Xiao changed into his night suit and got out the temple. It was about time he got back to patrolling at night, especially since Frank was gone. In the depth of his heart and mind, he wanted to go out to make sure Bradley didn't get hurt in the night. Xiao shouldn't have said the things he did during the argument. What he wanted to do tonight was to find a trafficker, capture him, and bring him to Bradley as a way of apologizing. Surely Bradley couldn't say anything after Xiao did something good.

He ran along the streets, hoping to see Bradley and also hoping to not see him until he found a criminal. It was luck - he spotted a shadow south-east of him. A vindictive pleasure rose within him. Bradley, look at that, I am not a waste of space like you think. He could brag about this in Bradley's face after Bradley forgave him. Xiao followed it silently over the wall of a manor. This confirmed that the man ahead of him was a trafficker. So when the man was approaching a window, Xiao let out a dart that grazed the neck of the trafficker. The trafficker swerved around and Xiao was already in front of him, sword pressed into his neck.

"Do any funny business and you're done with," Xiao threatened.

The trafficker, who looked incredibly nervous and frightened, nodded his head minutely.

"I'll need you to carry me," Xiao told him. 

The trafficker looked bemused. "Carry you? Young knight, where - "

"I don't know, do I? Where were you supposed to go after you get the maiden?"

The trafficker's mouth fell open. "I - "

"If you value your life, I suggest you do as I asked," Xiao said. "It's nothing on you, really. Just pretend I'm a maiden."

The trafficker nodded. "I'll - I'll do that."

Xiao pressed his sword on the trafficker's neck, causing the trafficker to grimace and squeeze his eyes shut. "What's your name?"

"Bernie."

"Where are you going to carry me?"

"Armanet Village by the base of Sinatra Hill."

"How will you get there?"

"Pass Luciani City."

Xiao sheathed his sword. The ruffian seemed to be telling the truth. He knew from experience that lying on the spot is actually quite difficult. He stood there, arms open. "Alright, Bernie, do whatever you do usually."

Bernie picked Xiao up awkwardly with trembling arms and slung him onto his back. Before Xiao was completely onto him, a dagger was at his throat again. 

"Like I said, no funny business," Xiao said.

"But won't the person waiting for me see the dagger?" Bernie asked.

Xiao laughed into his ear. "You forgot that my hair will cover it up completely." As he said it, he hung his head down and pointed the dagger at Bernie's heart. "This should be fine."

Bernie was terrified beyond words and he started running, slower than usual. Xiao was heavier than the maidens Bernie usually carried - even though Xiao had a slim build, he was tall and muscular. But the cause of Bernie's slow speed was actually due to him wanting to delay his own doom. 

Xiao didn't think about that. He only thought that Bernie wasn't as agile as his fellow traffickers, who, despite having inadequate fighting skills, were experts at running away. "Can't you go faster?"

Bernie could but oblige. He headed straight towards and passed the neighbouring town of Luciani and into a village by the edge of a small hill. Xiao supposed this was Armanet Village. He hadn't been this way. It had always been Bradley who came this way. He usually stayed around Wyatt City while the others went far off like the good younger brother he was.

"Is this it?" Xiao murmured. 

Bernie grunted in assent. Xiao tilted his head a tiny bit so he could see better through his hair and saw that they were approaching a clump of trees. Behind the clump, there was a shadow moving.

"Bernie, you got her?" a deep voice called.

"I - "

Bernie fell in front of the clump of trees as Xiao's dagger entered his body. Before he crumpled, Xiao was already off him and in front of the new man. His sword went for the man's neck and the man parried it. 

"You were prepared!" Xiao exclaimed excitedly. "I love myself a challenging opponent."

In his excitement, his sword flew around the man's fatal positions, each blow carrying a gust of wind. His opponent was shocked at someone infiltrating the system and talking so animatedly while fighting. Xiao pressed in and kicked away his opponent's sword. With a clank, it fell onto the ground. Xiao's sword pressed against the man's neck.

"Where do you intend to take the maidens?" Xiao asked.

"I don't know."

"What do you know then?"

"I know you will kill me either way."

Xiao grinned. "What's your conception of Mount Gudu disciples?"

"Righteous and all that."

"You mean pretentious and old fashioned?"

The trafficker didn't know what to say to please him.

"Well, I'm not like them. The ways I kill differ too. If you tell me, perhaps I would tie your four limbs up together onto a tree. If you don't, I'll torture you until you die. Do what you see fit."

The trafficker thought about it for a moment. "Even if I tell you, you won't be able to save the maidens."

"Alright. So where?"

"My job is to take the maiden to the Great Elm Guest House in Jiang Town tonight," the trafficker said. 

It seemed that Xiao had caught him just before he left. "How do I know you're telling the truth, then?" Xiao asked.

"Believe me or don't," the trafficker said offhandedly.

"How far is that from here?"

"Two days' journey by carriage." 

It wouldn't be economical to bring just one maiden there, Xiao thought, and he mentioned a carriage. "Where are the other maidens you have?"

"In the forest."

Xiao looked over the trafficker's shoulder at the flourishing forest that covered the hill. "Is there anyone else in the forest?"

"It's just me here."

"After Jiang Town, where do the maidens head to?"

"Most likely even more down south."

"Are there any other carriages?"

The trafficker seemed like he wanted to answer with a positive but shook his head. Xiao narrowed his eyes at him and the trafficker slumped. "There is another carriage heading to Jiang Town tonight."

Xiao nodded. "Lead me to the maidens then."

The trafficker didn't seem too pleased but did as Xiao said, after Xiao forced him to hand over all the hidden weapons he possessed - on top of being safe, Xiao needed some provisions. The forest wasn't too dense, the grass was soft and almost inviting, and an one-horse carriage was stationed not far from the edge. The whole way, Xiao held his sword in his hand but there seemed to be no need.

"This is it. They are inside."

Xiao lifted up the curtain at the front of the carriage. Four maidens were crammed into it, all unconscious.

"How long have they been like this?"

"The longest is probably - " the trafficker paused as he realised the truth might anger Xiao "- uh, two days?"

Xiao raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Be honest."

"A week."

Xiao scrunched up his nose in disgust. "You don't feel bad at all? For taking away daughters of other people?"

"It's what we've got to do for money, young knight, you know?"

"Farm for money! Be a construction worker! Why be a criminal?" Xiao exclaimed angrily.

"It's easier and faster to earn money, young knight. Besides, would you waste your talents on farming?"

Xiao thought back to when he farmed and smiled coldly. "I would be a good, honorary citizen."

The trafficker raised his hand up in surrender. "Alright, alright. You're the God."

Xiao looked at the maidens. "Do you give them food?"

"Once a day."

"Go and wake them up then," Xiao said.

The trafficker reluctantly did it. He put the cure into some water and fed it to each maiden. As he did so, Xiao took out some of the drug he had and mixed that into his water jug. When all the maidens have had the cure, he handed the trafficker the water. "You've earned it."

The trafficker looked at him doubtfully. "Is this...?"

"You've never had alcohol?"

The trafficker took a sip and made to spit it out but Xiao stopped him with his eyes. Within seconds, the trafficker fell unconscious. At the same time, the maidens stirred.

One of them sat up groggily and looked at the surroundings, her guard up. When she saw Xiao, she started. "What - "

"I've come to save you," Xiao explained. He pointed at the trafficker lying by his feet. "I just got rid of him."

"Who are you?" one maiden asked.

"Xiao of Mount Huai. Tell me, are any of you from Armanet Village?"

"I am," the maiden at the back of the carriage said.

"Alright, as soon as you guys feel up to it, we will head into the village. And you can help me get some people to send the other maidens to their respective homes?" he addressed the Armanet Village maiden.

She nodded shakily.

"Good. So where are you three from?"

The maidens introduced themselves to Xiao and to each other. The past week, they were awake only for meals and didn't have any time to talk much. There was Lucy and Hannah from Luciani City, Jing from Daw City a bit north from here, and Kellie from Armanet Village.

There wasn't a horse for the carriage, so Xiao proposed walking towards Kellie's home. 

"I don't know where we are," Kellie admitted. Xiao nodded. It was understandable. Kellie looked like she was from a rich family, with her fine silk night dress, so she must not have been out a lot.

"We'll get out of the forest and then maybe you would find your whereabouts," Xiao said. 

The other girls all encouraged Kellie and they got off the carriage to stretch their numb limbs. Xiao heaved the trafficker into the carriage instead.

Thankfully, Kellie did know where to go once they entered the village. The group of five, with Kellie and Xiao up front, headed to Kellie's house. It was a grand manor. Kellie knocked on the door and a servant opened it, bleary-eyed from sleep. Seeing Kellie, his eyes widened and he instantly ran into the manor.

Soon, an old couple ran out. When they saw Kellie, the woman squealed and embraced Kellie. The man turned to Xiao. "You are ... "

Xiao saluted. "Sir, I was wondering if you could help me get the other three maidens home. I still have more business to do and can't see them home personally."

The man and woman both nodded fervently, tears in their eyes. "How should we call you?" the man asked.

Xiao hesitated. Knights didn't usually say their names after doing a good deed. "Xiao from Mount Huai," he said finally.

"Come in, Knight Xiao," the woman said. "You must be hungry."

Xiao was hungry but he didn't want to linger. "That's alright, sir, madame. Please take care of the girls."

They let him go, thinking that he must be a busybody. It didn't help that he was wearing all black either. Even though he saved their daughter, they couldn't help but be a bit frightened by him. 

Xiao saluted them all goodbye and turned back towards Wyatt City. The sensible thing would be to head to Jiang Town. But, should he go alone? Or with Bradley? There must be a lot of traffickers and maidens at the place. Besides, he was still wearing his night suit and he didn't have any of his belongings with him. Thus, Xiao decided to head back to Wyatt City and notify Bradley on the way.

They weren't on that bad of terms, Xiao thought. It was probably the worst argument they've had but it wasn't so bad that they couldn't be friends anymore. After ten years, they had a bond enough to keep them together.

Xiao's thoughts wandered to the last two years. He'd managed fine without Bradley. He did avoid him, but not for the reason he had told Bradley. When he met up with John, he often inquired about Bradley. Xiao and Bradley were easily the best of Mount Huai disciples, and naturally they were confident in themselves. Xiao had never been scared for his own life, though he did often ask about Bradley with a pounding heart.

He was good enough to travel alone and he'd done fine. However, the past few weeks with Bradley had brought back his dependency on his older brother. That alone made Xiao against calling on Bradley for help. But at the same time, he knew that the priority here was the maidens, not his feelings.

His feelings were too conflicting - have been too conflicting - for them to be paid attention to anyway.

He strolled along on rooftops. He didn't want to admit it but he was tired after the night's excursions. His body was still too weak after his cold after that accursed rain. It probably didn't make sense for him to waste more energy then, by leaping over roofs and walls, but Xiao was a strange person.

As he was walking along the beam of a shabby roof, he was distracted by the sound of laughter and talking beneath him.

"Take this bastard's body out."