Master of Nine Stars

Xu Taiping might have been held up by something. Or maybe, when he left, he was just saving face with a few empty threats.

Either way, everyone slept soundly that night. They weren’t disturbed at all, not even when morning came.

By 7:00 AM, just about everyone was awake. Rong Taotao had been on watch from 1:00 to 3:00 AM, so his sleep had been terrible. He felt groggy and his head was a bit fuzzy.

In an environment like this, even with someone standing guard, Rong Taotao was constantly on alert. He couldn’t sleep peacefully at all.

"Sigh..." Rong Taotao stood at the mouth of the cave, unable to stop himself from sighing. ’My big bed at home is so much better. No need to be on edge like this.’

"Come on, Taotao, it’s time to eat!" Sun Xingyu’s voice called from behind him.

Rong Taotao bent down, scooped up a handful of white snow, and took a couple of bites. It instantly woke him up. Spitting, "PTOOEY, PTOOEY," he walked back into the cave.

Military rations were a godsend, especially out here in this frozen wasteland. Self-heating lamb pilaf with a can of pork on the side... Ah, to die for!

But the atmosphere in the cave was strange. Aside from the sounds of eating, no one was speaking.

No one was a fool, least of all the members of Rong Taotao’s team. They all knew that after this meal, it would be time for Zheng Tianpeng’s team to leave.

Last night, the two teams had agreed: Zheng Tianpeng’s group could only stay for a single night.

Rong Taotao watched Zheng Tianpeng’s team eating intently and in unusual silence. He was still wondering how he was going to ask them to leave when, suddenly, a member of his own team, Zhou Ting, spoke up. "Xingyu."

"Hm?" Sun Xingyu, holding her thermos and sipping hot water, was watching Li Ziyi wolf down his food beside her.

Hearing her roommate call her name, she turned her head to look at Zhou Ting with a questioning gaze.

Zhou Ting looked a little awkward. "I think our two teams work well together," she began. "Last night, they helped us out by sharing the watch duty."

Hearing this, Li Ziyi stopped wolfing down his food, his hand still clutching the ration pouch. He glanced over at Zhou Ting.

Zhou Ting smiled, seeming to grow more confident as she spoke. "There’s strength in numbers, right? I was thinking, maybe we should let them stay so we can all get through this together."

For a moment, everyone stopped what they were doing.

Rong Taotao frowned, his mind racing.

’Something’s not right!’

’Yesterday, when I decided to take in Zheng Tianpeng’s team, I specifically asked my own teammates for their opinion.’

’Sun Xingyu had said, "The cave’s big enough," making her willingness to let them stay obvious.’

’But Zhou Ting had buried her head in the sand. Her refusal was perfectly clear!’

’What could have made her change her mind overnight?’

’Why did she suddenly want this new team to stay?’

’Who was Zhou Ting on watch with?’

’Let’s see... the 5:00 to 7:00 AM shift. Zhou Ting was with... Wen Ying from the other team!’

Rong Taotao couldn’t help but turn to look at Wen Ying across the campfire. The girl was holding a compressed biscuit, a satisfied expression on her face as she gave Zhou Ting a slight nod.

’Holy shit...’

’Was Zhou Ting bought off? What did Wen Ying promise her?’

’Judging by Wen Ying’s spoiled behavior yesterday, she must be some rich family’s little princess. She probably has plenty of resources to spare.’

Lu Mang suddenly spoke up. "We have enough people. Besides, a deal’s a deal."

On Rong Taotao’s team, Lu Mang was clearly in the same "category" as Zhou Ting.

Rong Taotao, Sun Xingyu, and Li Ziyi had been classmates for three years. Lu Mang and Zhou Ting, however, were just new roommates they’d met in the past couple of days.

The fact that they’d ended up on this team at all was largely due to luck.

For the usually silent Lu Mang to say something like this at a time like this made his stance crystal clear. It also drew a firm line between himself and Zhou Ting.

"Brother, don’t be like that. The situation has changed," the other team’s leader, Zheng Tianpeng, suddenly said. He wore the same friendly smile as yesterday, but it seemed he had no intention of honoring their agreement.

Zheng Tianpeng continued, "This cave is huge. It can easily fit all of us. If you make us go out and find another spot, we’ll be stuck searching outside for who knows how long."

"Exactly!"

"Yeah! It’s better to be kind. You can’t just stand by and watch others suffer..."

A few voices from Zheng Tianpeng’s team chimed in.

Zheng Tianpeng then turned to Rong Taotao. "Last night, our teamwork was excellent. Today, we can refine things further and detail each member’s responsibilities.

"I’m sure we can live quite comfortably for the next few days."

Wen Ying chimed in from the side as well. "The cave is huge. It can easily accommodate both our teams. There’s no need for anyone to go back out into the wind and snow.

"Don’t be so stingy. Just like last night, all it takes is one word from you."

"Haha." Zheng Tianpeng chuckled, looking at Rong Taotao. "It really is just a matter of one word. This place is big enough for another team. There’s no need to get hung up on last night’s agreement, especially since we’ve found a better way to work together."

"Yeah, yeah, it’s no trouble at all."

"This cave doesn’t belong to anyone."

"Bro, our captain is being so humble here. You don’t have to be so standoffish. Things could get ugly!"

’Oh-ho?’

’Now that’s an interesting thing to say, isn’t it?’

Rong Taotao couldn’t help but start eating faster...

SLURP, SLURP... Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Rong Taotao finished the food in his ration pouch, wiped his mouth, and said, "Words like ’it’s no trouble at all’ are reserved for the one doing the favor. The one begging for it has no right to say them."

The smile on Zheng Tianpeng’s face instantly vanished, and Wen Ying’s expression stiffened.

Zheng Tianpeng said, "Friend, there’s no need to talk like that."

"I absolutely have to speak this way." Rong Taotao casually tossed aside his empty ration pouch. "You’re so generous with other people’s property. You should let your little woman and her pups know, don’t you think?"

As he spoke, Rong Taotao tilted his head slightly, gesturing toward Wen Ying... and the rest of Zheng Tianpeng’s team.

The last trace of a smile vanished from Zheng Tianpeng’s face, which slowly darkened.

Rong Taotao said with a smile, "Getting angry? That’s more like it. You need to know your place before you open your mouth."

Zheng Tianpeng shot to his feet. "Are you trying to teach me a lesson?" he said in a low, dangerous voice.

RUSTLE...

Everyone in the cave got to their feet.

Rong Taotao stood up as well, smirking. "To be precise, you’re the one who taught *me* something. If you can break your word today to ’cooperate for mutual benefit,’ what makes you think you’ll keep it tomorrow?"

Rong Taotao was sure of his judgment. He knew that if he just tucked his tail between his legs and left with his team, the team would likely fall apart.

More importantly, Rong Taotao’s chosen Martial Arts was the Heaven-piercing Halberd, a weapon that emphasized dominance and aggression. He didn’t train with a dagger.

A person trains the weapon,

And the weapon, in turn, trains the person.

The style of one’s Martial Arts will, to some extent, inevitably shape one’s outlook on life.

With that, Rong Taotao turned to Zhou Ting. "What are you standing there frozen for? Go on, get over there."

Zhou Ting’s face was a picture of humiliation. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"Tingting, come here!" Wen Ying was truly brazen, saying it right to Rong Taotao’s face.

As Sun Xingyu watched in astonishment, Zhou Ting lowered her head and walked over to Zheng Tianpeng’s team.

A roommate of three days, after all, isn’t a roommate of three years.

"Hey, I’m serious," Rong Taotao said to Wen Ying. "I don’t know how you managed to turn Zhou Ting in just two hours.

"Especially since just last night, she was the only person on our team who was explicitly against letting you stay."

"Anyway, let me give you a piece of advice: if she can be swayed to join your team today, she can be swayed to join someone else’s tomorrow."

Zhou Ting’s already pale face turned ghastly white...

"What’s done is done. There’s no point in saying more," Zheng Tianpeng cut in, interrupting Rong Taotao. "I wanted to cooperate for mutual benefit, but it seems you’re determined to see this through to the bitter end."

Rong Taotao took the Heaven-piercing Halberd that Lu Mang handed him. "Mm. Me? I only understand armed conflict, not peaceful takeovers.

"If you had come alone, I might have taken you in. The problem is... you brought a whole tour group with you.

"You can pull this today, so what happens tomorrow? Anyone who doesn’t listen to you, anyone you don’t like—you’ll kick them all out of the cave one by one."

Hearing this, the grim-faced Zheng Tianpeng suddenly smiled. "So you’re not a complete idiot. There are seven of us, and only four of you. If you leave the cave now, I guarantee no one will touch you. You might even find a way to survive out there."

Wen Ying shrieked, "That’s right, get lost! Go look for a spot outside for three days and three nights! Freeze to death out there and see how you like it!"

That felt good. Wen Ying felt completely satisfied.

Now that everything was out in the open, Wen Ying didn’t hold back anymore.

She had finally said what was really on her mind, and the feeling was utterly liberating...

Rong Taotao polished the Halberd Shaft and glanced at Li Ziyi. "Leaving?"

"Heh." Li Ziyi let out a cold laugh and hefted the Long Spear in his hands. The meaning was obvious.

Beside him, Sun Xingyu also tightened her grip on her Long Spear. At her feet lay her overturned thermos.

Rong Taotao’s gaze shifted to the silent Lu Mang, and he raised an eyebrow.

Lu Mang reached a hand behind his back, his fingers closing around the sword hilt at his shoulder.

Rong Taotao gave a silent nod, then looked at Zheng Tianpeng. "You think there are only four of us?"

Zheng Tianpeng’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took the Great Saber a companion passed him from behind. "Hm?"

Rong Taotao stomped his left foot, then kicked off the wall behind him with his right. He shot toward the other team like a bomb. "I’ll fucking show you what a fruit platter is!"