Apparently, the “King” wanted to take advantage of Leng Changxi’s Qigong to break the gate. Under such circumstances, people who were trapped here generally would try hard to fawn on the “King”. But unexpectedly, Leng Changxi just turned around slightly and said, “I didn’t know I was practicing Tongming Gate’s Qigong until you told me just now. So I don’t know how to employ it.”
The “King” looked stiff and said, “It doesn’t matter. You will figure it out in face of death.”
Right at this time, a man went upstairs to report, and he spoke the tribe language that Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan didn’t understand. After hearing what the man reported, the “King” was obviously in a trance. Then, he put on a weird smile, showing cruelty and maliciousness that people usually had before they killed others.
“A prince from North Di?” the “King” said complacently. “That’s rather good. You mean, only 20 out of over 100 people survive?”
The man nodded. Later, the “King” suddenly smiled at Leng Changxi and asked, “Do you know that prince?”
Leng Changxi didn’t answer him but said, “Only after seeing him will I know whether he’s my acquaintance.”
This was a good chance to meet Wanyan Su who took a wrong way even with the right map. Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan had expected this, but they didn’t expect that they would meet each other here.
Soon, Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan heard a noise downstairs. They poked their heads out of the window and saw those slaves who escorted them before pushed 20 people to come in. Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan were treated nicely on their way to the tribe, while these 20 people suffered a lot. They were forced to lead in every dangerous road, so merely on the way, four people died.
Wanyan Su led the group, and his eyes were not as bright as before. There was desperation mirrored in his slightly dull eyes. With soil on his hair on the temples, Wanyan Su, who was unkempt and in disarray, looked like a frustrated gangster on the street, rather than a prince of North Di. He sensed that someone was looking at him, so he looked up suddenly and saw Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan who stood near the castle window.
He was in a trance as if he saw something incredible, so unconsciously stopped. The man behind him pushed him impatiently. Not prepared for this, Wanyan Su fell to the ground, and Yasu near him rushed to him, trying to help him up. However, he kept staring at Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan.
Looking at Wanyan Su who behaved in an unusual way, the “King” turned his head and asked Leng Changxi, “You know him?”
Leng Changxi said in a plain tone, “No.”
The “King” looked doubtful, but he saw nothing suspicious from Leng Changxi’s expression. “Now that so many guests visit today, let me make an exception of going downstairs.”
The “King” couldn’t directly walk downstairs, given his leg injury. Besides, the stairs were too narrow to allow a wheel-attached chair to pass through. Thus, the “King” asked people to build a lift next to the window. With the pulley on it, people could go down to the ground from a ten-meter-high place.
Qin Yunuan observed how that device was built, and she couldn’t help praising the “King” in silence. He indeed was an inventor greater than Sun Chengzhen.
20 people, including Wanyan Su, were tied up tightly and stood in the middle. Around them were high stone walls and slaves who stared at them in a hostile way. At first glance, Wanyan Su saw Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi who stood next to the “King”, and he blurted out, “Leng, it turns out that you are their helper. You must have planned to leave us at the Yingguang Lake before.”
Leng Changxi said nothing. Then, Wanyan Su turned to Qin Yunuan and said, “And you, Ms. Qin, you gave me a forged map.”
Qin Yunuan glanced at Wanyan Su calmly and said, “I don’t even know you. Why do I give you a map? Moreover, a map is a guide for people in the Yeren Valley. Why will I give it to you easily if I have one?”
Wanyan Su paused. He seemed not to expect that Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi would pretend not to know him.
The “King” ordered the servant girl behind to push him towards Wanyan Su. “You are a prince in North Di?”
Wanyan Su kept his chin up and didn’t answer him.
The “King” waved his hand, and the sensible servant girl pushed him to walk around those 20 people. After carefully observing all of them, he smiled at Wanyan Su and said, “You truly are a prince. But now that my guests don’t know you, I won’t treat you as a guest. This valley is my place, so even if you are a prince, you can’t refuse when I want to kill you.”
“What have they promised you?” Wanyan Su asked while looking at Leng Changxi and Qin Yunuan. He sounded aloof, a trait only royal members had. He looked different, not the modest and gentle Wanyan Su anymore.
The “King” took a glance at Leng Changxi and answered in a light tone, “He can give everything I want.” He knew what Wanyan Su hinted, so he added, “So, do you want to trade something for your life?”
Wanyan Su didn’t answer him but pressed his lips together and considered. The “King” laughed to continue, “Let me tell you. Seven years ago, we greeted another group of people here. They were so arrogant but still defeated by nature and died. I asked people to gut them and hang their organs on trees. Their greed and ambition are the best nutrition for the Yeren Valley. The next year, food growing in the land which had been nourished by their organs was especially tasty. So make a self-assessment before you conclude that you are valuable. Maybe, you are only fit for nourishing the Yeren Valley.”
“Status! I can give you high status.” Wanyan Su looked at the “King” in a trance.
“Status?” The “King” laughed in disdain. “I’m already the King here. What high status do you think I still need?”
“Oh? Really?” Wanyan Su laughed and continued, “But what status do you have outside the Yeren Valley? We all know what is hidden here, not the valuable treasures, but the most advanced weapons with great power. However, even if you find them, so what? No one helps you produce and send them out. So what you have are just piles of scrap copper and iron. Do you think you can accomplish something just with the help of these little educated slaves in the tribe? Admit it. You, after all, need others’ help. And I can not only offer you this but also promise to appoint you as the most respectable Taoist master in North Di when you leave here. At that time, you can make things with your ability at will and be in charge of the whole arsenal management and production. We will be partners and benefit each other. Unlike people next to you, I won’t easily betray you.”
“Oh, is that so?” The “King” nodded leisurely. “Even so, I still believe Mr. Leng, who you just called, is more valuable than you. I will consider your offer, but I have the right to refuse to work with you at any time. I will keep you alive, but as for your followers, I won’t.” Then, the “King” raised his hand to his neck and made a gesture. Soon, young and strong slaves around rushed to drag North Di soldiers away. Two slaves worked together to drag soldiers into the wood and killed them in the most primitive way by drowning them in the abyss or throwing them to the hound kennel which would bite them to death.
After dealing with soldiers, those slaves pulled Yasu rudely.
“No, Your Highness, save me.” Yasu cried loudly at once.
“Don’t kill her.” Wanyan Su suddenly stood up and said nervously, “You’ve killed all my men. Can you just spare a woman?”
The “King” glanced at Wanyan Su in a provocative way. “She’s too noisy. I don’t like that.”
Then, Yasu cried even more loudly. She grasped Wanyan Su’s arm bitterly and shook her head hard. Despite that, Wanyan Su could help her nothing.
“She’s just a woman.” Qin Yunuan said slowly, “Now that you aim high, you won’t mind feeding one more woman, will you?”
Qin Yunuan, who kept silent all the time, should speak up for Yasu. The “King” scanned her out of the corner of his eyes and then made a decision quickly. “Alright. Now that my honored guest speaks up for you, I’ll spare you. Take them two away. Others, listen to me. Prepare food, and we will head for Kexili tomorrow morning.”
Since she arrived at the tribe, Qin Yunuan had heard “Kexili” over ten times. This place was a symbol of faith for people here, representing the soul of the tribe. Everyone here seemed to live for this place. Qin Yunuan now could conclude that Kexili must be the place where the arsenal was.
The “King” led them to leave. Only a few slaves were left to escort Wanyan Su and Yasu to a small dark room near the stone castle. That was where they would be kept. Usually, when tribesmen had excessive prey and could finish all, this room would be used as a temporary pen for the prey.
A prince now should be locked in a pen.
When they walked by, Qin Yunuan heard Wanyan Su said “Thank you” in a very low voice. She slightly turned her head, but then Wanyan Su said, “But I won’t forget how you, a brutal and conscienceless couple, led us to the trap.”
“It’s not me leading you to the trap.” Qin Yunuan said lightly, “But your ambition. Remember that it was you that gave us up, not the vice versa. And we happened to be rescued after going separately while you walked into an abyss due to your greed.”
Wanyan Su gave her a cold smile. “God won’t bless you and ignore me forever. As long as I’m alive, we have to get even. General Leng taught me not to be so softhearted as a leader before. Now I have learned it, and I will uphold justice for those over 100 dead warriors.”
