Chapter 220: Chapter 151: Mighty Man and Monk
The sixth night.
Using a hemp rope he had prepared in his bundle, Ruchen tied himself to a protruding rock, closed his eyes, and remained perfectly still.
He stayed that way until a large clump of snow fell from above and slammed into his face, jolting him awake. Roused, Ruchen’s face twisted in alarm. "How did this Little Monk fall asleep! That was close, so close! Where’s Brother Zheng?! He’s still here, still here..."
Zheng Xiu was still lying quietly on Ruchen’s back, held securely in place by cloth strips, sleeping soundly.
His expression was as peaceful as a sleeping baby’s.
"Second Lady..."
The sleeping Zheng Xiu suddenly mumbled in a daze.
"Fifty-six times."
Ruchen wasn’t surprised by this. After noting the number, he smiled and nodded, took a couple of messy bites of his rock-hard frozen rations, and continued his upward climb.
With every step, his feet left deep pits in the thick snow.
He would pull a foot out, take a step, pull it out again, and take another.
A trail of dark red footprints was left behind on the snow.
...
Zheng Xiu felt like he was having a long dream.
In the dream, he was a child again.
Zheng Haoran, clad in battle armor, resolutely marched off to war. The city was filled with the fluttering army banners of the Zheng clan, and the common folk lined the road for miles to see them off.
He and Second Lady clung to each other, sobbing.
After a while, the dream changed.
He dreamt of a lush green prairie, filled with the singing of birds and the fragrance of flowers.
Someone on horseback came galloping over. It was the dashing and heroic Feng Bei.
Feng Bei smiled and extended her hand toward him. In the center of her palm was written the large character for "Death."
Upon seeing the character for "Death," Zheng Xiu grew hesitant.
Feng Bei’s expression changed. "What’s wrong?" she asked grimly. "Not willing?"
"I am willing!"
Zheng Xiu carefully took Feng Bei’s hand.
Feng Bei looked astonished. "You’re not him!"
The next second, Zheng Xiu died. His vision went black, leaving only the large character for "Death."
"Feng Bei!"
Zheng Xiu’s eyes flew open in fright.
The aroma of meat washed over him.
Zheng Xiu’s whole body felt weak, and a loud GURGLE came from his stomach.
"Brother?"
A hoarse voice echoed in the cavern.
It was the kind of voice you’d expect from someone who’d been wandering the desert for half a month without a drop of water.
"The scroll!"
Having just woken up, Zheng Xiu jolted, the unfamiliar surroundings putting him on high alert.
As he raised his hand, Zheng Xiu found the scroll clutched tightly within it and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Monk?"
Zheng Xiu finally followed the sound of the voice. Not far away, he saw a gaunt young man with a short buzz cut and tattered clothes. The man had built a campfire, and on it sat a simple clay pot whose broken lid wouldn’t close properly. Whatever was cooking inside smelled incredibly fragrant, stoking the appetite of the starving Zheng Xiu. The sound of the boiling soup, mingling with the occasional gust of wind from outside, sounded exceptionally beautiful.
"How did your hair grow out already?"
This was the third sentence Zheng Xiu had spoken since opening his eyes.
"Er... This Little Monk didn’t bring a razor, so this was unavoidable. Don’t worry, I’ll shave it when we get back." Ruchen, his face grimy, gave a carefree smile that revealed two rows of pearly white teeth. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked at the now-awake Zheng Xiu, momentarily at a loss for words. After a long pause, he seemed to remember the stew in the pot and frantically waved Zheng Xiu over. "Brother, you’re finally awake! Come, have some Snake soup! This Little Monk went through a lot of trouble to go out and dig this up!"
Clutching the scroll, Zheng Xiu shuffled forward. He felt incredibly weak. He staggered to his feet, only to quickly sit back down again. Once he reached the clay pot, Ruchen pulled a dirty bowl from his bundle. He quickly lifted the scalding lid and immediately had to blow on his hot fingers. After fumbling about clumsily for a while, he finally ladled a bowlful for Zheng Xiu.
"SLURP~"
"SLURP~"
Ignoring the searing heat, they both tilted their heads back and drank, making slurping sounds.
Zheng Xiu and Ruchen’s movements were perfectly synchronized as they drank the soup. It was clear they were both starving.
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