Chapter 89

Su Peng looked up and saw three men in green robes standing in front of Ling Xiaoyu. They all had broad shoulders and straight backs, clearly martial artists. The one in the lead was dignified, with a high nose and thin lips, standing tall, about eight feet tall, and holding an ancient, simply decorated sword. He was standing in front of Ling Xiaoyu, who was looking at the goldfish at a stall, and spoke to her.

"Cousin?"

Ling Xiaoyu stood up and said to the man in the lead, "Cousin?"

Su Peng's heart stirred. Being called cousin by Ling Xiaoyu and being in Jiangning County, could he be...

"Ling Xiaoyu, you're wandering around the county town. Why didn't you call us? You don't know anyone in the city, what are you doing here?"

The man in the lead said to Ling Xiaoyu. She waved her hand and said, "Cousin, I'm with someone, Su Big Brother!"

As she spoke, Ling Xiaoyu turned to look at Su Peng. Su Peng sighed in his heart and walked over.

"Who is this?" The man Ling Xiaoyu called cousin looked at Su Peng and asked, seemingly thinking Su Peng was a young hero from somewhere.

"Cousin, this is Su Peng, Su Big Brother... I met him on the way to Jiangning County. Su Big Brother, this is my cousin, Mo Zongtang." Ling Xiaoyu briefly introduced Su Peng and the man.

"Ah, so you're Su... Hello, I wonder where you're from and what you do for a living?" Mo Zongtang, the man in green, asked Su Peng with a hint of caution.

Su Peng, sensing a faint hostility in his eyes, clasped his hands and replied, "This is Master Mo, right? I currently serve in the Black Water Army."

"Oh, so you're from the Black Water Army..." Mo Zongtang seemed to relax immediately, his gaze on Su Peng becoming less intense. He nodded slightly and then turned to Ling Xiaoyu, "Ling Xiaoyu, we have some business to attend to. I can't accompany you today, but don't always walk with strangers. Who knows what they might be thinking."

As he spoke, he glanced at Su Peng with a hint of disdain, his meaning clear.

Ling Xiaoyu frowned and pulled Su Peng, saying, "I invited Su Big Brother to come out with me."

"You should be more careful then." Mo Zongtang said, glancing at Su Peng, "You should also be careful."

As he spoke, he and the two other men in green robes continued walking, passing by Ling Xiaoyu and Su Peng. As they passed Su Peng, he heard one of the men behind Mo Zongtang ask, "Who is Su Peng?"

"He's just a household servant." Su Peng heard Mo Zongtang say behind him, his voice not too loud or too soft, as if speaking to himself.

Su Peng's brows twitched slightly, then he smiled faintly.

He hadn't offended him. His hostility was probably because of Ling Xiaoyu. In ancient times, many cousins married, and perhaps Mo Zongtang had some feelings for Ling Xiaoyu.

Mo Zongtang's depth of character wasn't great. He spoke ill of others over petty jealousy, which didn't make him a formidable figure. Su Peng didn't take him too seriously.

"Su Big Brother, I'm sorry... Cousin always speaks like that... like that..."

Ling Xiaoyu also heard Mo Zongtang's words and felt very embarrassed, apologizing to Su Peng.

"It's not your fault, I don't mind. Let's continue shopping." Su Peng smiled and said to Ling Xiaoyu.

Ling Xiaoyu smiled shyly and continued shopping with Su Peng...

...

For the whole day, Su Peng accompanied Ling Xiaoyu around Jiangning County. During this relatively leisurely time, he also sorted out recent events, feeling that he still had control of the situation.

"Thank you, Su Big Brother. I had a great time today... Oh, right, I'll come to find you tomorrow, and we'll go together." As the sun was setting, at the west gate of Jiangning County, Ling Xiaoyu said to Su Peng.

"Alright, I'll wait for you at the camp tomorrow." Su Peng nodded, and Ling Xiaoyu said goodbye to him with reluctance. Su Peng smiled slightly.

This day wasn't spent in vain. Ling Xiaoyu's affection for Su Peng increased by five points, reaching seventy-five, which was a high level of affection.

Su Peng returned to the camp in the west of the city. As soon as he got back to his tent, he heard the real-world doorbell.

"Time to go home..." Su Peng looked at the sky, which was about the right time, and logged out of the game, popping out of the game pod.

He glanced at the side, where Qin Xiaoyue was still on the machine, seemingly still working on a task. Su Peng didn't wait for her and went to the dining hall.

Not long after he arrived at the dining hall, Sun Shijia and Ji Ming also entered. They saw Su Peng, got their food, and walked over.

"Su Brother, I've taken care of it. I found two seniors from the Tiger Corps. They will meet you at Green Mountain Village at ten tomorrow morning, and I'll go with them." Sun Shijia sat down and reported to Su Peng.

"Alright, I know. Ji Ming, how about you?" Su Peng nodded and turned to Ji Ming.

"I had some issues. Only one person from the Dragon Tooth Corps is willing to join us, and the other has something else to do... Is our number sufficient?"

Ji Ming asked Su Peng, somewhat embarrassed.

"It should be fine. I've found a female NPC to join us tomorrow. She's a key character and might be involved in future tasks... Also, tell your people not to reveal that we're players in front of her, be careful with what you say." Su Peng said to Sun Shijia and Ji Ming.

"Heh, Su Brother, don't worry about that. Even if we talk about real-world things in front of her, she won't understand. The system will automatically translate our words into jargon, which she won't understand."

Sun Shijia laughed and said to Su Peng, who nodded, "That's a relief."

"Then let's meet at Green Mountain Village by ten tomorrow." Ji Ming said, and Su Peng nodded, "Let's arrive a bit earlier, at half past nine."

"Alright."

"Got it."

Ji Ming and Sun Shijia nodded, and the matter was settled. Su Peng felt relieved and continued eating.

...

The night passed without incident.

...

The next day, Su Peng logged in an hour early. Soon, Ling Xiaoyu came to the Black Water Army camp to find him. Su Peng borrowed two fast horses, and they left the camp, each riding one, heading quickly to Green Mountain Village.

After about an hour, they arrived at Green Mountain Village. Su Peng entered the village, handed the horses to Doctor Han for safekeeping, and used his lightness skills to head to the agreed location with Ling Xiaoyu.

When Su Peng and Ling Xiaoyu arrived, there were already five people there.

There was Sun Shijia in leather armor with a long spear, and Ji Ming in partial leather armor with a black wooden longbow. There were also three others sitting on the ground with their eyes closed, resting and regaining strength.

Su Peng and Ling Xiaoyu walked over, and the three men opened their eyes and looked over.

Two of them were dressed as martial artists, both in black tight-fitting clothes. One was a burly man with a beard, carrying a nine-ring large saber. The other was thin and lanky, like a bamboo pole, with a black bamboo weapon, the tip of which was a sharp blade.

The third man was different from the two in black. He wore gray hemp clothes, with a mysterious shoulder wrap that looked like a fishing net, his hair tied up, and a weapon on his back that was neither a sword nor a saber, wider than a sword but narrower than a saber, and longer, currently in a posture as if practicing internal skills.

"Su Brother, you're here!"

"You're here."

Seeing Su Peng, Sun Shijia stood up, and Ji Ming stopped maintaining his bow, speaking to Su Peng.

"Ah... Can you introduce me to these three colleagues?"

"Oh, Su Brother, these are my seniors from the Tiger Corps, Wei Shan and Huang Yanjun. This is Ji Brother's senior from the Dragon Tooth Corps, seems to be called Long Jun... Gentlemen, this is Su Peng, who discovered this task."

Sun Shijia introduced them, and Su Peng and the three men nodded, acknowledging each other. Su Peng also introduced Ling Xiaoyu, explaining her identity.

"Su Big Brother, are your friends all from the underworld? Why do they speak in code? I can only understand when they call your name."

Behind Su Peng, Ling Xiaoyu found an opportunity when no one was paying attention, and tugged at Su Peng's clothes.

"Well... They were once bandits, but they were righteous bandits, not the kind who kill without hesitation. They've retired... Although they did some no-cost business, they are all righteous men and won't cause any trouble."

Su Peng, feeling a bit overwhelmed, organized his words and explained to Ling Xiaoyu.

Ling Xiaoyu said, "Oh," and looked at the three men with some doubt. Wei Shan, the burly man with the nine-ring large saber, gave her a smile, which made her jump and hide behind Su Peng, leaving Wei Shan in a dilemma.

Su Peng looked at the sun, which was already past ten, but he still hadn't seen Xie An.

Just as he was wondering if Xie An would come, he suddenly heard a bird's cry. Many birds flew out of the nearby forest, and a gray figure leaped out.

"You're here!"

Seeing this person, it was indeed Xie An. He seemed to have used some recovery method, as the arrow and sword wounds from a few days ago were already treated. He was carrying a long sword on his back, appearing in the forest.

"You brought quite a few people..." Xie An looked at the people with Su Peng and hesitated.

"They are friends from the martial world, invited to help." Su Peng said to Xie An, who nodded, "Follow me."

As he spoke, he leaped into the forest.

"Let's go!" Su Peng shouted, and Sun Shijia and the others, invigorated, followed Su Peng, chasing after Xie An... (To be continued)

PS: Thanks to Miaomiao Tang, Xueye Wutears, Wenhua Fa, Tulu Ren, Xialaibulai, and Ljq635485668 for their support.