NOVEL NEXT Chapter 26 - What Is Your Objective?
026: What Is Your Objective?
The heavy rain lasted for over an hour before stopping.
By the time the Rock Armored Turtle reached the vicinity of Blood Beard’s base, it was already dusk.
Dinner was eaten in silence.
Mu Liang, now dressed in his dried camouflage uniform, had a military knife at his waist and a waterproof bag on his back.
Seeing the worried look in Mino’s eyes, he smiled and reminded her, “While I’m gone, don’t open the door for anyone.”
“What if the big lizard brings stuff back?” Mino asked timidly.
She instantly recalled the time at the camp when the lizard had hauled supplies.
Mu Liang’s mouth twitched. After a brief thought, he said, “One long knock followed by two short knocks. That’s the code.”
Bang~~~ Bang~ Bang~
He demonstrated by knocking on the table. “Something like that,” he explained.
“Got it,” Mino nodded, trying hard to remember.
“Don’t worry. I’ll probably be back late,” Mu Liang teased her rabbit ears with a smile. “If you’re tired, go to bed.”
“I-I’ll wait for you to come back…” Mino blushed, her voice growing quieter, “…before I sleep.”
She was terrified thieves might discover Little Xuanwu and climb up to steal from the house.
“Alright, I’m off,” Mu Liang only caught the first part of her sentence.
Had he heard the rest, he would’ve been both amused and exasperated.
“Be careful!” Mino called out clearly.
“Get ready for some good stuff,” Mu Liang waved and descended from the turtle’s back, leaving Mino’s reluctant gaze behind.
In the distance, tiny lights marked the Blood Beard base.
“By the time I walk there, it’ll be completely dark,” Mu Liang muttered, glancing up at the sky. After the rain, it seemed brighter than usual.
Ahead, the Red Ghost Spider led the way, scouting for patrolling thieves.
Traveling across barren, rocky terrain was tedious, especially with the mud left by the rain sticking to his boots.
Finally, as darkness fully enveloped the land, Mu Liang reached the outskirts of Blood Beard’s base. He spotted occasional torch-bearing thieves on patrol.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, a stone flew from nearby.
Plop!
It landed just a short distance from Mu Liang’s feet.
Sensing no danger, he didn’t bother dodging it.
“…” Mu Liang remained silent, watching the direction from which the stone came.
Soon, a figure in a black hooded cloak emerged from the shadows.
“Sorry for the offense,” a calm, feminine voice spoke from beneath the hood. “I just wanted to warn you.”
“Who are you? What do you want?” Mu Liang narrowed his eyes, casting a fleeting glance at the Red Ghost Spider behind her.
The moment she threw the stone, the spider had locked onto her.
Had she made any threatening moves, she’d be cocooned in spider silk by now.
“Are you a bounty hunter? Here for the Moon Lake Tribe’s mission?” the hooded figure asked.
“I don’t feel like answering.” Mu Liang glanced at her and turned towards the thieves’ base.
“We could cooperate,” she suggested urgently.
“I don’t work with people who hide their faces,” Mu Liang refused coldly.
“I have a map of the thieves’ base,” she offered, stepping forward.
“Why do you want to cooperate?” Mu Liang asked, intrigued by her motives.
“Because you’re strong,” she stated matter-of-factly.
“You don’t even know me.” Mu Liang rolled his eyes. “What makes you think I’m strong? I could be one of the thieves.”
“You’re not,” she said confidently, a hint of smugness in her tone. “No thief dresses as cleanly as you.”
Mu Liang understood. She judged him based on his appearance.
He responded dryly, “It rained today.”
“Even in the rain, moving alone in the wilderness takes a strong person,” she argued.
“…” Though Mu Liang found her reasoning flawed, there was some logic to it.
“Even with Blood Beard gone, it’s not easy to get inside,” she said confidently, her voice cool and clear. “If we team up, you’re sure to get the crystal fish.”
“Crystal fish? What’s that?” Mu Liang asked curiously.
“You’re not here for the Moon Lake Tribe’s mission?” she sounded shocked, her voice rising slightly. “You’re not after Blood Beard’s treasure vault?”
“Those are your assumptions,” Mu Liang shrugged.
“What’s your objective?” she asked, retreating slightly, her cloak shifting.
“And what’s yours?” Mu Liang countered.
He’d accidentally learned of the treasure vault and realized he wasn’t the only one targeting Blood Beard.
“Clever,” she muttered, frustrated. She’d probed for so long without gaining any information.
“If you want to talk, show some sincerity,” Mu Liang said, eyeing her hood.
“You might be scared when you see me,” she warned.
“I’ll decide after I see,” Mu Liang replied calmly.
“The base is a crescent-shaped valley formed by three hills. The middle hill is the tallest at 150 meters,” she explained coolly.
“Why tell me this?” Mu Liang frowned.
“It’s basic reconnaissance anyone can do during the day. Consider it my apology for earlier,” she said before turning to leave.
“Is your face really that frightening?” Mu Liang muttered, watching her vanish into the darkness.
He doubted her kindness. Most likely, she planned to follow him or wait for the chaos to enter.
“Too bad, she’ll be disappointed.”
Smiling, Mu Liang shook his head and headed towards the base, his figure gradually disappearing.
Moments later, the hooded figure reappeared, searching the area in surprise.
“He’s gone? And no footprints?”
As Mu Liang suspected, she had intended to follow him.
“A formidable one…” she whispered, her voice a mix of urgency and anticipation. “Maybe he’ll really get into Blood Beard’s vault.”
Ultimately, she too slipped into the thieves’ base.