Chapter 88: Allied by Common Goals

“Why bother threatening the kid, Xi?” The man said. “You know we’re not going to keep any of the boys alive. All we need is the girls.”

“Oh yeah,” the big bandit said as he grabbed Cong by the collar and easily lifted the boy off from the ground.

Xue Shaonu looked up at the male who seemed to be the leader. She noticed the symbol around his neck, on a silver tag hanging from a chain around his neck. It was an oval with the character for freedom in its centre.

“Wait!’ Xue Shaonu cried. “We’re not your enemies! Look!” She held out the leather patch with the same symbol that she had found on one of the dead people they had come across. “See? We saw your friends.”

“Friends?” The man laughed. He held the silver tag and held it up to catch the light. “Those people weren’t our friends.” He leaned in closer to him and his lips curved into a cruel, toothy smile. “Who do you think killed them?”

Xue Shaonu’s heart quickened at that.

Xi’s hand was shrouded in ki that blasted out as she prepared to run the move across Zen’s neck.

Meanwhile, Yang shook Cong so forcefully, that he fell out of his grasp, leaving behind a piece of paper he had stored in his breast pocket. The big man looked at the piece of paper. “Huh, looks like these kids are also looking for the snow sheep also.”

Xi sighed, “It’s Snow Ram, Yang.”

“What?” The leader said. “You brats were looking for the snow ram.”

“We… We can help!” Xue Shaonu said. “The boys… they know where to find he snow ram.”

“Nice try little girl,” Xi said as her arm dropped for Zen’s neck.

“Wait!”

Xi stopped, inches away from Zen’s neck, and looked up at the man. “Cho, you can’t be seriously listening to this kid.”

“Well they are academy brats so why not.” The leader, Cho said. “Now, lil one, what you say better be true or I’d hate to be you when I find out you are lying.”

“I’m not,” she said. “That’s the reason why we’re all here. Wang Zen is our navigator and Jao Cong knows a lot about the Snow Ram, making him our tracker. With both of them, you could easily find the Snow Ram.”

“Bind them, Xi,” Cho said. “If they do anything funny, we’ll kill them.” Cho smiled as Xi angrily lifted Zen up by his black hair. “Be happy boys, you’ll still be alive as long as you serve your purpose. We are now allies united by one goal, finding the Snow Ram.