Chapter Forty-Nine: Bartering Goods, Trading Lives

"Mmm, mmm, mmm..." At this moment, Huo Lang was tied to a tree trunk by Lu Zhe, with a cloth gag over his mouth, making muffled sounds.

Exhaling a long, heavy breath, Lu Zhe opened his eyes. Feeling the surge of energy within his spiritual core, a faint smile played on his lips. He glanced at Huo Lang, bound to the tree, and walked over with a slight, detached smile.

He removed the cloth from Huo Lang's mouth. Huo Lang coughed a few times and snarled, "Do you know who I am?"

"I do. It's precisely because I know who you are that I invited you," Lu Zhe replied calmly.

"What do you people want?" Huo Lang glared at Lu Zhe, his voice filled with menace.

"I'd like Young Commander Huo to do me a favor," Lu Zhe said evenly.

"What kind of favor?" Huo Lang demanded.

"You'll know when the time comes," Lu Zhe replied with composure. With that, he stuffed the cloth back into Huo Lang's mouth.

After securing the gag, Lu Zhe turned to Hong Xiu'er and asked indifferently, "Have you finished writing what I asked you to?"

Hong Xiu'er rose from a tree stump, waving a letter in her hand. "It's done."

Lu Zhe took it, opened it, and after reading, smiled, "Good. That's just right."

He looked at Hong Xiu'er and said, "I'm going to deliver the letter to Huo Shitian. Watch over him. No matter what he says to you, ignore it—understand?"

Hong Xiu'er nodded resolutely.

Lu Zhe gave Huo Lang a fleeting smile, then turned and left.

---

Within the main hall of the Ghost Fang Mercenary Corps headquarters, Huo Shitian sat restlessly in a chair. Before him lay several men, their faces battered and bloody, clearly victims of a recent beating. On closer inspection, they were Huo Lang's usual companions.

"Useless! Useless! You're all damned useless!" Huo Shitian roared in fury.

He glared at the men at his feet. "If anything happens to my son, I'll skin you alive!"

He slammed himself down into his chair, breath coming hard.

Just then, a man burst in from outside, clutching a letter. "Chief Commander, someone just delivered this letter."

Huo Shitian looked up. "Who brought it?"

The man replied, "A street urchin—he’s already gone. He said he was delivering it for someone else and that if you want to know your son's whereabouts, read the letter quickly."

Startled, Huo Shitian barked, "Hurry and give it here!"

He snatched the letter, tore it open, and read:

Commander Huo, your son Huo Lang is in my hands. If you want him alive, bring Falcon Mercenary Corps' leader Hong Qingcang and Hong Lei. The trade will take place thirty miles north of Qinglin Town, in the woods. And be quick—starting at noon, every half-hour I'll send you something. After half an hour, you'll receive your son's finger; after an hour, a hand; after an hour and a half, an arm; after two hours, a leg—piece by piece, until there's nothing left. Don't keep me waiting.

---

Huo Shitian's hands trembled as he gripped the letter, grinding his teeth as he finished reading.

The sub-commanders below the stage looked at him, uncertain and uneasy. They saw his trembling hands and knew something grave had happened. Suddenly, Huo Shitian shredded the letter and shouted, "Bring Hong Qingcang and Hong Lei up here!"

Perplexed but obedient, the sub-commanders ordered their men to fetch the two.

Soon, a middle-aged man and a young man were brought forth. Huo Shitian strode over, seized the elder by the jaw, and hissed, "Your daughter is quite something—daring to kidnap my son."

The middle-aged man was, indeed, Hong Lei's father, leader of the Falcon Mercenary Corps: Hong Qingcang.

Hong Qingcang, surprised at first by the accusation, then burst into laughter. "So, Huo Shitian, you've finally gotten what's coming to you! Ha ha ha..."

Face flushed with anger, Huo Shitian stood and barked, "Bring them—take them to the woods thirty miles north of Qinglin Town!"

With that, he strode out of the hall. The sub-commanders dragged Hong Qingcang and Hong Lei after him.

---

In the woods, Lu Zhe sat cross-legged, cultivating, while Hong Xiu'er paced nervously nearby. Even the usually restless Huo Lang had grown quiet, hanging his head in despair.

At last, Hong Xiu'er could not contain herself. "Young Master Lu, do you think they'll come?"

Lu Zhe opened his eyes, exhaled, and replied, "Of course they'll come. With threats like these, if he doesn't show, it only means Huo Lang isn't his real son."

He glanced at the dejected Huo Lang, then looked skyward. "It's about time. Let's go."

Lu Zhe stood, untied Huo Lang, and, gripping him firmly, set out with Hong Xiu'er for the meeting place.

---

Huo Shitian galloped through the forest, desperate to reach the appointed place before noon—lest he soon receive his son's severed finger.

Finally, as noon approached, he arrived with his men at the rendezvous point: a clearing thirty miles north of Qinglin Town. He surveyed the area—paths led in all directions, with a central clearing perhaps thirty yards wide; a place that allowed both attack and retreat, making it an ideal spot for a trade. He couldn't help but admire the kidnapper's cunning.

Suddenly, a rustling sounded ahead. The party tensed, hands on weapons, as a shape fell from the trees with a thud—it was Huo Lang, hanging from a branch.

Lu Zhe emerged behind him, clad in a black robe and mask, facing Huo Shitian.

Huo Shitian called out, "May I ask who you are? What offense have I given you to warrant kidnapping my son?"

Lu Zhe, his voice altered, replied, "Commander Huo, let's not waste time. Where are the people I asked you to bring?"

Huo Shitian gestured, and his men dragged forth the tightly bound Hong Qingcang and Hong Lei.

Hong Qingcang squinted, evidently unable to place Lu Zhe, but Hong Lei regarded him with a faint smile and said nothing.

Lu Zhe called out, "If you please, let them walk over themselves."

---

Huo Shitian replied sternly, "I'm no fool. Release my son and I'll let them go."

Lu Zhe's tone remained cool. "I'll count to three. If they don't cross over, you know the consequences." He began counting.

Huo Shitian frowned, unmoving.

"Three." Lu Zhe drew a knife from his belt and drove it hard into Huo Lang's shoulder.

Blood gushed as Huo Lang cried out in pain.

"Lang'er!" Huo Shitian hadn't expected Lu Zhe to actually harm his son. In a panic, he signaled his men to cut the ropes binding Hong Qingcang and Hong Lei and shove them forward.

Supported by Hong Lei, Hong Qingcang walked unhurriedly toward Lu Zhe. Upon reaching him, Hong Qingcang cupped his hands in gratitude, "My deepest thanks for saving us."

Lu Zhe spared him no glance. "Thirty yards west of here, you'll find three horses. Go—quickly."

Hong Qingcang hesitated. "And you, benefactor?"

Impatience flashed in Lu Zhe's eyes. "Are you daft? If you stay, you'll get your son killed and your daughter—worse. Go, or you'll all die here."

He gestured for them to leave.

Hong Qingcang faltered. Loyalty and gratitude had always been his guiding principles, making the Falcon Mercenary Corps what it was. Abandoning his savior now went against his very nature—but what choice did he have?

After a struggle, he bowed deeply. "Such a great debt, I, Hong Qingcang, will never forget."

Lu Zhe shot him a look. "If you stop bothering me, I'll thank the gods."

With a cold bark, "Now go!" he waved them off.

Hong Qingcang, supported by Hong Lei, ran westward.

Once they were gone, Lu Zhe slashed through Huo Lang's bindings, grabbed him, and walked him toward Huo Shitian.

One step, two steps, three steps... Slowly, Lu Zhe led Huo Lang forward. Finally, when only three yards separated them from Huo Shitian, he stopped. "Commander Huo, from here on, your son is yours to take."

With that, he drew his knife and slashed Huo Lang's thigh, then kicked him toward Huo Shitian.

As Huo Lang tumbled toward his father, Lu Zhe summoned his spiritual power to the black Soaring Wings tattooed on his back. With a whoosh, the massive black wings unfurled, carrying Lu Zhe into the sky.

Huo Shitian rushed to his son's side, handing him to his men. He glared after Lu Zhe, voice icy, "One day, I'll see you torn to pieces."