When the olive-shaped boat touched the Yongfu, an invisible string in the air seemed to tighten with a twanging resonance.
“Brother Bai Yu, after you gentlemen.” Mo Zi secretly tugged at Cen Er, who was about to help Yuan Cheng up.
“Better let Brother Cen take this boat passenger up first.” Zhong An deliberately moved aside, then added, “I notice he seems unwell. Shall we lend a hand? It would be easier.”
“Right, I’ll help.” When it was time to pitch in, Shi Lei didn’t hold back at all.
Seeing him stand up to pull Yuan Cheng over, Mo Zi quietly manipulated the rudder she was still controlling. The olive-shaped boat rocked violently, and Shi Lei fell backward onto his behind, colliding with the attendant behind him, sprawling in a spread-eagle position.
“The river’s swift and the boat’s small—you all better take care of yourselves.” Chouyu saw Shi Lei’s spectacular tumble and laughed heartily. “Stop dawdling and get aboard.”
After Bai Yu, Zhong An, and the other four boarded, Cen Er asked Mo Zi worriedly, “Could they be suspicious? When I was sitting just now, that bearded fellow kept looking back. Brother Mo, I really hope I didn’t guess right—that those four were the ones that night.”
How could Mo Zi not know this in her heart? Otherwise she wouldn’t have deliberately covered Yuan Cheng’s head, fearing such a coincidence. It was too late now to regret not considering these things. Besides, even if Bai Yu’s mysterious purpose was aimed at the number one corrupt official, there was only one boat, and only one waterway from Nande into Great Zhou. Even if they were bitter enemies, they had to coexist.
Old Guan and the others looked at each other, still not understanding what was happening.
Mo Zi didn’t have time to explain clearly, only to tell them to try to keep Bai Yu’s group from approaching Yuan Cheng. However, she underestimated their initiative and urgency to accomplish their mission, and didn’t know they’d already become suspicious.
Feixia carried Yuan Cheng onto the Yongfu on his back. Mo Zi followed behind. The moment her foot touched the deck, she saw Shi Lei leap forward, his right hand formed into a claw, reaching for the covering over Yuan Cheng’s head.
“Feixia!” Mo Zi only had time to call his name.
In that split second, Feixia’s bulky body suddenly spun like a top, already ten paces away from Shi Lei.
A shadow like a great bird swooped down, instantly exchanging several moves with Shi Lei before separating with a light whistle, blocking Feixia’s front. Dark-faced with slanted brows, expression ice-cold, holding two water-parting forks in both hands—it was Feixia’s second brother, Water Snake.
“What’s going on?” Chouyu also appeared in mid-air, landing on the boat without a sound, standing in front of Mo Zi.
Clang—clang—on Bai Yu’s side, except for him and Zhong An who didn’t move, Shi Lei led the way, drawing swords that had somehow appeared at their waists, assuming an attacking stance. Under the brilliant midday sun, the glittering scales on the river were swept by the chilling sword energy.
The waves at Frightened Fish Rapids danced urgently. The calm river bay was about to raise waves and overturn boats.
“Who would have thought you were all hidden masters? We nearly underestimated you.” After being forced back by Water Snake, Shi Lei glared with fury, pointing his sword tip at him. “That one doesn’t count. You and I should have a proper match.”
Water Snake showed no expression, said nothing, didn’t even blink.
Feixia chuckled merrily, stomped his foot, and shot up several meters to land on the cabin roof. What he carried on his back seemed not to be a living person weighing over a hundred pounds, but a feather—it didn’t hinder his movements at all.
“So Brother Mo’s men are elite soldiers and strong generals. I, Zhong An, have also misjudged.” Zhong An pulled back Shi Lei with one hand as he tried to rush forward.
Mo Zi herself was stunned at this moment. She hadn’t known the three brothers knew martial arts, always considering them boat people skilled in swimming, who’d left their homes due to difficult circumstances.
“Master Zhong An flatters us. We three brothers aren’t any elite soldiers or strong generals, just poor boatmen who make our living from the water. We’re wild by nature, so our hands and feet are more agile than ordinary people.” Speaking on their behalf was Chouyu. He’d always been the most talkative of the three brothers.
“My Brother Shi has natural great strength. For your second brother to withstand several of his moves—that can’t be achieved just by being agile.” Zhong An was a discerning person.
“What a coincidence—my second brother also has great strength. In the water, he can slap crocodiles to death.” Chouyu grinned, making it hard to tell truth from falsehood in his words.
At this moment, Old Guan and Cen Er boarded the boat one after another, still not clear on what had happened.
“Now isn’t the time to discuss this.” Whether the three brothers were masters or not, Mo Zi couldn’t be bothered. She stepped forward several paces, Chouyu following close behind. “Bai Yu, what do you mean by this? Out of nowhere, having someone sneak attack my boat passenger.”
“Hey, if I made the move, come find me.” Shi Lei stepped forward to take responsibility.
“You think we’re all blind, unable to see who’s leading, whose word counts, is that it?” Mo Zi had endured them for a long time, since they first held a knife to her slender neck.
“It’s me. So what?” Bai Yu also stepped forward, his star-like eyes brilliantly bright, his sapphire-blue python-patterned robe moving with the wind, his whole body radiating battle intent. Though his hand held no sword, it was as if he held one.
“You people want to cross the river and tear down the bridge?” Cen Er had never seen such a scene, but spoke up loudly nonetheless.
“We don’t want to cross the river and tear down the bridge. We just want to see your boat passenger’s true face and appearance.” Bai Yu didn’t look at Cen Er, just stared fixedly at Mo Zi. “Just one look.”
Zhong An added, “Brother Mo, we’re all sharing one boat. Why hide and cover up, leaving people’s hearts unsettled?”
“Ridiculous. We’re just sharing one boat, not spending our whole lives together. He wants to cover his face—you feel unsettled—these two things have nothing to do with each other. He’s too handsome and you might feel ashamed of your appearance—is that not allowed? He’s too ugly, insecure and self-conscious and doesn’t want to see people—is that not allowed? He has some skin condition that can’t be exposed to light, can’t see the sun—is that not allowed? He’s bored with nothing to do, and just wants to cover his head with clothing—is that not allowed?” Mo Zi’s heart was adding fuel to the fire, burning brighter. Seeing everyone somewhat dazed by her words, she concluded, “In one sentence: it’s his wish. What business is it of yours?”
Damn their whole group—they were all illegal border-crossers, yet they kept making trouble for her. She, the snakehead, was not happy putting up with it anymore.
No one had ever seen Mo Zi in extreme anger, because she was always easygoing, nonchalant, seeming easy to talk to, seeming refined and courteous, often smiling, often amiable, knowing how to read situations, able to endure small matters, wise about big ones. But right now her words were like burning fireballs. Each individual character was clearly familiar, but put together they were novel yet comprehensible, and could strike them seeing stars, exploding with blazing flashes.
“What if I insist?” The only one not dazed was Bai Yu, his face covered with cold frost.
“Insist? Ha—” Mo Zi laughed with her mouth wide open. “If you insist on stripping someone’s clothes off, I insist you get lost!”
A gust of wind, reed flowers swaying, and those who came to their senses fell silent as cicadas.
“Get lost?” Unable to contain his fury, Bai Yu repeated it once.
“That’s right, get—lost!” She’d endured him for so long—did he really think she feared death? “This is my boat. If you won’t listen to me, then get lost. You lot, each and every one of you hugging your swords, jump into the water. If you can swim, great. If you can’t, I won’t rescue you either.”
“You seem to have forgotten that swords are lethal weapons for killing, and we’re all expert killers. Even if you have three people on your side with decent skills, do you think I couldn’t beat you? Do you think I’d fear your threats?” Hiss—the metallic sound echoed back and forth. Bai Yu slowly revealed his sword, precisely pointing at that covered head near Feixia’s neck.
It was a sword that looked very ancient, with blue-green characters inscribed on the blade, emanating a deep blue luster.
“I’ll say it once more: I want to see his face. Otherwise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy.” Having received secret orders, he couldn’t let a single suspect slip away.
“Old Guan!” Mo Zi called sharply.
Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Old Guan nimbly flipped over and jumped off the Yongfu.
“What are you doing?” Bai Yu sensed something wrong.
Mo Zi, angry to the extreme, coldly mocked him. “You’re an expert killer—what could you fear from an elderly boatman? Of course I know you’re all very formidable, drawing swords so fast, not like children fighting. However, you also seem to have forgotten something. This isn’t land—it’s on a boat. This also isn’t an ordinary river surface. Look carefully—the crocodiles’ bellies are hungry and waiting for their meal. Since my boat is a private vessel, it’s impossible I wouldn’t have some tricks. I’m not afraid to tell you: as soon as you make a move, Old Guan will activate the mechanism at the bottom of the boat, flooding and dismantling it. Try it and see—which is faster: you killing all of us, or this boat sinking?”
“Don’t tell me crocodiles distinguish between people to eat?” Bai Yu didn’t know whether to believe her, so he looked for flaws first.
“You really are dense. This move of mine is called mutual destruction.” Mo Zi folded her arms across her chest, raised her head proudly, and looked at him sideways. “I said before: once you’re on this boat, it’s one boat, one fate. If the boat sinks, naturally no one survives.”
Bai Yu wanted to see her fear and bluster, but he couldn’t. This person standing with head high and chest out—in her anger was stubborn composure, as if everything happening now was grasped in her palm. Her rage was an unwillingness to be wronged after he’d touched her bottom line, erupting with astonishing force.
But he too had his bottom line. Once he’d decided on something, he must carry it through. The more she prevented him from looking, the more he wanted to see.
“Brother Mo, let’s talk this out properly—” Zhong An’s words weren’t finished when he saw Bai Yu move. He cried out inwardly: Why was Bai Yu being so impulsive this time?
What he didn’t know was that Bai Yu was too proud, rarely having someone point at his nose in provocation, and so he’d taken it personally.
Bai Yu’s sword first encountered not Mo Zi’s nose tip, but Chouyu’s oar.
A pitch-black iron oar—when sunlight hit it, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, reflecting not a bit of luster.
“Brother, blades and swords have no eyes—be careful. Rather than bullying someone who doesn’t know martial arts, why not practice with me?” Chouyu smiled, his solid iron oar blocking the ice-cold sword edge.
“Indeed, blades and swords have no eyes. However, the one who needs to be careful isn’t me, but you.” Bai Yu’s blue-green sword suddenly seemed to come alive, swimming along the iron oar shaft.
Fine threads of black iron filings drifted down onto the deck one after another.
Chouyu cried out in alarm and hurriedly withdrew his iron oar. “What kind of sword is this, that it can shave my black iron?”
As soon as he withdrew, Bai Yu took advantage and crossed over, the deep blue sword light heading straight for Mo Zi’s neck.
Mo Zi’s hand in her sleeve had already gathered strength. She thought: A bit closer, a bit closer. If she struck unexpectedly, what were the odds she could throw him off the boat?
“I’ve long heard that Young Master Xiao’s Moon-Singing Sword is a divine weapon. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation.”
A hoarse voice came riding the wind, shattering that soul-stealing sword energy.