Drunk on Madness - Chapter 49

The two men immediately released Li Xiang’s hands and feet upon seeing the newcomer. When Ming Ying caught sight of Li Xiang lying disheveled on the ground, he instantly drew the curved blade from his waist and slashed each of them once.

The two men dropped to their knees at once. “We were wrong, my lord.”

Ming Ying’s face darkened with fury. “Get out,” he spat. Hearing this, the two men immediately fled into the woods.

Ming Ying glanced at Li Xiang on the ground before turning away. “I had intended to use you to lure out Su Mo, but it seems that bastard still hasn’t shown himself. Utterly useless.”

“Since we crossed paths, even if we couldn’t become master and disciple, consider this a favor I’m doing for him. Go. Don’t let them catch you again, next time, even I won’t be able to save you.” With that, he tossed a dagger to the ground and walked away.

Li Xiang quickly sat up, picked up the dagger, and slowly rose to her feet. Her gaze fell on the grilled fish lying in the dirt. Without hesitation, she picked it up, rinsed it twice in the pond to wash off the dust, and began eating. After a glance at the retreating figure not far away, she turned and ran in the opposite direction.

…

Meanwhile, Su Mo and his men had spent days searching the borderlands like headless flies but found nothing suspicious. It was as if the enemy had appeared overnight and vanished just as suddenly.

Ten days later, his subordinates began urging Su Mo to return to the capital. Though he knew the chances of success were slim, he sent them back while he stayed behind to continue the search. Abandoning the main roads, he took to the mountain paths, hoping for a stroke of luck.

As night fell, Su Mo walked alone along the deserted mountain trail. In the distance, smoke rose, a sign of a camp in the woods. A spark of hope ignited in Su Mo’s eyes. Silently, he crept closer and climbed a tree to observe them.

There were about a hundred men, all armed. Su Mo didn’t dare act rashly. Suddenly, two figures in black slipped furtively into the deeper woods, seemingly preparing to flee. Su Mo stealthily followed them.

The two were none other than Zhao Rui and his companion, the very men who had assaulted Li Xiang. Once they were far enough away, the other man grumbled as they walked, “This is all your fault. You just had to lay hands on that filthy woman. Now we’ve offended Lord Ming Ying. Not only are we injured, but we’re also forced to slink away like cowards.”

Zhao Rui, panting heavily, shot his companion a look. “We were bound to leave sooner or later. Did you really want to keep serving that tyrant? He’s no longer the emperor.”

His companion fell silent. They had grown up in the capital, becoming imperial guards through their family connections, enjoying prestige in their prime. But now, they were fleeing Zhongjin like stray dogs, far from their homeland. Resentment gnawed at them, but as guards, protecting the emperor had been their duty. Many of their comrades had quietly deserted during their flight. If not for the wound Ming Ying had inflicted earlier, they wouldn’t have considered leaving either.

Suddenly, a figure dropped from the trees. A hidden weapon struck Zhao Rui’s right leg, and the two men immediately stood back-to-back, weapons drawn, scanning the darkness for their attacker. The dim light barely revealed a silhouette.

“Who are you?” Zhao Rui demanded. “Why attack us from the shadows?”

Su Mo remained hidden in the darkness. “The woman you mentioned earlier, what was her name?”

Zhao Rui and his companion exchanged glances. “Eavesdropping on private conversations isn’t the act of a gentleman,” Zhao Rui retorted.

Su Mo’s patience snapped. He drew his sword and drove it into Zhao Rui’s shoulder. “I’ll ask again, what was her name?”

The other man, seeing his brutality, hastily answered, “She was called Wang Xiang, or maybe Li Xiang. We’re not sure exactly. We were just tasked with guarding her. We don’t know who she really is.”

Upon hearing this, Su Mo’s eyes gradually turned bloodshot as he twisted the hilt of his sword in his hand. Zhao Rui couldn’t help but cry out in pain. “Spare me, brave sir, spare me!”

When Su Mo finally stopped, he continued questioning, “Did you touch her? Where is she now?”

Zhao Rui was drenched in cold sweat, the sword still embedded in his body. Gasping for breath, he quickly replied, “We didn’t touch her. Lord Ming Ying arrived and let her go.” Su Mo glanced at him, withdrew the sword, and with a swift motion, slit his throat.

Seeing Zhao Rui dead, his accomplice was so terrified he knelt on the ground, unable to move. Su Mo wiped the bloodied sword on Zhao Rui’s corpse and turned his gaze to the other man. “Which direction did she go?” he demanded.

The man swallowed hard and stammered, “We really didn’t touch her… She went toward Youzhou.” Under Su Mo’s piercing stare, he didn’t dare beg for mercy.

Su Mo swung his sword again, and in an instant, the man’s arm fell to the ground. A scream echoed deep through the endless forest, startling birds into flight.

Li Xiang had been wandering through the woods for half a day, covering dozens of miles before losing her way. Her outer robe was soaked, and over time, her body heat had partially dried it. As night fell, the remote mountains echoed with the roars of wild beasts. She had no choice but to find a cave to spend the night.

After lighting a small fire inside the cave, exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into a hazy sleep.

Under the cover of night, Su Mo climbed a tall tree, scanning the forest for any sign of light. Unable to contain himself, he shouted into the darkness, “Xiangxiang, where are you?”

He called her name repeatedly as he searched, but Li Xiang, deep in slumber, didn’t hear him. Fortunately, the scent of smoke drew Su Mo closer. Stealthily entering the cave, he spotted a filthy, huddled figure.

The frail, hunched form looked like a corpse were it not for the flickering firelight. Unsure if this could really be Xiangxiang, he stepped forward and tentatively called, “Xiangxiang?” The figure remained unresponsive. He moved closer, brushing aside the tangled hair to confirm it was indeed Li Xiang. His heart swelled with emotion. He shook her gently, but she didn’t stir, her forehead beaded with cold sweat.

Su Mo felt the dampness of her clothes and realized she was drenched in sweat. Without hesitation, he stripped off her garments, carefully wiping her down several times before removing his own outer robe to dress her.

Once he finished, Su Mo’s heart finally felt at peace. He held Li Xiang tightly in his arms as if she were his most cherished possession, gazing at her as though he could never get enough.

He wished time would stop, allowing her to stay in his embrace forever, with no one to take her away. Or perhaps he feared that once she awoke, they might never again share such intimacy. He couldn’t help but greedily savor this fleeting moment of contact.

In her dazed state, Li Xiang slowly opened her eyes. Seeing Su Mo so close, she thought she was dreaming.

She nestled softly against his firm abdomen, like a wronged kitten seeking comfort.

That tender, clinging touch sent Su Mo’s heart racing uncontrollably, his restraint crumbling in an instant.

All the boundaries he had set for himself, avoiding any improper contact shattered the moment she leaned into him.

He no longer cared about her status, whose wife or mother she was. All he wanted was to possess her, here and now.

The rain outside grew heavier, thunder rumbled, and a downpour poured relentlessly. The rainy night was long, so very long.