Ch. 15 - Elegy
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Anyone would remain vigilant in an unfamiliar environment.
Not to mention that Tang Qi understood very well that kobolds were a race that habitually used traps in their tunnels.
In this state of heightened nerves, his five senses were far sharper than usual.
Therefore, when he heard the soft rustling sound by his ear, coming from directly overhead, he felt his hair stand on end as if pricked by needles. Instinctively, he threw himself backward.
"BOOM!"
He judged that the soil overhead had lost its support, causing the stones from the upper layer to come crashing down, piling up right in front of him and forming what looked like a stone wall.
Fortunately, his legs withdrew in time—only getting covered with a bit of dirt and sand, not trapped in place.
"What's happening on your end!?"
The commotion startled Black Snake. They now had a wall between them, making his voice sound somewhat muffled as it came through the cracks in the rubble.
Tang Qi straightened up, his heart still pounding with lingering fear, and said uneasily:
"Looks like they don't really want me getting through."
He quickly heard the sound of blunt objects striking the stone pile, followed immediately by another loud collapse.
"Cut off his damn goat beard! How many more stones are up there!?"
The dwarf cursed—
Once they carved out a gap in this pile of accumulated rubble, the stones buried in the soil would quickly fill that section. They'd probably have a hard time returning the way they came.
"You guys go find another route!"
Black Snake shouted.
"Kobold tunnels go everywhere—enter from another hole and we'll eventually meet up at the end."
Jackal rolled his eyes, suddenly suggesting:
"Boss, I think these kobolds can't stop you at all. How about I just wait for you at the entrance? Saves me from getting lost in here and you having to find me."
Black Snake on the other side pondered for a moment, feeling that Jackal's words made sense.
It was already confirmed to be a kobold nest, and Starberry's location was pretty much certain. The handling from here on wouldn't be difficult.
And if there really was a problem the two of them couldn't solve...
Adding two more half-assed fighters would probably just cause more trouble.
"Then you two wait by the campfire from earlier. Stay alert to your surroundings, don't die in the kobold nest—at least spare yourself the humiliation on top of losing your life."
"You still don't trust my swordsmanship?"
"I'm reminding you that two fists can't beat four hands. If you have any conflicts, it's best to settle them after you're safe!"
Black Snake deliberately reminded him, but ultimately didn't advise further.
He just whispered a few more words to Stonecrusher, and their footsteps receded moments later.
Tang Qi hurriedly stood up at this moment, holding his crossbow.
He looked warily at Jackal, who was casting a mocking gaze his way—
The other party deliberately slapped his sword blade against his palm, as if sizing up a pig for slaughter.
Fearing this vicious dog might suddenly attack, Tang Qi could only strike first:
"Black Snake made it very clear—the tunnels go everywhere, any entrance could have an ambush waiting. If we start an internal conflict here, neither of us can handle a kobold siege."
His intuition for danger made his heart leap to his throat, so tense that his spine was unknowingly soaked with sweat.
Jackal spat coldly and ground his yellow teeth.
"Are you threatening me? I could fucking kill you right here and leave this cave—then there'd be no danger to speak of!"
"Of course you can do that. I can't resist you."
"Hmm?" Seeing the other party showing weakness, Jackal couldn't help but snort lightly.
"As long as you can ensure there are no pursuers on our way back, I’ll cooperate.
If a group of kobolds has already gathered by the campfire, even if you could escape their encirclement with your own strength, you'd most likely be seriously wounded.
My aim is decent. I can take care of one or two kobolds for you, no problem. You'd have it much easier if we encounter danger."
Tang Qi's tone gradually softened, completely different from his earlier confrontational manner.
"Listen, I don't want to die, and neither do you. Right?
No one wants to die in a sunless cave;
No one will bring flowers to mourn at your grave."
He appropriately hummed a tune, as if to ease the tense atmosphere—
The cave was very dangerous for two half-assed fighters like them. Anyone with any self-awareness would know what to do.
The latter stared intently at Tang Qi, silent for a long while.
Tang Qi simply set his light crossbow on the ground and raised both hands, expressing harmlessness.
The two were very close. If they fought, in this narrow tunnel, he'd have almost no chance of winning.
So whether he put down the crossbow or not made no difference.
And it was precisely this submissive attitude that made Jackal increasingly satisfied:
"Then you'd better pray there really are kobolds outside."
After speaking, he turned around directly, exposing his back so confidently.
Only then did Tang Qi pick up the light crossbow.
Jackal let him do so.
Somehow, he actually felt somewhat trusting of this poet.
After all, even he himself wasn't confident he could face a kobold siege alone, so the other party certainly couldn't either.
And Black Snake's reminder was correct—
Even if they were going to have an internal conflict, they should make sure they were in a safe environment first.
They did have conflicts with each other.
But they both cherished their own lives.
Compared to the terror of others, Jackal needed a complete helper right now.
But after this was over, no matter how the poet used his annoying tongue, he'd turn a deaf ear and crush his vocal cords—
Of course he wouldn't kill anyone. He rarely even killed people.
"Death only brings the fear of one's final moments; oppression brings lasting despair."
This was the survival code of Black Reef Harbor.
This harbor city, located at the westernmost edge of the Lord's Alliance near the Endless Sea, had always been a cradle for greed and criminals.
Jackal didn't miss it.
But whenever he saw his missing pinky finger, he realized he could never escape the brand it had left on him—
The 'rats' born in Black Reef Harbor found it hard to avoid attaching themselves to the gangs, large and small, in the city.
Running errands, gathering information—someone always had to do odd jobs for the big shots to make a living.
The moles planted by rivals also often came from this type of person.
Jackal wasn't that mole.
But the boss thought there was a mole among his subordinates.
He just happened to become the example to scare the others, pressed onto the long table with one chop taking his pinky.
"Boss, I'm really not a traitor!"
He still remembered his desperate protests.
"I've been working under you since I was six. Without your support, I would've died in Rat Alley long ago. How could I possibly betray you!?"
The boss nodded and had the physician reattach his severed pinky.
Then chopped it off again.
"Why!?" He cried out in confusion.
"Your voice is too loud."
He still remembered the boss's explanation.
"People who fear me wouldn't loudly protest their innocence.
They would only kneel at my feet, begging for my mercy."
A person who lived in constant fear could only gain precious security by being feared by others.
The boss was like this. Jackal was like this too.
But...
"Why am I thinking about all this?"
Jackal realized the flashing memories before his eyes were gradually fading.
A metallic sweetness spread from the tip of his tongue.
The blockage in his throat prevented him from making any sound.
Only then did the pain gradually strike, letting him finally glimpse the crossbow bolt jutting from his neck.
Blood from the arrowhead dripped onto the tunnel floor, mixing with mud and sand into a puddle.
He finally understood.
Everything he'd just seen and heard was actually his life flashing before his eyes.
The hatred in his heart flared up like dry wood catching fire, then immediately turned to ash as his life force drained away.
Only now did he realize he'd been affected by magic.
It made him feel trust toward this poet for that one moment!?
When!?
He suddenly remembered the two lines of song Tang Qi had hummed softly...
"Watch your ass, right?"
Tang Qi suppressed his nausea and shot another arrow at Jackal's rear, pinning him to the ground like a nail.
Amid Jackal's pained cry, he continued the melodious tune:
"No one wants to die in a sunless cave,
No one will bring flowers to mourn at your grave;
If you still harbor hope of survival,
Remember this elegy's mocking smile."
Understanding everything, Jackal no longer had the strength to shout about why Tang Qi was a spellcaster.
He could only make a weak, breathy sound in his unwillingness and confusion:
"Kill me... and you'll also... die... in the siege..."
His dilated pupils reflected Tang Qi's shadow.
Even at death's door, he couldn't figure out why this poet, more fragile than himself, dared to make the killing move.
"Unless I can be certain those kobolds won't come crawling out of the hole."
Tang Qi didn't mind explaining his motive.
But Jackal, collapsed in the corridor, had already gone silent.