"You all stay here for now, I'll go with him and be right back," Xu Jinhuan said, turning around.
After all, if something unexpected happens, these people won't be able to use their abilities effectively in her presence.
Most of the people present looked puzzled. What was Boss Xu talking about? The second-in-command hadn't even come out yet, so why was he extending such a warm invitation?
If Xu Laoda just goes straight there, won't she get riddled with arrows by the villagers?
Li Yichang and Xie Datou exchanged a glance, and Li Yichang whispered, "Brother Xie, protect the boss. The second-in-command of this stronghold is no simple man. We have unknowingly become his helpers."
Xie Datou was puzzled. "What? How come we've become helpers without even meeting? Li Yichang, are you still asleep?"
Li Yichang shook his head helplessly. As one of the few smart people in the team, he was truly the only one who was sober in a world of drunks.
"Brother Xie, there's no time to explain that much to you now. Just remember what I said. I'll explain in detail after this is all done."
Seeing Li Yichang's solemn expression, and knowing that this matter concerned Xu Jinhuan's safety, Xie Datou immediately said, "Alright, then I'll stay by the boss's side now."
After saying that, he gripped the hilt of the knife at his waist and strode toward Xu Jinhuan. But after taking a few steps, he saw that someone was already standing next to Xu Jinhuan.
"Brother Kong, when did you arrive?" Xie Datou asked in surprise.
Kong Duiyue gave Xie Datou a disdainful look. "A grown man like you, so indecisive. If Jin Huan is really in danger, you probably won't even be able to get here in time."
Therefore, he said calmly, "This second-in-command of the mountain stronghold is a bit strange. Although I am not good at martial arts, I consider myself to be quite intelligent, so I want to see if I can help Miss Xu."
Xie Datou didn't seem to notice Kong Duiyue's disdainful look at all. He patted Kong Duiyue's shoulder with a cheerful smile.
"I see. Brother Kong, don't worry, I will protect you and the boss!"
As the two were talking, they had already arrived at the gate of the mountain stronghold.
The guards of the mountain stronghold saw the group of people walking out of the darkness, instinctively raised their long swords, and glared fiercely at the newcomers.
"Who goes there?!"
When the group finally emerged from the darkness, his expression changed drastically upon seeing the poor little fellow who was tightly bound.
"Er Gouzi? Didn't you go out with the boss? How come you were tied up and brought back? Where is the boss?"
As he asked the questions, he didn't forget to pull down the inconspicuous rope next to him. The moment the rope was pulled down, a beautiful firework bloomed in the sky.
"These fireworks are pretty good!"
Xu Jinhuan looked up at the large, blooming fireworks in the night sky that quickly dissipated, and sighed.
Although she appeared relaxed, her hand had already reached for the hilt of the knife. Anyone could tell that it was a signal flare, so it would be strange if she didn't take precautions.
Kong Duiyue looked tenderly at the people around him. He never expected that they would have the chance to watch fireworks under the same sky. Although there was only one, it was still an unforgettable memory for him.
At the same time, his spiritual energy was not idle either. After carefully spreading out, he quickly began to investigate the situation in the mountain stronghold before Xu Jinhuan noticed, in order to prevent any accidents from happening.
"What do you want? Don't think you can come to the stronghold and act tough just because our boss isn't here. Let me tell you, our second-in-command is the real deal!"
Xu Jinhuan wasn't angry at all, and still asked with a smile, "Oh? Your second-in-command is so powerful? I wonder what makes him so powerful?"
The guard seemed surprised that the other party not only did not draw swords, but also asked questions with great interest. He answered dryly.
"Did you see those fireworks just now? You can't see anything that beautiful even in the capital. That was made by our second-in-command!"
After hearing his reply, Xu Jinhuan's eyes flashed with understanding. It seemed that the maker of the explosives was most likely the second-in-command.
I just don't know why he went to such lengths to lure her here.
Just then, hurried footsteps and voices came from the village.
"Gu Zi, what happened?"
"Is the boss back?"
"Are you stupid? Why would the boss light fireworks when he comes back?"
A group of burly men dressed in coarse cloth came out of the mountain village and saw Xu Jinhuan and his group of four.
A skinny young woman, a pale-faced man who looked like he'd be buried tomorrow, the only thing worth looking at was his big head with a scar on his face.
"Er Gouzi, you're such a loser! You actually got caught by these guys?"
A burly man laughed and mocked the poor little fellow who was tied up tightly.
Er Gouzi glanced speechlessly at the burly men in front of him who were all tall and no brains, and shouted, "What are you brainless idiots doing out here? Hurry up and go call the second-in-command!"
The burly men didn't understand Er Gouzi's implied meaning at all, and only thought that he was anxious to be rescued.
Therefore, they all responded loudly.
"Oh dear, look how scared your father's little dog is! His dark face is turning pale with fright. Don't be afraid, your father is coming right now."
"Er Gouzi, don't worry, Grandpa will get you out right now."
"Sun Daqiang, who are you taking advantage of? Calling me 'Grandpa Er Gouzi'? What, do you want to be my dad?" A burly man reacted and immediately said to the person next to him unhappily.
The other person didn't seem to care at all, and instead replied smugly, "So what if I'm your dad? If your grandma were still here, I'd want to be your grandpa!"
The burly man was so angry that his face turned red and his neck bulged. He picked up a wooden stick and swung it at the man, yelling, "Go to hell, Sun Daqiang, I think you deserve a beating."
Before they could even start fighting with the outsiders, their own people started fighting.
Er Gouzi, who felt taken advantage of, sighed silently. If we were to be honest, he was the one who should be hitting someone.
"Your village's warm-up activities are quite unique," Xu Jinhuan said with a smile.
Er Gouzi sighed again upon hearing this. This is truly embarrassing! Second Master, we need you here, come out quickly!
As if sensing Er Gouzi's call, the elusive second-in-command finally revealed his true colors.
A young man, around twenty years old, strolled leisurely from a distance.
His features were exquisitely handsome. If it weren't for his eight-foot height, his men's clothing, his flat chest, and the absence of pierced ears, he would have looked exactly like a woman dressed as a man.
"Xia Junchen of the Xia family of Yizhou."
He smiled gently, bowed to Xu Jinhuan and the others, and introduced himself.
Upon hearing this, Xu Jinhuan casually cupped his hands in greeting and simply stated his name, "Xu Jinhuan."
"Thank you, Big Head Xie."
"Kong Duiyue".
"Er Gouzi".
Xie Datou and his group followed Xu Jinhuan, so they all simply gave their names.
Er Gouzi, for some reason, also suddenly followed the formation.
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