Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Zhang Qiu pressed against the tree trunk, various possibilities flashing through his mind. Gunshots echoed in the jungle; could it be the people from Azure Hawk? Or had the search team found this place while Azure Hawk and the others had already left? If it was the latter, their current situation would be very dangerous. Uncle Nanka was unaware of the truth, and Zhang Qiu couldn't involve him. He hurriedly said, "Uncle, stay here and don't move. If anything happens, leave immediately."
"What are you going to do?" Uncle Nanka asked from behind the tree.
"I need to check the situation." Qiu Wan stepped out from behind the tree and shouted twice into the darkness, "Don't shoot!"
"Are you crazy? Come back!" Uncle Nanka roared behind Zhang Qiu.
Zhang Qiu remained undeterred, walking step by step toward the direction of the gunfire. He couldn't let Uncle Nanka get involved, nor could he abandon Azure Hawk and the others. If he encountered the search team, leaving quietly would indeed be a better choice. But what if it was Azure Hawk and his group? Zhang Qiu had no choice but to probe; if Azure Hawk heard him calling, he would surely respond.
His heart tightened until he heard someone in the darkness calling his name. The voice was so familiar that Zhang Qiu shouted back, "Yes, it's me!"
A rustling sound of leaves echoed through the forest as an armed Special Forces Operator approached Zhang Qiu. Uncle Nanka, who had risen to stand beside Zhang Qiu, cautiously raised his hunting rifle. Zhang Qiu quickly lowered Uncle Nanka's gun barrel and said, "They are my friends."
"You and Lucia went missing; Azure Hawk is very worried." The Special Forces Operator scanned the surroundings. "Where's Lucia, and who is this?"
"This is Uncle Nanka, a very helpful..." Zhang Qiu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Well, a hunter. Take me to see Azure Hawk. I have something important to discuss."
"Alright, follow me."
The Special Forces Operator nodded and led the way. After walking a few steps, Zhang Qiu noticed that Uncle Nanka was standing still and asked, "Uncle Nanka, why aren't you coming?"
Uncle Nanka hesitated as he looked at Zhang Qiu, asking, "Who exactly are you?"
"Me?" Zhang Qiu thought for a moment, unsure how to answer that question. Finally, he replied, "A good person."
Uncle Nanka hesitated for a moment, lowering his gun to follow Zhang Qiu. The two, led by the Special Forces Operator, circled around the hillside and soon saw the flickering lights of the temporary camp. The Special Forces Operator ran toward the camp to report to Azure Hawk, who personally approached Zhang Qiu. Upon seeing Zhang Qiu, he immediately asked, "Where have you been? Where is Lucia?"
"I got lost with Lucia, but luckily we met this uncle who took us in," Zhang Qiu introduced Uncle Nanka to Azure Hawk. "He is a local hunter and has a cabin in the woods. Uncle Nanka has lived here for decades and knows a lot about the climate changes. He told me it will rain tonight, so we should take shelter in his cabin."
Azure Hawk nodded and looked back at the group of people in the camp, asking, "How big is the cabin? Can so many people fit in?"
"We can squeeze in; we can't just stand here getting soaked," Uncle Nanka said with a hearty smile, his thick beard trembling.
Zhang Qiu said, " Azure Hawk, we need to hurry and get everyone moving."
"Alright." Azure Hawk turned and walked into the camp, addressing the officials huddled around a fire against the gentle slope, "Everyone get up, pack your things, and prepare to leave."
Complaints arose from the crowd; no one wanted to leave the warmth of the fire. Azure Hawk's expression darkened immediately. Prince Banan asked, "Where are we going at this late hour?"
"Zhang Qiu and Lucia found a cabin; it's going to rain tonight, so we're moving there for shelter."
After answering Prince Banan, without needing to say anything else, the officials sitting on the ground quickly got up, all appearing very eager. Members of the White Wolf Special Assault Team armed themselves and surrounded Your Highness and the military officials for protection. Azure Hawk said to Zhang Qiu, "Let's go."
Zhang Qiu nodded but noticed that Uncle Nanka was staring wide-eyed.
"You are..." Uncle Nanka looked at the young man with dark skin standing next to Azure Hawk, astonished. "You are Your Highness?"
"Hello, I am indeed Prince Banan," Prince Banan replied, taking the initiative to greet Uncle Nanka.
"Your Highness, it’s truly you!" Uncle Nanka immediately bowed and then grabbed Zhang Qiu, saying, "So you are... guarding him?"
"That can work," Zhang Qiu nodded in agreement. "We are friends of Prince Banan and are responsible for protecting him."
"Your Highness, it is a great honor for me that you can come to my cabin!" Uncle Nanka looked at the prince with great excitement, moving around him like a curious child.
Prince Banan kindly took Uncle Nanka's hand and said solemnly, "It is my fault that you have suffered."
"Your Highness, please don't say that. I look forward to the new life that Prince Banan will bring us after the unification of the North and South."
"I will make it happen."
Prince Banan held Uncle Nanka's hand tightly, nodding repeatedly, his determined gaze piercing through the darkness and aiming far into the distance.
Under Uncle Nanka's guidance, the group walked back to the Forest Cabin, stopping occasionally. As they reached the front of the cabin, Zhang Qiu noticed the officials' eyes shining with excitement. Uncle Nanka awkwardly rubbed his hands together and stood at the door with a simple smile, saying, "It's rather humble; I hope Your Highness won't mind."
"How could I? It's already great to have a place to shelter from the rain."
Uncle Nanka opened the door and called out, "Yazasi, come quickly! Look who has arrived!"
The first to appear was not Yazasi but Lucia. Lucia rushed out from inside and threw herself into Zhang Qiu's arms, saying, "You finally made it back! I was so worried about you!"
Zhang Qiu laughed and replied, "See? I'm fine. Not only am I okay, but I've also brought back Prince Banan and Azure Hawk with me."
"That's wonderful!"
Yazasi walked out from the room, asking as she approached, "Nanka, what happened..." When she reached the doorway, Yazasi was startled and instinctively raised her right hand to point at Prince Banan, stuttering without being able to speak. Anxious, Nanka interrupted Yazasi, saying, "Quickly put your hand down; this is Your Highness."
Yazasi, reminded by her husband, hurriedly put her hands down and awkwardly bowed to the prince, saying, "Your Highness, I’m truly sorry, I..."
"Alright, alright," Your Highness replied with a smile. "I’m actually very grateful to you all. If it weren't for you, I would have been caught in the rain tonight."
"Come inside; everyone shouldn't stand out here."
Uncle Nanka warmly invited everyone in, bringing chairs for Your Highness and asking Yazasi to prepare roasted meat in the kitchen while he fetched two bottles of fine wine.
Lucia watched Uncle Nanka bustling about and said, "Uncle, please take a break. You don’t need to be so polite."
"That won't do. It is my life's honor that Your Highness can come to my home. Although it is humble here, I assure you that you will be warm and well-fed. I’ve prepared some game that I hunted myself for everyone to taste," Uncle Nanka said as he brought in a bundle of firewood and tossed it into the fireplace, causing the flames to leap high.
Zhang Qiu found Azure Hawk to understand the situation. Azure Hawk informed Zhang Qiu that everything was still the same, holding their ground in the jungle and waiting for rescue. The only good news was that they no longer had to suffer from the cold and hunger outside.
Uncle Nanka brought a thick wooden plank from the yard and set it on two long benches to serve as a table. Yazasi took a tablecloth from the kitchen and spread it over the plank, placing roasted potatoes and frozen persimmons on top. Before long, sizzling roasted meat was served on a wooden platter, filling the air with a delicious aroma that completely whetted Zhang Qiu's appetite.
Uncle Nanka poured wine for Your Highness and respectfully stood by, saying, "If Your Highness doesn't mind, please dine here. The wine was traded from the market; it's not fine wine. The meat is good; it's game I hunted from the mountains and marinated with spices."
"Having food is already quite good," Prince Banan said with a satisfied smile, pointing to an empty bench. "You should sit down too."
"No, I'm just a commoner; how can I eat at the same table as Your Highness?"
Prince Banan stood up, walked over to Uncle Nanka, and personally pressed him down into a seat, smiling as he said, "Please don’t say that. The existence of a country is to ensure that everyone enjoys the right to live fully. In future Tanzania, everyone will be equal; there will be no distinctions of high or low status."
Uncle Nanka didn’t fully understand Your Highness's words but could sense their general meaning. Sitting at the table, he awkwardly held his wine cup with his gaze darting around, not daring to make eye contact with the officials.
The military officials treated this place as if it were their own home, enjoying the food on the table without any reservations. Zhang Qiu could not stand it any longer and sat down beside Uncle Nanka, taking a large piece of roasted meat from the table and placing it in front of himself. He poured a cup of wine and said, "Uncle Nanka, I toast to you."
"Ah, good." Uncle Nanka raised his wine cup with both hands.
Zhang Qiu could clearly feel the change in Uncle Nanka's attitude. When Zhang Qiu and Lucia first arrived, Uncle Nanka was genuinely warm and welcoming. However, upon seeing Prince Banan and realizing he was accompanying him, Uncle Nanka adopted a respectful demeanor towards Zhang Qiu as well. While Zhang Qiu did not mind Uncle Nanka's respect for Prince Banan, he felt awkward about being treated with such respect himself.
Yazasi brought over a large plate of fragrant roasted meat and respectfully said to Prince Banan, "Your Highness, if you are not satisfied, just let me know, and I will make something else for you."
"I think it's delicious," Prince Banan said while swallowing the roasted meat, his hunger evident.
As Yazasi was about to leave, Lucia called out to her and asked, "Aren't you going to eat some?"
"I'll just go back to the kitchen to eat; how can I eat here with Your Highness?"
Prince Banan put down the roasted meat and said, "Please don't leave; stay here and eat. You are the true hosts of this home. In the future, you will also be the masters of our country."
Comment 0 Comment Count