The further south they traveled, the warmer the weather became. The gray donkey galloped for over an hour until the midday sun blazed overhead. The winding mountain path twisted and turned, and after crossing another ridge, the previously energetic donkey suddenly collapsed with a thud, refusing to get up.
Chu Qiao and Liang Shaoqing tumbled off. Chu Qiao, agile and swift, stabilized herself with a forward roll. Liang Shaoqing, however, fell miserably, rolling several times before coming to a stop. Before he could even stand, he vomited violently, leaving a foul stench and a disheveled appearance.
"Are you alright?" Chu Qiao approached kindly and asked in a low voice.
The young scholar finally managed to stand, panting with his hands on his hips, and stammered, "You... you unreasonable woman! I... I saved you out of goodwill, yet you threw away all my luggage. How... how utterly absurd!"
"Here," Chu Qiao handed him a white handkerchief and said calmly, "wipe your mouth."
"Consider... consider me unlucky."
Liang Shaoqing, still breathing heavily, walked over to the donkey and tried to pull it up. But the donkey was utterly exhausted, refusing to budge no matter how hard he tugged. The young scholar's eyes reddened with frustration, and he exclaimed angrily, "Fine! Now even you're against me!"
"It ran too hard and needs to rest for a while," Chu Qiao said. "What do you plan to do?"
Liang Shaoqing flared up, shouting, "What do I plan to do? I'm going back to get my things!"
"Going back now is like asking for death."
"If I don't go back, I'm dead anyway! Without the travel permit and identification papers, how can I go to Tang Capital?" Liang Shaoqing grumbled furiously. "Besides, they have no grudge against me. I've always followed the law—why would they trouble me?"
Chu Qiao picked up her sword, not even glancing at him, and crouched beside the fallen donkey, indifferent. "If you want to die, go ahead. See if you'll still be alive to reach Tang Capital even if you retrieve your papers."
"Hey, you just saved me and carried me all this way. Thank you!" The girl's smile was like a blooming flower, her eyes curving into crescents, with two small dimples on her cheeks, making her look fresh and lovely—far from her usual stern demeanor.
The scholar, frightened by Chu Qiao, hesitated for a long time without daring to go back. Hearing her words, he couldn't help but interject, "Esteemed lady, if you're thanking someone, shouldn't it be me? I'm the one who saved you. How can you thank a beast?"
"You saved me?" Chu Qiao frowned in confusion, slowly turning to look at the foolish scholar. She asked with a faint smile, "When? I don't recall that."
"Ah? How can you be like this? You don't distinguish right from wrong or recognize favors. Is this how you treat your savior? Not even a word of thanks, and you mock me instead?"
"Did you kill those soldiers? Or did you carry me through the encirclement? You did nothing—how can you claim to have saved me?"
"You... you..." Liang Shaoqing stammered for a long time before finally managing to say, "It was me who went in and reasoned with them, appealing to their sense of righteousness, and then..."
"And then they laid down their arms and became enlightened, obediently letting us go?"Liang Shaoqing froze, immediately falling speechless. Chu Qiao shook her head, stood up, and walked over to him. Though her small stature barely reached his shoulders, she reached out and patted his shoulder, saying, "Having a sense of justice is good, but you also need brains. If you don’t have the ability, you should mind your own business in the future. If it weren’t for that fine beast of yours, we’d both be dead today."
The young girl smiled faintly, pulling two widely accepted Daxia silver notes from her pocket and placing them in his hand. "Your things are surely lost for good. Take this silver as compensation for your losses. I’m truly sorry for delaying your affairs. This place still isn’t very safe—I can escort you to the town below. What do you think?"
"Hmph!" Liang Shaoqing slapped the silver notes out of Chu Qiao’s hand, fuming with anger. "I am a man of honor, upright in conduct and action—what do I have to fear? It seems far more dangerous to be with you! So young, yet already hunted down by the authorities—if you’re not a notorious bandit, you must be a habitual thief."
The scholar walked over to his gray donkey, mustering all his strength to pull the stubborn animal to its feet, then staggered step by step as he led it down the mountain.
Chu Qiao stood where she was, watching the scholar depart with an amused smile. She picked up the silver notes from the ground and called out loudly, "Bookworm! Are you really sure you don’t want this money?"
Without turning back, Liang Shaoqing waved a hand dismissively. "I’d rather die than take it!"
His words still hung in the air when, two hours later, at the horse and slave market of Dongguo Town, Chu Qiao couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the sight of the man before her once more.
"Miss, looking to buy a slave or servant? This one’s excellent—strong and sturdy, can handle heavy labor, worth three or four ordinary men. And this one, he used to be a martial arts instructor, got into trouble and ended up in the slave registry. Skilled in martial arts and literate too. Ah? You’ve got a good eye—this one’s handsome, though a bit young, but he’d make a perfect page or personal attendant, just right for a lady like you."
The slave trader eagerly recommended his wares to Chu Qiao. The young girl’s eyes swept over the group of slaves with a hint of amusement before she pointed at Liang Shaoqing, who stood flushed crimson in a corner, and asked, "Boss, how much for that one?"
"That one?" The boss, a shrewd man, rolled his eyes and pulled Chu Qiao aside. "That one was just caught by the city guard—no travel permit, no identification papers, yet he insists he’s a scholar. He was just sent here for sale. He’s not in the slave registry, and there’s no formal deed of sale, so… name your price, miss. If it’s reasonable, I’ll sell him to you."
After some haggling, Chu Qiao led Liang Shaoqing—now renamed A’Qi—through the bustling main street. The girl was charming and lovely, while the man, though disheveled, was undeniably handsome and dignified, drawing the attention of everyone they passed. Especially when they noticed the straw tag stuck in Liang Shaoqing’s back and his bound hands, whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd.
"Hey! Untie me right now!"
Chu Qiao lazily turned her head, smiling as she asked, "Is that any way to speak to your master?"
"What master? I am a scholar of honor, yet you’ve bought and sold me with vulgar money—it’s an insult to decency! And how did I end up like this if not because of you...""Wrong!" Chu Qiao cut him off sharply. "First, I never asked you to meddle in my affairs. Second, you didn't save my life—on the contrary, I saved you, a bookworm who doesn't know his own limitations. Third, I offered you money earlier, but you insisted you'd rather die than take it. If you had money to pay the city guard's entry fee, you wouldn't have been investigated for carrying forged travel documents, nor would you have been captured and sold into slavery. So, your current predicament is entirely your own doing and has nothing to do with me."
"You... you ungrateful woman! I... I..."
With a soft rustle, the rope fell to the ground. Chu Qiao smiled and handed over two silver notes. "Let's part ways here. Don't get caught again in the future."
"A true man lives by principles—there are things he will and will not do. I'd rather die than take your money!"
Watching Liang Shaoqing's figure swiftly disappear at the end of the long street, Chu Qiao shook her head with a faint smile. If she weren't pressed for time and barely able to manage her own affairs, she really should have helped him reclaim his belongings. But life is relentless—now, he could only rely on his own luck.
This risky venture into the city to buy horses had already violated crucial precautions, and it was unwise to invite further trouble.
After exposing her whereabouts at Tangma Ridge, the entire southeast was suddenly swarming with the empire's agents and spies. A journey that should have taken only two days ended up dragging on for five due to constant evasion. Five days later, Chu Qiao finally arrived at Xianyang City, just fifty li from Baizhi Pass.
There were only two ways to pass through Baizhi Pass into Biantang: one was by land, entering Biantang's first major city, Baizhi City, via the pass. This route required official documents signed by both nations—essentially a pass permit—along with substantial bribes to smooth the entry. As the largest and most fortified northern pass of Biantang, Baizhi Pass's stringent security was beyond doubt. Chu Qiao, of course, lacked a legitimate pass and had no intention of risking a forced entry, so this route was practically out of the question.
The second route was by water, traveling along the Chishui River. With no ongoing warfare, river security was less tight than at the passes. Chu Qiao knew there were illicit boats secretly operating this trade, specializing in transporting those without passes into Biantang for exorbitant fees. Thus, she had no choice but to risk entering the city again to discreetly seek out such operators.
After two days of lurking in the black market, she finally secured an arrangement: departure at the third watch tomorrow night, boarding thirty li away at Qianshui Ditch.
Night had fallen, and Chu Qiao hurried along the long street. To conceal her identity, she wore men's clothing, appearing like a fair-skinned, handsome youth of sixteen or seventeen. Xianyang City, as Daxia's gateway border, was vast and bustling with merchants and travelers from all regions. Its vibrant prosperity rivaled even the imperial capital of Zhenhuang. Though it was late, the streets remained crowded, filled with hawkers and lively commerce.From now on, they would travel by water. After selling the newly purchased horses at a low price in the market, they bought some dry rations and food supplies. Just as they were about to leave, a large group of slave traders caught their attention. Chu Qiao frowned and looked over, spotting a massive iron cage placed in an open area. Inside stood eighty to ninety young slaves, both men and women, among whom a man dressed in a scholar's robe stood out prominently. Several middle-aged noblewomen, already past their prime, were eyeing him with amusement, repeatedly asking the trader about the price.
"Hey!"
Chu Qiao leaned lazily against the cage, holding a handful of melon seeds. She called out to the man inside, then spat out a seed husk with a "pfft," grinning like a spoiled young master from a wealthy family.
The man glanced up at her, frowned with evident disgust, and without a word, listlessly lowered his head again.
"So soon you don't recognize me? You're quite lucky—it's only been a few days, and you've already found a new master!"
Liang Shaoqing was startled by the voice. He looked up sharply, scrutinizing her, and upon recognizing her, exclaimed joyfully, "Ah! It's you? Why are you dressed like that?"
"As if you didn't know," the girl chuckled, "I'm a notorious bandit, after all."
"Oh, right." No sooner had the words left his mouth than he shook his head and corrected himself, "No, no, how could you be a bandit? It must be a wrongful conviction by the authorities, an injustice done to an innocent person."
"Haha." Chu Qiao laughed, teasing him, "What wind has blown this change? Our upright, righteous, and honorable seven-foot-tall man now speaks so insincerely. What? Do you need a favor from me?"
"Miss, please save me," Liang Shaoqing pleaded with a crestfallen expression. "You can't just stand by and watch me be humiliated as a slave. No one believes a word I say, and I'm all alone in this unfamiliar place. You're my only hope now."
"Save you?" The girl tossed the remaining melon seeds to the ground with a clatter, widening her eyes. "How?"
"By buying me out, of course!"
"How could that work?"
"Why wouldn't it work?"
Chu Qiao shook her head emphatically. "You, a dignified scholar, being bought and sold like common goods by vulgar merchants—it's an insult to your refinement and tarnishes your status. How could I possibly do such a thing?"
Liang Shaoqing was left speechless, his face flushing red. After a long pause, he stammered, "Time is of the essence, and the situation is urgent. This... this scholarly integrity can... can be set aside for now."
Chu Qiao couldn't help but burst into laughter. Just as she was about to reply, she noticed a plump, heavily made-up woman in her fifties, dressed in luxurious silk robes, striding over with a crowd of attendants. The woman grabbed Liang Shaoqing's collar through the bars and declared, "This one."
The trader was taken aback but quickly smiled and asked, "Madam, then the price I mentioned earlier...?"
"Let it be as you said!"
"Excellent! Just a moment, please!"
Liang Shaoqing turned pale with fear, casting a desperate look toward Chu Qiao for help.
Behind the woman followed over a dozen fawning servants and more than twenty newly purchased slaves, all of them handsome, tall, and fair-skinned.Chu Qiao secretly clicked her tongue in amazement, then stepped forward with a smile and said slowly, "Madam, at your age, buying so many strong young men—can you handle them all?"
The woman immediately became displeased and shot Chu Qiao a cold glare. "Where did this little brat come from? Get lost!"
"I'm just looking out for you. How about giving one to me?"
"Wishful thinking!" the woman shouted angrily. "If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll break your dog legs!"
"Oh my, so fierce!" Chu Qiao quickly dodged to the side and called out loudly to the slave trader, "Boss! How much did she offer for this slave? I'll pay double!"
At these words, the trader, who had been about to pull Liang Shaoqing out of the cage, froze in surprise. His eyes gleamed with greed as he looked over.
"Double?" the woman shrieked sharply, her voice cold. "I'll pay quadruple! How dare you compete with me!"
Chu Qiao leaned casually against the cage, smiling leisurely. "I'll pay ten times."
"I'll pay twenty times."
Chu Qiao shook her head. "I'll pay forty times."
"I'll pay a hundred times!"
"I'll pay two hundred times!"
"I'll pay a thousand times!"
"Wow! A thousand times!" Chu Qiao beamed, clicking her tongue in astonishment. "Then I'll yield to you. I can't compete with that."
The trader was overjoyed, his face blooming like a flower. He hurried forward, saying, "Madam Qian, the original price was two gold leaves. Now that you've offered a thousand times that, it's two thousand gold leaves. Sold!"
The woman had only spoken in the heat of the moment, and upon closer inspection, this fair-skinned slave wasn't worth two thousand gold leaves. Her eyes shifted craftily, and she suddenly shouted, "Fine! Boss Mu, you colluded with someone to cheat me!"
"Wh-what are you talking about? I wouldn't dare cheat anyone, least of all you!"
"Hmph! I'm not buying anymore. We'll see about this!" the woman yelled, then turned and stormed off with her servants in a huff.
Boss Mu stood there, somewhat bewildered. After looking around, he spotted Chu Qiao leaning against the cage and hurried over with a smile. "Young master, that lady has left. Since you're interested in this slave, I'll sell him to you. Let's go with the price you mentioned earlier—two hundred times, four hundred gold leaves."
"Boss Mu, are you trying to take advantage of my youth and inexperience?" Chu Qiao smiled brightly. "I only offered that price to spite that plump woman. Now that she's gone, you're still asking for so much. Are you selling a slave or a prince?"
Boss Mu was left speechless and chuckled awkwardly. "Then what do you propose to pay?"
"The same as your original price—two gold leaves."
"What?" Boss Mu was shocked and frowned. "Then I might as well sell to my regular customer. Why should I offend someone for your sake? You should at least add a little more."
Chu Qiao snorted coldly and made to leave. "Sell it or not, it's up to you. If not, go find your regular customer."
"Wait, wait!" Boss Mu sighed. "Fine, I'll sell him to you."
Liang Shaoqing breathed a sigh of relief, but before his smile could fully form, Chu Qiao dropped a bombshell: "But Boss, I didn't bring any money today. How about I write you an IOU? I'll definitely pay you back later.""What?" Everyone present was instantly stunned. The wooden shop owner was so furious he seemed on the verge of exploding, angrily exclaiming, "I say, young master, you're not playing me for a fool, are you? I'm an old man, I've lived in Xianyang City for over twenty years, and I've never seen a customer like you."
"Hey! Hey!" Liang Shaoqing called out softly, "What are you doing? Hurry up and pay!"
"I really don't have any money," Chu Qiao turned around, her face bitter as she said, "If you don't believe me, search me. I've spent it all. Who told you to refuse it earlier when I offered?"
Liang Shaoqing's face instantly turned pale as he pitifully asked, "Then what should we do?"
"There's no other way. We have to do this."
Liang Shaoqing was about to ask what she meant when suddenly, the girl swiftly drew a sharp dagger. Her body spun like a whirlwind, and in an instant, the blade was pressed against the wooden shop owner's fat neck. She smiled sweetly and said, "I offered to write you an IOU, but you refused. Now, I have no choice but to rob you openly."
The wooden shop owner's teeth chattered as he stammered, "H-How dare you!"
"I don't know how bold I am, but you, wooden shop owner, are quite brave yourself. With a knife at your neck, you can still speak so clearly."
"Let go of our boss!"
The crowd of onlookers grew larger. Chu Qiao smiled as she glanced around, then leaned close to the wooden shop owner's ear and slowly said, "With your wealth, is it worth dying for two gold leaves?"
The dagger lightly traced down the wooden shop owner's neck, immediately drawing a trail of fine blood droplets. The sixty-year-old human trafficker let out a heart-wrenching scream.
"Shut up!" Chu Qiao kicked the man in the shin, her willow-like eyebrows furrowed and her pretty face icy cold as she shouted, "Release them now!"
"Quick! Release them!" It was just a small wound, but the wooden shop owner was crying so hard he seemed about to shed snot.
Chu Qiao noticed a group of horses tied near the cages—the wooden shop owner's horses. In the blink of an eye, the girl leaped up, delivering a fierce kick to the wooden shop owner's chest. She grabbed Liang Shaoqing, mounted a horse, shouted "Giddy up!" and swiftly disappeared in a cloud of dust!
"Quick! After them!"
The wooden shop owner yelled frantically, but there was no trace of them left. The long night stretched on, the cold moon like frost, leaving only a ground bathed in pale light.
In a dilapidated temple outside the city, Liang Shaoqing sat on a pile of dry grass. Chu Qiao took out some dried rations from her bundle and handed them to him, smiling as she said, "Eat something."
The scholar Liang stubbornly refused to take them. Chu Qiao didn't force him and instead handed him a few banknotes, saying, "I'll be leaving tomorrow. Our paths will diverge from now on, and if you get into trouble again, I won't be able to save you. Take this money."
Liang Shaoqing frowned, "Didn't you say you had no money?"
"Who said I had no money?"
"You said so yourself at the market earlier."
Chu Qiao raised an eyebrow and replied, "I have money, just not much left. This is all I have. If I had given it to him, what would you do later? Besides, even if I had a lot, I wouldn't give it to a human trafficker like him."
Liang Shaoqing was visibly moved by her words. After thinking for a long time, he finally asked, "If this is all the money you have left, and you're giving it all to me, what will you do?""I'll be fine," Chu Qiao smiled faintly and said sincerely, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation. Although you brought some of it upon yourself by being foolish, I can't escape responsibility either. Take it, and be more careful in the future. Don't foolishly meddle in other people's business anymore."
Liang Shaoqing, unusually, didn't retort. Holding those banknotes, he fell into a silent reverie without saying a word.
Chu Qiao took a deep breath and leaned against the pillar, gazing at the bright moon outside the window. Her eyes were tranquil, having lost their usual sharpness and gained a touch of feminine gentleness.
Liang Shaoqing looked up at her strangely and suddenly asked, "Where are you going?"
"Me? I'm going home."
"Is your home in Biantang?"
"No," the young woman shook her head gently. "My home is very far away. It will take a long time to get there."
"The roads aren't safe these days. As a young woman traveling alone, you should be extra careful."
Chu Qiao smiled faintly without responding, her gaze soft as moonlight, her long dark eyelashes casting shadows on her cheeks. Seeing her silence, Liang Shaoqing introduced himself: "I'm heading to Biantang."
Chu Qiao responded softly, "Oh."
Liang Shaoqing's voice suddenly brimmed with longing and joy, as if sharing something immensely proud and remarkable: "I'm going to Tang Capital in Biantang to visit the esteemed Elder Cao Zhongmou."
"The Minister of Rites of Biantang, Cao Zhongmou?"
"Yes! You've heard of Elder Cao?"
Chu Qiao nodded. "Elder Cao's poetry and prose are unparalleled, renowned throughout the land. Who hasn't heard of him?"
"You're right," Liang Shaoqing said. "I've traveled thousands of miles precisely because I admire him. I must meet Elder Cao, discuss with him, and listen to his profound insights."
"It's good to have an idol you admire and respect, but you don't necessarily need to get close. What if you return disappointed? Wouldn't that be a pity?"
"How could that be?" Liang Shaoqing immediately objected unhappily. "Elder Cao's learning encompasses the ways of heaven and humanity, and his fame fills the world. How could I be disappointed?"
"Is that so?" Chu Qiao smiled. "Then I wish you success in your endeavor."
The wind blew in from outside, causing the torch on the ground to crackle. After a moment of silent thought, Liang Shaoqing tentatively asked, "Why are the authorities chasing you?"
Without looking up, Chu Qiao replied, "Don't you already know?"
Liang Shaoqing was taken aback. "Know what?"
The woman said indifferently, "Didn't you say it yourself? I'm a habitual thief. You're right—I stole something, got caught, and that's why I'm being pursued."
Liang Shaoqing froze, utterly dumbfounded. Chu Qiao turned to him, grinning. "Yes, the food you ate, the silver notes in your hand—I stole them all. Even the money I used to buy you the first time was stolen from someone else. Now that you know your situation, do you still insist on the integrity of a seven-foot man and refuse these silver notes and food?"
"I... I..."
Liang Shaoqing stammered for a long time without forming a complete sentence. Chu Qiao burst into laughter, her smile radiant and her teeth gleaming white, nearly dazzling Scholar Liang for a moment.
But then, Chu Qiao suddenly frowned, her smile vanishing instantly. She turned sharply, sitting up like an alert leopard. The night wind rustled, and soon, in the quiet night, countless faint, hurried footsteps could be heard approaching the dilapidated temple rapidly.
By now, even Liang Shaoqing sensed trouble. The man nervously moved closer and whispered, "Is it Boss Mu's people chasing us?"
Chu Qiao didn't answer, but in her heart, she dismissed the possibility. Given Boss Mu's capabilities, he couldn't mobilize so many men. Moreover, just from the sound of their footsteps, she could tell they were all trained in martial arts and quite skilled. She slowly rose to her feet, her hand resting on her sword, and said quietly, "Stay close behind me later. Whether you live or die will depend on yourself."No sooner had the words fallen than a flash of white light suddenly appeared. Danger! Chu Qiao's reaction was incredibly swift. Her body instinctively shifted as she lunged forward, her arm sweeping to the right. A cold gleam shot into the thick darkness, followed by a dull thud and a scream from outside. A silver arrow embedded itself fiercely right before them.
The enemy was determined to leave no survivors—tonight's battle was truly perilous!
"Follow me!" Chu Qiao hissed, rolling to the window in one fluid motion. Drawing the sword at her waist, she deflected the incoming hail of arrows. The clamor of footsteps erupted outside as a dense volley of arrows surged toward them like locusts.
Chaotic footsteps pounded outside as countless figures burst into the dilapidated temple. Without a word, they drew their long blades and charged forward!
A cold light flared as two figures clad in black night attire closed in. Before Chu Qiao could strike, one assailant's blade already descended toward her head.
Strike! Seize the wrist! Her movements were swift as lightning. A crack of breaking bone echoed—dislocation! The blade clattered to the ground. In an instant, the black-clad figure crumpled, writhing and shrieking like a heap of mud.
"Fool! Keep up!" Grabbing the panicked Liang Shaoqing, Chu Qiao leaped up, delivering a fierce kick to another man's chest. The sound of shattering bones echoed as the man spat blood and flew backward. The girl swayed, drawing her long sword with a flourish. Adopting a reckless, all-out offensive, she combined powerful charges, deft evasions, and precise strikes. For a moment, her lethal precision and overwhelming ferocity made the attackers hesitate, too afraid to advance.
"Forward! Charge!" the leader yelled, shoving his retreating subordinates.
Chu Qiao turned a cold gaze toward him, a sneer curling her lips as she hurled her last throwing dagger. The blade seemed to have eyes—it whistled through the air and buried itself in the man's chest. His eyes widened in shock, his legs buckled, and he collapsed with a thud!
The narrow temple limited the number of attackers. Wherever Chu Qiao moved, chaos followed. Her gleaming sword danced through the air, each strike crippling an opponent. Crucially, every part of her body became a weapon—both hands attacking simultaneously, her legs, feet, and elbows all delivering fatal blows. Unstoppable, she cut a path through the fray.
But then, a sharp cry came from Liang Shaoqing behind her. Without a second thought, Chu Qiao twisted sideways. A searing pain instantly shot through her left ribs. Ignoring the injury, her hands shifted, and the Moon Breaker sword swept horizontally. Half of her opponent's head vanished. Blood sprayed across Liang Shaoqing's face. The scholar, who had never even killed a chicken, let out a piercing scream—more terrified than the decapitated man.
Incredibly fast, the injured woman moved even more fiercely. Her petite frame darted left and right in the confined space, and soon, the ground was littered with fallen enemies."Hold onto me!" the girl suddenly shouted sharply. Before Liang Shaoqing could process what was happening, he heard a large group of enemies rapidly approaching outside. The man couldn't understand why a slave trader would go to such lengths to capture him. In that brief moment, he saw Chu Qiao swing the grappling hook from her waist, flinging it sideways to catch firmly on the roof beam.
The girl immediately climbed the rope like a monkey. By the time Liang Shaoqing tried to hold her, it was already too late.
Another volley of arrows rained down. Chu Qiao crouched on the beam, using the hook to catch Liang Shaoqing's belt. She then gripped the other end of the rope, leaped down forcefully, passing by Liang Shaoqing in the blink of an eye. In an instant, the cumbersome man was hoisted onto the roof!
"Quick! Shoot the arrows!"
"Grab the rope!" Chu Qiao yelled, then pulled herself up the rope in a few swift moves. Amid the dense arrow rain, she was struck in the shoulder by accident, blood streaming down.
"Ah! You're injured!"
"Stop the nonsense!" Chu Qiao snapped coldly, kicking the roof tiles to shatter them, then dragged Liang Shaoqing out through the beam.
Arrows clattered against the beam as someone shouted, "The target is on the roof, go after them!"
But by the time they rushed out and climbed up, there was no trace of Chu Qiao left.
The black-clad men looked at each other in dismay. After a moment, one angrily tore off his black outer garment, growling, "She escaped such a tight net! We've lived all these years for nothing!"
Beneath the black clothing, he was clearly wearing a military uniform.
Another shook his head and said, "We lost quite a few men at Tangma Ridge too. If she were an ordinary girl, the capital wouldn't have promised us such great rewards."
"I think we should just drop this matter."
"You wish," the man shook his head. "Catching her again will be even harder from now on." "How are you holding up?"
In the thick darkness, Liang Shaoqing carried Chu Qiao on his back, swiftly moving through narrow alleys. The wound on her shoulder wasn't critical, but the one under her left rib was severe, bleeding profusely.
Chu Qiao grunted, gritting her teeth as she said in a low voice, "Put me down."
"Huh?"
"Put me down!"
The woman said firmly, "They're not chasing us."
"Who says we're not chasing you!"
A deep voice suddenly rang out from the darkness. Both of them jolted in surprise, looking up to see Boss Mu emerging with over twenty men, smiling smugly.
Liang Shaoqing exclaimed, "So it really is you!"
Boss Mu didn't even glance at him, his beady eyes fixed intently on Chu Qiao as he said with a grin, "You brat, you've got quite a few enemies. We've been looking for you—what luck to find you without even trying."
Liang Shaoqing suddenly stood up, spreading his arms to shield Chu Qiao, mustering his courage to shout, "If you want to capture someone, take me! Don't harm her!"
"Don't harm her?" Boss Mu snorted coldly. "I'm not letting either of you go!"
"Men! Seize this guy. He's quite handsome—he'll fetch a good price."
The crowd surged forward, quickly capturing the severely injured Chu Qiao and the defenseless Liang Shaoqing.
Boss Mu waved his hand grandly. "Let's go! Back to the market!"
(Unfinished during the day, completed at night.)Let me recommend a great novel, "Phoenix Soaring." The author's "Nine Shuttles" is quite audacious, rivaling the works of Huahua, Shaitan, and Baobao.
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