Chapter 67 Draft - Do Not Subscribe, Please Await Revision

At 1:15 AM.

Yu Chuntong was awakened by pain, and also by thirst and hunger.

His eyes were already bruised and swollen, and it took him a lot of effort to barely open them a crack.

The light was dim, and there was a faint echo of water droplets falling.

He took a deep breath and, once his eyes adjusted to the light, turned his head to look around.

It was indeed a stone cave.

Yu Chuntong lay in a neglected corner, a tattered reed mat beneath him. Underneath the mat was a thick layer of wood ash, sulfur powder, and other such substances, treating him as if he were some kind of filthy thing; a thick iron chain around his neck was also tied around his neck, and with the slightest struggle, it made a rattling, broken sound, like a dog being leashed.

A chipped, rough earthenware bowl lay in front of him, filled with a thin layer of tofu soup about two finger-widths deep. There wasn't even a whole piece of tofu in it.

"Damn it..." Do they really think he, General Rose, is a dog?

Yu Chuntong cursed that woman in his heart.

Unfortunately, circumstances are beyond our control.

His injuries were severe; his tendons in his hands and feet had been severed, his large sweeping knife was gone, his acupoints were sealed, and he was wearing a dog leash around his neck…

Even if they wanted to escape or fight back, they couldn't move an inch.

Even if their hearts were filled with overwhelming hatred, they had no choice but to endure the humiliation for a while and obediently suppress the ferocity in their eyes, prioritizing their survival.

Yu Chuntong adopted a pitiful, innocent demeanor, her lips chapped, and weakly begged for food and drink, "Is anyone there? I'm so thirsty..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the rough earthenware bowl in front of him was kicked, spilling a considerable amount of the shallow tofu soup.

Yu Chuntong's pupils contracted sharply, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes as he glared menacingly at the newcomer.

It looks almost like a venomous snake with its tongue out.

She was a pretty girl with almond-shaped eyes and peach-like cheeks, carefully holding a bowl of medicine in both hands, staring down at Yu Chuntong.

Yin Dong'er's eyebrows shot up, and she shouted angrily, "Isn't there water in the bowl? What are you yelling for! You have no right to yell!"

Seeing that he was handsome and young, and that he had been beaten to the ground by You Mingjiang, covered in wounds and blood, they did not want to skimp on the prisoner's food.

But Doctor You said that this person was none other than General Rose, who tortured Scholar Zhang, stalked Xiao Jianseng, was skilled in using poison, and forced everyone to buy human flesh.

Now, Rong Sao, Leng Xue, and Yin Dong'er dared not let their guard down. They only hastily bandaged his wound and didn't even apply any wound medicine.

Moreover, Dr. You has repeatedly emphasized that as long as he is spared, there is no need for any special leniency.

"Cough cough cough!" Seeing Yu Chuntong talking to Yin Dong'er, Rong Sao was afraid that he was up to some trick, so she quickly lifted the curtain of the operating table.

Rong Sao showed half of her face, but didn't call Yin Dong'er by her full name. She just waved to the little girl and said, "Hurry up, the medicine is getting cold."

"Okay." Yin Dong'er made a face at Yu Chuntong and carried the medicine soup inside.

The herbal decoction contained platycodon root, licorice root, burdock fruit, honeysuckle, and mint. Drinking it would make Zhang Shusheng feel better.

After drawing the curtains to ensure Yu Chuntong wouldn't hear, Rong Sao lowered her voice and said to Yin Dong'er, "Although Doctor You severed his tendons and he's chained up, what if he still has a backup plan..."

She didn't continue, but pointed to herself, then to the unconscious Zhang Shusheng, and to Yin Dong'er who was carrying the medicine. Her meaning was already obvious.

There are only three "weaklings" in this stone cave. Although Little Cold Constable is in the Salvation Hall above, discussing matters with the Gang of Five, General Rose is always ruthless. If she gets provoked, she might suddenly attack and hurt people without thinking...

No matter how skilled Constable Xiao Leng was, he was still too far away to reach her.

Yin Dong'er gasped, feeling a lingering fear. She quickly nodded and went to help Rong's wife, determined not to lift the curtain and go out again.

Watching Rong Sao feed Zhang Shusheng medicine, she couldn't help but drift off into thought, wondering if Doctor You's trip would go smoothly.

Can this really solve the crisis facing Xiao Jianseng?

.

.

Yu Chuntong cried out to heaven and earth in vain.

Even though he pretended to be pitiful, the two young women in the cave refused to show him any pity.

Despicable people! They're all despicable people!

The tofu soup in the bowl had cooled completely, and a thin, dark layer of oil had formed on the surface. Because some of it had splashed out earlier, only a shallow bottom remained.

He had no other choice but to crawl like a maggot, his blood-soaked body rubbing against the ground, inching his way to the chipped rough pottery bowl.

He lowered his head and used his tongue to lick the tofu soup in the bowl.

The tofu soup had cooled and turned cloudy, the tofu dregs were mushy, and the scallions were soft and dull—everything about it looked disgusting.

Forcibly suppressing the resistance in her heart, Yu Chuntong endured the nausea, took a sip, her stomach churning, and then vomited on the ashes next to her.

General Rose has always been the most prominent, and in terms of intelligence and cunning, she is no less than Xiao Jianseng and Tang Chou.

He fooled that old fool Ling Luoshi completely, but now he's been beaten black and blue by a bitch and has been reduced to being treated like a dog, chained up here and eating scraps.

Tears streamed down his cheeks and down his neck. Yu Chuntong wept silently, his hatred reaching its peak. His handsome face, now bruised and battered, became increasingly distorted.

If he could turn back time, he definitely wouldn't waste his breath talking to You Mingjiang!

He would come right up to her and stab her, cut off her limbs, turn her into a human pig, and stick roses into her seven orifices, making her wish she were dead!

"Waaah..." Thinking of this, Yu Chuntong cried in despair, truly regretting her past actions. One wrong step led to another.

He did regret it.

However, this regret is not the kind of regret that comes from repentance.

There was not a trace of regret in Yu Chuntong's eyes.

He regretted making the wrong choice that led him to run into a brick wall, but he didn't regret kicking the brick wall instead of the brick wall.

.

The world has never lacked people like Yu Chuntong.

Perhaps one day in the future, they will use a subtle, ambiguous narrative to portray themselves as victims as well.

If Yu Chuntong were to miraculously escape death, he would instead speak to his relatives and friends in a heroic tone about his hardships, how ruthless the enemy was, and how he was merely following orders...

They keep claiming they have their own unavoidable difficulties, thus whitewashing their persecution of others.

Fortunately, You Mingjiang had no intention of letting him live.

He wants to gain the reputation of a "hero," doesn't he?

You Mingjiang fulfilled his wish.

.

On the other side.

This is a high-end flower boat with two floors.

You Mingjiang sat on the crossbeam, legs crossed, listening to the conversation of the people below.

"Xiao Jianseng, you should go and apologize to the General yourself. This was the task that the General assigned to you and Yu Chuntong. We were just providing support. Even if we fail, it has nothing to do with us. Don't make empty promises and try to drag us down with you!"

The people under the beam were none other than Xiao Jianseng and the four men, Bird Bow Rabbit Dog. Since the Frightened General had not summoned them, and they dared not disturb him, they could only wait obediently.

Waiting always makes people feel like they're sitting on pins and needles.

The group had no choice but to kill some time on the pleasure boat.

Xiao Jianseng coldly said, "The outcome of my battle with that thief is already decided. I will definitely defeat him within fifty rounds!"

"If you hadn't intervened without authorization and dragged down the battle, how could that thief have escaped? How could Yu Chuntong have been captured by that thief?"

"As for who is right and who is wrong, who is loyal and who is treacherous, we'll just have you come with me to the General to settle this matter!"

He hadn't forgotten how those people had manipulated him with Yin Dong'er when they met on the street that day.

Since they didn't want to be human, Xiao Jianseng decided to treat them as a bunch of animals waiting to be slaughtered.

Now that these people can no longer find his weakness, Xiao Jianseng has no more worries and can criticize him however he wants.

One word: Awesome!

Tang Xiaoniao said with a sinister look, "Xiao Jianseng, do you think we don't know? You moved your family out of the besieged city without authorization, disobeying the general's orders. Do you think the general will forgive you?"

He shouldn't have said that.

Although Xiao Jianseng was in a precarious situation, his martial arts skills and status were superior to theirs, so dealing with them was more than enough for him.

But considering the terrifying wrath of the Great General, these words became unavoidable.

The rabbit monk added quietly, "Whether General Rose was captured by thieves or died at your hands, Brother Xiao, don't you know the answer yourself?"

Although they are all subordinates of Ling Luoshi Group, Ling Luoshi does not like anyone to stand out alone, and his subordinates always check and balance each other.

Uncontrollable individuals must be eliminated once they cross the line.

The four of them, "Bird, Bow, Rabbit, and Dog," were merely low-level thugs in the underworld, easily sacrificed to quell trouble, far less powerful than the "Four Fiends" within the Lingluoshi Group.

That's why they thought of finding another way.

I heard that the general originally had two trusted confidants, namely the local constable Fu Laojin and the prostitute Huo Shanpo. One was responsible for collecting treasures for the general, and the other was responsible for finding beauties for the general.

A few days ago, those two offended some江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and outlaws) outlaws and were burned to death in the teahouse.

Two positions as the general's confidants became vacant.

The four of them, Bird, Bow, Rabbit, and Dog, had specifically sought out the girl's whereabouts after seeing her last time, intending to imitate the pimp Huo Shanpo's methods, but they ended up empty-handed.

It's obvious that the fierce woman with the umbrella sword must have moved that little girl away last time.

Xiao Jianseng secretly covered for that fierce woman.

That's how the news didn't reach the general's ears.

But everyone knows that the general detests nothing more than overstepping his bounds. If any of his trusted subordinates oversteps his boundaries, he will eliminate them.

.

Xiao Jianseng was about to respond with a cold laugh, but suddenly paused.

They seemed to be stunned by Tang Xiaoniao's words.

Dog Taoist seized the opportunity to say, "We don't want to go too far, but Brother Xiao, you have to understand us. We are not like Brother Xiao, who has followed the General since childhood, made great contributions, and is the General's most trusted person. Even if you make a mistake, the General will not be harsh on you, make things difficult for you, and would not be willing to execute you."

shit.

Ling Luoshi had the heart to fry those brothers who had sworn blood oaths and weathered twenty years of storms together into lumps of minced meat. What was a mere Xiao Jianseng compared to that?

But Xiao Jianseng's gaze remained fixed.

Because he saw You Mingjiang on the crossbeam.

She was casting a fishing line, which hooked onto the box of Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles that Tang Xiaoniao had tucked behind her waist. Slowly, slowly, little by little, she pulled the line up, just like fishing.

When Yu Mingjiang met Xiao Jianseng's gaze, who was staring in disbelief, she winked at him, signaling him not to stare at her.

Xiao Jianseng's heart almost jumped out of his throat.

He gripped the hilt of his sword, stiffly turned his face, and fixed his gaze on the Taoist priest's face with a fixed stare.

Tang Xiaoniao, Rabbit Monk, and Lei Dagong also turned their heads, looking at Dog Taoist with confusion.

Xiao Jianseng stared intently at the dog-like Taoist, as if he wanted to stare a flower into the dog-like Taoist's face. He even wanted to laugh, and had to do his best to suppress himself from laughing out loud.

Seeing Xiao Jianseng's smirk, his fixed gaze, and his forced smile sent chills down their spines.

.

Tang Xiaoniao frowned.

Xiao Jianseng had just glanced at himself.

That glance also carried a hint of amusement and a cold smile.

Too.

Xiao Jianseng was Ling Luoshi's right-hand man and "successor," so he naturally didn't understand the bitterness of people like them, who were the lowest-ranking hyenas and could only share scraps.

Even in front of the Four Fiends and the Nine Generals, Xiao Jianseng could still be arrogant and proud, and could still act like his Little Cold God.

Although they knew this was part of a power struggle and that, given the General's style, this "successor" was just a pawn to be discarded once all his value had been squeezed out, they wouldn't have been able to bark at Xiao Jianseng like hyenas last time if they hadn't exploited his weaknesses.

Ironically, even though they saw through this, they dared not harbor any disloyal thoughts.

Nobody wants to fall into the hands of the "Four Fiends".

All they can hope for is to no longer be the lowest-level "cleaners," no longer only able to eat a little bit of bones and rotten flesh.

.

Xiao Jianseng laughed because he saw that You Mingjiang had succeeded.

You Mingjiang sat on the crossbeam, playing with the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle in her hand. When she saw Xiao Jianseng looking over, she smiled, made an orchid gesture with her left hand, and gently shook it.

Then, she disappeared silently from the beam.

Xiao Jianseng laughed.

Looking at the four men, "Bird, Bow, Rabbit, and Dog," Xiao Jianseng's eyes were indifferent.

No matter how fiercely these hyenas bark, they will never become lions.

It was so dirty.

He didn't even bother to draw his sword.

.

Lei Dagong sighed softly, "Brother Xiao, we had no choice..."

Xiao Jianseng glanced at them coldly and sneered, "You dare call me brother? A bunch of trash." After saying that, he turned and left, too lazy to pay them any more attention.

"you!"

Intimidated by his imposing presence, the "bird, bow, rabbit, and dog" dared not stop him for a moment, and could only mutter a few curses at his retreating figure.

.

.

Seeing You Mingjiang disembark from the flower boat alone, Lu Xiaojia asked, "Where is he?"

"It's not a big problem, he can handle it."

You Mingjiang couldn't hide her joy.

She was just like a country gentleman holding a jade tablet, clearly wanting to show off, but pretending to be nonchalant.

She fiddled with the box of Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles, afraid he wouldn't notice, her eyes full of anticipation, waiting for Lu Xiaojia to ask so she could share the origin of the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles.

Lu Xiaojia crossed her arms, remained silent, and just looked at her with a half-smile.

"What are you standing there for? Ask me now!"

"What do you want to ask?"

"Ask me what I'm holding!"

"Rain of Pear Blossom Needles," Lu Xiaojia said calmly.

The hidden weapons of the Tang Clan in Sichuan can be used even by those who do not know martial arts, and can deliver a fatal blow to the enemy when they are caught off guard. However, they are not invincible. If one is wearing heavy armor, one can withstand piercing attacks, or if one's martial arts skills are high enough and one's sword is fast enough, then speed can be used to counter speed.

"Oh, I see." You Mingjiang lowered his head dejectedly, kicking at the small stones by the river with his toes, looking completely listless. "Since you don't need it, I'll give it to Xiao Leng."

Lu Xiaojia's hand, which was about to take out the peanuts, suddenly froze. Her smile froze, and she belatedly realized that they were meant to be given to her.

He blinked twice, quickly rubbed his eyes, and made an excuse: "These peanuts got in my eyes..."

At this point, he suddenly pointed behind You Mingjiang: "Hey, Xiao Jianseng?"

Yu Mingjiang was startled and instinctively turned her head.

Taking advantage of the moment she turned her head, Lu Xiaojia snatched the box of Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needles and stuffed it into her satchel.

Whether it works or not is up to him to decide.

Even if it's useless, he won't let others benefit from it.

.

.

-----------------------

Author's note: [Green Heart] With such fine weather during Qingming Festival, why not wander around and not forget to return home?

[Green Heart] Remember to dress warmly when going out during Qingming Festival. May you enjoy the spring sunshine while paying respects to your ancestors. Have a safe journey and a peaceful holiday.