bookrebus Chapter 42 My Chicken!
Chapter 42 My Chicken!
The next day, around dusk.
The setting sun, like blood, hung obliquely on the mountaintop. Golden clouds shifted unpredictably under the sweeping evening breeze. A strange, thick smell of blood permeated the air. A desolate wind howled across Malanpo. As far as the eye could see, the land was ablaze with the flames of war. People lay dead in the firelight like wheat in autumn harvest. Carrion vultures circled in the sky, their mournful cries sending chills down one's spine.
'Gumi-te! Garibaldi!'
'Labalagu!'
'The Western barbarians have retreated!'
A great shout arose as thousands of soldiers raised their arms and roared, the thunderous sound of their horses' hooves shaking the heavens and the earth.
"Hmph, these brats are no match for me. Letting them jump around is me giving them face. They couldn't even last long. They're really weak!"
Meng Benbo glanced smugly at Mei Ruhua beside him. His silver armor shimmered with a blue glow in the sunset. His dark, stubble-covered face grinned like a budding chrysanthemum. He raised his thick, dark eyebrows, his eyes filled with undisguised smugness.
Mei Ruhua rolled her eyes and sneered, "You? Last night you were chased to the point of wetting yourself by the enemy's deputy general, and you still want to ambush them? If it weren't for Lord Zhu and me leading our troops to arrive in time, you would have been dead by their swords long ago. Do you have to show off and brag?"
"What do you mean? That was a tactic to lure the enemy, you know? Not everyone can see through my clever tactic, and do you really think I'm that kind of person?"
Meng Benbo loudly defended himself, then lowered his voice and spoke to Mei Ruhua.
Mei Ruhua glanced coldly at Meng Benbo, too lazy to pay him any attention.
'Whoosh—'
The cool breeze was filled with the stench of blood, whistling across Malanpo. Broken weapons were scattered everywhere on the lush green grass, and corpses lay strewn about. Shouts of battle and the clash of weapons filled the air, along with the faint sounds of the enemy's defeat and retreat.
"Hey, where's the adult? And where's the pig?"
The two men, who were watching the battle from the hillside, suddenly realized something was wrong: after fighting a whole battle, they still hadn't seen their master!
'Whoosh—'
Just then, another evening breeze blew by, carrying an inexplicably alluring fragrance in the air. Meng Benbo paused, took a deep breath, and stared wide-eyed at Mei Ruhua—
"What's that scent? It smells so good!"
"Go check it out! That bastard adult must have stolen food again!"
Behind the hillside, under a tall tree, beside a fire with two fat chicken carcasses propped up, the strategist Zhu the Fat was sweating profusely, vigorously fanning the fire with a fan. The billowing smoke stung his beady eyes, causing tears to stream down his face, and his flowing white scholar's robe was blackened and yellowed by the smoke.
Sikong Jin lay under the tree with her hands behind her head, leisurely watching the clouds drift across the blue sky.
'Da Da!'
A rapid clatter of hooves shattered the tranquility. The fat man, who was fanning himself, froze, sensing something was amiss. He immediately turned his head and looked in the direction of the sound.
really!
Under the beautiful sunset, a rider, bathed in warm golden light, galloped swiftly towards him. Upon recognizing the rider, the fat man's face immediately fell, a faint sadness appearing on his round face. "Deputy General Mei, you've arrived! I was just about to roast the fat chicken and bring it to you!"
"Stop talking nonsense! I'm asking you, where's the master?" Mei Ruhua glared at him, frowning in disgust at his disheveled appearance and the ingratiating smile on his face.
"Ru Hua? What brings you here? Is the battle over? Who won?"
Sikong Jin stretched and sat up, twisting her sore and stiff neck, but her eyes fell on the two plump, golden-brown roasted chickens on the rack in front of her, which smelled delicious.
"My lord! The enemy is in complete disarray. It's time for us to launch a general offensive. More than ten thousand of our soldiers are waiting for your orders!"
Mei Ruhua suppressed the surging anger in her heart and tried her best to ask for instructions calmly.
"Oh? You mean we'll win soon? That's wonderful! Ah Hua, I knew I hadn't misjudged you. You are truly generals among generals! When I get back, I'll have the emperor bestow upon you higher ranks and titles!"
A smile crossed Sikong Jin's delicate face as she offered her praise.
I'd be lucky if you didn't drive me crazy or exhaust me, and you even promoted me to a higher rank!
So stingy!
What a shameless person!
How could she have ended up with such an incompetent official?
What sins did you commit in your past life?
"My lord, you should go back and give orders to everyone. Look, I've even prepared a horse for you. Don't miss this opportunity, my lord!"
Sikong Jin's eyes lit up with laughter. He reached out, grabbed the wooden fork with two fat chickens on it, slung it over his shoulder, turned around, and mounted his horse. "Okay, Ah Hua, you're so considerate... Ah!"
Before Sikong Jin could finish speaking, Mei Ruhua had already drawn a dagger from her sleeve and stabbed the horse's rump. Startled, the horse went berserk and charged forward wildly.
"Soldiers, charge! Our lord is so brave and fierce, soldiers, follow him and charge!"
Mei Ruhua also spurred her horse and chased after them, shouting loudly.
"Huff, huff—Stop! Stop! You wretched woman, Ruhua! When I return, I will punish you! Punish you!"
However, no matter how much Ren Sikong Jin shouted, the horse had already gone mad, charging straight down the hillside like lightning, and could not be stopped. Seeing their leader so fierce, charging down the hillside like a madman, the soldiers' morale soared. They were all as if they had been injected with chicken blood, their blood boiling. The more than 10,000 soldiers transformed into a galloping dragon, and amidst the rising wind and surging clouds, they opened their blood-red maws and pounced on the fleeing enemy!
"Hoo-hoo—hoo-hoo—Sir! Wait for me! My chicken! Chicken! Chicken! Sir! You took my chicken! Chicken! Sir!"
Zhu Da Pangzi chased after him, panting heavily. His fat, short body made the horse beneath him wheeze. He followed Sikong Jin and charged downhill like a madman!
"Brothers, charge! Kill those barbarian bastards! Whoever is first to charge gets this fat chicken! Oh, no, both fat chickens are his!"
Despite the pain from the jolting, Sikong Jin, who was running ahead, held the fork high in his hand and shouted wildly. The whistling wind, the rushing roar, and the shouts of battle almost shattered his eardrums, making him unable to hold back and curse again, "You wretched woman, Ruhua! I'm not finished with you!"
However, the soldiers behind him, seeing the plump chicken on the fork raised by Sikong Jin, all looked like ravenous wolves that hadn't eaten for days, their eyes gleaming with a chilling green light. They cracked their whips, accelerated wildly, and roared—
"Long live! Long live! Long live!"
"My lord is mighty!"
As the entire force charged forward in pursuit, the already routed enemy troops were terrified, abandoning their armor and weapons and scattering in all directions. The 40,000-strong army was utterly no match for them...