TM CH24

Chapter 24 A Corner of Clothing (2)

The two of them had no leads regarding the ‘third person’ on the island, nor could they figure out what had caused such a bloody scene.

This seemingly peaceful little island appeared to be far more complicated than they had expected.

Lost in their own thoughts, Rong Qi was the first to reach the shelter. The lighting inside was dim, but he was already very familiar with the place. With his eyes closed, he felt his way through the dark and lay down against the inner stone wall.

Perhaps it was due to the presence of an extra ‘person’ that he felt uneasy. After tossing and turning for a while, he shifted himself farther outward.

Outside, Gu Yunxing sat for a long time. Not until the sky turned completely dark and the wind began to howl did he finally extinguish the fire, bend down, and step inside. His vision was excellent. He spotted the curled-up figure in the corner at a glance. Rong Qi had his eyes shut tightly, his limbs neatly arranged, as if sound asleep.

Gu Yunxing let out a sigh. Thinking of the man’s terrible sleeping posture, he immediately knew he was still awake.

Not only that, but the other person had also unprecedentedly slept in his spot.

Gu Yunxing stood at the edge of the ‘bed’ and called out softly, “Right Protector Rong.”

But the man occupying the outer side didn’t even twitch an eyelid.

Gu Yunxing had no choice but to say, “If Lord Right Protector insists on sleeping on the outside, you’ll have to let me in first.”

Rong Qi opened his eyes to complete darkness. He could only vaguely sense a deeper shadow in front of him. It had to be Gu Yunxing. So he turned to the side and shifted slightly, leaving just enough space for Gu Yunxing to crawl in.

Gu Yunxing stared at the small gap for a while and sighed. “If the Right Protector insists, then I’ll have to offend you.”

Offend? What did that mean?

Just as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a hand land on his shoulder. The palm still carried the lingering warmth of the campfire, seeping through the thin fabric.

Rong Qi asked warily, “What are you doing?”

He couldn’t make out Gu Yunxing’s expression in the dark. He only heard a soft chuckle.

And then—

A hand slid under his knees, another propped up his shoulder…

Rong Qi: “……”

And he was lifted clean off the ground.

Gu Yunxing didn’t use much force. He simply shifted Rong Qi inward a bit and set him down again, then lay down himself on the outer side like it was second nature.

Rong Qi pressed against the stone wall in disbelief. It took him a moment to react, then he burst out in a mix of embarrassment and anger. “Gu Yunxing, why am I the one who has to be squished inside?!”

“This humble Gu, besides being slightly better at martial arts, also has a not-so-bad heart.” Gu Yunxing’s voice sounded lightly beside his ear. “If there’s danger, I’ll be sure to warn you. But if it were the other way around… this humble Gu is truly afraid of being abandoned by you again. That’s the only reason I resorted to this.”

“You really do know me well,” Rong Qi said through gritted teeth.

What Gu Yunxing didn’t mention was that with this demon’s terrible sleeping habits, without someone to catch him, he’d probably end up rolling into the mud. But he wisely kept that to himself. Instead, he said, “The island isn’t large. If something’s off, it’ll show itself sooner or later. If Right Protector Rong is worried, we can continue our search tomorrow.”

“Does it even need to be said!” Rong Qi sneered. “If someone really is hiding in the dark, waiting to strike, then you’d better be sure to take care of it, Sect Master Gu.”

“Don’t worry. After all we’ve been through these past few months, for the sake of this friendship, this humble Gu will definitely stand with the Right Protector, fighting side by side, advancing and retreating together.”

Rong Qi rolled his eyes. “What if it really is Fang Lian? He may have had some stroke of fortune after his fall. His martial arts could’ve improved since.”

Gu Yunxing frowned. “Why bring up Fang Lian again?”

“The one killed was a disciple of my Lihuo Palace. There’s no saying it wasn’t Fang Lian who did it,” Rong Qi said with biting sarcasm. “I’m just worried that the moment Sect Master Gu sees an old friend, you’ll turn around and abandon me!”

Gu Yunxing couldn’t hold back anymore. He reached out and turned the demon’s head to face him.

“You’re overthinking, Lord Right Protector.”

Rong Qi brushed the hand away in irritation. Was everyone in Tianji Sect this rude? Why did Gu Yunxing always feel the need to lay hands on him?

Gu Yunxing: “If I hadn’t, you’d have hit the stone wall.”

Rong Qi: “…I don’t need your fake concern.” If he truly cared, why had he carried him to the inner side in the first place? He wouldn’t be pressed up against the stone wall now.

“I still can’t figure out what kind of person could’ve left such dragging marks?” Gu Yunxing suddenly returned to the matter from earlier that day. “That piece of fabric was caught in the treetop. They must’ve fought up there. Judging from the blood, someone likely died. But why couldn’t we find a body?”

Rong Qi: “…Maybe they fought, one died, and the body drew a wild beast, which then dragged it away for food.”

That theory wasn’t impossible.

Gu Yunxing: “But we didn’t find any animal tracks nearby.”

It had rained a few days ago. Perhaps the tracks had been washed away in the downpour. Still, they had searched the forest several times and never encountered a single beast.

Rong Qi frowned. “I have a bad feeling about this.” That kind of instinct had helped him avoid danger many times before. He added, “Whether it’s a wild beast or someone else, anyone hiding in the shadows on this island can’t be up to anything good.”

Gu Yunxing said, “If you’re worried, I’ll take the night watch.”

Rong Qi was stunned. Gu Yunxing, standing watch for him?

Seeing the doubt in his expression, Gu Yunxing let out a sigh. “Right Protector Rong, are you still on guard against me? Even now, you refuse to see me as an ally?”

“Ally?” Rong Qi repeated the word with a faint, mocking smile. “Sounds nice. But have you ever truly treated me as one?” If Fang Lian was dead, he would be the culprit. Gu Yunxing would never let it go. If Fang Lian was alive, then he was the unnecessary one, easily cast aside. Gu Yunxing would be even less likely to keep him around.

Whether Fang Lian lived or died, he and Gu Yunxing were bound to go their separate ways. They were never meant to be ‘allies.’

The room fell silent for a few moments.

Just as Gu Yunxing was about to close his eyes and rest, Rong Qi suddenly tapped his arm.

Gu Yunxing turned his head, meeting a pair of unfocused yet unusually alert eyes.

Rong Qi: “Gu Yunxing, I just thought of another possibility.”

Gu Yunxing waited quietly. “Hm?”

Rong Qi didn’t speak right away, as if still hesitating.

Gu Yunxing was slightly intrigued. “What is it?”

Rong Qi: “Was it you who secretly ambushed and killed this venerable one’s subordinates behind my back?”

Gu Yunxing stared at him expressionlessly. After a moment, he nodded. “Yes. I braved the freezing wind and snuck out in the dead of night while you were fast asleep to carry out a ruthless massacre in the dark.”

Rong Qi: “……”

Gu Yunxing reached out and patted his head. “Go to sleep.”

Rong Qi shrank his head back and muttered under his breath, “You’d better not have.”

Before long, the person beside him gradually fell into a steady rhythm of breathing. He was finally asleep.

Outside, the cold wind howled, but within the confines of the blanket, there remained a pocket of warmth, shielding them from the chill.

Gu Yunxing leaned in slightly, his hand resting lightly near the other’s ear. Under the faintest trace of moonlight, he studied him closely for a while. Perhaps even a snake, if held long enough, would begin to take on a human’s warmth.