Chapter 14: Young Master Ke, Recipient of the Candle

Chapter 014: Young Master Ke and the Candle

"Young Master, do you want them dead or alive?"

"Understood, Young Master! I will certainly learn from the Chief’s lesson and never make the same mistake again."

The old words attached to the dart rang clearly in her ears. Fang Rulai shuddered at hearing the title "Young Master" for the second time.

Young Master? Widow Zhu’s Young Master? The Chief?

Could it be that this Mu Zhijin, who had just saved her life, was in league with the so-called “Chief”? Was this “Young Master” the mastermind behind sending two groups to capture her alive, orchestrating an intricate ruse to break her will?

But... Fang Rulai glanced toward the nearby cliff and was certain those men were truly dead. Even if they were only feigning death, being thrown into the ravine would finish them off. Would anyone really go to such lengths merely for the deed in her hand?

Fang Rulai refused to believe it. She tightened her grip on the dart.

"Xiao Shi, remember, your task is to keep watch. No matter what happens, you must not reveal yourself. Just observe. If the outcome isn’t what we expect, you must return immediately and call for reinforcements."

What? Startled, Fang Rulai spun around, scanning her surroundings. Had someone been watching the entire time?

Night had fallen, the wind had grown chilly, and only the rustling branches replied to her. A cold chill crept into her heart. She bent down to rouse Mu Zhijin, "Hey, wake up... Ah, you’re burning up!"

She’d meant only to wake him and ask for his help, but the searing heat radiating from his body shocked her instead.

Fang Rulai felt his forehead again—it was as hot as burning coal.

With wounds like his, in a place like this, it would be more surprising if he didn’t have a fever. Given the primitive state of medicine in this era, even with attentive care, recovering from such a fever would be nearly impossible.

Perhaps it would be better to...

Fang Rulai rose quickly, preparing to make her escape. He was unlikely to recover, and his identity was uncertain anyway.

But after only two steps, the weight of the dart in her hand made her hesitate. He’d saved her life several times. Though she knew his mission was to capture her alive, the fact that he’d risked his own life repeatedly to keep her safe was indisputable.

"Fine, I’ll square the debt so you don’t use your life-saving grace to hold over me later!"

Fang Rulai gripped Mu Zhijin by the shoulders and began dragging him down the mountain. She hadn’t gone far when she heard faint footsteps approaching.

"Xiao Shi, move quietly. Don’t alert the enemy."

"No worries, Third Commander. The monk has no martial arts, and the young man is half-dead. As long as we find them, they won’t escape."

Damn it! The watcher had gone for reinforcements. Fang Rulai quickly lowered herself, searching for any place to hide. But halfway up the mountain, there was nothing but waist-high shrubs and a sheer cliff a few paces away.

As a number of shadowy figures appeared at the edge of her vision, Fang Rulai made a snap decision. She stripped off her monk’s robe, wrapped it around Mu Zhijin’s waist and hips like a bundle, and tied a tight knot.

Her movements were so hurried and forceful that the unconscious Mu Zhijin was jolted awake.

Through his dazed gaze, he saw Fang Rulai deftly hacking down a long vine with a dart.

Tying him up? Mu Zhijin’s eyes flew open in alarm. "You!"

Fang Rulai spun around, raised the golden Buddha statue, and brought it down hard—thud! Mu Zhijin was promptly knocked out again.

Xiao Shi’s voice rang out, "Third Commander, there’s movement in this direction."

Fang Rulai stiffened, crouched low, braced herself, and shoved hard. Mu Zhijin’s body rolled straight toward the cliff and tumbled over the edge without resistance.

"Over here!" The disturbance drew the black-clad shadows swiftly closer.

Fang Rulai didn’t dare look back. She turned and bolted down the mountain.

"Where do you think you’re going!" a voice bellowed as the shadows quickly gave chase.

They moved with unnatural speed, the sound of their passage through the shrubs like the hiss of knives. Fang Rulai could hear them clearly behind her.

A leaf whistled past her ear, chilling her skin—she had no time to even touch her face. She hunched her neck, ducked her head, and ran even faster.

Above her came gleeful laughter. "The little monk’s quite entertaining."

Crack! Fang Rulai twisted her ankle on a dead branch, nearly stumbling. Entertaining? If they had any guts, let them chase her without flying—her twelve-second hundred-meter dash would wear them out.

Furious, she hurled curses in her mind, but dared not slow down. After all, this was no race track where speed alone decided victory.

Another leaf sliced past, grazing her arm and tearing her autumn clothes, revealing a patch of pale skin.

Under the silent black sky and clear moonlight, her exposed skin gleamed like a pearl, darting back and forth as her arms pumped.

Utterly enticing.

The laughter above paused, then turned indulgent. "I don’t think I’ve ever played with a monk before."

Damn, was this a warning that their intentions had shifted from robbery to something worse?

If so, Fang Rulai had only one option—

She clutched her torn clothes with one hand and raised her middle finger at them with the other, provoking a renewed flurry of leaves whipping against her thin garments.

Rip, rip, rip—her clothes were shredded in dozens of places, exposing even more of her fair skin.

The laughter overhead grew even more lecherous. Fang Rulai trembled with rage, which only made her movements more uncoordinated.

Crack! This time, her foot slipped not on a branch, but into an actual pit, deep and lined with centuries of dead leaves and debris.

Fang Rulai’s legs buckled, her body collapsed, and she tumbled head over heels down the tunnel.

The pit was deeper than she'd expected, and soon she was out of sight, her rolling figure swallowed by the darkness.

The laughter above ceased abruptly; no one had anticipated this turn of events.

"After her!" someone shouted, and dozens of shadows spread out in a line, plunging downward.

The night grew thicker, the wind howled louder, and Fang Rulai’s presence faded, even the sound of her fall swallowed by the wind.

The shadows had to rely on guesswork to track her path, drawing closer to the mountain’s base.

Suddenly, firelight and a wave of heat appeared before them.

Approaching, they all froze.

In a hot spring they’d never seen before, a young couple seemed to be clutching each other, watching them warily.

The husband’s face was waxen and sallow, his chest thin, ribs protruding so sharply that anyone would think to offer him a candle—the traditional gesture for someone not long for this world.

As for the wife, it seemed she’d hastily thrown on her husband’s inner garment, with her thighs faintly visible beneath the water and her eyes, wide with terror, fluttering above.

The shadows exchanged glances: Unfamiliar faces. Eliminate them!

Many thanks to (&! Manman!^_$) and (c BanxiaRuyan) for their floral tributes.

Current adoption list:
Guan Shiyin (White-Haired in Red Robe), Fang Rulai (chenqing2008), Mu Zhijin (Morning Hibiscus and Dewy Sunflower), Young Master Ke (Ke lk)

Pending list:
Axi (Xi Pipi), Banxia (c BanxiaRuyan)

Note: All characters who have been requested, adopted, cameoed, or featured were already part of the original outline. None are based on real readers; character names are used as a token of gratitude, borrowing a letter from the supporter’s ID for everyone’s amusement.

Another note: Positive and likable roles are limited. If the character you receive isn’t as expected, please don’t take it to heart. Every character’s main purpose is to enhance the story. In my eyes, all characters are proud and valuable! I love every one of them!

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