Chapter 903 - Same Path

Chapter 903 - Same Path

Li Sui observed the performers closely, and they returned her gaze. Their eyes widened in astonishment—they had never encountered a girl of such striking beauty.

“What are you looking at? Never seen a woman?” The old man flicked each of them on the head.

After glancing at the bronze coins resting in the bowl, the old man grabbed the boy’s shoulder, giving it a twist before reattaching his hand. “Let’s step out of the city. Despite our efforts, we barely made enough for a meal.”

They packed up their belongings and drove their cart out of the city gate, only to notice Li Sui following closely behind them.

The younger men in the group immediately became restless, wondering if the girl had taken a liking to one of them.

The old man kicked them swiftly and pushed them aside. He clasped his hands respectfully toward Li Sui. “Miss, you’ve seen the performance. It’s getting late, so you should hurry back home before your family starts to worry.”

At the mention of family, Li Sui’s expression dimmed slightly. “Grandpa, is this road the way to the You Capital?”

“Yes, it is. However, there are a few forks in the road along the way. It’s not far, but it would take about ten days on foot. Miss, you’re traveling empty-handed. I’m afraid you might not make it,” Chen Bin said before continuing on with his apprentices.

But soon after, he saw the girl following them again. “Are you also heading to You Capital? Can I go with you? I’m afraid I’ll take the wrong path.”

“Sure, sure! We’re going to You Capital too! It’s on the way!” Several young men, around eighteen years old, responded eagerly.

“What do you mean’ sure’? Are you the master now?” Chen Bin said, then solemnly clasped his hands again toward Li Sui. “Miss, it’s improper for men and women to travel together. The road is long, and if you need to go to You Capital, it’s better to travel with your family or hire guards for protection.”

Chen Bin was not as lustful as his apprentices. It was too unusual for a pretty young girl to want to follow this group of men. There had to be a catch somewhere.

“But I can’t find my family...” Li Sui’s voice trailed off as she looked down. The young men felt their hearts ache, and they stumbled over their words as they rushed to comfort her.

“Please?” Li Sui took a step forward. Seeing this, Chen Bin clenched his teeth and pulled out a string of something, raising it high in the air.

It was a string of bronze coins, a protective artifact passed down from his grandfather to ward off evil.

As Li Sui’s gaze fell upon the bronze coins, memories of her father and the bronze coin sword he always carried on his back flooded her mind. Tears welled up in her eyes.

As she burst into sobs, Chen Bin and his apprentices collapsed to the ground in fear. Lin Qishan, the most quick-witted of them, threw himself flat on the ground and kowtowed. “Deity, please spare me! Don’t eat me!”

After a while, under Li Sui’s tearful pleading, Chen Bin readily agreed to let her travel with them.

He didn’t even bother to pack up the pot or let anyone sleep. They hitched the horses and set off under the moonlight, trembling with fear as they led the way, with Li Sui following behind.

As daylight broke, they would have stopped to rest under normal circumstances, but Chen Bin didn’t dare. The image of that bloody lump of flesh haunted his mind. He feared they might end up as the next meal she stuffed into her mouth.

“Master, we shouldn’t go this way. Isn’t this Kai Shanbao’s territory? We could be robbed if we pass through here,” the eldest apprentice said.

Chen Bin glared at him and then glanced back at the girl, who was staring intently at the protective artifact. He whispered, “That’s exactly why we’re going this way. Let the wolves fight the tigers. Remember, when they start fighting, we run for our lives!”

Silently cursing his grandfather for the useless artifact, Chen Bin continued on.

Three hours later, a large tree suddenly fell across the road and blocked their path. Several burly men with knives approached them. Chen Bin’s heart leaped with hope—this might be their chance!

“This mountain is mine, and this tree I planted! If you want to pass, leave... Huh? This girl is quite something,” the bandit leader said as groups of bandits appeared.

They eyed Li Sui with a lecherous grin, who was lost in her memories. When she snapped back to her senses, she saw the man in front of her starting to undress.

She blinked in confusion, then stepped back and waved her hands frantically. “Thank you, but I’m not hungry right now.”