Chapter 485: This fellow won’t die
Gu Qi Sha used his back as a shield while escaping with Han Yunxi in tow. But none of the archers gave chase, choosing to encircle Chu Xifeng and Gu Beiyue instead.
What’s going on now?
“Not good, it’s a trap! Esteemed wangfei’s in danger!” Chu Xifeng immediately realized the implications. These people were here to keep them in place, both to silence them as witnesses as well as prevent news of the revolting guards from spreading. There had be snares in place outside the Gu Estate just waiting to catch Gu Qi Sha!
This entire plot was…uncompromising! Ruthless!
Judging from the current situation, Chu Xifeng was quite certain that Duanmu Yao’s sudden reappearance couldn’t be a coincidence either. She was probably sent to intentionally lure Long Feiye away. It was very possible that Chu Tianyin had been the mastermind behind the entire thing, but Chu Xifeng didn’t understand how he managed to get Tianning’s imperial guards on his side as well.
The young commander rose to his feet and said coldly, “Guard Chu, you never expected a day like this, did you?”
“Do you really think killing the two of us will cover up your misdeeds? Are you taking His Highness Duke of Qin for an imbecile?” Chu Xifeng was equally chilly.
“My master…isn’t an idiot, either!” the young commander laughed as he backed away, intending to have his archers shoot. Gu Beiyue’s eyes iced over as he prepared to make a move, but—a sword suddenly came flying into the courtyard and stabbed through the young commander’s stomach!
“Impudent thing!”
Very soon, Mu Qingwu arrived on the scene and landed next to the young commander. He viciously pulled out his weapon and kicked at the corpse, before turning to say with a voice full of worry, “Imperial Physician Gu, Guard Chu, where’s esteemed wangfei?”
Mu Qingwu had been spending the past few days with the crown prince at the black market collecting evidence from the ruins. He had just come back to hear news of a commotion breaking out at the Gu Estate, and had led his troops over here. The whole way over, he found out the details of what had happened and came as quick as he could. But he ran into an ambush by a group of black-robed assassins hidden next to the gates. His guards weren’t for nothing though, so the assassins scattered as soon as they were exposed. The rest of the soldiers with them fled as well. While he sent orders for his men to chase them, he dashed into the courtyard himself, worried that esteemed wangfei might be in danger. But she was already gone when he arrived.
“Gu Qi Sha rescued esteemed wangfei and brought her away, they were heading towards the west. There’s definitely traps laid out there, hurry!” Chu Xifeng said anxiously.
Both Chu Xifeng and Gu Beiyue trusted that Mu Qingwu would never be a traitor, but the young commander who had turned against them was still a mystery. It wasn’t easy to bribe the imperial guards to do something so audacious! Of course, neither men could bother thinking over that now. Saving people was more important!
“The west? I just came back from that direction. All of the assassins were still hiding in ambush when I came through. I didn’t see Gu Qi Sha or esteemed wangfei!” Mu Qingwu cried out in panic.
Now Chu Xifeng and Gu Beiyue were alarmed as well.
“Did Gu Qi Sha fail to escape?” Chu Xifeng asked. If he didn’t make it out of the courtyard, then those assassins would have still been waiting in hiding.
“Maybe he changed directions!” Gu Beiyue suggested.
“Chu Xifeng, you wait here. I’ll go search around the area!” If Gu Qi Sha hadn’t fled, he’d naturally return to the courtyard once he knew it was safe to. But if he changed directions midway, then things would get complicated. Heaven only knows whether he’d fallen into a different trap somewhere else?
Soon after Mu Qingwu left, a few of the Duke of Qin’s wounded guards wandered in. Chu Xifeng had them keep watch while he hurried off, covered in stab wounds, to hunt for His Highness Duke of Qin. Meanwhile, Gu Beiyue excused himself to rest, but as soon as he was out of view he simply vanished from sight. Even Lil Thing couldn’t hope to catch him.
Meanwhile, Gu Qi Sha and Han Yunxi had long left the Gu Estate behind them and were currently fleeing for their lives. They appeared to have headed west, but they ran into a group of archers before they even left the estate. What’s more, they were armed with crossbows in both hands, making them at least twice as dangerous. Their leader was the same black-robed assassin who had fought Chu Xifeng in the courtyard!
In the end, Han Yunxi took an arrow that had buried itself deep into her shoulder, causing her to bleed non stop. The amount of arrows in Gu Qi Sha’s body was simply unimaginable. But Gu Qi Sha was still holding on tightly to Han Yunxi now, concealing himself in the shadows of the alleyways as he ran from their pursuers. He wasn’t an idiot and knew that he should head for populated areas. If anything, he’d rather run straight to the palace and attract enough attention to summon the capital’s troops.
But he hadn’t managed to do either before his enemies forced him into these narrow lanes. It was very possible that they were heading for a dead end. Meanwhile, the assassins chased them in hot pursuit, their arrows never ceasing. Gu Qi Sha held Han Yunxi with one arm as his other knocked aside random articles in the street to block the incoming arrows. He tried his best to make for the roofs, but was blocked by more arrows every time, forcing him to do nothing but run forward.
“Dammnit!” Gu Qi Sha cursed even as he secretly admired the archers for their skill. There were simply too formidable, their shooting skills nothing short of consummate. He’d been thoroughly suppressed, making it impossible for him to take control of the situation.
“Use poison!”
“Impossible!”
This wasn’t the first time that Han Yunxi had suggested the idea, but Gu Qi Sha didn’t do it. The archers were keeping their distance from them and kept switching places with each other. With the enemy concealed and themselves exposed, poisoning them would be a difficult challenge. Moreover, Gu Qi Sha didn’t have any hands to spare for the task! One of them was already holding Han Yunxi while the other had a sword to deflect the arrows. His concentration was wholly focused on keeping them alive, but Han Yunxi had still been shot once. He didn’t have confidence in using poisons and protecting Han Yunxi at the same time. After all, all of the assassins were aiming for her. Every single one of their arrows were shot with the intent to hit Han Yunxi.
Meanwhile, Han Yunxi herself had been rendered useless in this fight. She couldn’t even see where the archers were, much less aim at them accurately. She had released her share of poisons during their escape to attract all sorts of creatures—poison mosquito swarms, poison ants, poison spiders, etc. But none of that had any effect. This was the capital city! How could there be so many toxic beasts here? If they weren’t around, it wouldn’t matter no matter how much poison she used. She had already berated her so-called extraordinary poison skills over a thousand times in her head.
Even if she had skills like Jun Yixie’s master to summon the winds and poison the mists, it wouldn’t do them any good now. The climate here didn’t support fog in the first place!
Suddenly, Gu Qi Sha’s body trembled. Han Yunxi’s creased brows furrowed even further as she realized he’d been shot again. Ever since they left the Gu Estate, she’d noticed him trembling occasionally. This was already the fifth or sixth time, but she had no way to see his injuries while being covered by his cloak. Still, she could guess that his back had to be covered in arrows.
“Gu Qi Sha, just hand me over!” Han Yunxi said seriously.
Gu Qi Sha pretended that he heard nothing as he continued to flee. It had been less than two hours since they escaped the ambush at the Gu Estate, but it took massive amounts of stamina to dodge arrows and run at the same time. Furthermore, he had to carry Han Yunxi with him, thus increasing the difficulty. Though Gu Qi Sha made it seem easy, he had long resorted to existing on sheer willpower alone.
Han Yunxi had spoken loudly, but Gu Qi Sha didn’t react. She knew that he was only pretending, and cried, “Gu Qi Sha, hand me over to them! Did you hear me or not?”
Her tone was angry. Giving her up to the enemy was the only choice, or else he’d be shot dead with arrows!
Gu Qi Sha gave a cold snort. “Stupid woman, you want to seek death?”
“You’re the stupid one! Those black-robed assassins all have better martial arts than you. The only reason they haven’t gotten any closer to us now is because they fear our poisons. Once you hand me over, I can definitely lead them along. This is called ‘capturing the king to catch the thieves,’ get it?” Han Yunxi asked seriously.
Although she’d been protected all this time, Han Yunxi hadn’t been idle. She was thinking of ways to strike back against their foes.
“But what if?” Gu Qi Sha asked.
“What if what?” Han Yunxi didn’t understand.
“What if they just kill you outright?” Gu Qi Sha asked next.
“I think those people aren’t here to kill me, but to kidnap me,” Han Yunxi replied earnestly.
“You ‘think?’ You’re going to gamble with your own life?” Gu Qi Sha gave another cold snort.
Han Yunxi fell silent for a long time before she said seriously, “Yes! I’ll gamble with it this once!”
“This old fellow won’t let you!” Abruptly, Gu Qi Sha grew angry and held Han Yunxi even tighter against him as if afraid that she’d slip away the next second. Her face was pressed up against his chest, where she could hear his pounding heartbeats. She wanted to break free but couldn’t move an inch. The wind whistled past her ears, the sound of more arrows flying by their forms. Each and every one was capable of taking a life within a second, but she couldn’t help but admit that she felt safe in this embrace.
Once again, an indescribably warmth crept into her heart, but Han Yunxi quickly recovered her wits and demanded, “Gu Qi Sha, you’re the one seeking death! If this goes on, you’ll have no choice but to die!”
She had cost him half his Pill Fiend Valley and ruined his decades-long isolation, so shouldn’t he hate her to death? Why was he risking his all for her sake now? Why did he want to protect her even at the cost of his own life? Even if they’d agreed to cooperate, there was no need for him to prove his loyalty with his body! Han Yunxi hated Gu Qi Sha right now, because his actions made her remorseful and uneasy. She’d rather he always be that wicked and evil old man.
“This old fellow won’t die!” Gu Qi Sha declared sullenly.
Han Yunxi couldn’t figure out if he was boasting, joking, or just angry with that statement. But he…really couldn’t die. She could sense the stench of blood on his body growing stronger and thicker, enough to make her fear blood for the first time in her life.
“Gu Qi Sha, if you die, who’ll save me? If you die, I’ll die too!” Han Yunxi changed her tactics to persuade him.
Gu Qi Sha gave a start before he snarled back, “Han Yunxi, remember this. This old fellow won’t die! I can’t die!”
“I’m not in the mood to joke with you, I still want to live! Stop ruining us both by showing off!” Han Yunxi purposely turned her tone vicious.
Gu Qi Sha ignored her and kept evading all the arrows. Soon enough, they reached the end of the alley. What awaited them was….