Cheng Zimo didn't understand.
His only question was – how could this green-clad girl, who had just been hit, still manage to smile.
The tense atmosphere from moments ago seemed to have vanished, and the scene suddenly became harmonious.
Damn it!
Did the green-clad girl have some special attribute, like... a masochistic one?
She Ying suddenly turned her head to look at the cave entrance. Rustling sounds emerged from the tunnel, as if something was crawling. Cheng Zimo instinctively turned his head. A small green snake slowly slithered past his feet. He shivered, nearly jumping up.
"Snake, snake..."
The Cook grabbed Cheng Zimo's shoulder and said disdainfully, "How can you be afraid of snakes at your age!"
What did being afraid of snakes have to do with age?
Just as he was about to retort, he spotted a familiar jade token on the tip of the snake's tail. Wasn't this the jade token hanging from Old Cheng's waist?
His eyes widened. Just as he was about to question it, he heard footsteps from the tunnel.
Cheng Zimo peered forward. When the figure passed through the darkness and into the light, revealing its silhouette, Cheng Zimo suddenly stood up and grabbed Cheng Chongyu, who was walking out of the tunnel: "Old Cheng, why are you..." He paused, then turned to look at Nan Shiying, who was sitting on a rock: "What exactly do you want to do?"
"Zimo!"
Cheng Chongyu looked Cheng Zimo up and down. Seeing that he was unharmed, the anxiety in his heart finally subsided. The green snake crawled to She Ying's feet. She Ying bent down and extended her hand. The green snake crawled onto her hand, coiled around her wrist, raised its tail high, and placed the jade token into She Ying's palm.
"General Cheng!"
Nan Shiying stood up, gazing at Cheng Chongyu from afar.
"Who are you, and why have you brought my son here?" Cheng Chongyu pulled Cheng Zimo behind him. His imposing demeanor clearly indicated he was a general who had fought on the battlefield and seen blood, possessing a fierce aura of a soldier.
"Why does the General ask when he already knows the answer?" Nan Shiying smiled, her smile as warm as spring. She Ying remembered this smile. It was the same smile she had shown after Nan Shiying had blocked her from entering the cave and made sarcastic remarks.
And then, she had severed the head of her symbiotic python.
"The Hengyuan Merchant Guild has already transported the sacrifices to Liaojiang, right? If something goes wrong this time, do you think they'll go mad?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Does the General not understand?"
Cheng Chongyu didn't answer, merely glaring at Nan Shiying with an unfriendly expression.
"General, seeing the altar in the cave, seeing the sacrifices hanging on iron hooks, why aren't you surprised? You already knew, didn't you!"
"What exactly do you want to say?"
"Alas!"
Nan Shiying sighed. "General Cheng, do you know that your son was lured out of the city? If I hadn't killed these people, your son would have run into the escorts from the Hengyuan Merchant Guild. Guess what? If that had happened, would your son still be alive?"
"Oh, of course, I'm not saying this to sow discord, but I feel it's a pity. After reading my letter, you still summoned them."
As Nan Shiying finished speaking, the Cook threw the lit wooden stick into the dark tunnel. The faint light cast around exposed the black-robed figures lurking in the tunnel, ready to ambush.
Cheng Chongyu's expression changed drastically. Instead of rushing towards the tunnel with Cheng Zimo, he retreated a few steps.
Cheng Chongyu's action caused Nan Shiying to narrow her eyes, and the smile on her lips became even brighter: "General Cheng, so it wasn't you. It seems the other party thought you were no longer useful."
With their presence revealed, the black-robed figures no longer concealed themselves. Failing in their ambush, they switched to a direct assault.
The Cook bent down, picked up a boning knife, and charged forward. The blade, nearly half a meter long, sliced through the air with a whistling sound. The sound waves stirred up a gust of wind, making Cheng Zimo squint. He heard the clang of weapons colliding.
The sound was accompanied by firelight. The Cook's slender figure wielded the large saber with broad, sweeping movements. The clanging sounds were incessant. She stood alone at the cave entrance, exuding an aura of being an insurmountable barrier.
Before Cheng Zimo could even exclaim, the Cook retreated rapidly like a falling meteor and crashed heavily onto the ground.
With the Cook's obstruction removed, the black-robed figures surged into the cave.
Shou Yi rolled up his sleeves and put on his Vajra Rings again. More than a dozen Vajra Rings hung on his wrists, emitting a heavy metallic sound as he moved.
Dozens of black-robed figures blocked the cave entrance, their weapons reflecting a chilling gleam in the firelight.
She Ying slowly stood up, tucking the jade token into her怀. As she stroked the green snake's forehead, she put her fingers to her mouth and blew a clear, piercing whistle.
The whistle echoed through the cave. In moments, rustling sounds came from every corner of the cave. Hundreds, thousands of snakes crawled out of the rock crevices – green snakes, patterned snakes, venomous, non-venomous. Snakes slithered past the girls' feet, eliciting sharp, terrified screams. Those who were already cowering in the corners were now even more frightened, their faces contorted in terror.
"Snakes?"
Someone among the black-robed figures exclaimed.
The voice of the one who exclaimed was hoarse and rough, as if seared by a branding iron. His voice became grave and hesitant: "What is your relationship with the Mother Goddess?"
She Ying remained silent for two seconds, then looked at Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying pressed her temples. If, by this logic, snakes, insects, rats, and ants were all considered gods, then were these people another branch of the Miao territory?
"Stop the nonsense and kill!"
Nan Shiying lowered her hand. Her relaxed brows carried a hint of indifference. When she gave the kill order, her voice was as calm and devoid of high-pitched emotion as usual.
She Ying controlled the snake swarm to surround the black-robed figures. The leading black-robed figure took out a powder from his怀 and sprinkled it at his feet.
The snake swarm hesitated, as if apprehensive.
The black-robed figures drew their weapons and swung them to strike the snakes.
She Ying blew her whistle again. The snake swarm writhed, their vertical pupils filling with a blood-red hue. The writhing snakes coiled together, forming a massive snake ball. The head of each venomous snake was exposed outside the ball. As they rolled, they raised their deadly fangs.
Nan Shiying felt that She Ying's ability was most suited for the battlefield. She was adept at reconnaissance and forest warfare.
If Changming Mountain were the battlefield, she alone could contend with ten thousand.
The Cook bared her teeth and stood up, wielding her long saber and charging forward again. Shou Yi, seeing that the poisonous snakes at his feet could distinguish friend from foe, charged in with the Cook.
Nan Shiying bent down and picked up a knife from the ground.
The knife was stained with the blood of the previous batch of black-robed figures; the blood had long since congealed and dried. Nan Shiying aimed at a black-robed figure who was swinging his saber and threw it with great force.
The knife pierced the air, whistling as it flew.