Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: Severed Thread (2)
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The pond wasn't large.
When digging such a pond, it was common practice to make it as narrow and deep as possible, since the size of the pond meant that much farmland went unused.
Ideally, there would be a large reservoir nearby, eliminating the need for these little water holes. But when conditions didn't allow, individuals or villages had to make their own arrangements.
That was the purpose of these ponds.
The martial artists waited patiently.
The killer would crawl out soon enough. Humans couldn't breathe underwater. Even a child knew that. They had no idea why he'd jumped into a place like this, but he'd surface any moment now.
"What an idiot."
Someone muttered.
No matter how desperate you were, there were places worth jumping into and places to avoid.
"He's holding his breath an awfully long time..."
"Don't worry. No one can live without breathing forever."
The pond water was stagnant and murky. You couldn't see more than three feet down. If the killer had sunk to the bottom, he was completely out of sight.
No one could live without breathing. He'd crawl out soon.
He couldn't have escaped somewhere else either. If it were a natural pond, they might suspect another outlet. But this was a man-made hole. There was no way out sideways.
The martial artists waited. But... the killer didn't emerge. Had he drowned in there?
"Is he dead?"
"If he was, he'd float up."
"This feels ominous..."
"You wanna say something that'll jinx us?"
The Zhuge Clan martial artists bickered. But their eyes stayed glued to the pond, refusing to budge.
That was when Zhuge Soso came running up.
She saw the Zhuge Clan martial artists gathered in a circle. And she saw the pond.
She hadn't imagined for a second that they'd let the killer slip away. Tailing him was a game of wits that risked detection, but in terms of martial prowess, they outclassed him completely.
And that had been the case. The Zhuge Clan martial artists had given chase, and the killer had fled. But the gap between them closed in an instant. Their lightness skills were clearly a cut above.
So perhaps they'd gotten a bit complacent.
First, they'd catch him and figure it out from there. Interrogate him? He didn't seem the type to crack under torture. Bribe him? There had to be something worth offering.
She was lost in such thoughts.
When word came that the killer had jumped into the pond.
This absurd turn of events!
The killer was clever—far too clever to leap into a pond like this. If he had time for that, he'd have kept running, sweating out every last drop.
She raced over in a heartbeat.
"Where is he?"
"He's in there."
"You sure?"
"Positive."
"Ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Zhuge Soso let out a hollow laugh toward the sky.
The Zhuge Clan martial artists stared at her in confusion.
Her laughter wasn't joyful. It weighed heavy on the listeners' hearts. Her face twisted as she laughed, her brow furrowing deeply.
She cut off the laugh and turned away.
"Let's go."
She tossed out those curt words and retraced her steps.
"Young Lady! What is this? He jumped right in there—we should at least check for a body..."
Zhuge Soso didn't break stride. But she did explain why they were turning back.
She pointed up at the sky.
Everyone followed her gesture and looked heavenward.
Ah! The golden-eyed black hawk!
The golden-eyed black hawk soared through the sky, wings spread wide as it circled. But... the area it circled was... the pine grove where the killer had lingered briefly.
The golden-eyed black hawk wheeled above the pine grove.
Did that mean the killer hadn't left the grove? No, he'd clearly exited it and jumped into the pond. Then the hawk should be circling the pond...
Something was wrong.
"Ha ha ha! What a brilliant golden cicada shedding its shell! It's not easy to fool us so completely. Ha ha ha!"
She let out a self-mocking laugh.
"Young Lady, we're still certain he jumped in there!"
The martial artist who'd tailed the killer closest protested.
Zhuge Soso didn't respond. Nor did she stop walking.
"He definitely jumped in here, right?"
The martial artist glanced at the others.
The others nodded. They'd all clearly seen the killer dive into the pond.
"We can bail out the water and check."
"I can't accept this without seeing for myself. Let's do it."
A few martial artists began scooping water from the pond.
Splash!
Zhuge Soso pulled out a whistle and blew. She thrust her right arm—wrapped in its leather bracer—toward the sky.
The golden-eyed black hawk circling overhead recognized the whistle. It dove swiftly, wheeled above her head, then perched lightly on her wrist.
She examined the golden-eyed black hawk closely.
No visible injuries. Its eyes were as sharp as ever, its beak vicious enough to send chills down the spine.
"What happened?"
She asked the hawk. But it couldn't understand her words. It merely rubbed its beak against her shoulder out of habit.
The golden-eyed black hawk was a beast. No human. They called it a spirit creature, but conversation was impossible.
The moment she heard the killer had jumped into the pond, she'd checked the hawk first.
But... the hawk had acted strangely.
It had definitely been over the pond. It flew there until she looked. But when the Zhuge Clan martial artists surrounded the pond, the hawk turned back and circled the pine grove instead.
Something was definitely off.
The hawk moved when the killer moved—that was how she'd tracked him. But she'd seen no signs of the killer stirring. She'd checked again and again, but the hawk moved alone.
Where was he?
Nearby, most likely. But they couldn't find him. As long as the hawk failed to locate him and the Zhuge Clan eyes stayed fixed on the pond, there was no way.
In that instant, she truly felt it: she'd lost him.
And yet she'd rushed to the pond anyway, hoping against hope. The moment she saw it, certainty hit. She'd really let him escape.
There were slide marks in the dirt where the Zhuge Clan martial artists stood.
Slipped right into the ditch beside the pond. The weeds were flattened too.
Under normal circumstances, Zhuge Clan martial artists wouldn't miss such traces.
But right now, all their focus was locked on the pond. They couldn't look away.
A pathetic golden cicada ploy... Not even worth calling it that. They'd fallen for the cheapest trick in the book, the kind street urchins pull.
The splash in the pond? Probably a rock.
To make a big enough noise like a body hitting water, with spray and ripples convincing enough to fool pursuers, it had to be a hefty stone.
In that split second, he'd slipped into the adjacent ditch.
A momentary sleight of eyes, and every Zhuge Clan martial artist had fallen for it.
But it wasn't as if his skills were shallow. He'd even sent the hawk back—a move she still couldn't fathom. If the hawk had kept pursuing, they wouldn't have lost him.
"How did he fool you?"
She asked the hawk again.
The hawk just rubbed its beak.
She looked to the sky.
The golden-eyed black hawk was gone from view.
"It's not there."
"This can't be..."
"It's enough to make ghosts weep. We saw him jump in with our own eyes."
"No side exits?"
"None. We were watching the whole time."
The Zhuge Clan martial artists murmured among themselves.
The Zhuge Clan martial artists saw only the pond. Nothing else. Even knowing no one was inside, they stared at the pond.
More dangerous than the Zhuge Clan martial artists was that woman.
From a distance, she surveyed the open expanse. She scanned the broad plain.
Any movement, and she'd spot him.
So he figured he'd lie low and catch a nap while he was at it.
Not that he'd actually fall asleep. With Zhuge Clan martial artists right nearby? No chance.
He just meant to relax and lie there at ease.
Water scooped from the pond flowed into the ditch. It soaked him from head to toe.
His waterlogged body swelled uncomfortably.
Still better than getting caught. If he just stayed put, they wouldn't find him. No need to move and risk it.
The worry was the golden-eyed black hawk.
If the woman sent it out again, it'd fly straight to him without fail.
She had to keep it grounded.
The pursuit wasn't over yet. He hadn't shaken them. Today, tomorrow, the day after... they had the stamina to chase anytime.
"Let's go."
"Damn it! This is humiliating."
"Next time we meet that bastard..."
The Zhuge Clan martial artists' murmurs faded into the distance.
He still didn't move. He planned to stay put until sunset and nightfall.
'He hasn't left this area.'
Zhuge Soso gazed out over the vast plain.
Her head told her to stop circling back, but her heart clung stubbornly.
The killer was here.
His martial arts didn't match the Zhuge Clan martial artists'. In a one-on-one, maybe, but many against one? They had the edge.
The killer knew that. He knew exposure meant certain disadvantage. If he didn't, he'd have fought back instead of fleeing.
Knowing that, he wouldn't move.
He was here!
"You'll have to search again. You can do it, right?"
She stroked the golden-eyed black hawk's head.
She'd deliberately recalled it. Deliberately let it perch on her wrist to drink in the Zhuge Clan's scent. Trained in the clan, that smell must feel like home to it.
In that way, she'd overwrite whatever the killer had done.
Once she'd reset the hawk fresh and clean, she'd release it into the air again.
If it still couldn't find him, then she'd give up.
"Go on!"
She launched the golden-eyed black hawk into the sky. From that moment, she opened all her senses, watching it intently.
Caw! Caw-caw-caw!
Caw!
The golden-eyed black hawk cried out. But... it cried again as it returned.
It hadn't found the killer. After a few circles in the air, it flew back to Zhuge Soso in the pine grove.
Zhuge Soso wasn't watching the hawk.
"Ha!"
She let out an incredulous exclamation.
Was this it? Had he tuned the hawk like this? What kind of person was he?
Even Zhuge Clan members didn't control their hawks by voice alone. And the killer had barely spent a full day with it—a mere sliver of time.
Yet in that short span, he'd already communicated with it through calls.
"Again!"
She sent the golden-eyed black hawk aloft once more. In a calm voice, she commanded it.
"Hunt the golden-eyed black hawk. The killer's where the sounds come from. Don't miss this time."
Whoosh!
The Zhuge Clan martial artists shot forward like arrows.
They'd seen the hawk too. Heard its calls. Shock dawned in their eyes.
That bastard!
This time, they'd see his face for sure.