Medicina alquímica

Capítulo 2

Xiao Xiao cautiously turned around, glancing at the person behind her. Hmm, just now, in the sunset, this jewel-adorned little girl seemed quite cute, fair-skinned and delicate. Now, looking at her, how deep the scheming was in those watery eyes! Though not yet of marriageable age, she was ruthless in her schemes. What a tragedy… Of all people to steal from, why did she have to steal from her? And worst of all, she didn't even manage to steal anything…

Xiao Xiao grew increasingly heartbroken and stopped in her tracks, wiping away her tears. As soon as she stopped, the caravan behind her also halted.

Xiao Xiao quickly turned around, her mouth halfway open, but before she could utter a sound, several huge rocks rolled down from both sides of the mountain path, the closest one being no more than a foot away from her.

"There's an ambush!" Li Zhenghai shouted.

Upon hearing this shout, the members of the escort team drew their weapons and prepared for battle.

Xiao Xiao froze. She slowly turned around, a chill running through her heart. If she had taken a few more steps, she would probably be a dead soul beneath this stone now. She patted her chest, tears welling in her eyes as she sighed.

At this moment, people jumped out from both sides of the mountain path. There were about twenty people, all dressed in black and masked, carrying weapons.

"Leave the caravan behind, and we'll spare your lives!" someone in black shouted.

Xiao Xiao was completely dumbfounded. An ambush? ...In this remote and impoverished place, there are still bandits? What kind of world is this?

Behind her, Li Zhenghai clasped his hands and said, "Xingfeng is on a delivery mission. Which side are you from? Would you be so kind as to do me a favor?"

The man in black didn't respond and attacked.

Xiao Xiao, who was standing at the front, immediately darted behind Li Zhenghai.

"Great...Great hero," she said in a trembling voice, "may I go now?"

Li Zhenghai had no time to pay her any attention; he grabbed his long sword and charged forward. The head镖师 (chief镖师) moved, and the fifteen镖师 (镖师) also rushed up. Chaos immediately erupted on the mountain path.

Xiao Xiao covered her head and hid behind the caravan, on the verge of tears.

The world is a dangerous place. No wonder Master said to stand far away when watching a fight. Swords have no eyes; what if something happens to her... ugh... anyway, who will she seek justice from then on?

She carefully stood up and cautiously glanced at the battle situation not far away. If not now, when? She stood up, hunched over, and tiptoed stealthily.

She hadn't taken more than a few steps when she stopped, turned around, and looked at the caravan.

Tsk, at a time like this, how can you be considered a bad person if you don't take advantage of the chaos? She glanced at the bodyguards and the men in black; they were locked in a fierce battle, and it seemed no one had time to bother with her. She looked at the caravan beside her. In this remote and impoverished place, someone would go to such lengths to ambush and rob someone; there must be something special inside this caravan. Judging from the little girl's head full of jewels, could it be… that the caravan also contains gold and silver treasures?

Her little eyes lit up instantly. Money!

She immediately darted to the caravan and eagerly began to move the boxes. Suddenly, a gust of wind swept from behind. Startled, she whirled around, forgetting she was still holding the boxes. The corner of one box struck the person who had suddenly appeared behind her, knocking him to the ground.

"Uh..." Xiao Xiao looked at the black-clad, masked man lying unconscious on the ground and was speechless.

At that moment, another man in black leaped forward. Xiao Xiao took a few steps back, clutching the box tightly in her hands.

Without saying a word, the man in black attacked with his knife.

Xiao Xiao screamed in alarm and fled in panic. Seeing the cold, menacing blade flashing before her eyes, Xiao Xiao cried out in despair. If only she had known this would happen, she should have studied martial arts properly back then. Now, she couldn't even dodge it fast enough.

Xiao Xiao suddenly realized something. She couldn't dodge quickly, not because her kung fu was bad, but entirely because of the box in her hand. What use was money when her life was about to end?! She gritted her teeth and threw the box away.

The man in black hadn't expected her move, and in desperation, he swung his knife at the box.

The box was made of wood, and it couldn't withstand such a chopping motion. It shattered immediately, and pieces of wood littered the ground.

Xiao Xiao was surprised to find the box completely empty. No wonder there wasn't a single bodyguard by the caravan once the battle began. It turned out the caravan was completely empty.

The man in black was also astonished. He stared at Xiao Xiao, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

"It's none of my business!" Little Xiao screamed.

The man in black paid no heed to any of this and continued his attack, brandishing his knife.

Xiao Xiao cried for help while dodging left and right around the caravan.

The man in black attacked mercilessly, the blade drawing ever closer. Xiao Xiao instinctively crouched down, covering her head and closing her eyes tightly.

However, nothing happened.

She carefully stood up and saw the man in black's blade embedded in the wood of the caravan. It was stuck, unable to move. "Thank goodness!" Xiao Xiao immediately ran away.

Seeing this, the man in black dropped his knife and chased after Xiao Xiao with his bare hands. He reached out and grabbed the sanxian that Xiao Xiao was carrying on his back.

Startled, she immediately turned and grabbed his wrist, kicking the man hard in the abdomen with her right foot.

The man in black hurriedly let go and dodged.

Xiao Xiao clutched her sanxian to her chest, a hint of anger in her expression. But the next moment, she cowered and cried out, "Great hero, I really have nothing to do with these people... Please don't kill me..."

The man in black looked on in bewilderment. But he didn't think much of it and attacked again.

Xiao Xiao deflected his attacks and darted to the side of the caravan.

"Great hero, let's talk this out!" Xiao Xiao said hurriedly.

The man in black was somewhat surprised. He turned around and continued his attack.

Xiao Xiao jumped onto the caravan and kicked the box over.

The man in black easily dodged the crates and was about to jump onto the caravan when suddenly, a cold blade approached and pierced his left shoulder. He stumbled back a few steps, staring in astonishment at the knife. It was clearly his own sword, which had just become stuck in the wooden planks of the caravan.

"Uh... I kicked... I kicked the wrong one..." The little foot was still frozen in mid-air, and she said awkwardly.

The man in black glared at her, but the pain from his wound prevented him from retaliating.

By this time, Xingfeng Escort Agency had completely taken control of the situation; the twenty-odd men in black were either dead or injured and were no longer a threat.

Seeing this, the man in black turned and left, disappearing into the night.

Xiao Xiao put her feet down, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Young lady, are you alright?" Li Zhenghai asked as he walked up to the caravan, sword in hand.

Xiao Xiao climbed down from the caravan and shook her head repeatedly, "It's nothing, it's nothing."

Li Zhenghai suddenly clasped his hands in thanks and said, "Thank you, young lady."

Xiao Xiao slung her sanxian over her shoulder and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"If it weren't for your guidance, young lady, we would have been ambushed by falling rocks long ago." Li Zhenghai looked at the man in black lying on the ground. "I am extremely grateful for your righteous help, young lady."

Xiao Xiao was taken aback. Heaven knows, she'd only stopped by chance; there was no guidance whatsoever. And that "righteousness"? She'd practically tried to take advantage of the situation. But, in a situation like this, she couldn't tell the truth…

She braced herself, clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Great hero, you don't need to be so polite. This is what I should do... So, can I leave now?" As she finished speaking and was about to take a step, she was stopped by someone.

"Miss." The young girl, adorned with jewels, approached, her expression still full of amusement.

A slight intuition told me something was wrong. This girl's opening remarks definitely weren't good news.

“I saw everything you did just now, young lady. You are indeed kind-hearted and chivalrous,” the young girl said with a smile. “Although I am young, I understand the principle of repaying kindness. It is getting late, and we are in the middle of nowhere. How can I let you leave alone? Why don’t you come with us? When we reach the town, I will prepare a feast to thank you.”

“Le’er is right. Miss, there’s no need to refuse,” Li Zhenghai said with a smile.

Xiao Xiao looked at the little girl, a chill running down her spine. Had this girl witnessed everything she'd just done? That included her moving the boxes and taking advantage of the situation. If she really had, asking her to come along now wouldn't be good news… This little girl was definitely not someone to mess with.

"By the way, my name is Shi Le'er. May I ask how this lady is addressed?" The little girl smiled innocently.

"Me? Not worth mentioning," Xiao Xiao replied.

"What, does my sister dislike me?" the little girl asked, frowning.

"No, no, I wouldn't dare," Xiaoxiao immediately shook her head.

"So what is your sister's name?" Shi Le'er asked again with a smile.

Xiao Xiao glanced at Shi Le'er, then at Li Zhenghai, pondered for a moment, and said helplessly, "Zuo Xiao Xiao."

"Left?" Shi Le'er lowered her eyes and pondered.

She sighed softly. Although her master and she were wanderers in the martial world, they were unaffiliated with any sect or faction, and had never done anything earth-shattering; they were just unknown nobodys. She figured she couldn't come up with anything even if she racked her brains.

"Then may I call you Little Sister?" Shi Le'er raised her head and asked with a smile.

"Okay. Whatever you say." Xiao Xiao nodded readily.

"Where is your ancestral home, sister? Who else is in your family?" Shi Le'er took her hand and continued to ask.

"I have no fixed abode, and no one is home," Xiao Xiao replied.

"Sister's skills are extraordinary. May I ask which school of martial arts she studied under?" Shi Le'er continued to ask.

Exceptional skills? That's blatant lying. What good are her skills anyway? But this little girl is asking such detailed questions; it seems she wants to learn everything about her. Unfortunately for her, Zuo Xiaoxiao has no family background, so learning from her is useless. As for her teacher, her master's skills are quite diverse, without a fixed school.

Xiao Xiao thought for a moment and said, "I am a disciple of the 'Breaking Wind Style'."

“‘Breaking Wind Style’…” Shi Le’er frowned slightly.

Her master had said that if anyone in the future inquired about her martial arts style, she should claim to be a disciple of the "Breaking Wind Style." The "Breaking Wind Style" was a martial arts school that had emerged in recent years, with disciples all over the world. However, it had neither a corresponding martial arts sect nor a fixed meeting place. It seemed to be all talk and no action. Furthermore, its martial arts techniques were incredibly diverse and unpredictable. If she claimed to be a disciple of the "Breaking Wind Style," there would truly be no way to prove it.

Shi Le'er naturally understood this principle. Claiming to be a disciple of the "Broken Wind and Flow" school, though an answer, was no different from being perfunctory.

Just as she was about to ask further questions, her little stomach suddenly growled loudly.

Li Zhenghai immediately smiled and said, "Le'er, ask her what you have to say after we go down the mountain."

Shi Le'er turned her head, smiled, and nodded.

Xiao Xiao touched her stomach, looking aggrieved. It wasn't her fault; she hadn't eaten anything since. She'd been running around for so long just now… She looked at Li Zhenghai and Shi Le'er, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Following these two, she always felt she'd get into some terrible trouble. If her master were alive, what would he do?

However, before she could think for long, her stomach growled again. Tsk, what's the point of thinking so much! Let them follow, she's barefoot, why should she be afraid of these people wearing shoes? She's expended so much energy, she deserves at least a meal. That's right. A full stomach is the most important thing in life!

Xiao Xiao made her decision immediately. She put on a smile and followed him happily.

A sneaky escape

The group arrived in town around 7 PM. The townspeople had long since turned off their lights and gone to sleep, leaving the streets deserted. Having worked as镖局 (bodyguard agency) for many years, they were quite familiar with this small town. Soon, the镖师 (bodyguards) found a familiar inn and settled in.

However, at this hour, the inn had long since run out of food. The waiter, being considerate, cooked noodles and brought out some steamed buns meant for dinner to serve everyone.

Xiao Xiao isn't picky about food, and after being hungry for a while, she unceremoniously picked up a bowl of noodles and a steamed bun, and sat down in a corner to eat.

Just as she was about to take a bite of the steamed bun, she saw Shi Le'er bring a small dish of side dishes to her table.

"Little sister, eating only noodles and steamed buns is so tasteless," Shi Le'er said with an innocent smile as she placed the side dish in front of Xiao Xiao.

Her small mouth opened halfway, then froze abruptly.

Unsolicited kindness is always suspicious! Xiao Xiao hugged the noodles tightly, held the steamed bun, and looked at Shi Le'er with a look of horror.

Shi Le'er smiled, pursed her lips, and said, "What are you afraid of, sister? Would I possibly poison you?"

Xiao Xiao immediately shook her head and smiled apologetically, "No, no, how could you poison me? Hehe..." Xiao Xiao carefully picked up a piece of food, swallowed it quickly, and then took a few bites of the steamed bun, chewing it diligently.

Shi Le'er nodded in satisfaction and played with her hair by twirling her fingers.