Chapter 19: Don’t Push Me, I Scare Myself When I Lose It

“It’s just up ahead,” the man repeated, yet again.

This wasn’t the first time he had made this claim, and with each repetition, Wu Qingsong’s skepticism continued to grow.

“Do you frequently dine at that inn we just left?” Wu Qingsong’s hand tightened around the shortsword concealed behind his back as he deliberately slowed his walking pace.

“Only once in a while. It’s quite a distance from here. How could I visit regularly if I didn’t live close by?” the man replied defensively. “If it weren’t for a friend who lives nearby showing me the place, I’d have no idea they offer a pretty decent seafood stew.”

The response seemed reasonable enough, momentarily alleviating some of Wu Qingsong’s reservations.

Truth be told, Wu Qingsong couldn’t think of a good reason why a random patron from the inn would want to deceive him. The man was oblivious to his identity, financial standing, or whether he had any companions. The uncertainty surrounding the potential consequences of cheating Wu Qingsong also worked in his favor. If this world had indeed descended into a state where every new face was out to deceive you, Wu Qingsong seriously questioned how anyone could survive.

As the sun began its descent, casting longer shadows on the streets, Wu Qingsong quickened his pace slightly. Being new to the city of Umber, he recognized that finding his way back after dark could prove challenging.

“How much further is it?”

“It’s just around the next corner. You know, these five copper coins aren’t easily earned,” the guide mumbled, diffusing Wu Qingsong’s growing skepticism once more.

However, his footsteps ground to a sudden halt the very next moment.

Before him was a dead-end alley, at the end of which was a building that resembled a warehouse. Although the doors were ajar, the locale hardly seemed like the residence of the down-and-out elder that the man had described.

The moment Wu Qingsong came to a halt, the man let out a sudden yell. Emerging from a store on the opposite side of the alley, two beastmen appeared, effectively blocking his path.

“What is this all about?” Wu Qingsong instinctively retreated a step, his grip tightening around the hilt of his shortsword.

The beastman who had guided him there abruptly changed his tone, bursting into sardonic laughter, “You wanted to learn swordsmanship, didn’t you? Your teacher’s right inside there.”

Attempting to sidestep, Wu Qingsong tried to maneuver between them. However, these beastmen had clearly perfected the art of cornering. They coordinated seamlessly and swiftly cut off any avenues of escape.

“Don’t make things difficult for yourself, half-elf,” a shirtless bearman growled menacingly. “Just go inside quietly, or you’re in for a world of hurt.”

“Help! Somebody, help!”

Wu Qingsong’s cry echoed down the alley. This isolated passageway was far removed from the main road and scarcely populated to begin with. Ironically, his screams seemed to drive away the few bystanders who had been present, leaving him utterly alone.

“So, you’ve decided not to cooperate?” The bearman lumbered forward, cracking his neck as he did. His fur stood on end, making his already imposing upper body seem even larger.

Wu Qingsong drew his shortsword from its sheath.

The beastman who had lured him hesitated for a moment, but the bearman let out a booming laugh. “You think you can take us down with that puny toothpick?”

“I’m a half-elf! Have you considered the consequences of crossing me?” Wu Qingsong raised his voice, laying his cards on the table, “I’m related to Lord Vals of the Rem City Guard. Do you dare to lay a finger on me?”

The bearman hesitated briefly. At that moment, laughter erupted from a warehouse at the far end of the alley.

“A relative of Vals from Rem City, you say? Jurisdiction aside, didn’t the man die several days ago?”

“It’s you!”

Catching sight of the figure, Wu Qingsong finally understood. It was the foxman who had traveled with them from Karagados in the carriage.

“Indeed, it’s me,” the foxman confirmed, his eyes twinkling with malevolent amusement. “You’ve got nowhere to run, so why not surrender and behave?”

Wu Qingsong quickly grasped that he had stumbled into the clutches of Umber’s criminal underworld. To make matters worse, he suspected that this foxman had eavesdropped on his questions during the travel, giving him potentially dangerous insights into Wu Qingsong’s background, or lack thereof. At the very least, the foxman knew Wu Qingsong was ignorant about Umber and had no allies here. 

Whatever the foxman intended, whether robbery or something far worse, had become irrelevant.

A sudden gust of wind alerted Wu Qingsong to an incoming attack from behind. He lunged forward just in time, narrowly evading the bearman’s surprise attack.

This, however, led him deeper into the dangerous alley.

“Be careful with him. Half-elves are rare and valuable. Damaging him would be a waste, especially his face,” the foxman quickly cautioned.

A cold shiver ran down Wu Qingsong’s spine. Casting aside any remaining hesitation, he tightened his grip on his sword and lunged at the foxman.

But another bearman bolted out from the warehouse, effectively shielding the foxman.

“You’ve got guts,” the foxman sneered. “Well, come at me if you dare.”

The bearmen grinned menacingly as they slowly closed in, their hulking forms nearly blocking the narrow alley. Wu Qingsong brandished his shortsword, managing to keep them at bay. The foxman then called out from behind, “Bring out the net.”

‘Damn it!’ Wu Qingsong cursed inwardly.

Gritting his teeth, Wu Qingsong tightened his grip on his shortsword and lunged at the bearman who was standing between him and the foxman.

The bearman’s reach was substantially longer than his, and before Wu Qingsong’s blade could even find its mark, the bearman exploited the opening in his attack. A forceful punch landed squarely on Wu Qingsong’s shoulder, sending him tumbling to the ground.

“I warned you to be careful,” came the foxman’s admonishing voice.

“I was already holding back,” muttered the bearman, clearly dissatisfied. He bent down to seize Wu Qingsong by the waistband, intending to lift him off the ground.

The sword gleamed briefly. Wu Qingsong had initially aimed for the bearman’s neck, but his opponent instinctively parried with his other claw. The blade carved a deep and long gash across his palm and forearm, eliciting a pained roar. In a fit of rage, the bearman hurled Wu Qingsong against the mud-brick wall with such force that it caved in, leaving an indentation in the shape of a human body.

Furious, the bearman prepared to deliver a deadly blow with his unscathed claw. But in that dire moment, Wu Qingsong gripped onto the bearman’s claw as if his life depended on it, and stabbed wildly with his shortsword.

The bearman let out another roar. His injured claw painfully gripped Wu Qingsong’s head as he lifted him off the ground. Preparing to rip him apart, the bearman was thwarted when Wu Qingsong let out an agonized cry and drove his shortsword straight through the bearman’s eye, piercing his brain.

This time, the bearman fell silent. His massive frame wavered briefly before collapsing heavily to the ground.

Everyone present was stunned by this incredible turn of events. However, Wu Qingsong quickly regained his footing. Before anyone could fully process what had happened, he already pressed his shortsword against the foxman’s throat and deftly moved behind him, restraining him.

“I’m here now,” Wu Qingsong declared, his voice tinged with icy resolve. “Is there anything you’d like to say? Speak quickly, I’m pressed for time.”