I Transmigrated as Cannon Fodder, Only to be Desired by the Dragon King - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: The Cliff Fall — A grunt of agony escaped him as he gripped Shen Youqing…

The “Little Black Room” was so dark you could have carved a three-bedroom apartment out of the shadows. A damp, moldy smell mixed with the scent of earthy silt tickled the nose. Shen Youqing was startled awake by a nightmare.

In the dream, he was clutching a bottle of “Happy Fat House Water” (Coke) while binge-watching a historical drama, only for a bandit to snatch his drink and rub his face into the dirt, claiming he’d make him a “fortress wife.” He had screamed in a pitch-perfect dolphin-vocal on the spot.

Opening his eyes, it was still pitch black—not even a firefly in sight. This was bleaker than his rented apartment back in the modern world.

Shen Youqing moved his arms; the red marks from the hemp ropes stung. He grumbled, “These bandits are so unprofessional! If you’re going to kidnap a hostage, at least provide a straw mat? Throwing me straight onto the mud… is this a ‘back-to-nature’ camping experience?”

Fear crawled up through the darkness, magnifying his panic. “Mom, I haven’t had enough of your braised pork yet! If I knew I’d be kidnapped, I would’ve demolished that whole bowl yesterday instead of saving it for a midnight snack!”

His thoughts eventually drifted to Feng Xiuyan, and his grievance doubled. “Feng Xiuyan, you big idiot! Aren’t you the Dragon King? I’m stuck in a mountain hole and you’re still ‘fishing’ in the West Sea? If I knew long-distance relationships were this unreliable, I would’ve let you pack me up and take me with you. At least there’d be an ocean view and all-you-can-eat seafood!”

As he wept, a creak echoed. The door to the dark room was pushed open. A flicker of candlelight pierced the gloom like a divine ray of light.

A slender figure stood against the light, wearing moon-white robes. Shen Youqing’s eyes brightened for a second, then dimmed. Is it him? What is he doing here?

The man gave him a cool, detached look, walked over, and knelt, placing the candle on the ground.

“Hey, handsome,” Shen Youqing shrunk back. “Let’s talk this out. Don’t… don’t get physical!”

The man pulled a dagger from his waist. The cold glint of the blade nearly blinded Shen Youqing. “Holy crap! Murder is illegal! Even if you’re handsome, the law won’t let you off! If you kill me, Feng Xiuyan will definitely avenge me!”

The man paused at the mention of Feng Xiuyan, but quickly moved the blade toward Shen Youqing’s wrists.

Wait, it doesn’t hurt? Shen Youqing opened his eyes to see the ropes severed. The man moved to his ankles and sliced those free too.

“Follow me,” the man said simply.

…

The Escape

They tiptoed past a snoring guard who was drooling enough to start a small pond. Once they slipped out of the mountain fortress, Shen Youqing breathed a sigh of relief. “Um, thanks for saving me.”

“Mhm,” the man replied without looking back.

Shen Youqing couldn’t stand the silence. He leaned in, whispering, “Handsome, who are you exactly? And why did that bandit leader call you ‘Madam’?”

The man stopped and turned. His eyes were cold in the candlelight. After a long silence, he spoke: “Like you, I was kidnapped.”

“Huh?” Shen Youqing’s eyes widened. “But the bandit leader seemed to obey you!”

“He simply wants my submission,” the man explained tonelessly. “When I was first taken, he tried to force me. I refused and slit my wrists. Seeing that I didn’t fear death, he backed off, afraid I’d actually die. Now he gives in to me, trying to slowly wear down my spirit.”

“Holy—!” Shen Youqing was shocked. “You’re so hardcore! Slitting your wrists? That’s a pro-gamer move. But please, cherish your life from now on.”

The man gave him a look that clearly said You talk too much and kept walking. “Let’s go. It’ll be hard to get down the mountain once the sun rises.”

Suddenly, Shen Youqing slapped his forehead. “I almost forgot! Wait a sec, I need to send a message home!”

Chu Heng stopped and watched as Shen Youqing untied a white conch from his waist. His brow furrowed; he recognized it as Feng Xiuyan’s Sea-Calling Conch.

“Calling Feng Xiuyan! Feng Xiuyan, are you there? Come in, over!” Shen Youqing shouted into the shell.

The conch glowed. Feng Xiuyan’s warm voice emerged: “Qingqing?”

“Uwaa… Feng Xiuyan…” Shen Youqing burst into tears, the fear of the last two days finally exploding.

“What’s wrong?” Feng Xiuyan’s voice tightened with panic. “Don’t cry. Tell me what happened!”

“I was kidnapped!” Shen Youqing sobbed, recounting everything.

“Don’t cry. Don’t be afraid. I’m coming to find you right now,” Feng Xiuyan comforted him, his voice a mix of heartache and suppressed rage. “Do you know where you are? Stay with the person who saved you. Give me a little time, I’ll be there soon.”

“Mhm! I don’t know where we are, though!”

“It’s okay. With the conch, I can find you. Keep it open,” Feng Xiuyan said.

Chu Heng stood by silently, his expression darkening. Hearing Shen Youqing’s blatant reliance on Feng Xiuyan and the Dragon King’s undisguised tenderness, a trace of bitterness flickered in his heart. Both sons of the same mother, yet Feng Xiuyan has everything, even the unconditional love of a mortal. While I… I am a rat in the gutter.

“Let’s move,” Chu Heng said coldly.

…

The Crisis at the Cliff

The bandits caught up quickly. Shouts and the crackle of torches filled the woods. “They ran! The two brats ran!”

“Don’t let them get away!”

“We’ve been spotted,” Chu Heng said calmly, grabbing Shen Youqing’s wrist. “Keep up.”

As they ran, the conch in Shen Youqing’s pocket glowed again. “Qingqing? What’s happening?”

“The bandits are coming!” Shen Youqing painted. “There’s so many of them!”

“Hold on! I’m half a mile away!” Feng Xiuyan yelled.

But fate was cruel. A sheer cliff appeared before them. Below was a pitch-black abyss and the roar of a rushing river.

“You’ve got to be kidding me…” Shen Youqing groaned. Is this a TV drama? Why is there always a cliff during an escape?

“Jump,” Chu Heng said decisively.

“What?! This isn’t a movie, jumping actually kills people!”

“There’s a deep pool at the bottom. You won’t die,” Chu Heng insisted.

From the conch: “Qingqing! Don’t be impulsive! Don’t jump! I can see the mountain, I’m almost there!”

“No time!” Chu Heng grabbed Shen Youqing’s wrist. “Trust me once!”

The bandits reached the edge. The bearded leader sneered, “Keep running! Let’s see where you go now!”

As a bandit lunged to grab Shen Youqing, he slipped. His body tilted back over the edge. Chu Heng lunged forward, catching his wrist, but the momentum dragged him half-off the cliff as well.

“Aaah—!” Shen Youqing shut his eyes, feeling the biting wind beneath him.

The bandit leader, enraged, swung his long blade at Chu Heng’s exposed back. “You want to die that badly? I’ll help you!”

“Watch out!” Shen Youqing screamed.

Chu Heng tried to twist away, but the blade slashed deep into his back. His moon-white robes turned crimson instantly.

A grunt of agony escaped him, but his grip on Shen Youqing never loosened.

“Die!” Chu Heng hissed. With his free hand, he drew his dagger and slashed the leader’s leg. The man collapsed with a howl.

But more bandits were swarming. His strength was fading as the wound bled out. He looked at the terrified Shen Youqing, then at the closing enemies. “Hold on tight!”

He used the momentum of the bandits’ struggle to hurl both of them off the cliff.

“Qingqing! SHEN YOUQING!” Feng Xiuyan’s desperate roar echoed from the conch, but the white shell didn’t fall with them. It was knocked loose during the scuffle and lay abandoned on the cliff’s edge.

Below, two figures plummeted into the darkness. The wind roared in their ears. Shen Youqing’s heart felt like it would burst, but he gripped Chu Heng’s bloody hand with all his might. That warmth was the only thing left in the dark.