Sleepless all night, Shao Feng's mind was on the captured Shao Xue and An. He was surprised that Robin had been taken too.
He hoped they weren't harmed.
Lost in thought…
At dawn, a servant called him for breakfast.
Downstairs, the wrecked café had been restored, even the old chairs replaced with high-end ones.
A massive table, cobbled together from several, held dozens of lavish dishes, likely prepared by a royal chef.
Tasting one, Shao Feng found it underwhelming.
Noticing his expression, the princess smiled. "Not to your taste?"
"Not bad, just not as good as I expected. An's cooking is better," he said casually.
"Really?" The princess assumed he was exaggerating and didn't dwell on it.
"Everything here's been redone. When we return and release your friends, you can reopen," she said.
"Hmph," Shao Feng snorted. "No need for that. Just make sure they're unharmed." Thinking of An and the others, he lost his appetite.
He tossed his chopsticks onto the table.
"I'm done. When do we leave?" he asked coldly.
Swallowing her food, the princess stood. "I'm finished too. I'll change and be right out." She headed upstairs with her attendants.
Ten minutes later, she returned in blue armor, golden hair tied back, a silver broadsword at her waist.
She looked like a Nordic warrior, exuding valor.
Shao Feng's eyes lit up.
"What? My outfit weird?" she demanded, noticing his stare.
"No, it suits you. Just unexpected," he shook his head.
Outside, attendants brought two horses.
The princess mounted hers effortlessly, her movements crisp and trained.
Shao Feng eyed the large horse glumly. He'd never ridden one. "I can't ride," he admitted.
"What?" Everyone stared.
His face reddened. "I said I can't ride a horse. Is that weird?"
"Ugh, what am I gonna do with you?" The princess sighed, offering her hand.
"What?" he blinked.
"What do you think? You can't ride, so we'll share one," she said, exasperated.
"You're a girl. It's not… convenient. Get someone else to ride with me," he said, blushing.
"What are you talking about? It's just us two going to the God's Tomb. Who else would take you?" she said, surprised.
"Just us two? You're joking, right?" Shao Feng nearly jumped.
"Who's joking? I'd never risk my men's lives like that," she said firmly.
"You're insane," he shouted.
"Don't want to go?" Her expression darkened.
"I never said that. Stop threatening me with their lives," he said, reluctantly taking her hand.
She pulled him onto the horse. "Once we reach the God's Tomb entrance, you can take my token back and free your friends. I promise you'll be safe," she said apologetically.
"Keep your promises. I'm not interested," he snapped. "Let's go."
Sighing, the princess spurred the horse, which shot forward like an arrow. Shao Feng clung to her waist to avoid falling.
The horse's galloping made his hands shift up and down her body.
"Hey! Touch me like that again, and I'll kill you!" she roared, unable to tolerate his wandering hands.
"You think I want to?" he shot back, muttering, "Feels like touching a guy anyway. Who'd want that?"
She heard him, and, frustrated, spurred the horse faster, nearly throwing him off.
Panicked, he hugged her tightly, their bodies pressed together…
Last time, Shao Feng had marked the path to the basin, eyeing its treasures.
Following the markers, they reached the basin's cliff edge.
"This is the place I came to. I don't know if it's your 'God's Tomb,'" he said, pointing to the fog-shrouded basin.
"Is it?" She pulled out a map, studied the basin, and smiled. "This is it, no doubt." She removed a bracelet from her wrist. "As agreed, take this back to free your friends. Thank you." She handed it to him with a smile.
He took it. "Really?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course. This will get your friends back," she confirmed.
"Not that. Can you handle it alone from here?" he clarified, shaking his head.
"I know you're a good person. You didn't take my necklace back then, so I knew. I'm sorry for threatening you. You're done here—I'll go on alone. Goodbye," she said, walking forward.
She paused, turning back. "Oh, and apologize to your friends for me. I caused them trouble. I'll make it up to them if I can. Goodbye." She leapt off the cliff…
Watching her vanish, Shao Feng sighed, looking at the bracelet.
This would free An and the others, right?
But could he really leave her like this?
His gaze returned to the misty valley below.
"Forget it," he sighed, turning to leave…
A woman's scream—her voice—came from the cliff. "No way!" Without thinking, he jumped into the valley…
"If I die here, An and the others are screwed," he thought, landing below.
But he couldn't stop himself.
He rushed into the fog, searching for her…
To be safe, he'd smeared corpse ash on himself. Its stench repelled skeletons, increasing his mobility and survival odds.
Groping through the fog, he found scattered skeleton bones. Though skeletons could reassemble, worn bones couldn't regenerate.
"She's pretty capable," he thought, noting the increasing number of broken bones as he ventured deeper.
Boom! A massive noise ahead sent a shockwave, clearing the fog…
"A giant?!?" Not far off, the princess battled a colossal skeleton, as tall as a twelve-story building. At under 1.5 meters, she looked tiny before it.
Yet she fought bravely, undeterred.
"That idiot. She can't win against that thing. She's done for," Shao Feng shook his head.
"I'd just die too. No way I can take that monster. Better leave while I can," he thought, turning back…
The sounds of combat continued behind him, slowing his steps…
Suddenly, the noises stopped…
"What? Is she dead?" He turned, but dust from the fight obscured everything.
"Damn it!" he shouted, rushing back…
"What are you doing here? I told you to leave!" the princess panted, seeing him.
"You won?" He stared, stunned, as she sat atop the giant skull, breathing heavily.
She raised her thumb. "I'm pretty strong." Catching her breath, she added, "Did you come to save me? Thanks."
His face reddened. "Seems like you didn't need my help…"
Before he could finish, she shoved him aside…
Boom! He landed in a pit created by a massive impact.
"Hey, what the hell?" he shouted, climbing out angrily.
He froze. The princess stood where he'd been, bloodied, a massive wound across her chest gushing blood…
"What? What happened…?" He stared, dazed.
A gigantic lobster, larger than the giant skeleton, emerged before him. What kind of place was this…?
No time to think, he leapt from the pit, grabbed the bleeding princess, and fled…