Vol 3 Chapter 12 (2/2)

“…”

“…”

But what appeared in my eyes was a man who was hugging the thick branch upside down with trembling limbs, and was staring at me with a reddened face that had a horrible expression.

I was completely frozen in that instant as I stared at him motionlessly.

“Puaa! Haa… Haa…” Seeing that I had found him, he spat out the breath he had been holding. He then waved one hand as he greeted me. “Yo, yo, h.e.l.lo.”

“… Ah! Who are you? Are you Yuan Shu’s scout?” I regained my senses and hurriedly drew the sabre at my waist and readied my stance. “Get down now or else–”

“No, that is… Hai~ I really am unlucky.” That man thought for a while in anguish before sighing like a man who has given up, “I’ll come down– Ah!”

“Eh?!~~~~ Waa!!” Before I could even figure out what was going on, my body was crushed under a dead weight and I fell to the ground. It was a good that I fell on my back and didn’t injure my head.

“Ouch…” My head was a little dizzy as I recovered from the shock of the fall. It felt like there was something pressing down on my body and I slowly opened my eyes as I held my head–

— And saw that the man was lying on too of me with his hands right on my tender b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Because I didn’t wear a breastplate, the warmth from his hands were directly transmitted to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s through the thin cloth that made its way all the way to my head and dyed my cheeks red.

“I… You, you!” As a pure and innocent young girl 15 years of age, I was at a loss as to what to do.

“Ouch…” He was just regaining his senses and was shocked when he saw what kind of pose we were in. “Ah, sorry. I’ll just–”

He tried lifting himself up using his hands but he didn’t realise that what he was grasping as not the ground.

And so he put more force into his grip–

“Ah!!~~~~~~~~~~~~” A shudder ran through me as I screamed instantly. Only after I screamed did I realise how much of embarra.s.sment I was. “You, you pervert! Where do you think you’re touching?! L, let go of me!”

“Ah, sorry.” He evaded my flailing arms and frantically lifted his hands as he stepped backwards off of me.

I sat up and instinctively tidied up my clothing as I looked at him with cautious eyes. I felt both hatred and embarra.s.sment, and for some reason felt like I wanted to cry. When I looked at him, I felt an intense urge to skin him.

This man was slightly larger than me and had a good face but a downcast look hung about him. He was wearing coa.r.s.e clothing, and every act seemed like he lacked utter confidence.

Isn’t he just a useless coward.

“U, umm…”

“Don’t speak,” I drew my sword and pointed it at his throat. He gave a “hii!” and went silent. “Whatever the case, you are my captive now so honestly answer the questions I am about to ask you.”

Nods.

“Good,” I need to first ascertain his ident.i.ty. “You’re Yuan Shu’s scout… No, a 300-man general in her army right?”

Nods.

Though he did not wear plate, nor did he have a sabre at his waist, there was an insignia at his chest which I was able to identify as such.

“Where are your troops? Are they not here?”

Nods.

“Were they here just now?”

Shakes.

“Really?”

“Really! They’re all in the main body and the only one here is me.” I pressed the blade on his throat and he gave another ‘hii’ before shutting up.

“Hmph, forget it then.” I laughed as I was impressed. “Did Yuan Shu send you all here? I can’t believe she actually guessed the route of our ambush.”

Though I was speaking very casually now, I was frantic inside.

Because if what I said was correct, then Yuan Shu has seen through our plan to intercept them and we will then lose the initiative.

But it’s strange if you think about it from their point of view. If they have guessed our movements, then why didn’t they set up a counter-ambush?

Are they planning on letting us execute our plan and then countering us then? Or are they going to take a different route and avoid us altogether?

And how could she have done all this in such a short time? After entering the forest, Yuan Shu actually had the capacity to see through me scheme and prepare accordingly?

If that’s the case, then the only reason why would be that the Cao army’s tracks were exposed. But that would be equally strange as why wouldn’t they be more cautious about leaving behind an empty city?

C, could it be that they plan on counterattacking once we execute our plan from the very beginning then?! That is…

“No, this is not my lord’s will. Everything was just my own conjecture. Yesterday night, I detected the Cao army and thought that you would definitely be lying in wait somewhere near Sun Ce army’s encampment for us.” Just as I was sinking into despair in my thoughts, he began explaining with a frustrated look and clenched teeth. “I was planning to discuss this with my lord and wanted to suggest that we go around the forest. But I was stopped from doing so at the gates by Lord Yan Xiang.”

“Hou~~ And then?” My heart nearly stopped when I heard this. Though the success of this plan was important, I never thought that my plan was completely predicted ahead of time by this man.

“My suggestion was rejected. When I heard this, my worries were finally allayed. “She very resolutely said we would not be ambushed in the forest and then went on and on about the benefits of going through the forest, like how it could cover our tracks etc. But I know that there were deficiencies in those benefits that could be exploited against us.”

“Hou~~~” I’d thought he was just a useless coward but he was actually such an extraordinary person.

Maa, that is indeed the case. The odds of being ambushed in such a small route through the forest are practically nil but the side being ambushed forgot that as long as the ambus.h.i.+ng side knows the destination of the side that is being ambushed, it doesn’t matter what route they take.

As long as we station troops around the vicinity of the encampment, even if we don’t specially challenge them, Yuan Shu’s army can’t ignore us.

And then, it will be our opportunity to strike.

Though I don’t know what Yan Xiang is like, from what she said to this man, she’s probably just an ordinary person, an appropriate candidate to be Yuan Shu’s strategist.

Maa, whatever the case, it’s a good thing for me that she wasn’t convinced by this man.

Though this man seems unreliable, he is extraordinarily prudent and intelligent. Using him as a 300-man general would be an utter waste of talent.

But~~

“And so you came here hoping to see if we would send our ambus.h.i.+ng troops through this way to confirm your conjectures?”

“… Un.”

“You know,” I bent my waist and looked at him from up close with a furious expression which made him withdraw a little. “You came here just to confirm your conjectures? How can that possibly save the situation?”

“Wu…” Your silence means consent then. But thereafter, he retorted with, “Actually I know it deep down inside that someone like me can’t even be a lowly ranked official. Nor am I any good at leading troops in battle. The only thing I’m good at is making wid guesses so it’s normal if I’m not recognised.”

“Stop saying such self-deprecating words!”

“Eh?”

“… No, nothing.” I lost my cool there and let him drag me down with that retort, and turned my face away.

Hmph, showing that again, that smile of a useless coward that makes one hate him.

If it were me, I would have stopped Yuan Shu at all costs even if I had to kill Yan Xiang instead of giving up and coming out here for my own self-satisfaction.

But, perhaps this person’s talents can serve my lord…

“Let’s go.”

“Eh? Where to?”

“We can’t catch up to the main party now so we’ll head to the Cao camp and wait for the battle to end.” I twirled the sword in my hands as I sheathed it. “Don’t forget that you’re a captive so be more obedient.”

Because he was a little taller than me, I ordered him to squat out of spite. Thereafter, I picked out some vines which I used to tie his hands with. If I’m not careful, who knows what this pervert might do to me.

“… Ah, yes.” He said falteringly. And as he got up, he bowed in the direction where his lord was marching towards before following me.

Seems like he’s quite a loyal person. I don’t hate decorous people.

“… What’s your name?” I asked as I looked at him seriously. Personally, I rarely ask for people’s names.

“Eh?” He hesitated for a moment at my words before he replied. “My last name is Lu, my given name is Su, and my courtesy name is Zi Jing.”

Un, Lu Su huh. It’s a good name, but this isn’t reason enough to praise him.

“Is that so,” I only said as much in reply. “Let’s go then.”

As I turned around, for some reason, my lips curled up.

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