They had been searching for an entire afternoon and half the night, but had found nothing.
"Commander Kong, could it be that Little Sweet Treasure and the young master were washed into Gou Gou Lake?" asked Guard A.
Guard B also stopped, looking dejected. "Yes, we've searched along the trench, but we haven't seen a single person!~" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
"And that trench seems to be deliberately working against us, splitting into six or seven forks halfway. I don't even know which one to follow..."
They had been searching smoothly when the water ditch split into several branches.
Some forks led directly to Gou Gou Lake, some went towards the back of Camel Peak Mountain, and some turned into riverbanks, piled with dry branches and wet withered grass...
"You have to keep searching even if you can't find them, unless you two don't want to live anymore!~" Kong Xingzhuo narrowed his eyes, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
Could the young master have drowned?
Please, nothing must happen, or all of them would have to be buried with him...
"Commander Kong, let's rest for a bit. I still have some large fruits on me. Have some to fill your stomach, you'll need strength to find the young master!~"
As Guard A spoke, he took out an oil-paper package from his embrace, containing six or seven large fruits.
Kong Xingzhuo sighed deeply and punched a pine tree next to him. With a 'swish,' several pine nuts fell from the treetops...
These fruits were edible when ripe, and tasted even better when fried.
"I hope Sweet Baby can bless the young master to overcome this difficulty this time!~" Kong Xingzhuo murmured.
He picked up a large fruit and handed it to Guard B. "Have some too!"
The forest was pitch black, with occasional roars of wild beasts...
They were far from Dashui Village, so even if the constables came to search, they wouldn't meet them anytime soon.
At this moment, a rustling sound came from deep within the woods.
It sounded like something was slowly approaching, and the sound was somewhat chilling.
"Swish!~" Kong Xingzhuo drew his sword, slowly chewing the large fruit, his gaze fixed ahead.
"Commander... Commander Kong, is it a wolf?" The two guards drew their sabers, warily scanning their surroundings.
It was said that Camel Peak Mountain was home to all sorts of wild beasts, including snakes, tigers, wolves, bears, weasels, lynx, and so on.
These were all carnivorous animals.
If they appeared in packs, even Kong Xingzhuo would have difficulty resisting them...
"I'm not sure. You two be careful and don't get distracted!~" If a wolf bit your neck, you'd be dead in an instant.
The two guards nodded, instinctively tightening their grip on their saber hilts.
Suddenly, a faint cry was heard, like that of a domestic dog, or perhaps a wild cat.
If it were a large wild beast, it certainly wouldn't make such a sound...
A moment later, a fluffy little black bear darted out from the grass.
It was plump and round, with a pair of curious, wide eyes, observing the three of them as if it had never seen humans before.
Guard B breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled, "Hah, what was I worried about? It's just a little bear. What threat could this thing possibly pose..."
Guard A took out the large fruits again. "Come on, let's keep eating. If we're not full, we can kill this little bear and roast it, haha!~"
The innocent little black bear: "......"
Are humans this cruel?
So scary, Mama, come quickly!~
Kong Xingzhuo did not let his guard down. He glanced around. "No, bear cubs are usually not alone. You two stop eating and let's leave here quickly!~"
Guard B blinked. "Commander Kong, do you mean a mother bear is also following us?"
He remembered the hunters in the village saying that bears were very protective of their cubs...
If anyone dared to kill or abduct its cub, the mother bear would chase them all the way to the village.
Kong Xingzhuo grunted. "If the mother bear is enraged and charges at us, the three of us together won't be able to handle it!~"
The three of them had killed enemies on the battlefield, fought in brawls, and completed very difficult missions.
But they had never killed a bear...
These creatures were too ferocious, and their bodies were full of strength. Even stabbing them with a knife might not kill them.
"Commander... Commander Kong, this is a bear cub! Wouldn't it be glorious to take it back and raise it as a pet for the young master?~" Guard B said.
Kong Xingzhuo glared at him. "Are you tired of living? Hurry up and go!"
Why so much nonsense...
Just as the three of them turned around, intending to leave the woods, a roar came from behind them.
A black mother bear suddenly lunged out from the grass.
It shook its massive head, saliva dripping from its mouth, its eyes glowing with a deep crimson hue.
As it ran, the ground seemed to tremble slightly...
"Oh my god, it's so huge, has it become a spirit?" Guard A stood frozen on the spot, completely stunned.
"Don't just stand there, get out of the way!~" Kong Xingzhuo kicked Guard A to the ground.
The mother bear leaped over his head and snapped a pine tree behind him with a 'crack.'
Such impact! If it hit a person, they would be lucky to avoid a broken bone...
"Get up quickly, climb the tree!~" Kong Xingzhuo shouted.
Guard B pouted, looking desperate. "What's the use of climbing a tree? Black bears can climb trees too! I'm afraid it'll rip my backside in half!~"
Kong Xingzhuo: "......"
Your backside is already in two halves, you know!
He had never seen a three-parted backside in his life.
So, the three of them used their qinggong and scrambled up the trees.
The pine trees here were generally not tall, and the branches were thin.
Coincidentally, all three landed on the same tree. Before they could steady themselves, they heard a crisp 'snap.'
The tree broke...
"Ahhh! Commander Kong, save me!~" The two guards wailed, falling headfirst.
Kong Xingzhuo reached out and grabbed Guard B, throwing him to another tree, and then leaped over himself.
Guard A was not so lucky. He landed with a 'thump' on the back of the mother bear, nearly scared to death...
"Ahhh! I'm riding a bear, save me!" Guard A cried out.
Kong Xingzhuo: "......"
Why did these two fellows seem so dim-witted?
Were they really the elite guards sent by the Emperor?
The mother bear roared and tried to claw Guard B down with its paws, but it couldn't reach.
So, it rolled on the ground.
Guard A, who was pinned by it, widened his eyes, feeling utterly terrible...