Chapter 696: Planned route
Chapter 693
I Won’t Tell Even If I Starve!
When Shao Xuan arrived at the Flaming River Castle, the trading point was already very quiet. They only saw light coming from a few houses that had water moon stones and other gemstones.
When the guard outside the beast fang gate saw Shao Xuan, he made a hand gesture and told Shao Xuan how many Chang Le’s were inside to get him mentally prepared.
Shao Xuan nodded his head slightly and brought Wu He in.
There were two strangers outside the guest house. They were probably the Chang Le’s. They giggled after seeing Wu He. Their eyes were full of condescendence and ridicule. Not only did he fail in his mission, he was even caught. How embarrassing!
Wu He was perturbed. He was not afraid of the two individuals at the door. It wasn’t even a big deal. He could laugh back at them in the future if they got into similar trouble. It wasn’t the first day they laughed at each other. The members of the Chang Le often ranked themselves according to their performance, and Wu He had always performed better than those two who were now laughing at him. He couldn’t care less about those two. What worried him was who was in the house. Who came over this time?
Shao Xuan opened the door after he knocked twice.
Besides Zheng Luo and Duo Kang, there were five other strangers. These were probably the Chang Le’s who came over after hearing the news.
Zheng Luo had already discussed once with them before Shao Xuan arrived. It was very quiet in the house when he entered. Zheng Luo and Duo Kang were thinking about something, and the five strangers didn’t seem like they had anything to say. They were all waiting quietly. Everyone on the inside looked at the entrance when Shao Xuan pulled the door open.
At first, all five of the Chang Le’s had their eyes on Wu He. Then their eyes moved and looked at Shao Xuan with great interest.
Amongst the five people, the first one Shao Xuan noticed was the only one who was sitting. He didn’t seem strong, and wore what most of the people in the Flaming River region wore. He didn’t look special either. Behind him stood a strong bulky figure. The man had a bronze hammer in his hands and looked like a wall that blocked everything behind him. He didn’t hide his fierce aura so of course he was the most noticeable in the group. However, the most dangerous person here was the one who was sitting. He was skinny, but he looked like a blade that was still in its sheath.
When Shao Xuan walked in, that person opened his closed eyes slowly. As he turned his head over and looked at him, his gaze felt like sharp daggers unsheathed.
Shao Xuan was suddenly vigilant. This person probably held a very high position in the Chang Le’s gang.
Shao Xuan had just thought about it, but Wu He was already on all fours and howled when he saw him. He hurried over and knelt in front of that person, “Leader, why are you here? Did you come to rescue us? When can we leave?”
That person glanced at Wu He, and then looked away expressionlessly. It was as if he didn’t see him at all. He said to Zheng Luo, “I have given you my word. Where is the thing?”
Shao Xuan looked at Zheng Luo.
Zheng Luo nodded and took out the bamboo tube.
“Don’t worry. I promised not to look, so I won’t look. Before it arrives at its destination, I won’t show it to anyone else,” that person said.
He took the person and left immediately after he spoke. He did not like to speak too much. The more he spoke, the more he had to reveal. He didn’t even look at Wu He once when he left.
The two Chang Le’s who were guarding outside laughed again at Wu He before they left. Their smiles were full of schadenfreude.
Seven long-winged birds flew up from the Flaming River Castle and left the Flaming River Trading Point. Very soon they disappeared into the night.
“Leader, we’re just going to leave like this? Are we leaving Wu He and the others behind?” one of the Chang Le’s asked their leader in a careful tone after observing his expression. If they stayed at the Flaming Horn tribe, they definitely wouldn’t be treated well.
“Didn’t you see how energetic he was when he greeted me? It’s clearly not a big problem. The others are probably doing fine too. Just let this be their punishment for failing their mission.”
If the Flaming Horns killed Wu He’s group, he would immediately try to take revenge, but they didn’t. Instead, they gave a strange condition. How unexpected!
Actually, delivering a letter was not a difficult task at all. They just needed some time to get there.
They couldn’t help questioning the Flaming Horn’s intention when they thought about the destination addressed in the letter.
“The Flaming Horns really have great ambition,” that person remarked.
“What do you mean ambition? I don’t see them declaring a battle with anyone,” another Chang Le member was in doubt.
“Some things can be attained without a battle.”
Wu He stared idly as the other Chang Le members left. Then they brought him back to the cave and locked him back up.
“Oh no. Did our leader give up on us?” another prisoner asked sadly.
“Of course not! Our leader came to an agreement with the Flaming Horns. They’ll definitely come back for us once the deal is finished,” Wu He said. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand it. He just didn’t want to stay locked up here. They had to fight with mosquitoes everyday, not to mention those rough grains. The Flaming Horns planted so many grains, and yet they fed them these!
Wu He complained about it once, but the Flaming Horns only said, “A prisoner of war should look like a prisoner of war.”
You stole from us and you’re still bold enough to complain? Is there bird poop in your brain?
“I want meat! Hot, freshly roasted, fearsome beast meat. Oh, also meat soup…” Wu He shouted while nobody cared. He never expected the Flaming Horns to really treat them with hospitality. He shouted merely to vent.
He heard footsteps approaching. Someone had entered the cave. Wu He and the other four prisoners heard the guards address that person “Grand Elder”.
The footsteps were getting closer. As he approached, there was also a smell of roasted meat. It smelled absolutely delicious! They knew immediately from the smell that they definitely put seasonings on the meat. They had a taste of this seasoned meat once in the trading point. It was also because of this that they salivated faster than usual.
Wu He wiped away the saliva on the corner of his lips and looked at the person who came.
“It’s not impossible, you know, if you want to eat fresh hot fearsome beast meat.” Shao Xuan was holding a bowl of meat. He uncovered the bowl before he entered the cave. The wind was blowing into the cave, carrying with it the aroma of the delicious meat.
Wu He breathed in heavily twice. After he heard what Shao Xuan said, he crawled up and both of his eyes brightened. He looked like a wolf that had been starving, “What are the conditions?”
He wasn’t stupid. The Flaming Horns would never give these to them without asking for anything in return.
Shao Xuan took out a black object and threw it to Wu He, “How did you guys make this?”
Wu He could tell what it was as soon as he saw it. That was the black giant shield they carried when they stole the grains in the Flaming Horn plantations. Shao Xuan was only holding a small piece in his hand.
What were Chang Le’s most afraid of?
Temptation!
Their excessive curiosity made them vulnerable to temptations, regardless of whether these temptations were food or something else.
But now, even if these delicacies were tempting, they didn’t dare say another word about it.
That was Chang Le’s secret. They would never tell anyone, even if it meant they would starve to death.