Chapter 120: Leave One Alive

Chapter 120: Leaving a Survivor

Half an hour later.

Inside Wuxue Town.

A steamship from Jinling slowly docked at the pier of Wuxue Town, and from its most 'honorable' first-class cabin stepped a man and a woman.

The man carried a huge wooden crate on his back and gripped a single-shot rifle in his hand.

The woman bore a long blade on her back, a pistol of indeterminate model at her waist, and a bandolier of grenades slung across her shoulder.

The two disembarked one after another; after setting foot on the ground, the man drew a deep breath and said:

At last I can smell cooking smoke; these past days have truly suffocated me.

I never thought this thousand-kilometer waterway would be so arduous; I even complained the boat was too fast.

Now I've had enough of the rotten stench in the cabin.

Ji Xing, do you really feel nothing at all? Aren't you Holy-Blooded supposed to be more sensitive to smells?

Hearing his words, the woman named Ji Xing rolled her eyes and then said:

I'm not like you, Lord Bai Xu; I have no right to complain.

I am merely an ordinary guard; I do whatever my employer tells me.

Could I possibly jump ship just because the cabin smells foul?

.You might actually be able to do that.

The man named Bai Xu laughed heartily, teasing:

With the steamship's speed, you could easily run along the shore to keep up—perhaps even arrive here ahead of me.

After all, you're a Source-Blooded; even in the Holy Blood Hall you'd be outstanding, right?

I no longer belong to the Holy Blood Hall.

Ji Xing pursed her lips and said:

I suggest you don't talk too much to me; I have no fondness for you stallions from Huadu.

As I said, you're the employer, I'm the guard; that's all there is to our relationship.

Do you really expect me to follow you back to Huadu and bear your children just because of a few sweet words?

.I really do think that.

Bai Xu spoke solemnly:

Huadu isn't as depraved as you imagine; at least there are still plenty of normal folk like me there.

All talk of demon women, breeding vats, and dungeons is merely outside rumor.

We have our own rules; at least I myself could never do the things you despise.

Shut up already; I'm about to slap you—see if you can take it.

His words having fallen, Bai Xu indeed sensibly shut his mouth.

He furtively glanced at the woman beside him, secretly feeling regret.

Alas.

She was actually a fine woman.

Though her tongue was sharp, her disposition was quite good.

Cheerful, resilient, and optimistic.

Such qualities are exceedingly rare in this world, and she is moreover a Source-Blooded.

If one could get hold of her...

...it's a shame I have no chance to drug her.

Bai Xu sighed regretfully, then spoke:

Well, first finish your task—we need to find the merchants who arrived early here and hand over the goods.

Then we'll go with them to the new mission site, and you'll be responsible for the escort.

Once we arrive, your task will be considered complete.

After returning to Huadu, someone will pay you your reward.

.Really can't we settle accounts in Jinling? That disgusting place—I truly don't want to go back a second time.

You'd better watch your mouth.

Bai Xu spread his hands helplessly and said:

I could pretend you never said it, but if you utter that in front of Huadu's elite, even as a Source-Blooded you'd likely not make it out alive.

You think you're fast enough, but before the fire of the battle demon you couldn't run a hundred meters.

.Besides, they'd have to be able to aim at me.

Ji Xing remained indifferent; Bai Xu, not wanting to waste more words, skipped the topic and said:

Come on, I know where they're staying.

These lazy bastards should have come to the pier early to meet us—maybe they've indulged again.

I've said before we shouldn't let these lowly stallions transport the medicine; for all we know they'll have sucked it dry before delivery.

Next time I return to Huadu, I must earnestly advise the queen.

Your queen wouldn't bother with such things; she's probably just counting the days until the bloody period passes.

.You're being rather excessively vicious.

Bai Xu glared at Ji Xing dissatisfied; she chuckled and fell silent. The two walked one after another toward Wuxue Town, but as they went, Ji Xing's expression suddenly turned grave.

Her left hand rested on the pistol at her waist, her right hand slightly raised, ready to draw her blade at a moment's notice.

Bai Xu noticed her change, slightly puzzled, and asked:

What's going on?

Ji Xing frowned and countered:

You haven't smelled it? This isn't the cooking smoke you thought.

Something is burning—a corpse stench, mixed with the nauseating medicinal odor of those stallions.

His words having fallen, Bai Xu's expression instantly turned grave.

He gripped his single-shot rifle tightly, his tone serious, and asked:

Are you sure?

I am sure.

Ji Xing drew the pistol from her waist and concealed it beneath her cloak.

Meanwhile Bai Xu quickened his pace, hurrying toward the position he had previously received.

Moving forward, he asked:

“You mean our people are dead and have been burned?”

“That’s possible.”

Ji Xing scanned the surroundings, trying to spot any potential enemies, but it was clear that aside from the few low‑combat‑capacity town guards of Wuxue, there was no other threat here.

Could it be that the people of Wuxue killed the Huadu caravan members?

That seems… utterly unbelievable.

Wuxue is a town that lives by serving merchants; what reason could they have to do this, and why would they?

The same question lingered in Bai Xu's mind, and as the two turned the last bend of the alley, Bai Xu suddenly froze in place.

The house that had been set ablaze was still burning, and through the flames one could faintly see the corpses inside being scorched.

This is definitely the stallion that arrived here ahead of time.

They’re dead?!

Bai Xu stared in shock at the town guard busily stoking the fire nearby, while Ji Xing had already drawn the long sword from her back and stood before Bai Xu.

“What are you doing?!”

“These are our people, this is the house we rented!”

Bai Xu glared at the leader, Zhao He, who staggered, instantly sensing that something was terribly wrong.

It's over.

The real master has come to our door!

He shrank back a step, instinctively wanting to flee.

But in an instant he realized he could not possibly escape.

According to the Huaxia Army of Huangshi City, this house is connected to Huadu.

That being undeniable, those who have arrived now are also from Huadu!

They may not be stronger than the Huaxia Army, but they are certainly not someone we can provoke!

With that thought, Bai Xu forced himself to steady his nerves and then spoke:

“We are acting on the orders of the Huaxia Army to burn this house, along with the corpses inside.”

“If this infringes on your interests, you can go negotiate with the Huaxia Army—they're in Huangshi City.”

The Huaxia Army?

That unfamiliar name made Bai Xu pause for a moment, but upon hearing the three words 'Huangshi City,' he instantly understood.

It's them!

The very unit that just thwarted the combined assault of the Mechanical God Cult and the Sanguine Zealots!

What the hell?!

How could they be involved in our affairs?

Is this a silencing killing?

Impossible!

Bai Xu gave Ji Xing a look; she immediately stepped forward, adopting a threatening stance before Zhao He.

At close range, her movements were so fast they were almost a blur.

And with that single step, she revealed her identity to everyone.

Sanguine Zealot!

No one dared to act rashly; Bai Xu drew a deep breath and asked:

“Why are they here? Why did they burn our warehouse?”

Zhao He recalled what Chen Jian had said, pondered for a moment, and then related—half truth, half speculation—what Chen Jian's group had done after arriving here.

Tracking the monster, they found clues, located the Huadu merchants, and without hesitation struck.

He did not deliberately exaggerate the combat strength of Chen Jian's squad; instead, he intentionally concealed several key details, including the drones.

Even so, Bai Xu felt his scalp tingle, while Ji Xing beside him was stunned.

They moved that fast?!

Such an enemy will be hard to deal with.

She turned her head to look at Bai Xu, whose expression had turned completely cold.

Having confirmed that Chen Jian's team numbered only four, he unhesitatingly gave Ji Xing the order:

“I'll tell you the location!”

“Pursue them at any cost!”

“No matter what they intend to do, we must stop them!”

“Remember, leave a survivor!”

“I want to ask them myself why they have become our enemies!”

(End of chapter)