Chapter 307. Arriving at Shuanglin City
When they all were having a good time, Shi didn’t even make a sound.
After having dinner, Long walked outside for a while before he went into the tent.
However, Shi did not follow up.
And he didn’t come back even when Long was about to sleep. Finally, Long sighed and went to bed alone…
This night, Long kind of had a tight sleep.
After all, living outside was not as comfortable as living at home.
Moreover, Long was thinking of Shi all the time, wondering if he would come back.
But he was disappointed, for Shi still did not come back the next morning.
All of a sudden, Long thought of the night when he was sick. All that night, Shi took care of him, but asked Yingfeng to take the honor instead in the end.
Did it mean… he didn’t want to talk to him anymore?
Long sighed inwardly, feeling a little irritable.
Early in the morning, after getting up, Long simply freshened up.
Going outside, Long neither saw Shi nor knew his whereabouts, but he didn’t ask as well.
Liu Suifeng and Ouyang Chuan came over from another direction.
Seeing that Long had come out, Liu Suifeng said, “They have made porridge for us. We can leave after eating it later.”
Long nodded. “Sounds good.”
The Shadow Guardian served the porridge they had made to Long. Long drank a bowl of it and ate a bun.
After that, Shi still did not appear.
Finally, Long summoned the Shadow Guardian Yingfeng. “Where is Qingzhou?”
“Master Shi went out for investigation before, but he hasn’t come back yet.”
“Investigation?” Long raised his eyebrows.
“Yes.”
Long looked at Liu Suifeng. “Any movement last night?”
Liu Suifeng blinked. “I guess so.”
“Huh…” Long sneered. “You guess?”
Liu Suifeng touched his nose out of guilt.
Long said lightly, “Let’s go first.”
“As you command, Master!” The Shadow Guardian did not dare to deny him.
They went on the carriage and got on the move slowly. After a while, Long finally saw Shi.
Shi was also in the carriage. Seeing his fluttering cyan clothes and his handsome face, Long could feel his heart lurching to a stop.
Shi glanced towards Long, but that only lasted for a second. After meeting Long’s gaze, he turned his head away immediately.
Long was startled, wearing a very sullen look on his face.
Did it mean that Shi didn’t even want to see him?
Long took a deep breath and closed his eyes for several times, his fist slightly clenching on either side of his body.
The carriages kept on moving.
In the next three days, Long and Shi had barely talked.
They were busy with their own businesses, hurrying up with their journey to be exact.
They didn’t even look at each other.
However, the longer it lasted, the calmer Long acted, but the other people were a little frightened and agitated.
Even Liu Suifeng and Ouyang Chuan didn’t dare to joke with Long casually.
The atmosphere seemed a bit depressing.
On this day, Long was still sitting in the carriage.
They should be arriving at Qicheng City in a while.
Because of the route they had planned before, Long didn’t get the chance to come here last time.
Some time ago, Shi and his people came over to deal with the people on the Qicheng list when they had work to do in another place. Therefore, when they went back, they didn’t pass Qicheng but took the trail.
Besides, the route to the border of Eastern Darkness was different after all.
Unexpectedly, just as they were about to enter the city, a group of bandits appeared on the official road.
It was the official road! And they were in public! How dare they!
Long’s carriage came to a sudden stop, and he was taken aback inside.
“Listen up you guys. Hand in half of your money to me. I’m not an unreasonable person. As long as you give me half of your money, I will let you go… Ah…”
The man let out a scream before he finished speaking.
Later, he found a blood hole in his chest!
After that, the man fell down suddenly… with his eyes wide-open and everlasting grievance inside.
“Retreat, everyone!” One of them shouted, and then the rest retreated quickly.
It could be told from their speed that they were kind of capable to rob on the official road, knowing the paths and running away very soon.
Unfortunately, despite their fast speed, they were not as quick as… Shi’s sword.
Yes, it was Shi who did it!
From the dead one just now… Shi’s figure shuttled smoothly among them. And those who didn’t even have a chance to fight against him were killed.
Just within a blink after he went through!
“Long Xiaoyuan.” Liu Suifeng came to Long and lowered his voice. “Don’t you stop him? You want to let him kill them all?”
Long’s lips pressed tightly.
Liu Suifeng added anxiously, “If these people just block the way but don’t kill people, they don’t have to die for their sins.”
Hearing the words, Long slowly looked at Liu Suifeng, and said lightly, “Assassinating the emperor is punishable by death.”
Liu Suifeng was stunned.
Long continued calmly, “Liu Suifeng, you are too soft-hearted.”
“But…”
“They are not innocent, so I won’t stop him. They can only be considered unlucky to run into us. The day they decided to be bandits, they should have thought of such an end.”
Even in modern times, the crime of robbery was also a felony. Although they would not be sentenced to death, they would have to suffer a penalty for about 20 years.
Was there any difference between that punishment and death penalty?
Even if they were still alive, they were living for nothing.
Liu Suifeng took a deep breath upon hearing this. He finally stopped saying anything.
Finally, all those bandits who had tried to escape died under Shi’s sword.
Long said lightly, “Yingqiu.”
Soon, Yingqiu appeared. “Master.”
Long glanced at Shi faintly. “Notify the local officer to pick up these corpses. Also, let the native people know whom these people are so that they will learn their lesson and behave themselves.”
“As you command, Master!” Yingqiu took his order and left.
Long took a deep look at Shi who was holding a sword, and then lowered the curtain. “Let’s go.”
The carriage continued its trip.
Liu Suifeng glanced at Shi.
Shi put away the soft sword indifferently, then rode on the horse…
They rested in the inn in Qicheng City for a long time, lived there for one night, and got everything they needed later prepared.
The next day, they got on the road again.
After leaving Qicheng City, they were not far from the border of Eastern Darkness.
Well, it was not that far so to speak.
Given their speed, it would still take about five days before they got there.
Out of Qicheng City, they ran into two times of attack lauched by some dumbasses.
But Shi did not deal with both of them for some reason.
Therefore, Liu Suifeng and Ouyang Chuan took the chance to defeat them.
Only they didn’t kill those people, but tapped their acupoints and tied them up. Later, these bandits would be controlled by the officers anyway.
On the fourth day, the carriage formally entered Shuanglin City in the border area.
The reason why the city was named this way was because this place was full of people with the surname of Lin about more than a hundred years ago.
Therefore, it was named Shuanglin City (Shuanglin means “double lin” in Chinese).
Up to now, although there were many officers and soldiers from the mainland stationed there, most of the local people were still surnamed Lin.
In fact, the real border was outside of Shuanglin City, but Long and the rest didn’t have to go there. They just needed to stay here, practicing their plan.
The border here was already relatively cold.
But if they were in the imperial city, the weather was still relatively hot.
Given the climate difference, wearing a thin piece of clothing might make people get a cold if they didn’t resist coldness with their internal energy.
Of course, the locals here were exceptions.
Because they had long been accustomed to the climate here.
Long added an extra piece of clothing after getting up this morning. Among the group of people, he was the one with poorest physique, low-level martial arts and weakest internal energy. Given the above, he had to be armed, or he would be a burden to others.
The indifference and estrangement between Long and Shi had lasted for more than ten days. It seemed that they were used to it, or maybe they were at the edge of breaking out.
Long still didn’t know what Lian Qingyang and Shi had said that night for so long.
What he knew was that even the two thousand people led by Lian Qingyang had entered Shuanglin City and rented a house as a cover.
They did so to make others believe that the emperor was there.
But in fact, Long was not.
The place where Long and Shi stayed was leased in the center of the city. The owner of this house moved to another house before to make room for them.
After moving in, Long chose the main house as his resting place.
He was really tired after traveling these days, not to mention there were times when they spent the night on the road.
Seeing the big bed, Long couldn’t wait to lie down.
But Shi… He didn’t even see him.
Shi seemed to disappear after entering the house.
Long lay on the big bed wearily… and then slowly closed his eyes.
Forgot it. That could wait after he woke up later. What he needed the most now was to have a rest…
Thinking like this, Long closed his eyes.
In his sleep, he vaguely dreamed of the scene he saw Shi for the first time.
At that time, he only felt that the thin figure was a bit pitiful, but… he was such an indescribably beautiful man.
That was also what he said to himself that he should ride on Shi’s coattails, not only for the sake of his life, but also…
For the sense of pity he had felt for him.