The Demon Lords

Chapter 1088: Chapter 261: Night Road (Part 3)

Zheng Fan drew out the knife, wedging it through the crack before sliding down, surprised to discover weapons and bows beside the two mutilated corpses.

One headless corpse, likely the innkeeper’s, and the other with its head intact, was the waiter.

Lord Zheng silently slung the bow over his shoulder, while his hands habitually searched the innkeeper’s body. Not searching a freshly killed body felt like a missing ritual.

As a result,

As he continued to search,

Lord Zheng found a token.

By the moonlight, the Fire Phoenix emblem on the token was faintly visible.

Lord Zheng shook his head helplessly, attributing his misfortune to encountering a Phoenix Nest secret agent just before reaching his goal.

Since traveling, it was evident that the Chu people were trying their hardest to intercept the two troops heading towards Mong Mountain and Qi Mountain. However, they barely pursued those headed east.

Lord Zheng initially thought this journey would be smooth, but another wave of trouble emerged.

He could only hope the innkeeper merely suspected him of stealing grain, thus pursued him alone without sending any message to the Phoenix Nest organization.

"Hey, call down your big snake and see if it can eat them all. Don’t waste precious food and drinks,"

"It’s already full and can’t eat more. Forcing itself would require hibernation."

"Then come down, and let’s deal with the corpses together."

The princess descended, and then Lord Zheng dug a pit while she dragged the mutilated corpses into it.

Once everything was settled, Lord Zheng straightened up, panting heavily.

The frozen winter ground was tough to dig, exhausting with only a knife to do the job.

"I’ll need to get some Bone Dissolving Water when we return, so next time it’s not so tiring to dispose of bodies."

"Bone Dissolving Water?"

"Yes, used by Lord Wai."

"Who is Lord Wai?"

"A viscount of Yan State who married dozens of wives."

"You shouldn’t emulate him."

"Heh."

"There wouldn’t be enough space on the will for names," the princess teased with a smile.

Well,

The words of Lord Zheng from earlier had now become a teasing joke from the princess.

"Let’s move ahead and find another place to rest."

This place can’t stay for long, we need to move far away.

The princess did not complain, following Lord Zheng through the night.

"Lord, I noticed you’re quite cautious with your life. Are you the same on the battlefield?"

"Victorious generals on the battlefield share one common trait, do you know what it is?"

"Skill in strategy?"

"No."

"Exceptional martial arts?"

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"Not having died in battle."

"......" Princess.

"If one dies, then everything is gone."

"If you’re so cautious, why did you come to the retreat to see me?"

"Because I’m willing to risk my life for you."

"Even knowing it’s a lie, it still feels nice to hear."

"As long as you’re happy, alright, let me carry you."

Lord Zheng bent down,

and the princess obediently climbed onto Lord Zheng’s back.

"Am I heavy?"

"Not exactly light."

"You mentioned you like someone a bit chubby, a bit pure, you can’t dislike me."

"When men say they like someone chubby, it means in the right places; pure means beautiful even without makeup."

"Twisted logic."

"But it’s reasonable."

In the deep night forest,

Lord Zheng carried the princess forward,

The Green Python began darting around occasionally, sensing potential danger, as if it were escorting them.

As night drew towards its second half,

Though sweat soaked Lord Zheng’s forehead, he showed no intention of halting, instinctively wanting to distance himself from the site of the Phoenix Nest agents’ deaths.

"Help, help, help........"

A cry for help came from ahead.

Lord Zheng hesitated for a moment, and the princess said, "I heard something."

"I’m not deaf."

Since this was a canyon, it was hard to bypass, essentially a detoured route, so Lord Zheng chose to continue forward.

Finally,

A burning campfire appeared ahead, next to which a woman hung from a tree, her clothes slightly torn, hair disheveled, struggling.

At this moment,

The woman noticed Zheng Fan and the princess, urgently pleading for rescue:

"Hero, please save me; I’ve been beset by bandits who killed my husband and parents-in-law, and tied me here. Please save me, save me, save me..."

The woman appeared desperate. Seeing Zheng Fan was like seeing a savior, she struggled and shouted more fervently.

Lord Zheng glanced at the campfire,

Then looked at the woman hanging from the tree,

And listened to her pleas for help,

Remarking:

"Cliché."

"Buzz!"

An arrow shot from above Lord Zheng.

"Puff!"

The woman hanging from the tree was struck, her head drooped down, dead.

Lord Zheng sincerely complimented:

"Nice."

The princess on his back put away the crossbow, saying:

"I meant to shoot the rope to let her down, but missed."

"Beautiful shot."

Lord Zheng reached behind him to grab the princess, squeezing firmly with his hands,

Said:

"No need to explain, well done."

Then,

Lord Zheng planned to press on, completely uninterested in solving the mystery of the woman’s presence here.

Bound up, the woman hung, her head drooping, slightly swaying beneath the tree.

Winds in the canyon produced echoes, reminiscent of the melancholic hum of a flute.

However,

Just as Lord Zheng passed under the tree carrying the princess,

The woman who had been shot by the princess a moment earlier,

Suddenly lifted her head slowly,

Her complexion ashen, gazing from above at Lord Zheng and the princess,

Her mouth widened,

Her exaggeratedly protruding tongue,

Asked in a stifled, raspy voice:

"Why... why won’t you save me?"

——————

Overexerted in the past few days, a bit sluggish today, only one update. Will try to write more tomorrow.