Chapter 173: Bluffing Through

Eventually, they chose a small, sheltered hill. Wu Qingsong had a little water on the way and, once settled, immediately set about trying to wake Ling and Liuli.

Fortunately, it seemed the venom the spiderpeople had injected into them had worn off. After wiping their faces with damp cloths, gently patting their cheeks, and pinching their hands among other measures, they finally woke.

“Wu!” Ling exclaimed softly as she regained consciousness. 

Wu Qingsong quickly grasped her hand, reassuring her that all was well. Meanwhile, Liuli, clueless about what had happened, merely complained of hunger.

Wary of overfeeding them, Wu Qingsong had the houndmen prepare some meat broth and soaked flatbreads in it to create a mushy meal.

The venom appeared to slow their metabolism. They felt only general soreness, hunger, and thirst, and showed no other signs of discomfort.

Wu Qingsong immediately started coordinating their stories. He was unsure if Marquis Osaga would inquire further about their ordeal. Certain details had to be agreed upon in advance, discrepancies in their accounts could lead to serious complications.

“If we’re asked something we haven’t agreed on how to answer, just say you have a headache and can’t remember what happened.”

Wu Qingsong felt that Marquis Osaga probably didn’t suspect him. Adventuring with two beastwomen instead of soldiers was indeed suspicious, but nearly dying at the hands of spiderpeople should have alleviated most suspicions.

Liuli’s situation was tricky to explain, and for Ling, perhaps she could bluff her way through with her boomerang skills.

He asked Angus for a detailed account of what had happened after they left. Initially, the spiderpeople had been scattered, but then they launched a sudden frenzied attack on the mine. They had held out in the mine until the previous night when Marquis Osaga himself led the reinforcements.

Wu Qingsong suspected that the spiders’ frenzy might be related to Liuli killing the queen spider. However, why had Marquis Osaga appeared just then?

“What about our casualties?” he asked.

“Nine were injured, but none seriously,” Angus replied. “We were primarily involved in the early stages of the fight. After the Marquis’ reinforcements arrived, we hardly participated in the battle.”

“And Alvin?” Wu Qingsong pressed on.

“He’s reported to still be in Esola. The Marquis likely came directly from Norwei,” Angus explained.

“What did the Marquis ask you guys?”

“He mainly questioned the three mastiffmen who were overseeing us,  but they probably didn’t say anything that would be detrimental to us.”

“What did you see when you entered the cave?” he continued. “Were there any spiderpeople’s bodies on the ground?”

“No, sir.”

“Are you sure?” Wu Qingsong pressed. “This is very important. Are you sure there were no spiderpeople bodies in the cave at that time?”

This detail was crucial for his next explanation. If the ground had been covered with spiderpeople killed by Ling and Liuli, it would be very difficult to provide a plausible explanation.

Angus thought carefully for a few minutes and finally nodded deliberately.

Wu Qingsong silently nodded back, then asked Angus, “Are those things still there?”

Angus paused for a moment, then quickly understood what he meant. “They are still there… but, sir?”

“We can’t risk letting Alvin meet Marquis Osaga,” Wu Qingsong said.

After nightfall, a mastiff soldier finally came to notify him to go to Marquis Osaga’s camp.

“Just me?”

“Of course!” the mastiff soldier replied.

This eased Wu Qingsong’s anxiety further, possibly a good sign, indicating that Alvin’s suspicions about him hadn’t reached Marquis Osaga.

He was quickly taken to a luxurious tent, also located outside the range of the insect moss. As an elf, Marquis Osaga might find these unnatural elements even more repulsive than he did.

The interactions between them had been minimal, but Wu Qingsong genuinely appreciated the powerful elf warrior-mage, Marquis Osaga. From his observations, many of the Marquis’s actions diverged significantly from the stereotypical, ruthless elves. In some ways, Marquis Osaga had indeed been helpful to him, having saved his life twice and granted him a decent territory.

However, this did not change what Wu Qingsong had to do. His fundamental beliefs were incompatible with the oppressive empire established by the elves, and his own abilities left him no other option but to fight for survival.

He was certain that if Marquis Osaga ever discovered his capabilities and past actions, the first response would likely be to draw a sword against him.

“Sit.”

The tent was lit not by fire but by a glowing magical device suspended from the ceiling. Marquis Osaga was absorbed in writing something, which Wu Qingsong suspected might be an analysis and record of the recent events.

“What would you like to drink?” a gentle voice asked.

Only then did Wu Qingsong notice a middle-aged beastwoman in the tent. She looked mature yet retained a certain charm, suggesting she must have been quite beautiful in her youth.

“Just water, thank you,” Wu Qingsong quickly stood up to answer.

“Tell me everything about your encounter with this True Red Demon Lord, in as much detail as possible. Mention every detail you can remember, no matter how seemingly insignificant,” Marquis Osaga finally put down his quill and said.

Wu Qingsong nodded, organized his thoughts, and began his careful recount.

It was no easy task, as Marquis Osaga was clearly not one to be appeased with shallow responses. He always managed to find inconsistencies in Wu Qingsong’s narrative, pressing further to uncover the truth. Fortunately, Wu Qingsong’s actual interaction with the True Red Demon Lord had been brief, and he had already spent a lot of effort considering how to respond to Marquis Osaga’s questions.

He had been trapped in a cocoon, something Marquis Osaga had witnessed himself. His strategy was to have a mixture of minimal lies interspersed with significant truths and attribute any inexplicable aspects to periods of unconsciousness. 

By strictly adhering to this approach, Marquis Osaga, no matter how probing, could not extract any more valuable information.

“You may return to your territory,” Marquis Osaga then said. “I will report your achievements to Duke Riniconia and recommend that you be knighted.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Wu Qingsong quickly replied.

This was once the career path Harold had envisioned for him. According to his original projections, with some good fortune, he would attain this position within eight to ten years and become a member of the imperial ruling class. At that point, he would truly be among the privileged elite, with ample cover to pursue whatever he wished.

“If he does not accept my suggestion, would you be willing to lead your mercenary group to Osaga?” Marquis Osaga then asked.

Wu Qingsong hesitated. He had already declined an offer from the younger son of Duke Fantali. Could he afford to refuse Marquis Osaga as well?

“It would be my honor,” he quickly replied.

“Go back and await further news,” Marquis Osaga then gestured dismissively, signaling for him to leave the tent.

Wu Qingsong felt his back was soaked with sweat. Fighting the urge to rush, he slowly walked away from Marquis Osaga’s camp toward his subordinates.

“My lord?”

“It’s settled,” Wu Qingsong said. “We leave for Orgrimmar first thing tomorrow morning.”

The mercenaries exhaled in relief and quietly cheered.