He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his churning doubts, swept his gaze over the convoy ready to depart, and shouted in a deep voice:
"Move out!"
His voice was like muffled thunder, shattering the morning stillness.
Tu Lie's disappearance was like a stone cast into a deep pool. After sending out a few ripples at first, the waters quickly returned to calm.
Other than Han Qi and Shi Zhen, no one in the convoy seemed to care any longer where that once overbearing brute had gone.
The two who remained also became exceptionally low-key.
They no longer acted as arrogantly and ostentatiously as before.
Most of the time, they merely followed in silence near the middle and rear of the convoy, each wiping down his weapon or lowering his head as he traveled, doing their best to diminish their presence.
Only occasionally, when no one was watching, would their eyes meet briefly.
Deep within those gazes lay undisguised alarm and a lingering thread of fear.
They knew Tu Lie's strength well. Whoever could make him vanish without a sound was undoubtedly a terrifying opponent.
They could not tell who had acted—Qin Mang? Or was another expert hidden within the convoy?
Fortunately, the rest of the journey went fairly smoothly.
Several days later, when the convoy finally rolled onto Qinghe County's familiar bluestone streets, nearly everyone let out a long breath.
The nerves that had been strung taut for days finally relaxed completely.
The long-suppressed clamor burst forth in an instant, and the crowd began discussing things excitedly.
"We're finally back! Zui Xian Lou tonight—no going home until we're drunk!"
"I'm in, I'm in! I heard they've got several new girls there, and they sing beautifully!"
"All I want now is to tear into a roast chicken and down three