118 An Engagement From the Pas (1/2)
”Ah!” A series of painful cries exploded before the death of four or five men. Laughing, Zhan Beiye dragged his sword along as he walked away.
However, in the trap behind him, rose a figure that soundlessly jabbed his sword toward Zhan Beiye's back.
Gu Linfeng had stripped off his golden armor in a second and kicked a corpse down, effectively using it as a stepping stone to exit the trap.
Without turning his head, Zhan Beiye clapped his wider than usual sword onto the ground, causing leaves and dust to roll up with a big gust of wind. Gu Lingfeng's eyes narrowed as he sucked in a breath, subconsciously stepping back. Suddenly, he felt a sharp blast of wind being generated amid the gust, and it was coming for him at full speed and without a sound.
Gu Lingfeng was an experienced combatant and could immediately sense the dangers of it. He bent his body, nimbly grabbing an approaching subordinate to use as a meat shield. In the next moment, he felt a warm, fishy liquid splattering onto his face.
Seeing that his defense had worked, Gu Lingfeng let out a breath of relief. He heard a peal of soft laughter, which sounded like the collision of ice and jade. Carrying a slight contemptuous snicker, the laughter faded away.
Gu Lingfeng opened his eyes, tossing his man's body onto the ground, replaying the laughter in his head and becoming increasingly furious. He turned around to look at his other men, roaring, ”What are you looking at? Chase!”
The golden troop eyed him with a strange expression, and as Gu Lingfeng was about to continue ripping them apart, he felt a stiffness overtake his shoulder area. Reaching out, he felt a piece of meat dropping.
Gu Lingfeng's face changed. He didn't know when, but his shoulder was already charred by the time he turned his head to the side for a look. Immediately understanding that he had fallen for the enemy's trap, he pulled his sword out. In a flash, the big bloody piece of meat on his shoulder flew out.
”Half of you make chase and the other half shall return with me to recuperate!” Gu Lingfeng ordered with thick hatred as he held onto his shoulder. Eyes set deep into the dense forest, he shouted, ”I remember your voice! I'll repay you twofold when the time comes.”
”Aish, this stupid fish. Why can't I get it?” Meng Fuyao cursed, holding onto the hem of her trousers while standing by a creek and attempting to stab a fish with a tree branch. ”I have wasted 180 graceful jabs for nothing.”
The group had traversed a whole day, eventually coming to a higher mountain to rest in the evening. Ji Yu and his men had gone hunting, and since Meng Fuyao wasn't one to sit around she had decided to catch some fishes, but to no avail, apparently.
Lord Yuan Bao steadied himself on a rock and waited eagerly as Meng Fuyao executed her move for the hundredth and eightieth time.
Zhan Beiye leaned against the mountain rocks while chewing on a blade of sweet grass and ogling at Meng Fuyao's snow-white and slender calves and ankles. Upon being detected for the umpteenth time, he was splashed with a generous amount of water, the beads landing all over his body.
Wiping them off and spitting out the grass blade, he strode over. Meng Fuyao assumed a fighting pose, but Zhan Beiye simply snatched her makeshift fork and said, ”These fishes are our local product. Extremely slippery. You can't catch them.”
”Go put on your shoes. The weather in the mountains is chilly in the mornings and at night. Don't catch a cold.”
It was then that Meng Fuyao understood his intention. Surprised and momentarily at a loss, she absentmindedly went to put on her shoes while observing as he stuck the fork into the water and stirred it. No longer able to breathe, the fishes made their way to the surface, instantly being caught by the waiting man. Some of them leaped onto the rocks, and Lord Yuan Bao even held one down with his claw before turning toward her and throwing an arrogant smirk.
”So this is what 'mixing the water to catch the fish' literally means? You're a prince yourself, so why are you so familiar with living in the wild?” asked Meng Fuyao in shock.
”When warring with Moluo Tribe, I even led an army into their land. With 3,000 men we pursued their leader in the mountains to the point where he chose to end his own life,” Zhan Beiye smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth, ”We had no provisions and food. Driven by hunger, we caught a snake and shared it. Things like catching wild chickens, rabbits and fishes… we have all done them. My men were all tired, and there was no reason to expect them to serve me.”
”Now I understand why the title of golden leader only belongs to you,” Meng Fuyao stated as she started a fire, fanning the flames while and adding more branches. She continued with a smile, ”A leader who fills a trap with his men and uses his men as shields will never, ever reach the people's expectations.”
”He has pitted himself against me his whole life, but all this time, I have only treated him as a fart,” Zhan Beiye laughed, ”How stinky.”
Meng Fuyao burst into laughter, stopping midway to grab some leaves and branches to feed the fire. Staring at the flames, she sat in silence, her eyes glistening like a pair of crystal beads.
”Be careful!”
Zhan Beiye reached his hand out to snatch the branch she was about to pick up. The cracking sound broke the silence and snapped her out of her daze. Turning to the source of the sound, she noticed that the ”branch” was actually a poisonous snake. It had a flat head, was ash-brown in color and had faint green spots that helped it blend into the pile of leaves. Perfect camouflage.
Zhan Beiye tossed the dead snake away and pulled her hand toward him to inspect it. ”Did you get hurt? Why are you so careless?”
His tone was strange, and he anxiously flipped her hand about. The glow of the fire lit up his face, making the fine beads of sweat on his forehead visible. This man before he was a warrior and a leader in battle, yet here he was, so frightened by a snake.
Meng Fuyao's heart tightened as guilt washed over her. She shrank her hand back and forced a smile out. ”I'm fine, I'm fine.”