The Slick Young Man

"Uncle, there's a chance." Qiao Sifu pressed close beside Qiao Duanhong and glanced at the six people in Daoist robes. Night had fallen, and the trees blotted out the sky and sun. If they scattered and ran, perhaps some of them really could escape.

Qiao Duanhong shook his head with a grim face. "Wait a little longer. I left something behind along the way."

Qiao Sifu looked at him strangely. "Mm... Guiding Incense?"

"Mm."

Qiao Sifu fell silent. But another escort master gave a soft sigh. "Chief Escort, we can't count on that."

Every escort agency probably had "Guiding Incense"—something like sawdust, scattered bit by bit from between one's fingers. After half an hour, it would give off a peculiar scent. The head of the escort guild had said that every escort agency had an obligation to help one another; when they saw someone scattering Guiding Incense, they should know they were in danger and lend a hand within their means.

The guild head's intentions had been good, but sadly, no one truly expected unrelated strangers to risk death or injury to come fight for them. Everyone was only scraping together a living. They were not those wandering martial heroes who could entrust life and death to someone they had met by chance.

"They probably don't want to hurt anyone for the moment," Qiao Duanhong said carefully. "Their martial arts are frighteningly high. We should wait a little longer. If we really fight... sigh."

Qiao Sifu and the other escort masters moved their lips but said nothing. How could they not understand Qiao Duanhong's worries? If they fought now, it would most likely mean only one thing: death. But if they waited... people always superstitiously believed in that thing called hope.

Qiao Sifu turned to look at Qiao Jiaxin. The girl stared blankly into the fire without speaking, occasionally glancing from the corner of her eye at Li Yunxin, who was sitting farther away with the old Daoist.

A burst of anger rose in him—he wanted to fight those six people, but he did not dare. He did not dare fight, yet he was unwilling to accept it. That only made him more agitated. He lowered his voice. "I've always thought there was something off about that kid. Jiaxin said that when the two of them saw that bandit, the kid was calm as could be. When he stopped the carriage, he looked like a greenhorn. How does he look anything like one now?"

Following his gaze, Qiao Duanhong saw Li Yunxin glancing at the six people one moment, then scribbling and drawing on the ground the next. He really did look somewhat bored out of his wits—far more relaxed than they were.

He shook his head. "He's probably from a merchant family. Children like that see many things when they're young, so that sort of reaction is only natural. They think everything in this world can be discussed, bargained over, exchanged, so they aren't as afraid... calm and composed. Heh. That way of thinking would not be bad if they were ordinary villains. Judging by how freely he spends, his family probably has some wealth. But in this situation... they probably don't want money. The boy is young, after all."

Qiao Sifu curled his lip and glanced at Li Yunxin again. Though unwilling to admit it, he still felt his uncle had a point. It was not as if he had never seen such things—the things escort agency people had to weather storm and rain, stumble and scrape to accomplish could be settled in Luo City by wealthy merchants with a few words and some silver.

He disliked that slick air about Li Yunxin, that easygoing manner. So when he saw Li Yunxin toss out a silver ingot, he felt displeased.

Miss Qiao also watched Li Yunxin with a faintly mournful gaze, yet she did not think he was the sort of person her father and Fourth Brother described.

Clearly... he had pulled her behind him back then. Even if she thought him lacking in spirit now, he still knew to protect her.

Even her father had no solution. What could he possibly do?

But then Li Yunxin suddenly stood up. Everyone around the fire turned their eyes on him, unable to tell what this young man of unknown depth intended to do.

The next instant, they saw him walk toward the six people.

Behind him, Liu Laodao made faces but did not dare speak loudly. Qiao Jiaxin's eyes widened, stunned by what he was doing.

Li Yunxin had taken six or seven steps when one of them barked, "What are you doing?! Stop!"

He hurriedly stopped and spread his hands. "All right, all right, I won't go, I won't go."

Firelight flickered among the trees.

The surroundings fell quiet. Everyone's gaze rested on him. But the youth truly looked like a newborn calf unafraid of tigers, as though he still did not understand how strange and unfathomable the situation before him appeared in the eyes of an old hand like Qiao Duanhong.

"My name is Li Yunxin, from Luo City." He cupped his hands and said solemnly, "Heroes, please hear me out first. I can see that your martial arts are formidable; you are certainly not mere rabble from the wilds. Forced to act this time, you destroyed only goods and did not harm anyone. You are already models of the greatest heroes. Yunxin guesses that you heroes are short of silver, and that was why you had no choice but to do this. Speaking of silver, I have been rather flush lately. If you do not mind, I—"

"Heh... 'the greatest heroes.'" One of the sword-bearing men sneered. He turned to look at Li Yunxin, his expression shifting between light and shadow. "You brat aren't afraid of death?"

"That phrase is rather interesting." Another looked at Li Yunxin with interest. "Did you come up with it yourself?"

By now, these people finally had some clear, vivid expressions on their faces.

"I'm flattered, I'm flattered. Though I once traveled north and south with my father, I also read a few books. As for the greatest heroes—they serve the nation and the people. You heroes possess such excellent martial arts, yet remain unknown in the martial world. You must only be lying low for the moment, awaiting the day you stun the world with a single cry. Since I have encountered such an opportunity, what does it matter if Yunxin gives away all his family wealth? To befriend you heroes while you are still among the grass and reeds, surely in the future..."

"Is something wrong with that kid's head?" Qiao Sifu listened with his eyes wide and his tongue tied. He felt Li Yunxin was talking utter nonsense—no fool would truly think the way he claimed to. Yet he spoke so plausibly now... what exactly was he trying to do? Did he think those people would let him go because of this?

Qiao Duanhong, however, furrowed his brow.

"This person..." He thought for a moment, then examined Li Yunxin again by the firelight. He had not paid much attention to the youth before, but now he vaguely felt that there was some other meaning in his words that he could not yet understand.

Qiao Jiaxin stared blankly at him, feeling as though he had completely confused her.

Li Yunxin spoke at length without changing expression or skipping a beat. Qiao Duanhong listened to the end with a slight frown, then gently shook his head. He understood what the youth intended to do. For a teenager, to remain so calm in a situation like this, and even try to use lavish praise to persuade those six bandits, counted as quick wits.

The youth wanted to make himself seem muddleheaded, perhaps—he probably did not believe what he was saying himself, and those bandits certainly would not believe it either. But if they truly felt that such a youth posed no threat, grew greedy for the real gold and silver on him, and developed a faint bit of goodwill because of the courage and slickness he displayed...

Then perhaps they really might let him go.

Unfortunately, the youth still could not see the situation clearly. These bandits were obviously not after goods or money, but something else. Qiao Duanhong had thought about it for a long time, yet he did not know what these people possessed that could make the other side go to such lengths.

Just as Qiao Duanhong expected, the six people grew tired of listening after a while and waved a hand. "Get lost, get lost. Go back and stay there. Don't babble!"

But Qiao Duanhong felt that something indescribable had changed in their tone. Yet when he thought carefully, he truly could not grasp any trace of it.

Li Yunxin knew.

Even though they were rebuking him—at least their tone was no longer so cold.

It had gained a little of the flavor of "people."

He came from another world, and he had done that sort of work before. He knew what made people troubled and indignant under certain circumstances.

For example, walking at night in fine clothes. Or rather, showing off when there was no one to play along.

He smiled good-naturedly without getting angry and gave them a bow. Then he staggered a few steps toward the other side, grinning cheekily as he walked. "Then... heroes, I'd like to discuss one more thing. I don't know that group over there at all; we only came together earlier. Do you think I could find a place to stay by myself?"

This time, the swordsman with high cheekbones and narrow eyes finally grew impatient. He gave a cold snort. "Are you seeking death?"

Li Yunxin seemed startled. He hurriedly staggered backward, waving his hands. "All right, all right, I'll go back right away!"

When he returned to the fire with his head hanging, dragging his feet through the dead branches and rotten leaves until they rustled on the ground, Qiao Sifu raised his brows and looked at him disdainfully. "So you came back?"

Then he spat on the ground. "Weren't you unfamiliar with us?"

By now, most of those watching him wore the same expression. There were many matters in the martial world where different people could hold different views, but everyone agreed on one thing—loyalty mattered.

What he had done earlier was not particularly objectionable, but his final words about severing ties with them had angered them. Even Qiao Jiaxin finally sighed, glanced at Li Yunxin, snorted, and turned away. Feelings between young men and women often came suddenly and swiftly; when they faded, there was no deep devotion to speak of.

The girl realized that the handsome youth was, in truth, only handsome. She felt she had been happy for nothing all that time, even somewhat deceived.

But when Li Yunxin turned around, his expression was no longer so dejected. He smiled and said only, "Mm."

Then he sat down beside Liu Laodao again.

That attitude left the escort masters around the fire stunned. They had wanted to mock him a few more times, but looking at him now—it was as though he had merely run out to perform a play, and had now taken his curtain call and returned backstage. Even seasoned veterans of the martial world could not change faces the instant they turned around as he did, as though speaking to people in human words and ghosts in ghost words was already second nature to him.

But how old was he? Even those present might not have been as slick as he was.

...To stay alive, he really would throw away even his face. That was all they could think.

Sorry, I overslept yesterday and forgot to update. Happy Valentine's Day, everyone.