"Little Long, these people... I don't know what their intensions are. So stay here. I'll go check the situation," Xia whispered into the little snake's ears. He subtly drew a small rune and placed on Long's coat tails.
"Wait, I'll go check...." Long tried moving forward but his body froze. "Xia, lift the enchantment," Long loudly whispered. But his voice was not heard.
"Little son, I can't understand. You are just moving your lips crazily," Xia whispered. "Anyway, don't worry too much, daddy will come and release you from the enchantment," He slowly walked out of the pathway and peeped out.
A long sword sliced through air and plunged into the damp walls. It missed his face, him by just inches.
"He he, Boss looks like we found our target," The guy sneered glancing at lewdly at the crayfish.
"Hold him." A brawly man with a large scar on his face walked out from the shadows. He scrunched up his brows and gave the crayfish an overlook.
"Boss, this guy..... Is he the same guy we are looking for? The innkeeper said that he was wearing an Azure shirt and a woolen scarf." Another one of the thugs intervened.
The man with the scar gave a skeptical look at Xia and hummed.
"Oh, you are looking for someone with azure clothes? I know that person," Xia cheerfully said. He subtly moved his hands behind his back and drew a small rune. It flew towards Long and set him free.
"Are you speaking the truth?" The thug narrowed his eyes.
"Of course I am. If you don't believe me, you can ask my friend," he smirked, pointing towards the dark cavern entrance. Long darted out with his long sword in his hands.
"Yes, don't you believe my LOVER?" Long Aotian glared at his silly beast. His lover just gave him a silly smirk with all his teeth on display.
Xia shuffled a small rock in his feet and pouted. 'Why is my little Long glaring at me for? I didn't do anything.'
While the two were having their staring contest, the thugs backed away and drew swords from their scabbard.
"Boss, this guy also doesn't match the description," One of the thugs whispered to their boss.
A strong wave of energy wafted over, which made their boss's legs tremble. Their leader glanced at the two and gulped. 'That guy in black is not to be trifled with.'
He lowered his sword and bowed slightly. "Sirs, we are searching for fugitive wearing Azure clothes. Please help us find him." The man's scar moved as he shouted.
Long glared at this man. 'How dare they call my Xia a fugitive?' Killing intent surged as he clenched his long sword.
But Xia held his hands and whispered, "Long." All the killing intent in Long's body drained from just a gaze from him. He nodded slowly but still held the sword up high.
"We have seen this person and we can direct you to him," Xia cheerfully smirked. "On the way inside this passage we saw the man you described sitting in a daze," He pointed towards the dark passageway that they came from.
"Sorry sirs, it would be helpful if you can lead us to him," the scared leader smirked.
"You...." Long rushed forward, but Xia held his hands and shook his head. 'It's not the time,' he mouthed.
"Sorry my friend here is very hot tempered. He likes to pick a fight with everyone," Xia smirked, pulling the little snake's sleeves. "Follow me," he said, walking inside.
The thugs gave them a sceptical gaze at their retreating back, but still they followed.
"This guy you mentioned. What king of an offence did he do?" Xia raised a brow and glanced at the thugs behind him.
One of the thugs walked forwards and held his shoulders. "Little friend, this guy killed and raped many of our village women. We are going to apprehend him and submit him to the guards," he said.
Xia gave a fake gasp and whispered, "That bastard. How mightily of you! You will be doing such a good deed capturing this despicable fugitive."
Long pushed the thug's hands off his shoulders and glared at him.
"Yes yes," the thug smirked. "Hey listen beauty; after we apprehend this guy, we are planning to go to a secret market. If you want, you can come along with us," he whispered out of earshot of his leader.
"Oh, what kind of market is this?" Xia whispered with some interest in his eyes.
"The market that beauties like you should not go alone." The thug whispered.
"Hmm, is it that dangerous," Xia said, holding his chin.
"Of course it is dangerous," The thug held his chest up.
Xia smirked at him. 'So these silly bunches are planning to sell me in this market ah. Curious, curious,' he narrowed his eyes and glanced at the ground.
Another thug heard their conversation and walked closer. "Hey, i even heard that there will be some beauties for sale." he licked his lips with a lewd look.
"Yeah, the ones from Suikal village right," The thugs whispered.
Xia Che's eyes went wide. "You mean that girls were recently kidnapped from Suikal?"
Both the thugs nodded their head.
'Yukiya! Did she get kidnapped as well?' Xia bit his lips and glanced up at the little snake.