Chapter 373: Separation

Night fell.

Wang Qiangzhuang led a few people through a canyon and set up tents in an open space outside the valley, preparing to get a good night's sleep.

They had been living in fear on the boat and had never slept well.

Only now, with their feet on solid ground, could they truly heave a sigh of relief.

Of course, the necessary vigilance could not be abandoned.

After all, this was the territory of the legendary Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons; although the other party might not trouble travelers just passing through, who knew if there might be some unruly demons coming to grab a midnight snack?

"Hualiu, Shui Wu, you two take the first half of the night on watch."

"Give me a reason."

"You have more stamina—I mean, energy."

"I like that reason, if you ignore the second half of the sentence."

Thus, while the others rested, Luo Zijun and Shui Wu sat outside the tents to keep watch.

The two looked at the clear night sky, enjoying this rare tranquility.

During the second half of the night, Wang Qiangzhuang got up to take over the watch.

Luo Zijun decided to confess to her: "Captain, there is something I need to tell you."

Wang Qiangzhuang sat down beside him and looked at him, saying: "Go ahead."

Luo Zijun said: "Actually, the purpose of my trip this time is not the Daughter Kingdom."

Wang Qiangzhuang was stunned for a moment, then reacted: "The Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons?"

Luo Zijun nodded.

Wang Qiangzhuang frowned slightly and said: "Then what you told me before, that you were going to the Daughter Kingdom to find your wife, was that also a lie?"

Luo Zijun said: "Finding my wife is true, but she is not in the Daughter Kingdom; she is in the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons."

Wang Qiangzhuang stared at him with a calm expression for a while, then nodded: "That's good. In that case, you won't have to keep climbing mountains and crossing ridges with us anymore."

Luo Zijun asked: "I'm leaving; will the Captain be a little sad?"

Wang Qiangzhuang smiled rarely: "Of course. You are a divine doctor, and you also look..."

At this moment, Luo Zijun reached up and wiped his face, changing his appearance, and said: "Captain, this is my true face."

Wang Qiangzhuang stared at the strange yet handsome face before her for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled: "No wonder, no wonder..."

"What is no wonder?"

Luo Zijun was puzzled.

Wang Qiangzhuang said meaningfully: "No wonder someone offered a price I couldn't refuse to have me bring you here. I thought you were really relying on money to get by, but it turns out you rely on your face."

Luo Zijun laughed: "Relying on my face is fine. At least I don't have to work very hard to get a full meal, don't you think?"

Wang Qiangzhuang said: "I think so too."

After a moment of silence, she asked again: "When do you plan to leave?"

Luo Zijun looked at the darkness ahead and said: "Probably tomorrow."

Wang Qiangzhuang nodded and said nothing more.

Luo Zijun sat with her for a while longer before taking Shui Wu into the tent to rest.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, just as the sky brightened, the group packed up their tents and set off.

After passing through a rocky ridge, a three-way fork suddenly appeared ahead.

The middle path led straight to the mountains in front.

The left path led to a river.

The path on the right was very strange; after a hundred meters, the ground was overgrown with weeds, and the path was no longer visible. Further ahead, the terrain dropped sharply, seemingly extending into a Yougu surrounded by mountains on three sides.

Luo Zijun stopped at the three-way fork.

Wang Qiangzhuang glanced at him, knowing he was about to leave, so she said to the others: "Hualiu and Shui Wu will part ways with us here."

As soon as these words were spoken, the others were also stunned.

Yang Yan hurriedly asked: "Brother Hua, aren't you going to the Daughter Kingdom?"

The others had the same question.

Luo Zijun said: "Sorry, I am not going to the Daughter Kingdom. Actually, I am going to the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons. My wife is in the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons."

The group looked at each other in dismay.

Luo Zijun cupped his hands to the group: "Thank you all for your care along the way. The green hills remain, the green waters flow; may we meet again if fate allows."

After speaking, he did not linger and led Shui Wu toward the small path on the right.

The others seemed to have many questions to ask, but seeing him leave so decisively, they could not bring themselves to speak and were all somewhat dazed.

After walking a few steps, Luo Zijun suddenly stopped, turned his head to look at Liu Sisi, and said: "Liu, if you have the chance to return to Daliang in the future, you can come to the Inner City of the capital to find me."

Liu Sisi was stunned for a moment and nodded slightly, her expression very calm.

"The Captain will tell you my name."

Luo Zijun added.

A look of confusion appeared on Liu Sisi's face. At this moment, Xu Ziyin suddenly spoke up from the side: "Aren't you called Hualiu? Then what is your name?"