Chapter 5775: Useless
The skeletal monkeys leaped in groups, climbing onto nearby Tundong maidservants and tearing at them wildly. Some maids screamed in terror, rolling on the ground, their heads bashed in by the monkeys' punches and kicks. These monkeys weren't particularly strong in attack, but they were certainly grotesque. Everyone was caught off guard, and several fell victim to them. By the time they reacted, several Tundong maidservants had already been dragged into the woods by the monkey pack, screeching wildly.
Qiao Lin shouted, "Save them!" and everyone immediately unleashed waves of spiritual energy towards the monkey horde.
Qingluo supported Princess Huaizhu, retreating continuously, her face pale. She stammered, "How can there be so many ghostly things here?"
"This forest is thick with mist and miasma; what isn't here?" Qiao Lin found this maidservant extremely strange. Everyone standing there possessed at least some mystic power. When faced with danger, wouldn't they resist? Just hiding and waiting for someone to save them? If rescue wasn't timely, would they just end up like those maidservants who passively surrendered, waiting to be dragged into the deep mist by the monkeys and devoured?
These zombified monkeys were incredibly strong, forming groups of over a dozen, attacking them in hordes. Although their attack power wasn't great, they won by sheer numbers. At a glance, Qiao Lin saw dense masses of skeletal monkey heads, probably a thousand or more.
"Go!" Mo Yu commanded, and everyone followed him, fighting their way through the mist-shrouded thicket. Along the way, they killed many skeletal monkeys, but their ears were constantly filled with the loud cries of the Tundong women. Everyone shook their heads repeatedly, merely shouting "keep up" and then no longer bothering with them. In the face of danger, whose life wasn't precious? At least Mo Yu wasn't willing to lose his soldiers for these fools.
Fortunately, these monkeys, though their numbers were terrifying, only attacked by flailing and grappling, completely no match for the numerous Mystic Masters and Spirit Masters. Everyone fought and rushed forward, quickly breaking out of the skeletal monkey encirclement and soon seeing the village entrance in the distance.
Mo Yu subconsciously grabbed Qiao Lin's hand, pulling her to the forefront as they dashed out.
Princess Huaizhu, surrounded and jostled by her people, ran out of breath, constantly clutching her chest and gasping for air. Qiao Lin looked back and couldn't help but shake her head. It's one thing to have poor combat skills, but if you struggle even to escape... what future is there in life then? Her sister once told her that if your cultivation wasn't as good as others, you at least needed skills to escape and some defensive abilities. This Princess Huaizhu was probably too well-protected by the entire Tundong Kingdom. She was clearly a Mystic Master herself, yet she couldn't even kill a low-level corpse puppet. When she saw zombified or mutated creatures, she would only cry and scream in terror. If she lost her princess status, she would be nothing but trash that anyone could crush with a single finger.
Mo Yu found her continuous head-shaking amusing. "What's wrong?"
"Just say what's on your mind."
"Nothing," Qiao Lin was just a little emotional.
"Tell me," Mo Yu said, holding her small hand and walking quickly forward. "The village entrance is ahead; we should be safe now."
"I just feel that when you go out and see the world, you realize there are all kinds of people," Qiao Lin pouted.
Mo Yu couldn't help but chuckle. "You're not fond of that princess, are you?"
The Price of Privilege
"It's not about being fond or not," Qiao Lin shook her head. They were originally two types of people with no connection whatsoever. Once they returned to the capital, they would go their separate ways, so there was no need for her to dislike her.
"Those rich young ladies in the capital are the same," Mo Yu chimed in, pouting. "They're so delicate, as if carrying a bag of rice would instantly kill them."
Qiao Lin burst out laughing. "Don't worry. Which of those noblewomen in the capital hasn't been tormented by my sister?"
"Now that my sister is back, they'll probably walk around her to avoid her."
Mo Yu remembered those past events and couldn't help but laugh heartily. He felt stifled for his old father. Back then, whenever he hosted banquets for his officials, if the Crown Princess attended, there was never a good feast or a good meeting. In the end, the officials would feel a little uneasy whenever they saw the young Crown Princess.
"I remember they said back then that before attending any palace banquet, they had to eat two steamed buns at home first, otherwise, they would definitely not be full."
Qiao Lin laughed heartily. "Exactly! After three rounds of wine, there's always trouble. There's always someone with poor judgment who provokes my sister." Her sister was not someone to be trifled with; she'd take out one, then a pair, pfft...
As they talked about amusing things, Little Lin gestured animatedly with her hands as they walked ahead.
Princess Huaizhu, surrounded and jostled by her circle, felt utterly miserable. She glared at their retreating figures and said sourly, "What is there so much to talk about?" These two were together all day, seemingly with endless things to say, chattering about this and that, old stories. She truly didn't know what was so interesting to talk about.
"Ah, Princess, be careful!" a maid screamed.
A monkey, having slipped through their defenses, suddenly jumped down from above their heads. Its skeletal face was about to press against Huaizhu's neck. Huaizhu screamed in terror, shoving the maid who had warned her, pushing her directly into the monkey's embrace. The skeletal monkey delivered a punch, immediately smashing the poor palace maid's head. Everyone saw the red and white gushing out and scattered in horror, fleeing in all directions.
Huaizhu crawled and scrambled forward, trying to escape, screaming as she ran, "Your Royal Highness, Your Royal Highness!"
Mo Yu and Qiao Lin were just talking about something amusing when they turned, still holding hands, and saw her, disheveled and tear-streaked, running towards them in utter disarray. Behind her, a skeletal monkey, covered in human blood, pursued her relentlessly.
"How dare you!" Baozi the guard stepped forward, drawing his sword and blocking Princess Huaizhu, who had her hair disheveled. With a swift movement of his hand and sword, the skeletal monkey's large head was cut off by Baozi the guard, rolling to the side, no longer moving.
Huaizhu seemed utterly terrified, collapsing onto the ground with a thud, her body limp, unable to even crawl.
Qiao Lin couldn't help but murmur, "Useless." It wasn't that Qiao Lin looked down on those with low mystic power, but this Princess Huaizhu—from her very core, including her heart—was utterly useless. If she hadn't deliberately pushed that palace maid just now to block the skeletal monkey, how would that person have died? She only needed to wave her hand and unleash a wave of mystic power; she might have been able to send the skeletal monkey flying. Yet she didn't; she only screamed and pushed her subordinate to her death. She truly didn't understand why those fools around her still followed her. This person clearly didn't value the lives of those around her. Perhaps in her view, these palace maids were as lowly as weeds, and it was their blessing to sacrifice their lives for the princess.
A sharp glint flashed in Qiao Lin's eyes.