Liu Bei POV

“…” Yuan Zhi was silent and just as the spear was about to pierce her, she suddenly pivoted on her right foot and turned to her left. When she turned, I got a good view of her face and I saw that her expression was blank, neither stern nor airheaded.

Those were… Really quick steps.

“Don’t you run! Ha!” When the woman saw this, she raised her weapon and swept her weapon towards Yuan Zhi–

*Ding*! A clear sound rang out as Yuan Zhi raised her sword and blocked the blow. She then swept her blade up, aiming at the woman’s right hand.

The woman withdrew her right hand and raised her spear as she pulled back with just her left hand to avoid Yuan Zhi’s attack and did multiple one-handed stabs but they were all dodged by Yuan Zhi.

Yuan Zhi’s movements were swift and light. Every attack was vicious, strong and fast but Yuan Zhi was able to avoid every attack ever so slightly. The easiest way to describe Yuan Zhi’s fighting style would be that she seems to be a master swordsman.

Even though she looks every inch that of an administrative official, she has shown astounding prowess in martial arts. In comparison to her, my haphazard twin swords skills seem like childish tricks.

“Kuh!” The woman clicked her tongue, looks like she’s finding it difficult to deal with Yuan Zhi.

“Un!” Just then, the woman stabbed viciously at Yuan Zhi’s face.

Yuan Zhi did the same move as before and turned around as she used her sword to block the attack–

“Yaa!!”

Wu!

In an instant, the woman suddenly increased her strength greatly and the spear rammed against Yuan Zhi, forcing her back several steps.

“d.a.m.n it!” Yuan Zhi yelled as the woman pulled back her weapon and charged at me.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” Huang Zu growled as she tried to get up but failing as her i juries from before were too grave.

“Xuan De!” Yuan Zhi yelled as she ran over.

As for the me that was the target, I was just standing in a daze as I stared at the woman charging over. Only when she was almost in front of me did I remember that I ought to retreat and stepped backwards. However, my body betrayed me at the most crucial of times and I stood rooted to the spot.

“Xuan De.”

… Eh? Just as I was panicking, not knowing what to do, the woman before me called out my name once more.

This voice… I get the feeling that I’ve heard it somewhere before… Even if it’s really hoa.r.s.e, I feel nostalgic from hearing it.

“Xuan De! Look out!” A tired voice came from behind. I raised my head, as did the woman, and under the blinding light of the sun, a white figure came leaping down from the sky, aimed at the woman.

That’s– Yuan Zhi?!

Wu!

The woman got a shock as did I and hurriedly raised her sword to block the attack.

*Dang*! Yuan Zhi’s sword landed squarely on the woman’s spear.

Just then, thanks to the movements from before, the bag that covered the spear’s blade slipped off and revealed a s.h.i.+ny, dazzling blade.

“Who are you?” Yuan Zhi said after she finally landed and sighed, “Never mind, I’ll go ahead and have a good look at your face.”

“Eh?”

Along with a *Cha*, the woman’s hood was sliced in half, revealing a head of s.h.i.+ny, l.u.s.trous blonde hair.

(TL: Imagine those shampoo advertis.e.m.e.nts, only there’s no shampoo here obviously.)

“Speak! Who are you?!” Yuan Zhi continued to question the woman who

had her back to me.

“I’m the one with questions here, who are you both? Why are you hindering me?” The woman replied with a question.

A s.h.i.+ny, silver spear, blonde hair…

Un… Though I would really like to go up and check, it would be very perilous for me then so all I could do was to stay where I was. Just as I was putting 1 and 1 together, these 2 could no longer hold back and said at the same time–

“Because you’re Cai Mao’s underling.”

“You d.a.m.ned dog of Cai Mao.”

…

Eh?

These 2 people said almost the same thing at the same time, which gave me a shock. At the same time, Yuan Zhi, who was facing me, gave a dazed look as she removed her sword from the woman’s spear.

So what’s going on here? Is she not Cai Mao’s underling?

Could it be that we got things wrong?

…

“Ah! This silver spear! And this hair!” Just then, everything clicked together in my head and the name of the vile-tongued girl popped up in my head and leaked out of my mouth, “You’re– Zi Long?!”

When the words Zi Long came out of my mouth, the woman’s shoulders shuddered as she softly replied, “You really are an idiot huh? To think you only just recognised me.”

When she finished, she turned around. And I saw her stern eyes, curly fringe and blonde hair, enveloped with the aura of justice.

Ah… I should have guessed it earlier. It’s Zi Long! This is Zi Long!

“Zi Long… Zi Long!!”

“Xuan De.”

When I realised that she was Zi Long, I lost control of my mouth and began yelling. At the same time, I also lost control of my body as I ran forward and embraced Zi Long, tears streaming down my cheeks as I did so.

Though we have only parted ways for a few days, I had thought that it would be for much longer before I could see them again. And this, was what I have been waiting for all this while. At least part of what I have been wis.h.i.+ng for has come true. I have found Zi Long at least.

“Xuan De, are you really Xuan De?” Zi Long said in her hoa.r.s.e voice as she grabbed my chin and raised my head with trembling hands, looking at my face and wiping my tears off.

I looked at Zi Long, who had been staring at me since she saw me, as I replied, “Un, it’s me. Zi Long! It’s me!”

Zi Long immediately returned my embrace when I finished. If this were usual times, neither her nor I would be this intimate. But these are extraordinary times and only through such methods could we express the intense emotions we were experiencing at this time.

“Xuan De, it’s good that you’re alive. It’s good that you’re alive.” Zi Long muttered over and over again. I did not look at her expression, nor was there a need to, and merely hugged her as I listened to her mutterings. This alone was enough to make me feel blessed.

Now that I think about it, she has been waiting for a chance to confirm my ident.i.ty since the very beginning. But because of the distance at the start, and probably because she was being cautious of Huang Zu and Yuan Zhi, she did immediately identify me. Perhaps if I had replied her the moment she yelled out my name, things would have ended differently.

But though a lot has happened, I have finally reunited with one of my companions.

“Dear guests~ Please sit down and enjoy your meal~~”

This waiter’s timing has really ruined the mood though.

…

*s.h.i.+ku*~

*s.h.i.+ku*~

*s.h.i.+ku*~

*Tulu* *Tulu*~

(TL: Swallowing sounds.)

— Haa~~~

All of us sighed as we demolished out food, in an expression of satisfaction for this bowl of soup. Amongst us, Huang Zu was the loudest. Even though Huang Zu ought to be the calm and collected type, she was the most rambunctious of us. I wonder if she noticed this.

As I thought so, I put down my bowl and turned to looked at the beaming Zi Long who sat beside me.

“Zi Long, how is it? Is it good?” I asked, knowing that her elation came from elsewhere.

“Un,” She only just noticed me looking at her and hurriedly withdrew her smile and put on a more graceful expression as she looked at her bowl, “It’s alright. At least it’s better than the sewage I’ve been eating on the road.”

Ah, Zi Long’s tongue is just as venomous huh? Although I have to agree with her on this. I also understand how she feels as I feel the same way after all.

But I do not know why, even though we have finally met and I have a ton of things to speak with her about, happy and otherwise, but yet, now that things have calmed down somewhat, I do not know where I should begin. And I also feel like I want to enjoy this peace and joy for a little while longer.

“Imperial Uncle.”

“Eh?!”

Just as I was indulging in the good vibes I was having, an expressionless but clearly angry Huang Zu called out to me, giving me a shock. I never imagined that Huang Zu would be able to interrupt thoughts as well as she did with speech. She was applying pressure to her wounded areas. Though Yuan Zhi had given her medical treatment, she still looked worse for wear.

“So as I was saying, this companion of yours…” She said with some lingering distrust in her eyes as she looked at Zi Long. The single, revealed eye was clearly sizing up the woman who had just injured her.