Escape

"Little Fei stop your stubbornness and get out of our way." Hu Gang seems angry when he sees Hu Fei interrupt their run.

"Uncle, this girl was kidnapped a while back, her posters are everywhere. As a guard, it is my duty to return her safely to her fiancée. Besides, you are openly attacking my comrades, that is certainly an obstruction of law." Hu Fei deliver his speech with a straight face, there is no second opinion in his head.

"I am your uncle and what I'm doing here are orders from the sect leader, so should listen to me and let us go at once."

"It is true I am a member of Crimson Tiger Sect, but I am also a town guard. If the sect is going to the wrong side of the law, it is also my duty to make it right. Uncle you do not need to worry, I will explain it to the sect leader myself. He is a just person, so he will understand. Just hand her over to me and I will plead forgiveness for your aggression against the town guards." Again, he delivers it straight without any restraint, even to his own uncle.

Hu Gang face red with anger. This kid just doesn't make any sense. He should respect his elder and help his own sect member, that is the reason he was sent to the town guards in the first place. How come this ungrateful brat suddenly choose to go against him?

The only reason Hu Gang hasn't attacking him yet is because he understands clearly, that he is not able to defeat him in a one on one fight.

Hu Gang is a respected veteran in his sect, but most of the respect didn't come from his extraordinary fighting ability. Instead, it comes from his hardworking attitude and the fact that his surname is Hu. He is not bad in fighting by any sense, but there is a lot of better talents there. There is a reason why he was sent to this escort mission, instead of join the battle against the White Crane.

One on one they might not be able to win, but together they should. There is no other way, at this state he will not hear anyone out. They have to knock some sense out of him, and do it fast. Liu Kaxing was worn off, but he is no longer the weak rich kid from before.

Hu Gang ferociously lead the attack. He is using the same technique as Hu Fei, but with a sabre as it commonly used by the Crimson Tiger Sect. As the most agile out of the three, Liu Kaxing chooses to harasses Hu Fei from different angles. While Hai Zhen sparingly looking for opening to launch surprise attacks.

The three of them soon able to get the upper hand, but Lu Lin is the one knocked Hu Fei down. Hu Fei shook from disbelief, the one he tried to rescue just attacks him. Now they can defeat him, they still have to find a way to end this fight. Killing him should be the last option they take, but otherwise how can they stop him from reporting them.

While Hu Gang is engulfed in his anger, Liu Kaxing thinks hard to settle this quick. Lu Lin's action gives him a room to change Hu Fei's belief, it was indeed the first time he ever seen Hu Fei perturbed. He always been so sure in everything he does, there is never a second thought came to his mind, Lu Lin attacking him was never crossed his mind.

"Stop it, the one you wished to save is here right now, why don't you ask her yourself what happened?"

"You guys kidnapped her, what else to be asked?" Hu Fei starts his attack soon after that.

"And now she just helping her kidnapper? Can you see what happen? The Fu was the one kidnapped her, we saved her and give her sanctuary, but even the Crimson Tiger can only do so much in this town. We need to get her out of town, out of their reach." Liu Kaxing tried hard to make him think of what really happened.

"She can plead her case in the court, but as of now we must take her back to her fiancée."

"Are you out of your mind? The judge was appointed by the Fu, in this city no one can get any official position without their approval. With that in mind, they do not have any power against Fu family." Liu Kaxing still try to explain in the middle of Hu Gang's angry shouts.

"But… but the law supposed to be above everyone, even the officials. The Mayor and the judge should obey them and…" Hu Fei starts stuttering, and his movement also gets slower.

"How about if those supposed to exert the law, breaking it themselves. Who is going to punish them?"

This time Hu Fei's brain work so hard, it almost forgets how to control his own body. After that, they easily subdue him, Hu Gang knock his sword off and Hai Zhen able to tackle him down.

"Think about it! We do not mean harm for anyone, especially you. We just want to save her and get out of this town quietly. If you tell anyone about us, not only you are going to doomed your own sect. You will also destroy her future and kill her father as well; their blood will be on your hand." It is not Liu Kaxing's style to use other people in his argument, but when the situation needs it, he is not as stubborn as the person he talks to.

This approach seems to work, as Hu Fei fell to silence. In his book, life always filled with white and black, there never was a grey area there. This time he has to choose between breaking the laws or condemning someone innocent.

He had sworn to protect the law, but the law itself was created to protect innocent people. Should he still protect it when it failed to serve its purpose? When it used to harm those, it should protect. For an eighteenth years old, this is the first time he is faced with such dilemma.

Liu Kaxing and co don't have the time to wait for him pondering his moral. He still cannot decide what he should do. However, Liu Kaxing knows that he will not back down once he said a word. With him and Hu Gang shaking him off, soon enough they got the words they wanted.

"I can't decide what is right or wrong, but as of now I will agree not to report you to the Mayor. Once I learn the truth though, I will bring all those guilty to the justice myself."

That will be enough time for them to get into their destination, an inn to the east of the city. There the beggar already prepared some reinforcement to escort them to the next town outside of Bai Qianshu authority, there they will safe.

The sun already rises and the bustling in the city has left behind. The party of five can finally relaxed, and choose to rest for a while on an old abandoned shack they found.

"Come on, let me rest a little bit more. I know we have to arrives before the sunset, but they will not abandon us just because we are late for a little bit, right?" Hai Zhen starts complaining when Hu Gang told them to move on.

They have been walking for a whole night, and the fight against Hu Fei has tired them badly even before they even start moving.

"As for now, it is impossible to arrive there on time, and we don't know who will be waiting for us there. Better not to push our luck and move as fast as we can. I also injured my leg in the fight earlier, so we cannot move as fast. Damn it! If it not for the brat, we should be able to relax a little bit. Don't worry though, I will get us expensive food and room at the inn later to compensate for both of you." The good food bit sold it for Hai Zhen, he stops sulking and start to move right away.

The road they take is quiet because of the chaos in Meifong City. Nobody try to come there, and people inside the city are afraid to get out of their home. At dusk their peaceful journey suddenly interrupted by horse's footsteps behind them.

Everyone stunned. Deep in their hearts, all of them guess the same thing. The sound not come from one horse, and they run with a rhythm. Horse riders from the direction from Meifong City can only be mean bad news. It is impossible to outrun horses, and playing hide and seek can only buy them some time.

"Mu Rong." They can hear Hu Gang mumble slightly.

The name that get their heart sank a little bit. Last time they heard this name is when it mentioned as equal as Gan Li, the very person destroyed them before.

Just like Gan Li, Mu Rong brings three companions with him. Unlike Gan Li though, he chooses to let his companions to attack first. Carefully watching the fight in front of him, learning his opponent's moves. The three swordsmen he brings are more than enough competition for the injured five men parties.

"You can kill the others, but don't hurt the girl. She really is Lu Lin. Those beggars truly have great information, they even know exactly the number of people escorting them." Mu Rong gives his orders loud and clear.

That simple order rattled the mind of Liu Kaxing and friends. After they heard that horse footsteps, they already try to guess who sold them out. Hu Gang already cursing Hu Fei earlier, there also a few Crimson Tiger members get into their shortlist. Never once they thought the beggar sect was the one crosses them out.

They were the one asking them to escort her out of town, but before even that, they also were the one rescuing her from the Fu Manor. Now they just double crossing them out, how is all of that even make sense.

"It got to be Li Han. That snake has nothing in his mind other than profit." Hai Zhen is the first one start cussing.

"Think about it! Everything he has done is for money. He might be the one sold her out the first time. He then asked us to help him rescue her, but then sold them back for even more money. He doesn't care about our money because it was nothing compared to what they offered him. We rescuing her and now escorting her out of town are only part of ruse, so everyone will think it was the Crimson Tiger and not the beggar doing it."

Hai Zhen still able to concocting crazy theories while fighting. It just the more Liu Kaxing hears it, the more believable the stories are. It complicated, but make sense. At least until another explanation comes up.

Believe it or not, it doesn't matter anymore. At this point, they are lucky enough to be able to survive this encounter. From what they heard, Mu Rong is not the only one chasing them. They just the first one to respond, and they have been travelling light, enabling them to arrives far ahead of their colleagues.

The old Liu Kaxing probably would have been giving up right now. His experience at the Crimson Tiger Sect has harden his mental state. He can withstand certain amount of pain, and keep looking for opportunity to turn back the disadvantage he has.

Even then, everything has a limit. As they fight longer and longer without finding a way to win, their hope gradually chipped off. When they heard other horses coming closer, they morale sunk even more.

It is slim chance these horses are there to help them, rather than attacking them. Mu Rong sudden scream just making thing clear for them.

"Mo Ji, stay away from this! I found them first, so they are mine by right."