Chapter 189 - 177: Danger

Chapter 189: Chapter 177: Danger

A fifty million Soul Crystal Coin bounty from Snow Feather Tower!

A thirty million Soul Crystal Coin bounty from Demon Sect Mountain!

A forty-five million Soul Crystal Coin bounty from Flower Dream Pavilion!

’Wait... bounties? What in the world did I do to get a price on my head?’

"Do you... know who I am?" Li Heng asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hah! Who in Li Liang City doesn’t know about you, the great villain? As long as we hold you up, Xiaoshi Village will be rich beyond its wildest dreams!" Shi Dazhuang’s face was a mask of grim determination, but by the end, a slight smile even touched his lips.

Hearing this, Li Heng swiped his Empty Cicada Longsword directly across Shi Dazhuang’s throat. He obtained Soul Energy points and some extra Soul Crystal Coins.

Just as Shi Dazhuang and Zhao San died, the red names of the other villagers suddenly turned black. They then began to flee into the thick fog they had emerged from.

Li Heng and Bai Shasha both chose to watch the fleeing villagers, making no move to stop them, nor did they speak to each other.

Unsure what Bai Shasha was thinking, Li Heng was lost in his own world, pondering what Shi Dazhuang had said.

’If I really am wanted... then the fifty million Soul Crystal Coin bounty from Snow Feather Tower is somewhat understandable. After all, I went in with the intention of getting something for free, and then I just left.’

He could understand Snow Feather Tower putting a fifty million bounty on him. He had bid a high price and then didn’t pay. Plus, he was just a Soul Warrior of a low realm. From any perspective—be it reason, emotion, or even Snow Feather Tower’s reputation—it made perfect sense for them to put out a warrant for his arrest.

’But what’s the deal with Demon Sect Mountain and Flower Dream Pavilion?’

Li Heng recalled that his only interaction with Demon Sect Mountain was lending the Wolf Bone Brush to help Zhou Hua finish writing the Demonic Sound Heart Sutra. No matter how he looked at it, that didn’t seem like a bad thing.

After thinking for a moment, Li Heng still couldn’t figure out why Demon Sect Mountain would have a bounty on him.

As for Flower Dream Pavilion, Li Heng had never even heard of it. The fact that they casually slapped a forty-five million bounty on him made him even more bewildered. What kind of heinous, heaven-enraging deed had he possibly committed against Flower Dream Pavilion to warrant this?

Besides his confusion and inability to make sense of the bounties, Li Heng also found himself reflecting on how deeply connected this secret realm was to the Dungeon. The link was a bit too strong.

Thinking of this, Li Heng felt he really needed to go back into the Ancient Dust Continent Dungeon and take a proper look around.

"Li Heng! They wanted us dead. If we hadn’t struck first, we’d be the ones who were dead. It was self-defense. Besides, these people... they don’t feel real to me."

The main reason Bai Shasha didn’t go after the villagers swarming into the fog was that Li Heng made no move or suggestion to do so. She had already decided that if Li Heng had given the word, she was confident she could have stopped at least half of the fleeing villagers.

But gradually, Bai Shasha realized that Li Heng wasn’t deliberately letting the villagers go. He seemed to be lost in thought, his brows knitted tightly together.

Seeing Li Heng’s expression and glancing at Shi Dazhuang’s body on the ground, Bai Shasha suddenly seemed to understand. She walked slowly to Li Heng’s side and began to comfort him in a low voice.

After all, in the flat-chested loli’s opinion, she guessed Li Heng’s state was due to the self-reproach and guilt that came after killing someone for the first time. He looked just like she had during a certain lesson back in middle school.

It had taken her about three days to recover from that experience.

Meanwhile, Li Heng, who had been contemplating matters related to the Ancient Dust Continent Dungeon, was pulled back to the present by the flat-chested loli’s comforting words.

"Bai Tongxue, thank you! I’m fine! To be honest, these people also gave me a strange, unreal feeling."

Interrupted by Bai Shasha, Li Heng reined in his wandering thoughts and went along with what the flat-chested loli was saying. Although he knew much more, there was no need to explain everything.

Seeing Li Heng recover so quickly, the flat-chested loli first felt a sense of relief, but that was quickly followed by a flash of inexplicable "shame." She couldn’t help but think: ’I really was worrying too much. For Li Heng, something like this is probably just a small issue.’

Although Li Heng and Bai Shasha’s conversation seemed to flow smoothly on the surface, their internal thoughts were on completely different wavelengths.

They both paused for a moment, then tacitly shifted their attention back to the villagers, who were about to completely disappear.

Li Heng didn’t know what the black name status meant, and he didn’t dwell on it. After watching the villagers, he glanced at the surrounding fog.

Once the villagers had completely vanished from sight, the fog suddenly began to thin.

The sudden change in the fog immediately caught their attention. Though they didn’t know what was happening, they both tightened their grip on their weapons, ready for battle at a moment’s notice.

Hm?

’Is that...’

As the fog thinned, black long spears slowly "emerged" from the mist, followed by suits of pitch-black armor.

A dozen or so seconds later, rows of soldiers appeared before Li Heng and Bai Shasha’s eyes.

Li Liang City gate guards!

A full squad of them!

Li Liang City South City Gate Banner Captain: Yan Huan

Level: 45

Rank: Soul Energy Grandmaster

Strength: 60 (+3, +6, +1)

Agility: 61 (+5, +5)

Spirit: 45 (-5)

Soul Energy: 12000

Soul Energy Skills: Fierce Tiger Spear Thrust, Blood Burst Art, Thunderous Heavy Strike, Swaying Lunge, Military Order (Li Liang City)

Potential Drops: Li Liang City Guardian Standard Long Spear, Li Liang City’s Fine Standard Armor, Banner Captain’s Waterskin, Soul Crystal Coins (various amounts), Unknown Soul Beast Egg, Blood Jade Stone, Thrusting Spear Heart Method.

There were also two spear-wielding soldiers at the Great Soul Warrior realm, a row of spear-wielding soldiers at the Soul Warrior realm, and two rows of archers at the Soul Pupil Realm!

’The Banner Captain of Li Liang City’s South City Gate?’

’And a Soul Energy Grandmaster!’

’Holy crap! I’m that important?!’

As the fog continued to thin, a well-equipped and fully organized formation of Li Liang City gate guards appeared in Li Heng and Bai Shasha’s line of sight.

Li Heng was utterly shocked by the sight.

He had just skipped out on the bill at an auction. He hadn’t even gotten involved with any of the girls at Snow Feather Tower, not even the Courtesan. Strictly speaking, he hadn’t even managed to "get something for free."

’My crime shouldn’t be this serious!’

Shock was one thing, but upon seeing these soldiers, Li Heng immediately said to the flat-chested loli beside him, "We can’t beat them! Retreat!"

The flat-chested loli’s scalp was also tingling with fear. She could feel a terrifying aura coming from the leading soldier.

Hearing Li Heng’s words, Bai Shasha nodded in complete agreement and immediately turned to run back into the fog behind them.

Even as he was warning Bai Shasha, Li Heng had already activated his Wolf Walk Technique, turning to flee at almost the same instant as the flat-chested loli.

Seeing Li Heng and Bai Shasha turn and run, the Banner Captain of Li Liang City’s South City Gate raised his long spear high, his face devoid of expression. He shouted to the soldiers behind him, "The General has given an order! The villains are to be captured alive and unharmed! Those who disobey will be executed!"