A bright morning dawned as if the turmoil of the previous night had been a mere lie. The chilly weather had eased up a bit, and it wasn't too cold as long as one kept their coat tightly buttoned. The group was loading the horses and organizing their luggage in front of the inn before setting off. The innkeeper and the servants came out to help. Despite the fear they might have felt from the previous night's chaos, they instead bowed and fawned over the gold coins Xueliaojin had generously offered. It was a moment that showcased the power of money.
Approaching the group were Zhipeng Dao's Jigunshang and Yamalongshisihao. Each was mounted on a horse, and Wang Wu, who seemed to have aged overnight, was tied securely to a saddle.
Shisihao approached, glancing furtively at Zhang Jian and Zhen Jian, and said to Xueliaojin, "Ahem. Then, Miss Xue, as you requested, we will escort this one to Tianhou City."
"Yes, thank you. Please be careful on your journey."
"Don't worry. With the great hero Jigunshang accompanying us, what is there to fear?"
Xueliaojin smiled awkwardly at his confident tone and glanced at Zhang Jian. She felt embarrassed to put on a show in front of someone who already knew their true identities, but Zhang Jian, mounted on Zaozhao, was looking into the distance, showing no particular concern.
"Then, we'll be off."
The two men and the prisoner left first. Xueliaojin sighed as she watched them go, and Zhen Jian chuckled and spoke to her.
"You must feel quite disappointed, Miss Xue. You didn't let someone you wanted to talk to more just leave because of us, did you?"
Xueliaojin smiled at his words.
"No. It was surprising to meet him on the road like this, but there wasn't much more to talk about. I'm just grateful that they're escorting Ma Yin for us."
Zhen Jian nodded and recited a short prayer.
"Amitabha. Ma Yin, who practiced dark arts dreaming of the revival of the State of Chu. It's a tragic affair. How many people did the remnants of Chu harm and commit atrocities against? To admire that power and corrupt one's humanity by practicing dark arts, and to try to do terrible things to a child..."
"Perhaps the Huang Army will move from their anchorage in Tianhou City. They will extract information from Ma Yin and destroy the place called Gong."
"A fortunate turn of events in an unfortunate situation."
"Well... It's fortunate that we were with Xue Xia, and that there were people to escort Ma Yin..."
"Let's get going."
At that moment, Zhang Jian, who had confirmed that the carriage was ready, spoke briefly. The two people who had been chatting nodded and got into the carriage. Just as when they arrived at the inn, Jinha drove the carriage, and Zhang Jian followed on Zaozhao.
The carriage soon started, creaking. Xue Xia, who was inside, poked her head out of the carriage window and looked back. The innkeeper and the servants, who had received gold coins in exchange for repairing the broken room and disposing of the bodies, were waving goodbye as they watched the group depart. It was a scene that could be described as a testament to their excellent business acumen.
Zhang Jian approached and said, "Come inside. Dust will get in."
Xue Xia turned her gaze from the inn to Zhang Jian and looked at him with wide eyes. She moved her lips as if she was about to say something. But perhaps because Zhang Jian looked slightly surprised and stared blankly, the child only moved her lips for a moment before retreating back into the carriage.
As the child disappeared, Zhang Jian, who had been staring blankly, chuckled and tugged the reins. Zaozhao, as if asking why he was laughing alone, shook his mane lightly. Zhang Jian stroked the horse's neck and said, "This is bad. I might get attached."
Zaozhao snorted as if to say, "Why worry about such trivial things when there are more important matters?" Zhang Jian, still smiling faintly, turned his gaze to the vast plain before him.
"Right. If your heart is set on it, it will follow."
"What? What did you say?"
Zhang Jian's muttering caught Jinha's attention, who was driving the carriage. He adjusted his straw hat and said, "Let's pick up the pace. If we move quickly, we can stay at an inn tonight."
"Ah, yes. Let's do that."
In the morning weather, a mix of the cold air and the warmth of the sun, the carriage and the horse pair set off westward, leaving a light trail of dust. Behind them, the sun, shining brightly in a cloudless sky, illuminated their path far into the distance.
* * *
Wang Wu, who was called Wang Hesi, shivered despite the warm sunlight, feeling the chill of the early morning air. However, his body, tightly bound to the saddle, could not free itself.
In his line of sight, a man lay on the ground, coughing up blood, and another was slowly approaching him. They had been part of the same group, escorting Wang Wu just moments ago.
Yamalongshisihao, who had spat blood to the side and was clutching his side, laughed weakly.
"Damn. I never thought I'd die like this..."
Jigunshang, who had ambushed him and was now approaching, chuckled at his words.
"That's the fate of secret organization agents. Didn't your people kill many of ours at Ganshan?"
Shisihao's face twisted, not from pain but from a sense of disgust.
"Shit... Your voice..."
"Voice? Oh, this. The Bai Bian Huan Huan Gong 百變換換功 can change your body shape and face perfectly, but not your voice. I heard your technique can change the voice too. Do you know how to do it?"
Shisihao, hearing her playful voice, forced a laugh.
"Of course... I know how... This face is also a changed one..."
Jigunshang, or someone who had stolen Jigunshang's face, squatted in front of him.
"Oh? Will you teach me? If you promise to, I might let you live. Of course, you'd have to defect to our side."
Shisihao looked up at her stern face, which was completely at odds with her playful tone, and smiled.
"Go to hell... Think of the people of the New Continent who died at your hands... I can't do it..."
Jigunshang chuckled and nodded at his answer.
"Right, you're so noble. Loyal to the descendants of the thief emperor and thinking of the people. How admirable."
"...Practicing dark arts... and venerating the atrocities of the remnants of Chu... I can't do it..."
Before he could finish, Jigunshang's sword flashed. Immediately, Shisihao's arm fell to the ground, rolling in the dirt. Jigunshang, with a stern expression, wiped her sword and stood up.
"The Emperor's name is not to be spoken so casually, dog of the emperor."
"Ugh... Bastard... If you hadn't ambushed me..."
"Why? Didn't you know I would? You knew something was off. That's why you were on guard."
Shisihao gritted his teeth, his head pressed to the ground. Jigunshang's words were true. Shisihao had followed Zhipeng Dao's Jigunshang, as planned by Lian Taishou of Hawaii, to lead him here, but he had become suspicious during the journey.
When they first met, Jigunshang had a hoarse voice from an injury while chasing a wanted criminal. Shisihao understood his reticence. But at some point, he became completely silent. Shisihao had clearly noticed this during their conversation at the inn the previous night. When the princess ordered him to move to Tianhou City, he felt something was amiss with the silent Jigunshang and wanted to separate him from the princess.
"...When, when did you change? We were together almost all day..."
"Curious?"
Jigunshang looked down at Shisihao's twisted face and smiled.
"I won't tell you."
With her next slash, Shisihao's head fell to the ground, rolling in the dirt. Jigunshang, with a cold expression, watched the rolling head for a moment, then turned to Wang Wu, who was still trembling. She approached him, who was tied to the saddle, and taunted him with her hands on her hips.
"Wang Hesi?"
"...Who are you?"
"Moyong Shanshan."
Wang Wu's lips trembled.
"...You are a noble of the Moyong family. I have always admired the righteousness and achievements of the Moyong family. I owe my position as Hesi to the accomplishments of the Moyong family head..."
"Shut up."
"Ah, yes, yes..."
Jigunshang sighed deeply at the trembling Wang Wu and continued.
"What a waste. If it weren't for you, I could have continued to approach the emperor's daughter. This opportunity might never come again. Do you know how many resources were spent to gather information about the princess secretly coming to the New Continent from Hawaii? And to uncover the Taishou's plan?"
"...I'm sorry. I was just following orders..."
At that moment, her sword flashed, and the horse Wang Wu was riding lost its head. As a result, Wang Wu, tied to the saddle, was crushed under the fallen horse.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please spare me!"
Jigunshang looked down at the crushed Wang Wu with cold eyes and continued.
"Shameless. You lost seven subordinates, including a Black Guard, and still hope to live?"
"I had no choice! Didn't you see that guy? Zhang Jian, that Zhang Jian!"
Jigunshang's expression changed. Wang Wu, seeing this, shouted again.
"This mission was compromised! Otherwise, how could such a master be guarding the Gouyin Temple? He might be a palace master! A guard, or even a high-ranking general!"
To survive, or perhaps because he truly felt wronged, Wang Wu passionately defended himself. Jigunshang hesitated, thinking for a moment, then said,
"...He was indeed quite skilled. Even if not a general, he could be a senior guard. But there's no information that the Huang Army has created a technique like Fengmai Jutsu."
"It could be a new technique..."
"Maybe. Or he might not be from the Huang Army."
Wang Wu looked incredulous.
"If he's not from the Huang Army, then..."
"It's not impossible. The Wulin Alliance leader is not from the Huang Army but is a great master."
Jigunshang, who had answered Wang Wu's muttering, soon shook her head and continued.
"Enough. It's not a problem I need to solve now."
Hearing this, Wang Wu's face brightened. He didn't seem to be in immediate danger. Of course, if he returned to Gong, he would suffer for failing his mission, but it was better than dying. He opened his mouth to thank her for sparing his life.
Jigunshang's sword was faster, cutting his throat.
"Ah, did you have something to say?"
By the time she spoke, Wang Wu was already dead. She looked down at his rolling head, chuckled, and mounted her horse. She then ripped off the fake beard from her upper lip and massaged her face, moving around in the saddle.
Gradually, her stern male face and robust build transformed into a woman's.
"Zhang Jian, Zhang Jian. Where did such a guy come from? He doesn't seem to be from the Huang Army..."
She muttered to herself, slowly riding. The sun was blinding, so she took out a straw hat from the saddle and put it on. She rode eastward, leaving behind two decapitated bodies and a horse, which were growing cold.
* * *
Zhen Xue Xia laughed. Zaozhao, who had been running excitedly, suddenly reared up, making her eye level much higher. If she were a different child, she might have screamed in fear, but she was a brave one. Of course, Zaozhao had learned this over the past few days of carrying her.
"Xue Xia seems really brave. I don't think I could have done that if I were in her situation."
Zhang Jian, sitting on the driver's seat with his arms crossed, turned his head to look at Zhen Ha. She was watching Xue Xia, who was riding Zaozhao around, with a proud expression.
"She's a strong one. She can't speak yet, but..."
"Who knows? Maybe she can't speak, or maybe she chooses not to."
Zhang Jian chuckled.
After the chaos at the inn, Zhang Jian and the group had been heading straight for Xinshichuan. They moved quickly, stopping at inns and houses along the way to rest and eat, out of concern for another attack. Xue Xia had become close to Zaozhao, and Zhang Jian had been riding Zaozhao's saddle during the day for over two days.
They rode naturally, as if they had known each other for years. Perhaps it was because Zaozhao had adapted well to Xue Xia, but it also showed the talent that had emerged during her treatment.
Zhang Jian stroked his chin as he watched them.
"Looks like I might lose her too."
"Haha, then Zaozhao will be even happier."
"Of course, there's no point in arguing about it."
As he joked with Zhen Ha, the carriage jolted. Suddenly, Xue Xia and Zaozhao, who had been on a hill, came galloping back. Zhang Jian had a good idea of what she had seen.
Xue Xia, panting slightly, looked at Zhang Jian and Zhen Ha with sparkling eyes. Zhang Jian smiled.
"Right. It's time to see it."
The carriage soon reached the hill where Xue Xia had been. In the distance, a forest of buildings by the coast, ships anchored in the harbor, well-paved roads, and many people were visible.