Chapter 38

The other two private soldiers were also killed one after another as Lu Buqi darted out in a deer-like manner, their methods so decisive and ruthless that it left people speechless.

When the bloodied Lu Buqi, panting heavily, returned with several corpses, Wang Shuangqiao was looking at him with a face full of fear, but there was not much dread in her eyes. Perhaps it was because Lu Buqi's earlier act of coming to her aid had deeply touched her, so no matter how fierce and cruel he became afterward, she was only frightened by the scene, not by Lu Buqi himself.

Lu Buqi paid no attention to Wang Shuangqiao but looked at the sullen Wang Lishou: "Old Wang, if we don't kill them, it will be a disaster! I finally got this opportunity, and I can't let these scoundrels ruin it."

Wang Lishou exhaled a long breath: "I know, but..."

As he spoke, Wang Lishou glanced at Wang Shuangqiao. If it were just the two of them, killing these ten scoundrels would be no big deal, but there was another person here. If she couldn't keep her mouth shut, it would bring a huge disaster.

Wang Shuangqiao's body trembled. From Wang Lishou's gaze, she sensed danger, though she didn't know why she felt this way.

Lu Buqi shook his head: "She's a very smart girl. I think she won't tell anyone about today's events..."

Wang Shuangqiao did not disappoint Lu Buqi's praise. Biting her lower lip, she nodded repeatedly: "I... I won't tell anyone about what happened today, except my mother..."

"Even your mother, don't tell her. Otherwise, not only will we not have a good end, but your mother will also be implicated!" Wang Lishou's heavy voice startled Wang Shuangqiao. She grabbed Lu Buqi's hand and shook her head quickly: "I won't say anything, not even to my mother, I won't say a word, even if I'm beaten to death..."

"Alright, don't overthink it. Go pick up your basket and mushrooms, and go home!" Only now did Lu Buqi take a moment to look at the girl, and he was genuinely surprised.

Through her disheveled hair, it was clear that she was a beauty in the making. With her delicate eyebrows, large eyes, and a small, upturned nose, she was still young, with a slightly chubby face, lacking the allure of a woman. But in a few years, she would likely become a rare beauty, no wonder those private soldiers had been tempted.

"I... I don't dare!" Wang Shuangqiao looked at Lu Buqi with a涩生生 (shèshēngshēng, shy and hesitant) expression.

Indeed, a girl of fourteen or fifteen, first chased by soldiers and nearly raped, then saved by two righteous men who turned into killing machines and slaughtered all ten men, would be considered very brave if she hadn't been scared to death.

"Shuangqiao, go pick up your things and wait for us on the beach. We'll go back to town together!" Wang Lishou said, pointing to the beach where animal skins were dried. Although he was reluctant to be involved, since they had started, they might as well see it through.

Wang Shuangqiao couldn't help but look at Lu Buqi. She didn't know why, but she trusted this nameless young man more than Wang Lishou.

"Go, you don't want to see how we dispose of the bodies!" Lu Buqi's voice was cold, but to Wang Shuangqiao, it felt warm.

Wang Shuangqiao obediently ran back, carefully avoiding the bloodstains on the ground, picked up her wooden basket and the mushrooms she had gathered, and then ran to the beach where the animal skins were drying.

Digging deep pits, burying the bodies... disposing of the evidence! It didn't seem like a difficult task, but to do it professionally was not easy. Wang Lishou later found that even though he had participated, he couldn't tell that a major crime had taken place here, and ten bodies were buried deep in the nearby forest.

All of this was done by Lu Buqi. He even cleaned the sand and stones stained with blood, his methods so skilled that Wang Lishou was amazed. He wondered how many times this young man must have done such things to be so professional.

The two washed their bloodstained bodies in the Guoluo River. The river breeze blew away the smell of blood, but the sky was already darkening, and the day was almost over.

Looking at Wang Shuangqiao, curled up on the silver wolf skin, Wang Lishou couldn't help but chuckle: "We worked so hard, and this girl actually fell asleep!"

Lu Buqi pinched his nose: "This shows she has good psychological resilience and can keep her word. But if she keeps sleeping like this, she might catch a cold."

Wang Lishou nodded: "Wake her up. It's about ten miles to Guokan Town. I don't know how she managed to come so far to pick mushrooms!"

"Do you really think she's a spy?" Lu Buqi pursed his lips: "To me, the life of a commoner isn't much better than ours..."

"That's true. In the world of the marsh slaves, there are fierce beasts and monsters that can take your life at any moment. In the world of commoners, there are soldiers and bandits... neither is easy!" Wang Lishou's rugged face was full of sighs: "If I had known the mushrooms in the chicken and mushroom buns came from here, I would have given her more money."

"A few coins, and you call that generous?" Lu Buqi looked at Wang Lishou with disdain. In the past three months, Lu Buqi had learned a lot about the basic things in this world during his idle moments.

For example, the currency used in Yunze Kingdom consisted of bronze coins and black iron knives. Lu Buqi roughly estimated that one copper coin, or one wen, was equivalent to one yuan in Huaxia, enough to buy two buns. One black iron knife was equal to ten copper coins. Before the New Year, Wang Bo had been generous, giving one hundred knives, which, though not a large sum, was enough to last for a while.

During the disposal of the bodies, the inexperienced Lu Buqi resisted the urge to take the fine single-edged knife but did not refuse to take all the money, which amounted to about one hundred and thirty or forty knives.

Although it was a small amount, Lu Buqi believed in sharing the benefits, so he split it with Wang Lishou, which was why he called Wang Lishou stingy.

Wang Lishou rolled his eyes: "A few coins a day, and it adds up over a month. I'm not her dead father, Wang Erxi, and I have no obligation to support her and the bun widow."

Just as he was about to wake Wang Shuangqiao, Lu Buqi was taken aback: "Her father is dead?"

"Long dead. Her mother, a widow, is coveted by many but hasn't remarried. She lives by her bun-making skills, and we call her the bun widow." Wang Lishou replied calmly: "I haven't paid attention for years, but this little girl has grown up nicely. In my opinion, once the master gives you a surname and you're no longer a marsh slave, you could take this girl. Then today's efforts won't be in vain!"

"Old Wang, you're so vulgar!" Lu Buqi couldn't help but glare at him: "You're the one with designs on the bun widow, and you want to use me as a cheap son-in-law?"

Wang Lishou laughed: "Alright, I'm vulgar... But what you said is not a bad idea. Yes, I'll take the bun widow and save her from being a menace to the village, ha ha..."

"Lower your voice, or people will hear and you'll be embarrassed," Lu Buqi said, somewhat helplessly. Wang Lishou was not one to take a loss.

As Lu Buqi leaned down to wake Wang Shuangqiao, she let out a scream and clung to him, shouting for help. It took a few seconds for her to realize what was happening, and she released him, lying on the ground with a red face: "S... Sorry, I just had a nightmare..."

At that moment, Wang Shuangqiao looked so pitiful that it stirred a protective impulse in Lu Buqi. He couldn't deny that the lingering scent on his nose made him feel a bit protective: "It's okay, it was just a nightmare. Now, I'll take you home!"

"Okay!" Wang Shuangqiao quickly stood up and then knelt to help gather the dried animal skins, her face still flushed.

Because of this, Wang Lishou didn't stop teasing Lu Buqi and Wang Shuangqiao on the way, saying that their marriage was predestined and that they would be entangled for life. Wang Shuangqiao kept her head down, her face red, and didn't speak, probably too embarrassed.

Lu Buqi pretended not to hear, just urging them to hurry, leaving Wang Lishou to entertain himself. On the way, they encountered a squad of ten private soldiers, but Wang Lishou handled it easily, and they passed through without much trouble.

This small incident also surprised Wang Lishou and Lu Buqi, as Wang Shuangqiao, though scared, only showed normal fear for a young girl, not panic, indicating that her psychological resilience had grown quickly.

As night fell, Lu Buqi finally took an important step in his life, seeing the "legendary" Guokan Town, the holy land in the hearts of the marsh slaves of Guokan Forest, a remote town almost forgotten by the world.