Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 316 - 296: Who Are You Exactly?

Meng Qianqian glanced towards the stranger, still shaken, but the torrential rain made it impossible for her to keep her eyes open.

All she could vaguely make out was a straw hat and a black cloak.

The stranger forcefully pulled her up.

As she had just tilted her head back, Meng Qianqian choked on some rainwater and knelt on the ground, coughing uncontrollably.

"Thank... *cough cough*... thank you..."

The stranger turned around and walked coldly into the rain.

Meng Qianqian called after him, "Wait, I haven’t asked your name yet."

Judging by his attire, he clearly wasn’t part of any military camp.

There were many royals and nobles who had come here for the hunt, but she couldn’t determine his background.

However, the stranger still didn’t respond, instead quickening his steps to leave.

Meng Qianqian found it baffling. She stood up and tried to catch up with him, "Sir, please wait."

The stranger stopped in his tracks, "It was just a small favor."

Hearing his voice, Meng Qianqian froze.

How could she describe it?

It sounded like something dragged out of an old, broken bellows, clearly not the voice of an ordinary person.

"Hold on."

Meng Qianqian called after him again, "This is the Royal Hunting Ground, where entry by unidentified persons is prohibited. I ask that you truthfully reveal who you are, so I can decide whether to let you leave."

This person had just saved her, but rules were rules.

Anyone suspicious appearing in the hunting ground was subject to questioning.

The stranger showed no intention of answering and strode quickly away through the pouring rain.

Meng Qianqian furrowed her brows.

His behavior was peculiar. It wasn’t just his sudden appearance and his refusal to share his identity after saving her. He wouldn’t even speak another word, all while concealing his face behind a mask.

"Stop."

"If you insist on leaving, I might have to force you to stay."

"Sir!"

Meng Qianqian’s face darkened as she gazed at the cloaked man walking further away. Suddenly, she activated her Qinggong to pursue him.

She managed to grip his shoulder.

The stranger bent at the waist in a swift move, deftly twisting to free himself from her hold.

Her left hand drew the Brocade Spring Saber from her waist and slashed upward, breaking the stranger’s straw hat and slashing through the silver mask beneath.

Half of the mask fell away, exposing a face that had been severely burned.

Meng Qianqian’s expression shifted dramatically.

The stranger stared directly at her, his gaze unwavering.

Meng Qianqian hadn’t expected his masked face to look like this. No wonder he wore a mask and avoided speaking.

She quickly sheathed her saber, "My apologies."

"Can I leave now?"

The man asked.

"Yes."

Meng Qianqian nodded.

The man turned and vanished into the rain.

Meng Qianqian watched his retreating figure, her brows furrowing slightly, and called out, "Have we met before?"

Without hesitation, the man replied, "No."

"No?"

Meng Qianqian glanced down at her palm. When he had pulled her up moments ago, she’d felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

She picked up the half mask on the ground, intending to return it to him, but when she lifted her gaze, the stranger was nowhere to be seen.

"If only Ji Li were here... forget it, his compass is broken, it wouldn’t help anyway."

Meng Qianqian pocketed the mask, deciding to have an identical one made when she returned to the Capital City. The next time fate brought them together, she would return the new mask.

She pressed onward, searching for Luo San.

As she walked, she whistled loudly and without reservation.

She was out in the open, while Luo San remained hidden. Since finding Luo San wasn’t easy, it was better to lure Luo San out to find her.

She wandered alone, presenting an opportune moment for an ambush.

Luo San, come catch this grand beauty!

"Meng Xiaojiu! What kind of crazy antics are you up to this time?"

An all-too-familiar voice suddenly echoed from the mountain path ahead.

Meng Qianqian flinched and looked up, "Grand Commander?"

Lu Yuan stood halfway up the mountain, holding an oil-paper umbrella. He gazed at her with an air of aloofness, "It’s only been one day, and you’ve already turned yourself into a soaked mess. Do you not think of taking an umbrella when you go out?"

Meng Qianqian waved her hand dismissively, "I didn’t expect it would rain!"

"Come here."

Lu Yuan said.

"Alright."

Meng Qianqian obediently walked up to him.

He handed the umbrella to her.

Meng Qianqian quickly waved her hands, "No need, no need. I don’t mind getting wet in the rain."

Lu Yuan replied coolly, "I’m telling you to hold the umbrella."

Meng Qianqian: "..."

She pouted and took the oil-paper umbrella, holding it high above his head.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he started walking forward, "It’s crooked."

Meng Qianqian glared at him briefly and tilted the umbrella sharply towards him, "How about now?"

Lu Yuan: "Meng Xiaojiu, are you trying to act defiant towards me?"

Meng Qianqian immediately backed down, "Little Nine wouldn’t dare."

Lu Yuan said, "Let’s find a cave to take shelter from the rain first."

Meng Qianqian: "Got it."

In the forest within the Royal Hunting Ground, there were plenty of wooden huts and caves for soldiers to rest, so finding one wasn’t difficult.

About fifteen minutes later, they discovered a relatively clean cave.

Though small, the cave shielded them from the wind and contained plenty of dry leaves and firewood.

"Grand Commander, hold on, let me start a fire."

Meng Qianqian closed the umbrella and stood in the cave, lighting the leaves with a firestarter and adding twigs. Soon, a small fire was ablaze.

"Grand Commander, you must be chilled—come warm yourself by the fire."

She gestured for Lu Yuan to sit near the fire.

Lu Yuan didn’t refuse.

Meng Qianqian sat beside him, using a twig to stoke the fire so it burned fiercer.

"Grand Commander, are you hungry?" ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Do you think everyone is like you, always thinking about food?"

"Of course, Grand Commander doesn’t partake in common worldly indulgences."

"Meng Xiaojiu!"

"I brought some wild fruits!"

Meng Qianqian pulled several large, ripe fruits from her quiver, "Grand Commander, have some to tide over your hunger. Once the rain stops, I’ll hunt some game for you to enjoy."

Lu Yuan casually picked a fruit, only then noticing the mud on her hands, "Your hands are filthy. What happened earlier?"

Meng Qianqian replied breezily, "Nothing much, nearly fell off a cliff to my death. Luckily, I’ve got a strong destiny."

Lu Yuan said coldly, "Who told you to come to such a dangerous place?"

Meng Qianqian said, "I’m here to find Luo San."

Lu Yuan glanced at her, "Were you acting like a lunatic earlier for the sake of finding Luo San?"

Meng Qianqian huffed, "Lunatic? Don’t make it sound so harsh. I call it ’luring the snake out of its hole’! *cough cough* I choked a bit on the rainwater earlier."

Lu Yuan tossed her a water pouch.

Meng Qianqian grabbed it, pulled off the stopper, and took several large gulps, "Ah, much better! Is this mountain spring water? It tastes so fresh! Grand Commander, you should have some too."

Lu Yuan replied indifferently, "I’m not thirsty."

"Then I’ll drink it all."

Meng Qianqian didn’t hesitate to drain the water completely.

"By the way, Grand Commander, weren’t you with Yu Zichuan? Where is he now?"

Lu Yuan said, "Chasing after Luo San."

Meng Qianqian gasped, "You caught sight of Luo San?"

"Yes."

Lu Yuan nodded, "Luo San is even craftier than I imagined."

Meng Qianqian stood up, "If he’s that cunning, Yu Zichuan might not be able to deal with him alone. Which direction is he in? I’ll go after him!"