AZI Volume 2 Chapter 21

Sitting down together on the cold floor with five bamboo steamers in front of them, Long Hua and the others munched on steamed buns and gyozas.

"You know, this isn't quite what I had in mind when I gave you this sword."

With a steamed bun in hand, Nian Yao Yao glares to her left.

"Not quite what I had in mind either."

Receiving her glare, Long Hua shrugs his left shoulder.

"…So?"

"So what?

Unsure if the other side is being serious or not, Nian Yao Yao sighs, and asks—

"So, as in, are you seriously going to maintain this posture until the end?"

"I have to make it convincing, don't I?"

"Just drop it. You're making it difficult for me to eat."

Seeing Nian Yao Yao—who must actively void the edge of his blade while eating her steamed bun, Long Hua lowers his sword with a sigh.

"Zhui Yun, I could always position the sword back in place."

"Tch."

Clicking her tongue, Zhui Yun lowers the knife in her hand, and resumes her meal.

"…"

Silently, Tian Cheng lowers her sword as well—allowing Jing Yao to heave a sigh of relief.

"In any case, what do you think they're even talking about?"

Replying to Long Hua's question, Nian Yao Yao says—

"What else could they be talking about—other than how to deal with this ridiculous situation that you've created?"

"You know as well as I do that they aren't."

Chewing her food, Nian Yao Yao begins to sort through her thoughts, and eventually, she replies—

"I'm pretty sure they aren't buying your cringeworthy hostage act."

"Even though I put so much effort into it?"

"They're at a clear disadvantage when it comes to dealing with us. So long as I'm nearby—it's impossible for them to use any sort of heavy firearms. Those MAUs are nothing more than them putting on a strong front to intimidate us with."

Ignoring Long Hua's remark, Nian Yao Yao begins to lay everything out in a clear manner.

"Their goal is the map in my hand. Until they get this thing, they won't stop harassing us. It should already be clear, but their ideal condition for victory is to isolate me from the rest of you. That way, I'd be left with no choice but to give them the map."

"Meaning I'd have to guard you at all times."

Saying this, Long Hua can't help but feel the situation to be unfair.

No harm could possibly come to Nian Yao Yao—since the enemy commander is her own mother; but because Long Hua is the former's guard, he has no choice but to expose himself to life-threatening danger.

"Pretty much. If we want out of this crappy situation, we'd have to find New Moon Village tonight—and seal the business deal. After that, we destroy the map."

Towards Nian Yao Yao's idea of ending everything tonight, silence fills the air.

Momentarily, Long Hua says—

"Wait, this still doesn't answer the original question."

"Hard to answer really. They might be discussing how they could do a temporary retreat—only to redo their attack at a later date when they're more prepared."

"Aren't they already well-prepped?"

Taking a bite out of a steamed bun, Nian Yao Yao replies—

"They might appear to be organized on the surface, but they clearly didn't come into this city with a detailed plan in mind."

"How can you tell?"

Turning to Long Hua, Tian Cheng says—

"Master, their firearms are loaded with lead-based bullets."

Nodding her head, Nian Yao Yao adds—

"Just as your doll here says, the fact that they didn't load their guns with tranquilizer rounds is proof of them not having enough time to make thorough preparations. Lead-based bullets are always in high demand by the general populace because Sinners occasionally run rampant. Your first thought on how to deal with a Sinner—who is charging at you with killing intent surely wouldn't be to put them to sleep now, would it?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Long Hua answers—

"Killing them before they can kill me is always my first thought."

"Exactly, so tranquilizer rounds are almost never in stock."

If it was in the distant past, where wildlife was "tamer" in nature, hunting for games through the use of tranquilizer rounds was a common practice among the wealthy—for those who were interested in keeping them as exotic pets.

"You'd have to get them ordered ahead of time—if you were planning to perform an operation with them in mind. Them being ill-prepped also means that I did a decent job at concealing my tracks."

As if pointing out something that couldn't be more obvious, Nian Yao Yao shrugs her shoulders, prior to eating a gyoza.

Looking at Nian Yao Yao with narrowed eyes, Long Hua asks—

"Should you really be tacking self-praise onto yourself when you screwed up at the last moment that is the most crucial?"

"A person should try to maintain a bit of self-esteem at all times, even if they fail."

Judging by Nian Yao Yao's air when she says this, she seems to be speaking from plenty of experience.

"I'm impressed. The skin on your face is way thicker than mine."

"You demanded for them to bring you food and drinks after creating this farce, your skin isn't any thinner than mine."

Left without a comeback, Long Hua presses a steamed bun to his mouth.

Momentarily, Jing Yao asks—

"This will probably sound rather random—but, Yao Yao, how much do you really know about your family?"

"Hm? That is quite random, what do you really mean to ask, Jing?"

"Aside from the Bloodline Project, did your mother keep anything else from you?"

Being asked this, Nian Yao Yao frowns at first—with the intent to just brush it aside, but momentarily, her expression turns solemn.

(That old hag would occasionally vanish for more than two months. I've no idea what she does during those absences, and since she won't ever answer me honestly, I've long given up on asking. I wonder, if she still does this to this day?)

Looking to Jing Yao, Nian Yao Yao answers—

"She's always doing something behind my back, so it's hard to say for certain. When I was still in the estate, she would occasionally vanish for more than two months. This happens once a year. You think whatever it is that she does—during those absences is related to why they had to take this outside?"

"I'm only guessing. But once a year, and for more than two months… Hmm."

"Something the matter?"

Constricting her eyes, Jing Yao answers—

"When I was still working in the Long Yue family's estate with my older sister, she would also vanish with Madame Nian for that amount of time once a year."

"So, she still does it to this day, I'd assume?"

Listening in on the conversation, Long Hua and Zhui Yun thought—

(It's as if the two's family members are having a tryst with one another while these two, the children have only just caught on to it.)

(Hm? This reminds me of a sappy drama about a woman cheating on her husband—who is always away from home due to work. The main character—who is the woman's child, is introduced to a stranger, who will be living with them two episodes in.)

Coming to the same conclusion as one another, Long Hua and Zhui Yun shook their heads to dismiss the image from their minds.

Clearing his throat, Long Hua redirects their focus—

"Never mind it all for now. Whatever they had to talk about outside shouldn't be our concern. You mentioned how you wanted to find New Moon Village tonight. How are you going to do that—when we're stuck in this place?"

Looking at the ground, Nian Yao Yao turns to Long Hua, and asks—

"Sword Saint Long, you got any confidence in being able to cut us a way down to the sewers from where we currently are?"