people." As if hearing Commander Bei's thoughts, the Jin cavalrymen also sped up. Bei Yan could even imagine the Jin people's smug sneers.

"I have to fly higher, get over it!" Looking at the few remaining firewood on the basket, the sandbags had already been thrown away, and he didn't know where his helmet had flown. Commander Bei took off his armor and threw it down, but the balloon only slowly rose. Seeing that he couldn't get over it, the balloon slowly deflated and landed not far from the top of the mountain.

On the mountain, Commander Bei, who had fallen into the balloon, poked his head out and looked at the surrounding dry wood that had been ignited by the remaining embers of the charcoal. The crackling sound of burning intertwined with the hissing sound of green branches catching fire. Vines, leaves, all vibrant plants were burned and shriveled in the all-destroying raging fire. Before his eyes was a blaze of light, in the flames, the surface of the big trees was burnt black, and the charred branches became hot coals. He realized that he was surrounded by this sea of fire.

Bei Yan immediately got up, took out a dagger he carried with him. This dagger was originally one of the tools he used as a tattoo artist, and he usually carried it with him as a souvenir. At this time, he used it to cut the ropes and divide the balloon cloth, which had a certain fire-resistant effect. He quickly cut off a piece large enough to barely wrap around himself, and Bei Yan used his last bit of strength to run towards a cave he had just seen not far away...

The fire soared into the sky, illuminating the already darkened night sky. Not far down the mountain, twenty Jin soldiers were parked, ready to return.

ps: I'm not sure how high or fast the hot air balloons made by the Great Song Dynasty could fly. All details