A Top Scholar in Everything-Chapter 83: Old Wu Tou

After a brief shock, the three prisoners used all their strength to try to break free from the Turtle Shell Binding on them.

"Damn, this guy is using the orthodox Japanese technique, which should have been lost after Japan’s downfall!"

"Damn it, stop cursing and help me untie this knot."

"These double-headed lizards may be herbivores, but once they charge over, the three of us will be squashed into meat patties."

Dozens of seconds later.

The vines were finally untangled with rustling sounds.

The three of them looked horrified and, without thinking, fled in three different directions.

"Old Blackhead, where are you going? That kid just headed toward the river!"

The oldest man among them, as soon as he got free, started running towards the river.

The remaining two wanted to stop him.

But behind them was an army of lizards, and any delay could be costly, so they could only grit their teeth and flee in the other two directions.

The prisoner called Old Blackhead had his own thoughts.

He was over fifty years old.

Physically and energetically, he was no match for the other two.

If the three fled in different directions, the double-headed lizards would most likely chase him.

Only by jumping into the river and swimming to the opposite bank could he escape the pursuit.

These lizards didn’t like swimming.

Since he had been transferred to this forest for imprisonment, he had observed most of the species in the forest.

Double-headed lizards didn’t go into the water.

"Almost... almost there, swim into the river, and I can survive."

"They promised, as long as I get through this, they’ll reduce my sentence. I’ve already been imprisoned for fifteen years, and with a reduction, I can be released right away."

Old Blackhead panted heavily.

With something on his mind, his steps seemed to quicken.

However.

Generally, those with this kind of mentality never end well.

Just like "I’ll go home and get married after this battle," or "Once I finish this job, I’ll wash my hands of it," the outcome often runs contrary to the intention.

If he were steady enough, he wouldn’t have such thoughts.

But...

He was not a steady man.

So, after escaping thirty meters away, Old Blackhead felt his ankle hit something.

Immediately after.

A small, bent tree next to him sprung up quickly, with the vines on its tip stretching taut.

A slight external force while running could upset someone’s balance.

Not to mention the traps Baiyu had meticulously set.

Old Blackhead’s left foot was tied by the vines, and he felt the world spin, tumbling to the ground like a stubborn ox, with his mouth full of mud.

"Damn it!"

"That kid looks friendly, but he has such a vicious heart."

He wailed, turning his head.

Dozens of double-headed dragons, red-eyed, vibrated the air with a "buzz" and advanced relentlessly.

Old Blackhead’s face turned ashen.

Am I going to die?

He had no regrets.

Because, over a decade ago, he was fervent and robbed a noble, it was not unreasonable to be sentenced to death.

Showing good behavior and actively reforming in prison, coupled with the warden’s sympathy, his death sentence was exceptionally commuted to life imprisonment. If he completed this task, he should be able to get released.

At this critical moment, everyone originally thought it was just a game of hunter and prey with some young master.

But...

If he died, he died.

He just felt pity for his daughter, who was only a few years old back then; he didn’t know how she had been all these years.

He really, really wanted to see her once.

Chop.

As tears welled in his eyes.

A flash of a knife sliced through the vines, and a figure leaped down from a nearby tree.

"I still have use for you. If you don’t want to die, get up," Baiyu sheathed the knife and ran towards the river without looking back.

Old Blackhead looked at the army of lizards close at hand, disregarding everything else, and ran towards the river with Baiyu.

Splash.

Two splashes arose.

A few seconds later, the two of them sat on the riverbank.

A group of double-headed dragons, eyes red, glared intently, but none ventured into the water to swim over.

Indeed.

These double-headed lizards wouldn’t swim.

Old Blackhead gasped heavily, suddenly remembering his mission, his eyes fierce: "Kid, you surrender to me..."

Bam!

An iron-like fist punched his abdomen.

He immediately staggered back, retching on the riverbank like a shrimp.

"Even if you want to launch a sneak attack, at least do it when I’m unprepared, you idiot."

Baiyu frowned.

His water-soaked clothes made him uncomfortable, but now was not the time to focus on that.

His backpack was left on the other side of the river.

Food, emergency medical supplies, and the rescue phone were all in the bag.

The camera on his shoulder also fell off during the escape; he didn’t know if Pang Fei could monitor his situation.

It really turned into a wilderness survival game now.

Going back for the backpack was not realistic.

The lizards on the opposite bank seemed very vengeful and sat there without moving.

"Hey, have you had enough?"

Baiyu looked towards the riverbank.

Old Blackhead, struck by that punch, felt his insides churning, almost throwing up bitter water, instantly realizing the insurmountable gap in strength between him and this young man.

He drank a mouthful of river water, calmed down after the pain subsided, and came back over.

Baiyu found a large rock, took off his clothes and hung them on it to dry, "I ask you, how many prisoners are there in this forest?"

"About a hundred."

Old Blackhead sat beside, panting: "But those with strength gather together; those of us alone have no one who wants us."

"They have small organizations too?" Baiyu was quite surprised.

"This forest was originally used to exile death row criminals; there have been prisoners living in it before.

Their leader is called Crow.

We were moved in later, and the strong ones got absorbed into Crow’s small group.

He has about thirty people, and they’ve built a camp in the center of the forest; no one dares to mess with them.

You must be here for training, right? They generally don’t target trainee students.

Those people are heinous criminals and couldn’t possibly have their sentences reduced.

So they can’t muster the motivation and won’t cause you trouble for no reason."

Old Blackhead, now frightened by the punch, held nothing back.

That punch just now almost sent him to see Lord Radiance.

"From what you say, you are still salvageable?" Baiyu curiously asked.

"I think... I can still be saved," Old Blackhead breathed heavily, unashamed.

"What did you do to get in?"

"Robbery, but it was robbing from the rich to help the poor!

A noble from the South District wanted to buy my daughter.

I struck at midnight, stripped him of his clothes and pants, and left him at the market gate for hours."

Old Blackhead was quite proud.

"You only stole clothes and pants, and you’re still laughing?" Baiyu rolled his eyes, "If you don’t want to die, start a fire for me. You know how to make fire by friction, right? This is simple, you shouldn’t need me to teach you."

"Yes... yes."

Old Blackhead nodded quickly.

......

An hour later.

Red flames rose beneath a large rock by the river.

Baiyu skewered the head he cut off from a double-headed dragon with a short knife, roasting it over the fire, and then began to squeeze the last moisture from his clothes.

"Tell me, where’s that Crow’s camp."

The voice broke the silence of the night.

Smelling the roasted meat’s aroma.

Old Blackhead was shaken, somewhat incredulous, "You’re going to find trouble with Crow?"