Chapter 724, First Challenge

Yan Yan patted her empty stomach, and between noodles and hot and sour noodles, she chose hot and sour noodles.

“Aunt Xu, eating hot and sour noodles can ward off the cold. Add a little less noodles, and you can tear up the dried biscuits we brought and soak them in. I’ve seen Sister Yue Sha eat it like that before.”

Yan Yan suggested that this way they could save some money, eat less, and take enough to the Northwest.

Her secret wish was to save a meal or two, so that when she got busy and couldn't find a moment of peace, she could occasionally enjoy some of Lin Yuesha's delicious food to satisfy her cravings. Yan Yan really wished that Lin Yuesha could come and work with her.

"Yes, it's a blessing to eat Lin Yatou's cooking."

Mrs. Xu recalled that life was simple and ordinary, filled with the warmth of everyday life, joys and sorrows, and all aspects of human existence, ultimately all culminating in delicious food.

Food is the most important thing for people, and life should be lived simply.

"You have a very high opinion of Yue Sha."

As Yan Yan spoke, she added water to the small pot. Madam Xu stood up, went out of the tree hole, and came back with a bunch of small green vegetables.

"That's great!"

It was already the tenth month of the lunar calendar, and the nights in Qincheng were bitterly cold. Ordinary people had long since run out of fresh vegetables.

"The people here are clever. They line the caves with soil and plant vegetables inside, so they can eat them until the dead of winter."

After Madam Xu finished speaking, Yan Yan glanced at the several large coffins not far away, hugged her arms, and felt a chill run down her spine.

"Amitabha, I apologize for disturbing you."

Madam Xu sincerely apologized to the coffins, saying that when traveling, everything should be kept simple, especially since she was riding a horse to the Northwest, where she was destined to suffer along the way.

"I just hope the rain stops soon."

Yan Yan nodded slightly. She had been very confident in her ability to administer the medication and thought she could hold out until she reached the Northwest.

Before leaving, Lin Yuesha insisted on stuffing a menstrual belt into her, telling her that it was filled with cotton and could be used to disinfect and stop bleeding if someone got hurt. Only then did Yan Yan put it on.

Unexpectedly, all these seemingly insignificant things came in handy.

The hot and sour noodles were cooked, and some boiled flatbread and a few green vegetables were added. Yan Yan and Madam Xu sat together as if they were enjoying a feast.

The hot and sour noodles contain crispy fried soybeans and peanuts. One bite of the noodles brings a sour, spicy, and numbing flavor that warms you up considerably.

Just as I took two bites of the hot and sour noodles, shouts of battle erupted from outside the cave.

Madam Xu listened intently. She stood up, quickly extinguished the fire with water, and said to Yan Yan, "Quick, find a place to hide."

"Aunt Xu, could it be..."

Yan Yan's hand trembled slightly. She had been mentally prepared for unexpected situations along the way, but she hadn't expected that even after changing her route, she still couldn't escape the treacherous people.

"Yes, I just took a look, and they are all ruthless assassins."

The enemy has deployed their assassins; they're playing a very serious game.

Their side was surrounded by assassins, and a tough battle was yet to come. Among the group that had set out, only Yan Yan was unskilled in martial arts.

"What about Doctor Liao?"

Yan Yan looked around. The cave was spacious, but she could see all the way to the bottom. Where could she hide...?

She looked at the several closed coffins and had an idea.

Well, given the urgency of the situation, we have no choice but to disturb the owners of these coffins once again.

"Liao Langzhong is much more capable than you, hurry up and go inside."

Madam Xu stuffed Yan Yan into the coffin, and Yan Yan jumped in with a thud. In the darkness, she touched a hard bone, and her hair stood on end.

Fortunately, the burial wasn't recent, otherwise even if she were a doctor, she would be afraid.

Yan Yan closed her eyes, feeling a chill in her ears, her whole body going cold. She only hoped that things would go smoothly outside so she could get out of the coffin as soon as possible.

After settling Yan Yan in, Madam Xu took a dagger and jumped down from the top of the cave.

"Oh no! Someone's hiding in the distance, firing sneak attacks!"

Engaging in hand-to-hand combat with the assassins, Xu Da drew his dagger, only to be met with a barrage of arrows coming his way. Xu Da was caught off guard and in a flurry of activity.

"Leave the archers to me."

When the assassins attacked, neither side wasted words. Xiao Qi pushed Xu Da aside, drew his sword, and used it to block the rain of arrows. Soon, a jumble of arrow fragments fell around him.

Who are you?

Luo Wang was surrounded by several assassins, and after a few rounds, he gradually realized that something was wrong.

The opponent's tactics were unexpected, and they were numerous, well-trained, and surprisingly strong physically.

In contrast, our group had been traveling for more than ten days and was at its most exhausted, while the enemy took advantage of this critical moment.

No one answered the King's question. The assassins were like killing machines. When someone fell, the rest of them disregarded their teammates and stepped on them to get to him.

This reckless fighting style gave King Luo a real headache.

"Mom, these people are amazing!"

As Xu Da fought, he shouted and yelled. He had been spoiled by the Five Cities Military Command for many years. He had practiced martial arts diligently, but this time, he was not as agile as the assassins.

"The suicide squad members are together every day, killing each other. It's normal that you can't handle this kind of reckless fighting style."

Madam Xu joined the fray, not forgetting to comfort Xu Da, saying, "My son, I believe in you. Even if you can't handle it and end up losing an arm or a leg, you still have to save something."

Otherwise, Madam Xu's dream of having a daughter would be shattered, and her dream of having a granddaughter would also be in vain.

"Mother, it's come to this, can't you say something nice?"

Madam Xu's "encouragement" aroused Xu Da's competitive spirit. The battlefield was far more brutal than he had imagined. If he couldn't even get past the first hurdle, how could he possibly fight on the front lines?

What we are facing now is just a small test.

The others were fighting quietly, but Xu Da kept talking. He observed that under his constant chatter, these assassins were obviously getting impatient, and more and more people were heading towards him.

He figured that the assassin probably didn't like noisy environments, was agitated, and wanted him to shut up.

There was no way he could shut up; Xu Da, panting heavily, chatted with the assassins instead.

"Brother, your face is too big; the black mask can't contain it."

"Hey bro, I'm face-blind. Even if you take off your mask, I still won't recognize you."

"Are you too ugly to show your face in public?"

As Xu Da made his move, he muttered something, and the assassins had no choice but to use swift and decisive methods, aiming specifically at his head.

If the knife is swiftly wielded, the world will be at peace.

Perhaps, cutting off the tongue wouldn't be so bad.

"Oh dear, are you angry because you're embarrassed? I see you're wearing a mask but it can't cover the bridge of your nose. Brother, did someone punch you or something? Are you just born with a flat nose?"

Xu Da didn't even know what he was saying, but he kept talking.

With his mother protecting him, he felt very safe and for the first time thought his mother was so great.

"Xu Da, shut the hell up!"

The leader of the assassins could no longer contain himself and shouted a curse.

The organization had rules against speaking, as accents could easily reveal their identities. However, he simply couldn't take it anymore. There was a fly buzzing in his ear that he couldn't swat away no matter how long he tried, and he was going crazy!