Jiang Suihuan raised an eyebrow slightly. “Oh? What treasure?”
A glint flashed in the Dwarf’s eyes as he gestured with his chin toward the rope binding him. “Untie this rope from me, and I’ll give it to you.”
“Forget it, I don’t want it.” Jiang Suihuan didn’t fall for his trick at all. She crossed her arms and leaned against the large tree behind her as she sat down.
The Dwarf grew anxious and quickly said, “Even if you don’t untie the rope, the treasure is right inside the clothes on my chest. You can take it yourself.”
“But you have to promise me that once you get it, you’ll let me go.”
Jiang Suihuan rolled her eyes. “That depends on whether I even want it.”
She tilted her head toward Ying Tao and instructed, “Go check what treasure is hidden in the clothes on his chest.”
Worried that the Dwarf might try something tricky, she spun the surgical knife swiftly in her hand and threatened, “I advise you to behave and not entertain any crooked ideas. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee where this little knife might end up on your body.”
The Dwarf’s face turned pale, and he forced a stiff smile. “I won’t try any tricks.”
Ying Tao found a small box on the Dwarf and handed it to Jiang Suihuan.
Jiang Suihuan took it and examined it carefully. The box was only the size of a palm, with an ordinary appearance, and felt light in her hand. She had no idea what was inside.
She tried to open it but found that both the front and back were locked, requiring a key to open.
“Where’s the key?” Jiang Suihuan lowered her gaze to the Dwarf on the ground.
The Dwarf shook his head. “I don’t have the key.”
Jiang Suihuan was speechless. “What’s inside?”
The Dwarf shook his head again. “I don’t know.”
“…”
Jiang Suihuan threw the box back at the Dwarf. “You have no key, and you don’t even know what’s inside. Did you really think you could trade this for your life?”
The Dwarf struggled to press the box beneath him and explained, “I stole this from Nanming Wangfu before I escaped. Although I don’t know what’s inside, the Nanming Wangfei protected it very carefully. It must be something valuable.”
Jiang Suihuan was surprised. Could this box actually belong to Jiang Meier?
“In that case, I’ll help you return this item to its rightful owner.”
She kicked the Dwarf aside, retrieved the box, and handed it to Ying Tao for safekeeping.
The Dwarf wriggled excitedly. “Now can you let me go?”
“Huh? On what grounds?” Jiang Suihuan pretended not to understand.
The Dwarf was dumbfounded. “We agreed that if you took my thing, you’d let me go. How can you go back on your word?”
“But this isn’t your thing.” Jiang Suihuan shrugged. “Besides, you kidnapped the two of us and brought us to this remote forest, intending to torture us and then dump us somewhere. Why should I let you off so easily?”
The Dwarf flew into a rage and cursed, “You two bitches, how dare you trick me! Just wait until my son and daughter find this place—they’ll make you pay!”
“That woman and the bald man are your children?” Jiang Suihuan curled her lip. “You look quite young, but your children both look older than you.”
“What do you know? The secret technique I used has side effects—why else do you think I became so short!” The Dwarf spat angrily. “But my son and daughter are just as skilled in poison as I am. Just you wait and see!”
“Mhm, mhm.” Jiang Suihuan nodded dismissively.
Seeing that she wasn’t frightened, the Dwarf shouted even more aggressively. Annoyed by the noise, she said to Ying Tao, “So noisy. Gag him.”
Ying Tao took out a handkerchief and stuffed it into the Dwarf’s mouth, finally bringing silence to their surroundings.
Jiang Suihuan added some firewood to the flames and said to Ying Tao, who was yawning, “You should rest for a while.”
Ying Tao shook her head, fighting off drowsiness. “You sleep, Miss. I’ll keep watch.”
“If I sleep, what if the Dwarf’s two children show up?”
Jiang Suihuan rested her hands behind her head, lying back to gaze upward. Through the gaps in the branches, a small patch of starry sky was visible. She said lazily, “Don’t worry, just sleep. I’ll wake you when I’m tired.”
Though still uneasy, Ying Tao knew Jiang Suihuan was far more capable than her. She gathered more firewood from nearby and, upon returning, leaned against a large tree and fell asleep.
By midnight, Jiang Suihuan, who was keeping watch, suddenly heard the faint sound of a snapping twig. Her drowsy mind instantly sharpened, and she pulled out a handkerchief to cover her nose and mouth.
She knew how to create poisons and antidotes, but that didn’t mean she wanted to be poisoned.
The Dwarf nearby also heard the noise and struggled to emit muffled “mmph” sounds, trying to attract the attention of the newcomers.
Jiang Suihuan focused intently on her surroundings. From the left, she heard the rustling of fabric brushing against something, followed by a cloud of yellow mist rushing toward her. With quick reflexes, she grabbed the Dwarf and used him as a shield.
The moment the yellow mist touched the Dwarf’s skin, red blisters formed. Soon, his face was disfigured, contorted in pain, yet he couldn’t make a sound.
Disgusted, Jiang Suihuan tossed the Dwarf aside and clapped her hands clean. “Your aim is anything but precise,” she remarked.
Two figures leaped out from the darkness: one bald, the other the woman who had drugged Jiang Suihuan earlier.
Seeing the Dwarf writhing in agony on the ground, the woman’s eyes blazed with fury. “You wretched girl! How dare you harm my father like this!”
Jiang Suihuan spread her hands. “Hey, let’s be fair. That was your own poison you threw.”
“Enough talk! A mere girl like you—I could crush you with one hand!” The bald man roared and charged at her.
Jiang Suihuan’s expression turned sharp. Though she was pregnant, the fetus was still small and didn’t hinder her movements.
As the bald man lunged forward, bellowing and swinging his hand down at her, Jiang Suihuan calmly dodged with agility. Her left fist struck his chin, while the index and middle fingers of her right hand pressed firmly on his Danzhong acupoint.
A strike to the Danzhong acupoint causes confusion and disorientation. The bald man stood swaying on the spot, staring blankly around. “Dad, I’m hungry… hehe.”
He then crouched down and began stuffing dirt into his mouth.
The woman stared in disbelief, her voice trembling with rage. “What have you done to my brother?”
“Nothing much,” Jiang Suihuan said lightly. “I just struck his Danzhong acupoint, leaving him disoriented. He’ll recover in two or three days.”
Realizing she was no match for Jiang Suihuan, the woman softened her tone. “I have no quarrel with you. Just release my father, and I promise we’ll leave and never return.”
Jiang Suihuan shook her head. “That won’t do. He killed Li Xueming’s family and tried to harm me. How could I possibly let him go so easily?”
“Girl, I advise you not to refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!” The woman gnashed her teeth, suddenly swinging her left hand—which had been hidden behind her back—through the air, sending five throwing darts shooting toward Jiang Suihuan.
Ying Tao, who had been awakened by the commotion, cried out, “Miss Jiang, be careful!”
Just as Jiang Suihuan was about to dodge, her body suddenly fell into a warm embrace as someone carried her away from the spot.
A familiar icy voice sounded by her ear, “It seems Miss Jiang has a fondness for appearing in these desolate, uninhabited places.”