Chapter 10

"Kid, do you know how many people Master Chu has killed? If you dare to oppose Master Chu, you’d better ask this knife first if it agrees!"

Clang!

Chu the Bodyguard drew his waist knife, gripping it tightly with both hands. He licked his lips with his thick tongue and said menacingly, "Kid, if you crawl on the ground and apologize to Master Chu now, you might still keep your life. Otherwise, hmpf, Master Chu won’t be so polite!"

Zhang Ke was the type who became even more stubborn when faced with a tough opponent. Besides, this was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. If he didn’t want to become prey, he had to fight!

Zhang Ke suddenly reached out, and with a loud sound, he drew the samurai sword. The blade, reflecting the firelight, gleamed with a cold, sharp light. The sharp tip of the sword was subtly pointed at Chu the Bodyguard.

When Chu the Bodyguard saw Zhang Ke’s sword, his heart immediately tightened. Who were these wild kids, and how did they have such good weapons?

"Kid, do you think Master Chu will be afraid of you just because you have a sword? My Five Tigers Breaking Gate Knife is unparalleled in the region, and I’ve been famous for over ten years. People in the martial world respect me. Don’t refuse the wine of respect and end up drinking the wine of punishment!"

Zhang Ke’s lips curled into a contemptuous smile, "Fighting is about skill. If it were about age, turtles would be martial saints. Stop talking nonsense. If you have the skills, make a move. Don’t delay our meal!"

"Good kid, I won’t let you off!"

Chu the Bodyguard said through gritted teeth, but he didn’t dare take a step forward. Behind Zhang Ke, Qiao Gui was holding his waist knife, glaring fiercely, while Qiao Fu tightly gripped his bow, an arrow already nocked, ready to shoot at any moment.

One against three!

Chu the Bodyguard was unsure. These kids might be young, but they had strong tempers, especially the one with the samurai sword. His eyes were like a wolf’s, piercing and intense, clearly a tough opponent.

Just as he was hesitating, someone spoke from behind.

"Old Chu, what are you doing?" It was his companion, Wang the Bodyguard.

"Hmpf, you came just in time. Let’s teach these three kids a lesson and show them some manners!"

Wang the Bodyguard, who looked to be in his forties, seemed more composed than Chu the Bodyguard. He glanced at Zhang Ke and the others, then smiled and said, "Three friends, Old Chu is just a humorous person. Let’s consider this a joke."

Wang the Bodyguard pulled Chu the Bodyguard away, and the two of them walked back to their side.

Seeing them leave, Qiao Fu spat angrily.

"What kind of people are they? If they have the skills, they should fight us head-on, not act like women, hiding and cowering."

Qiao Gui sighed in relief, "Second Brother, we’re here to do business. If we can avoid a fight, we should. Harmony brings wealth!"

Zhang Ke nodded slightly, "If they don’t provoke us, we won’t provoke them. Keep watch in shifts when we sleep, so they don’t take advantage of us."

"Alright!"

The three of them agreed and continued to warm themselves by the fire and eat. On the other side, Chu the Bodyguard was furious.

"Old Wang, why are you so cowardly? What’s there to fear from three kids? If they anger me, I’ll cut them down!"

Wang the Bodyguard lowered his voice and advised, "Old Chu, don’t forget we’re in Liaodong, not our home turf. These kids may be poor, but their weapons are good. I suspect they might be from a military family. It’s not worth provoking them."

"From a military family?" Chu the Bodyguard sneered, "If they were from a military family, would they be so poor they can’t even afford a horse?"

"Ah, Old Chu, you don’t understand. Liaodong isn’t like the capital, where the nobles’ children are pampered. Even Li Chengliang was once down on his luck. We must be cautious. Once we deliver Miss Shen to Guangning, our mission will be complete."

"Alright, I’ll listen to you."

Chu the Bodyguard suppressed his anger and grabbed a pancake, but he spat it out after one bite.

"Phew, is this fit for human consumption?"

"Just bear with it."

"I can’t bear it!" Chu the Bodyguard said angrily, "I can’t stand those kids eating meat with such gusto. Wait here, I’m going out. With my skills, I’ll bring back some pheasants or rabbits!"

"Old Chu, don’t go."

Chu the Bodyguard ignored him, turned, and rushed out into the snowy wilderness.

...

"Ah, I’m full. Time to sleep!" Qiao Fu patted his belly and lay down between Da Huang and Er Huang, their fluffy tails like warm scarves.

"Brother Gui, you should sleep too. I’m not tired yet."

Qiao Gui nodded, "Alright, I’ll take a nap and then switch with you."

Zhang Ke leaned against a pillar, closing his eyes to rest, but his mind was alert, ready to react to any sound.

After about a quarter of an hour, he faintly heard Wang the Bodyguard say, "Miss Shen, Old Chu has been gone for a while. I’ll go look for him."

The young maid complained, "Wang the Bodyguard, my lady hired you to protect her. It’s not right for you to leave!"

Wang the Bodyguard smiled, "Miss Shen, you still have the maid and Old Sun. I’ll be back soon!"

Wang the Bodyguard left, and the fort returned to peace. After a while, Zhang Ke began to feel drowsy.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps and a voice laughing, "Hahaha, Old Wang, aren’t you impressed? I went out and brought back a deer. We’ll roast deer meat tonight."

"Old Chu’s skills are well-known, but it’s a pity it’s a female deer. If it were a male, we could drink the deer antler blood and roast the deer penis. We’d be twenty years younger. Even a tiger wouldn’t stand a chance against us!"

"True, bringing back some meat isn’t much. I’m a wolf; wherever I go, I eat meat."

Chu the Bodyguard said, looking at Zhang Ke and the others with a contemptuous smile.

The two of them entered the fort, immediately gathering firewood and starting a fire. To show off, they made a lot of noise, as if they wanted Zhang Ke and the others to hear.

"What kind of people are they? How did they get so lucky?" Qiao Fu, who had been sleeping soundly, was woken up and was in a bad mood.

Qiao Gui opened his eyes, looked around, and frowned.

"Zhang Ke, did you see how they handled the deer’s body?"

Zhang Ke shook his head, puzzled, "When they brought it in, the belly was already cut open, and the head and organs were missing. They probably thought it was too heavy to carry back."

"These fools are trying to get us killed!" Qiao Gui sat up, and Qiao Fu’s face also darkened.

"What’s the problem?"

"A big problem!" Qiao Gui said, "When we hunt in winter, we cover the blood with snow to prevent attracting other predators. These guys are probably not from outside the pass. They think they’re skilled, but they’re just causing trouble."

Zhang Ke was also frightened and asked urgently, "You mean they might attract a pack of wolves?"

"Maybe. Wolves are more common in winter. The smell of blood could attract them. I need to warn them to clean up."

Qiao Gui hurried over, and at that moment, Chu the Bodyguard was roasting a deer leg on a stick over the fire, looking very pleased with himself.

"Kid, what are you doing here? Are you hungry?" Chu the Bodyguard laughed, "When I’m done, I’ll throw it on the ground, and you can eat it with your mouth, just like your dogs, hahaha!"

Qiao Gui’s knuckles cracked, and he wanted to punch the guy.

"Listen up, go and cover the deer blood and organs with snow."

"Why should Master Chu listen to you, a kid who hasn’t even grown hair? You’re ordering me around!" Chu the Bodyguard and Wang the Bodyguard laughed again.

"Do you even know that deer blood can attract wolves? It could be a matter of life and death. It’s not just your problem; you’ll endanger others too."

"Wolves?"

Chu the Bodyguard sneered, "Master Chu isn’t afraid of tigers, let alone wolves!"

Wang the Bodyguard also said proudly, "We’re not far from the main road. There won’t be any wolf packs. You kids are just exaggerating."

"Right, even if there are wolves, just kneel and kowtow, and Master Chu will protect you!"

What fools!

Zhang Ke heard everything and frowned.

Suddenly,

Howl... Howl...

A long, mournful howl pierced the night sky, followed by more howls, high, medium, and low, making everyone’s hair stand on end.

"Trouble!" Qiao Gui, the most experienced, carefully listened to the howls and felt a chill.

"Zhang Ke, I estimate there are at least twenty to thirty wolves in this pack, and they’re no more than five miles away. They could be here at any moment."

Qiao Fu gritted his teeth and glared at Chu the Bodyguard, "Who said they weren’t afraid of tigers? If you’re so brave, go out and kill the wolves. I’ll call you grandpa, no need to kowtow!"

Chu the Bodyguard never expected to attract a wolf pack. His face turned red, then white, then green.

At that moment, Miss Shen, accompanied by her maid, hurried over.

"Chu the Bodyguard, I signed a contract with the security agency. You must protect me safely to Guangning, or you won’t be able to make a living in the martial world!"

Miss Shen, usually gentle, now looked stern and frightening.

Chu the Bodyguard’s eyes darted around, and he forced a smile, "Miss Shen, don’t worry. We’ll guard outside. No matter how many wolves come, we’ll take care of them!"

The two of them ignored the roasting deer meat, grabbed their knives, and stood at the fort’s entrance like door gods.

Seeing them go out, Qiao Fu was still uneasy, "Ke, do you think they can handle it?"

Zhang Ke frowned, "We can’t rely on them. Let’s check the walls for any gaps and prepare more firewood. Wolves are afraid of fire!"

Qiao Gui and Qiao Fu nodded, "Alright, we’ll do that."

The two of them turned and walked away, and the wolf howls grew louder and closer.

Miss Shen’s maid was so scared she covered her eyes, and Miss Shen’s face was pale, but she tried to stay calm, "Hero, the two bodyguards have been disrespectful. Please don’t take it to heart. We need to work together against the wolves."

Zhang Ke said expressionlessly, "Please also control your people. They shouldn’t act like mad dogs."

What a petty man!

He didn’t even look at her, and she had never seen such a conceited man. But safety was the priority, so Miss Shen forced herself to nod.

Howl!

A short howl, and suddenly, a dozen pairs of green eyes appeared in front of the fort, slowly advancing. In the moonlight, they could clearly see the wolves approaching.

Chu the Bodyguard, who had been talking bravely, was now trembling. The wolves were increasing, and their fierce eyes were sharper than knives. He didn’t want to die.

We need a plan!

Suddenly, Chu the Bodyguard ran to the side, grabbed the reins of a horse, and leaped onto it.

"Miss Shen, take care of yourselves. I don’t want to lose my life!"

Chu the Bodyguard spurred the horse and ran. Qiao Gui, seeing this, stomped his foot.

"Don’t go to your death!"

But it was too late. Chu the Bodyguard’s horse hadn’t gone a hundred steps when a large gray wolf leaped out and bit the horse’s rear end!