Chapter 220: Seed of Belief

Even many years later, some of them hold high positions, some gallop on battlefields, some guard a region, some dominate the business world, some remain obscure...

They will never forget this day; they never imagined that the person behind them would wield a blade.

In their twilight years, they can smile and say they have a group of companions who have accompanied them for life—that is their treasure and wealth.

Now, what seems like a joke, some ideas, have taken root in their hearts, waiting only to sprout and bloom in the future.

"How does it taste?" Kang Zhi Xia frowned, then suppressed the bloody smell.

Quenching thirst truly quenches thirst, but the foul smell rises to the heavens; people have an instinctive reaction.

"Not bad, not bad."

I can't say another word; I'm afraid I'll vomit any second.

"Are they... alright?" Kang Zhiqiu furrowed her brow, looking worried.

Kang Zhi Chun shook her head. "Zhiqiu, sometimes the power of belief is very important."

"Dean, you planted the seed of belief in us long ago, letting us persist."

"If it were half a year ago, would we have come here? Would we be doing these things?"

"We wouldn't!"

At that time, although their mother had raised them, they were still the Eldest Miss of the Kang Clan—their hands never touched spring water—and the harshness of the battlefield was only something their mother described; but now they still don't comprehend, yet they have already seen those glimpses.

"Dean!"

That person in their hearts, like a spiritual pillar—thinking of her makes them feel they can forge ahead fearlessly, unafraid of what lies behind.

"Eat meat." Kang Zi Wei took a few skewers of meat and hurriedly handed them over; although the snake meat had no seasoning, its tender texture could suppress the bloody smell.

Even when they left, Kang Nai Xin still hadn't woken up.

Kang Zi Wei carefully gave her water; everyone's lips were somewhat dry, and each face looked unpleasant.

"I'll hold her." Ning Hanmo stepped forward and then held Kang Nai Xin in his arms.

Now the three ladies have no strength left; Kang Wen is carrying Kang Wu on his back, while Ning Qiancheng is supporting from the side.

Jia Chuan and Han Wen Jun support each other, while Zhang Cunwen stands beside them, ready to rescue at any moment.

Kang Zhi Xia carried a large machete, walking along, with guards surrounding everyone.

"Should there be a trap here?" Kang Zhiqiu pointed at the passive ground; along the way she had been carefully watching for traps and their direction of advance.

But what's going on with this trap?

"Could I have misseen it?" Kang Wen set Kang Wu down, then took a deep breath.

After drinking the snake blood, I felt my whole body filled with strength; I didn't feel tired, just a bit warm all over, as if I had endless energy.

"I won't missee it."

Kang Zhiqiu shook her head firmly, then walked forward and brushed aside the soil on the ground.

After seeing this, Zhang Cunwen said, "I'll come; tell me where you want to look."

Kang Zhiqiu glanced at him, didn't stand on ceremony, and pointed directly at a spot: "Here, dig down."

Zhang Cunwen said nothing, then began to dig with the stick in his hand, bit by bit; not long after, he saw the wooden stake in the pit—its sharp tip wasn't facing upward, but the ground was littered with wooden stakes, and if one fell into the pit, it would still cause injury.

"A trap." Kang Zhiqiu looked at everyone.

Everyone looked at each other.

"There are many wild beasts on this mountain; could some animal have destroyed it?" Jia Chuan frowned and guessed.

"No!" Ning Hanmo shook his head; he still held Kang Nai Xin in his arms—the small person, though light in weight, always seemed to possess great energy.

But at this moment, it is so quiet, so quiet that it cannot be ignored.

"Beasts wouldn't destroy it like this; it's obviously man-made." Ning Qiancheng also gave his opinion.

"Who could it be?" Kang Wu frowned.

"Dean?"

After Kang Zhi Chun said that, she looked at everyone's expressions.

However, everyone lightly laughed and shook their heads; it couldn't be the Dean—no one could make the Dean violate her principles, nobody could.

"Are there others on the mountain?"

Kang Wu frowned, looking somewhat incomprehending.

"Why dwell on this? Let's just go on, keep looking; we'll eventually get an answer." Ning Hanmo, holding Kang Nai Xin, glanced at her somewhat pale face and walked straight ahead.

The others exchanged glances and quickly followed.

I don't know whether the snake blood took effect, or whether the obstacles and barriers along the way were eliminated by the dark guards.

Perhaps it's because many hardships have already been overcome by them; the path down the mountain is so smooth.

"Trap here."

"There's one here too."

"Look up in the trees."

Whenever anyone discovered something, they would report it; after inspection, these traps were all found to be man-made sabotages.

What could be the purpose of the person destroying the traps?

"Should we still intervene?" The dark guard looked at the wounded, supporting each other, carrying, holding, having come all the way.

The dark guard captain assessed the situation, furrowed his brow, and said, "Withdraw."

"Intervene?"

"With just this bunch of scouts, if they intervene, would they even survive?"

"Furthermore..."

"He wants them to win, wants to see them win."

"\"Withdraw? \" Some dark guards responsible for sectors hadn't even seen it and couldn't understand.

"What nonsense, retreat." The dark guard captain furrowed his brows and directly retreated.

Sending them here is enough; from now on they can walk the rest of the way themselves.

"Is the way down the mountain too smooth?"

Ning Qiancheng looked at the surroundings and the barely visible thatched huts, feeling as if everything were a dream.

"Let's go, everyone focus and adapt as needed." Ning Hanmo handed Kang Nai Xin to Kang Zhi Chun; he and Kang Zhi Xia each took a side, protecting a group, and began to rush down the mountain.

"Clang—" the bronze gong sounded.

From the first strike to the twelfth, Kang Nai Xin's strike was made by Kang Zhi Chun holding her hand and striking in her place.

"Treatment."

Jiang Yun Chu looked at a group of children, said nothing, and let the imperial physician on the side come forward.

"You need bone-setting, bear with it." An old imperial physician looked at Kang Wu, smiling narrowly, then his eyes widened and he exerted force with his wrist.

Kang Wu felt intense pain, cold sweat instantly covered his whole body, his eyeballs slightly protruded, and his teeth were clenched tight.

The old imperial physician, who had expected ghostly wails and wolf howls, stood up upon seeing his state, "Let's try, does it still hurt?"

Kang Wu first moved his ankle, then stood up, "There's still a bit of pain."

"You handled it a bit late; since you can walk, the bone is fine, you just need to reduce the swelling slowly."

"Okay." Kang Wu nodded, needing no help, and rubbed his ankle with medicated oil himself.

"He's actually a child who can endure hardship."

That old imperial physician smiled, stroked his white hair, and then waited off to the side.