OFTLHFRO C129

Chapter 129: Who Are You Calling Pretty Boy?!

When they reached the military camp, even before Ruan Feng could step forward to knock on the gates, Wu Qing was already riding out on horseback.

As an ability user, his five senses had been enhanced. So the moment he appeared, Luo Mingchen caught the reek of alcohol clinging to him.

On the streets of Bing City, corpses of those who had frozen or starved to death still lay about, and yet here was this so-called Great General, drinking away inside the camp.

It wasn’t even noon yet. That alone spoke volumes about what sort of life Wu Qing usually lived.

By comparison, Luo Mingchen couldn’t help recalling how Hu Zhongyi had sat down last night and eaten root soup without batting an eye. It was proof enough—people really weren’t all the same.

“You two aren’t guarding Han City properly—what are you running over here to Bing City for?”

Wu Qing sneered when he saw they’d really brought quite a few people with them. “Planning a rebellion, are you?”

Just as Hu Zhongyi was about to respond, bothered by the strong smell of liquor drifting on the wind, Huo Yan said calmly, “We’ve merely come to borrow some grain.”

“You… borrow grain?”

Wu Qing laughed as though he’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. He roared with laughter, only stopping long enough to say, “There’s no grain here. Haven’t you seen how many are still starving to death in the city?”

But Huo Yan remained unruffled. “We’ll pay it back in a few months. I can even write an IOU.”

Hu Zhongyi and Ruan Feng exchanged startled looks.

If Huo Yan were lying, he wouldn’t mention something as binding as a written note of debt. If he failed to repay, Wu Qing could easily use that IOU as a weapon against him in court.

“Write an IOU? Do you really take me for a fool? Hahaha…”

Wu Qing laughed all the harder. And just as he threw his head back, something dark shot right into his mouth.

Laughing too recklessly, he ended up swallowing it straight down. “Cough, cough, cough!”

“Great General?”

One of his deputies rushed up in alarm. “Are you alright?”

Wu Qing clutched at his throat, unable to spit the thing back out. He glared furiously at Huo Yan. “What did you just feed me?!”

Huo Yan tilted his head in puzzlement. “Wu Great General, what exactly did you eat?”

The others were equally stunned. Was that poison?

Wu Qing’s complexion was rapidly worsening. In just moments he felt an unbearable itch spreading across his body, while faint stabs of pain pricked through his meridians.

“Great General!”

The soldier holding his horse cried out, “Your face—your face is covered in red lines!”

Wu Qing looked down at the back of his own hand, only to see crimson veins crawling over the skin like flower petals. The poison’s onset was terrifyingly fast. His heart lurched. “What the hell did you dose me with?!”

Feigning innocence, Huo Yan said, “Wu Great General, I never poisoned you. But I have heard of something like this—it’s called Blood Blossom. As the name suggests, the poisoned person’s body becomes covered with blood-like markings. Once the blossoms spread across the whole body, not even an immortal could save you.”

He paused before adding lightly, “As it happens, I do have an antidote.”

Wu Qing was instantly desperate. “Give it to me—quickly!”

Huo Yan shook his head with a straight face. “I’m so hungry right now, I can’t quite recall where I put it. But if I had something to eat, I’m sure I’d remember.”

Listening to him spout nonsense so seriously, Hu Zhongyi and the rest exchanged looks. They realized they had gravely misjudged his personality.

Silent and taciturn? What nonsense! He was a wolf in sheep’s clothing—and a brazenly shameless one at that!

Wu Qing’s expression twitched violently. “…How much do you want?”

“Half of your grain supplies.”

“Impossible!”

Huo Yan shrugged. “Fine. Then we’ll just head back. When the time comes for Wu Great General’s funeral, I’m sure the people of both cities will finally have their fill of food and clothing.”

Seeing him actually turn to leave, Wu Qing, now itching so badly he wanted to tear his skin off, clenched his teeth. “Stop right there!”

“Does Wu Great General have any last words?”

At that, Luo Mingchen coughed into his hand, struggling to keep the smile off his lips.

Wu Qing was livid. “Half the grain is absolutely impossible! At most, I’ll give you twenty percent!”

“Forty.”

“…Thirty.”

“Thirty will do. But today you must distribute at least half a month’s worth of relief grain to the people of Bing City.”

Wu Qing thought it over. Better the disaster victims here got food than sending the grain away to Han City. He grudgingly agreed. “Fine.”

Huo Yan pulled out a small vial from his robes. “Wu Great General, here’s today’s antidote. Be sure to take it with croton powder and cold water—not hot or warm water. Best if the water’s nearly frozen.”

Wu Qing froze. “How long do I have to keep taking it?”

“Seven days. Remember to send someone to Han City daily to fetch the antidote.”

“You bastard, are you playing me?!”

Wu Qing roared, and even his internal organs spasmed with pain.

Unhurried, Huo Yan said, “Oh, and another thing—don’t get agitated, and absolutely avoid any strenuous movement. Otherwise, you’ll never fully recover. Really, how did Wu Great General manage to get poisoned so badly? You must take better care.”

Wu Qing: “…”

At that point, Hu Zhongyi could only laugh, “Then we must thank Wu Great General for his generosity. Please, lead the way.”

They all dismounted.

Wu Qing, supported by his men, snatched the antidote from Huo Yan. “It really has to be croton powder and cold water?”

“Cold water,” Huo Yan confirmed. “The kind that makes your teeth ache.”

Wu Qing: “…”

Croton powder and cold water—in the dead of winter? Wouldn’t that leave him shitting himself half to death? And for seven straight days?

“What if I don’t add it?”

“That works too,” Huo Yan replied mildly. “But then you’ll be writhing in pain all night long.”

Wu Qing didn’t believe him. He gulped down the so-called antidote on the spot.

Of course, since it wasn’t actually a full cure, he soon ordered men to fetch grain from the stores while he sent for a military doctor to examine him. He’d see soon enough if this poison was really as incurable as Huo Yan claimed.

As they hauled carts of grain away, Luo Mingchen noticed Wu Qing’s face darkening further and further. Then, without warning, the camp gates slammed shut.

Most of their people were left outside, spears bristling in their faces as Bing City’s soldiers leveled weapons at them.

Wu Qing snarled, “Hand over every last antidote you have, or don’t even dream of leaving alive!”

Hu Zhongyi’s eyes widened. “Wu Great General, are you rebelling?”

“This is my turf,” Wu Qing said coldly. “The dead can’t talk.”

The threat was blatant.

Hu Zhongyi hadn’t expected him to be this vicious. If they killed men here, it would be impossible to explain to the emperor. But if they held back, Wu Qing’s soldiers would never let them walk free…

While he hesitated, the enemy surged forward en masse.

Wu Qing hefted a giant battle-axe and bellowed, “Seize that pretty boy first!”

With that, he personally charged toward Luo Mingchen, his men in tow.

The Huo family soldiers rushed up to shield him—only for a whip of water to appear from nowhere, slamming into Wu Qing’s troops and flinging them back. In the same motion, the watery lash wrapped around Wu Qing himself and dragged him to the ground.

“Great General!” his men cried.

But Luo Mingchen only stepped forward, planting his boot firmly on Wu Qing’s face. Smiling sweetly, he asked, “Now, who were you calling a pretty boy? Hmm?”

Wu Qing screamed in pain, thrashing. “Me! I’m the pretty boy! I’m the pretty boy!”

“The dead can’t talk, right?”

Luo Mingchen pressed down harder. Wu Qing felt as if his skull might crack open, unable to utter a sound.

When Huo Yan glanced over, Luo Mingchen finally lifted his foot. “Tell them to stand down.”

Wu Qing had no choice but to obey.

Hu Zhongyi and Ruan Feng could only stare in speechless awe.

Seriously—what kind of martial art was that?!