The Cannon Fodder Supporting Female Character is Still Alive Today - Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Final Destination

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The person who reacted fastest was Lie Ruyang. Before Gui Wang’s words even finished, Lie Ruyang had already pushed Qin Dexuan toward one of the Dark Disciples.

Gui Wang’s fiery red sleeve corner fluttered up in the wind. As the corner began to fall half an inch, one of the Dark Disciples’ knees went weak, and he collapsed to the ground.

Lie Ruyang flew to shield the second Dark Disciple, taking a palm strike from Gui Wang on her left shoulder.

This strike forced Lie Ruyang back several steps. She used these steps to increase the distance from Gui Wang and simultaneously shot out a volley of hidden weapons from her sleeve.

While Gui Lan was busy deflecting the hidden weapons for Gui Wang, Lie Ruyang threw a handful of white smoke forward and quickly signaled. The Dark Disciples behind her pulled up the collapsed Qin Dexuan. Before the white smoke could dissipate, the group had flown away.

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Gui Lan waved her sleeve to disperse the white smoke and held back Gui Wang, who was about to pursue: “Don’t chase, Wang Wang. They are people from the Imperial Court.”

Gui Lan said: “Breaking her arm can be considered some compensation for Qi Qi.”

Gui Wang frowned when she heard this: “Her internal energy is profound; that injury is nothing.”

“I know, I know. I’ll teach her a lesson for you next time.” Gui Lan wrapped her arms around Gui Wang’s shoulder: “Let’s check on Qi Qi first.”

Luo Qi had already been treated by Gui An with acupuncture to stop the bleeding and had fallen into a deep sleep after taking medicine.

Gui Lan leaned in and examined her face carefully: “It’s alright, it’s alright. Her face isn’t hurt.”

Hearing this, Gui Wang frowned and pushed her away, only slightly relaxing her brows after personally checking Luo Qi’s injuries.

Gui An was still focusing on applying medicine to Luo Qi. Gui Lan, who had been pushed away, was still smiling brightly. She glanced to the side and saw Bai Yao acting as a human pillow for Luo Qi in the back.

“Hey,” Gui Lan pointed at her, “Has that little girl Su Ran grown up so much already?”

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Su Ran, do you feel wronged?

Watching Gui Wang deliver a slap to Gui Lan’s head, Bai Yao wore the most innocent expression one might wear when meeting a classmate’s parents: “Hello, nice to meet you. I am Luo Qi’s friend, Bai Yao.”

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Bai Yao sat formally in the center of the main hall, surrounded on three sides by Luo Qi’s three masters.

A true three-party inquisition.

Gui An, the gentlest of the three, asked: “Miss Bai Yao, where are you from?”

Bai Yao replied without changing her expression: “I came from the sacred Buddhist land of Xitian (Western Heaven).”

Gui Lan asked: “Xitian? What kind of place is that?”

Bai Yao looked distressed: “To be honest, I don’t know either. It’s just that before my mother passed away, she often mentioned to me that our home was in the distant Xitian.”

Mentioning “mother,” the pain on Bai Yao’s face deepened; she seemed on the verge of tears but held back.

Gui Lan saw that she had apparently poked at a painful spot, so she pursed her lips and fell silent.

Gui An said: “I apologize.”

Bai Yao waved her hand, wiping the corner of her eye: “It’s nothing.”

Gui An asked: “Then, how did Miss Bai Yao come to know Luo Qi?”

Bai Yao began her story from being kidnapped by the black-clad men, all the way to returning to Gui Ming Mountain with Luo Qi.

When she mentioned becoming friends with Luo Qi, Gui Wang, who had little interest in such inquiries, got up, intending to go practice martial arts.

But upon hearing that Luo Qi proactively brought Bai Yao back to Gui Ming Mountain to meet her masters, Gui Lan’s eyes lit up, and she immediately asked: “Does the Miss have a fiancé or someone she fancies?”

But before Bai Yao could answer, Gui Lan was grabbed by the collar by Gui Wang, who intended to drag her out.

Gui Lan quickly pulled Gui Wang’s hand back and begged for mercy: “No, no, no, let’s talk about serious matters, I mean serious matters.”

Released from the collar, Gui Lan smiled and pulled Gui Wang back, saying seriously: “The Imperial Court people came once and failed. They probably won’t let it go.”

Gui Lan pointed toward the group of people outside the door who were secretly listening on the steps: “We can’t keep those youngsters hiding in the secret passage forever. We need to discuss a solution.”

Hearing this, Gui Wang and Gui An’s expressions also became solemn.

Gui Wang said: “It’s my fault. They came here because of that scoundrel.”

Unlike the original book, when Qin Wufang and Qin Dexuan came to Gui Ming Mountain this time, the three masters, Gui An, Gui Lan, and Gui Wang, who had just attended the Martial Arts Assembly, were still in Hengyun.

They rushed back only after friends in the jianghu sent them a message.

Gui Lan said: “How can you blame yourself? That grandson just has bad luck.”

Gui Lan comforted her: “Didn’t that boy Xie Changji say that if things go wrong, we can just find him? He’ll cover for us.”

Hearing the name Xie Changji, Bai Yao felt a little excited internally.

Xie Changji was the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance in the original book. He was young and accomplished, acting entirely on impulse and whim—very carefree.

But Gui Wang said: “Living under someone else’s roof is not a long-term solution.”

Although they didn’t doubt Xie Changji’s sincerity or capability, forcing the entire mountain community to leave their home and live in hiding was inherently unfair.

Yet, openly confronting the Imperial Court was not an easy matter either.

In the heavy atmosphere, Bai Yao, sitting in the center, raised her hand: “I might have a solution.”

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A great man named Conan once said:

Cherish every clue.

Be brave in developing every wild idea.

Conan: I did not.

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Bai Yao cleared her throat and said: “But, can I first ask Master Gui An a question?”

Gui Lan smiled: “After asking the question, you’ll have a way to save people?”

Bai Yao nodded: “It might really be the case.”

Seeing her certainty, Gui An said: “Miss Bai, please ask. Since it concerns the safety of everyone on Gui Ming Mountain, Gui An will answer truthfully.”

“Good.” Bai Yao said: “I want to ask, does Master Gui An have a wooden plaque?”

Seeing Gui An’s expression suddenly freeze, Bai Yao was afraid she might not recall it, so she reached out and, following the description in the book, drew a small rectangle in the air.

Bai Yao said: “There are characters on the plaque, something about an exemption…”

Halfway through her sentence, Gui An suddenly shot up from her seat and grabbed Bai Yao’s shoulders.

Her usually calm, lake-like expression seemed to ripple with agitation. Gui An tightly gripped Bai Yao’s shoulders, asking urgently: “Who are you? How do you know that?”

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Help.

My shoulders hurt so much.

Why are all the people I meet so fond of sudden physical action?

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Tears of pain immediately sprang to Bai Yao’s eyes: “Master Gui An, can you please first…”

Before she could finish “let go of me,” Gui An’s brows twitched, and she moved sideways to dodge an object flying from the doorway.

Deprived of Gui An’s hold, the startled Bai Yao widened her eyes and fell uncontrollably backward.

But the anticipated pain did not arrive. Bai Yao crashed into a soft chest.

Despite her injuries, Luo Qi absorbed Bai Yao’s weight, letting out a muffled groan in her throat. But she still protected Bai Yao tightly in her arms, looking up at Gui An: “Master, Yao Yao is my friend. Please don’t hurt her.”

Gui Lan, who was watching the scene, raised her hands and clapped excitedly a few times, then smiled and lowered her hands under Gui Wang’s warning look.

Gui An stared blankly at the suddenly appearing Luo Qi: “Why are you up?”

She quickly processed the fact that her disciple had thrown a hidden weapon at her for an outsider—was she not afraid of hurting her?

But when she glanced over and recognized the object Luo Qi had thrown, Gui An was stunned, and the intense emotion in her heart subsided.

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Sensing Luo Qi’s discomfort, Bai Yao quickly struggled out of her arms: “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, how are your injuries?”

Luo Qi shook her head at her: “I’m fine.”

“No,” Bai Yao said urgently: “Go back and rest properly! Even the Female Lead’s halo isn’t supposed to be used like this!”

Luo Qi blinked, not understanding the latter half of Bai Yao’s sentence, but she raised the bowl in her hand to Bai Yao innocently: “I came to bring you peaches.”

She said: “You were captured earlier and must be very scared. Master Gui Lan used to tell me that eating peaches can calm your nerves.”

Bai Yao looked at Luo Qi’s earnest expression, her eyes welling up with emotion.

Gui Lan smiled under Gui Wang’s glare: “Delicious food can always help you forget unpleasant things.”

Bai Yao looked at the empty bowl in Luo Qi’s hand, sniffled, and asked: “Where are the peaches then?”

Luo Qi looked toward Gui An.

Bai Yao followed her gaze and saw three pink peach slices lying pitifully at Gui An’s feet, with one slice hanging precariously on Gui An’s skirt hem.

Bai Yao choked back her tears of gratitude.

Bai Yao stood up and bowed deeply to Gui An: “I’m sorry.”