Bai Zheng showed nothing on her face, but inside she admired Feng Linyuan's ability to fabricate lies on the spot even more. To be able to say something like "the second-in-command is true to his word" so seriously, one must have an extremely strong will, beyond the reach of ordinary people.
The second-in-command's eyes rolled from side to side, as if he was struggling with something. But soon, he made a decision.
"Fine!"
He raised his head and said firmly.
After saying that, his expression returned to calm. He stood up and said to Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan, "I know the secret passage here. Follow me."
Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan exchanged a smile and followed the strong man out.
Perhaps it was because the man who had gone to report the news had a lame leg and walked slowly, or perhaps the chief had already gone to sleep in the middle of the night. By the time Bai Zheng and the others walked out of the small house, the faint sounds of people searching for them came from afar.
Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan followed the second-in-command as they shuttled among the crude cottages. Along the way, they encountered the occasional bandit on patrol. Presumably they didn't know the news of Bai Zheng and the others' escape yet, so they just bowed their heads respectfully to the second-in-command and didn't ask any questions.
"I didn't expect you to be so well - liked here?" Bai Zheng said playfully.
The second-in-command snorted, "If it weren't for me risking my life back then, these brats in the stockade wouldn't have their current glory."
"Risking your life?" Bai Zheng asked with interest.
The second-in-command frowned tightly and waved his hand impatiently, "Let's not talk about it."
"Really? That's such a pity..." Bai Zheng sighed softly.
"Pity what?"
"Pity that now these brats only listen to the chief." Bai Zheng's tone was gentle.
"Old Qin, that guy. I did so much for his sister back then... Forget it! Forget it!" The second-in-command paused for a moment, then gritted his teeth and spat out six words, "Since he's unkind, I'll be unjust."
Bai Zheng raised her eyebrows and exchanged a look with Feng Linyuan. They understood each other without a word and saw the interest in each other's eyes.
If at first their purpose for staying in the stockade was to find evidence of Bai Di's cooperation with the bandits, then since they met this second-in-command, Bai Zheng had completely changed her mind.
It would be much easier to achieve many things by starting with this second-in-command.
Feng Linyuan turned his head and sized up the increasingly remote path ahead, "How much longer until we reach the secret passage?"
"Almost there."
As soon as the words were out, the second-in-command stopped. Bai Zheng took a closer look and saw a not - very - high haystack in front of them.
The second-in-command rolled up his sleeves and pushed the haystack aside. Only then did Bai Zheng see that there was a wooden board about three feet square under the haystack.
"This is the place," the second-in-command said as he stepped forward to lift the wooden board.
Bai Zheng stepped forward to take a look. It was already late at night and the moon was covered by clouds. The flickering fires in the distance couldn't reach under the wooden board. All she could see was darkness; she couldn't make out anything.
Feng Linyuan frowned slightly and instinctively pulled Bai Zheng behind him. He smiled at the second-in-command and said, "Would you please lead the way, second-in-command?"
After opening the wooden board, the second-in-command turned around and started to push the haystack back.
Hearing Feng Linyuan's words, he didn't stop his actions and replied impatiently, "Not many people in the stockade know about this secret passage, not even Old Qin. If I don't put things back in place, they'll find this place.
You go down first. I'll cover the rear."
As he said this, he pushed the haystack with all his might. Seeing that Feng Linyuan and Bai Zheng didn't move, while the sound of footsteps and shouts in the distance was getting closer, he stared with wide eyes and said anxiously, "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and get down!"
"Is there really no trap inside? Please don't take offense, second-in-command. I'm timid and it's really too dark inside..." Bai Zheng said with a hint of fear.
"No. I've been back and forth several times. It's just a single path. Hurry up and get down. I'm still waiting for that 100,000 taels of silver." As the second-in-command said this, his face showed an expression of "you're being so hesitant. Do you want to renege on the debt?"
Seeing this, Feng Linyuan understood. He said, "In that case, we'll have to trouble you, second-in-command."
Then he patted Bai Zheng's shoulder reassuringly, leaped, and jumped down.
The distant fires flickered faintly behind the second-in-command who was pushing the haystack. His face was hidden in the darkness, so neither Bai Zheng nor Feng Linyuan noticed the flash of cruelty in his eyes the moment Feng Linyuan jumped down.
Just as Bai Zheng was about to follow, she saw an arrow with a broken head fly out of the hole.
Bai Zheng stepped back repeatedly. Then she heard Feng Linyuan's sharp shout from below, "Don't come down!"
"Linyuan!"
Hearing this, Bai Zheng's face instantly turned as white as a sheet.
She subconsciously turned around to look for the second-in-command. Only then did she notice that somehow he had come to the hole, lifted the wooden board, and was about to close it.
"Don't—" Bai Zheng's eyes were bloodshot with rage.
The second-in-command neatly closed the wooden board.
Bai Zheng felt a sudden chill rise. Looking at the strong man in front of her, the previous expressions of viciousness, wretchedness, and panic had all disappeared, replaced by a sharp and menacing look.
This completely different aura made Bai Zheng deeply realize.
She had been deceived.
There was no incompetent and disgraced second-in-command in this stockade at all. It was all just a show he put on for Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan.
"Who are you really?" Bai Zheng stepped back and asked warily.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is," the strong man sneered and took a step forward towards Bai Zheng, "I told you to come with me just now, but you refused. Now it's not up to you."
"You betrayed the stockade?" Bai Zheng quickly realized this.
Judging from the way the bandits had behaved when they saw the strong man along the way, his identity as the second-in-command of the stockade was genuine.
Moreover, with Feng Linyuan's eyesight, it wasn't difficult to tell if someone was wearing a human - skin mask. But Feng Linyuan hadn't noticed anything, which meant that the man in front of them wasn't an imposter.
If so, there was only one possibility.
In fact, Bai Zheng didn't need to go to the trouble of sowing discord back then. This second-in-command had long had a traitorous heart and betrayed the stockade.
The strong man seemed to be enraged by this remark. A hint of blood red appeared in his eyes. He glared at Bai Zheng and shouted, "What do you know! It's them who betrayed me!"
"So what!" Bai Zheng raised her voice, "Everyone saw you leading us out. If something happens to us, the stockade will lose 100,000 taels of silver. Can you get away with it?"
Not far away, the fires were getting closer. The shouts and footsteps were becoming clearer. The strong man seemed not to hear and didn't reply. He just said to Bai Zheng, "You're in trouble yourself now, so don't worry about my business.
They're coming. Do you want to wait here to collect your marquis's body and get captured by them together, or do you want to come with me?"