"Don't move," Xue Zi Ning said.
Xue Yan looked at Xue Zi Ning, startled. "Madam..."
Xue Zi Ning and Xue Yan were bound and placed in a prisoner cart.
Two burly men were with them.
The burly men saw them and were surprised. "How have I not seen you before?"
Just as Xue Yan was about to speak, Xue Zi Ning said, "Newcomers. This is our first time experiencing something like this."
The burly man laughed heartily. "What are you afraid of? The boss will come to save us."
Xue Zi Ning and Xue Yan exchanged glances. The boss?
"With so many soldiers, how can he save us?" Xue Zi Ning probed.
The burly man sneered. "Just watch. The boss will definitely send someone to save us. The boss..."
"Big guy..." the thin man beside him suddenly interrupted the burly man.
The burly man looked at the thin man. "Monkey, what are you afraid of? We're all brothers. Speak up to put them at ease."
"Brothers?" The one called Monkey sized up Xue Yan and Xue Zi Ning.
Xue Zi Ning was slightly taken aback. Although she and Xue Yan were in disguise as men, there was no guarantee that some people wouldn't recognize them.
"Two brothers, my brother and I are newcomers and don't know much. We ask that you take care of us," Xue Zi Ning said.
"That goes without saying," the burly man replied.
"Be quiet and behave," came the scolding from the soldiers outside.
Silence ensued within the cart.
After about two hours, the carriage stopped. The curtain was lifted, and the soldiers outside shouted, "Get down, everyone get down..."
Xue Zi Ning and the others descended from the cart. She looked around and realized they were in a military camp.
In her surprise, a soldier shoved her hard. "What are you looking at? Aren't you going in?"
Inside the military tent, a man sat at the head of the table. The man was in armor, with a resolute and stern face, his eyes piercing as if like sharp swords.
"Not kneeling when you see the General?" a soldier pushed Xue Zi Ning. Xue Yan grew anxious and was about to act when she saw Xue Zi Ning shake her head.
"Sir, my knees were injured. I cannot kneel. I beg the General's forgiveness!" Xue Zi Ning bowed respectfully.
"A prisoner dares to set conditions for the General?" The soldier kicked towards Xue Zi Ning's leg, but she dodged it.
The soldier was stunned and even more furious. "You dare to dodge?"
Saying this, he lunged at Xue Zi Ning.
"Retreat..." the young General suddenly commanded coldly.
The soldier retreated dejectedly, his gaze filled with ferocity.
"Take them away first," the young General said coldly.
Xue Zi Ning and the burly man were escorted into a makeshift prison tent.
Xue Yan looked at Xue Zi Ning. Xue Zi Ning nodded. Xue Yan had already slipped out of her ropes but pretended not to have, sitting there.
The burly man said in disappointment, "I wonder when the boss will come to save us."
"Let's wait!" Monkey said slowly.
The burly man, unable to sit still, looked at Xue Zi Ning and asked, "When did you two arrive?"
Xue Zi Ning and Xue Yan exchanged a look. Xue Zi Ning said, "We arrived less than three days ago. The boss told us to steal children. We stole the child and got caught."
The burly man burst into laughter. "Then you two are really unlucky. We specialize in stealing women, and you steal children."
"Brother, we just arrived. We can understand stealing women, but why steal children?"
The burly man grinned. "You don't know this, do you? That's a pure child..."
"But that child is only a little over a year old..."
The burly man was taken aback. "He is a bit young, but he can be raised."
Knowing that Xing Chen was likely safe for the time being, Xue Zi Ning's heart settled.
"When will we be rescued?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
The burly man replied, "The boss will definitely come to save us."
"Are you so sure? What if the boss doesn't come?"
The burly man smiled. "He will..."
The burly man smiled somewhat mysteriously. No matter how Xue Zi Ning asked, he wouldn't say more.
However, Xue Zi Ning sensed that things were definitely not that simple.
As the day grew hotter, the burly man succumbed to sleepiness and dozed off. Monkey, however, was quite alert, staring blankly ahead.
Xue Zi Ning couldn't help but ask, "Boss, hasn't he come yet?"
Monkey glanced at her, his voice low and cold. "He will come. Be patient."
Suddenly, there was a subtle commotion outside. Xue Zi Ning's eyebrows twitched slightly, followed by the sound of someone falling.
Xue Zi Ning was startled. Could it be that the boss mentioned by the burly man had arrived?
As she was thinking, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and a figure appeared.
Monkey's expression clearly brightened. "Second Boss."
In the dim candlelight, Xue Zi Ning saw the "Second Boss" that Monkey mentioned. He was tall and slender, with a handsome face. If not for Monkey calling him, she would have mistaken him for a noble young master from somewhere.
The man smiled slightly. "Found you."
Monkey nudged the burly man, who suddenly woke up and blurted out, "The boss is here?"
Monkey said, "It's the Second Boss."
The burly man looked up, and tears almost streamed down his face. "Second Boss, you've finally arrived! I was so scared."
The Second Boss smiled, a half-smile, half-mocking expression. "You're still afraid? Let's go..."
As the burly man and Monkey got up and took two steps, the burly man stopped and asked, "Two brothers, you two should hurry and get up to leave!"
Xue Zi Ning's heart skipped a beat. She felt a gaze fall upon her. She could fool the burly man and Monkey, but could this Second Boss?
"Second Boss..." Xue Zi Ning lowered her head.
The Second Boss observed her for a moment and then smiled. "Since you are all brothers from my stronghold, get up and go!"
The burly man stepped forward and put his arm around Xue Zi Ning's shoulder. Xue Yan was about to act immediately out of alarm but was stopped by Xue Zi Ning's gaze. The burly man patted her shoulder. "I almost forgot about you just now. Don't blame your brother."
"Brother is joking. How could I?" Xue Zi Ning gave a wry smile. She wished the burly man had forgotten her so that she and Xue Yan could slip away.
Suddenly, there was noise from outside. The Second Boss's face darkened, and he said coldly, "Hurry and follow me."
He lifted the curtain. Outside, the lights were bright. The young General stood there, his stern face as cold as frost. "Trying to escape? Guards, capture them!"
The burly man pushed Xue Zi Ning away and said, "You guys go first..."
The burly man lifted a soldier who came forward and threw him aside. He looked back at Xue Zi Ning, who was still dazed, and roared, "Go..."
Monkey's face turned grim, and he turned around. "Follow me..."
The Second Boss walked towards the darkness.
Xue Zi Ning followed him. As they entered the night, she looked back and saw the burly man surrounded by dozens of soldiers. She turned her head to Xue Yan, who nodded slightly. A dart flew from her hand.
The young General's brow furrowed as he looked at the dart presented by his subordinate.