Chapter 587 - 590: General
The mountain forest was dense with vegetation, completely untrodden. There wasn’t even a proper path. To make matters worse, the night was pitch-black, and they couldn’t see a thing.
Unable to get their bearings, they could only press forward on instinct.
Hua Manman’s hands were still bound behind her back.
Mr. Du dragged her by the arm, causing her to stumble with every step.
Pretending it was an accident, she cried out and fell to the ground.
Mr. Du hauled her up from the ground.
The gentle, scholarly demeanor he usually affected was completely gone. His face was grim as he threatened her.
"If you try any more tricks, don’t blame me for what I do to Li Xun!"
Just then, Li Xun was slung over Ban Ren’s shoulder.
Li Xun had been drugged. He was miserable; his limbs were sore and weak, and his mind was groggy.
Even if they put him down, he wouldn’t be able to walk, much less run away.
Worried for the boy’s safety, Hua Manman could only nod reluctantly.
"Okay."
The group continued to run.
They didn’t know how long they ran.
The sound of hoofbeats behind them had faded.
When they looked back, the light of the torches was gone.
Mr. Du sighed in relief. It seemed their pursuers hadn’t caught up.
He had sent the main party ahead with the carriage. The pursuers must have thought Hua Manman and Li Xun were inside, so they’d gone after them.
That meant the four of them were safe, for now.
But in the next instant, dozens of men in black descended as if from the heavens, surrounding them completely.
The relief Mr. Du had just felt vanished, and his heart leaped back into his throat.
He watched them warily.
"Who are you?"
The men in black didn’t answer. They simply attacked.
Mr. Du and Ban Ren were both skilled in martial arts. Ban Ren, in particular, rarely met his match, relying on his innate Divine Power.
But these dozen or so men in black were no less skilled, and their coordination was impeccable. They relentlessly forced Mr. Du and Ban Ren into a steady retreat.
Seeing that the tide had turned, Mr. Du tried to flee.
But one of the men in black gave him no such chance. He caught up and struck him with a single palm, knocking him out cold.
Unable to hold his ground alone, Ban Ren was quickly subdued and bound securely.
Seeing this, Hua Manman was secretly overjoyed.
She quickly asked.
"Were you sent by the Regent King to save us?"
The men in black remained silent.
In silence, they hoisted up Hua Manman and Li Xun, taking them away along with the unconscious Mr. Du and the bound Ban Ren.
Their Qinggong was superb, and they moved with incredible speed.
The man’s shoulder dug painfully into Hua Manman’s stomach as he carried her.
By now, the joy she had felt had all but vanished.
She had assumed they were rescuers sent by the Regent King, but now it seemed she had been far too optimistic.
’These men in black don’t seem to be working for the Regent King.’
’Who on earth are they?’
All Hua Manman could do now was pray that they were friend, not foe.
They ran for an unknown amount of time.
Just as the sky began to lighten at dawn, a ruined temple appeared ahead.
Only then did they slow their pace.
The area around the temple was guarded. The guards wore commoners’ clothes and looked like ordinary hunters, but their ramrod-straight postures revealed them to be veterans of the battlefield.
The two groups met and exchanged brief greetings.
Then, Hua Manman and the other three captives were brought into the temple.
A fire blazed inside the temple, but no one was beside it.
The men in black set Hua Manman and Li Xun down on the ground.
An unbearable nausea churned in Hua Manman’s stomach. She turned away and began to vomit onto the floor.
Li Liao, who had just returned from practicing his forms outside, saw this and stopped in his tracks. He frowned and called out a name.
"Ai Yi."
A dark-skinned young man ran over. "What are your orders, General?"
Li Liao gestured toward Hua Manman. "Clean that up."
The young man named Ai Yi quickly pulled Hua Manman aside, found some tools, and cleaned the mess off the floor.
Only then did Li Liao stride inside.
He had sharp, sword-like eyebrows and eyes as bright as stars, giving him a heroic, extraordinary air.
For ease of practice, he wore only a thin, off-white inner shirt on his upper body. The sleeves were rolled up, revealing sinewy forearms, and his palms were covered with a thick layer of calluses.
It was obvious at a glance that he was a man who had practiced martial arts for years.
He was tall and powerfully built; he clearly wasn’t a lightweight.
Yet, he moved without a sound.
Even though Hua Manman was close by, she heard nothing.
’His Qinggong is absolutely incredible.’
Li Liao went to Li Xun’s side first. He bent down, lifted the boy, placed him on a nearby pile of dry hay, and then pulled a piece of clothing over him.
Though the series of movements wasn’t exactly gentle, it revealed something important to Hua Manman—
This man meant Li Xun no harm!
Li Liao patted the boy’s head with his callused hand. Then, he turned to look at Hua Manman, who was still on the ground, and asked slowly.
"You’re the Princely Heir of the Yu Royal Mansion?"
Hua Manman denied it without hesitation. "I’m not."
Nearby, Mr. Du immediately lifted his head. "She is the Princely Heir of the Yu Royal Mansion!"
He, too, had noticed the man’s kindness toward Li Xun.
Worried that this man would help Hua Manman against him, he decided to tie her to the Yu Royal Mansion.
By doing so, he might just find a chance to survive.
Li Xun’s mind was still groggy, but he didn’t forget to call out for his mother.
Li Liao asked him.
"Who’s your mother?"
Li Xun instinctively glanced in Hua Manman’s direction and called out weakly.
"Mama."
Hua Manman’s heart ached. She quickly said, "Gou Dan must have been drugged by these bastards. Could I trouble you to get a doctor to look at him? Children are fragile. A drug that’s harmless to an adult could cause serious damage to a child."
It proved she hadn’t been wrong; the man before her truly meant Li Xun well.
Li Liao, also worried the boy might be harmed, ordered Ai Yi.
"Go get Old Ma."
A bearded, middle-aged man was brought over shortly after.
He examined Li Xun and said, "The young prince was fed Soft Bone Powder. This drug can be very damaging to a child’s bones, but fortunately, the dose wasn’t large. Once the effects wear off, we can give him some medicine to strengthen his bones and help him recuperate. He should make a full recovery after some time."
Li Liao stroked Li Xun’s head and asked.
"Who drugged you?"
Unable to lift his hand, Li Xun could only look toward Ban Ren.
In the next moment, Ban Ren was dragged outside and beaten soundly.
Mr. Du had only to turn his head to see Ban Ren being beaten, and his face grew even paler.
Hua Manman felt Ban Ren got what he deserved and couldn’t be bothered to watch.
She turned back to the tall man and asked cautiously.
"May I ask who you are?"
Li Liao replied coolly, "You can just call me ’General,’ like the others."
Hua Manman’s eyes lit up. "You’re with the court? Can you send us back to the Regent Prince Mansion? The Regent King will surely reward you handsomely!"
But to her surprise, Li Liao refused her request.
"I am no longer part of the court, and for the time being, I cannot send you back."