Chapter 390: Quick-witted (1) (1/2)

The woman hesitated for a while, as if considering whether there was a trick in Chu Lian’s suggestion.

Chu Lian used the most childish and demanding voice she could muster, “I don’t know martial arts and you have four people on your side. I’m trapped on this horse so how could I possibly run away?”

The woman seemed to think that Chu Lian’s words made sense. She spoke in a low voice, “Then hold on tight to me.”

She reached out with her right arm and lifted Chu Lian up so that she could sit upright on the horse’s back.

Chu Lian was still trapped because she was seated in front of the woman on the horse and the woman’s arms acted as a cage around her. Although she felt uneasy, it was much more comfortable than lying horizontally on the horse.

The party of five, including Chu Lian, travelled at a brisk pace for almost an hour. During this hour, no matter what Chu Lian asked, no one answered her.

In the end, Chu Lian gave up. It was clear that this group of people had undergone special training. They might even be some special agents trained to kill themselves before revealing their backers.

The skies turned darker and the winds started up again, throwing snow in their faces. It was as if the snowstorm had engulfed them. No matter where she looked, she couldn’t see anything around her other than the weak glow from the lanterns they carried.

Chu Lian didn’t understand how these people were navigating when she couldn’t even see anything than snow and darkness.

Just as Chu Lian’s face was about to turn numb from the cold, the party finally stopped.

Chu Lian trembled as she rubbed her hands together for warmth, trying to bring some heat back into her frozen appendages.

The woman she was riding with helped her off the horse and towards a small hill. The four horses were gathered up by one of the men and led on a rope.

Chu Lian pulled her fox fur cloak tightly around her body and hobbled through the knee-deep snow.

It was only when she got closer that there was a hollow carved into the hillside and that there were people in there.

Thanks to the snow covering everything and the darkness of the night, the visibility here was extremely low. If she looked up from the bottom of the hill, she wouldn’t be able to see the hollow at the middle of the hill. It was only visible from a close distance.

Halfway up the hill, there was a natural hollow that spread inside the hill. The slope of the hill acted like a roof that blocked the wind. In the cold winter, this was the perfect location to make a small base.

Once Chu Lian reached the hollow, she could see two tents set up. The areas outside the entrances of the tents had been cleared of snow. Even though it was already late, there was still a barbarian woman with her hair tied up in braids busying herself outside the tent. She was trying to cook something using the little bit of lamp light spilling out from one of the tents.

After hearing the noise made by the new arrivals, the barbarian woman turned around and glanced at them. Chu Lian took the chance to take a good look at her; she was a middle-aged woman with a face full of wrinkles. Her expression seemed indifferent. After a single apathetic glance at them, she turned her attention back to the jar she was heating over the fire.

The tallest man amongst the four people who had brought Chu Lian here stepped forward first. He walked towards the tents and shouted something before speaking a string of words. Chu Lian couldn’t understand what he was saying because he used the barbarian language.