Chapter 20: Ankle Chain
The two crawled out of the cave one after another, and Gu Changxiao reached out to cover the entrance with some wheat stalks.
Even if it could only fool the bandits for half an hour, it would buy them time to escape while the others searched the woodshed.
The rain was still falling, and bandits were everywhere holding torches, but Gu Changxiao seemed very familiar with the escape route.
He carried the iron chain and said, “Follow me closely,” then walked in one direction.
Jinsui quickly said, “You have to take my grandfather and brother with us, otherwise, if we escape, they will definitely be killed by the bandits.”
Gu Changxiao ignored her and continued to walk with his body bent. Jinsui became anxious and grabbed the iron chain:
“If you don’t agree, then kill me now! I would rather die than abandon my grandfather and brother.”
Her hand was already clenched in her palm; if he truly intended to kill her, she would immediately use the anesthetic to knock him out and then turn him in to the bandits for a reward.
In such chaotic times, if one doesn’t look out for themselves, heaven and earth will destroy them.
Gu Changxiao sighed slightly upon hearing this and looked at her as if she were a fool. Jinsui could sense that this person was likely someone who had been in a position of power for a long time.
In the past, when he communicated with others, he only needed to say a word, and they would understand his intentions and follow his orders.
But talking to me like this won’t work! How long have we known each other? I’m not your subordinate.
“Haven’t you realized that the place we’re going is the Head of the Mountain Stronghold’s residence?”
Jinsui was stunned for a moment, realizing that he had taken what Jin’an had said to heart. Grandpa Ling and Jin’an were currently at the Head of the Mountain Stronghold’s residence.
She awkwardly put down the iron chain and chuckled dryly, “It’s too dark, I can’t tell which way is which.”
Seeing Gu Changxiao walking silently with his head down, she said somewhat sheepishly:
“Um, I’m sorry, I misunderstood you. Thank you!”
Gu Changxiao snorted coldly:
“You’re not going to say again that I’m a good person, are you?
Hmph, if the secret exit of the stronghold wasn’t at the Head of the Mountain Stronghold’s residence, I would have killed you long ago and escaped alone.”
For some reason, although he spoke coldly and was very fierce when he restrained her with the iron chain earlier, Jinsui just felt that he wasn’t a villain who would kill indiscriminately.
She stopped talking and followed Gu Changxiao’s footprints, walking with difficulty on the rocky mountain stronghold.
Just as they were nearing the Head of the Mountain Stronghold’s residence, she heard a loud gong sound from the direction of the woodshed, and many torches converged there.
She couldn’t help but look back worriedly. Fortunately, the rocky path made it difficult to leave footprints, and coupled with the rain washing them away, it would take them some time to track them even if they wanted to.
Gu Changxiao pulled the iron chain, signaling her not to get distracted:
“Let’s be clear beforehand, since you’d rather die than leave your grandfather and youngest brother. If the bandits really chase us, I can only escape alone.”
He glanced at Jinsui’s ankle, and Jinsui spoke first:
“Try your best to take all three of us with you, but if we slow you down, you don’t have to do anything, I’ll cut off this foot myself!”
Gu Changxiao raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise and praised:
“I didn’t expect you, this little Taoist, to have some backbone.”
Jinsui’s expression was impassioned, but in her heart, she had already made up her mind: first, she would go into the space to find something to break the iron chain, and if that didn’t work, she would have to knock Gu Changxiao out.
Consider it repayment for saving my life. Back in the reed marsh, if Grandpa and I hadn’t saved you, you would have either drowned in the river or been caught by the constables.
The Head of the Mountain Stronghold’s residence was also brightly lit. Gu Changxiao said the secret exit from the stronghold was in a cave behind the house, guarded by only two bandits.
The most important thing now was to quietly call out Daoist Ji and the young Taoist.
After he finished speaking, his eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced towards the woodshed. The torches were already moving in their direction:
“I’ll give you a moment. If you can’t find them, I, Gu, will have to abandon you and escape on my own, disregarding any sense of righteousness.”
Jinsui quickly said, “That’s enough, that’s enough, just watch.”
After saying that, she placed two fingers on her lips and blew a whistle.
This was a secret signal they had established when she and her grandfather Jin’an went to pick fruit and mushrooms in the Xiaohan Mountain Range, to let the other know her location.
With the commotion in the mountain stronghold tonight being so great, her grandfather, an old hand like Grandpa Ling, would likely have already gotten dressed with Jin’an, waiting for news, and looking for an opportunity to escape.
The only difficulty was Grandpa Ling’s foot; she would have to carry her grandfather then.
As expected, after she blew her whistle three times, she heard a door open, and within a few dozen breaths, Jin’an appeared in sight, supporting Grandpa Ling.
At this moment, Gu Changxiao drew a short blade from his waist. Jinsui was startled and quickly crouched down, covering her foot:
“What are you doing? My younger brother might have stolen the key, and this iron chain could be opened.”
Gu Changxiao looked at her with disdain: “Next, we’ll be facing bandits guarding the secret passage. Are you expecting us to do the fighting if I don’t?”
Jinsui said awkwardly again, “Misunderstanding, misunderstanding. Please, Young Master Gu, you do the fighting. The three of us, grandfather, brother, and I, have never killed anyone, we have no experience.”
Soon, Grandpa Ling and Jin’an arrived. Before she could explain anything, Grandpa Ling waved his hand:
“Hurry, hurry, these bandits will be here soon.”
He even took the lead in walking towards the back of the house. Jinsui quickly asked, “Grandpa, how did you know the secret passage was there?”
Grandpa Ling said as he walked:
“I heard the Head of the Mountain Stronghold instructing the bandits to guard the path behind the house closely. I was already planning to find an opportunity in the next couple of days to start a fire to cause chaos, and then we would escape.”
Gu Changxiao’s expression was a little grim, likely thinking that he had escaped so many times to find the secret passage, only for this old Taoist to discover it upon his arrival.
Jin’an asked, “What’s going on tonight? Many people came from outside the mountain, and the Head of the Mountain Stronghold is like a lackey in front of them.”
Jinsui glanced at Gu Changxiao and said, “It seems they’re looking for a fugitive.”
As they spoke, they arrived behind the house. Gu Changxiao told Grandpa Ling and Jin’an to hide first, while he and Jinsui would deal with the bandits guarding the cave.
Jinsui quickly entered her space and took out the handkerchief soaked in anesthetic, holding it in her palm.
She was making double preparations: either they would successfully escape by dealing with the bandits together with Gu Changxiao, or she would knock Gu Changxiao out.
To her surprise, Gu Changxiao handed the ankle chain to her:
“You’re weak, don’t move around. Just keep up with me.”
Jinsui’s heart softened slightly. Should she really knock this person out and hand him over to the bandits and constables? He would surely die.
As soon as the two entered the cave, the two guards rushed out with their sabers: “Who’s there?”
Gu Changxiao snorted coldly: “The person who’s going to take your life!”
At the same time, he kicked back, pulling the iron chain and causing Jinsui to crouch down. Jinsui also saw his move clearly.
She didn’t expect Gu Changxiao’s martial arts to be so good. She saw him grab one bandit’s wrist with his left hand, and the saber in the bandit’s hand instantly dropped.
He shifted his body to avoid the other bandit’s hand, and at the same time, fiercely stabbed the bandit’s neck with the short blade in his right hand.
The short blade was twisted before being pulled out, and blood spurted out like a torrent. As the bandit fell, his eyes were wide open, his body twitching, and he died before Jinsui’s eyes.
The other bandit took the opportunity to break free, picked up the saber from the ground, and retreated a few steps. This person wasn’t stupid; he instantly discovered Gu Changxiao’s weakness.
That is, his feet were chained, and he was also carrying someone, so his movements wouldn’t be fast.
His first instinct was to run out and call for reinforcements. Of course, seeing his companion die so miserably, calling for reinforcements was the correct course of action.
Gu Changxiao quickly turned to chase him, but this person ran extremely fast, and was about to rush out of the cave.
Gu Changxiao did something that made Jinsui almost curse out loud: he picked up Jinsui like a child and threw her heavily at the man.
At the same time, he pulled the ankle chain, controlling the force and direction of Jinsui’s flight, and timely smashed the bandit to the ground.
Jinsui deeply regretted her earlier softness towards him; she should have knocked the guy out long ago and then found a way to take down the bandits!
I treated you as a companion, and you treated me as a weapon!
