Chapter 32: An Unlikely Alliance and a Bitter Pill

With a sense of assurance, Quan Haoqing entrusted the room to You An, departing only to slip into the adjacent chamber. There, he positioned himself by the wall, straining his ears to catch every murmur and movement from You An and their companions.

Having magnanimously permitted You An to keep tabs on him, Quan Haoqing considered it only fair, a reciprocal gesture, to now eavesdrop on You An in return.

****

Xie Xiang stirred from a profound, tranquil sleep, a luxury he hadn’t afforded himself in what felt like an eternity.

Yet, the very first face to greet his waking eyes struck him with an immediate, piercing annoyance.

“It’s you, You An.”

His voice, stiff and laced with arrogance, betrayed the innate sense of superiority Xie Xiang felt towards his usual victim.

This, predictably, ignited You An’s fury. He scoffed, “Indeed, who else but me? You collapsed, utterly plastered, in my room, so it was I who hauled you into this guest chamber. Unless you believe you sleepwalked in, wriggling onto the bed like some common maggot?”

Xie Xiang rubbed his head, a faint confusion clouding his features; he prided himself on his drinking capacity, so how had he succumbed to intoxication with such unexpected ease?

However, You An’s deliberately provocative words swiftly diverted his thoughts from that particular conundrum.

Much like a despised insect, once considered a mere plaything, suddenly snapping back, Xie Xiang instantly seethed with a desire to crush the life out of it.

Yet, as he prepared to strike, his gaze swept the room, revealing his solitary presence.

While they had certainly assaulted You An in the past, those occasions always saw at least two or three of their companions present, lending their support.

With only himself to rely on, he genuinely couldn’t guarantee an advantageous outcome.

“Perhaps you should temper your words, You An? Is this truly how you address your seniors in the gang? Such blatant disregard for rules will undoubtedly lead to a harsh lesson.”

Witnessing Xie Xiang’s initial intent to attack, only to recoil in utter cowardice upon realizing his isolation, merely resorting to impotent barking, You An felt a profound surge of revulsion.

‘What a waste.’

The memories of Xie Xiang and his cronies’ habitual bullying ignited a raging inferno within him.

It felt as though a troop of Qila monkeys (TL Note: A fictional species of mischievous, chattering monkeys.) were dancing on his very skull, his dignity utterly defiled.

With a dangerous glint in his eyes, You An retorted, “Ah, so that’s the custom! A senior in the gang is permitted to flout Boss Rong’s explicit commands, to barge into a fellow brother’s guest room, to gorge themselves and drink themselves into a stupor. A truly enlightening lesson, I must say. I can only wonder how Boss Rong will perceive this conduct once he learns of it.”

Xie Xiang’s expression instantly contorted, a sudden realization hitting him: he had almost completely forgotten that he was out on a crucial mission. For a fleeting moment, he even neglected to question how You An had come to know of his assignment, as the sheer terror of Rong Guangliang utterly suffocated his reason and intellect.

“Uh, this is just…”

Xie Xiang, fraught with panic, attempted to offer an explanation. Alas, the undeniable truth was his drunken collapse to the floor. As he gazed at the smug You An, a sudden thought struck him: ‘Hadn’t this scoundrel also passed out drunk?’

“What in the hell are you smirking about?! Weren’t you the very first one to drink yourself into oblivion? Dammit, Boss Rong will strip the hide right off you if he gets wind of this!”

You An let out a cold laugh, retorting, “How utterly amusing. And what exactly is the issue if I got drunk? I was dispatched by Boss Rong himself to assist Quan Haoqing. Do you even comprehend the meaning of ‘assistance’? Furthermore, I only succumbed to drink *after* I’d gleaned some vital intelligence. But you?! What revelations did *you* uncover? And what, precisely, was *your* mission?”

Xie Xiang’s face blanched, and he stammered, “Do you honestly believe Boss Rong will credit your solitary account?”

“My solitary account, you say? Who, pray tell, do you imagine arranged my placement here? The very person I was tasked to monitor caught you red-handed, hahahaha! Excellent, then. Let us return to Boss Rong right now, Quan Haoqing and I, and I sincerely hope you maintain this same stubborn defiance when you stand before him.”

Xie Xiang utterly capitulated, scrambling down from the table to pour tea and water for You An. “Brother You, I implore you, let this one transgression slide!”

Witnessing the man who habitually tormented him now groveling at his feet, You An felt a profound surge of satisfaction. “Allow you to walk away this time? Oh? And what, precisely, would be my recompense for such generosity?”

“Well, I still have some spirit stones…”

What followed was You An’s calculated extortion of Xie Xiang. Once he had ascertained that Xie Xiang had no further ‘oil’ to be squeezed, he summarily dismissed him, then turned and proceeded directly to Quan Haoqing’s room.

Stepping inside, he found Quan Haoqing reclining idly on the bed, who only roused himself to sit up once You An had fully entered the chamber.

Quan Haoqing inquired with a light chuckle, “And how fared our esteemed brother?”

“Having been brought to an understanding of his errors, he slunk away in disgrace. Oh, and by the way, this is a small token of that brother’s heartfelt sincerity.”

You An produced a handful of low-grade spirit stones, sifting them into Quan Haoqing’s waiting palm.

Quan Haoqing observed the scene with a wry amusement, for it was akin to attempting to bribe a millionaire with a mere handful of copper coins.

Yet, his face registered profound gratitude, even as he demurred, “Oh, this really isn’t necessary.”

All the while, his hand deftly slipped the low-grade spirit stones into his inner robes.

You An, with an air of cordiality, assured Quan Haoqing, “There’s no ‘not good’ about it, Brother Quan; we’re all family here. All I ask is that you keep your brother in mind when you’re before Boss Rong.”

“Absolutely, absolutely.”

A keen glint sparked within Quan Haoqing’s eyes.

‘Good, we’ve become trustworthy accomplices.’

You An felt a surge of relief at having secured an accomplice within the gang. His gaze drifted towards the window, where the sun now hung high, illuminating a bustling street teeming with activity. His expression instantly tightened, and he urgently questioned Quan Haoqing, “Oh, by the way, what time is it exactly?”

Quan Haoqing raised an eyebrow, replying, “It should be just past `Sì Shi` (TL Note: The period between 9 AM and 11 AM, specifically indicating late morning).”

“Good, good, quickly, take the medicine, take the medicine!”

You An frantically fumbled in his robes, extracting a small black pill which he promptly swallowed whole. Only then did the rigid tension in his facial muscles begin to ease. Noticing Quan Haoqing’s intensely curious gaze, he offered a wry, bitter smile. “Brother Quan, this, right here, is our boss’s ingenious method. It’s an anonymous, nameless pill, yet fail to consume it precisely on schedule, and your entire body will be wracked with an unbearable agony and an incessant itch, rendering life a torment worse than death itself.”

Observing the sheer terror etched onto You An’s face, Quan Haoqing’s own expression shifted, and he urgently pressed, “Then what about me?! Boss didn’t give me a single thing when I departed!”

“Since it’s your first dose, the effects will likely linger for another two days. Boss, in his oversight, simply forgot to forewarn you. Fret not, however; in two days’ time, I’ll personally escort you to him, and all will be well.”

Quan Haoqing’s eyes widened in sudden comprehension, and he clasped his hands together, stating,

“So that’s how it is. Many thanks for your guidance, Brother You.”

“Ah, what are a few words between brothers? Truly, little brother, your fortune shines bright to have encountered me.”

You An, seemingly recalling some particularly unpleasant past experience, gritted his teeth and declared, “Were it any of those other brutes, they would undoubtedly leave you to suffer until the medicine’s effects had completely dissipated and the symptoms fully manifested.”

Quan Haoqing merely raised a cynical eyebrow, a silent, cold sneer playing across his lips: ‘You harbored the very same intentions from the outset, didn’t you?’

Yet, his spoken words dripped with profound appreciation.

“Brother You is a man of integrity, naturally distinct from those petty individuals. By the way, Brother You, might I have a look at that pill?”

“Go on, take a look, but handle it with extreme caution. Boss Rong only dispenses two pills to us at a time. Should this one be lost, your brother here would have to return for a replacement. And alas, I’d only receive another after enduring a hefty extortion.”

You An gingerly passed the pill into Quan Haoqing’s hand, his gaze meticulously locked onto the small object, as though fearing it might vanish into thin air.

Quan Haoqing observed the pill nestled in his palm, then began to idly turn it over between both hands, a sight that filled You An with an acute, gnawing anxiety.

Just as You An’s patience teetered on the brink of exhaustion, Quan Haoqing swiftly brought his hand behind his back, securing the pill within his palm. Then, grasping You An’s wrist, he gently placed the pill back into his outstretched hand.

“Outwardly, it gives no hint of its formidable nature.”

You An, a bitter expression on his face, carefully put the pill away. “Indeed,” he conceded, “it appears utterly innocuous, yet to me, it is nothing less than a life-preserving talisman.”

Quan Haoqing offered a slight smile, then deftly shifted the conversation. “Later, I’m heading to Fengcheng Town with that individual to acquire the magic weapon required for our bounty mission; I anticipate returning only by evening. Brother You, would you care to join us?”

You An stammered, a hint of uncertainty in his voice, “Yes, yes, I suppose I should?”

No sooner had the words left his lips than Quan Haoqing extended two silk vouchers to You An. “We’re merely picking up a few items in town and will be back by nightfall. If, however, you find yourself truly bored, Brother, these are VIP passes for Hongjin Tower, offering you a full day of unrestricted pleasure and revelry.”

You An beamed with delight, scrutinizing the ‘treasures’ in his grasp. Yet, upon noticing the date emblazoned upon them, his brow furrowed as he inquired, “But why are there two, and both for today?”

Quan Haoqing replied with an air of obviousness, “Is there not another brother with us?”

“He deserves one?! He was dispatched by Boss Rong to…”

You An’s expression grew agitated, but Quan Haoqing swiftly motioned for his silence. Leaning in, he whispered, “It is always preferable to gain another friend than to acquire another enemy. We are, after all, rather vulnerable within the gang. If he were to join our ranks, others would scarcely dare to arbitrarily bully us, wouldn’t you agree?”