The blazing sun hung high, baking the rainwater left from yesterday. Steam spread, and the muggy air left one feeling thoroughly uncomfortable.
The bear-drawn carriage headed north, passing through two mountain forests before entering a little-traveled dirt road.
Chen Yi observed his surroundings while working through what would happen next. A corner of the Barbarian Tribe's chessboard took shape in his mind, complete with terrain and pieces.
Mengshui Pass lay roughly five thousand kilometers to the north, the Barbarian God Grotto two thousand li to the northeast, and the Greenwood Tribe another three thousand li east of that. Lal Mountain to the west was two thousand kilometers from his current position.
At Chu Xiudao's speed, if everything goes smoothly, they'll need another two days to reach Hanxu Pass.
In other words, I need to stall for at least a day-
After a moment's thought, Chen Yi tapped the carriage compartment and instructed calmly, "Turn northeast."
To buy more time, he needed to put some distance between himself and Chu Xiudao's group. Even if that direction brought him closer to the Barbarian God Grotto and the Greenwood Tribe, making it more dangerous, he had to do it.
Yuan Jingxuan's expression remained normal, though his eyes were somewhat dull. He stiffly acknowledged the order in the language of the Central Plains, then tugged the reins, turning the black bear pulling the carriage east.
Just then.
A loud, piercing cry rang out overhead.
Chen Yi looked up and saw an enormous goshawk circling in the sky, its outstretched wings spanning a full hundred feet.
Before he could think further, the giant hawk plunged straight toward him.
Chen Yi's heart sank. Have I been discovered?
But after studying it briefly, he saw no other Barbarians on the goshawk and breathed a sigh of relief.