Lì's POV
It had been thirty minutes since we arrived at the meeting spot and she ran off in the direction of the rumored location. Thirty minutes of Bai Ze going on and on about 'how I had made a big mistake', 'how I had made a stupid decision with my eyes closed shut' and 'how could I have been so stupid and naïve' or 'how I could have very well ruined all our plans and hard work'. And that was what I had feared the most—that what he had said was the truth. I sighed, praying that I hadn't messed things up.
(In my head)
Shadow: It's not what you think, master... It's just something she felt she had to do... She wouldn't betray you, master...
Me (sighing): How can you be so sure? You didn't even meet her until two days ago... Maybe Bai Ze is right; maybe it was a mistake to trust her...
Shadow: Master, in this world, she is one of the few people you can trust... If you can't trust her, at least believe me when I say this: She won't betray you.
Me: How could she even run that fast??? Did she have an item???
Shadow (vaguely): Maybe...
(END)
My head snapped up as I heard a twig snap and the faint sound of footsteps running and jumping across the distance. Within a few minutes, we saw a hooded person rushing towards us. He had a quiver filled with arrows, a bow slung across his back, and swords in a scabbard on his hip. I was pretty sure he had hidden daggers and smaller blades here and there on his body. He came to a stop right in front of us and nodded to Bai Ze.
A bit you should know about Bai Zou: although he and Bai Ze are twins, they are nothing alike, from their looks to their attitude; they are polar opposites. While Bai Ze has a fair complexion and hair, which he inherited from his mother, Bai Zou has more of a dark complexion and dark hair, thanks to his father. They look nothing alike and act the same. Bai Zou is more stoic, composed, and indifferent (mostly due to the time in war), while Bai Ze is dramatic, hot-blooded, and acts without thinking. Bai Zou treats me more like a master than a friend, while it is the opposite for Bai Ze.
The only thing that is similar between them is their loyalty towards me. I'd trust them both with my life, Bai Zou more than Bai Ze (for obvious reasons). They were there in my highs and lows and I knew them both since they were young. While Bai Ze might as well be my brain, Bai Zou would be my right hand... They had come along with my mother, who was a princess of a foreign country, and their mother (who was my mother's guard) and had been trained since young to serve me. I was much closer to them than to any of my siblings...
Bai Ze (forgetting his anger): Why is it that you are always on time??? Can't you ever be late just once???
Bai Zou (looking around (ignoring him)): Where's master??
Bai Ze (smirking): Right in front of you...
Bai Ze flung an arm around my shoulder and grinned. It took a minute for Bai Zou to understand what he was implicating and for the first time in a long time, an emotion flashed across his face—a look of pure shock and confusion. But he got over it instantly and bowed in respect. "Master, Bai Zou has returned..."
Bai Ze (groaning): Are you kidding? Nothing??? Nothing??? Oh, come on!
Me (smiling): How was the situation at the field?
Bai Zou: ZongSui soldiers have retreated and sent a notice of alliance... All the small issues have been cleared up and the representatives from ZongSui will be coming to sign the alliance. Small riots had started up but everything was settled at the earliest so there was not much damage. Bai Zou has drawn up a report and had it delivered to the king, informing him that we would return after solving the small issues that have arisen.
Me (nodding): Good work...
Bai Ze (annoyed): Seriously??? Don't you have anything to say??? (Pointing at me) Nothing???
Bai Zou (referring to himself in third person): Bai Zou doesn't understand...
Bai Ze (sighing and throwing up his hands dramatically): I give up!!!
I chuckled and we waited as he changed into a less conspicuous wear and then we started heading for the mountain. Bai Zou rode with his brother, and while we were heading there we told him about her (whose name I still don't know). We took turns filling him in about how we met- both the first and second time, her misunderstanding of me, what all she was capable of doing as far as we knew and our talks, and finally how she suddenly ran off. Bai Ze handed him the mask and helped him put it on.
Bai Ze: I don't understand how she ran that fast though...
Bai Zou (shrugging): Maybe she had an item infused with qi...
Me (thinking): Maybe...
It took four hours to reach the base of the mountain. There were many people around, both male and female—more than thousands for sure. I don't know how much they know about what's on the other side of the portal; even we don't know much, but if that item were to be here, then we had to make sure to get it first...
We were walking around when we noticed a small group that had gathered and went to see what was going on. We walked into the crowd to see her right in the middle talking to one of my brothers, Wang QinZheng. I couldn't stop a glare from forming on my face as I stared at them without looking away. She must have noticed or felt something because she suddenly turned in my direction and noticed me. Her eyes instantly brightened and a big smile formed on her face as she ran and flung herself towards me and exclaimed, "Hubby!". She had her hands wrapped around my neck and her feet were a few inches off the ground, supported by me. I froze completely in shock and once again, my mind went completely blank (how many times has this happened?).