Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 83: He had met his kryptonite

Chapter 83: He had met his kryptonite

Han Xin reached his military tent his anger and annoyance palpable. He had always been the type of person who could keep his emotions in check even in the heat of battle. But ever since he met Peng Xiu it was like he had met his kryptonite. She kept poking and poking at him like she was testing his bottom line. It was extremely hard for him to admit that he was losing this battle.

He stood in front of the table, staring at the figurines representing his troops, his expression thoughtful and distant. He was trying to come up with war strategies but five minutes in and he was just staring thoughtlessly at the figurines. He was quite distracted with the flickering candlelight casting long shadows adding to the sombre atmosphere.

As Han Zhan walked in his steps faltered having sensed the tension in the tent. Han Xin’s demeanour was like a grey cloud hovering above him, dark and brooding. He knew his cousin was still upset about what Peng Xiu did to him so he approached with caution.

That woman was so diabolical. She even ate using the same chopsticks she fed Han Xin with without cleaning them. She ate her meal with a sly quirk on her lips seeming so proud. Her actions were so confusing. It was either she hated his cousin or she was obsessed with him.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. Han Xin didn’t even look up. He just nodded, a barely perceptible movement. He took a seat, trying to lighten the mood. "At least the princess did you a favour. You didn’t want to get married anyway."

That was the truth. Each time they returned to the capital his aunt always gave Han Xin a look that was louder than words. Sometimes some young ladies would show up at random at their family home. It was easy to tell what she was implying. But Han Xin was also so stubborn. He would be extremely cold to the guests angering his mother. Han Xin had expressed to him that he wouldn’t follow her wishes. No one could manipulate him or force him to do what he didn’t want to do.

Han Xin sighed silently, feeling a wave of irritation. He vowed to stay away from her from now on. "We will take a small party and leave tomorrow," he said, his voice firm. "We need two carriages."

Han Zhan nodded, understanding the unspoken command. He stood up and left to pass on the message. As the tent flap closed behind him, Han Xin bit his lower lip, his gaze drifting to the velvet box on the shelf with the letters from Peng Xiu.

***

While Xiang Yu was taking her place tormenting Han Xin in her name, Peng Xiu was completely unaware of it. She was lying in a wooden cage, her body sprawled under the relentless desert sun.

Xiang Wei had followed his brother’s instructions to the T and even went the extra mile. He made sure she was deep in the desert her wounds untreated and the wooden cage locked. The only way she could survive would be out of sheer luck or the heavens intervention.

A centipede crawled along her arm, its many legs tickling her skin. With a lazy swat, she brushed it away, her arm moving limply. It was a side effect of whatever sedative they gave her. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the harsh light.

As her vision cleared, the reality of her situation hit her. She was in a cage, surrounded by an endless sea of sand. The hot wind blew grains of sand against the wooden bars, creating a soft, hissing sound. She sat up abruptly, her heart pounding as she tried to piece together her last memory.

Then it came to her... Xiang Yu. The last thing she remembered was getting into a heated argument with him. How could things go so wrong? Her plan was seamless so how could it all go wrong? Her expression twisted into one of pure rage.

It was all the barbaric crown prince’s fault. If he had just stuck to the plan and stayed under her spell this wouldn’t have happened. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she screamed his name into the empty desert, vowing revenge with every fibre of her being.

After venting out her frustrations she realised that she wouldn’t be able to survive without supplies. In a panic, she scrambled to the bag in the corner of the cage. Her hands trembled as she opened it, finding a nearly empty skin bag of water and just enough food to last two days.

Xiang Wei wasn’t as generous as his brother. Before Yu Zi and Yun Xan left with the cage, he checked the skin bag. When he found that it was full he opened it and poured out most of the water. He also told them to replace the dry rice cakes with steamed buns. By the time she ate them they would be mouldy and unpleasant to eat. Satisfied he proudly walked away.

This was why Peng Xiu was glaring at the unpleasant looking steamed buns. It was either she ate them and got sick or not eat them and die of hunger. Desperation clawed at her, but she forced herself to stay calm. She would survive this. She had to. And when she did, Xiang Yu would regret the day he crossed her path.

***

Han Xin got his wish. For the next four days, he didn’t see Peng Xiu. She remained in her carriage, causing no trouble, as the small convoy made its way towards Fengmi town. If she did leave her carriage, it was at a time when he wasn’t around.

If he didn’t know any better, he might have thought she had run off and the carriage was empty. Things seemed to go back to how it was like before. Surely, he must have felt a great sense of relief.

However, Han Zhan noticed something peculiar. During the first two days, Han Xin sat in the carriage, diligently working for half the time. He was honestly more focused than ever. It was as though he had been injected with chicken blood.