Chapter 108 (1/2)

Chapter 108: Disorienting Formation

Jun Huang's breathing was too shallow for Nan Xun's liking. He felt his chest tighten in fear. He had always found Jun Huang to be aloof to the point that she seemed untethered to the world; now he was terrified that she would truly part from it.

It took some time for Jun Huang to focus her mind enough to whisper to Nan Xun, ”Apply some salve on the wound for me, please. I… I can barely lift my hand.”

Nan Xun nodded. He searched through her rucksack and found both salve that could accelerate healing and salve that could cleanse poison. He cleaned up her wound before gingerly applying the salves. He then bandaged her ankle with a square handkerchief. His forehead was covered in sweat when he was done.

The guards weren't close enough to Jun Huang to get a good look on her injury, but Nan Xun was. From the two holes made by the snake fangs, he could see tender flesh underneath the skin. It rattled him deeply. His experience as a general was the only thing keeping his fingers from trembling. His jaw had been tightened throughout the process.

”You should rest,” said Nan Xun.

Jun Huang looked up at the blue sky through the cracks in between the tree branches. She then looked down at her foot. Frustration welled up in her heart. For the first time, she resented her body for being weak. Even though Nan Xun had offered her comfort, she refused to let herself become a burden.

She got to her feet and inhaled deeply. ”That won't be necessary. Sitting here won't do us any good. The venom has been cleansed. I should take a walk to promote circulation. Come on. I won't drag you down.”

She picked up a st.u.r.dy branch and used it as a crutch to help her walk.

The guards shared an astonished look. Nan Xun clenched his fists. He knew Jun Huang was stubborn. Her resilience had enable her to keep moving despite her pain. He was both impressed and worried. He jogged up to her.

One of the shadow guards said as he looked at Jun Huang's back, ”If I were him, I would have given up on walking. Gentleman Feng is indeed an extraordinary man.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Nan Xun had heard the guard's comment. He too found Jun Huang to be more competent than a great majority of men. A dignified and untouchable woman who was too possessed by revenge to be likened to a celestial being, but too graceful and aloof to be a mere mortal. She defied simple cla.s.sification.

The walk uphill was a punis.h.i.+ng one. The higher they got, the more steep the hill became. Without proper training, a slight s.h.i.+ft of one's body could lead to a painful death.

Jun Huang had trained herself with Nan Xun's help, but not for long. Her injury made it difficult for her to walk on flat lands, let alone this endless stone steps.

Sweat streamed down from her forehead. Nan Xun looked down at her and saw that her ankle was swelling. He took Jun Huang's hand and led her to sit down on the side of the path. Jun Huang didn't resist.

”We need to dress your wound again,” Nan Xun said in a steely tone.

Jun Huang only realized then that her ankle was swollen and her blood had seeped through the handkerchief. After merely the time for an incense stick to burn, the white fabric had been turned red. It was concerning.

She sighed and looked up at Nan Xun. ”Do you have any liquor?”

Nan Xun was bewildered, but that didn't stop him from directing the question to his shadow guards. One of the guards turned out to have a bottle of liquor in his possession. Nan Xun took it from him and handed it to Jun Huang. He a.s.sumed that she was going to drink some to dull her pain, but Jun Huang did something he did not expect her to do.

She pulled out the cork and took a deep breath before pouring the liquor over her ankle. White hot pain shot through her nervous system and a.s.saulted her brain. She ground her teeth together to endure this pain that many would not be able to bear.

”What are you doing?” Nan Xun grabbed the bottle and yelled at her, his eyes shot with blood.

Jun Huang looked up to meet his eyes, her face had gone pale and her lips white. She took a shaky breath and slowly said, ”Alcohol is best for cleaning up wounds. It can prevent infection. I know what I am doing.”

Nan Xun frowned. Of course he knew alcohol could be used to prevent infection. Soldiers like him poured liquor on their injured parts all the time. He also knew how painful it could be. It was the kind of pain that burrowed inward until it reached the bones.

He didn't intend to hand the bottle back to Jun Huang. Her eyebrows furrowed as she braced for the sharp pain in her ankle. Her fingers tightened and her nails bit into her palms. It took a good while for the pain to receded.

The wound had turned pale and the bleeding had stopped. Nan Xun took a swig of the liquor to suppress the bitterness spreading from his heart. He took the bandages from one of his guards and again carefully dress Jun Huang's wound.

Once that was done, Nan Xun pulled Jun Huang onto his back without a word. Jun Huang knew any arguments from her would only slow them down, so she kept quiet.