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Chapter 49: The Mute Speaks Up

Ashura stepped slowly down from the wagon, careful not to disturb Daifei or the other mercenaries.

At dawn only 2 mercenaries stood yawning on the camp’s perimeter, keeping watch on the depths of the forest.

His injuries were half healed, so Ashura removed the bandages and inspected the abdominal wound that the girl had stitched.

The cut had already closed, and the strands of the girl’s black hair that she had sewn in were embedded in the fresh pink flesh, which Ashura honestly found rather pretty.

The broken bone in his left hand had also knit, and although the arm could not yet exert full strength, it already moved freely.

Ashura glanced again at the gash on his abdomen and sighed inwardly, for he had been within a breath of death back then, yet his do-or-die style had fortunately let him laugh last.

He believed no other freshman at the academy could have done better than he had, not even Menlo, the top new Warrior.

The thought made his confidence surge, and he stretched lazily, joints cracking all over, for several days on the wagon had left his whole body sore.

Just then a figure charged out of a tent with a spear leveled at him, apparently alerted by the sound of his stretch.

It was Captain John, and when he saw Ashura still frozen mid-stretch in the center of camp, he could not hide his shock.

He clearly remembered the grievous wounds the youth had suffered 5 days earlier, so seeing him walking around already naturally filled him with dread.

Ashura noticed Captain John’s tightening grip on the spear, so he immediately gave a friendly smile and spread his hands to show he meant no harm.

Captain John still did not lower the weapon and said coolly, “Sir, are your injuries healed?”

Ashura kept smiling and shook his head.

Captain John went on, “If you are fine now, please leave on your own; the Bida Mercenary Corps has no wish to be drawn into trouble!”

Ashura understood the concern behind the words, so he nodded first and then shook his head.

Before Captain John could ask again, the rest of the camp heard the commotion and came out to see what was happening.

Daifei woke and, finding the bed empty, was startled, then she heard the voices outside and lifted the wagon curtain to look out.

When she saw the mute boy who listened to her every day standing shirtless in the middle of the camp, she jumped off the wagon and ran to him, happily asking, “Mute, are you better, did you recover so fast, looks like my care really worked…?”

The girl kept chirping away, thinking far less than her godfather did and simply feeling happy about Ashura’s recovery.

Ashura merely smiled at her and said, “Thank you.”

Daifei casually replied, “No need to thank me, I just….”

She suddenly fell silent, staring wide-eyed at the black-haired youth before stammering, “Y-you… you’re not mute?”

Ashura laughed aloud and said, “I never told you I was mute; you decided that on your own!”

Her face flushed scarlet, she stamped her foot and ran back into her wagon.

At the sight, the older mercenaries guffawed, while the younger ones glared at Ashura with hostility.

Captain John asked Ashura again, “Sir, what do you intend to do next?”

Hearing the thinly veiled dismissal, Ashura gave a wry smile and said, “Captain John, friends, first I am grateful for the rescue, and I am willing to pay a reward to repay this favor!”

“Second, my wounds are not yet fully healed, so I would like to travel with you to Puro City; rest assured I mean no harm and am involved in no dispute, and once we reach Puro City I will leave on my own!”

John and the others exchanged looks, and after thinking for a moment the captain said, “You may come with us to Puro City, but I hope everything you said is true.”

“Besides, Daifei is the one who saved you, so you only need to thank her!”

Ashura nodded with a smile to show his agreement, yet the red-clad girl broke her usual pattern and hid in the wagon, refusing to show her face.

Not until Captain John ordered the column to move did the red-clad Daifei reluctantly climb out and sit at the front of the wagon to drive.

Ashura likewise stayed outside, sprawling on the seat beside her and watching Daifei steer the wagon forward.

Seeing the girl pout so dramatically, Ashura could not help laughing and asked, “You talked nonstop these past few days, so how come you turned mute now?”

Daifei ignored him completely and turned her little head away.

Ashura had experience coaxing girls, for he had often placated Lan Yu and Magina at the academy.

His eyes turned and he fished from his storage belt a packet of credit-grade snacks that Na Wei had given him when he left the academy… juicy stick-shaped plant fruit coated with royal jelly from a 4-rank Tuku Hive Queen.

Ashura usually did not eat snacks and could not bring himself to throw away credit food, so the treat had lasted until now and finally proved useful, and he held the sweet-smelling tidbit to Daifei’s lips.

Daifei’s eyes locked onto it at once, for she had never seen such a treat and its sugary aroma alone promised deliciousness.

Yet she did not reach out, because her upbringing and manners would not let her accept gifts lightly.

Ashura said earnestly, “Go ahead and eat; you saved my life, and this is part of my thanks, I won’t harm you, trust me!”

Daifei bit her lip and answered haughtily, “I didn’t save you for some reward; it just means fate wasn’t done with you.”

“Besides, I’m not afraid of you… I’m a Warrior Stage 3, you know; if you have any bad ideas, hmph hmph~”

With that she waved her tiny fist, and Ashura immediately spread his hands to show respect before offering the royal-jelly-coated snack again.

Still wrestling with herself, she glanced at Ashura and said, “You really are awful, tricking me into thinking you were mute; I only told you so many secrets because you were mute.”

“I thought a mute couldn’t spill my secrets, but just look at you… you were much less annoying when you lay there motionless in the wagon!”

Ashura could only laugh and plead, saying, “Alright, alright, it’s all my fault; I really couldn’t speak back then, and I promise I’ll never repeat a word of what you told me!”

“Please be magnanimous and forgive me, let this snack be my apology!”

Hearing his concession, Daifei stopped sulking, gave a soft snort, took the snack, and bit into it impatiently.

Sweetness flooded her mouth, and she had never tasted such a wonderful treat.

As she chewed, her happy eyes curved into crescent moons.

Ashura had seen the same look on chubby Na Wei, and he could not help chuckling to himself.

Catching his teasing expression, the girl guessed he was laughing at her, blushed, shook her tiny fist again, and tossed the reins to Ashura.

Holding the snack, she hopped off the wagon in a few quick bounds and called Captain John, wanting to share the treat with her godfather.

Captain John hesitated when he learned the snack came from Ashura, yet he could not resist his beloved daughter’s wheedling and took a bite of the exotic delicacy.

Only then did Daifei return to Ashura’s wagon, leaving the reins in his hands while she nibbled on the sweet snack.

The girl soon regained her usual chatter and kept chirping nonstop.

Ashura played along, trading jokes that made her double over in laughter.

Several young mercenaries nearby were close to crushing their reins, wishing they could take Ashura’s place.

Scenes of chatting so happily with the girl existed only in these youngsters’ dreams…

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