Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1725 - 1718: Never Abandon or Forsake

Chapter 1725: Chapter 1718: Never Abandon or Forsake

He turned his head towards Feng and asked in confusion, "Little Fengye, you shouldn’t randomly take other people’s leftover food."

"Hmm?"

Upon hearing his words, Feng lifted her head from her concentrated eating and looked at him with a perplexed expression.

"Uh, it seems that’s not the case, since she hasn’t even finished her own food." Hu Daoke looked at the mound of rice in her bowl and couldn’t help but shake his head.

"Strange, could it have been taken by a fox?" Hu Daoke wondered aloud, scratching his head with his hands on his waist.

When he mentioned the fox, he immediately thought of the little girl who had just arrived and turned to look at her. At the moment, the little girl was wolfing down her food under Baiyue’s care, completely unaware of his puzzled gaze.

"Could it really be Damn ghosts," Hu Daoke muttered, tilting his head and mumbling, "Could it be Liseya? No, no, no, it seems more like Xiao Fula, but why would she steal leftovers?"

He hadn’t found an answer to his puzzlement yet when he bowed his head and suddenly noticed a large chunk missing from the pot of rice, and much of the stew was gone as well.

"This is just ridiculous!" Hu Daoke felt his scalp tingle and exclaimed, holding his head.

Meanwhile, after exchanging pleasantries with Dongliang Hu, Cheng Ziang returned contently to the campfire and, seeing the frantic Hu Daoke, asked in confusion, "Are you looking for fleas? Where’s my food?"

"I ate your food," Hu Daoke replied, looking up.

"Quit joking, did you dump my food?" Cheng Ziang replied sourly.

"Well, it kind of just disappeared," Hu Daoke scratched his head and said uneasily.

"Disappeared suddenly?"

"Yeah, I was holding it, and then poof, it was gone." Hu Daoke gestured with his hands.

"Oh, I see, I guess I wrongly blamed you." Cheng Ziang nodded in understanding.

"Wait a minute, is your brain fried? I’m claiming I ate it and you don’t believe me, yet you believe it vanished into thin air?" Hu Daoke couldn’t help but ask.

"That’s perfectly normal, what’s the big deal?" Cheng Ziang shrugged nonchalantly.

"Normal?!" Hu Daoke cried out, gripping his head, almost losing his mind.

"Don’t be so surprised, it’s just a ghost making mischief." Cheng Ziang brushed it off without concern.

"Have you seen ghosts?" Hu Daoke asked.

"Yeah, I’m used to it." Cheng Ziang nodded.

"I can’t comprehend," Hu Daoke shook his head with a disdainful expression, "Suit yourself, I’m too lazy to deal with you, it’s bad luck hanging around you."

With that, he ignored Cheng Ziang and turned to help Baiyue take care of the little girl.

The reason Cheng Ziang was so calm was that he knew the reason.

Of course, it wasn’t anything to do with ghosts; even if there were ghosts, they wouldn’t eat food.

To stealthily and ingeniously swipe things away, especially items related to him, it could only be that individual.

Thinking of this, he sighed and stopped searching, sitting instead beside the campfire and fiddling with the freshly roasted meat.

"I want some of that too."

He had just taken a sniff of a skewer when an excited voice sounded beside him. Turning his head, Hun Jiansi was holding a bowl and eagerly eyeing the meat in his hand.

Cheng Ziang was accustomed to the sudden appearance of strangers and sighed, calmly saying, "Can’t you just grab another bowl yourself? Why do you have to take mine?"

"Do you want some?" Hun Jiansi offered her bowl, which held freshly made rice.

"You’re a girl, try to maintain your image," Cheng Ziang said while handing over the skewer in his hand.

"I don’t find it undignified, or do you dislike me doing this?" Hun Jiansi tilted her head.

"You should know the differences between genders."

"Of course I know the differences," Hun Jiansi said, suddenly changing her tone, "but you’re an exception."

"Ahem." Cheng Ziang coughed to hide his awkwardness, took a deep breath, and decided to change the topic.

"Is that the person you arranged to meet?" Cheng Ziang pointed to Dongliang Hu in the distance.

"More or less," Hun Jiansi nodded and continued, "Besides them, people from the Emperor’s Sect are secretly protecting you."

"That’s quite thoughtful." Cheng Ziang shook his head.

"I’ve heard that the Manor Lord wants to meet you soon," Hun Jiansi thought aloud.

"Manor Lord?"

"Don’t ask, you know I can’t tell you," Hun Jiansi rolled her eyes at him in mock annoyance.

"If Anxiang Zheng leads troops after us, can Dongliang Hu’s Cavalry and your Emperor’s Sect handle it?" Cheng Ziang continued.

"Not necessarily," Hun Jiansi wiped the grease from her lips and shook her head, "So we rely on pre-emptive arrangements to solve such troubles."

"Pre-emptive arrangements?"

"At least within three days, Anxiang Zheng won’t send troops after you. As long as you can leave Guyi Government’s jurisdiction within those three days, then you’re no longer under his control." Hun Jiansi explained.

"Then whose control?" Cheng Ziang asked curiously.

"I don’t know," Hun Jiansi shrugged, shaking her head comically, "But the proverbial car always finds its way up a hill, and the Manor Lord is quite competent."

"You seem to highly regard that person..."

For some reason, when Cheng Ziang said this, he felt a note of jealousy in his tone. Despite constantly reminding himself he had no feelings for Hun Jiansi, these emotions emerged uncontrollable.

"If the future is dark, he is a glimmer of light..."

Hun Jiansi spoke dreamily, seemingly unaware of Cheng Ziang’s tone.

Hearing her heartfelt words, Cheng Ziang grew increasingly curious about "that person." He wanted to know exactly what kind of person could gather the likes of the Dual Dao Nine Schools and willingly have them do their bidding.

"Mm, your food is really tasty." Hun Jiansi said contentedly as she cradled her bowl.

"Just average, nothing special." Since it was Hu Daoke who made the food, Cheng Ziang wouldn’t praise it.

"Can you cook?" Hun Jiansi asked tilting her head.

"Of course." Cheng Ziang assumed a self-assured expression.

"Next time I want to taste your cooking," Hun Jiansi said with a grin.

"You’ve already eaten what I’ve cooked before."

"Those were made by others, and you just helped. You haven’t cooked alone," Hun Jiansi remarked.

"Helping out still counts as cooking."

"No, it doesn’t," Hun Jiansi shook her head and pointed at Hu Daoke, "Even big guy can cook by himself, but you’ve never done it."

"I’m their leader," Cheng Ziang declared confidently.

"But your disciples are in the carriage..." Hun Jiansi said wistfully.

"A gentleman knows what to do and what not to do..." Cheng Ziang retorted.

"Then I’ll just cozy up to the big guy next time, at least I won’t go hungry with him." Hun Jiansi squinted teasingly.

"Uh..."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ziang’s immediate reaction was regret. But seeing Hun Jiansi’s mischievous glance, he immediately realized he’d been played.

Just as he was feeling extremely frustrated, he suddenly heard Hun Jiansi softly reassure him, "Relax, I’m no fair-weather friend. Even if you can’t do anything, I won’t change my allegiance."

At these words, Cheng Ziang’s anger dissipated instantly. He looked into Hun Jiansi’s smiling eyes, rendered speechless, unsure of what to say.

"Ah, Ah Si, Hun Jiansi..." His lips moved as he slowly spoke her name.

"Hmm, what is it?" Hun Jiansi blinked and asked.

"Nothing, it’s just that I suddenly remembered your name," Cheng Ziang said shaking his head.

"You’ve forgotten again." Hun Jiansi feigned anger.

"I can’t help it, should I engrave your name on my arm?" Cheng Ziang said innocently.

"Why not?"

"Uh..."

"Just kidding, even if you dared, I wouldn’t let you," Hun Jiansi replied with a smile but her voice revealed a hint of loneliness, "It doesn’t matter if you forget my name, knowing that I’m here is enough."

"The Manor Lord..."

"Hmm?"

"Does the Manor Lord remember your presence like I do?" Cheng Ziang asked carefully.

Upon hearing this, Hun Jiansi’s face flickered with surprise, then calmly smiled and shook her head, saying, "No, it’s different, you and he are not the same. He... he did me a favor..."