RISE OF THE MARTIAL GOD

Anthony nodded, not giving much thought to the matter.

"Alright, if that's what you guys want, I will settle you down in a city that's nearby, with less availability of cultivators. In that way, you will be able to protect yourselves with the limited amount of strength you have."

"Let's go eat first. By morning, we will decide our route on the way. Or maybe, we should keep travelling till we find a suitable place to stay." Tong Tong, said her voice low, and a little cracked. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes looked heavy.

Anthony stood up and made his way back to his initial position opposite the fireplace, while Xinglan helped Miao Miao to the blanket spread by Tong Tong.

Tong Tong carried down the pan and served Anthony first, putting most of the beef, vegetables, and mushroom into his plate.

He accepted it and looked at it with a slight frown. Tong Tong's heart skipped a few beats when she saw how Anthony was looking at the food, and she couldn't help but worry too.

"Young master, is the food not prepared to your liking? It may not look like much, but it's definitely edible. Please…"

Anthony flicked her forehead with his finger and smiled.

"Silly girl, what are you talking about? You're a great cook, all your foods are certainly very tasty. Even if they were not, I will still eat everything to the last drop."

Tong Tong frowned, looking confused.

"Then… what could be the problem? You…" She whispered hesitantly, not knowing how to properly present her thoughts.

"Silly girl, if you added so much food for me, what will the rest of you eat. Nearly all the protein is in my plate, what about you all? You need it to regain your energy. The three of you look exhausted and weary to the bones."

Tong Tong smiled at him and sighed.

"Young master, you're the man. Men have a larger appetite. Besides you're the one fighting most of the time, protecting us along the way. You need it the most."

"No, you…"

Tong Tong cut him off with another forced smile.

"It's fine. I guarantee that the remaining one will be enough for us."

Without waiting for Anthony to protest further, she stood up and returned to the girls, carrying the pot and a bowl.

Anthony shook his head.

"You are way too traditional. Who still kneels down to serve someone food?" He whispered in a very low voice, watching her dish out the remaining portion into the other bow. The three of them sat around to eat. But Miao Miao wasn't eating anything, she was merely holding the spoon, using it to stir around the soup.

Anthony frowned as she watched her.

"What's that silly girl doing now? Is it her mission to stress out these poor things? Where does she get her entitlement mentality from? She's not some heiress, yet she's behaving like a spoiled brat, making life difficult for her companions."

He thought for a while and sighed.

"Do I need to slap her for her to eat? I thought that after letting everything out and beating me to a pulp, she would feel better. But there she is stressing them by refusing to eat."

Soon, Tong Tong and Xinglan began to attempt to feed her, but she kept refusing, while Anthony kept mute, wolfing down his meal as he watched them.

"I said I'm not hungry." Miao Miao snapped, and knocked the soup away, making the hot soup to splash on Tong Tong's face.

"That bitch!" Anthony growled and shot to his feet. While Xinglan gasped, looking at Tong Tong whose face was turning red in horror. Miao Miao sniffed and looked down still looking pitiful, taking no notice of the wound she caused.

Anthony grabbed her by the lapels, and dragged her up, making her squeal in shock. Before she could understand what happened, he gave her a resounding slap.

"Have you gone mad? How dare you splash hot soup on her face?" He growled, pushing her to the ground.

"What?" She asked, looking confused while rubbing her cheeks. Anthony's eyes were blazing with fury, enough to terrify anyone.

"Young master, let her go." Tong Tong shouted, trying to get to her feet while doing her best to stop herself from crying.

"That's right, young master. It was not intentional, she would never knowingly scald Tong Tong's face." Xinglan whispered in panic, getting to her feet.

Anthony grabbed Tong Tong, and marched towards the river, his face still glowering with anger.

"Young master, I'm alright." She whispered, trying to force a smile. But all that came rushing down were hot tears.

"Do you look alright to yourself? That soup was just carried down from the fire, enough to scar you for a long time. How can a woman survive with a burnt face, scarred like that?" Anthony was truly angry, and he was not making any efforts to hide it.

"It's truly fine." She muttered as he dragged her into the ice cold water and began to scoop it up, using it cool down the affected area.

After a few minutes of washing her face, her face became cold due to the water, but the red part was getting uglier and spreading.

"Are you alright?" He whispered, patting her hand.

She nodded vigorously, but more hot tears rushed down her face, exposing the big lie she just told. The tears kept streaming down despite her efforts to hold it back by blinking multiple times.

"Just cry, what are you pretending to be strong for?" He whispered and patted her back.

At once, she burst into tears, sobbing while trying to stop herself from making sounds.

"If you keep doing that the tears will choke you. Just cry, as loud as you want."

She shook her head, continuously pouring water on her face. After a while, she stopped crying, hiccuping, her shoulders shaking, her hands shivering.

'Is this my fate? To suffer like this. And now, even my face the only asset I can use to make a living as a dancer is gone.' A lot was going through her mind, but like always she kept forcing them back, trying to smile.

"Come here, I will treat your face." Anthony whispered and helped her to a dry spot, making her rest her back against a rock.

He brought out expensive anti-burn, anti-scar healing salves and applied it on her face. Once he was done, he covered the affected area with sterilized gauze and secured it with clips.

He helped her back to his initial spot, and sat her down.

"Here, take some food, so that I can give you some pain relief drugs to stop the pain."

"No, this is yours."

Anthony sighed in exasperation.

"What do you mean by that? Half of the food is gone when she knocked it over. And the remaining one will barely be enough for them, and I'm already satisfied. Eat up. If you don't eat, how else should I give you the drugs?"

Tong Tong looked at the food hesitantly, then at him. She bit her lips and accepted the food.

"Since you're already full, then…" She whispered, and began to eat.

Anthony frowned as he watched her.

'She's already this hungry, yet refused to eat because she thought she would be inconveniencing me. Is she used to deferring and sacrificing for others? How many times in the past did she have to give up her food because it was not enough. I think I need to rethink my view about Miao Miao if she could treat her so called friend like this.'

In three minutes, Tong Tong wolved down everything and drank the broth, surprising Anthony.

'How could she be this hungry and not attempt to look out for herself first?'

"Thank you for the meal, young master."

Anthony nodded and offered her some tablets; antibiotics and pain relievers.

"I have not seen this kind of drugs before."

"It's from my place, and truly more effective." Anthony whispered, and spread one of the bedsheets in his storage ring for her.

"Go lie down, it will help the drug work faster."

She nodded, and lay down on it, while Anthony watched her for sometime. Satisfied that she was already sleepy from the potent medications, he picked up the plate and walked to Miao Miao where she was still sulking with Xinglan beside her.

Anthony's eyes was cold as he looked at her, his eyes filled with anger.

"You, go and wash the plate."

She didn't look up at first, either she heard and ignored him or she was lost in thoughts.

"Miao Miao!" She looked up then, and pointed at herself with a look of confusion.

"I said go wash the plates."

"Eh?" She looked even more confused and pissed off as if unable to comprehend it.

"Go wash the plates, not just this one, but the pot, and ladle once you both are done eating the food in it."

"Excuse me? Do you mean me?"

"I will do it, I will do it." Xinglan hurriedly said, trying to take it from him. Anthony gave her a hard shove and she staggered away.

"Miao Miao, I said stand up now! Who do you think you are? Do I mean you? Ha! What makes you special and sets you apart from the rest of us? Miao Miao, get up now and go wash the plates. Otherwise, you will get it from me tonight." His voice was hard, cold and terrifying. The Anthony they know was kind, a bit spoiled and arrogant, but never so angry.