Chaotic World Book-Chapter 58 - 57 We Were Deceived

The drizzle persisted.

Zhao Changhe, no longer in his straw cape and hat, held a large umbrella and walked along the city street with Cui Yuanyang.

Though the umbrella was large, he shaded mostly toward Cui Yuanyang's side, leaving half of his shoulder exposed to the gradually soaking rain, yet he seemed unconcerned.

Cui Yuanyang walked silently beside him, half a step behind, feeling that this "running away from home" to "follow her idol" had a touch of imminent doom, but it wasn't completely disastrous.

She could sense Zhao Changhe's distancing and even disdain for the Aristocratic Family, feeling that they were not birds of a feather... Although he didn't say it outright, one could still vaguely feel it.

Cui Yuanyang hadn't turned her elbow out yet; of course, she stood by her own family, and suddenly felt a growing distance from Zhao Changhe.

So it was a glimpse of death.

And what to say... She wasn't sure if it was self-sabotage... Initially, Zhao Changhe's rough and wild charm held a fatal attraction for a young girl who grew up in a refined environment and was at her rebellious age. But upon closer interaction, she found him surprisingly gentle and polite, caring like a family member.

It might be normal—to act wildly among bandits and show manners before an aristocrat's daughter—but the attraction was not as strong now, it felt more "one of the masses"... Uh... Was this really self-sabotage?

She scratched her head.

Touched the bunny ears.

Cui Yuanyang felt a bit better.

After all, his gentle and polite demeanor was truly different from others who flattered with an agenda; polite on the surface, yet rebellious to the core.

So it wasn't completely disastrous.

Cui Yuanyang suddenly wondered if the very thing that made him feel distant was what attracted her to him. Wasn't that a contradiction?

The young girl couldn't tell.

Anyway, he was definitely a gentleman; she hadn't misjudged him, right? Upon returning home, even if her father and brothers lectured her, she could stand her ground.

Wasn't it just following him to experience life in the Worldly Society? What could following her brother achieve? They were coddled by the Government Office and various families along the way, never fighting a battle in Beimang. How could that compare to stepping into the Worldly Society and facing life-and-death struggles?

Now Cui Yuanyang even viewed the roadside beggars with suspicion, always wondering if one might be an assassin.

"Hey..." Cui Yuanyang couldn't help but quietly tug at Zhao Changhe's sleeve, "Look at that beggar, he's watching us. Could he be an assassin?"

"..." Zhao Changhe didn't bother with her and continued walking.

"Say something..."

"Is it possible that he's watching you because you keep looking at him? Maybe he's thinking if this young lady will give him money, why hasn't she approached yet?"

Cui Yuanyang, "... What if he really is an assassin?"

"If we don't approach, even if he is an assassin, what would he do?"

"Dark Weapon? Crossbow?"

"Why wouldn't he ambush from a hidden spot instead of dressing as a beggar sitting in the rain? Is he as foolish as you?"

Cui Yuanyang opened her mouth, huffing and remained silent.

"Worldly experience is something I don't have either. Yue Hongling has told me some tales, but it's not much different from reading novels; after all, one must experience it oneself," Zhao Changhe spoke slowly, "But some things require experience, while others can be deduced with logic... I also fear encountering completely illogical situations—it really gives me a headache, like your appearance."

Cui Yuanyang, "..."

What was this word 'logic'? What place was Zhao Mansion, introducing such strange colloquialisms.

Zhao Changhe suddenly stopped.

Cui Yuanyang, not paying attention, bumped into his back, but felt his body suddenly tense up as if he had immediately entered combat mode.

Cui Yuanyang peeked out from under his armpit, hearing footsteps approaching. A group of officials surged forward, "Zhao Changhe! A wanted criminal daring to swagger into the city, do you completely disregard the official authorities?"

Regardless of what Tang Wanzhuang was thinking on her end, she couldn't possibly communicate with official branches everywhere. In the eyes of a normal official, this guy really was a wanted criminal. Normally, they turned a blind eye due to their laziness, but here he was, brazenly entering the city...

Zhao Changhe's head was spinning. He never intended to provoke the officials—this was openly a violent group with a strong bow and crossbow. He couldn't handle it alone. He had planned to challenge the martial arts school and then leave town at night, but then he ran into this little dumbass, and even arranged for lodging and a bath. He had actually forgotten all about the matter...

His alertness had slipped; he could even forget something like this.

"Hey!" Cui Yuanyang poked his head out, "Do you guys know who I am?"

"Good one! Zhao Changhe! We heard you kidnapped a young girl, and it's true! Little girl, don't panic, we're here to save you!"

Cui Yuanyang: "?"

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Silly girl, you never go anywhere on your own initiative, what makes you think everyone knows you? Actually, it's better they don't know; otherwise, staying in an inn with little Miss Cui could lead to gossip, which may not be proper...

"Whoosh whoosh!" The sound of wind rose from all around, and elite forces from the Demon Suppression Department appeared on every rooftop.

Seeing there was no peaceful way out of this situation, Cui Yuanyang was about to show her Cui Family heirloom to prove her identity when she saw Zhao Changhe expressionlessly draw his sword... and then rested it on Cui Yuanyang's neck.

Cui Yuanyang: "???"

"Now everyone knows I kidnapped a young girl, but didn't you realize this is what 'having a hostage' means?" Zhao Changhe said. "Do you understand why she asked if you recognized her? It means she belongs to a prestigious official family, not someone you can just butcher along with the criminals. Look at this face, this demeanor, huh? And you'd better not ask whose daughter she is, otherwise, I wouldn't have had a chance to ruin her reputation before you did."

The elites of the Demon Suppression Department: "..."

Did you just say everything the leader was supposed to say? Why not just become an official yourself; what are you doing playing a bandit?

Cui Yuanyang understood and tilted her head, looking the sad part of a hostage without making a sound, not letting anyone see the shock and gratitude in her eyes.

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On the right-side rooftop, a middle-aged leader from the Demon Suppression Department shouted sternly, "Zhao Changhe! I thought at least you were an honorable man, but to do such a despicable thing!"

"Tsks, since when did you regard me as an honorable man... aren't bandits just like this?" Zhao Changhe shouted loudly. "If you don't want this cute little bunny's tender neck snapped in two, then clear the path!"

The officials looked to their leader, who hesitated uncomfortably. Under broad daylight and in front of public eyes, he ultimately couldn't order them to cut down the hostage too, so he reluctantly waved his hand: "Make way."

Zhao Changhe, dragging Cui Yuanyang, slowly walked out of the city gates. Outside, he suddenly sprinted, dashing into the forest beside the road and quickly disappeared with agile twists and turns.

His laughter lingered in the air: "I'm not just a bandit, maybe next time I'll have my eye on Tang Wanju! Tell her to clean herself up and wait!"

A group of elites from the Demon Suppression Department chased after him but instantly lost sight of Zhao Changhe.

"He cuts through these woods like he's going home."

"Born from bandits, after all."

"Should we chase him?"

No one responded; in fact, no one really wanted to. Taking a hostage always made a mess of things. What's the point in chasing him? Zhao Changhe wasn't easy to provoke. The landscape here was different from inside the city, a fight could lead to casualties. For a few pieces of silver a month, who would want to risk their lives...

Everyone exchanged looks and painfully pondered: "That last thing he said, should we pass it along to Chief Tang?"

"Your mother's fart, do you want to die because I sure don't!"

"There were so many onlookers, someone is bound to tell Chief Tang..."

"Well, that's not our concern."

"...Who exactly was that young lady? She was really pretty, a shame if she gets treated badly by those swines."

"Don't know, Zhao Changhe did have a point. Better we don't ask, otherwise we might end up on the bad side of her family."

"What BS lady of the house!" someone huffed as they hurried over, exhausted, "Jinxiu Clothing Store reported a theft; last night a rabbit fur jacket went missing, and isn't that it! And there's a mandarin duck bellyband, the kind used by the girls from the Yihong Brothel—is that something a decent family's lady would use? This woman is just part of Zhao Changhe's gang, playing the cute on the outside but risque on the inside game, get it? We've all been tricked by Zhao Changhe..."

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