Chapter 38: Memory

 

A few days later, inside the cave.

 

A bald, malnourished man opens his eyes, and in a daze for a long time, he doesn't remember who he was before losing his memory. Other than remembering his name, he had various knowledge about medical art, farming, the military, scholars, martial arts, chefs, tailoring, carpenters, blacksmiths, artisans, merchants, and women.

 

"Who am I?" Zou Jie looks at his bony hand and around the cave, his stomach growling as he sees the smoked meat. As he slowly stands up, the sound of bones cracking can be heard. He has a lot of questions, but he is starving.

 

He has no idea who prepared the smoked meat here. He takes the meat and begins to consume it, including the bone. To his surprise, the bone is soft and easily broken. What he doesn't realize is that his body is stronger than the average human.

 

After finishing consuming the meat and water, he still feels hungry. Coming out of the cave, he sees a dense mist surrounding the cave entrance. “What is this mist?” Suddenly, he recalls something and pushes the large stone near him with his full strength. To his shock, the large stone flew like a cannonball and hit a few trees before it finally fell. He just wants to move the stone slightly.

 

When Zou Jie tries to register what happened, the thick mist disappears. There are many questions, but his priority is to find food and clothes. He is not a pervert who likes to show off his upper body.

 

His body feels light, and each step propels him through the air. "This must be the light movement technique." There is a lot of information in his head that he needs to sort out later. But there is no trace of his past memory.

 

Time passed, and he saw a herd of deer grazing in the woods.

 

Zhou Jie takes a stone from the ground and throws it at one of the deer. The stone pierces through the deer's head and falls to the ground, and the rest of the herd startles and flees to the woods.

 

He leaped near the deer carcass, his nail becoming longer and sharper like a knife. The nail easily cuts through the skin and meat. After finishing skinning the deer and cutting it into different portions, he senses something and gazes at the woods.

 

“It looks like I will have enough skin to make clothes."

 

Roar!

 

A horse-sized tiger emerges from the woods, staring at the carcass and the human. Even animals in this world can absorb qi to become larger and stronger; however, their sighting is rare and, once found, will cause many deaths.

 

The tiger instinct is wary of the bald, malnourished man, but hunger eventually triumphs and pounces toward the human.

 

Zou Jie remains calm; in his opinion, the tiger movement is too slow. He dodges the attack and thrusts both arms like lightning; the sharp nails have already pierced the large tiger's body. However, the tiger muscle is tough, preventing his arm from moving further.

 

He smiles and circulates his qi, which has a trace of electricity in his hand, and pierces the tiger's heart; blood splashes throughout his entire body.

 

The tiger screams in agony before collapsing to the ground and remaining motionless. A large number of martial artists are usually required to kill a tiger of this size, and even then, the tiger can escape and return for vengeance.

 

"It's a shame I don't have a pressure cooker to cook the tough meat; what exactly is a pressure cooker?" Can I create one? I believe I could if I had the necessary equipment. It would be simpler if I just marinated the meat." Zou Jie's mind was full of information, but one thing was certain: his past self was a genius.

 

According to his speculation, someone was envious of him and wanted to murder him. They must have tried to use poison on him because he has no visible injuries, which is why he has turned to skin and bone after expelling the poison. The attacker must have fled after failing to kill him.

 

“Now let’s make clothes.” Zou Jie, covered in blood, starts to skin and butcher the tiger.

 

-

 

Luo Wei returned to the Luo family after a long wait for physician Zou at the border. He feels bad about not protecting physician Zou. They sent scouts to look for him, but they came up empty-handed.

 

“Young master, don’t worry; the border general had an order to search for physician Zou. Sir Ma Yan said. Although they are no longer a general family, the Luo family still maintains a relationship with other general families.

 

The veil sect member had returned to the border after failing to find physician Zou. According to them, even their transcendent real expert is on the way to the border. It looks like the black mountain bandit will be in trouble in the future.

 

The black mountain bandit is strong if it relies on the mountain terrain and stronghold. However, transcendent real experts, even though they can’t break through the stronghold, can lie in ambush.

 

While they are heading to the capital city, a group of people are following them.

 

“Should we make a move?” A woman wearing a Chinese fox mask asked.

 

“I don’t know. I had a feeling something was wrong.” A middle-aged man wearing the same mask answered.

 

After some time, a bird landed on the middle-aged man's shoulder. Taking out the note from the bird's leg. He sighs in relief. "Retreat; there is a trap." Fortunately, he is cautious and sends people to investigate.

 

The Han Empire rebels, after finding out, quickly fled in a different direction to prevent all of them from being captured.

 

-

Inside Minster Luo's room.

 

Most people rarely visit Minister Luo anymore and begin to start flattering the first young master. Since he is going to be the next patriarch of the Luo family.

 

Minister Luo is running out of patience and is bored because he needs to lay in bed pretending to be in a coma.

 

An elderly man goes beside the bed and speaks. “Master, the fish don’t bite the bait.”

 

Mr. Luo gets up from the bed and frowns. “Forget about it; I am tired of waiting to capture everyone related to my eldest son if they resist killing them.”

 

“Yes, master."

 

The entire Luo mansion was in chaos that day, with people screaming in terror. Even the family's seniors and elders are unaware of what is going on. Soldiers from the capital city heard the news and stood guard outside the mansion, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

 

A crowd had gathered and kneeled in front of the minister. Luo's room. They are perplexed as to why a swarm of black-clad men appears and captures them.

 

Minster Luo emerges from the room, and the people who have been apprehended are stunned. The other people who chose to follow the black-clad man are also shocked.

 

"Father, you are fine?”

 

“Patriarch.”

 

“Father.”

 

“Master Luo.”

 

“Quiet!” Minster Luo raises his hand. After that, he gazes at the faces of the people being captured. “Where is my eldest son?”

 

“Forgive me, master, they managed to escape.” An elderly man appears beside Minster Luo.

 

“How?”

 

“Someone must have leaked it.” The order to capture people had been announced a few hours earlier. Someone must have worked under the first young master.

 

“After this, investigate the traitor; for the rest, interrogate them. If they are not too involved, release them. For the other, you should know what to do.”

 

The news about what happened in the Luo family spread, and at the same time, the Han empire issued an arrest warrant to the minister's eldest son. Because after the investigation, the one who poisoned Minister Luo is the Luo family's first young master.

 

-

 

Between the Qin and Han empires, in the mountain range. The bandit from the Black Mountains had been attacked.

 

“Where is physician Zou?” Elder Xue, disguised as a handsome man, is choking the bandit's neck.

 

“I…Don’t…know.” After saying that, Elder Xue breaks the bandit's neck.

 

The few remaining bandits that survive tremble in fear and start to grovel on the ground to be spared.

 

“Once I know where physician Zou is, I will release you. Although I can’t attack your stronghold, I can stay in the mountains to hunt bandits.”

 

“Stop!” A burly man glided through the air and landed not far from them.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“Commander Fei, under the black mountain bandit.”

 

“Where is physician Zou?” Elder Xue asked the same question.

 

Commander Fei's expression is complicated because they have just learned the truth. They are being exploited as scapegoats by the Luo family's eldest young master and the Tang clan.

 

When black mountain bandit leader Liu Bai found out, he flew into a rage. He hoped he could kill them, but it was too late for regret. According to recent information from the Luo family, the black mountain bandit had made an enemy of a sect that had a transcendent realm expert.

 

"Give us time to find a physician, Zou." Commander Fei explained what had happened, cupped his hand, and bowed. He is outmatched. Even if they prevail, many people will perish. Nevertheless, to survive an attack from the Tang Clan spirit qi manifestation is slim. Physician Zou is most likely already dead.

 

“I give you a month.” After saying that, Elder Xue and others leave the mountain.

 

Commander Fei can only sigh. It looks like they need to prepare for war.