"Rest assured, everything is arranged," Old Chentou said, hands clasped behind his back as he watched the receding figure of Qing Muye. "He will never walk out of here alive."
If they wanted Meng Jingwei to stay in the Hidden Clan, Qing Muye was the biggest obstacle. Removing this stumbling block would easily secure Meng Jingwei.
"Qing Muye is intelligent and shrewd, with extremely high vigilance. It might not be easy to implement," He Xiaolanya worried.
"I am aware of that." Old Chentou knew Qing Muye's capabilities well. To completely eliminate him, he had made several contingency plans, determined to make him stay here forever.
He Xiaolanya, knowing Old Chentou to be steady and not one for boasting, believed him implicitly.
After reaching the mountain, they each went to their respective tents. The grand ceremony was scheduled to officially begin at eleven o'clock.
Meng Jingwei and Qing Muye sat in their tent for a while. Qing Muye gave her a nod, and they walked out.
They strolled through the mountains, surrounded by people from the Hidden Clan. Qing Muye walked beside Meng Jingwei, his brow furrowed. "Are you afraid?"
"Afraid! Of course, I'm afraid." Meng Jingwei listened to the call of the cuckoo and felt the gentle breeze, sighing, "It's a matter of life and death. How could I not be afraid?"
She had too many attachments. She was concerned about her career in Lancheng, her parents back home, her two children, and most of all, the deeply loving Qing Muye.
"I'm here, and I will protect you with all my might," Qing Muye reassured Meng Jingwei.
The two dared not speak in the tent, fearing it might be bugged. They had been guarding against Old Chentou and his people.
"Protect me? You can barely protect yourself, how can you protect me?" Meng Jingwei turned her head and met Qing Muye's gaze, a teasing smile playing on her lips. He had offended Anthony, and Anthony would surely not let him off the hook.
As they spoke, Qing Muye paused and tilted his head slightly, gesturing for Meng Jingwei to look into the distance. "Over there are the two mountains, Manopas and Isazte. If we can leave, that's good. If we can't, perhaps that's where we'll be buried."
Manopas and Isazte were the places they were to hunt. But from their current vantage point, the mountains were still very, very far away, and they looked enormous.
Meng Jingwei's delicate face was clouded with worry. "This is just the first hurdle of the trial. If we can't even get past this, things will only become more difficult later."
"No." Qing Muye did not agree. "This is the most dangerous place. If we can leave smoothly, we'll have succeeded ninety-nine percent." All the danger was here. Of course, there were still countless unknowns.
"Old Chentou said there are many fierce beasts and venomous snakes on the mountain," Meng Jingwei sighed softly, then asked, "Do you remember what I told you?" She had said that if one day only one of them could survive, he had to leave without hesitation because two children in Lancheng were waiting for them.
Meng Jingwei had only hinted at it, but Qing Muye replied, "How do you know the two children are in Lancheng? Only if we leave together safely will you know whether our children are in Lancheng or the Hidden Clan." Qing Muye, like a mind reader, understood Meng Jingwei's thoughts and feelings. Such a profound telepathy!
"You're right." Meng Jingwei appeared calm, but her heart was turbulent. They fell silent.
Dong, dong, dong!
Just then, the sound of a drum echoed from not far away. The hunting ceremony was about to begin. The two turned and walked back towards their tent. Outside the tent, Old Chentou, He Xiaolanya, and others were waiting for them.