Chapter 1359 — A Skeleton
The Blossom Guardian · Page 1 of 2
The bones lay scattered across the ground rather than arranged in any orderly fashion, so there was no telling how the man had died. It was as though he had been hacked apart and dumped in a heap, and after the corpse had weathered away, this was all that remained.
"It's only a skeleton. What's the fuss? Perhaps his companions killed him." Elder Yu felt no fear whatever toward the dead. After one glance he said mildly, "Didn't Old Black kill several people just yesterday? This area is wide open, and I see nothing dangerous."
"Is that so? After you kill a companion, you still feel like carving up the body?" Wei Zhao was contemptuous of Elder Yu's ignorance. The man might be a good hand, but he plainly lacked common sense. In a place like this, even if greed set them at one another's throats, who would have the idle inclination to dismember a corpse? And it wasn't as though there were any deep hatred at stake.
"That... hmph. The path here is flat, and there's no trace of any hidden weapon on the ground. Aren't you overthinking this?" Elder Yu asked.
"Oh? In that case, Elder, you take the lead. I'll bring up the rear." Wei Zhao shrugged and said it flatly.
"Hmph!" Elder Yu's face darkened; inwardly he was caught in a dilemma. Told to go first, he truly did not dare. Better safe than sorry. If there really was something up ahead, then even an Earth Rank expert like himself would be no match for it. His urging a moment ago had in fact been meant to send Wei Zhao ahead. So, after a moment's hesitation, he said to Old Black, "What do you say?"
"What do I say..." Old Black furrowed his brow; he too was at a loss. But his gaze quickly settled on Yu Xiaoke. "Woman Warrior Yan, you take the lead and guide the way!"
Damn it, why me again? Yu Xiaoke was thoroughly exasperated, yet she had no choice but to obey. She had been hired by Old Black, after all, and only by listening to him could she collect her final payment. So Yu Xiaoke gritted her teeth, nodded, and made ready to step forward and probe the way.
"Wait!" Wei Zhao waved a hand to stop her. That there was danger ahead, Wei Zhao was one hundred percent certain of. Ever since they had come into this area, the jade pendant's warning signal had grown even stronger, so how could he let Yu Xiaoke take the risk?
The moment the words left Wei Zhao's mouth, Old Black scowled. "I can't even send my own people ahead first? Male Thief, aren't you being a bit too overbearing?"
"She's mine now! I'll have other uses for her." Wei Zhao pointed at Yu Xiaoke. "You come with me from here on. I'll give you ten percent of my share of the profits, and you needn't listen to him anymore!"
"Ah?" Yu Xiaoke was startled. She did not quite understand why Wei Zhao had suddenly said such a thing, but all along she had seen the protective intent he showed toward her. She was no fool; she knew perfectly well who truly cared about her and who treated her as a tool!
"Woman Warrior Yan, are you breaking the agreement?" Old Black glanced at Yu Xiaoke and asked in a sinister tone.
Old Black was about to explode with rage. This Wei Zhao was simply too hateful! With a few words he meant to whisk Yu Xiaoke away? Absolutely not. She was the cannon fodder he had hired!
"I... I think I'll go with the Male Thief after all..." Yu Xiaoke was no idiot, and she had no wish to die. Old Black was plainly sending her to tread on landmines; unless she were utterly stupid, the choice here was an easy one.
"Woman Warrior Yan, think about it yourself. What could the Male Thief possibly want you for? Think about the tone he used. I'm afraid he's lusting after your beauty." Old Black had begun sowing discord, hoping the Female Thief would overhear and step in, in which case Wei Zhao would have no way out.