Chapter 252: Chapter 163: Yunhe Village
A massive opening gaped above the village, through which a dazzling light shone down.
As he drew closer, the potent smell of burning charcoal washed over him. Zheng Xiu noticed numerous crude houses built into the inner walls. The center of the village was an open space, where black smoke billowed from the chimneys of workshop after workshop, accompanied by the sounds of bellows and hammering iron.
Well-forged weapons were piled haphazardly on racks. Rows of Ghost Head Sabers, polished to a brilliant shine, reflected a terrifying, cold glint.
In one corner of the village, a pile of something lay covered by a thick, waterproof tarp. A dozen or so bandits were lugging heavy plates of Armor toward that same corner.
Xie Yunliu saw Zheng Xiu looking around, clapped him on the shoulder from behind, and flashed a knowing smile. "Don’t stare at things you’re not supposed to see."
Zheng Xiu waved his hand. "I don’t know a thing about any of this. I’m just curious. It’s all lost on me anyway. If Brother Xie says not to look, then I won’t."
"Well, aren’t you the sweet talker." Ever since his bonds had been cut, Zheng Xiu’s composed demeanor had baffled Xie Yunliu. He was a completely different person from the panicked wreck they had caught in the forest, which made Xie Yunliu look at him with a hint of surprise. He led Zheng Xiu into the village.
"There," Xie Yunliu grunted, jutting his chin toward the southeastern cliff face. "You’ll be staying up there. Be careful climbing up. Don’t fall to your death."
The Yunhe Village bandits treated Zheng Xiu completely differently from the other three captives. Zheng Xiu had been untied early on, whereas Chu Chengfeng, Wen Shishan, and Xiao Buping didn’t have the sacks taken off their heads until they were carried deep into the village.
Upon seeing the scene before them, Chu Chengfeng and Xiao Buping were momentarily stunned into silence.
Wen Shishan, whose fiery and untamable spirit was like that of a wild filly, had apparently been through something on the journey. She now stood obediently beside Chu Chengfeng, not uttering a single word.
As for Xiao Buping...
Zheng Xiu took two steps forward and crouched in front of Xiao Buping. Staring at the man’s face, which had swollen up like a pig’s head, he asked in surprise, "Brother Xiao, why is your face so swollen and bruised?"
Xiao Buping’s bruised face flushed. "I fell... I just fell!"
"Fell? My ass, you fell!" Xie Yunliu scoffed, showing him no mercy. "I told you to behave, but you just wouldn’t listen, would you? It’s your Qinggong, right? Unrivaled in the world? You think you’re a great runner? The only reason I didn’t break your damn legs is out of respect for the little lady!"
Oh.
Zheng Xiu understood.
While they were being escorted separately, Xiao Buping had tried to run. He failed and was viciously beaten for it.
And the reason Chu Chengfeng and Wen Shishan were so docile was likely because they had witnessed Xiao Buping’s sorry state and resigned themselves to their fate.
"Men! Lock these three little piglets in the cages!"
Xie Yunliu pointed to the iron cages in the corner, which were clearly meant for holding people.
"By what right?" Wen Shishan had held her tongue the entire way, but the sight of the filthy, dark iron cages made her snap. She pointed at Gongsun Mo and demanded furiously, "Why does he get to live up there while we have to be locked in cages?"
Xie Yunliu chuckled. "By what right? By the fact that he doesn’t know any Martial Arts. I could let him run all night with my eyes closed, and he still wouldn’t get away. Can you say the same?"
Wen Shishan was speechless.
Before being locked in the cage, Chu Chengfeng blinked desperately at Zheng Xiu: three times with his left eye, three with his right; three long blinks, two short.
Zheng Xiu didn’t understand a thing.
Zheng Xiu walked up the wooden steps and entered the room. Outside, the door was locked by Xie Yunliu with a sharp CLICK.
The room had a window, a table and chair, and a wooden bed topped with a thick animal hide. Zheng Xiu sniffed it; to his surprise, there was no unpleasant odor, and he nodded in satisfaction.
Compared to the cages holding Chu Chengfeng and the other two, this was practically a presidential suite.
As night fell, boisterous shouts echoed from the village below, and the rich aroma of wine and meat filled the air.
The bandits of Yunhe Village were feasting in full swing.
Zheng Xiu, meanwhile, was in his room spreading out rice paper to paint. With nothing better to do, he decided to practice his Skills.
Xie Yunliu had been fair, in his own way. He had brought along the treasured Art Supplies, tossing Gongsun Mo’s "family heirloom" into the room when he locked him up.
After some time, the sound of the lock turning came from outside the door.
Zheng Xiu figured someone was coming to deliver his meal.
It was dinnertime.
Zheng Xiu was right about the food, but he could not have guessed who was delivering it.
Standing outside the door was a gentle, lovely woman, as delicate as the girl next door. Her features were refined, and when she looked up and smiled shyly, two faint dimples appeared at the corners of her lips.
"This servant is Xiaotao."
The gentle girl, dressed in a clean, long skirt, gave Zheng Xiu a graceful curtsy and presented him with a bowl of fragrant roasted meat with rice.
"The Big Leader sent this servant to bring you your meal, sir."
Inside the room, the air suddenly froze.
Zheng Xiu froze. He had been planning to let Gongsun Mo’s memories guide him through this.
But for a moment, he had no idea what was going on.
’A honey trap?’
An absurd thought surfaced in Zheng Xiu’s mind.
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