Chapter 7: The Fainted Officer

He is a bold young man, yet he has never encountered such a scene. Wildwood Town is a remote and tranquil place, where demons and monsters have become nothing more than absurd legends. The first time they manifest in physical form, how can it not leave one in a state of terror?

The young boys only wished to distance themselves from the giant snake, so they helped each other up, struggling to stand. They did not know where they were in the forest, nor did they recognize the path. As they were discussing ideas in a flurry, a sound echoed again from the slope

I declare that from now on you are our prisoner said Xiao Qiu, shaking the dagger. What is the demon seed? How did that large snake come to the vicinity of Wild Forest Town?

Er Shuan glanced at it and said, "Look at the strokes above, they are crooked and uneven, at a glance it is clearly worthless, better to keep it for wiping. "

With a sudden emptiness beneath their feet, the two had not yet understood what was happening when they simultaneously began to roll down the hillside

"He might have some good things on him." Daliang pointed at the officer on the ground, and this time he was the first to rush forward and began to search carefully.

"You are a fool," Xiao Qiu tugged at the officer's uniform, "and a coward as well. Where are the other Xuanfu soldiers? Where is the giant serpent? You are an officer, have you run away by yourself?"

"Fangfang is well-versed in reading; let her see what is written," said Daliang

Thud thud ... . ... One after another, people rolled down from above, and the youths of Yelin Town fell like ripe fruit.

The fool is the only dissatisfied person; he only managed to grab a helmet and put it on his head, but as a result, he could see nothing. "The Xuanfu army wears it without issue; why have I become blind?"

Xiao Qiu turned her head, and the two exchanged a glance. Neither slowed their pace; overwhelmed by shock, their eyes reflected no emotion, as if they were merely strangers who happened to cross paths.

The young men nodded in understanding, saying, "This sword must be extremely valuable." Ershuan's face lit up, "I have heard that even the most ordinary talismans written on paper can sell for over ten taels of silver, so this sword must be worth at least a hundred taels."

The crowd immediately dispersed, while Xiao Qiu and Fang Fang remained one in front and the other behind, trying to pull the rope connecting them as straight as possible

I don't know, I've been running all along, without looking back. " Daliang said breathlessly, his face pale

The Xuanfu Army is still behind; they might be able to defeat the giant serpent. Xiao Qiu was also not very certain, recalling that the serpent was indeed too large, seemingly capable of swallowing the entire Wild Forest Town.

Xiao Qiu was the first to react, leaping forward, but upon raising his arm, he realized he was still holding Fang Fang's hand. Their right arms were bound together by a rope, leaving Fang Fang only able to stand behind him. Xiao Qiu opened his mouth to bite at the knot, but it was tightly secured by the soldiers of the Xuanfu army, and the teenager, barely in his teens, could not chew through it at all

"Do you know who I am?" The officer shook his body vigorously, his voice filled with contempt and threat, without answering Xiao Qiu's question

Such a simple sentence nearly drove the young men to madness; half of them jumped up while the other half crouched on the ground, clutching their heads and trembling, wishing they could bury their heads in the decaying leaves.

This is a long, shaded slope, piled high with layers of old and new leaves accumulated over the years, exuding the unique scent of decay found in the forest, and rolling on it feels quite soft.

With a thud, a person fell to the bottom of the slope. It was Er Shuan, dazed and confused, just like Xiao Qiu and Fang Fang earlier, unable to stand up and only able to sit.

The officer moved slightly, and a moan escaped from the helmet.

In the eyes of the youth in Yelin Town, hundreds of taels of silver represent a tremendous fortune, nearly sufficient to last a lifetime, thus they express their admiration and show little concern for what the talisman actually is

The young boys stood still, staring at him, unsure of how to handle this unexpected situation

Step aside, I want to try this sword. Xiao Qiu, Fang Fang, you two stand back; I will cut the rope.

Demon seeds are extremely terrifying entities. The officer said, hoping to persuade this group of barbaric youths through fear, "As soon as one encounters even a trace of demon seeds, beasts will immediately transform into monsters, and humans... will lose their true nature, become unrecognizable to their kin, feel no pain, and can even consume themselves"

Fangfang ran alongside him, her speed hardly resembling that of a daughter from a strict household. She had little choice in the matter; their right wrists were still connected, a long rope trailing behind them, miraculously not getting tangled in the trees.

At that moment, his expression was not at all stern; his face was filled with confusion. He glanced down at his unarmored body, furrowed his brow slightly, and suddenly leaped up and ran away.

It was that stern officer, still wrapped in dark armor, lying face down there, uncertain of his fate

With a cheer, he swiftly seized the long sword from the officer's waist, immediately drawing it out to admire it in the sunlight, showcasing it to his companions, and forgetting much of his fear of the snake demon.

Everyone is admiring the good things they have obtained, but Fangfang is the only exception, which is why she is the first to see the officer sit up

Finally, they reached the end. Xiao Qiu and Fang Fang sat on the ground, one in front of the other, feeling dizzy, their bodies covered in dirt and fallen leaves. Both were panting heavily and exchanged glances, unable to stand up.

Erliang cheered, having found a set of fire-starting equipment that was exquisite and compact, far superior to what he had been carrying himself

Xiao Qiu felt somewhat relieved, as she was actually able to stand up. She pulled Fang Fang out from behind the tree and asked, "The big snake didn't chase after us, did it?"

Daliang said with a trembling voice: "The bald man, the bald man won't be killed by the giant snake, will he?"

With both hands gripping the sword, it is held horizontally in front of the waist

Xiao Qiu untied the rope on her right wrist and then helped Fang Fang free herself from the bindings, feeling very happy, because this dagger was not only beautiful but also very sharp

Before long, the young men had completely divided up the officers' equipment, including helmets, various components of black armor, silk cords, sashes, leather pouches, and some small items hidden within the armor, all of which found new owners

No one is willing to return the treasures they have obtained to their rightful owners. The people of Yelin Town are simple and honest. In a few years, influenced by the lessons of their elders, the youth will also become law-abiding. For now, they only adhere to the most direct and simple rule: whoever seizes it, it belongs to them.

Fangfang called out, and the young men surged forward once again. Xiaoqiu ran at the front, leaping to tackle the officer to the ground, pinning him down firmly, and shouted, "Bring the rope."

Xiao Qiu ran swiftly, her legs feeling almost detached from her body, as that enormous snake head seemed to be chasing right behind her, its long forked tongue pressed tightly against her back

Daliang held a stack of paper in his hand, approximately ten sheets, flipping through them. "Are these talismans? How much are they worth?"

The young men nodded; rather than agreeing with Xiao Qiu's speculation, it was more about giving themselves a bit of confidence. They would rather be prisoners of the Xuanfu Army than become lunch for the Great Serpent

Without the protection of the black armor, his voice immediately sounded youthful, failing to intimidate the youths of Wildwood Town

With both hands raised high, he swung the long sword down with all his might, and the rope snapped in response. He lunged forward a step, nearly losing his balance, but he paid no mind to it, exclaiming, "What a fine sword; I didn't even feel the resistance of the rope."

The two individuals held each other tightly, peering anxiously at the slope.

Fangfang stepped out from behind Qiu, looked down for a moment, and quietly said: "I don't recognize it either; it might be a talisman."

A horse soared high in the sky, but upon landing, it stumbled and threw a rider off its back. The rider let out a cry and rolled along the ground, landing in front of the youths. The horse paid no attention to its owner and ran off on its own.

Xiao Qiu regained her freedom and joined the other youths in the search operation. Fang Fang stayed in place, patiently untying the knot on her wrist, while Er Shuan remained still, admiring the long sword in his possession, indifferent to everything else.

"You two run really fast," Ershuan said, half in doubt and half in admiration

There is still a long length of rope remaining, and Xiao Qiu proceeded to bind the officer's hands behind his back

The officer was also a young man, seemingly not much older than Xiao Qiu and the others. He had delicate features, and his fitted clothing was finely woven and soft, something even the wealthiest family in Yelin Town, the Shen family, could hardly produce.

The officer turned around and spat out the dried leaves from his mouth. He finally understood that he had not been swallowed by the snake demon, but had instead fallen into the hands of a group of impoverished youths. "Let me go," he commanded.

The young boys gathered around to admire it; the sword was three feet long, with a blade as white as snow, while the body of the sword was black, creating a striking contrast

Fangfang was stunned, her eyes fixed on Xiaoqiu. Once her breathing became somewhat more even, she suddenly asked: "Did you really dream of me?"

"There are words engraved on it," said Daliang enviously

The flexible branches lashed against his cheeks, and the ground was littered with tangled obstacles. None of these could deter Xiao Qiu, who ran desperately forward, oblivious to the directions, indifferent to whether a path lay ahead. After an indeterminate amount of time, he suddenly became aware that there was another person behind him

We cannot stop here; we must run a bit further," said Xiao Qiu. Even if the Xuanfu Army defeats the giant serpent, they will still capture people to hold them accountable. He hopes never to see that group of black-armored soldiers again

Xiao Qiu was a step late, but her keen eyes surprisingly found a dagger. The dagger appeared quite ordinary, with a wooden handle, but once drawn from its sheath, it dazzled everyone. The blade was inlaid with a flat, oval-shaped red gemstone that radiated brilliance, making it evident even to those who knew nothing about jewelry that it was of considerable value

Daliang and Erliang, the two brothers, were the first to rush forward, followed closely by Ershuan and others. The group worked together to subdue the officer, with some holding his legs and others pressing down on his body. Erliang was quick and lifted the helmet off.

Where is the big snake?" Xiao Qiu asked once again

Upon discovering that the speaker was Xiao Qiu, the youths softened once again, collapsing to the ground, their limbs outstretched as they lay down

The young officer's expression changed dramatically, "The snake demon! The snake demon is right behind us, quickly return my belongings."

Indeed, a row of peculiar characters is engraved on the black sword blade, with extremely fine strokes. If it were not for the sunlight, it would be quite difficult to see. However, no one can recognize the specific content of the characters.

Before the words had left her lips, a rustling sound came from above. Xiao Qiu, drawing an unknown strength from somewhere, embraced Fang Fang and rolled a few times, taking refuge behind the nearest large tree

Fortunately, there was no giant snake chasing behind. Xiao Qiu mustered his courage and looked back, only to see a thick layer of broken branches and withered leaves. The area above was eerily quiet, and he let out a slight sigh of relief, yet the panic in his heart did not diminish much.

The officer made an exaggerated expression, startling the young men of Yelin Town. As if to validate his statement, a sound came again from the top of the slope, and soon, an empty black helmet rolled down, covered inside and out with blood.

He was clearly smiling at us from behind the tree; he shouldn't be dead, right?" Ershuan said uncertainly, as the bald man's smile was truly eerie, a bad omen.

Oh, it turns out he is also just a half-grown boy

The last shred of respect the youth of Yelin Town had for the officer vanished, and they hastily stripped the officer of his entire black armor.

Xiao Qiu checked the attendance, "Da Liang, Er Liang, Er Shuan, Leng Zi, Xiao Gou, Xiao Shun, Zhu Zi, all are present, just missing... Tu Zi."

Daliang is reluctant to part with it, carefully hiding it in his embrace

Ah? Xiao Qiu was momentarily puzzled by Fang Fang's meaning. After thinking for a while, she recalled that Da Liang had leaked a secret last night, saying that he once dreamed of Fang Fang asking him for help. However, he did not understand why Fang Fang would ask this at such a critical moment between life and death. "It is... I dream..."