Chapter 174: He Deserves My Horse (1/10)

Fang Yue had plenty of questions he wanted to ask, but anything about Lord Lan seemed to be Man Shui Cun's biggest secret, and he doubted anyone would tell him easily.

And also… Lord Lan's final words—why did he know I was Lord Han's man, and still have me pass on that line…

Could Lord Han have left some kind of mark on me?

Just as Fang Yue's thoughts were churning, Lan Yuntian suddenly clapped him on the shoulder and spoke in a deep, mature-male voice.

"Not bad at all, kid. I really admire you!"

"Uh… that's just what I should have done."

"Mm, able to stay humble in the face of my praise—very good, a moldable talent!"

Big bro… can you talk in a normal voice? It's kind of gross.

Just as Fang Yue was thinking this, he saw Lan Yuntian slick back his hair like a hairdresser, sweeping it all back to reveal a clean-cut face, and smile faintly: "I heard you're a vagrant, and you've only been Deputy Captain of Gu Yue Cun for a few days. How about it? Interested in being Deputy Captain here at Man Shui Cun, working under me? I can give you the second-in-command position of my Blue Water Squad. With our Man Shui Cun's wealth, we're not something Gu Yue Cun can compare to, and the benefits will naturally be better too."

Huh?

Th-this is poaching, isn't it?

While Fang Yue was dumbfounded, the escort team's members all tensed up.

"Shut your mouth! Deputy Captain Ye is one of our Gu Yue Cun's people! You Man Shui Cun people shouldn't push it too far!"

"Yeah right! You're poaching Gu Yue Cun's walls too? Have you no shame left!"

They all spoke up, but Lan Yuntian glared them into silence.

"This little brother hasn't even been at your Gu Yue Cun for a week, so how can he count as one of your Gu Yue Cun's people? Besides, I'm asking for his opinion—what's it got to do with you lot! And you'd better behave. The matter of you attracting a Wraith and nearly causing trouble for our village—we haven't settled that score with you yet!"

At these words, the escort team guiltily averted their eyes.

Seeing this, Lan Yuntian turned to Fang Yue and asked: "So? Has the little brother thought it through? Just a Deputy Captain position—for talent like you, that's far too much of a slight."

Fang Yue gave a dry laugh: "Actually it's fine… and at Gu Yue Cun, I'm actually counted as Captain, it's just that the position is still going through the paperwork, still being reported up."

"C-Captain?"

Lan Yuntian was visibly taken aback.

A village's Captain position almost represents the highest authority in the village—it isn't something handed out casually.

He himself felt that offering Fang Yue the Deputy Captain position was already pitching it high.

And yet Gu Yue Cun had actually given him the Captain position outright.

This guy… is he worth that much investment from Gu Yue Cun?

Lan Yuntian looked Fang Yue over left and right, and didn't see anything special about him.

In terms of strength, he's about even with me—I can also regularly take one or two hits from a mid Black Grade Wraith.

Just killing a Heavy Injury Wraith, finishing it off with a clean strike—I could do it just as cleanly too.

Lan Yuntian was feeling quite good about himself; he thought it over for a bit, then smiled.

"Since Gu Yue Cun is already offering the Captain position, it wouldn't be proper for me to keep poaching. Otherwise it'd be a hassle when the higher-ups send someone down to investigate."

"Mm, mm."

Fang Yue naturally had no objections. Mainly, he didn't know much about Man Shui Cun either. Joining the Guard Team either way, the Captain position at Gu Yue Cun was naturally the sweeter deal.

He briefly briefed Lan Yuntian on the escort team's situation.

Lan Yuntian couldn't help but ask: "Your objective was to escort An Shenyi back to Mo Cun? And then An Shenyi… died on the village road?"

"Mm."

Fang Yue's mood was heavy. Without An Shenyi's final crystal, he would have been crushed to death by the Wraith long before then.

"Sigh, life is unpredictable. Who would have thought that Divine Doctor An would meet such an end in the end. What are you planning to do now? Go recover An Shenyi's remains and bring them back to Mo Cun?"

"…An Shenyi's remains have most likely already been absorbed by the Heavy Pressure Wraith, so there's no need to go look. As for our escort team, we should still head to Mo Cun. If your Man Shui Cun has the kind of stone material used to repair Di He for sale, our team's stonemasons could stay behind for a while. Once I return from Mo Cun, I'll bring them back to Gu Yue Cun with me."

Di He stone?

Lan Yuntian's face showed difficulty, and he shook his head: "That won't do, our Di He stone isn't plentiful either."

"No worries, I won't press you. Then just let us rest one night at Man Shui Cun, and we'll leave first thing in the morning."

This Lan Yuntian had no objection to.

Although the Wraith had been attracted by Fang Yue's group, Man Shui Cun and Gu Yue Cun had long had an ancient pact of mutual aid, so naturally it wasn't an issue.

If it were Man Shui Cun's people who encountered a Wraith and fled to Gu Yue Cun, Gu Yue Cun would also have to step in to help—that was the same logic.

Earlier, loudly berating the escort team was just to keep them from influencing Fang Yue's choice—who knew Fang Yue already held the Captain position, so poaching was useless.

As the two were talking this far, the Blood Hunter had already hurried up to Fang Yue and given him a firm hug.

"Deputy Captain Ye, I owe you my life."

Fang Yue pushed him away: "N-no need to be so polite."

Old man, stop hugging me!!

The Blood Hunter didn't mind.

"A life-saving grace is a life-saving grace. From now on, if you need anything, Deputy Captain Ye, just come find me—I'll never refuse!"

Seeing his serious look, Fang Yue could only mumble a couple of acknowledgments. Just then, the 【Giant-Headed Blood Hound】 beside the Blood Hunter suddenly changed its dog-like demeanor, bared its teeth warily, and began barking loudly.

Fang Yue and the Blood Hunter were both stunned and hurriedly looked around.

Under the torchlight, at the far end of the village road, beyond the reach of their sight, a thick fog had drifted over!

At a single glance, both Fang Yue and the Blood Hunter's faces changed at once.

"That's An Shenyi's Wraith-Dispersing Incense! He's still alive!"

Fang Yue snatched a large blue horse being led by a Man Shui Cun Guard Team member nearby, along with a Human Soul Torch, and rode off at once.

The motion was fluid and decisive—he galloped away, leaving behind four words.

"Borrowing your horse!"

So cool, so dashing!

As expected of the man I've taken a liking to!

Lan Yuntian nodded with an appreciative expression, watching Fang Yue's figure ride off into the distance on horseback.

But very quickly, he suddenly felt something was off.

"Wait! Isn't that my horse?!"

The team member beside him then rushed over, saying: "Captain Lan, your horse is gone, your horse is gone!!"

Lan Yuntian's face darkened, and without a word, he put on the act of an expert.

"Captain Lan, your horse was stolen by that guy from Gu Yue Cun!"

That team member, thinking Lan Yuntian was deaf, repeated it in a loud voice, which made Lan Yuntian's face turn even darker.

Clearing his throat, he gazed up at the night sky at a forty-five-degree angle.

"That man is worthy of my horse!"

Ah, this...

That team member was a little dumbfounded and said nothing more.

The other members of the Man Shui Cun Guard Team, however, began to sigh in admiration.

"A hero cherishes another hero, conveying feelings through a horse — Captain Lan, what lofty sentiment!"

"The bond of brothers, the bond of friendship — this is a symbol of the friendship between our Man Shui Cun and Gu Yue Cun!"

"Captain Lan! Captain Lan! Captain Lan!"

Listening to his team members' words, the corners of Lan Yuntian's mouth curled up into an arc beyond his control.

But the next moment, his defenses were completely broken.

"No way, no way! There's no one who'd have their horse stolen and not dare to speak up loudly, right?"

"'He is worthy of my horse,' boohoo! Is this the highest realm of deceiving oneself? I'm moved, what about you guys?"

"Ah, his eyes look so scary, everyone look quickly, the Chief Captain of the Man Shui Cun Guard Team is about to attack us poor, innocent villagers!"

(End of this chapter)