Shaking Off Tang San, Heading to the Hunting Path to Save Zhu Zhuqing

"Which path are the tracks on?"

Su Hang took the slip of paper, his gaze landing on the short forest line marked just outside Soto City.

Ning Chuan handed the reins to a guard, his palm pressing against the window frame, his expression darker than before.

"It veers off the main road, approaching an old Hunting Path. It's near the low woods, a route merchant caravans rarely take."

Ning Rongrong snatched the intelligence report to take a look, her brows knitting together immediately.

"The Zhu Family's pursuers have chased them all the way here; Zhu Zhuqing cannot be far from us."

Xiao Wu lifted the corner of the curtain to look outside. The wind, carrying the scent of damp earth, slipped into the carriage, and she quickly let the curtain drop.

"Brother Su Hang, if we take the side path, will we run into her?"

Su Hang spread an old map out on the small table, pushing the teacup into the corner with a soft clink.

"We might run into her, or we might run into the Zhu Family's men."

Ning Chuan immediately cupped his hands, his tone cautious.

"Young Friend Su, the Seven Treasures caravan is safest on the main road. If we veer into the Hunting Path, the guards won't be able to form a proper formation. With the Young Miss in the carriage, I cannot risk her safety."

Ning Rongrong placed the Seven Treasures Token on the table, pinning down the corner of the map.

"Uncle Ning Chuan, listen to Su Hang this time."

Ning Chuan looked at her, the corner of his eye twitching.

"Young Miss, the Sect Master gave orders: the hidden guards are to protect from a distance, and if danger arises, your evacuation is the priority."

Ning Rongrong lifted her chin, her tone carrying the pride typical of the Seven Treasures Little Princess.

"Father told you to protect me, not to turn me into a wooden statue. Zhu Zhuqing is trapped ahead by pursuers; if I know this and still choose to bypass her, how could I ever claim I want to guard the Seven Treasures in the future?"

Xiao Wu glanced at her, her fingers still clutching Su Hang's sleeve.

"That sounds alright, but don't go making decisions for Brother Su Hang again."

Ning Rongrong was about to retort, but stopped mid-sentence when she saw Xiao Wu's other hand already touching a Breath Concealment Talisman.

She pushed the Seven Treasures Token back to her waist.

"I'll support the rescue, but the seating arrangements are separate."

Xiao Wu: "..."

A brief silence fell within the carriage.

The guard driving the carriage couldn't help but cough. Ning Chuan glanced back, and the guard immediately straightened his back.

Su Hang pushed the map toward the center, moving both their bundles aside by half a foot.

"The window seat goes to Xiao Wu; she can distinguish the scent of spirit beasts."

Xiao Wu's eyes brightened, and she prepared to settle in.

Su Hang then tapped the empty space beside the Seven Treasures Token.

"The map side goes to Rongrong; she can memorize the trade routes and ambush points."

Ning Rongrong's smugness hadn't even fully formed before Xiao Wu glared at her.

"Don't get cocky, you can see the map from the window seat too."

Ning Rongrong sat down with her small bag, her fingernails tapping lightly on the tabletop.

"Talk after you can actually understand the route."

Xiao Wu lifted the curtain by a finger's width. As the shadows of trees flickered past outside, her nose twitched.

"There's a big difference between the scent of people passing through and spirit beasts prowling. No matter how pretty your map is, you can't smell that."

Ning Rongrong was choked for words, then turned the map toward herself.

"Then you smell, and I'll record. Whoever slacks off sits next to Tang San."

Xiao Wu sat up straight immediately.

"Deal."

Su Hang raised his hand and drew two bends on the map.

"There are jagged rocks here; the carriage won't be fast, making it suitable for an ambush. This area is near a creek; footprints will be washed away. If Zhu Zhuqing is calm enough, she will detour through here."

Ning Rongrong took out a small charcoal pencil and drew a small circle in the corner.

"We can't stop at the jagged rocks, and the creek must be checked. Uncle Ning Chuan, slow down the lead carriage, and don't let the rear carriage follow too closely. Leave room to turn."

Hearing these words, Ning Chuan's expression softened slightly.

The Young Miss was truly learning this time.

Xiao Wu stared out the window, suddenly raising her hand to press against the curtain.

"A spirit beast passed through the woods on the left, but the scent is faint; it must have left a while ago. The scent of people is fresher, and there are quite a few of them."

Ning Rongrong immediately stopped her charcoal pencil.

"Zhu Family pursuers?"

Su Hang looked at the light leaking through the gap in the curtains.

"Switch to the Hunting Path first."

Ning Chuan gripped his whip, remained silent for a moment, and then issued an order to the outside.

"The convoy is turning. Lead vehicle scouts the path, guards flank the sides."

The wheels ground over gravel, and the carriage lurched violently.

Ning Rongrong's bundle slid toward Su Hang's knees; Xiao Wu was quick-witted enough to grab it and tossed it back into her arms.

"Keep track of your bag, don't take up Brother Su Hang's space."

Ning Rongrong hugged the bundle, her ears turning slightly red, though she remained stubborn.

"This young lady's bag knows where it's safe."

Xiao Wu slid the snack tray in front of Su Hang.

"Then let it sit on the roof of the carriage."

Su Hang looked down at the map, acting as if he hadn't heard.

The guards outside shook their shoulders.

Behind them on the main road, Tang San stopped at the roadside, watching the Seven Treasures convoy turn into the old forest path.

The bundle on his back was pitifully light; his discharge papers were pressed into the very bottom, the corners of the paper already curled.

"Teacher, Su Hang changed his route."

Yu Xiaogang also saw the trail of ruts, his brows slowly knitting together.

"The Seven Treasures convoy wouldn't leave the main road without a reason. There might be information over there, or perhaps an Opportunity he knew about in advance."

A small tip of Blue Silver Grass poked out from Tang San's palm before he retracted it.

"He manages to get ahead every single time."

Yu Xiaogang glanced at him, his voice steadying.

"Don't be led by the gains and losses along the way. Shrek is where you will rebuild your value. Flender understands monsters, and he understands geniuses."

Tang San looked down at his cuffs, where the familiar weight of his Hidden Weapons was no longer present.

"But the Seven Treasures have already sided with him, and Ning Rongrong trusts him too."

Yu Xiaogang tucked his ordinary travel permit into his robes, his sleeves pressed against his arms by the wind.

"Resources change, and judgments change as well. As long as you prove the value of a control-type soul master at Shrek, the Seven Treasures will eventually look at you again."

Tang San gazed into the depths of the Hunting Path, where the ruts were quickly swallowed by the forest shadows.

"Then we go to Shrek."

As night fell, the Seven Treasures convoy stopped outside an abandoned wooden shed beside the Hunting Path.

The guards lit a low fire, the light blocked by earthen walls, leaving only a faint dark red glow reflecting on the carriage wheels.

Xiao Wu sat by the carriage window, the Breath Concealment Talisman tucked inside her lapel, her fingers unconsciously clutching the fabric.

"Brother Su Hang, is that person still following?"

Su Hang stood outside the carriage, looking up at the dark, heavy forest canopy in the distance.

That heavy presence was far away, like an iron hammer pressing down on a mountain ridge, yet it never approached the convoy.

"He's following, but he hasn't come in."

Xiao Wu let out half a breath of relief, then immediately pulled the curtain tighter.

"If he dares to get close, I'm hiding behind you."

Ning Rongrong poked her head out of the carriage while holding the map, and upon hearing this, she immediately curled her lip.

"You've certainly become skilled at hiding."

Xiao Wu turned back to glare at her.

"It's useless to be jealous."

Ning Rongrong rolled up the map and tapped the side of the carriage window.

"What would I be jealous of? This young lady is responsible for analyzing the route; my role is very important."

Su Hang passed a waterskin into the carriage.

"Everyone rest. We may need to travel in the second half of the night."

Ning Rongrong took the waterskin, and just as she was about to hand it to Xiao Wu, she paused.

Xiao Wu looked at her and held out her hand.

"Give it to me."

Ning Rongrong shoved the waterskin toward her, a soft huff escaping her lips.

"Don't drink it all; we have to keep moving tomorrow morning."

Xiao Wu took a sip and handed it back.

"Got it, Miss Map."

Ning Rongrong clutched the waterskin, held her tongue, and refrained from retorting.

At the other end of the forest path, Zhu Zhuqing leaned against a rough tree trunk. The fabric on her shoulder had been torn by a branch, and the blood seeping through had already dried along the edges of the cloth.

She used a short dagger to pry away the vines tangled around her boots, her breathing kept steady and controlled.

Torches flickered in the distance.

"The tracks end here by the creek."

"The Second Miss is injured; she can't have gone far."

"The Eldest Miss has ordered her brought back before dawn."

Zhu Zhuqing rested the dagger across her knees, her other hand reaching for the copy of the diary hidden against her body.

The pages began to glow on their own.

She lowered her gaze as new ink appeared line by line.

[If you reach the outskirts of Soto City, stop trying to hold on alone.]

Zhu Zhuqing gripped the dagger tightly, looking up toward the faint torchlight obscured by tree shadows deep in the forest path, her voice cold and rigid.

"Su Hang, where exactly are you?"