For some reason, under Zhan’s calm and penetrating gaze, Huo Xiao Di felt a twinge of guilt.
–– Could he already have guessed who my patron is?
“If that’s the case, Brother Huo, you should make haste on your journey. Meeting you today has been my good fortune. If we meet again in the future, I hope it won’t be under another bed.”
Huo Xiao Di looked at him in surprise. “You—you don’t want to travel with me?”
He watched as Zhan Ri Fei slowly, yet firmly, shook his head. For a moment, he couldn’t believe it was true.
“Why?”
–– He had grown up in Ling Long Manor, never once having been refused. Always, others sought his favor, and never had he been turned down.
–– He felt he owed Zhan Ri Fei a debt of gratitude, and his well-intentioned offer of companionship and assistance was unexpectedly declined, as though unappreciated.
–– His understanding of the ways of the martial world was still too shallow.
Zhan Ri Fei spoke slowly, “If we split up, our chances of breaking through are better.”
“But didn’t you say my martial skills are good? If we travel together, we can support each other. The two of us together will surely have an easier time dealing with Little Shao.”
Zhan Ri Fei remained silent and shook his head again.
–– “It’s not just Commander Shao; there will be others. Brother Huo, it’s better if we act separately.”
–– “Your lightfoot skills are extraordinary. You’ll surely escape with ease, but do take care along the way.”
Huo Xiao Di’s face showed clear disappointment.
Everything Zhan Ri Fei said made sense and was genuinely for his benefit. Refusing to travel together wasn’t a grave matter—if it had been someone else, Huo Xiao Di would likely have laughed it off.
He wasn’t a petty or overly sensitive person by nature.
But tonight felt different.
After losing San’er, he had been frightened, angry, heartbroken, and distrustful. Yet now, for the first time, he felt a sense of loss he couldn’t quite explain. It was as though a sudden surge of emotion had risen to his head.
His face flushed bright red.
“Of course, there are others. Do you think I only offended Little Shao? You know the trouble I’ve caused this time isn’t small. Are you afraid I’ll drag you down with me?”
“All that talk about my martial skills being good—you were lying to me, weren’t you? You look down on us people from Ling Long Manor, don’t you?”
Zhan Ri Fei remained silent.
To Huo Xiao Di, silence sometimes felt like agreement.
He stomped his foot stubbornly.
“Fine! Who needs to beg anyone? Do you think I can’t get to Dong Jing without you? The favor I owe you—I’ll repay it someday, just you wait!”
With that, he cupped his hands in farewell and dashed out into the rainy night.
Zhan Ri Fei watched his disappointed figure disappear into the storm. His pale face, illuminated faintly by the night, looked even more haggard. He coughed softly, and an apologetic expression crossed his face.
After a long silence, a low voice emerged from the darkness.
“I’m truly sorry.”
“But I really can’t drag you down with me.”
Of course, by then, Huo Xiao Di could no longer hear Zhan Ri Fei’s words.
* * *
At the break of dawn, the torrential rain finally ceased, though the wind still howled fiercely.
Old Meng, the constable of Qing Shui County, couldn’t help but feel that he’d been cursed by some unlucky star recently. Even drinking cold water seemed to leave a bad taste. Perhaps it really was time to visit Blind Cui in the southern part of the city to get his fortune read.
First, the Xiang Yang Prince’s Mansion had been raising a ruckus for days about apprehending an imperial fugitive, yet they refused to disclose the person’s name, identity, or crime. This had stirred up not only the Prince’s elite guards but also the renowned Jianghu figures from the Jin Shi Hall, who had mysteriously joined the search. Then, instead of issuing the usual public arrest warrants, the authorities relied solely on a portrait, using it to conduct a covert manhunt in a most unorthodox manner.
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