Wasn’t this directly walking into the line of fire?

Going to find Lord Hu was tantamount to seeking death for Luo Yang!

He was both astonished and angry: “Little ancestor, you saw it yourself just now—I nearly got killed by him. If you go with his caravan now, I’m afraid I’ll be devoured completely, bones and all, before we even reach Qujiang.”

This was a losing proposition.

No way!

Xiao Ba, who had been silently standing to the side all along, rushed over and said: “That’s right, we absolutely can’t go with that person. He’ll kill us. No, no, absolutely not.”

He waved his hands vigorously!

But at the moment, Lord Hu was the only person Ji Yunshu could think of.

She said: “Don’t worry, with me here, he won’t devour you, much less take your lives.”

Luo Yang sneered coldly: “Hmph! What grand claims you make!”

“Since I dare say this, naturally I have my assurance.”

Luo Yang looked her up and down: “Assurance? What assurance? Based on you?”

His tone was full of contempt!

He would sooner believe in ghosts than trust the words of this woman of unknown origins standing before him.

Ji Yunshu caught those two gazes of complete distrust and said: “As long as you come with me to see Lord Hu, I’ll naturally clear things up for you.”

What? Luo Yang’s eyes widened, thinking he had misheard. He looked at this woman speaking such absurdities: “I say… did you hit your head when you fell earlier and damage your brain? I barely made it back from death’s door, and now you want me to go with you to find Lord Hu? Are you saying my life is too long? Or that the punch I took wasn’t heavy enough? You’re simply sick—go see a physician immediately!” Having said that, he raised his hand and swept it aside, hooking his arm around Xiao Ba’s neck, saying, “Come on, let’s go back inside to catch up on sleep. Don’t pay attention to this foolish woman.”

The two walked toward the house, and Ji Yunshu quickly stepped forward to block them.

“If you don’t go, I’ll hand this dagger over to Lord Hu.”

Luo Yang was dismissive: “Go ahead. I, Luo Yang, love treasures, but I don’t love just one dagger. If you want to hand it over, hand it over. If you want to bring people here, bring them. Worst case, I’ll move and leave! Those people are in the trading business—time can be delayed, but goods cannot be delayed. If they can’t find me, naturally they’ll leave. This young master can afford to wait it out!”

Rather than go deliver himself to death, he would rather give up the dagger, move and hide. Once those people left and the storm passed, he would still be the little tyrant of Zhuxin City!

Seeing this, Ji Yunshu had no choice but to resort to her last measure!

She drew the dagger and suddenly held it against Xiao Ba’s neck.

Xiao Ba was so frightened his eyes widened, every hair on his body stood on end, and he immediately opened his mouth wide.

Seizing this moment, she pulled out a pill and stuffed it into Xiao Ba’s mouth.

With a “gulp,” he swallowed it.

At the same time, she withdrew the dagger from her hand.

Xiao Ba clutched his neck, his face turning completely red from choking on that unknown pill.

“Xiao Ba?” Luo Yang’s face was full of worry. He immediately questioned Ji Yunshu: “What did you make him eat?”

“Poison!”

“Poison?”

“After taking this poison, one will die suddenly within two months.” A flash of ruthlessness passed through Ji Yunshu’s eyes.

Learning he only had two months to live, Xiao Ba immediately cried his heart out, clutching Luo Yang’s hand and saying: “Brother, I’m going to die, I’m going to die. What should I do? I don’t want to die yet! I’m only seventeen, I haven’t earned enough money to marry a wife yet. I’m still waiting to have children. Brother, you have to save me. I can’t die…”

Snot and tears flowing freely.

Luo Yang supported Xiao Ba, anxiously sweating profusely. He clenched his fists and glared viciously at that venomous woman: “Quick, bring out the antidote.”

Ji Yunshu assumed a negotiating posture: “If you’re willing to agree to go with me to Qujiang, once we cross the Nansai Desert and find that person called Sha Tuo, I’ll naturally give him the antidote.”

“You dare threaten me?”

“I wouldn’t call it threatening—it’s truly a desperate measure born of necessity.”

“Do you believe I’ll kill you?”

“If you kill me, you can forget about getting the antidote.” Ji Yunshu’s attitude was resolute.

Xiao Ba cried inconsolably: “Brother, let’s just agree to her request. I don’t want to die yet!”

Seeing Luo Yang still hesitating, Ji Yunshu continued: “Since I need you to guide the way, naturally I won’t let Lord Hu kill you. I’m having you come with me to see him precisely to help clear things up for you, so we can go to Qujiang together with his caravan. As for this poison, it won’t take effect for two months, so you only have two months to help me find the person I’m looking for.”

She had employed the most despicable method!

But it was also a measure born of helplessness.

To find Jingrong, she was willing to bear any blame.

Luo Yang finally experienced just how unpleasant it felt to be coerced by someone, but he couldn’t watch Xiao Ba die with his eyes open.

So—

“Fine, I agree.”

For Xiao Ba’s sake!

Ji Yunshu also finally breathed a sigh of relief. Holding the dagger in her hand, she said: “There’s also this dagger. Once we find the person, I’ll give you both the antidote and the dagger.”

Having said that, she walked past Luo Yang and headed outside.

Luo Yang suppressed the anger in his chest.

Forcibly enduring it.

Then he said to Xiao Ba: “You wait at home. I’ll go with her to see Lord Hu. If anything happens to me, you should… Ai ya! Forget it. If I really die, there’ll be no way to get the antidote for your poison. When the time comes, just dig yourself a pit and bury yourself. At least we brothers can reunite in the underworld.”

“Ah?”

“Remember my words!”

Luo Yang then followed Ji Yunshu to go find Lord Hu together.

Xiao Ba wiped his tears, his mind in complete confusion.

He stared blankly at the doorway, then scratched his head.

Thinking: Bury myself? How do I bury myself?

…

Ji Yunshu brought Luo Yang to the tavern where Lord Hu was staying.

When that group of people saw Luo Yang, they burned with fury: “Well, well, you little bastard! You escaped earlier, and now you’ve delivered yourself to our doorstep.”

They were about to seize him.

“Wait!” Luo Yang instinctively hid behind Ji Yunshu, patted her shoulder, and lowered his voice to say: “You’d better resolve this quickly. If anything happens to me, forget about finding Sha Tuo.”

He understood how to turn the tables now!

Ji Yunshu calmly looked at the group of burly men before her and said: “We’re here to see Lord Hu.”

“Oh, so it’s you, Miss!”

Luo Yang froze, leaning close to Ji Yunshu’s ear to ask: “They know you?”

Ji Yunshu didn’t respond to his question. She said to those people: “I have business with Lord Hu.”

Those people said: “Of course, of course. You’re Lord Hu’s benefactor, but this stinking brat…”

“He’s my friend. There’s been some misunderstanding in all this.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Several men looked at each other.

In the end, they still led them upstairs.

Because of the dagger incident, Lord Hu’s group had already delayed their departure time. Now with this commotion, everyone in Zhuxin City knew about it.

Lord Hu was naturally burning with fury. He was about to increase his manpower to capture that thief who didn’t know death, when coincidentally that very thief delivered himself to their doorstep.