Chapter 144
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Sweet Lips, Poisonous Heart [Honey Hiding a Ruthless Heart] (4)
"We're almost there."
A voice filled with relief whispered into Zhuge Soso's ear.
"Even after we get out of this forest, we still have to watch out for the poisonous mists and venomous insects, but that's something you'll handle on your own... The real problems are Sword Sage and Dao Sage... Whatever happens, happens."
Twitch!
Zhuge Soso shrugged her shoulders.
'This man...'
She truly sensed the danger of assault. A fierce lust emanated from Four Thousand Four. The grip around her waist even felt like a slithering snake, sending chills down her spine.
What Four Thousand Four had said about rape was the truth.
It had to be. How could those sensations be mere theatrics for an escape?
"Run with everything you've got. We don't have a second to spare. If the path closes this time, there's no way through."
"Wait..."
She tried to say something. But before she could, a powerful shove sent her back flying.
Thud!
The force propelled her stumbling about a zhang forward.
"Hah!"
From behind, Four Thousand Four's fierce shout rang out.
Whoosh!
True to his words, she didn't hesitate a moment and unleashed her lightness skill.
It was strange. From the moment his sword pierced her, her internal energy had vanished completely, leaving her body unresponsive. Dizziness surged, making even a single step a struggle.
Yet now, her lost internal energy restored in an instant.
She didn't know when or how, but pure energy filled her legs.
Screeech!
She dashed forward at an unimaginable speed.
Swoosh! Screeech! Screeech!
Fierce winds trailed in her wake.
Zhuge Soso was familiar with this sound. It was the noise made by Zhuge family warriors unleashing their techniques. She'd heard it so often it almost formed a melody.
Her brother Zhuge Ming wasn't attacking Four Thousand Four—he was pursuing her from behind.
How was this possible? Had he and Four Thousand Four made some prior agreement? When? Could they have arranged it without her knowing?
Screeech!
She burst out of the forest. And immediately turned back.
Bam!
Dao Sage and Four Thousand Four brushed past each other.
In that instant, Four Thousand Four twitched, his form staggering wildly.
Whoosh! Bam!
Sword Sage grazed past Four Thousand Four.
Four Thousand Four's body jerked again.
Mercy Killer pushed back the Poisoner. The Poisoner scattered toxic powder, forcing Mercy Killer to withdraw midway without fully committing, but he actively kept the Poisoner from joining the fray.
Everyone broke through the encirclement in perfect coordination.
"Let's go!"
Zhuge Ming raced up beside her and grabbed her shoulder.
"What happened?"
"Explanations later!"
Without another word, Zhuge Ming seized her arm and shot forward.
In the midst of it, Zhuge Soso caught sight of the Zhuge family warriors scattering in all directions.
Dispersal for individual survival.
They'd judged the enemy numbers insufficient. There were experts, but not enough warriors to maintain the encirclement. In that case, scattering like this made pursuit impossible. A few might get caught, but most would escape.
And they executed it flawlessly.
The moment they exited the forest, the Zhuge warriors dispersed without even exchanging greetings.
How to explain this?
There had been no prior agreement. No time to huddle and plan countermeasures.
She glanced back at Four Thousand Four again.
Four Thousand Four collapsed.
It made sense... Holding off Sword Sage and Dao Sage alone, he had no choice but to fall.
They had to save Four Thousand Four.
But she couldn't voice it. In this situation, no one could be saved.
She just hoped Four Thousand Four wouldn't die.
As long as he survived... as long as he clung to life... they'd meet again someday.
"What happened?"
"That bastard... he sent a message."
Zhuge Ming let out an incredulous chuckle.
"A message? When?"
"When we blocked his path."
"When exactly...?"
Zhuge Soso tilted her head.
When Zhuge Ming and Mercy Killer intercepted Four Thousand Four, he had been holding a dagger to her throat, radiating murderous intent.
He'd mentioned the joint assault from Dao Sage, Sword Sage, Mercy Killer, and Poisoner. Said he was doomed no matter what. Yet he threatened them to back off if they didn't want the hostage dead.
That was it.
Four Thousand Four hadn't said a word to Zhuge Ming.
"When did he say anything?"
"Heh heh! Four-Three-Three. Our family's code, and he knew it somehow. Heh heh heh! What an entertaining guy."
Zhuge Ming twisted his lips in a grin.
"Four-Three-Three? He used our hand signals? Four Thousand Four?"
"I was skeptical at first, but he signaled it twice. Had to believe him."
"Mm!"
Zhuge Soso groaned.
Each sect used similar coded signals. Not all, but many employed them as hand signs for coordination.
The Zhuge family's code was delivered with fingers.
Simple once you knew: four fingers, then three, then three again. Four-Three-Three made a perfect "ten."
The signal for taking command.
After that, Four Thousand Four spoke strangely to Zhuge Soso.
Almost there, watch out for Dao Sage and Sword Sage, run full speed.
She'd been baffled, but Zhuge Ming, knowing the code, grasped it instantly.
Everything after flowed seamlessly.
Signaling the warriors to scatter and survive, asking Mercy Killer to handle Poisoner... All orders issued in a flash.
"That guy... I really thought he was going to do something to you. I was shaking with rage. Turns out it was an act. Or not entirely... What about you?"
"..."
Zhuge Soso couldn't respond.
Four Thousand Four had fooled Zhuge Ming and Mercy Killer. Fooled Sword Sage and Dao Sage. Fooled all the experts first.
He'd fooled her. Fooled the Northern Alliance.
From head to toe, he'd transformed into a perfect lecher. No other way to dupe both North and South simultaneously. The only way to fool them perfectly was to become that man: the lecher.
If only she'd been fooled, fine. But even North had been deceived.
Four Thousand Four knew deception.
A man who could perform such a play could fool the entire world if he set his mind to it.
Suddenly, she wondered about the secret letter.
What could be written in that letter to create such a bizarre person?
"Anyway, he took a hit from North, so we should return the favor, right?"
"Return what?"
"Huh...?"
"Hohoho! We didn't lose anything. If anything, North took the big loss. Their spy in Little Forest got exposed, Heavenly Annihilation Division's internals leaked, and even Poisoner was revealed. We lost nothing."
"Hahaha! You're right. Hahaha!"
Zhuge Ming laughed heartily.
But Zhuge Soso couldn't laugh. Her mind was elsewhere.
'Why?'
She pondered North's intentions.
The enemy shrine maiden Huashi, planted in Little Forest, had surfaced.
That much was clearly North's loss.
Yet they'd handed over Heavenly Annihilation Division's internal map without hesitation. Hard to believe they'd sacrifice so much just to catch South.
North was aiming for something else.
Striking indirectly, circling around... Using others to kill without revealing themselves. Borrowed knife homicide.
No doubt. Borrowed knife homicide.
Then... Four Thousand Four had to survive first.
Currently, the only link between North and South was Four Thousand Four. Vanguard's group had already sailed away, but they were too tenuous a connection.
Four Thousand Four had to live.
Last she'd seen him, he was in dire straits.
Sword Sage and Dao Sage had grazed him. Each time, his body reeled. Hit by their blade and sword.
He hadn't escaped the forest.
For him to survive, North would have to show mercy.
But why would North spare Four Thousand Four? Any use left for him?
North should kill him outright. Punish him harshly for failing to catch South. That would make sense.
Yet here... She'd bet on it.
Four Thousand Four would survive. No matter North's scheme, they'd let him live.
'We'll see.'
She shook off her heavy thoughts and steadied herself.
Four Thousand Four had really stabbed her. She'd stopped the bleeding and applied salve, but her side still throbbed.
Zhuge family warriors began regrouping.
A miracle? Excluding those killed by poison in the forest, everyone survived.
Poisoner didn't pursue the Zhuge family.
Sword Sage and Dao Sage hadn't moved either, apparently.
Poisoner wasn't only strong in forests. Fields, water, windswept plains, fire-scorched lands—anywhere. No preference for wet or dry.
If Poisoner had chased, it would've been trouble.
Mercy Killer joined late.
"Sorry, had to watch the finale."
Mercy Killer grinned.
"How's Four Thousand Four? Looked badly hurt."
"Dead."
"What? Say that again?"
"That bastard Four Thousand Four... Heh heh! Poisoner was pissed... Already finished by Sword Sage and Dao Sage, couldn't even stand, so Poisoner picked him up and tossed him into the lake."
"The... lake?"
The lake held bloodthirsty asuras. Even without bleeding, they'd swarm and devour. Bleeding...
"Watched till the end just in case... Phew! Four Thousand Four's done for."
"Did you really confirm he died?"
"You seem awfully upset he's dead?"
"I just can't believe it. No way..."
Zhuge Soso furrowed her brow deeply.
At this moment, she should have been pondering why North killed Four Thousand Four.
She couldn't.
Her mind was blank, thoughts evaporated.
Four Thousand Four dead? That man?
She hadn't doubted for a second he'd survive. No matter the peril, he'd pull through. Even Sword Sage and Dao Sage couldn't kill him.
He was immortal. Unkillable.
Yet dead. Tossed into the lake bleeding, devoured by asuras.
Strangely, her chest felt hollowed out.
Empty. Lonely. She pitied the dead Four Thousand Four.
"North... I can't figure what they were after. They shouldn't have killed Four Thousand Four."
She muttered.
But those words were for the watching eyes only.
'No way he's dead.'
"Did you really, really confirm the death?"
"The lake turned blood-red. Like spilled paint. Didn't dive in after him, but..."
Mercy Killer mumbled something.
It didn't register with Zhuge Soso.
Oddly, just one assassin's death left her deeply unsettled.