Chapter 257 - 257: Four Hours

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“What did you do to our general?” The second mountain bandit leader glared at Qin Xiaoyao furiously.

After leaving the dungeon, his original plan was to set up an ambush outside and capture this intruder.

Then, he would take the opportunity to accidentally injure or even kill the leader. After that, he would be able to smoothly take over the leadership position.

To his dismay, the intruder decided to hide in the dungeon and refused to come out.

As such, it would be difficult for him to deal with the leader.

“Hmph! I didn’t do anything. It’s just that your great general wasn’t too cooperative, so he was given a small punishment for him to repent his ways.” Qin Xiaoyao didn’t seem to care about the second mountain bandit leader’s threat at all as she replied leisurely.

These words infuriated the second mountain bandit leader.

“How dare you use torture on our great general?” he yelled angrily.

“What torture? Don’t talk nonsense if you didn’t see it,” Qin Xiaoyao said straightaway.

Then, she laughed again.

“Oh, I know. You’re saying this on purpose, hoping to stir up their anger toward me.

“Then, you will bring them along without giving a damn about anything else and kill me in the name of saving your leader, regardless of whether your leader lives or dies.

“You’re… trying to usurp his position, aren’t you?” Qin Xiaoyao said.

The second mountain bandit leader’s expression changed at once when he heard that.

The gazes of the other mountain bandits that were directed at the second mountain bandit leader also became more thoughtful.

“Don’t listen to him! He’s trying to sow discord. I, Wu Lao’er, am loyal to the great general. I will never disregard the great general’s safety or endanger his life. I will never commit such a dishonorable deed!” The second mountain bandit leader said quickly.

As he said this, he looked at Qin Xiaoyao with a gaze that seemed to be soaked with venom.

Damn it! He would kill this rascal sooner or later!

However, Qin Xiaoyao wasn’t affected at all.

“Hehe! If that’s the case, then just wait here obediently.

“I still have some matters to discuss with your great general. When we’ve finished discussing, we’ll naturally release him.”

What was there to discuss? Her current plan was to buy time.

It would be best to drag it out until the Imperial Court’s army attacked the town.

“How much time do you need for your discussion?” The second mountain bandit leader glared at Qin Xiaoyao angrily.

He didn’t have that much time to waste with this guy.

The great army outside the town could break through the town’s defenses at any time, and he still wanted to retreat with his loot and his comrades.

Qin Xiaoyao’s eyes shifted a little.

“It will take at least four hours. After four hours, once we have a result, I’ll naturally return him to you,” she said.

Sigh! If she could, of course, she wouldn’t state only four hours.

However, she was afraid that the second mountain bandit leader would not be willing to wait if she dragged on any longer. He might decide to charge straight in without a care for anything else.

Sure enough, after hearing Qin Xiaoyao’s words, the second mountain bandit leader’s expression turned extremely ominous.

“I’ll give you two hours at most!

“If you don’t release our great general in two hours, I’ll bring my men to flatten the dungeon. After that, I will skin you alive!”

Qin Xiaoyao’s face also turned ominous when she heard this.

“I said four hours, so it is four hours! You claim to be loyal to your great general, but you can’t even wait for four hours?

“Do you want me to ask your great general right now and tell him to come out and talk to you?” Qin Xiaoyao pretended to threaten him.

The second mountain bandit leader frowned.

Just as he was about to say something, he was stopped by someone beside him.

It was not known what that person said to him. After that the second mountain bandit leader actually relented.

“Alright! Four hours it is then!

“If you don’t release him in four hours, I’ll lead my men to attack at that point!”

Qin Xiaoyao heaved a sigh of relief inwardly.

“Sure!” she answered with a smile.

Following that, she disappeared from the entrance of the dungeon.

Of course, she didn’t really leave. Instead, she went to a location slightly further in.

After observing for more than 15 minutes and making sure that no one outside came to investigate and that the second mountain bandit leader had left, Qin Xiaoyao quietly walked into the dungeon.

Just as she reached the location where Song Que and the mountain bandit leader were, Qin Xiaoyao was utterly shocked by what she saw.

The mountain bandit leader had already fainted, and there was a pool of blood on the ground below his body.

There was also that thing that was chopped off…

So, the scream just now was actually…

Qin Xiaoyao covered her mouth and stared at her husband, who was sitting weakly on one side having a rest.

At this moment, Qin Xiaoyao realized that her husband could be really ruthless when he took action.

How was he a meek, white rabbit? He was clearly… a meek, white rabbit that had gone berserk

Hehe! However, she liked his ruthlessness…

When Song Que saw that Qin Xiaoyao had returned, he raised his head weakly and glanced at her.

Then he saw that she was staring at something on the ground and a touch of displeasure appeared on his reddish face.

“Come here!” he said to Qin Xiaoyao.

“Okay…” Qin Xiaoyao quickly turned her eyes away and walked toward her husband.

Song Que glanced at her and asked her to sit down. Then, he leaned weakly on her shoulder.

Qin Xiaoyao’s body tensed up a little. She felt a little overwhelmed by his display of affection.

She touched Song Que’s forehead and realized that it seemed to be even hotter than before. Her heart ached again.

“What’s the situation outside now?” Song Que finally asked in a hoarse voice after leaning on Qin Xiaoyao’s shoulder for a while.

Qin Xiaoyao quickly explained what transpired earlier.

“I went to take a look before I came in. That second mountain bandit leader has already left.

“I’m guessing that he’s probably making arrangements to retreat or to defend against the Imperial Court’s army. I don’t think he’ll be back for the time being.”

They had agreed on four hours, and the other party had agreed to it in front of so many mountain bandits. It was highly unlikely that he would go back on his word.

Otherwise, when she killed the hostage, even if the second mountain bandit leader was promoted, he would have to bear a bad reputation.

Song Que gave a glance at Qin Xiaoyao and felt more relieved.

“There’s a jar of wine over there. Go get it and help me lower the fever.” He then looked at a jar of wine not far away.

This used to be the place where the jailers rested. There was food and wine here, and he could make use of these readily available materials to help himself relieve some of his symptoms.

Qin Xiaoyao followed Song Que’s gaze and saw the jar of wine.

“Oh, okay!” She quickly went to get it after answering him.

After taking the wine, she immediately cut a piece of cloth from her clothes.

After wetting the cloth, she helped Song Que wipe his chest, hands, and forehead.

The alcohol evaporated and removed some of the heat from his body in the process. Song Que felt much more comfortable instantly.

He leaned against the wall and enjoyed Qin Xiaoyao’s service for a while before telling her to stop.

“Alright. That’s enough for now. Keep the rest of the wine and use it later,” Song Que said, breathing laboriously.

Qin Xiaoyao’s heart ached terribly when she saw him in this state.

“Mm-hmm. Sure.” She nodded and put the jar of wine away.

Then, she sat back down beside Song Que and let him lean on her.

Song Que’s body was weak and limp. He was extremely frail now and incredibly meek and agreeable.

“I’ll rest for 15 minutes. Remember to wake me up when the time is up,” he said.

The feeling of leaning on his wife was very comfortable, and it made him feel at ease. He was really struggling to hang on at this moment.

However, the crisis outside had not been resolved yet, so he did not dare to fall into a deep sleep.

Qin Xiaoyao reached out and caressed the side of Song Que’s face. “Mm-hmm,” she replied.

At this juncture, Song Que finally closed his eyes.

After that, all was peaceful inside the dungeon..