“Boss… we’ve been lying low in this godforsaken wilderness for ages. When does this miserable mission finally end?” asked a short, stocky man, his voice thick with discontent.
“Watch your tongue, Shorty. Ask no questions. All we can do now is make amends for our last failure. Command has made it plain: if we botch this time, you’ll answer to your ancestors back home.” The second man replied in a low, grim tone.
“The last time was pure bad luck!” Shorty protested. “If that infernal white fox hadn’t appeared out of nowhere, we would never have failed.”
“True enough.” The other man grunted. “But Boss… do you honestly believe there’s treasure up here at all? We’ve combed these mountains endlessly—not a single copper coin have we found. Could the intelligence be wrong?” Clearly, Shorty was growing weary of the wilderness.
“Foolish talk brings ruin. Hold your tongue, or even I may not shield you.” The leader shot him a sharp, warning glare.
“Easy now, Shorty,” interjected a third man in black robes. “I’ve heard the truth. This so-called ‘treasure’ is said to be a massive hidden arsenal—stockpiled with vast stores of firearms and ammunition.”
“Precisely.” The leader—Ichiro Yamamoto, commander of the unit—spoke with heavy gravity. “It was left behind when our forces withdrew, too large to carry away. Our mission is to locate that cavern… and detonate every last scrap of it.”
Xia Yuge froze in shock.
She had assumed their “treasure” meant the gold she had just taken. Instead… there was another cavern. One holding an arsenal of weapons. If these men found it and detonated the charges… the consequences would be catastrophic.
No matter what, this land was her country. Defending it was every citizen’s duty. She must locate that arsenal before they did.
But first—these men had to be dealt with. Leaving them free would only spell disaster. Alone, however… force was out of the question. Only wits stood a chance.
Then something caught her eye—a certain herb growing nearby.
A knowing smile touched her lips. Perfect.
Before long, a potent, refined sleeping draught was prepared—alongside three doses of antidote. Xia Yuge drank one, Xiao Jiu drank another, and a few drops were carefully administered to the mountain rat as well.
With preparations complete, she entrusted the vial of potent sedative to the rat. Then she and the fox waited in silence.
Time drifted slowly by.
【Master… rest a while. Leave everything to me.】 Xiao Jiu spoke with absolute confidence.
“I am quite all right,” Xia Yuge replied, breathing in the faint herbal scent. “By now… our little messenger should be returning.”
No sooner had the words left her than the mountain rat scurried back to her side.
【Master… it is done! All fifteen men are asleep!】
“‘Master’ indeed?!” Xiao Jiu bared his teeth, bristling with indignation. “Insolent rodent—one more word and I devour you!”
【Squeak—squeak! Mercy! I meant no harm! Never again!】 The rat trembled frantically. It longed to serve Xia Yuge, but this terrifying two-tailed fox was too fearsome to defy. Better to remain King of the Mountain Rats, it decided, than to become a fox’s supper.
“Xiao Jiu, be kind,” Xia Yuge soothed. “Meeting is fate. He has done us great service—do not frighten him further.”
【As you command, Master.】 Xiao Jiu yielded instantly. “I was merely… teasing the little beast.”
“That is better. Come—let us inspect our work.”
By the firelight, fifteen men in black robes lay sprawled motionless upon the ground. To the unknowing eye, they looked like nothing so much as corpses.
“Xiao Jiu… this is grave business. Let us conceal them inside a cavern first. We still do not know exactly where this arsenal lies.”
【Squeak—Master! I… I can help!】 The mountain rat piped up eagerly.
Xiao Jiu raised a paw. The rat flinched visibly.
【I meant… I may know where to look. Or at least… I can help find it.】 The rat corrected itself timidly.
“Truly?” Xia Yuge’s heart leapt. “You know where the arsenal lies?”
【I do not know that word—‘arsenal.’ But I can find it.】 The rat puffed out its chest with sudden pride. 【I am King of the Mountain Rats. Every rat within ten li answers to me. At my command, they shall dig and search. Within one hour—they shall find it, were it buried ten feet deep!】
“That is wonderful!” Xia Yuge beamed. “Thank you, little King. Tonight I ask you and your kin to work hard. Rest assured—you shall be well rewarded.” She reached out and stroked the rat’s head. It narrowed its eyes in pure bliss.
【Squeak—then… may I acknowledge you as my Master too?】 The rat asked timidly, braving Xiao Jiu’s murderous glare.
Xia Yuge looked curious. “You are King of the Rats. Why do you so wish to call a human ‘Master’?”
【Because you smell sweet… and standing near you feels safe. And because you are the Great Fox’s Master—so you must be powerful indeed! If you are my Master… never again shall I fear being eaten!】
The rat spoke from deep experience. Its own father—the previous Rat King—had died saving him from a vicious old fox. The young rat had hidden in a burrow and witnessed it all. That memory had haunted him ever since.
“I accept,” Xia Yuge said gently. “Yet I cannot take you with me into the army compound—you would be chased and stoned by every hand. Far too dangerous. But if ever you face peril beyond your strength… come find me there. Shall we agree to that?”
It was a compromise, but one she must make—speed was essential.
【Agreed! Agreed!】 The rat rejoiced. He had never truly needed to leave the mountains—only to be free of the fox’s threats. 【I shall summon my brothers at once!】
Standing tall, he emitted three sharp, rhythmic squeaks. From burrows, crevices, and hollow trees across the forest… answering calls rose up in every direction.