MOUNT LAOJUN 5

"But it's strange. Why don't we meet with Mu Ying's troops until now?..." Even though they tried to avoid Mu Ying at the beginning, but since their destination was the same, they should have been able to meet each other. "Have we taken the wrong path?..."

"According to the information I've heard, we have to step through this path to reach Xie Wang's headquarters," Hu Nayin answered.

"Maybe they choose the wrong path?" Wu Qi asked.

"I have no clue. The most important is that we're not getting lost."

"Okay, Guide. Do your best!" Wu Qi gave support. Hu Nayin smiled in reply.

Perhaps Zhu Su got more adaptable now, and this time he did not stop reminding himself of his essential purpose, therefore he became tougher than before. They could keep walking for hours, even though there was still no sign that they had approached Xie Wang's headquarters. So far only mountain forests were in their sight.

"Why does it feel like I've seen this area?" Zhu Su had been familiar with the forest he was walking through right now. Although he had to admit, the forms of forests were all the same - only consisted of leaves and trees.

"My goodness!" Wu Qi yelled. "Is this the lake where we took a rest in the noon? Why on earth can we be here again?!"

"We... have been going around just to get back to starting point." Zhu Su murmured.

"Hey! What's wrong?!" Wu Qi asked for Hu Nayin's responsibility. That young girl appeared to be perplexed, could not make any response to Wu Qi.

"The forest can be such perplexing. Just take one wrong step, we can get lost easily... I shouldn't be so hasty. I should have made extra careful planning before attacking Xie Wang." Zhu Su defended Hu Nayin, in the meantime, Hu Nayin's face was blushed with embarrassment while muttering the word "sorry".

The sun was now sliding to the west, its ray had also changed color to blood red. Datura flowers had begun to bloom, just like Hu Nayin explained before. After blooming, the flowers appeared very lovely, lovely enough to be made as an ornamental plant. But Zhu Su did not have time to enjoy the beauty of nature because he was in a bad mood to do so.

"Or perhaps we should go back?" He murmured, confused.

"I think it's better for us to go back, Your Highness. Wild animals also roam when the day turns to the night," Wu Qi suggested.

Just when Zhu Su nodded, there was a loud sound of grasses shriveling behind them. They jumped automatically. Zhu Su screamed fearfully in his mind, Are they wild animals?!... Or, enemies?!...

"Damn you!!!"

But what they were looking at was really astonishing. A squad of Mu Ying's army was standing in front of them, with two soldiers were busy fighting each other.

Zhu Su, Wu Qi, and Hu Nayin quickly ran away and hid into the grove of trees.

"You damn! How the heck you hit me without any reason!"

The fighting continued, yet no one knew who was right and who was wrong. And no one could break them up. Their faces turned red like boiled crabs, their eyes glared as if they would fall off soon. And they sweated too much... Their appearance reminded Zhu Su of a crazy dog ​​he had seen when he was a child.

"We can't break them up. It's no way out," The commander said. "We have no choice."

He raised his sword, then struck those two soldiers.

They died instantly.

"They are like crazy people. Totally crash. Carrying them would be a waste of energy." Sheathing his sword, the commander looked at the rest of his squad, "All of you, take care of yourself! Don't lose your lives because of stupid things like this!"

Instead of answering, the soldiers' eyes glittered strangely, and thus began to glare. Their faces were also getting redder. And they began to growl.

"Uuuuhhh... Hot... So hooootttt!!!"

"I'm angry!"

"I hate you all!"

Suddenly, they drew their swords and now, dueling each other. Just like the two miserable soldiers did before.

"What the hell are you doing?!" The commander was very panicked as all of his subordinates were attacking each other. They were fighting not merely by using fists, they were attacking each other by using swords.

The sunset had now completely fallen behind the mountain. The crescent moon replaced it as the ruler of this night, and witnessed the blood pouring down, dampening the grass, and flowing into the lake.

Lives perished all for nothing.

"Wh... what the hell is going on here?!..." The commander was completely pale. In an instant, all of his soldiers had been killed. Also because of something anomalous. His whole body began to tremble, for a few moments he could not move even for an inch.

The same kind of anxiety also struck Zhu Su, Wu Qi, and Hu Nayin, who witnessed everything from behind the grove of trees.

"Why did Brother Mu Ying's army turn to be such crazy?..." Zhu Su whispered in confusion.

"Poor commander. What will he do next?" Wu Qi asked, also felt confused.

Hu Nayin accidentally swiped the leaves. Actually, the sound was so little it was barely audible, but the silence of the night, coupling with the eerie tension, let the commander immediately hear the sound.

"Who's there?!" The commander roared.

Totally in panic, none of them answered.

The commander took his bow, ready to shoot at them. Zhu Su had no choice, he had to get out or they would die silly at the hands of their own soldiers.

"It's me!" He shouted, showed him up.

The commander knelt down to salute Zhu Su. "Please forgive my impudence, Your Highness!"

"Never mind." Zhu Su replied.

"Your Highness, why are you here? You should be at the government office, shouldn't you?"

"That... I am looking for a rare medicinal plant. I hear that many of them exist in Mount Laojun." Zhu Su made excuses. "How about you? Why do you separate from the core forces? And what happens to your army?"

"It is very difficult to find Xie Wang's hideout. We have searched for three hours or perhaps more, but we still couldn't find it. As a result, General dispersed his entire army. Each unit was taking a different path, by using this tactic we were supposed to be able to gain good results. General assigned us to take this route. But about this sudden incident, I really have no idea, why it can happen..."

"Then, you don't know about the other units or Brother Mu Ying?"

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness, I don't know."

A hint of premonition struck Zhu Su. "Commander, you must be careful. After all, it'd be better for you to go back with us."

Yes, he now had made up his decision; he gave up on searching for Xie Wang's headquarters and chose to return to his residence. His hunch said that they could experience danger if they continued their way.

"But... I can't, Your Highness!..."

"We are facing with Xie Wang, King of Disasters. It's impossible if he doesn't realize that we are attacking him. He must be using a tricking strategy against us. Commander, you are not safe. All of your men have died. I'm afraid, he is also planning something bad to you."

The commander fell silent. He knew clearly that he could not violate Mu Ying's orders. But on the other hand, the death of his men made him scared to death. He hesitated.

"You must know clearly about Sun Tzu's 36th Strategy, right? Sometimes running away is the best way we can do. It's not wrong with running away, it'd much better than dying in vain." Zhu Su turned around, followed by Wu Qi and Hu Nayin. "Come on, hurry up. Don't waste time anymore. The night makes this beautiful mountain look eerie."

When Zhu Su walked away, the commander ran after them hurriedly.

"Alright, Your Highness! I'll follow you!"