Chapter 175 — Wei Zhao's Way of Searching
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"Just because you're the top woman in combat doesn't mean you can beat a man," Wei Zhao said with a shake of his head. "From what I can see, at least, you'd be no match for Yang Huaijun."
"So what? It's true I'm no match for Captain Yang, but taking you down would be child's play." Qiu Lingshan shot Wei Zhao a look of contempt. "You can look down on me all you like -- as long as you're stronger than I am."
"Heh..." Wei Zhao shrugged. "We'll have to find a chance to compare, then."
"Fine by me. Who's afraid of whom? When the time comes, I'll make you admit it with all your heart." Qiu Lingshan curled her lip. She hardly believed Wei Zhao could be all that formidable -- anyone could talk big.
Once they were up the mountain, Qiu Lingshan watched Wei Zhao wander aimlessly this way and that, and she had no idea what he was up to. At first she trailed along after him, but after circling around for ages she still couldn't tell what he actually meant to do.
Wei Zhao simply walked back and forth with no aim and no method at all, and Qiu Lingshan could barely hold herself back any longer. Sometimes he would come this way, then turn and go back; he walked the same paths over and over again, and she couldn't fathom what was going through his head. Was he just playing her for a fool?
"What on earth are you doing? You keep pacing back and forth, and I don't see you looking for the kidnappers at all. What are you trying to do?" Qiu Lingshan came to a stop.
"I'm looking," Wei Zhao said, his brows knitting slightly. "If you don't understand, don't interrupt. If you want me to find them, then keep your mouth shut and follow me. Otherwise, I'm going back down the mountain."
"You... fine. Go on and look, then. I won't say a word." Qiu Lingshan was beside herself with anger. She had only asked a question, and Wei Zhao had given her a thorough dressing-down. Very well -- she would just see for herself whether searching this way could possibly turn up the kidnappers. And when he failed to find them, she would settle both old scores and new with him at once. Weren't they going to have it out? Fine -- then let it be now.
Wei Zhao had no time to spare for what Qiu Lingshan might be thinking. Instead, he kept constant watch on the changes in his jade pendant. Even he was not absolutely certain that the pendant would give him any warning when he drew near those kidnappers.
After all, the enemies he had tracked down on the battlefield with the pendant's help had all harbored deep grudges against him, hating him enough to want him dead on the spot. These kidnappers, though, had only felt a flicker of ill intent toward him at the very beginning.
Qiu Lingshan swallowed her temper and followed Wei Zhao as he wandered this way and that through the mountain woods, saying little. Whatever -- wherever Wei Zhao went, she would go. For now she would keep her temper in check; when Wei Zhao truly failed to find them, that would be the time to settle accounts.
Qiu Lingshan was even starting to wonder why Captain Yang had introduced her to a man like this. Her investigative skills might not be as sharp as Yang Huaijun's, but she still understood the basic knowledge and methods of investigation.
She had been a special forces instructor for a long time, after all -- true, only an instructor of combat techniques, but she had some grasp of investigative methods as well. Wei Zhao's search was utterly without method or order, as if he were simply trusting to luck and instinct.
Just as she was thinking this, she suddenly saw Wei Zhao stride off toward the direction of the cliff. Qiu Lingshan hurried after him. "What are you doing? That way is a sheer cliff -- there's no path."
Wei Zhao said nothing, still walking briskly toward the cliff.