Chapter 6 Veteran's Reminder

Ten teenagers had thin ropes tied around their right wrists and were connected in a string, more than ten feet apart, walking back along the old road. Even Fangfang did not get preferential treatment. She walked at the back, sobbing softly, and in front of her was Xiaoqiu.

She was not the only one to cry. Under the influence of Bald Man, more than half of the teenagers had tears on their faces. They never imagined that an escape would cause such a big trouble.

The Xuanfu Army was even more terrifying than the legend said. They were adults, and they looked even taller when they were riding on horses. They were equipped with long swords and shields. They occasionally collided, and the sounds they made made the teenagers tremble with fear.

The only member of the Xuanfu Army who made a sound was obviously the leader. He only had a red silk ribbon tied around his waist and a ribbon of the same color draped diagonally down from his right shoulder.

The Xuanfu Army obviously did not select its leader based on size, because this man was the shortest among the eleven soldiers, but this did not affect his ruthlessness at all. It was under his order that the young men's wrists were Tie a string and walk like a prisoner between the two groups of soldiers.

The return trip was listless, especially Er Shuan. It was he who had the idea to take a small road, but was arrested less than a day later. He regretted it extremely. If he had to do it again, he felt that he should force his companions to travel all night instead of stopping to eat and rest, or Simply escort Xiaoqiu and Fangfang back to Yelin Town. Looking at the dark-black Xuan Fu Army, Er Shuan preferred the latter option. Unfortunately, he could not choose again.

"My father will save me. He is the official who reported me, right?" Er Shuan whispered, giving himself a little confidence and comforting his companions behind him.

"Isn't this a big crime for us?" Lunzi walked behind Er Shuan and asked in a tearful tone, "Let's just say... just say that Xiaoqiu forced us into the forest."

"No need, just convince my dad... I can do it, you don't have to worry." Although Er Shuan regretted helping Xiao Qiu, he had not yet thought of betraying him.

Lengzi nodded in frustration, "My parents must beat me to death..."

Frustration immediately infected the entire team. The bald man cried so hard that his shoulders kept shaking, and he could hardly keep up with the people in front of him. "I don't want to go into the cell, I... I want to pee."

"Don't make any noise." The officer of the Xuanfu Army spoke again. He was obviously a very strict man. He stopped on the roadside on horseback and watched the young prisoners pass by one by one. Under his order, the teenagers could not even breathe. Became cautious.

Xiaoqiu glanced up as he walked over. The panic in his heart had disappeared, and he had regained his ability to observe. Suddenly, he felt that the officer with a cold voice didn't seem to be that big.

The officer's face was hidden behind the helmet cover. When he noticed that Xiaoqiu actually dared to look up, he raised his riding crop threateningly.

Xiaoqiu was even more sure that the officer was not an adult. He was surprised. How could a child be qualified to command ten fully armed Xuanfu Army soldiers? Then he began to think of an escape plan.

The bay-red horse was still there, following meekly at the end. As long as he could untie the rope and take Fangfang on the horse, he might be able to escape the pursuit of the soldiers. Xiaoqiu's plan had always been simple, and he still didn't plan to ask anyone for help.

The opportunity to untie the ropes will come soon.

Two hours after setting off, the group returned to the official road. The teenagers were surprised to find that they had walked for more than half a day yesterday, but they had not actually gone very far into the forest.

The officer decided to stop and rest.

A soldier took off his helmet, revealing a resolute face that had experienced many vicissitudes of life, "Sir, we'd better continue on our way. In any case, we have to return to Xiao'erbao before dark.

"

The officer said nothing and did not take off his helmet. He stared stubbornly at the soldier who dared to express different opinions, as if he was greatly offended.

The veteran's face turned slightly red, but he still insisted on his opinion. This was his duty. He lowered his voice slightly and lowered his head. "The Talisman Master reminded me that it is not safe here and it is not suitable to stay for a long time. The Taoist priest I met yesterday also said..." "

"Oh, I know, and I know a lot more. Don't worry, the demon doesn't dare to show up in broad daylight. Even if it does come out, can't we, Xijie Guoxuan Fu Army, defeat it?"

The teenagers were all amused when they heard the veterans say that this place was "unsafe". The biggest "devils" in Yelin Town were children like them. They were as honest as chickens in the hands of the Xuanfu Army. How could it be unsafe?

The veteran gave in and nodded to the other soldiers, indicating that they could rest.

The soldiers were very happy. They dismounted one after another, opened their helmet hoods, ate the dry food and water they had brought with them, and took turns going to the back of the jungle to relieve themselves. They said nothing to each other. They seemed to be very afraid of the short officer and tried their best to show off as soldiers in front of him. of seriousness.

The officer did not dismount, but lowered his head to monitor the prisoners he had captured, as if they were heinous traitors.

The bald man was shaking from the pain. Xiaoqiu plucked up the courage, raised his head and said loudly to the officer: "I want to pee."

"I want it too." The bald man endured it for a long time, and even the fear of going to jail couldn't stop this feeling. A group of prisoners made the same appeal in all directions. Erliang even wanted a piece of dry food. Watching others eat was a kind of torture for him.

The teenagers did not dare to act recklessly. Only Xiaoqiu still stared at the officer. "Prisoners have to go to the latrine. We can't hold it in any longer."

The officer was silent for a while, "Others can take turns, but you can't."

"Why?" Xiaoqiu asked in surprise. He also wanted to take this opportunity to get rid of the rope and implement his escape plan.

"Because your crime is serious."

Xiaoqiu was angry. The Xuanfu Army around him was not as majestic as he had first seen. He had already regained his stubborn temper. "Fangfang doesn't want to marry into the Shen family. Is this a crime? You adults, do you have to force a little girl?"

The officer snorted disdainfully. "The Xijie Kingdom doesn't care about the marriage of civilian women. You, you let go of fourteen official horses and stole one. This is a serious crime."

Xiaoqiu opened his mouth wide. The horses he grazed belonged to the Shen family. He didn't know that the Shen family raised horses for the government.

The other teenagers were relieved when they heard this. Lengzi immediately said what he thought in his heart, "So it was for official horses. That has nothing to do with us. Xiaoqiu let the horses go."

"You are accomplices." The officer was not polite at all. "You will also be punished."

The uncommon word "punishment" frightened the teenagers. They would rather accept "lessons" and "cleaning up", but they dared not imagine how terrible "punishment" would be. At the signal of the officer, the two soldiers began to untie the ropes for the prisoners. Only Xiaoqiu was still tied and stayed within the sight of the Xuanfu Army.

When it was Fangfang's turn, she shook her head and refused to loosen the rope, still tied to Xiaoqiu.

Xiaoqiu's first plan failed before it was implemented, so he had to think of another idea.

"What is a demon seed? Are you so scared? We have all kinds of species in Yelin Town, but we have never heard of a demon seed."

The officer snorted again. He did not expect that the prisoner was so brave that he dared to ask him questions. He refused to answer and ordered: "Tie him tighter." A soldier came over and pulled the rope on Xiaoqiu's right wrist tighter until it was strangled. "And her." The officer pointed at Fangfang with a horsewhip.

"What does it have to do with her?" Xiaoqiu stood in front of Fangfang.

"Because you are not honest." The officer enjoyed his authority and revealed a hint of pride in his voice, "This is just a little punishment."

The soldier pushed Xiaoqiu away and tied the rope on Fangfang's wrist tighter. The man's strength was too great, and Fangfang cried out softly. Xiaoqiu glared at the officer, but dared not speak again.

The teenagers who went to the jungle to relieve themselves came back one after another, and the officer counted silently, "There is still one missing."

Lengzi pointed at the jungle in panic, "Bald, he... he is shitting."

The officer turned his head away with contempt. The vulgar language of the border town teenagers sounded particularly harsh to him, but after waiting for a while, the last prisoner still did not come out, and he was a little impatient, "Call him out and set off immediately."

"Baldy." Lengzi shouted.

"Baldy!" Ershuan raised his voice.

It was around noon, the branches were drooping, even the insects were too tired to make a sound, and the jungle was even more silent.

The officer was angry, "Catch the prisoner and beat him five times."

A soldier strode towards the jungle, very unhappy with this mission. Even without the officer's order, he would teach the boy a lesson.

The soldier entered the jungle, and the shaking of the branches soon stopped, but no sound came out from inside.

The young men looked at each other in bewilderment. They were really surprised that the bald man was so bold.

The Xuanfu Army had other ideas. Nine soldiers drew their swords almost at the same time, took off their shields from their horses, stood side by side, and faced the jungle.

The officer seemed to have seen this kind of battle for the first time. He was a little nervous. He pulled the reins and turned the horse around. "Two more people."

The two soldiers took the order and set off. They were cautious and kept walking seven or eight steps apart. They stopped after taking a few steps. A small face appeared in the gap between the trees in the jungle. It was the prisoner who refused to come out.

The bald man looked at everyone with a smile. He didn't say anything, but kept nodding his head, as if he was calling his friends to come over to watch something fun. He looked indifferent and didn't take the Xuanfu Army soldiers seriously at all.

This was not the bald man in the boys' memories.

The officer saw the man, his panic disappeared, and he was furious, "Bold prisoner, don't you want to live?"

The old soldier turned his head and said to the officer, "Something is wrong, be careful..."

The two soldiers in front continued to approach the jungle, holding the shield in their left hand and the long sword in their right hand, as if they were facing a great enemy.

The bald man was still smiling, nodding more frequently, encouraging the soldiers to approach.

The two soldiers disappeared quite suddenly, as if they were pulled hard by something, and they opened their arms and rushed into the jungle, and their swords and shields fell to the ground.

"Beast demon!" A soldier shouted, and without waiting for the officer's order, the soldiers immediately took action, hitting the shield with swords, and approached the jungle in neat steps. The target was not the smiling bald man, but a dozen steps away from him.

Behind them, the officer reined in his horse and retreated. After a few steps, he calmed down, drew his long sword and raised the oval shield, but did not dare to move forward.

The teenagers in Yelin Town didn't quite understand the meaning of the beast monster. It was obviously the bald man that everyone was familiar with, and they had just been in the jungle. Where did the "monster" come from?

Xiaoqiu was shocked, and suddenly remembered the Taoist's reminder by the bridge-stay away from monsters.

Just when the teenagers were unprepared, the monster really appeared. A huge snake head appeared from the jungle. It obviously knew that its whereabouts had been exposed, so it gave up the tricks and wanted to confront the Xuanfu Army soldiers directly.

The snake head was suspended in the air, and the yellow eyes looked down at humans. The two giant teeth in the palate were almost as long and sharp as the swords of the Xuanfu Army.

At the moment of the eye, Xiaoqiu felt that he saw a green light flashing in the snake's eyes.