Chapter 363: Repaying a Life-Saving Favor
Seeing Yu Luo’s shocked expression, Chi Jincheng, now dressed in fresh clothes, led her toward the campfire.
Before Yu Luo even understood what he intended, his two subordinates, quick-witted as ever, had already brought over two small stools, even moving a small table from the carriage.
“Warm yourself first and have some food. Then we’ll continue traveling. Since my men have tracked down Madam Yu, they will continue following her and send me updates.”
Hearing this, Yu Luo’s eyes lit up. She immediately turned to him with hopeful anticipation.
“Then why not have them rescue my mother right away? If they take her to the Imperial City, who knows if they plan to use her to blackmail my father and Luocheng? While they’re still on the road, it would be much easier to act!”
She had already troubled Chi Jincheng so much—what was one more request?
Seeing her anxious expression, Chi Jincheng remained calm.
He picked up a piece of pastry, placed it into her hands, and spoke slowly, “Rescuing Madam Yu alone wouldn’t be difficult. But don’t you want to find out who’s behind all this?”
That was true. Simply saving her mother wouldn’t solve the bigger problem.
“But… my mother is still pregnant. Wouldn’t this be too risky? Besides, once she reaches their territory, we’ll lose any advantage.”
Just thinking about her mother’s condition—being pregnant at her age—Yu Luo was more concerned about her safety than uncovering the mastermind.
The moment she mentioned pregnancy, Chi Jincheng’s ever-composed expression flickered with surprise.
He immediately turned to Xuan Di.
“Catch up with the group. Assist our men in protecting Madam Yu. If there’s any danger, prioritize her safety. If an opportunity arises, rescue her first and then have others track the culprits.”
“Understood, Master.”
With that, Xuan Di disappeared into the night with a light movement technique.
“Don’t worry, Yu Luo. Over ten of my men are already shadowing them. Xuan Di will act accordingly. Besides…”
He paused, then gave her a small reassuring smile.
“I have some influence in the Imperial City. I won’t let Madam Yu be in danger.”
Hearing this, Yu Luo finally exhaled in relief.
She gave Chi Jincheng a grateful smile.
“Honestly, I owe you for this. If it weren’t for your men, I’d still be blindly searching for my mother even after reaching Lanyue Kingdom. I wouldn’t have found her so quickly.”
“No need to be so formal. After what we’ve been through, I’d say we’re at least friends, no?”
Hearing the word ‘friends’, Yu Luo relaxed completely.
The close encounters in the dark cave and river—which could have easily been misinterpreted—suddenly didn’t seem so awkward anymore.
She offered a sincere smile, adjusting her clothes, while Chi Jincheng handed her a white towel.
“Dry your hair first. Have some food. We still have some time before dawn—it’s the perfect time to travel.”
“Alright. Thanks.”
After resting briefly, her hair mostly dry, Yu Luo was ready to set off.
However, instead of taking the carriage, she chose to travel by light-footed movement.
“You’ve been awake for almost two days straight. If you take the carriage, you can at least rest a little. It’s only about a hundred miles to your mother’s location—we don’t have to rush.”
It was true. She was exhausted—but her worry for her mother made it hard to relax.
By now, she no longer doubted Chi Jincheng’s intentions.
Still, she wouldn’t feel at ease until she saw her mother herself.
In the end, she got into the carriage—she really did need the rest.
The gentle rocking soon lulled her into deep sleep.
When she awoke, a thin blanket covered her.
Chi Jincheng was leaning against the carriage wall, eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
Peeking outside, Yu Luo noticed the autumn leaves turning yellow as they passed by.
The road was peaceful, with occasional travelers along the official route.
This calm and orderly scenery—it had been so long since she’d seen anything like it.
For the first time, she truly felt that this was the kind of place where humans were meant to live.
Even though Luocheng had thrived under their efforts, the wilderness would always be the wilderness.
They had transformed it into a paradise, yet it lacked the warmth of civilization—that unspoken sense of belonging.
Perhaps everyone who ended up in the wilderness carried untold burdens.
But here, this was stability.
Retracting her gaze, she found Chi Jincheng awake, sipping tea.
When she turned back, their eyes met directly.
“Honestly, you didn’t have to follow me all this way. Just bringing me here is already more than enough.”
Chi Jincheng arched a brow, amused.
“After all we’ve been through, you’re still keeping your distance?”
Yu Luo let out an awkward laugh.
“We’re not exactly close, after all. I’ve troubled you so much—used up so many of your resources—I feel like I owe you more and more. I’m even considering whether I should accept the request you made before.”
Chi Jincheng had not expected her firm refusal from earlier to suddenly waver after just one night’s sleep.
“Oh? And what have you decided?”
Yu Luo’s lips curved into a playful smirk.
“They say a life-saving favor must be repaid. Even if I have to risk my life, I should at least return the favor. Naturally, I’ve decided to accept.”
Chi Jincheng’s hand froze mid-motion.
It was rare to see him caught off guard, but Yu Luo had managed to do it.
Enjoying his brief moment of shock, she waved a finger in front of him.
“What’s wrong, Young Master Chi? Surprised? But let’s make this clear first—there can’t be too many people.”
“Not many—just fifty thousand. Thank you in advance, Yu Luo.”
“Fifty thousand?!”
That was a massive force—feeding them alone would be a challenge.
“They can’t stay underground forever, and there’s the issue of supplies—”
“The underground base is just for training. In daily life, they’ll blend in as farmers. Just grant me a section of land—give me Luo City’s outer ring. We’ll even pay taxes. What do you think?”
