Chapter 77 (1/2)
Chapter 77
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The young lady's expression was serious. Coldly, she uttered, ”Get out of my way.”
”How naive!” Zhuge Yue sneered.
With a swoosh, Chu Qiao dashed forward swiftly, clenching her fists and twisting her back. Zhuge Yue obliged, retaliating with a few blows of his own. Both of them were agile, their strokes exquisite, matching each other blow for blow. With the cold wind blowing onto them, their fists landed on each other's chests with considerable force. Both of them let out a grunt, taking two steps back, further showing that they were evenly matched.
”Yan Xun will never succeed with his rebellion. Ba Lei and Wei Shuhua have laid down traps. Traitors that oppose the royal capital will only die.”
Chu Qiao sneered. She used her hand to wipe off the sweat on her forehead, saying, ”Slave!”
Zhuge Yue was enraged. He replied in a low voice, ”What did you say?”
”Zhuge Yue, I thought you were a self-centred, inhuman, egotistical noble in the past. Today, I realise that you are a slave, a lackey with the surname Zhao.”
Zhuge Yue maintained a stoic expression. ”I am not loyal to the Zhao family, but to the Xia Empire.”
”Is there any difference?” Chu Qiao sneered, continuing, ”Cut the crap on traitors. Only the winners matter. Who knows, the history books in future would describe you as a lackey, an accomplice? History is solely based on the words of the victorious.”
”You have confidence in him,” Zhuge Yue sneered. ”I would like to open my eyes and see how he manages to escape from the gates of Zhen Huang.”
Chu Qiao squinted, replying, ”I'm afraid you won't have the chance to.”
The murderous aura was overwhelming. The young lady drew her dagger and started to exchange blows with Zhuge Yue. Under the moonlight, the two shadows leapt around with unparalleled agility, fighting amongst the grass.
”If you follow him, you will eventually die too!” Zhuge Yue reciprocated and drew out his dagger, advancing forward.
”Thank you for your concern, but do look out for yourself first!” Chu Qiao somersaulted in the air, landing heavily on Zhuge Yue's shoulder. She stuck out her knife and prepared to sink it into his shoulder with a merciless blow.
”The unjust is doomed to destruction. Don't force me to take action!”
”We are sworn enemies. There's no need to show any mercy.”
”Who's there?” Untidy footsteps suddenly echoed in the distance. The two of them froze, stopping in their tracks and running towards the thick and dense bushes on their left. As they started to run towards their cover, they noticed that the other had followed in the same direction. Momentarily, they forgot that they were being chased and continued to exchange blows. ”Towards the east, let's follow!”
The palace guards approached rapidly. Zhuge Yue frowned and grabbed Chu Qiao's wrist, hissing, ”Do you want to die? You still want to fight?”
Chu Qiao raised her eyebrows and retorted, ”Why are you following me?”
Zhuge Yue retaliated in anger, ”Who's following you?”
”In front, quick!”
With a swoosh, Chu Qiao kicked Zhuge Yue in the calf. Zhuge Yue looked her fiercely in the eye and berated, ”Crazy woman, you don't know your boundaries!”
The young lady, half-knelt on the ground, replied coldly, ”Vile stalker!”
”Quick!” The sound was approaching from within ten steps out. Both of them, shocked, stopped fighting each other and rolled into the thick, dense bushes.
”Where is it?”
”Boss, you must have heard wrongly.”
The guard commander shook his head cautiously and said, ”Impossible. I saw a few shadows here.”
”Boss, it must have been a cat. There are plenty of them in this courtyard.”
”No. I saw it for myself.” The leader said in a low voice, ”Search the premises. It's Your Majesty's birthday tonight, make sure there are no mistakes.”
”Yes!” The group of guards slowly walked away. Two pairs of wary eyes stared cautiously towards the outside, until the guards disappeared out of sight.