Borrowing a Knife to Kill

"He's coming to find me, definitely to take me back. If he finds out I refuse to go, he might..."

She couldn't finish.

Zhang Mo looked at her and suddenly asked:

"Do you want to go back?"

Ning Rongrong froze.

Zhang Mo said, "If you want to go back, wait for him to arrive, and then go with him."

Ning Rongrong stared at him, her eyes wide open.

"You... you want me to leave?"

Zhang Mo said, "It's not that I want you to. It's that you want to."

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.

She suddenly let go of his sleeve, stood up, and turned her back to him.

After a long time, she finally spoke, her voice muffled:

"I don't know."

Zhang Mo remained silent.

She continued, "I miss Dad, Grandpa Sword, Grandpa Bone. I miss the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, my room, and the people who served me since I was little."

She paused.

"But..."

She didn't finish.

Zhang Mo waited.

She turned around and looked at him. Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying.

"But I don't want you to die."

Zhang Mo was stunned.

Ning Rongrong said, "When Grandpa Sword arrives, he'll definitely ask why you kept me here. If you tell the truth, he'll think you're using me. He hates it when people use members of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

She paused.

"He'll kill you."

Zhang Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said:

"Then let him kill me."

Ning Rongrong became anxious, "You!"

Zhang Mo looked at her, his expression very calm.

"If he wants to kill me, I'll run. If I can't run, I'll resist. If I can't resist, I'll die."

He spoke slowly, word by word.

"But I won't let you be in a difficult position."

Ning Rongrong stared at him, and tears finally fell.

She rushed forward, hugged him, and held on tightly.

"Are you stupid!" she cried, "Are you stupid!"

Zhang Mo was held by her, not moving.

After a while, he gently patted her back.

"Don't cry anymore," he said. "There are two more days. Let's think of a way."

Ning Rongrong looked up at him.

Her face was covered in tears, her eyes swollen.

"What way?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment and said:

"Wait for Yang Wudi to return."

Ning Rongrong was taken aback.

Zhang Mo said, "He's an eighty-third level Soul Douluo. Plus you, plus me, plus that sword. Four people against a ninety-sixth level Titled Douluo—"

He paused.

"The win rate might be less than ten percent. But it's better than nothing."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly said:

"Didn't you say you were going to lure him with medicinal herbs?"

Zhang Mo said, "The medicinal herbs won't lure him. But they can lure Yang Wudi back."

Ning Rongrong did not understand.

Zhang Mo said, "Yang Wudi went to Changbai Mountain to find that old man. But if we tell him there are better medicinal herbs here, he will definitely rush back."

He stood up and looked at the distant sky.

"I'll call him."

Ning Rongrong was stunned. "A phone call? How could he have a phone?"

Zhang Mo said, "I slipped a mobile phone to him when he left."

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

Zhang Mo had already pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

After a few rings, the line connected.

"Hello?" Yang Wudi's voice came through the receiver, gruff and rough. "Who is this?"

Zhang Mo said, "It's me."

Yang Wudi was silent for a second, then said:

"What is it?"

Zhang Mo said, "Chen Xin is coming. In forty-eight hours."

There was a long silence from Yang Wudi's end.

Then he said:

"The level ninety-six one?"

Zhang Mo said, "Yes."

Yang Wudi fell silent again.

After a while, he suddenly laughed.

The laughter came through the receiver, making the phone vibrate.

"Interesting," he said. "I was just worrying about not finding an opponent."

Zhang Mo said, "How long will it take you to get back?"

Yang Wudi said, "I'm at the foot of Changbai Mountain right now. Getting back... will take a day."

Zhang Mo said, "That's enough time."

Yang Wudi said, "I didn't find that old man. The locals said he came down the mountain half a month ago. No one knows where he went."

Zhang Mo was silent for a second, then said:

"Come back first."

Yang Wudi grunted in acknowledgment and hung up the phone.

Zhang Mo put away his phone and looked at Ning Rongrong.

Ning Rongrong stood there, her eyes still red, but she had stopped crying.

She looked at Zhang Mo and suddenly said:

"When did you slip him the phone?"

Zhang Mo said, "The morning he left."

Ning Rongrong was taken aback, then the corners of her mouth curled up.

"You thought of this long ago?"

Zhang Mo said, "Just a precaution."

Ning Rongrong stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly said:

"Zhang Mo."

"Hm?"

"Is everything always planned out by you in advance?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment and said, "As much as possible."

Ning Rongrong smiled.

The smile was brief, but very genuine.

She walked back to his side and reached out to tug on his sleeve.

"Then this time, I'm counting on you too."

Zhang Mo looked down at her.

Her eyes were still red, but they were bright.

He gave a soft hum of agreement.

In the distance, the setting sun began to sink.

The horizon was stained a deep orange.

The two stood in the alley, watching that orange hue slowly fade into darkness.

After a long while, Ning Rongrong suddenly asked:

"Zhang Mo, do you think Yang Wudi will make it back in time?"

Zhang Mo replied: "He will."

"Why?"

"Because he wants to fight."

Ning Rongrong was stunned for a moment, then she smiled.

She tugged on his sleeve and began to walk back.

After a few steps, she suddenly said:

"Let's have steamed buns tonight."

Zhang Mo said: "Alright."

"Make plenty. In case Yang Wudi comes back in the middle of the night, he'll have something to eat."

Zhang Mo said: "Alright."

The two walked into the building.

The stairs creaked and groaned, as if they were singing.

Upstairs, the kitchen light flickered on.

A warm, yellow glow spilled out from the window.

It illuminated the empty alley below.

It illuminated the sky in the distance, slowly darkening.

It illuminated the formidable enemy arriving in forty-eight hours.

Yang Wudi returned the following evening.

Ning Rongrong was squatting in the alley practicing her horse stance when she heard a flurry of hurried footsteps. She looked up to see Yang Wudi striding toward her, the Soul Breaking Spear strapped to his back and a bulging cloth bag in his hand.

He stopped in front of Ning Rongrong and looked down at her.

"Still practicing?"

Ning Rongrong nodded; her legs were trembling violently, but she didn't stand up.

Yang Wudi grunted, walked past her, and headed into the building.

He took two steps, then stopped, speaking without looking back:

"Come up when you're done. I have something good."

Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, and she nearly stood up, but remembering she was still in her horse stance, she gritted her teeth and squatted back down.

Ten minutes later, she climbed the stairs with trembling legs, pushed open the door, and saw Yang Wudi sitting on the sofa, pulling items out of the cloth bag one by one.

Zhang Mo stood to the side, watching the items with a slight frown.

Ning Rongrong leaned in to look and was stunned.

They were all medicinal herbs.

There were withered roots, sun-dried fruits, sliced tree bark, and several pitch-black chunks she couldn't identify. They were spread across half the coffee table, and the entire living room was filled with a complex, medicinal fragrance.

"These... did you forage all of these?" Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

Yang Wudi didn't look up: "Bought them."

"Bought them?"

"In this world of yours, you don't have to forage for herbs yourself." Yang Wudi picked up a black chunk and held it up to the light. "There are shops. They sell them specifically."

Ning Rongrong turned to look at Zhang Mo.

Zhang Mo said: "Traditional Chinese medicine shops."

Yang Wudi set the black chunk down and picked up another.

"This thing is called Lingzhi. This is ginseng. This is deer antler." He pointed to them one by one. "They are different from those on the Douluo Continent, but their medicinal properties are similar."

He looked up at Zhang Mo.

"Where is that Millennium Fleeceflower of yours?"

Zhang Mo walked into the inner room and brought out the wooden box.

Yang Wudi took the box, opened it, and stared at the Millennium Fleeceflower for a long time.

Then, he pointed to the pile of herbs on the coffee table.

"All of these combined don't compare to this one."

Ning Rongrong's mouth fell open.

Yang Wudi placed the Polygonum Multiflorum back into the wooden box, closed it, and returned it to Zhang Mo.

"Keep it safe," he said. "Once I refine a good batch of medicine, you'll need it."

Zhang Mo took the wooden box and put it back in the inner room.

When he came out, Yang Wudi was already sorting through the pile of medicinal herbs. He categorized them, putting some back into cloth bags, some on the windowsill, and some wrapped in paper with characters written on them.

Ning Rongrong leaned in to look. The characters were crooked, and she didn't recognize them.

"What are you writing?"

Yang Wudi replied, "The names of the herbs."

Ning Rongrong gave a soft "Oh."

After Yang Wudi finished sorting, he stood up and walked around the room a couple of times.

"Your system," he suddenly said, "how much longer until Chen Xin arrives?"

Zhang Mo glanced at the panel. "A little over thirty hours."

Yang Wudi nodded.

He walked to the window and looked at the sky, which was gradually darkening outside.

"Level ninety-six Titled Douluo," he murmured. "In my life, I've never fought against a Titled Douluo."

Ning Rongrong looked at him and asked softly, "Are you... afraid?"

Yang Wudi turned to look at her, paused for a moment, and then smiled.

"Afraid of what?" he said. "If I can't beat him, can't I still run away?"

Ning Rongrong didn't speak.

Yang Wudi walked back to the sofa and sat down, looking at her.

"Little girl, do you know what's most terrifying about a Titled Douluo?"

Ning Rongrong thought for a moment and said, "High level, strong Spirit Power."

Yang Wudi shook his head.

"No," he said. "The most terrifying thing about a Titled Douluo is experience."

He paused and continued, "Those who can reach level ninety and above, haven't they all been through countless battles? Your little tricks, they'll see through them at a glance. Your little schemes, they got tired of them decades ago."

Ning Rongrong's face turned a little pale.

Yang Wudi looked at her and suddenly said, "But you have an advantage."

Ning Rongrong blinked.

Yang Wudi said, "You are Ning Fengzhi's daughter. Chen Xin watched you grow up. He won't be able to kill you."

Ning Rongrong opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but the words got stuck in her throat.

Yang Wudi stood up and patted her shoulder.

"When the time comes, you stand in front. When he sees you, he'll hesitate. If he hesitates, we'll have a chance."

Ning Rongrong stared at him, her eyes turning a little red.

"You... you want me to use Grandpa Sword's feelings..."

Yang Wudi said, "Yes."

Ning Rongrong fell silent.

Yang Wudi looked at her and suddenly sighed.

"Little girl, I know you're unwilling," he said. "But this is a battlefield. On the battlefield, anything can be used."

He turned and walked to the window.

"I don't want to use this move either. But if we don't, we'll all die."

Ning Rongrong lowered her head, not speaking.

Zhang Mo walked over and stood beside her.

He didn't say anything, just reached out and gently pressed the top of her head.

Ning Rongrong froze for a moment, then looked up at him.

He looked at her and nodded slightly.

Ning Rongrong bit her lip, then took a deep breath.

She looked at Yang Wudi's back and said softly, "I understand."

Yang Wudi turned around and looked at her.

"Have you thought it through?"

Ning Rongrong nodded.

Yang Wudi smiled.

"Fine," he said. "Then now, let's get to work."

He walked over to the coffee table and took the piece of Millennium Fleeceflower out of its wooden box.

"Tonight, I am going to refine a batch of medicine," he said. "A medicine that can help you withstand a single strike from a Titled Douluo."

Ning Rongrong's eyes widened.

Zhang Mo was also stunned.

Yang Wudi said, "The medicinal power of this Fleeceflower is too strong. If you eat it directly, it could kill you from the excess energy. But if refined into a pill, it can be used."

He looked at Zhang Mo.

"Can that sword of yours pierce the defense of a Titled Douluo?"

Zhang Mo thought for a moment and said, "I don't know."

Yang Wudi said, "Then we will make it so that it can."

He pulled a small cloth bag from his robes and opened it, revealing several withered herbs inside.

"These are what I brought. Soul-Breaking Grass. It can break defenses."

He placed the Soul-Breaking Grass together with the Fleeceflower.

"With the little girl's Spirit Power and my alchemy, we will refine a batch of Defense-Breaking Pills within three days."

He looked at Zhang Mo.

"When the time comes, take that sword and coat it with the essence of this pill. If you strike, even a Titled Douluo will bleed."

Zhang Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said:

"How long will it take?"

Yang Wudi said, "One night."

Zhang Mo nodded.

Yang Wudi stood up and walked toward the kitchen.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's start!"

Inside the kitchen, the lights were blazing.

Yang Wudi stood before the stove, slicing the piece of Fleeceflower into thin slivers. Each slice was as thin as a cicada's wing, translucent when held to the light. After finishing the Fleeceflower, he sliced the Soul-Breaking Grass and the other medicinal herbs he had brought back from Changbai Mountain.

Once finished, he placed all the medicinal slices into a large pot and added water.

Then he looked up at Ning Rongrong.

"Little girl, Spirit Power."

Ning Rongrong summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and channeled her Spirit Power toward the stove.

The blue flame flickered and turned a pale gold.

Yang Wudi stared at the medicinal broth in the pot, unmoving.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Sweat beaded on Ning Rongrong's forehead, and her arms began to tremble. But she gritted her teeth and did not let go.

Zhang Mo stood at the kitchen doorway, watching the scene.

The broth in the pot slowly thickened, its color shifting from pale yellow to deep brown, then to dark red. A rich, medicinal fragrance permeated the air, dizzying to those who inhaled it.

Yang Wudi suddenly spoke:

"Add another ten percent."

Ning Rongrong gritted her teeth and forced out another surge of Spirit Power.

The flames leaped higher.

The broth in the pot began to bubble, gurgle, gurgle, as if it were about to overflow. Yang Wudi picked up a wooden rod and stirred it slowly. His movements were measured but powerful, reaching the very bottom of the pot with every stroke.

Another quarter of an hour passed.

Yang Wudi suddenly said:

"Stop."

Ning Rongrong released her Spirit Power, nearly collapsing to the floor. Zhang Mo went over to support her, letting her lean against the wall.

Yang Wudi stared at the broth in the pot for a long time.

Then he turned off the heat, picked up a ladle, and scooped some out.

The broth was as viscous as honey, dark red, and exuded a potent medicinal aroma.

He blew on it, then took a sip.

He closed his eyes.

For a long, long time.

Then he opened his eyes and smiled.

That smile was more genuine than any he had shown before.

"It's done," he said.

He turned around and looked at Zhang Mo.

"Where is that sword of yours?"

Zhang Mo took out the Fish Gut Sword.

Yang Wudi took the sword and dipped its tip into the medicinal decoction.

The tip was coated in the dark red liquid, which was quickly absorbed.

He dipped it a second time.

After the third time, the tip turned a dark red, as if it had been tempered in fire.

Yang Wudi returned the sword to Zhang Mo.

"Give it a try."

Zhang Mo gripped the sword, walked to the kitchen doorway, and lightly swiped at the doorframe.

A deep mark was left on the wooden frame.

It was as if he had sliced through tofu.

Zhang Mo was stunned.

Yang Wudi burst into laughter.