Chapter 80

Dong Ku held Shuiling in his arms without any ill intentions, but the intimate posture from just now still made his heart struggle to return to its normal rhythm. This was the first time such a situation had occurred since he became a special forces soldier, and he himself did not understand the root of his disordered emotions.

Shuiling tried several times, but her limbs remained weak and powerless. When Dong Ku asked her, she suddenly remembered that after arriving in Harbin, she had unexpectedly met someone with ties to her master's school. Although she had not officially entered the school, she had still received help. After hearing about Dong Ku, this person asked her to bring Dong Ku to meet him when they met again.

Thus, Shuiling, with a voice as soft as a mosquito's, directed Dong Ku's path, and they disappeared into the darkness.

Holding Shuiling, Dong Ku felt her warm body and the faint fragrance that filled his nose, which made his heart continue to beat rapidly.

After walking down several streets and avoiding three waves of patrolling Japanese soldiers, Shuiling regained some strength. In the darkness, she lifted her limp hands and gently wrapped them around Dong Ku's neck, burying her head deeply into his chest, greedily breathing in the scent that made her miss and become intoxicated.

Dong Ku did not pay attention to Shuiling's actions and let her hold his neck, which made it easier for him to walk. When they reached a crossroad in an alley, he lowered his head and asked, "Miss Shui, which way should we go?"

"Go straight, we're almost there."

Shuiling looked up and glanced at the surroundings, softly saying. Feeling Dong Ku's hands remain respectful, she couldn't help but blush and mutter, "Dopey."

After muttering, she suddenly remembered they were almost at their destination. Startled, her strength instantly returned, and she struggled to get down.

Dong Ku had just passed the crossroad and felt Shuiling struggle in his arms. Worried that she might fall, he tightened his grip and was about to ask. Shuiling struggled but couldn't break free, and she shyly said, "Put me down, I can walk on my own."

"Are you okay?"

Dong Ku, with his keen perception, had already determined that Shuiling had no strength in her body. Although he didn't understand the reason, he knew she couldn't walk on her own, so he hadn't put her down. Hearing Shuiling say she could walk, he still asked with concern.

"Yes, I can walk on my own."

Shuiling struggled again, and as Dong Ku loosened his grip, her feet touched the ground.

As soon as she stood up, they were face to face, and she could hear his breathing. Her hands were still wrapped around Dong Ku's neck.

After letting go, as Shuiling's face approached his, her face almost touched Dong Ku's. After a brief moment of daze, she quickly released her hands, stepped back two steps, turned around, and faced Dong Ku with her back, her heart racing, unsure of what to do.

With the warmth and fragrance gone, Dong Ku felt a moment of loss but quickly regained his composure. He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said, "Miss Shui, let's go..."

"Dopey!"

Shuiling, blushing, stomped her foot and leaped into the depths of the alley without looking back.

"Dopey?"

Dong Ku was taken aback but, seeing Shuiling run ahead, he didn't hesitate and quickly followed.

As they ran, neither spoke, and they continued to sprint in silence.

Turning several corners, Shuiling's speed did not decrease. She kicked off the wall, and her body turned swiftly and gracefully.

Isn't this parkour?

Seeing Shuiling's movements in the darkness, a word came to Dong Ku's mind.

As this word came to mind, he saw Shuiling kick off the wall diagonally, flip, and disappear into a courtyard wall.

"Is this lightness skill? Isn't this just parkour?" As this thought flashed through his mind, Dong Ku stomped his foot, leaped, and placed his hands on the two-meter-high wall, using it to flip over.

As soon as his feet touched the ground, he quickly crouched down, scanning the surroundings. Seeing Shuiling standing ahead, he stood up and walked over.

Shuiling, due to her previous loss of composure, had not stopped and had run at full speed. When she heard Dong Ku follow her closely and silently flip over the wall, her admiration for him grew.

She stood there, lightly clapping her hands.

Just as Dong Ku was about to approach Shuiling and ask, he sensed three hidden auras. Although their breathing was long and subtle, it couldn't escape his keen perception honed through life and death.

He immediately stopped, standing with his feet apart, and his hands moved slightly, two willow-leaf flying daggers slipping into his fingers.

Just as he prepared to defend, two soft claps came from the corner of the courtyard wall, and a figure stepped out of the darkness, saying softly, "Little Sister Shui, are you here to see the master so late at night?"

"Yes, Senior Brother Li, I've brought the person the master wants to see."

Shuiling replied softly. From the way they addressed each other, it was clear they were familiar.

"Who is this... Japanese?"

The figure, upon seeing Dong Ku's attire, was startled and quickly drew a short sword over a foot long, a cold and murderous aura instantly enveloping Dong Ku.

Dong Ku did not move, his attention divided to lock onto the other two, ready to attack at any moment.

Shuiling did not move either but said softly, "This is the person the master wants to see, Senior Brother Li, no need to be nervous."

Senior Brother Li, a man about 1.75 meters tall, lean, and in his thirties, hearing Shuiling's confirmation, quickly sheathed his sword with a clean and precise motion and bowed, saying, "Sir, please don't mind, I was a bit nervous seeing the attire. Please come in."

Dong Ku did not speak, only nodding, but his hands remained on guard.

Senior Brother Li gestured ahead, saying, "Little Sister Shui, Sir, please follow me." He then walked back to the door he had just come from.

Dong Ku, sensing the other two auras remained stable, was inwardly shocked. The two hidden figures were clearly more formidable than Senior Brother Li, or perhaps his reaction was just a test. If he had any ill intentions, the two hidden figures would have attacked.

Who is this person? Why are there so many experts guarding him?

As he pondered, he followed Senior Brother Li around a short wall, and a strong smell of a toilet hit him.

A toilet?

Dong Ku was puzzled. Senior Brother Li fiddled with the wall, and a door in the back of the toilet opened with a slight sound, a faint light shining through.

"Please come in."

Senior Brother Li stepped aside to let them pass.

Shuiling said softly, "Follow me," and stepped through the door first.

Dong Ku did not hesitate, following Shuiling closely, the willow-leaf flying daggers now tucked into his sleeve.

They followed a downward staircase, descending more than four meters underground before the path leveled out. Along the way, small oil lamps were placed every few meters on the stone walls, providing dim but sufficient light to see the path.

Shuiling walked silently ahead, and Dong Ku followed without a word, walking for about thirty meters before the path turned, and a figure appeared ahead.

As they approached, Dong Ku, judging from the man's sharp and agile appearance, determined that he was also an expert.

"Please, Miss Shui."

The muscular man did not waste words, gesturing for them to proceed.

Shuiling bowed and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother Wang," and, without introducing Dong Ku, stepped up the stairs.

Not inside?

Dong Ku subtly glanced at the turn, where a similar two-meter-square passage was visible in the dim light.

As he passed the man, Dong Ku nodded in greeting and followed Shuiling up the stairs. As he stepped up, he heard the door close behind him.

At the top of the stairs, the exit was already open, and two men stood at the door, one muscular and the other short and agile. Seeing Shuiling and Dong Ku, the short and agile man bowed and said, "Miss Shui, please follow me, the master is waiting." He then turned and walked away without looking at Dong Ku.

Dong Ku followed Shuiling, and through the dim light, he could tell from the man's gait that he was an internal martial arts expert, far stronger than Liu Zhongqiang.

With so many experts guarding this person, why have I never heard of him in the future? If he dislikes the Japanese, he should have caused some commotion in the puppet state of Manchukuo, which has been occupied for fourteen years. It's impossible for him to be unknown. Moreover, with so many experts, even if he wanted to stay out of the conflict, he would inevitably clash with the Japanese army, especially since the Japanese were relatively quiet in the later stages, treating it as their own country.

As he pondered, the three of them passed through several narrow alleys and small lanes, wandering for nearly ten minutes before stopping at a courtyard gate.

The leading man knocked on the door, three short and two long knocks, clearly a prearranged signal.

Could this be the underground party?

Seeing their caution, Dong Ku made a mental note. However, as the door opened, he immediately dismissed this thought because these people exuded a strong martial arts aura, not the scholarly and iron-blooded atmosphere of the underground party. Moreover, the underground passage clearly had been in operation for some time, not a recent construction.

The door opened, and the short and agile man gestured without speaking.

Inside, a middle-aged woman in her forties, looking alert, opened the door and looked around.

Dong Ku followed Shuiling into the courtyard, and as the door closed behind them, he realized it was an ordinary household.

The short and agile man did not follow, his task apparently complete. The woman, however, walked briskly to the door.

Another martial artist? Are all the folk experts gathering here?

Seeing the woman's steady and agile gait, Dong Ku was quite surprised. Everyone he had encountered on the way was a martial artist, which piqued his interest in the mysterious person he was about to meet.

The woman opened the door, lifted the thick curtain, and stepped aside, carefully examining Dong Ku.

Dong Ku remained calm, following Shuiling into the room.

Inside, under the bright gas lamp, Dong Ku was surprised to see that the windows were covered with thick curtains, clearly not for warmth but to block light and sound.

Turning his gaze, Dong Ku looked at the person sitting at the table opposite the door.

This must be the mysterious person.