Chapter Twenty-Four: Trouble

"Uncle Luo, why are we leaving?" As they moved forward, Diyalan hacked fiercely at the branches with her short sword, fuming. "That bastard dared to harass me and Miss Mu! I wish I could stab him right through! It’s infuriating!"

"If you two hadn’t shown up, nothing would have happened. Now trouble’s found us," Luo Hao sighed helplessly. "Stop complaining. Let’s move as far away as possible and hope we can shake them off."

"But Uncle Luo, we’ve already left, haven’t we? What’s the problem now?" Mu Yudie asked in surprise.

"It’s not as simple as you think."

Luo Hao shook his head. "None of those mercenaries are decent people. When that leader looked at you, his gaze was full of lust—it’s clear he won’t let this go. When we left, the four mercenaries dealing with the serpent acted unconcerned, even though they’d shown a lot of interest in you before. That’s not normal. They must know the leader’s nature, so they weren’t worried at all."

Mu Yudie’s pretty face changed slightly. "Uncle Luo, you think they’ll come after us?"

"It’s not a guess. They definitely will." Luo Hao sighed inwardly. "They didn’t act immediately because they care about the materials on that serpent. They’re afraid that if they deal with us now, other mercenaries or warriors might seize their prize. Once they gather the materials, they’ll come after us."

"The Fang Mercenary Corps has a bad reputation. I’ve heard they’re always looting and killing. Uncle Luo is right," Hu Long chimed in.

"Uncle Luo… I’m sorry. We were just worried about you," Mu Yudie said softly.

"I understand." Luo Hao replied, then quickly stopped moving through the woods and gently set Mu Yudie down.

Shi Yan also stopped, frowning. "What is it? Have they caught up?"

Casting Shi Yan a look of approval, Luo Hao nodded, his expression grave. "I think they’re coming."

"Uncle Luo, what now?" Hu Long snorted, anger flaring. "This is too much—they’re forcing our hand. Let’s fight!"

Luo Hao’s brows knitted as he thought quickly. Suddenly, he said, "Diyalan, take Xiao Die and go. Leave signals along the way for us. Young man, go with them—be extra cautious, and try to stick to areas where people rarely go. Be careful not to wander into any high-grade beast territory."

"And you?" Shi Yan asked calmly.

"The three of us will stay. Without Xiao Die, we can split up and ambush them. If we can stall them for a while, we’ll catch up. Those guys aren’t interested in fighting to the death without the girls around—they’ll likely give up soon," Luo Hao explained quickly.

"Understood," Shi Yan nodded with a carefree smile. "Don’t worry, Uncle. Wherever these two beauties go, I’ll be there too."

"Go!" Luo Hao ordered briskly.

Diyalan wanted to stay and fight, but under Luo Hao’s gaze, she relented. Stomping her foot in frustration, she crouched down, hoisted Mu Yudie onto her back, and, without another word, dashed into the thickest part of the forest ahead.

Shi Yan hesitated for a moment, then pulled a small paper packet from his backpack and forced it into Luo Hao’s hand. "I found this poison powder by chance. It’s called ‘Seven Serpents’ Venom,’ made from the venom of seven different snakes. It’s simple to use—just smear it on your weapon. As long as you break the skin and draw a drop of blood, it’ll be effective..."

Before Luo Hao could respond, Shi Yan grinned and ran after Diyalan.

"Uncle Luo, isn’t this a bit too vicious? Warriors have their pride. Using poison is underhanded," Zhao Xin muttered, frowning at the powder in Luo Hao’s hand. "That kid’s origins are unknown, and he carries all sorts of sinister things. With him around Miss Mu, I can’t feel at ease."

"Zhao Xin, there’s no room for such rules here. If not for his Bone-Corrosion Powder, we’d already be dead and you wouldn’t have the chance to talk about honor," Luo Hao snapped. He frowned, then added, "Each of you should take some of this powder too, but don’t use it unless absolutely necessary. If things become irreparable, don’t hesitate—coat your weapons with it. Only if you survive will you have the chance to criticize that kid in front of Xiao Die. Understand?"

"Understood."

...

In the forest.

Barnard and seven members of the Fang Mercenary Corps sped through the woods, their expressions cold, smirks of lust curling their lips.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Suddenly, arrows shot out from the woods, fast and fierce, forcing the mercenaries to stop and deal with them.

Barnard halted abruptly, a sly grin spreading across his face. He finally pulled his right hand from his sleeve—a hand of shining iron. As the iron hand emerged, a burst of silver light exploded forth, splitting into seven crescent-shaped blades in midair, all flying straight toward Luo Hao’s hiding place.

"Crack, crack, crack!"

Wherever the blades passed, branches shattered and fell. The blades, undiminished in momentum, gleamed coldly as they smashed down on Luo Hao’s position.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

A massive ancient tree was sliced in two by the blades and crashed to the ground. Luo Hao’s figure flickered and vanished, melding back into the forest.

"Tumu, Jin Mo, chase that way. Leave this side to us," Barnard said with a dark smile. "The real fighters are here. Only two women and one kid left earlier. Remember, I want those women alive. If you kill them, don’t expect a single crystal coin from this job!"

"Don’t worry, boss. I’ll make sure to clean up that little woman for you. You can have your fun soon," Tumu laughed. "Jin Mo, let’s go! That fiery girl’s mine first, but you’re lucky today—you’ll get a taste too."

"Heh, I can’t wait," grinned another ugly, pockmarked mercenary, laughing as he followed Tumu.

"Not good!" Luo Hao thought, alarmed, ready to signal and give chase.

He hadn’t expected Barnard to be so experienced in such matters, instantly seeing through his plan and dispatching men specifically to pursue Diyalan.

"Stay where you are," Barnard sneered, charging at Luo Hao. "Didn’t you want to stall us? Here I am, not going anywhere. Don’t bother trying to run—let’s have a go and see what you’re made of."

As Barnard moved, the other mercenaries spread out to search for Hu Long and Zhao Xin.

...

Diyalan carried Mu Yudie on her back as she darted through the woods. Each step from her powerful legs sent her lithe, fiery body leaping several meters, like a mother leopard hunting its prey.

As she sped along, the skirt beneath her armor fluttered in the wind, her full, shapely hips swaying with mesmerizing curves, taut with astonishing vitality.

Shi Yan followed behind her, secretly admiring her, silently praising her figure. No wonder those mercenaries were so obsessed.

"You brat, stop staring at my butt and pay attention to your surroundings. Watch for any signs of beasts," Diyalan snapped, as if she had eyes on her back.

"It won’t slow me down," Shi Yan grinned. "No signs of beasts nearby, but it seems someone’s following us. I think I hear faint footsteps."

"Someone chasing us?" Diyalan was shocked. "Impossible—Uncle Luo and the others are behind. How could they have failed to stop those wild dogs?"

Shi Yan suddenly stopped, crouched, and pressed his ear to the ground. His face darkened. "Uncle Luo didn’t stop all of them. Two are almost upon us."

Diyalan paused ahead, her expression grave. "Kid, you carry Miss Mu and keep going. I’ll stay here to deal with them."

"No, I’ll stay."

Shi Yan shook his head, took a deep breath, and said, "I want to see what my training’s accomplished lately. You go on ahead—I’ll catch up. I’ll leave a couple more markers in case Uncle Luo and the others break free and need to find us."

"You…" Mu Yudie looked back at him from Diyalan’s back, her eyes shimmering, her expression complicated. "This isn’t your problem, you know."

"I know," Shi Yan replied with a carefree smile. "But because of you, it is. I still owe you a debt, and until I’ve repaid it, even if you wanted me to stay, I wouldn’t leave. Now go on, big sister—what are you waiting for?"

Diyalan hesitated, turning her head away with reluctance. In a low voice, she muttered, "Brat, stay alive, you hear? If you really catch up to us again, I’ll… I’ll let you touch my… butt." With that, she stomped her foot and charged off.

"Heh, then get ready and wash up for me!" Shi Yan called after her, grinning. "I’ll be right there!"

Diyalan nearly stumbled, her face flushing red as she cursed inwardly, "That damned rascal!"

...