Chapter 380: The Escape Journey

Chapter 380: Journey of Escape

After Su Mo finished speaking, the study fell into silence once more.

Neither option seemed correct—what could it truly be?

Seeing them lost in thought, Su Mo couldn’t help but laugh:

"Alright, these are just my speculations. Right now, there’s no concrete evidence to prove Xiaoxiao is actually connected to the Dragon King Hall.

"It’s all just chasing shadows...

"The reason I kept Yin Xiaoyu around to gather information about the Dragon King Hall was simply to avoid missing any remote possibility.

"For now, don’t overthink it. Who knows? We might come across something in the future."

Yang Xiaoyun and Wei Ziyi nodded:

"Alright then, in that case, don’t wear yourself out over this either.

"Besides, no matter what, this at least serves as a lead. We’ll just keep it in mind."

"Mhm."

Su Mo gave a slight nod.

He spent a little time quietly copying the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture.

Wei Ziyi was already yawning repeatedly, so Su Mo simply shooed her off to bed.

Just as he was about to take Yang Xiaoyun back to their room, a figure darted past—it was Little Situ Taoist and the four cardinal ladies of East, West, South, and North—returning.

In her arms, she carried a bulky package.

"Eldest Brother Su, you’re still awake?"

Little Situ Taoist was surprised to see Su Mo and Yang Xiaoyun.

Given how late it was, she had assumed they would have already gone to bed.

Su Mo shook his head slightly and glanced at the bundle in her arms:

"Did the Wang family really have the medicinal herbs you needed?"

"Yes."

Little Situ Taoist nodded vigorously.

Su Mo raised an eyebrow: "Let me see?"

"Eldest Brother Su, you don’t understand pharmacology—what use would looking at them be..."

Little Situ Taoist put on a calm face as she shook her head. "Wait until I’ve prepared these herbs properly, then I’ll go over it with you."

"...Fine."

Su Mo nodded. "Wait here for me a moment."

As he spoke, he headed back to the study.

Little Situ was naturally itching to get back to her room and prepare the medicine for Su Mo.

But since Su Mo had asked her to wait here, if she seemed too eager, it would surely arouse his suspicion.

Before the great task was accomplished, if Su Mo discovered the secret, that would be a disaster!

Fortunately, Su Mo soon returned from the study and handed her a stack of papers:

"If you have time later, check out what’s written here."

"Huh?"

Little Situ glanced up at Su Mo. "What is this?"

"The Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture."

Su Mo waved his hand. "Alright, go get some sleep."

"Mm-hmm."

Little Situ nodded. It was too dark to read properly, but if Su Mo said it was the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture, then that’s what it was.

With that, they went their separate ways—Su Mo took Yang Xiaoyun back to their room to rest, while Little Situ wasn’t about to just go to sleep.

Hauling a big pile of herbs back to her room, she instructed the four cardinal ladies—East, West, South, and North—to get to work.

The herbs had to be prepped—some ground up, others boiled down.

Among them were not only the herbs Su Mo "needed" but also ingredients for Wei Ziyi and Zhen Xiaoxiao.

It was a ton of work.

The night was almost over, and by dawn, they were finally done.

No point rushing the next part.

Little Situ let out a big yawn, about to crash, but suddenly remembered the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture Su Mo had given her.

Clutching the stack of papers, she flopped onto the bed with the help of the four cardinal ladies and began reading.

Yet, after just a quick look, she frowned hard.

"This isn’t right..."

Grunting, she sat up and carefully flipped through the pages. A second later, her frown got worse.

"Eldest Brother Su shouldn’t have made mistakes in writing. Not every formula here is off.

"But the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture has been the subject of such fervent rumors in the South Sea. While the elixirs recorded here are impressive, they don’t quite live up to that level..."

Little Situ knew her background from the Xuanhu Pavilion gave her a different understanding of this field compared to ordinary people.

Her perspective was naturally incomparable.

What seemed unremarkable to her might be considered miracle recipes worth a fortune in the eyes of many.

Thus, she read with even greater care and attention.

In the end, she decided that while these elixir recipes had some remarkable aspects, most were pretty mediocre.

Moreover, every single formula contained errors.

If it were just one or two, it might have been due to Su Mo's miswriting or inaccuracies in the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture.

But with so many mistakes, that explanation no longer held.

With this in mind, she glanced at the four cardinal ladies—East, West, South, and North, who were already resting. After a moment of contemplation, she pressed lightly on the bedboard and suddenly launched herself up.

She darted to the table, placed her hands on its edge, and gently eased herself down onto the chair.

Only then did she grab the ink and brush to jot down her notes on paper.

As she wrote, she shook her head again, discarded the page, and started anew.

After several tries, she finally listed the erroneous ingredients in each of the elixirs.

Yet, scanning the list, her brow furrowed—she couldn't discern any pattern.

Now dead tired, she decided not to dwell on it further, resolving to discuss it with Su Mo after waking up.

She then slipped back to bed and lay down to rest...

......

......

The night's work had been quite taxing.

At this hour, when the sky was just beginning to lighten, the entire ship was dead quiet.

Inside the cabin, among the group who had spent half the night listening to Su Mo's "war stories," two individuals cracked their eyes open.

One was the Sweetheart Sword Shu Jing, the other the Laughing Taoist.

Neither had made a move the previous day, instead watching as Su Mo pummeled Yin Xiaoyu.

They had intended to make a break for it but got knocked out by Little Situ Taoist's poison.

Now that the poison had worn off, they got antsy again.

They had wanted to sneak off last night, but Yin Xiaoyu had forbidden it.

Though they complied outwardly, they had other plans.

Being clever types, how could they resign themselves to being Su Mo's prisoners?

Now, they slipped up, shared a look, and were on the same page.

The room was tight, with only one bed occupied by Yin Xiaoyu.

The rest either slept on tables, chairs, or simply on the floor.

Carefully stepping over the sleeping bodies, they reached the door and pulled gently—Su Mo hadn't locked it.

After sharing a knowing look, they couldn't help but grin despite themselves.

The ship is docked at Pingyang Island’s harbor, and if they want to escape, they’d better move fast.

Pingyang Island is big enough to hide in. Once Su Mo’s gone, they can slip away easily.

Otherwise, once they’re out at sea, getting away won’t be so easy.

With this thought in mind, the two slipped out of the room one by one, shutting the door quietly behind them.

“We’re really out?”

Once outside, the Laughing Taoist still couldn’t believe it:

“That was too easy.”

“Not exactly,” Shu Jing murmured. “Su Mo locked our pressure points, leaving our martial arts powerless. Otherwise, it’d have been a breeze.”

She exhaled softly. “Are we sure we shouldn’t get the others?”

“…No.”

The Laughing Taoist frowned. “The Chief’s not herself. Though she didn’t say much yesterday, she kept telling us not to stir things up.

“This isn’t like her at all… My guess? Su Mo’s scared her stiff.

“The others still take orders from her, but they haven’t witnessed Su Mo’s terrifying power firsthand. They still trust her.

“Bringing them in now would just make things messy.

“First, we get out. If we want to rescue them later… we’ll cross that bridge later.”

He left it open-ended, not committing fully.

Shu Jing gave a small nod.

“No time to waste. Let’s move.”

The two of them stealthily crept toward the gangplank.

They used to be martial arts masters, moving effortlessly, but now, with their inner strength sealed, sneaking around felt clumsy and strange.

Still, their years of rigorous training had honed their physical prowess. Even without inner energy, their agility remained.

However, while Su Mo and the others were still resting, some of the ship’s crew had already woken up and were cleaning the deck.

They had barely taken a few steps when they spotted two crew members chatting on the deck around the corner.

This posed a problem. In the past, they wouldn’t have given these two a second thought—a quick takedown would’ve handled it.

But now, that was impossible.

Shu Jing of the Lover's Sword had all her martial prowess concentrated in a single longsword.

Laughing Daoist, on the other hand, wielded a short whip. Now that both of them had their qi sealed and their weapons confiscated, rashly attacking these men was questionable at best. If they were to cry out and alert Su Mo, the situation would turn truly hopeless.

As they hesitated, unsure of what to do, they overheard the two men speaking:

"Has Xiaoxiao gotten up yet?"

"Yes... she's already in the kitchen."

"Ah, the head escort had previously mentioned that she's unwell and shouldn't eat recklessly, but this girl just won't obey."

"Sigh, she already has mobility issues, and once she's in the kitchen, she refuses to leave. Cook Lao Li is at a complete loss, not knowing how to handle this little miss."

"We'll have to wait until the head escort wakes up before anything can be done."

Hearing this, the two exchanged glances.

A girl, named Xiaoxiao, unwell, and not allowed to eat freely...

Combining these details, they both conjured up an image of a sickly-looking, frail but gluttonous young girl.

Their hearts stirred simultaneously.

If they could capture this girl... even if Su Mo woke up, there might still be leverage.

If they could persuade Su Mo to unlock their pressure points...

Then, there might truly be a chance to escape.

With this thought, they immediately turned back and began searching for the kitchen.

Having spent years working at sea, they were familiar with ship layouts, even if they couldn't build one themselves.

Moving cautiously, hiding and sneaking around, they even managed to slip into the crew's quarters and steal two sets of sailors' clothing.

After dirtying their faces, they finally located the kitchen.

With heads bowed, they approached the kitchen door and saw a cook wielding a ladle, standing there sighing at the entrance.

Laughing Daoist lowered his voice and asked casually:

"Is Xiaoxiao here?"

"Yes, she is."

"We're here on the head escort's orders to get Xiaoxiao."

Hearing this, the cook was relieved: "The head escort is awake? Quick, quick, please take this little girl away. If she stays any longer, nobody's eating today."

The two nodded and stepped inside, still wondering.

A hungry girl eating in the kitchen—how could that possibly mean no one else gets to eat?

Before they could finish the thought, they had already entered the kitchen.

Looking up, they turned pale.

They saw a massive, pale, bloated figure sitting in the kitchen, barely leaving any space between the stove and the table.

In one hand, the enormous figure held a one-legged bronze figurine.

For some reason, the bronze figurine appeared rather bent, like it was groveling...

In the other hand, he clutched a pig's hind leg.

In his grip, it looked no bigger than a chicken wing.

He took a bite, his face smeared with grease.

This...

Xiaoxiao?

This is a joke!

How is this "little" at all?

The two exchanged a glance and turned to leave.

The idea of capturing this "delicate and ailing" little girl as a hostage...

Even if their internal energy hadn't been completely immobilized, moving her would've been a nightmare.

Taking her along would make escape impossible.

But as they turned, they saw Cook Lao Li staring at them with hopeful eyes, like they were the village’s only hope.

For a second, their vision went dark.

Bailing now would blow their cover.

If they aroused the cook's suspicion, what then?

There was no turning back now. Gritting their teeth, they returned and approached Zhen Xiaoxiao.

The moment Zhen Xiaoxiao saw them, her eyes gleamed.

Their hearts nearly stopped in terror.

They worried she’d get bored of the pig leg and decide to go for a live snack instead.

"What? You after my pig leg?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao, oblivious to their thoughts, instinctively shielded her meal.

Xiaodao Ren and Shu Jing exchanged glances, relieved. Xiaodao Ren lowered his voice and said,

"Zhen Xiaoxiao, the Chief wants to see you."

"Huh?"

Zhen Xiaoxiao was stunned. "The Boss is awake already? Is the deputy awake too?"

Boss... deputy!?

The two were thunderstruck upon hearing this.

Then it hit them.

What Head Escort? What Purple Sun Escort Agency? Total scam.

Even if they truly came from the Eastern Wastelands, they were most likely bandits.

No surprise they played dirty. The Chief was drop-dead gorgeous, yet Old Su fought her as if she were his own grandson, without holding back.

But now, he wasn’t killing the Chief—could it be because he was captivated by her beauty and intended to keep her as his captain’s wife?

That was entirely possible, and Yin Xiaoyu might have the same idea.

Otherwise, given their Chief’s usual temperament, she would never take this lying down after being captured.

Chances are, she was after hooking up with Su Mo.

And on top of that, they—her subordinates—were to be Yin Xiaoyu’s dowry!

Xiao Daoren couldn’t help but glance at Shu Jing, thinking to himself that this woman would make a decent bedmate…

Once this thought took a wrong turn, it galloped away like a runaway horse, impossible to rein back in.

But now was not the time for idle musings. The two immediately nodded repeatedly:

“Yes, they’re both up. C’mon, kid.”

“…Alright.”

Zhen Xiaoxiao sighed deeply, reluctantly standing up. Before leaving, she snatched another roasted suckling pig:

“Once the Boss is up, he won’t let me eat anymore.

“I’ll secretly hide this pig as a snack—don’t snitch on me.”

“…”

A roasted suckling pig as a snack… Who does that?

The two nodded repeatedly, nodding along.

The three of them headed out together, leaving the kitchen.

Cook Lao Li, now pleased as punch, went back inside to cook.

Xiao Daoren and Shu Jing, however, were sweating bullets.

Now what?

Hell, they could’ve just jumped ship and swum away.

Besides, they could have just stolen these two outfits and snuck out… Why did they have to double down on this mess?

No matter what, anything would have been better than being stuck with her.

Just watching her carry the one-legged bronze figure as if it were just a twig was enough to tell that her strength was freakishly strong.

As for her clumsy steps…

Every step she took had the ship lurching.

Isn't this just slowing us down?

At this thought, the two men suddenly had another idea.

Sharing a look, they nodded slightly and stealthily picked up speed.

As long as they could lose this woman, before she went to Su Mo's room to wake that fiend, the two of them still had a chance to escape.

Moreover, just walking faster, not outright running, shouldn’t arouse suspicion.

The corner was just ahead. Once they reached it, they could find a room to hide in.

They figured the girl wouldn't suspect a thing.

As they plotted, they heard Zhen Xiaoxiao’s voice from behind:

"Hey, slow down! Wait up!"

The men desperately wished for wings and to flee for their lives—how could they possibly wait for her?

Before they knew it, they reached the corner.

They turned back.

But the door was unusually large compared to those of ordinary rooms.

Scanning the hallway, there was no more suitable option.

Wasting no time, they pushed the door open, only to find the room pitch-dark inside, with no light at all.

Once inside, they didn't waste time looking around, quickly turning to shut the door.

Frozen in place, they waited silently.

Moments later, they heard Zhen Xiaoxiao’s heavy footsteps passing by outside.

They heard her mutter:

"How did they disappear in the blink of an eye?

"They must’ve run really fast..."

Grumbling under her breath, her voice gradually faded away.

The two exhaled in relief, but knew it wasn’t over yet.

Once this girl lumbered to Su Mo’s door and woke him, they'd be done for.

Thinking this, they were about to open the door and leave when suddenly, something wasn't right.

Then faintly...was that breathing from behind?

Xiao Daoren thought it was Shu Jing behind him, while Shu Jing assumed it was Xiao Daoren messing with her.

Both whirled around angrily.

Before them loomed a massive tiger’s head, staring straight at them.

Its icy eyes gleamed with killing intent.

The sharp fangs bared at the lips gleamed menacingly.

At that moment, the tiger rose to its full height, towering over them like a divine beast gazing down upon these insignificant mortals.

Its terrifying presence radiated outward, striking terror straight into their hearts!

Exchanging a glance, the two nodded simultaneously—then their eyes rolled back as they collapsed...

They had been scared senseless by the white tiger.