Chapter 8 — Bought the wrong Bac Canh Vuong

There were many beastmen locked in the cage. The seller shouted loudly, as if selling a normal item. Hac Da looked for a long time. I thought he remembered something unpleasant, so I quietly pulled his sleeve.

“Let's go home.”

Hac Da bowed his head and looked at my hand. A moment later, he turned around and grabbed it. His palm was very hot. This was the first time he actively held my hand. Even after going very far, he still did not let go.

09

On the morning of the third day, I woke up very early. I cooked powdered soup and also used an egg the landlady gave me. Two bowls total. Last night Hac Da went out to meet Lac Nhan and said he would return before dawn. I put the egg in his bowl, my bowl only had a few egg crumbs. Remembering the landlady's words, I cut the egg in half again. Half for each person. That is the fairest. But until the soup had cooled down, Hac Da still hadn't returned. At first I was not impatient. Maybe he was being held back by something, or maybe he was discussing the way back to Bac Canh with Lac Nhan. I reheated it once. Then heat it up again. The sky outside the window is getting brighter and brighter. The vegetable seller on the street went back and forth twice. The bowl of flour soup on the table gradually formed into a block. My heart began to feel uneasy. The system suddenly spoke up. 【Detected the mission target's life status was abnormal.】 I jumped up.

“How unusual?”

【The distance is too far, cannot be confirmed.】 【Life fluctuation is decreasing.】 The spoon in my hand fell to the ground. I rushed out the door. Lac Nhan just came running from the beginning of the alley. His cloak was torn and his shoulders were covered in blood. Seeing me, his steps stopped. I immediately understood.

“Where is Hac Da?”

Lac Nhan's face turned pale.

"Last night we went to meet the former Northern Canh army. On the way, we encountered an ambush. His Highness wanted to lead the soldiers in pursuit, so he told me to leave first."

I grabbed his sleeve.

“Where is he?”

“Miss Tang Ninh, you can't go.”

"The person they really want to arrest is His Highness. They knew about the identity change in the past, but still did not expose it because they wanted to use me to find him."

Lac Nhan's voice became hoarse.

“Before leaving, His Highness told me to take you away from this place. He also said that the store and money were all arranged.”

I looked at him.

“What happens after that?”

Lac Nhan did not speak.

“What else did he say?”

“No more.”

I slowly let go. It turns out that in the past three days, he repaired the roof, bought a store, and canceled the contract. Not to prepare for the future, but because I'm afraid I won't be able to return. I turned around and ran upstairs, rummaging for the freedom certificate in my pocket. The paper was folded very neatly. But on the back there is an additional text. Perhaps Hac Da wrote last night. His handwriting shows that he writes very slowly. Some ink is dark and some is light. 【I will return.】 I looked at those four words for a long time. Then fold the paper and tuck it into your shirt.

“He said he would return.”

Lac Nhan bowed his head:

“His Royal Highness is just afraid that you will worry.”

“If he says something, he must keep it.”

I took my usual cloth bag, put medicine, bandages and the remaining bread in it. Lac Nhan blocked the door.

“Miss Tang Ninh, Her Highness does not want you to take risks.”

“I don't know how to fight.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Go pick him up.”

I went around Lac Nhan. Take two steps and stop.

“Do you know where he was taken?”

Lac Nhan was silent. Yes Obviously he doesn't know. I also have no choice. But Hac Da couldn't wait forever. I forced myself to calm down and carefully observed the wound on Lac Nhan's body. His cloak was covered in mud. The shoe sole has a very fine layer of red powder. Not like the land in the old neighborhood. I sat down and used my fingertips to knead some dough.

“Where did you two go last night?”

“South of the city.”

“Where in the south of the city is there red soil?”

At the bookstore, I used to copy many invoices for merchants. South of the citadel near the old brick kiln. That area often transports clay, so this red powder always falls on the road. But the brick kiln has been abandoned for a long time. Now very few people go there.

“They are in the old brick kiln.”

Lac Nhan's face changed. I continued to look at his robe. On the torn spot was a piece of dry vine leaf. Leaf edges turn white. Near the old brick kiln there is only one place where this type of vine grows. It's an abandoned wine cellar. Previously, merchant groups used that place to store wine. Later, a landslide occurred and the entrance was almost completely filled. I used to copy maps for the remodeling team.

“Not inside the brick kiln, but in the wine cellar behind.”

Lac Nhan immediately turned around.

“I'm going to gather people.”

I follow:

“I'll go too.”

He even intended to refuse. I said it first:

“In the wine cellar there are many old paths, you don't know the way.”

“I once looked at the map.”

In the end, Lac Nhan didn't stop me anymore.

10

The old brick kiln is very far from the citadel. When we arrived, it was overcast. Lac Nhan could only gather more than ten beastmen. All of them had been injured and their clothes were old, but after hearing that Hac Da had been arrested, no one backed down. Lac Nhan told me to stay outside.

“Once I find His Highness, I will bring him out.”

I shook my head.

“The west entrance has collapsed. If you go from the main door, you will be discovered.”

I picked up a tree branch and drew a rough route on the ground. The wine cellar has three floors. The bottom floor used to be used to store ice, and in winter it was used to preserve wine. Later that place collapsed, the entrance on the ground was buried, but there was still a very narrow drainage path. Only people with small bodies can get in. Lac Nhan looked at that line.

“Too dangerous.”

“But faster.”

Hac Da's life fluctuation is still decreasing. I can't wait anymore. Finally, Lac Nhan led his men to distract the guards in front. I got in through the sewer line. It's very dark inside. The wall was wet, the stones rubbed my palms. I didn't dare light the lamp, I could only grope forward little by little. Crawling for a long time, I finally heard talking.

“Are you still refusing to hand over military orders?” A man smiled coldly. “Do you think that if the old ministry finds you, the North Scene will be yours?”

No one answered. The sound of the whip cracking against flesh rang out clearly. My whole body trembled. The other person said:

“And where is your little master?”

"I heard that she received money from Luo Yin, and even had a store. You died here, she still lived very well afterward. Who knows, in a few days she will buy another obedient beastman."

It was quiet for a long time. Finally, Hac Da spoke up. His voice was very hoarse.

“She won't.”

“Trust her that much?”

“She is poor.” He stopped for a moment. “I won't spend money carelessly anymore.”

The bridge of my nose is stinging. It's been a while and you still remember me very poor. The other person seemed impatient.

“Get rid of him.”

I couldn't wait any longer, picked up a loose rock from the floor, and forcefully threw it into the jar of wine next to me. A loud noise rang out. The guards outside the door immediately headed this way. I escaped into the darkness. Waiting for them to pass, I crawled out from the other side. The cell is at the end of the hallway. The iron door is very thick. Above hangs a lock. I took out a thin steel wire from my pocket. That's what bookstore owners often use to unclog ink tubes. I don't know how to unlock it. Tried several times, my hands shook violently. The people inside heard the movement and suddenly raised their heads. The dim light fell on his face. Hac Da was chained to the wall. His clothes were soaked in blood. Seeing me, his pupils shrank.

“Tang Ninh?”

I sniffled.

“Why don't you come back for breakfast?”

Hac Da was stunned.

“I cook powdered soup and add eggs.” My voice gets smaller and smaller. “I've been waiting for you for a long time.”

As if he had finally reacted, he tugged on the chain.

“How did you get here?”

“Crawl in.”

“Get out.”

“The door hasn't opened yet.”

“Tang Ninh!”

This is the first time you called me by my name like that. I was startled. The steel wire in his hand fell to the ground. Hac Da closed his eyes and lowered his voice.

“It's dangerous here.”

“I know.”

I picked up the steel wire and continued to unlock it.

“But you said you would return.”

Hach Da looked at me:

“I thought you had a store and money and wouldn't wait any longer.”

I find this sentence very strange.

“Money cannot eat with me.”

The last lock made a small "click" sound. I quickly pushed the door open and ran in front of him. When you get closer, you can clearly see the wound on his body. Wrists were chained until they were covered in blood. There is also a very deep knife wound on the shoulder. My eyes immediately turned red.

“Can't cover me from the rain.”

Hac Da's throat moved slightly. I sat down and untied his leash. But his hand was grabbed by him.

“Tang Ninh.”

“Yes?”

He used his strength to pull me into his arms. The blood on my body stained my clothes. But his arms hugged me very tightly, as if he was afraid that I would disappear in the next second. I didn't dare touch the wound, so I could only carefully wrap my arms around his waist. Hac Da bowed his head, resting his forehead on the top of my head.

“I want to go home with you.”

The sounds of fighting rang out outside. It was Lac Nhan who led people in. I nodded.

“Okay.”

“But please relax a bit. I'm about to not be able to breathe.”

Hac Da's body stiffened. His arms loosened slightly, but his tail wrapped around my waist. We hadn't even left the cell when at the end of the hallway several guards appeared. Hac Da blocked me from behind. Even though he was seriously injured, his claws still popped out in the blink of an eye. I grabbed the hem of his shirt.

"Lac Nhan is coming, you don't need to try to resist."