85 She Would Be Useful (1/2)

The sky, now dark, cloaked itself around the Tuhan camp. A short yet slightly tall stone wall was structured around the camps' large area - within the walls were multiple pens and tents built all around.

The sound of men's laughter and cups clanking could be heard throughout the night. Their laughter echoed throughout the hard, icy mountains.

Inside a large pen, An Sun lazily sat at a table beside a brazier and lifted his cup of wine toward his red lips – black satin hair flowing down his broad shoulders. His gray, emotionless eyes staring off into the distance.

Without his armor the man's appearance enhanced significantly, revealing all his noble features. From his strong, hard build, porcelain skin, and cold, confident gray eyes, all was unveiled.

Manchu, standing in front of the handsome, unresponsive man, read aloud a list of tributes given to them by a Northern Province.

After Manchu finished reading the list, An Sun's eyes still never wavered from the view outside the pen's window.

”The gold they sent us is good quality but…” Manchu scratched the back of his head. ”Delivering you ten beautiful women during this weather is unlike our usual.”

Taking a sip of his wine, An Sun glances down at his cup. ”I have no need for the women or gold. Divide them up between the men. The days are colder, so they need something to warm up their beds.”

A strange look came over An Sun's face a fleeting moment.

”And make sure the women are properly dealt with after they're used. We can't afford any mishaps.”

Smiling with a nod in his head, Manchu places the scroll in his cloak before walking to leave the pen.

”How has he been doing so far?” An Sun's calm voice halted Manchu's steps.

Turning around, Manchu arches a light eyebrow and scratches his cheek.

”I haven't checked. But no movement from inside was seen since we've arrived. The kid has been silent so far.”

An Sun went silent in response, his gray unreadable eyes looking down at the cup's contents. Manchu, noticing his silence, sighed.

”He did look a little unwell earlier,” Manchu said in a calm tone.

”So?”

”So, who knows? For all one knows, the cold finally took him and now he's lying dead in the pen floor.”

A faint twitch could be seen in the man's sharp bushy eyebrows. Seeing as he irked the man, Manchu held back his amused expression.

”Send someone to check on him. If he's dead, dispose of his body. If he's not, then leave him be. I don't need my dog dying on me just yet.”

Chuckling lightly, Manchu bobs his head and exits the pen to give out orders. Left alone in the warm pen, An Sun irritably chugs down his cup of wine before refilling the cup once more for another round.

…

Rin had already passed out.

The flames from the brazier warmed the small pen keeping her small, frail body heated while she fell unconscious. From top to bottom, Rin was covered in sweat – faint smudges of dirt on her pale cheeks.

Rin remained in an unconscious daze, her mind heavy and fuzzy while her body felt cold and weak. Only after a few minutes, did she begin feeling the warmth of the brazier as it heated up the pen.

Afterward, Rin's body relaxed and closed her eyes, fainting. Feeling as if only a small amount of time passed, Rin could sense the heavy footsteps of a figure walk inside the pen.

As much as she wanted to sit up and see who the figure was, her body was too weak and heavy to move. Thus, she closed her eyes and drifted away, hoping for the figure to leave her be.