Chapter 107 - The Hunt (6)

"It's not that they are weak. It's just that you are too good." Zi Jue answered helplessly, eyeing his fallen comrades. His ċhėst burst with indignation. These bunch were usually all dashing and fierce when it comes to fights. Why did they have to be so stupid at this very moment? They were dragging their Master's name down right in front of his woman. Zi Jue internally promised to whip them up to shape once this picnic has passed.

Yan Qing Shan rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, please. Stop patronizing me. Are they so idle that they have been rusting? Do you know how dangerous that would be? Those crazy dogs of the Yamaguchi's would be able to take them down with a bit of effort with this kind of so-so performance, I tell you.

"Sigh. Truly, they aren't usually like this Shan Er. They're quite admirable on usual days. I think they were just taken off guard. But I know that isn't an excuse. I'll fix this once we get back." Zi Jue admitted defeat. His men really did badly this time. They got too relaxed with him there. And that isn't a good sign. Their reliance to him would be their end.

Yan Qing Shan merely nodded at Zi Jue and took his wrist that was wearing a watch.

"Aki-nii and the others will be here soon. Everything is up to you afterwards. Let's see if they could somehow withstand Hades in his full force. Don't hold back or it won't be fun." Yan Qing Shan muttered smilingly at Zi Jue to which the latter reciprocated with a smirk. Yan Qing Shan's idea of fun was refreshing to him.

"That aside, where will we be hiding these men?" Zi Jue asked the beautiful woman who had captured his heart completely. Yan Qing Shan pouted as she thought.

"Leave them there. I doubt that they'll be noticed much once the fighting starts. Besides, I'll be looking after them." She answered with a shrugkf her shoulders.

"Alright." Zi Jue agreed. He then grabbed Yan Qing Shan by her waist and leaped to the tree they were hiding in a while ago.

-----

"Is this the place? Wow, Master Zi Jue really knows where to take a girl for a date." Jia Yi Lan murmured softly to herself. Her eyes beaming at the beautiful scenery laid out in front of them. The wild and colorful flowers of the meadow and the towering tree where the picnic mat and food basket were laid out made a perfectly dreamy casual picnic date. At the very least, it fit Yan Qing Shan's ideal of what a picnic date was like. Her knowledge of these kinds of things were straight out from romance s and google answers.

"This is what that guy calls a date? He dares bring my sister to this kind of wilderness? Where is he? I need to give him a piece of my mind." Yan Qing Yu fumed as he roamed his eyes around the place. Gearing up to beat the thief who stole his sister from their sibling bonding time (which he did not inform his sister of, not that it matters).

Except he didn't even see a glimpse of their shadow. What laid in front of them was a note stuck into a tree with a knife. A note indicating a game, a hunt.

"Heh. Ami-chan is in one of her antics again. Check this out, Akane." Mamoru inspected the stationery plastered in the tree. There was no doubt about it. From the strokes of the script up until the way the small knife was lodge into the trunk with its handle upside down, tilting exactly 25 degrees left. It was Ami's alright. Only she would thrust a knife that complicatedly.

Akane approached Mamoru and glanced at the note, a wide grin forming into her lips afterwards.

"Aki! Yui! It's one of Ami's games. Do you think she'll give out a reward if we win?" Akane asked with a tone of excitement. It may be unknown to the Aces, but Yan Qing Shan was someone who got bored easily. So she would create games that especially triggered excitement and thrill on her part. And one of her favorites were live hunting. Despite the danger of being beat up by her, Yan Qing Shan would give a hefty and desirable reward to whoever puts up a good fight.

This was why they became particularly fond of Yan Qing Shan's games even if they finished off hurting everywhere. In a way, it was also some kind of training for them. It did make them seem mȧsȯċhɨstic, though. But that was a small price to pay.

"Oh? It really is Ami's hunt. This brings back a lot of memories. If it was according to usual, then maybe she would reward the best fighters." Yui answered with undeniable interest.

The Aces and Yan Qing Yu looked at the four with puzzled gazes. Aki shook his head at the scene and volunteered to explain.

"It's like this, back when Ami was still in Japan with us this was one of her favorite past times. She would mark us as preys and she'd go hunt us one by one. Whoever lasts the longest in a fight with her gets a prize."

"Last the longest? Isn't that too easy? What about if you beat her at the game?" Hong Zhen Yue asked with a little incredulity. Qi Xia gave him a pointed look. While Xu Lei, Qin Jiran, and Jia Wei Ren shifted away from him. They definitely didn't want to get caught up with this buff guy's death-courting tendencies.

Ning Xie Zhi smiled wryly at him. "Let me ask you a question instead, you musclehead maggot. Can you even beat Qing Shan jie? You didn't last an hour the last time? Need we say more?"

Hong Zhen Yue shut his mouth at Ning Xie Zhi's retort. Jia Yi Lan giggled in secret while Chen Luo just shook his head at the scenario.

Yan Qing Yu, on the other hand got dumbfounded at the conversation that was occuring. Was he hearing it right? His sweet, albeit a little cold, little sister is actually so ferocious?

'That couldn't be. They must be exaggerating. I know litte Qing Shan is all grown up and capable but she can't be possibly that monstrous. She'll still need my protection.' He nodded subtly at his thoughts, feeling that they were for certain.

Aki spoke up from the din that his companions were creating and pointed towards the forest entrance.

"No matter if this is Ami's game or not, we will look for the two of them. That's what we're here for. The note indicates for us to enter the forest. They are most likely in there. Lying in ambush, more or less. So put up your guard and be alert. Let's go." Aki entered leader mode and directed his companions. The authority his voice carried was one who didn't accept any disobedience to order. Yan Qing Yu steeled his gaze in defiance of this.

However, his goal was the same as theirs. As long as he gets his sister back who would care about who proclaimed leadership on their ragtag group.

With that, they set their path to the forest.

'I just hope we won't lose too bad.' Aki whispered to himself.