Chapter 195 A Trap in the Swamp. A Fairy Descends at a Critical Moment [2]
4,540 people had died out of the 20,000 people whom Mu YingYi led. Most were bitten by poisonous creatures and died. Some fell into the swamp and some died of heat stroke and dehydration.
The remaining people were also injured and dying. Nanjiang’s climate was already p.r.o.ne to change. But now, they were in the swamps and jungles. They had been in the mountains for fourteen days and had experienced heavy rains five times. Even having drinking water became a problem.
The medicines and food all went bad. The water in the ponds of the jungles had parasites and couldn’t be drunk. This was something that Dier had repeatedly warned them about back then. So, they could only drink rainwater. However, the rainwater that they collected couldn’t be maintained for a long time with such high temperatures. And the female medical team needed to use clean water to clean the wounds of the soldiers bitten by poisonous creatures. The water was used up even faster.
Overall, the current situation was extremely dangerous. Even Mu YingYi thought that the heavens were going to end him.
That was because he had betrayed Dier. He had actually had a woman besides Nee Liu. Although that girl used an aphrodisiac, why couldn’t he control himself and had relations with her? This was the heavens punishing him!
Because he couldn’t marry Dier, he had secretly vowed that he although he had no choice but to marry Nee Liu, he would never touch another woman other than her.
But…… But……
Hence, Mu YingYi thought that this unsuccessful counter-insurgency, meeting the spy Darong ka, falling into the swamps, and suffering such dangers were all evidence of the heavens punishing him. He became disheartened and even more desolate.
The leader’s mood absolutely affected the soldiers. The soldiers saw that their Commander was negative and in despair, and panicked even more. The soldiers quarreled and blamed each other. They were about to fight amongst themselves.
Zi You found them at this time. She saw that the situation was urgent and didn’t greet Mu YingYi. She summoned the five black mandara spirits and ordered, “Come with me to save them. Look around and don’t miss anyone.”
This area of swamp was too large. The soldiers had dispersed in order to find a way out. She was afraid that her Qi wouldn’t cover such a huge expanse of area and that someone wouldn’t be saved.
The five spirits left. Zi You no longer hesitated. She immediately concentrated her spiritual power in her palms to start saving people. After a powerful blue and purple light flashed, Mu YingYi and the soldiers hadn’t yet reacted to what had happened when they notice that the area they were in no long exuded a stench. The terrifying swamp had an area of green gra.s.s. There was a clear pond nearby. The water there was so clear that they could see their reflections.
It was like a dream. Everyone thought that they were dreaming. Some thought that they were already dead. And some thought that they were hallucinating because they were about to die.
Zhang Wei and Rong Yunhe were amongst this group of people. Zhang Wei was bitten by a poisonous snake and was saved by Rong Yunhe. That was why they were together.
Zhang Wei was in despair seeing this scene. He smiled bitterly. “Rong Yunhe, am I dying? I see gra.s.s and a pond……”
“I also see it.” Rong Yunhe’s lips were all chapped. He had left all the water to the wounded soldiers. He was seriously dehydrated now.
Just then, Zi You slowly landed. Rong Yunhe foolishly said, “I also see a fairy. The fairy seems to…… look like Xiaojie……”
He thought that he was going to die and finally saw the person whom he had been yearning and missing.
Mu YingYi thought that he was looking at Dier. He smiled and said, “Dier…… I know that this is a hallucination. You’re mad at me, so you won’t come to save me again.”
Zi You saw that he looked a bit strange and quickly shook him. “Uncle, it’s me! I’m You’er. I’m back.”
“You’er?” Mu YingYi was shocked. He looked at her and stretched out a trembling hand. He said weakly, “Is this another hallucination? I…… I don’t believe it. You bite me.”
“Uncle……” Zi You’s heart was in pain! Her uncle was such an iron-blooded and strong man. If he wasn’t so extremely desperate and in so much grief, why else would he be so fragile?
Zi You grabbed his hand and bit down hard. She cried as she said, “Uncle, you’re not dreaming or hallucinating. Your You’er is really back.”
The pain from his hand pulled Mu YingYi back to his senses. He looked steadily at Zi You. His tears spilled out. “You’er, it’s really……”
He didn’t finish speaking when he collapsed. He had forced himself to last until this moment, like a taut leash. Now, it finally snapped……
Zi You’s hand waved. A purple beam of light expanded and quickly enveloped Mu YingYi.
Then she ordered the five black mandara spirits, “Hurry and bring some food and water. They’re too weak.”
The black mandara spirits were named with the elements of gold, wood, water, fire, and earth. The first one to transform was Jinling. The second was Muling, the third was Shuiling, the fourth was Huoling, and the last was called Tuling respectively.
Shuiling was really like a water demon. She looked very similar to Zi You, but her temperament was extremely seductive.
She smiled at this moment and seemed to be able to confuse all living beings. The heartbeats of the soldiers looking at this beat like a drum. “Yes, Master.”
“Pick congee. They can’t eat lavishly right now.” Zi You wasn’t a.s.sured as she told Shuiling.
“Yes, Master.” Her body rotated rapidly and gradually transformed into a huge black mandara flower.
Soon, the soldiers saw a large sack full of water, a bowl of congee, and two side dishes in front of them.
Although it was just ordinary water, the congee and side dishes enticed the soldiers into salivating. After gulping down the water, they picked up the bowl of rice and guzzled their food down like a whirlwind. The congee and side dishes quickly entered their stomachs.
Zi You felt compa.s.sionate. How pitiful! She didn’t know how long it had been since they ate.
“Commander……” An excited shout made Zi You turn her head to see Rong Yunhe coming over.
The young man had grown a whole head taller. He was haggard and skinny and his skin was extremely chapped. She knew that he was seriously dehydrated with one glance.
“Give him water,” Zi You immediately said to Shuiling.
Shuiling transformed into a human form and handed a water sack to Rong Yunhe. She didn’t forget to wink at him.
Rong Yunhe’s face turned red. He glared angrily at her.
He thought: ‘Why did Xiaojie accept such maidservants around her? They don’t look like decent people. But they don’t seem like courtesans. These women don’t have the air from a brothel around them. They’re more like alluring spirits. Yes, they are alluring spirits!’
It was impossible to describe the ecstasy in the soldiers’ hearts. They knew that they could get out of this deathly area alive. Almost everyone hugged each other and cried. And to their surprise, the soldiers who died an hour to two hours ago also woke up.
At this time, they finally realized that the little fairy in their hearts was really a fairy. She saved them when they were facing death once again.
There were more than 400 soldiers here who were saved by Zi You during the flash flood last time. They all knelt down at her feet at this time. “Xiaojie, we will never forget your lifesaving grace!”
Zi You shook her head humbly. “Don’t say that. Remember. We are comrades who go through life and death together. We should not abandon or give up on each other.”
These words later became the motto of the remaining 35,647 soldiers minus the 4,352 who weren’t saved.
Because of Zi You, these people would blindly follow Old General Mu. Not one would ever betray Old General Mu or Zi You.
Mu YingYi woke up three days later. The army that he led had triumphantly rendezvoused with the army that Old General Mu led.
They didn’t expect that they would see their fallen comrades again. They hugged their comrades and wept with joy.
Rong Qiyan and Rong Yunhe also hugged and cried for a while.
The female medical team wasn’t able to catch up with Zi You because she had been busy saving people. They all huddled around her now. But Old General Mu had a lot of things that he wanted to say to his granddaughter. And Mu YingYi and Shangguan LingRan also wanted to hog Zi You to themselves.
Although it had only been two days since Shangguan LingRan saw Zi You, in his words, “One day without seeing each other is like being separated for three autumns. Besides, it’s already been two days and ten hours.”
So, the three men immediately drove away the girls from the female medical team.
“You’re tired, but your Commander is also tired. Go take a good rest. Say what you want to say later.” Old General Mu spoke with a dignified expression.
He turned to look at his granddaughter and smiled like a sunflower. “You’ve made me missed you to death!”
His tiger eyes became tearful as he choked his words out.
Zi You was still like a child. She wanted to pounce into Old General Mu’s arms, but some petty man pulled her into his arms. “YouYou, your husband, I, am here. Remember not to fall into other people’s arms.”
Old General Mu was immediately jealous. He glared at Shangguan LingRan with rounded tiger eyes. He stroked his beard as he threatened, “It seems that I have to carefully consider your request to marry You’er……”
“Grandfather is an exception of course.” Old General Mu hadn’t finished voicing his threat yet when Shangguan LingRan pushed Zi You into Old General Mu’s arms.
He smiled like a fox, but was endlessly black belly. Huh! When YouYou is my wife, I won’t let her go back to her maiden family! What do you think you think you can do to me then?
Old General Mu and Mu YingYi asked Zi You what she had experienced in the Indian G.o.d Realm these past two years of course.