“Hum! Hum!”
A beam of seven strands of fortune light was credited, followed by another beam of eight strands of fortune light.
“Hmm?”
Lu Zheng frowned. The fortune light provided by these two was so meagre. Could it be that the abandoned disciple of that sect would part ways with them in the future?
“Thank you, Young Master Lu, for your help!” Wang Changxiong and Huang Qing stepped forward, their faces full of lingering fear, and they clasped their hands in gratitude.
“Hum! Hum!”
A beam of two strands of fortune light was credited, followed by another beam of one strand.
“This is…”
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. Was it because these two had faced a deadly calamity, causing their fortune to diminish? Yet, since they were alive, there were still variables, so their fortune light hadn’t completely vanished. When Lu Zheng intervened and altered their fated outcome, their fortune began to recover?
And the jade seal in Lu Zheng’s mind, had it extracted a tiny bit from this difference in fortune?
“No need for thanks. It was a small effort, and besides, they wanted to kill me too. You two don’t need to dwell on it,” Lu Zheng said with a smile.
“Young Master, not acting would have been understandable, but acting was a kindness. I, Wang, owe you my life,” Wang Changxiong said solemnly, pulling out a water-repelling pearl from his chest and offering it to Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng pushed Wang Changxiong’s hand back. “Head Escort Wang, you’re too kind. If I hadn’t been travelling with you, I wouldn’t have killed those three. The items on them can be considered my spoils.”
“Of course!” Wang Changxiong hurriedly replied. “Those three were slain by you, Young Master. Naturally, anything gained belongs to you.”
Lu Zheng nodded, smiling at the two. “You two go handle your matters for now. I’ll see if these three have anything valuable on them.”
Lu Zheng’s words carried an implication, and Wang Changxiong and Huang Qing understood. They exchanged a glance, clasped their fists to Lu Zheng, then turned with grim faces and headed toward the escort team.
…
Lu Zheng first searched the burly man in tiger skin, finding only a few treasure notes and some copper coins, nothing of value.
Then, at the corpse of the gaunt man, he noticed the body had turned greenish-black. Several small snakes, scorpions, and odd-looking insects crawled over it, occasionally biting.
Lu Zheng shook his head, applied a manipulation technique, and found an old book in a cloth pouch under the man’s clothes: *Poison Hand Insect Refining Technique*.
He flipped through it briefly. Though unsure of its use, Lu Zheng frowned, wrapped it up, and kept it as a collectible.
Finally, Lu Zheng rubbed his hands and approached the corpse of the middle-aged man in a Taoist robe.
For someone of mediocre talent to defy fate and change their fortune, it would require either a treasure or a technique. Since the gaunt man carried his technique, this Taoist likely did too.
Rubbing his hands, Lu Zheng muttered, “Wishing for luck,” and began searching.
A bag of copper coins and a few treasure notes, even less than the burly man’s. Useless.
A wooden plaque with faint spiritual energy, but its effect was negligible. Barely worth keeping.
A brass ruyi sceptre, edges worn smooth, likely just a trinket for handling.
A lacquered wooden statue of a divine lord, perhaps a Taoist deity. Did he still perform morning and evening rituals, occasionally praying to it?
And then… nothing else…
“Hmm?” Lu Zheng blinked. No technique? No treasure?
Or… Lu Zheng glanced at the items before him… was the treasure among these?
Looking back, he saw the escort agency had resolved their matters. With a wave of his hand, he gathered the items and strolled toward the escort convoy.
…
“Head Escort, spare me! Spare me!”
A man with an honest face was weeping. “I was wrong, I’m less than human, but I had no choice! For the sake of my nine years with you, please spare my life!”
Wang Changxiong’s face was dark, Huang Qing’s full of disdain, and most of the other escorts glared with anger.
No matter how close, it couldn’t outweigh a vendetta of life and death!
“Your mother, I’ll take care of her,” Wang Changxiong said gravely.
“I…”
*Bang!*
As the man looked up, Wang Changxiong’s palm struck his forehead.
Turning, he saw Lu Zheng had collected his spoils and was approaching. Wang Changxiong nodded in greeting, then waved to the escorts. “Dig a pit for Guo the Third. The other three, go deeper, throw them far.”
“Yes!”
A dozen escorts, with picks and shovels from the convoy, worked swiftly. In less than half an hour, they’d finished, digging pits and scattering sand, leaving the scene spotless.
…
Wang Changxiong didn’t tell Lu Zheng why Guo the Third betrayed, and Lu Zheng didn’t ask.
After such an incident, neither felt like chatting. They walked in silence for a day, reaching Lijia Town, under Tonglin County, and stayed the night.
The next day, near noon, they entered Tonglin County. As the host, Lu Zheng treated the escort team to a meal at a restaurant, paid for with the spoils from the three dead men.
After a hearty meal, the straightforward escorts regained their spirits, drinking and playing games, shouting and laughing.
…
That afternoon, after seeing the escort team off, Lu Zheng returned home, returned his horse, and arrived at Renxin Hall in the early evening.
“Lu Lang, you’re back!”
After days apart, Liu Qingyan was overjoyed, leaping from her seat and running to Lu Zheng, her eyes sparkling with delight, corners crinkled, lips slightly upturned, dimples showing, looking ever more like a little fox.
“Master!” Hu Zhou hurried over to greet him.
“I’m back,” Lu Zheng said, patting Hu Zhou’s head before turning to Liu Qingyan. “Qingyan.”
Old Man Liu chuckled. “Lu Lang, you’re finally back. The clinic’s not busy today. Qingyan, go with Lu Lang. Let Hu stay and help me.”
“Alright!” Liu Qingyan agreed instantly, grabbing Lu Zheng’s hand and rushing out.
Just outside, her initial excitement faded, and her shy nature resurfaced. Her face flushed, and she tried to let go.
But as she did, Lu Zheng gently held her hand.
“Lu Lang~” Liu Qingyan felt warmth from his grip, her body softening.
At her call, Lu Zheng, who hadn’t seen her in days, felt his legs weaken.
“Lu Lang, was your journey smooth?” Her wide sleeve hid their clasped hands. Liu Qingyan glanced around, shy yet curious, making conversation.
“Fairly smooth,” Lu Zheng nodded. “Though it was only a few days, I had quite a few experiences.”
