HCB Chapter 1445: Visiting the Church
Chapter 1445: Visiting the Church
Lu Jingheng stood in the center of the woodshed, his gaze sharp and fixed on her: "Did you know they would do this? Are you colluding with the people of Black Abyss Mountain, or is the person behind you hiding in Black Abyss Mountain all along?"
Su Ningshuang smirked, the iron chains scraping against the beams with a harsh sound: "All I know is that the Tiger Tally is in their hands, and what they want is me. Lu Jingheng, do you dare to go? You command a large army and are renowned far and wide, but without the Tiger Tally, you are nothing but a general in name only. If you don't go, the border defenses will become a mere formality, the Northern Barbarian cavalry will sweep south, and the vast land will be plunged into chaos. Can you bear that blame?"
Her words were piercing, hitting Lu Jingheng's Achilles' heel precisely.
As a general who protects the country, it is his duty to defend the land and protect the people. The theft of the tiger tally was already a serious mistake. If his hesitation gives the Northern Di an opportunity to take advantage of the situation, he will be guilty of a thousand deaths.
But he also knew that every step he took on Black Abyss Mountain was fraught with danger. Since the other side dared to set a trap, they must have calculated that he would take the risk for the Tiger Talisman, and Su Ning Shuang was the sharpest knife in their hands.
Lu Jingheng sneered: "You've certainly played your cards right. You used someone else to seize the Tiger Tally, and then you made me take you to the appointment. If I went, you would collude with them from the inside to take my life and seize my military power. If I didn't go, you would sit idly by and watch the border descend into chaos, ruining my reputation. Su Ningshuang, you hate me to the bone, yet you're willing to let a wolf into your house, disregarding the fate of the people?"
Su Ningshuang suddenly laughed, tears streaming down her face. "What do I care about the fate of the world? As long as you marry me, won't everything be resolved? In your heart, Lu Jingheng, isn't Miss Zhan Miao more important than the fate of the world?"
Her screams echoed in the cramped woodshed, filled with endless resentment and despair.
Looking at her seemingly insane appearance, Lu Jingheng frowned, a complex emotion flashing through his mind.
Lu Jingheng's voice softened slightly, but it still carried a chill. "I admire Zhan Miao. I liked her from the first moment I saw her. But the Tiger Tally is related to the safety of the border. I will never let it fall into the hands of villains. I will go to Black Abyss Mountain, but not to be slaughtered. I will take back the Tiger Tally myself and wipe out the people behind it all."
After saying that, he turned and left, leaving Su Ningshuang alone in the woodshed. Watching his back, her eyes held a complex and unreadable emotion, a mixture of resentment, pleasure, and even a hint of barely perceptible panic.
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Lu Jingheng, dressed in plain clothes, took only Qin Lie and two of his best bodyguards with him, and set off towards Black Abyss Mountain with Su Ningshuang in tow.
Su Ningshuang's hands were bound with thick hemp rope, and she was led by a guard. She walked unsteadily, but always kept her head up, her eyes scanning the mountains and forests along the way, as if searching for something.
They traveled in silence until they reached the foot of Black Abyss Mountain, at which point it was already noon.
In autumn, the Black Abyss Mountain is covered with lush trees that block out the sun. The mountain wind whistles past, carrying fallen leaves and a chilling, eerie feeling.
At the entrance stood a bare boulder with a large "Stop" character carved on it, clearly a marker set by the other side.
"General, there might be an ambush ahead," Qin Lie said in a low voice, his hand on the sword at his waist, his eyes scanning the surrounding mountains and forests warily.
Lu Jingheng raised his hand to signal everyone to stop and said loudly, "This general has arrived as promised, bringing Su Ningshuang with him. Come out!"
His voice echoed through the valley. After a long while, footsteps were heard coming from the forest, and a dozen or so masked men in black escorted a man in a gray robe as he emerged.
The man had a sinister face, with a long scar on his left cheek that stretched from his brow bone to his jaw, making him look particularly ferocious.
The gray-robed man sneered, "General Lu keeps his word and has indeed come as promised."
His gaze fell on Su Ningshuang, a complex look flashing in his eyes: "Ning, I'm sorry to have wronged you."
Su Ningshuang looked up at him, but there was not a trace of affection in her eyes.
Lu Jingheng roared, "Where is the Tiger Tally? I need to see the Tiger Tally!"
The gray-robed man raised his hand and took out a bronze tiger tally from his pocket, holding it high: "The tiger tally is naturally in my hands. However, if you want to get the tiger tally back, you must first release Miss Su, then have your people retreat down the mountain. You will come up the mountain with me alone, handing over the person in one hand and the tally in the other."
Qin Lie roared, "Don't even think about it! If my general goes up the mountain alone, wouldn't he be at your mercy? Hand over the Tiger Tally first, or we'll take action immediately and raze Black Abyss Mountain to the ground!"
The gray-robed man sneered, "Vice General Qin might as well take a look around. Every cliff and ravine in Black Abyss Mountain is lined with archers. As long as I give the order, ten thousand arrows will be fired at once, and none of you will be able to leave today."
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of bowstrings being drawn taut echoed from the surrounding mountains and forests, clearly indicating that countless archers were aiming at them. Qin Lie's expression changed, and he wanted to step forward, but Lu Jingheng raised his hand to stop him.
Lu Jingheng said in a deep voice, "Alright, I agree. Let my men retreat down the mountain, and I will go up the mountain with you. However, you must guarantee Su Ningshuang's safety and not try anything funny."
The gray-robed man sneered and gestured for him to proceed: "General Lu, rest assured, I always keep my word."
Lu Jingheng gestured for Qin Lie and the guards to retreat. Qin Lie's eyes were full of worry, but he dared not disobey. He could only lead his men to slowly retreat down the mountain, but his eyes remained fixed on the movements on the mountain, ready to provide support at any time.
Lu Jingheng, holding Su Ningshuang captive, followed the gray-robed man up the mountain.
The mountain path was rugged and overgrown with weeds. We walked until we reached a platform on the edge of a cliff, where we finally stopped.
The platform is surrounded by cliffs, with only a narrow path connecting it to the outside world; it is indeed a formidable place that is easy to defend and difficult to attack.
The wind at the edge of the Black Abyss cliff whipped up pebbles, making one's skin feel tight. Lu Jingheng gripped Su Ningshuang's wrist so tightly it almost crushed her bones. His eyes were not filled with worry, but with utter disgust and coldness.
He never imagined that he would fall into this woman's trap. All this relentless pressure was actually a trap she had set.
The gray-robed man stood at the cave entrance, bowing slightly to Su Ningshuang. The arrogance he had shown towards Lu Jingheng was completely gone, replaced by respect: "Miss, everything is ready."
Su Ningshuang turned her head, breaking free from Lu Jingheng's grasp. A bluish-purple mark was left on her wrist, but she didn't care. She gently rubbed the mark with her fingertips, and when she looked up at Lu Jingheng, there was a playful smile in her eyes.
Seeing this, Lu Jingheng felt his stomach churn. If he weren't surrounded by arrows, he would have made her bleed on the spot.
Lu Jingheng's voice was as cold as ice at the bottom of a cliff, each word dripping with malice: "Su Ningshuang, how dare you collude with outsiders to plot against me? Aren't you afraid I'll take your life and leave you without a complete corpse?"
Su Ningshuang chuckled softly and slowly walked to the side of the gray-robed man. She raised her hand and pushed aside the vines that were covering the cave entrance. Inside the dark cave, there were red candles and a wedding veil on the table. The dazzling red light hurt Lu Jingheng's eyes.