Once he was certain it had been his imagination, Bald Scorpion Man grew irritated at the thought of what Zhao Xun had just said.
"What do you mean by that?" he demanded loudly.
Zhao Xun said nothing more, merely smiling at Bald Scorpion Man.
"All right, all right, stop arguing." Crew-Cut Man took the Bone-Cleaving Knife from Bald Scorpion Man and said amiably, "We need to keep moving. Keep moving. Let's try to reach the castle by eleven."
They still had half the journey left. The first half had taken an hour, and it was already past ten. Another hour should get them to the castle.
That would put their arrival sometime after eleven.
With someone offering him a way to back down, Bald Scorpion Man reined in his anger.
Getting there really was the priority. Wasting time here would only give the surrounding insects and vines a chance to attack.
He was not so blinded by anger that he would let it interfere with what mattered.
This can wait until we're inside the castle.
Bald Scorpion Man shot Zhao Xun a vicious glare, his eyes full of warning.
As Bald Scorpion Man moved to the back of the group, Zhao Xun unconsciously flexed his fingers.
His knuckles gave a faint crack, leaving him itching to act.
Bald Scorpion Man did not notice, though. He was still thinking about how to get even once they entered the castle.
Soon, Crew-Cut Man's half hour was up, and it was Zhao Xun's turn.
Zhao Xun borrowed the Bone-Cleaving Knife as well.
With the castle almost within reach, Zhao Xun hacked through the brambles faster and harder.
But just as he was about to step out of the brambles, he stopped.
"What are you doing?" Bald Scorpion Man asked impatiently. "Keep moving!"
"There's