c9 - Are Women a Burden on the Escape from Famine? Give Them to Me

Chapter 9: Double Kill "Miss, Captain Lin just sent some pheasants. Would you like them braised or in soup?" Sister Hua knitted her brows slightly, responding, "Make soup." "Understood. I'll handle it," Li Bai He said with a graceful exit. "Wait." Li Bai He paused mid-step, surprised. Sister Hua, expressionless, continued, "Remember, you are not to accept the Captain's gifts lightly. They come with strings." "Yes, Sister Hua..." Li Bai He murmured hesitantly. "Do as I say." Her gaze turned cold and unyielding. "Understood," Li Bai He quickly complied. "You may leave." "Yes, ma'am." Li Bai He retreated reluctantly, her expression shifting from confusion to anger as she went to prepare the chicken soup. Just as she neared the kitchen near the tent, a figure suddenly darted out, grabbing her wrist and spinning her back inside the tent in an instant. Li Bai He was about to shout, but a hand clamped over her mouth. "Mmmph..." In a close, almost intimate proximity, her struggle ceased as she slumped, enveloped in a submissive posture. "You sly fox, trying to play games with me?" Li Bai He bashfully leaned into the embrace, playfully slapping the shoulder of the one holding her. "I was just startled. I thought you were..." "And who do you think you're fooling? You were just waiting for this, weren't you?" The man mocked with a grin, unrelenting in his teasing. "You're such a brute," she pretended with a pout, before muttering under her breath, "this is exhausting." "How did it go with the sister?" he asked, straightening his clothes. "She's not suspecting anything. You can control her, and then my position here will be secure," Li Bai He replied, still reliant but with a hint of calculation. "Good, then we have nothing to worry about. Once we've dealt with her, everything will be under our control," the man said, his voice dripping with greed. "So, Lin, when do we put our plan in action?" Li Bai He asked, her voice laced with anticipation. "Just wait for my signal. Go make that soup." "Okay," she replied and he swiftly exited the tent, disappearing into the night. Outside, unseen in the shadows, an elder with one arm stood silently. "Uncle Luo, have you gathered any information?" "Yes, Miss Hua. We've discovered that one of Master Yuan's men is colluding with the bandits, trying to keep you in Yongzhou. Lin Xiao was even bribed by Second Master Yuan. There's more, it seems they have other plans, perhaps even to seize the whole Yang family." Her face remained placid in the dim light, contemplating the news. "Keep an eye on them, Uncle Luo. And while you're at it, prepare to replace some of the guards with more trustworthy ones. We need fresh blood to reinvigorate the family." "Yes, Miss Hua." ... Chen Qi cautiously peeked through the tent's opening, hiding beside it with a stick poised high. He noticed the man inside had fallen into a deep sleep after drinking the drugged porridge. With plans to leave, he hesitated upon noticing a shadow creeping closer amid the darkness, wielding a hatchet in a deadly arc. Lu Wei moved with silent resolve, aiming directly for the target's neck. His choice fell on Chen Qi, an easy yet crucial mark, known for his recklessness despite his size. The cunning Sashimi stood as a hidden danger, with more schemes behind his smile. Lu Wei struck with the coldest precision, steadying his breath while anticipating the success of his mission. "Mmph!" Chen Qi spluttered as warmth and thickness splashed onto his face, the air filled with the pungent scent of iron as Wang Ma's severed head slumped lifelessly from its perch, eyes forever frozen in shock. Fear threaded through Lu Wei like a quicksilver poison. For a heartbeat, he faltered before casting aside the hesitation, focusing solely on his grim task. Chen Qi barely registered the approaching shadow before life slipped away into the enduring night. "Huff... Huff..." Lu Wei panted heavily, clenching his hands tight against the echoes of mortality he'd just dispensed. The rush still fuelled him, adrenaline disguising fear with false bravado. He methodically cleaned up, ransacking the bodies to uncover what valuables they might conceal. Surprisingly, they carried a handsome trove of silver adornments, a bounty he pocketed eagerly, covering traces of the blood in a swift but practiced motion. Once the bodies were buried under the snow, Lu Wei returned to the campsite, knowing his actions had shifted the balance of the night. Silently, he ignited a small fire and rinsed off the night's crimson stains with melted snow, retiring to an awaiting slumber within the tent's chill confines. ... In the rosy hue of dawn, Lu Wei rekindled a modest fire, reheating leftover porridge for breakfast. By its warmth, he called his sister, Lu Xianxian, to share the meal. "Brother, what happened last night?" she queried, noting a faint stain of blood while her eyes brimmed with innocent curiosity. Lu Wei paused mid-chew, offering a quiet nod as a reply. "Did we get into a fight?" Her perceptive query showed she suspected more than she admitted. "How'd you figure it out?" Lu Wei asked, intrigued. "Just a guess," she smiled, her logic as infectious as ever. "No one usually bothers feeding us from official stores, not if it means drawing suspicious eyes." Lu Wei couldn't help but admire her insight, sensing she was sharper than many gave credit. After breakfast, Lu Wei gathered supplies, including rice they'd strewn as a lure for birds, testing whether they'd successfully set a nearby trap. Much to his delight, they discovered a curious number of squirrels instead, allowing him a bountyful foray. The fat bodies of rodents ripe for roasting were both unexpected and welcome, poised now as a feast in waiting. As Lu Wei tucked their harvest securely within his clothing, they returned quietly to their camp.