Zhao Cheng asked doubtfully, "Are you really from the Black Mountain mine as well?"
Atao nodded and said, "But I am different from Zhao Hu; I am not the winner."
"Wasn't it said that only the winner could come out?"
"That was a rule established by the mountain lord. But with the intervention of external forces, this rule has gradually been broken."
Atao took a deep breath, seemingly trying to restrain herself from recalling that past, and said, "I don't know exactly which batch of children I was in the mine. At that time, there were only ten of us left in our batch. That's when the Princess came and bought all ten of us in one go."
Zhao Cheng asked, "Why did that mountain lord agree?"
"Because the Princess offered a very high price." Atao chuckled self-deprecatingly and said, "Or perhaps it's because none of us can satisfy the Mountain Lord."
"Anyway, what I know is that after that, other people went to the mountain lord to buy people, and then more and more people knew about the Black Mountain Mine, so the mountain lord destroyed the mine and disappeared."
Zhao Cheng sensed the amount of information in A Tao's words.
The mountain lord used to train a group of people in three years, then it was changed to two years. By the time it came to Atao, the timeframe should have been getting shorter and shorter, but it was still a relatively long period of time.
During this time span, how many children were trained to become assassins, and how many were bought by other forces and have now grown into powerful killing machines?
"Peach... Peach..."
Zhao Cheng looked around and asked suspiciously, "Who spoke?"
"Peach……"
"It's Zhao Hu!" Zhao Cheng saw Zhao Hu's lips move slightly and quickly leaned close to his ear.
"Peach... Peach..."
Zhao Cheng exclaimed in delight, "This guy finally reacted! He said 'Tao, Tao'! He's calling for A-Tao!"
As he spoke, Zhao Cheng pulled Atao over and shouted, "Zhao Hu, Atao is here! Open your eyes and look!"
"Zhao Hu!"
"Zhao Hu?"
Zhao Hu didn't respond again.
Zhao Cheng rubbed his hands and said, "Mr. Minghua is right. Although he was unconscious, he was indeed conscious. He was telling us that what he cares about most is Atao."
"Don't say anything more. Atao, you stay with Zhao Hu."
"I..." Atao choked, slapped Zhao Hu on the shoulder, and shouted, "Zhao Hu, get up! If you're going to come, then come on straight. What's going on between us? Let's lay it all out to everyone tonight!"
Zhao Hu still did not react.
"You all go out first."
After sending the others away, Zhao Cheng said to Atao, "Atao, Zhao Hu definitely likes you, I can guarantee it with my life! I'll trouble you to sleep with him for a few more days..."
Atao plopped down on the edge of Zhao Hu's bed and said, "What else can I do if I don't sleep? I really want to escape, but I can't."
"I, Zhao Cheng, will remember your great kindness. Please continue this good deed to the very end..."
Zhao Cheng pointed to A Tao's clothes and said, "It's not like in the carriage now. This room is secluded, the bed is comfortable, and there are curtains. You can... take off your clothes and sleep..."
"You, Prince Consort!"
"Don't get agitated!"
Zhao Cheng pressed down on A Tao's shoulder and advised, "Zhao Hu is unconscious, so he can't take advantage of you, can he?"
Atao said, "But you also said that he is conscious!"
Zhao Cheng said, "You know him, he's a bit slow-witted and clumsy, but he's definitely a gentleman. Even if he suddenly wakes up, he won't do anything improper to you!"
"And his awareness..."
Zhao Cheng patted Zhao Hu on the shoulder and said, "It's not always available."
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