Chapter 75

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Yang Hong, who had been running excitedly, glanced back.

In the distance, he could see people riding and raising dust on the plain. They were probably the Taiping Corps, who had been delayed by the Dark Dragon Corps and bickering. Since Yang Hong could see them now, they must still be able to see him.

It didn't matter. He was now leaving the plain and entering the rocky mountains and valleys. Once he entered this area, even if the distance shortened, the obstructed view would make it difficult for them to find him. And somewhere around here, the legacy of Li Shimin lay hidden. Yang Hong smiled slightly.

According to the legend of the Li family, they had left with ten carts of treasure. However, Yang Hong didn't believe all ten carts were filled with treasure. The Li family was an ancient clan at the time, but they were ultimately driven out of the Central Plains and couldn't have had that much wealth.

Most likely, the ten carts were mostly filled with furniture and the belongings of the clan members.

As a member of the Dark Dragon Corps and a secret agent of the Martial Arts Alliance, Yang Hong actually knew a bit more about the final days of the Li family than Li Lian did. The reason the then-head of the family, Li Zhi, left some workers and collateral branches behind in Shen Shitian was clear. Li Zhi couldn't feed them, and those left behind were healthy enough to do odd jobs and survive.

Even after that, as the Li family moved east, those who disagreed with Li Zhi or were disappointed with the land and the head of the family continued to leave. According to the information from the Martial Arts Alliance, by the end, only a dozen or so clan members remained loyal to Li Zhi. The rest were scattered across this new continent.

One of those dozen left behind the treasure map, and the farmers killed by bandits were likely their descendants. The fact that the descendants of the once-mighty ancient clan had lost all their martial arts and wealth and become mere farmers made Yang Hong laugh again. The farmers probably didn't even know who their ancestors were, let alone that the map was a treasure map.

"Descendants and ancestors, I need to take care of myself first. I'll take good care of the treasure you left behind, Head of the Family Li Zhi."

Yang Hong muttered to himself and took out the treasure map he had crumpled and put in his pocket earlier. After checking his current position and the path he had taken, he continued riding. The barren rock mountains filled his view.

After riding for a while in that grayish-brown world, sweat began to trickle down his forehead. His horse, which had been alternating between running and walking, was also foaming at the mouth and in poor condition.

"Just a little further, just a little more."

Yang Hong patted and soothed the horse as he rode through the rocky valleys. He occasionally unfolded the treasure map to check his surroundings, but the rock mountains mostly looked similar, making it difficult to find his way.

"Damn it... If only there were some markers..."

He ran and stopped, frantically looking around. At some point, he decided on a direction and rode without hesitation. The dust kicked up by the horse's hooves rose in a haze between the rock mountains.

When Yang Hong turned around one of the rock mountains, a valley spread out before him.

Actually, it was more like a narrow plateau. Steep rock mountains rose on both sides, but the space between them was loose and undulating, forming a gentle hill. If there were a village, it would be a good place for an inn for people traveling over the rock mountains.

Indeed, old wooden houses were scattered here and there. Seeing them, Yang Hong quickly took out the treasure map.

"Damn, what is this? Here? A village here? In this desert?"

At that moment, the horse he was riding let out a wheezing sound and collapsed.

"Huh? Oh, oh!"

Yang Hong quickly dismounted to avoid being crushed and checked the horse's condition. The horse, breathing heavily, clearly couldn't carry him any further.

"...Alright, rest here."

Leaving the horse lying down, Yang Hong quickly turned and ran towards the wooden houses. As he got closer, he realized the houses were in such poor condition that no one could be living in them. Drawing a short sword from his waist, he ran to the nearest wooden house and kicked the door open.

Dust billowed out of the wooden house, and there was no one inside. The dusty furniture only proved that no one had lived there for a long time.

"...What is this?"

Yang Hong quickly left the house and, with a furrowed brow, compared the visible houses to the treasure map. His eyes were drawn to the largest of the old houses. A sign hung above the entrance of the building, and the symbol on it matched one on the treasure map.

Yang Hong quickly ran into the large house, where the dust and decay couldn't hide the high-quality furniture. However, his expression darkened as he looked around.

Yang Hong began to ransack the house. While the old, high-quality furniture could fetch a good price if he found the right buyer, what he really wanted was the gold and silver that the last head of the Li family, Li Zhi, had possessed. If there was nothing, at least Li Shimin's martial arts manual.

But the house, filled only with dust, had nothing of value. There were a few books, but they were too old and crumbled, making it impossible to read their contents. Li Shimin's martial arts manual wouldn't have been left like this.

"Damn... Just a bunch of crap?"

Cold sweat began to trickle down Yang Hong's forehead. He hadn't really expected a lot of treasure. Even a small chest would have been a gain, and he thought it would be better to take it all for himself rather than share it. But if there was nothing at all...

In his desperation, he wandered around the house and suddenly realized his feet were making a creaking sound. His expression brightened, and he quickly turned to examine the floor. But his bright expression froze.

Someone was standing at the door.

"...You followed me so quickly, Li Lian. Where's Brother Zhang?"

Li Lian, standing at the door and catching her breath, glared at Yang Hong without answering. In the bright light, her figure appeared dark, and the axe in her right hand gleamed.

When her breathing had calmed, she spoke.

"...You bastard. I was a fool to trust you."

Her tone was like she was spitting out the words. But Yang Hong shrugged and replied lightly.

"Trust me? Really? Look, Li Lian. Whether it's you or me, we're both just thieves in the back alleys. Where's the trust in that? Did you really think I would stay put until the end? I doubt Brother Zhang thought so either."

"Is that an excuse?"

"It's not an excuse; it's the truth. Be honest, Li Lian. If you had the chance, you would have betrayed me or Brother Zhang, right? How is our profit split? Brother Zhang takes six, and you and I get two each. The martial arts manual always goes to Brother Zhang. Does that make sense?"

Yang Hong spoke as if it really didn't make sense.

"Let's be honest. Brother Zhang didn't think that lopsided ratio would last, did he? The friendship between Brother Zhang and me is a bit distant from that kind of financial trust. And you didn't really think you'd get a fair share, did you? Why did you seduce Brother Zhang? Didn't you want to change the split? When a thief who reads maps, a thief who uses a sword, and a thief who uses a knife meet, do you really think they'll find the treasure, split it cleanly, and part ways without any problems? Even a novel would get criticized if written that way."

Li Lian raised her axe and pointed it at Yang Hong.

"...You're the one who ran off with the map. What I or Brother Zhang think doesn't matter. You're the one who acted."

Yang Hong grinned.

"Damn, you're going to nitpick like that?"

Just as Li Lian was about to say something in response to his grin, Yang Hong suddenly lunged at her. His sword aimed for her shoulder.

But she quickly blocked it with her axe and pulled it away. Surprisingly, Yang Hong let go of the sword. Before the sword hit the ground, he grabbed her arm and twisted it.

The strength in Li Lian's right hand gave out, and the axe fell. Yang Hong, still holding her arm, raised his fist to strike.

At that moment, Li Lian's foot flashed and kicked him in the groin. Yang Hong's face turned pale.

"Ugh... This is... a... foul..."

"Foul? The foul is you, the one who ran off with the map, damn it!"

Yang Hong, clutching his legs, staggered back. This allowed Li Lian to free herself. She immediately punched him in the face with both hands.

Yang Hong's head snapped back, and he rolled across the room. Dust rose thickly. Li Lian, intending to continue pummeling him, followed closely. But as she approached, Yang Hong kicked her in the stomach.

He took advantage of her momentary retreat to stand up and charge at her. The two of them grappled and destroyed the old house as they rolled around. The once-neatly arranged house was now in shambles.

"Damn! You knew from the start that this wasn't a real treasure map, didn't you!"

Yang Hong suddenly shouted this in the middle of their fight. Li Lian, who had been punching him while straddling him, froze. Yang Hong took the opportunity to punch her in the face.

As she was pushed back, Yang Hong, wobbling, stood up and continued.

"Damn... I get it now. This map points not to the buried treasure of the Li family, but to the new base of the Li family... You knew all along, didn't you?"

Li Lian, sitting on the ground, spat out blood and wiped it away before standing up.

"...There might be some gold pieces if you look hard enough."

"Damn... What's here besides these old tables and chairs!"

Yang Hong, aware of something under his feet, pretended not to notice. But Li Lian, looking at him with disdain, said:

"Playing dumb when you know everything. This was the new base of the Li family. The person who took the treasure map was sent to gather information from Shen Shitian. But at some point, contact with this place was lost. The support that used to come stopped. The dispatched person, thinking something had happened to the family, settled in the land. They probably thought it was impossible to rebuild the family in such a desert."

Yang Hong, with blood streaming from his nose, listened to her in a daze. Li Lian knew more than he expected.

"Later, the dispatched person managed to contact other family members. The struggling family members had all left, and the only one left was the head of the family, Li Zhi. Even as the family members were leaving, he didn't give them a single coin. He must have had a considerable amount of gold and silver, but it's probably hidden somewhere in this house. Li Zhi's body is likely here too, as no one was around to take care of it."

"...You knew all this and still thought the map was real..."

Li Lian, with a similar grin to Yang Hong's, shrugged.

"Why? This is a real treasure map. You didn't really believe there were ten carts of treasure, did you? How many real treasure maps are there in this new continent? I knew about it from my father's records and recognized it immediately, but treasure maps are usually just toys for children. I don't understand why the Li family and the other riffraff are so attached to it. I only expected to be tracked by the Dark Dragon Corps."

Of course, the reason this pursuit had grown so large was due to the influence of the major powers in Shen Shitian. Without that, Li Lian, Yang Hong, and Zhang Jian would have taken the treasure map from the Dark Dragon Corps and made it to this place without much interference. The rumors of the treasure map would have been resolved before the riffraff could get involved.

Li Lian stomped her foot. A hollow sound echoed from the dry wooden floor.

"From what I can see, there's something underneath. After I beat you to a pulp, I'll go down and get the gold and silver to split with Brother Zhang. You won't get a single coin. Got it?"

"...Damn. So when is Brother Zhang coming..."

"Thieves! Come out!"

The two, who had been slowly getting up and clenching their fists, looked at each other in confusion at the sudden voice. The voice continued from outside.

"You are surrounded by the Taiping Corps! Stop your nonsense and come out! If you don't, we'll burn the building down!"

Li Lian and Yang Hong's expressions hardened. They quickly grabbed the sword and axe lying on the ground. In the rush, Li Lian took the sword, and Yang Hong took the axe.

"Damn, now we have to wait for Brother Zhang."

"Idiot. Waiting is out of the question. If he comes, you'll be the first to die."

Yang Hong, with a sullen expression, heard another shout from outside.

"I'm counting to five! If you don't come out, we'll set the building on fire! Five! Four! Three! Two!..."

"Wait, wait! Why so fast! Slow down, damn it!"

"Come out if you don't want to burn to death! We know there are two of you in there! Both of you, come out!"

After a moment's hesitation, Yang Hong and Li Lian slowly opened the door and stepped out. Outside, the Taiping Corps, having sold their horses, were surrounding the entrance in a semicircle.

One of them, who seemed to be the leader, looked at the two and asked.

"Is this it? Is this the destination of the treasure map?"

Yang Hong, after scanning the Taiping Corps and confirming they didn't have any torches, chuckled.

"You're quite good at bluffing. Where's the fire to burn the building?"

The woman frowned and drew her sword, pointing it at Yang Hong.

"Now isn't the time to be arrogant."

"When else would I be arrogant? When I have an advantage."

"...You have an advantage? We're the ones who have surrounded you."

"We do. Do you think we came out without a plan? We had our reasons."

Indeed, Yang Hong looked quite calm and confident, not at all like someone surrounded by a dozen hostile martial artists. Li Lian, standing next to him, almost looked at him in disbelief, wondering if he had lost his mind.

But she soon understood his attitude. He was just trying to buy time until Zhang Jian arrived. So she put on a similar expression, though not as naturally as he did.

But it seemed to be enough, as the woman from the Taiping Corps tilted her head and asked.

"...What is it?"

"What do you mean?"

"What is your advantage?"

Yang Hong smirked and subtly nodded towards the house behind him.

"This isn't the destination of the treasure map. We still have a bit further to go."

"...This isn't it? You expect us to believe that?"

"What can I do if you don't believe me? I burned the treasure map. The contents are only in my head and my friend's head."

"What? You burned the treasure map?"

Li Lian knew Yang Hong wouldn't do that. The symbols and codes on the treasure map weren't something you could easily memorize and recall. But his attitude was so natural that for a moment, she almost believed him.

But the woman, who had initially looked surprised, slowly erased the surprise from her face and spoke coldly.

"You're stalling. Are you waiting for that swordsman?"

Yang Hong's confident smile faltered, and he was momentarily speechless.

"Playing a silly trick, just like a thief."

She raised her free hand, and the rest of the Taiping Corps raised their swords. She said,

"Taiping Corps! Retrieve the treasure map and the treasure!"

"Retrieve? When did it become yours?"

Yang Hong muttered, gripping the axe tighter. Li Lian, holding her sword, slowly backed away. It was better to retreat into the house and reduce the space rather than fight in the open.

The Taiping Corps dismounted and approached the two with determined faces and gleaming swords.

Just as Yang Hong and Li Lian were about to retreat into the house, a whistling sound came from somewhere. One of the Taiping Corps turned his head.

Thud! An arrow pierced his eye and he collapsed, the arrow having penetrated his skull.

The woman, who had been observing from her horse, was startled and looked in the direction the arrow came from. Riders in dark robes, riding horses and wielding bows, were charging and firing arrows. There were only five of them, but the Taiping Corps had no time to count as the arrows pierced their bodies.

"Take cover! Everyone, hide behind the buildings!"

Seven of the Taiping Corps were down in an instant, and the rest scattered in panic. They hid behind the building where Yang Hong and Li Lian were, or quickly ran to hide behind other buildings. The woman also dismounted and hid behind a wooden house.

But even as they were hiding, two more Taiping Corps fell. Now, only five remained, including the woman.

"Damn... The Dark Dragon Corps? Are they the Dark Dragon Corps?"

"I've never heard of Dark Dragon Corps warriors who can ride and shoot like that. They're not the Dark Dragon Corps."

Yang Hong, peeking through a crack in the wooden wall, frowned at Li Lian's