A Bite of Dried Meat, a Promise

Old Li insisted again and again, and only then did Verdant Green Maiden take a bite of his dried meat.

"Is it good?"

"Not bad."

Verdant Green Maiden nodded.

Old Li looked around, then lowered his voice and said to Verdant Green Maiden, "I made this dried meat from a beast I hunted myself. I even sprinkled salt on it!"

"What did you make it from?"

Verdant Green Maiden was curious.

There was not even a cow or sheep to be seen in this place. What prey could he possibly have hunted?

Old Li shook his head as well. "No idea. I didn't recognize it! It was a rather large white bird. I saw it drinking by the river, stabbed it with one thrust of my spear, and killed it. Then I prepared the meat, roasted it, and kept it as something to satisfy my cravings."

"The flavor's pretty good, right?"

"Hehe!"

Old Li laughed.

Verdant Green Maiden held out her hand. "Give me some more!"

"You still want more?"

Old Li was stunned.

Verdant Green Maiden nodded. "Give me another piece. Don't be so stingy. How about I trade you for it?"

Hearing this, Old Li asked, "What does the Commander have?"

"I..."

Verdant Green Maiden thought for a moment and said, "I have a promise! How about it?"

"One promise for a bite of meat?"

Old Li blinked. Promises were nothing more than words casually spoken. Whether they were honored depended entirely on the mood of the one who made them.

As for promises, vows and oaths like being struck by Heaven's five thunderbolts—he had never heard of anyone truly being struck by Heaven's five thunderbolts. They were probably all castles in the air.

But...

Old Li looked at Verdant Green Maiden.

He believed her.

"Fine!"

"Then I'll