Chapter 94: Reactions
The woman with the arrow ran from the bushes onto the open ground, then halted as she realised the black particles around her began to fade and disappear.
She realised the scheme, but it was too late. She turned around and rushed back to the bushes and began searching for others, and only saw bodies. They did not die from having their vitality drained.
But there were really traces of a battle that had broken out, wounds from swords and arrows. Not only did she find the people that she brought, but also a few bodies in red clothes.
She continued searching. At several places, she found her people dead and one or two dead bodies in red clothes.
"Ha..ha..ha..ha.."
"Gone, gone, all of them gone."
She started laughing out loud and then crouched on the ground, looked up at the sky, and said, "Well Played, Chu Feng."
"Well played."
Meanwhile, at Trade Miller City, no one noticed, but Hua Fain, holding Chu Feng and Hai Mazi, flew out of the giant blue fire cloud and landed on the rooftop of a building about five hundred metres away.
Chu Feng looked at Hua Fain and said, "The people seeking the green liquid might have returned to the city. You go and check."
"Understood, then I am going," Hua Fain said.
"Brother, wait." Hai Mazi came forward and gave a hug to Hua Fain.
Then Hua Fain looked in her eyes and said, "I will be back." He jumped down to the street and started walking.
Some people were still running even a few moments after the blue flame cloud disappeared. Hua Fain did not stop; he walked to the slums.
Moments ago, in the slums.
Earthquake!
Duck!
Duck!
Some children fell on the ground, while the adults ducked.
"Teacher Bai, something is happening there," one girl pointed to the blue flame cloud rising to the sky.
In the slums, Teacher Bai was sitting on a chair and was teaching the kids. He looked up at the blue flame in the sky and smiled. "Children, nothing to worry about. We will be having a visitor today."
"Is it someone special?" the girl asked.
"Yes, very special," Teacher Bai said and then looked towards the blue flames.
After the blue flame faded.
"This letter should be written like this," Teacher Bai continued the lessons.
The footsteps sound made Teacher Bai look up.
For a moment, nothing changed, then Teacher Bai smiled, "Brother Hua."
Hua Fain nodded and said, "Bai, get me the locations of people who smell like me and are not wearing red clothes."
"Yes, Brother. No worries," Teacher Bai said.
Teacher Bai turned towards the people of the slums who were looking at Hua Fain and said, "Did you all hear that?"
"Yes," the kids, the adults, and the old people replied.
"Spread out, find the people who smell like Brother Hua but are not wearing the red clothes. Don't get noticed or caught, and get back here silently," Teacher Bai said.
"Yes."
The people nodded.
"But we don't know how he smells," one of the kids asked.
"Yes, we don't know," the others said.
Hua Fain came forward and lifted the kid who asked into his arms and said, "What's your name?"
"Muja," the kid said.
"Okay, Muja."
"Smell me," Hua Fain said.
Muja sniffed his nose near Hua Fain's neck.
"Cough!"
Then he coughed immediately and said, "You reek of weird chili."
"Not chili, but spices," Hua Fain corrected. "Now you have got the smell, right?"
"Yes," the kid nodded, then Hua Fain put the kid down.
"But we didn't."
One kid looked up from below, and the others looked over too.
"No worries, you can all come over. I will lift you in my arms," Hua Fain said.
As soon as Hua Fain said that, the young men looked at him weirdly.
Some young women looked over and smiled. Some blushed and looked somewhere else.
The old woman glared at him with eyes that looked to pierce him to shreds.
"My bad. No, I will just stand here. You all come and sniff," Hua Fain said.
The young women seemed to be disappointed.
The old people sighed with relief.
Then one by one, people came around him, sniffed the smell, and left.
After sniffing the smell, the people of the slums began to leave one by one for the mission.
"Brother Hua, it has been a while. When did you come back?" Teacher Bai asked as soon as the people of the slum left.
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"At night, some days ago," Hua Fain said.
"So, Brother Hua, the explosion before, did you just blow up some buildings?" Teacher Bai asked.
"Quite a few, along with our mansion," Hua Fain said.
"Mm.. how is Sir Chu Feng, though?" Teacher Bai took a deep breath and asked.
"He is fine and well. Get me some Jowar wine. I might have some until they return," Hua Fain said.
"No problem, Brother Hua," Teacher Bai said.
At some miles away towards southwest.
Two wagons were abandoned together, the spices from the wagon already scattered around.
In front of the wagons, one of the women who accompanied Elder Han sat staring at them.
"Sister Nua, we did not expect Chu Feng to play us like this."
A man wearing white robes and black bottoms spoke while holding two books.
"He hid two books in these two wagons instead of green liquid."
"And these damn books."
"How can he play us like this?" the man cursed while throwing the two books.
They fell in front of Nua. The titles of the books were:
How to Be a Good Person.
How to Fool Greedy People.
And a paper came out of the book How to Fool Greedy People.
Nua noticed it. She took the paper out.
Dear Seekers,
All my wagons are just a trap for fools. The real stock of the green liquid is with me, and moreover, it was me who sent my name associating with the green liquid everywhere to lure you to me.
First, let me explain. The green liquid is less of a super elixir that increases the quality of spiritual lines and more of a poison.
Also, don't trust others easily.
So don't chase it. Don't be a fool.
Don't come back to Trade Miller City.
Wishing you good luck.
Regards,
Your Friendly Merchant,
Chu Feng.
Right then, the sound of horse hooves sounded not too far away. Nua looked up to find Bua Ling arriving on his horse with his followers.
"You have got two wagons," he said as his eyes drifted towards the two wagons.
"Nua, how many bottles did you find?" Bua Ling asked.
"None, only this." Nua gave the letter to Bua Ling while the white-robed man stood aside and stayed silent.
"Crap! So what if it's a poison?" Bua Ling said as he tore the paper.
"How dare a mere merchant lecture us? Mutai is not around. I am going to show him his place and take the green liquid. Come with me," Bua Ling said.
"No, I don't want to. He already played with us, and what if he doesn't have any liquid?" Nua replied.
"Coward! The liquid no longer matters. Don't you want to take revenge on him for playing around with us?" Bua Ling shouted.
"Revenge? I don't care! I am not that petty," Nua said.
"What do you mean? I am petty?" Bua Ling's hand shot out and closed around Nua's throat.
The white-robed man stepped forward. "Brother Bua—"
"Stay out of this!" Bua Ling stared at the white-robed man, making him to halt.
Nua did not struggle, She stared at Bua Ling in his eyes eyes, her expression cold. Unafraid.
After a long moment, Bua Ling released her with a shove. "Watch your words," he warned. "I am going."
Then Bua Ling left with his followers.
"How dare he treat you this way?" the white-robed man said after Bua Ling left.
Nua glanced in the direction Bua Ling had gone.
"Leave him."
"But Sister Nua, he grabbed you by the neck."
"I know."
"You are just going to let him go?"
Nua picked up the book titled How to Be a Good Person and dusted it off.
"Let him go," she repeated. "If he wants to chase Chu Feng, that's his choice."
The man looked at her in confusion.
"Aren't you worried about him? He is your uncle."
Nua glanced at the book in her hand.
"No, it would be just better if he just dies. The Spring Autumn Sect will have one less fool."
"Let's go," Nua said as she walked towards her horse and climbed on.
The man in white robes climbed his horse and asked, "Where are we going?"
"To find my sister Nira," Nua said as her horse began to speed up.
Somewhere in the bushes, Elder Han, wearing the pink robes, and Guazen met with the woman carrying the arrow and asked, "Zuzu, did you find any wagons?"
"We did. It was full of defective black iron collars with Dark Letters embedded in them, and it was a trap. I have lost all my men," Zuzu said while looking at Elder Han, who hovered in the air.
"Another wagon with no liquid?" Elder Han pondered.
"Elder Han, this Chu Feng seems to be dangerous," Guazen, who was standing by the side, said.
"The survivors we met before said that there was battle between Nira of the Spring Autumn Sect and my people from the Iron Hood Sect resulted in one of the wagons being destroyed, causing the green liquid to spill."
"Some of those who got in contact with it went berserk," Guazen added.
"Guazen, you are not wrong. I feel something off about Chu Feng as well. We are not entirely sure if the green liquid really helps to increase spiritual line quality. Let's not go back to Trade Miller City for now," Elder Han said.
"Elder Han, let's continue our way to this wagon where it got destroyed," Guazen said.
"Sure," Elder Han said and looked at Zuzu and asked, "Zuzu, would you like to join us?"
"Yes," Zuzu replied. Then the trio—Elder Han, Zuzu, and Guazen—set off. Elder Han extended his hand, Zuzu held the Elder's hand, and the Elder and Guazen flew away.
In Trade Miller City,
The after effects of the blue flames still lingered, but people no longer ran. They circled around the big dark crater that stood where the mansion of Chu Feng used to be.
"It looks so bad. I ran away first, thinking the world was ending."
"Did Sir Chu Feng provoke someone big?"
"I don't think so."
"Maybe he did."
The chatter spread among the crowd, but right then—
"Move."
"Move."
The city guards arrived and made a way for the city Lord Shua.
Shua walked towards the dark crater and looked around. Then he arrived near one of the guards and asked, "Any survivors?"
"None confirmed yet," the guard replied.
"City Lord, is Sir Chu Feng okay?" One among the random people pushed forward and shouted. The others pushed him and looked at the City Lord as well.
The City Lord was about to open his mouth, but before he could say anything—
"I am fine," a voice sounded from behind them. Everyone turned around.
Chu Feng stood there, untouched. He had no injuries, nor even dirt. He carried an apple in his hand, which he bit into with casual indifference.
"You..." Shua took a few steps back.
"How are you fine?" Shua asked, his hands shaking a little.
"Why won't I be fine? Did you see a ghost or something?" Chu Feng stepped closer to Shua, reached to his ear, whispered, "How longer can you hide it?" and then took steps back while spreading his arms.
"Or perhaps, is it you who orchestrated everything, as this is the second time that Shin Troops attacked me in Trade Miller City?"
Chu Feng shouted.
"Chu Feng! Watch your mouth! You are accusing me of treason, and they might not even be Shin Troops. We have yet to investigate," City Lord Shua's face reddened.
"But you want me to believe that somehow the City Lord does not know the existence of Shin Troops under their nose twice? How is it possible?"
Chu Feng took another bite of the apple while his eyes glared at Shua.
With a gesture from Shua, the guards reacted immediately, and all of them surrounded Chu Feng and pointed swords at him.
Chu Feng took another bite of the apple and said, "Did I poke the truth or something? That's a fierce reaction."
"Chu Feng, you are under arrest for falsely accusing me of treason," Shua said.
Chu Feng looked at the guards closing in around him. He did not resist. He simply took another bite of his apple, the crunch impossibly loud in the silence.
Then his hands were cuffed by Iron Cuffs.
"City Lord Shua," he said, his voice calm, almost bored. "I hope you think of the consequences of arresting me. Remember my influence. Also, you should be investigating now instead of arresting me."
The words hit Shua like a physical blow. His jaw tightened. His fists clenched at his sides. The crowd watched, waiting.
"Let's go. Let's hurry to the prison," Chu Feng said to the guards and took steps forward.
"Release him," Shua said through gritted teeth.
The guards hesitated, confused. One of them opened his mouth to protest.
"I said release him!"
The cuffs came off. Shua turned away, unable to meet Chu Feng's eyes. Unable to meet the eyes of the crowd.
"Guard! Spread out throughout the whole city. Investigate every detail regarding the black-clothed men," Shua ordered.
"Is it fine now?" Then he looked back at Chu Feng.
"Nope, just do your job better," Chu Feng commented.
"Chu Feng!" Shua glared at him.
Then back to his guards, "What are you doing? Let's move out."
Shua and the city guards began to leave the place. He arrived near Chu Feng and muttered, "Hope I won't see you next time."
"Well, you should be careful of blue clouds," Chu Feng replied.
"How dare you thre—" Shua swallowed his words and left the place.
At the end of the streets of Trade Miller City,
"Listen to me, Teacher Bai said we should not get noticed," Muja was leading a team of five kids.