Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Chapter 1140 Lü Ci's Bold Declaration

Lu Ci decided to postpone the matter until Duanmu Ying calmed down.

He changed his tune, saying, "If you feel that going abroad is your only way out right now, I can... send you onto the ship."

"Thank you... thank you, Lü Ci." Duanmu Ying's eyes reddened. "I will definitely repay your kindness in the future."

Lu Ci looked at her, didn't reply, and asked, "Shall we go to the nearest dock now?"

“No.” Duanmu Ying shook her head. “I tricked the people from Jiyun Society and Liuyun Sword to the South City Wharf. If we go now, we’ll just be walking into a trap.”

"The most dangerous place is often the safest place."

Lu Ci had a different opinion: "We made such a commotion in town earlier, the people at the dock must have heard about it. They're probably heading towards town now, so we should go the other way and head to the dock."

Duanmu Ying suddenly realized: "It seems that's really the case."

Lu Ci stood up, dusted himself off, and said, "Your ability should be able to easily change your appearance, right? Come on, give us both a makeover, change our identities, and swagger over there."

“Okay.” Duanmu Ying nodded, her hands glowing red as she placed them on Lü Ci’s face.

The red light spread inch by inch from her palm to Lü Ci's face. Wherever it passed, his skin began to become rough and dark, and wrinkles climbed up his forehead and the corners of his eyes like knife carvings.

His eyebrows grew thicker, his nose bridge flattened, his lips thickened, and even his striking silver-white short hair turned a dry, straw-like gray-black.

In just a short while, Lü Ci, who was once considered a handsome man, turned into a weathered old farmer. Not only his face, but also his neck and arms were covered with sun-tanned wrinkles.

"Alright." Duanmu Ying released her hand: "Feel it for yourself?"

Lu Ci touched his face, then looked down at his hands. They were rough, with swollen joints that he couldn't straighten them at all, just like the old people in the village who used to hold hoes all year round.

"The change is so drastic that I almost don't recognize myself. However, this change is only superficial. I have a feeling that as long as I circulate my Qi, I will return to my original state. It's somewhat similar to the ability of that Quanxing demon called 'Clay Man Liu'."

Duanmu Ying nodded: "Yes. The reason for this is not because the method is ineffective, but because my development of the method is still too superficial. If my control over Qi were better and my understanding of the human body were more comprehensive, I should make great progress."

As she spoke, the red light spread to her body.

Her appearance began to change.

Her delicate features became plain and unremarkable, her skin turned from fair to sallow, several forehead wrinkles appeared, her cheekbones became prominent, her lips became chapped, and her long, black hair became dry and frizzy. In the blink of an eye, she had become an inconspicuous peasant woman.

The two of them standing together, at first glance, actually look quite like a married couple.

“That way, basically no one will recognize us,” Duanmu Ying said.

“Let’s go, we’ll head to the dock now,” Lü Ci nodded.

“Let’s go, we’ll head to the dock now,” Lü Ci said.

"Wait a minute," Duanmu Ying called out to him.

"What's wrong?" Lu Ci asked, puzzled.

“Your eyes,” Duanmu Ying pointed to his eyes. “Your eyes, and the way you walk, don’t look like those of a farmer who works the land year-round. Your disguise is too easily exposed.”

"is it?"

Lü Ci recalled what farmers looked like in his memory.

Over the years, he has practiced his hoeing skills and interacted with farmers from all over the country, so he naturally knows what people who work hard all year round are like.

With a sudden thought, he adjusted his expression and posture, slightly bending his waist, shrinking his neck, and tucking his hands into his sleeves. His gaze became dull and cautious, like an honest man whose back had been bent by life and who had to smile obsequiously at everyone he met.

"How is this? Is it in place?" he asked Duanmu Ying.

Duanmu Ying stared at him blankly for a long time before saying, "Perfect, absolutely perfect. If I hadn't personally transformed you, I wouldn't have recognized you."

Immediately, the two walked out of the valley, disguised as a peasant couple, and headed towards the dock along the path.

The pier was some distance away, and the two didn't talk much along the way.

Lu Ci secretly surveyed his surroundings, wary of any disturbance, and not overlooking any detail.

Duanmu Ying looked around at the scenery as she walked.

This place is her hometown. She had never felt that there was anything special about it before, including when she went abroad last time.

But this time, she was especially reluctant to leave. It was as if once she left, she would never come back.

Looking at the surrounding scenery, she suddenly felt a great attachment to this land.

The more reluctant she was to let go, the more she regretted it.

He regretted why he had transformed his acquired skill of dual-wielding into an innate ability. While doing so eliminated the possibility of this ability harming the world, it also cut off his own escape route.

Now, she felt as if the world was vast but she had nowhere to belong.

His only remaining hope now is...

Duanmu Ying looked at Lü Ci beside her. He wasn't one of her usual relatives and friends, nor one of the thirty-six sworn brothers she had sworn brotherhood with before. It was just this Lü the Hedgehog.

To be honest, when she first met Lü Ci, she didn't have a good impression of him. She thought he was a brave and violent brute who loved to fight and kill, so she often went against him.

They met again on the battlefield, and her views had changed considerably. And now…

Duanmu Ying looked at Lü Ci's profile, her mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Lu Ci noticed her gaze and asked in a low voice, "Why are you looking at me? Is my disguise ruined?"

“No. No. You're very good at pretending.” Duanmu Ying paused. “It's just that I was thinking about some things.”

The two continued walking forward.

Along the way, they encountered several groups of strange people.

People from all factions were present, dressed in the attire of different sects. Some gathered in twos and threes at the crossroads, talking in hushed tones, while others rode past on horseback, their eyes scanning every passerby.

Lu Ci recognized some of the people among them as being from the Liuyun Sword Society, Jiyun Society, and others whose backgrounds were unclear.

Clearly, these people are all searching for Duanmu Ying.

However, their disguise was very convincing. Lü Ci had his head down, his back hunched, and was holding a wooden stick that he had picked up at random.

Duanmu Ying followed half a step behind him, her shoulders hunched, looking just like a timid wife.

The gazes of those strange beings swept over them without lingering.

The two arrived at the South City Wharf without any major incident.

The docks were bustling with people, sailors were busy loading and unloading cargo, and vendors were weaving through the crowds, calling out their wares. Everywhere was filled with the noise of people.

Several passenger ships were moored at the shore, with boatmen carrying cargo on and off the ships, and passengers carrying their bags queuing to board.

The air was filled with the fishy smell of the river, the smell of coal smoke, and the noise of people.

In the distance, a large ship is raising its sails, the white canvas fluttering in the wind.

Lu Ci led Duanmu Ying to an inconspicuous corner and whispered, "Wait here, I'll go ask about the ship schedule."

He walked to the ticket booth, asked a few questions in fluent local dialect, and then returned to Duanmu Ying's side.

“A ship is leaving in half an hour, traveling by sea. I’ve already bought a ticket.” He took out a ticket and said softly, “Have you thought it through? Are you really going abroad?”

Duanmu Ying took the thin ticket, her fingers trembling slightly.

“Lu Ci…”

Duanmu Ying looked at Lü Ci, her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she said nothing. She turned around and walked step by step onto the diving board.

She took a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Lü Ci.

Lu Ci stood on the dock, dressed in a drab gray coarse cloth outfit, his back slightly hunched, his hands tucked into his sleeves.

His face had completely transformed into that of the old farmer, his cloudy eyes staring at her. "Hedgehog," she called out.

Lu Ci paused for a moment, then did not respond.

Duanmu Ying turned around, quickly stepped onto the boarding ramp, and boarded the boat.

She stood at the gunwale, holding onto the railing, looking at Lü Ci.

Lu Ci was also looking at her.

The two looked at each other across the crowd.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman on the dock called out to her husband standing on the boat: "Go out and earn more money, and remember to send it back to support the family!"

Another young couple was holding hands; the wife had already boarded the boat, but the husband stood on the dock, holding her hand tightly and refusing to let go. A boatman nearby impatiently urged them on.

"The boat is setting sail!"

Scenes like this play out every day at the docks.

With the country destroyed and families destroyed, endless wars raged, and people struggling to survive, even basic necessities like food and clothing became a problem. Countless people were forced to leave their homes and go to Southeast Asia to make a living.

Today, wives on the boat see their husbands off; tomorrow, it may be children seeing their mothers off.

No one knows if they will ever meet again after this parting.

Lü Ci looked at Duanmu Ying.

Duanmu Ying looked at Lü Ci and smiled at him. Her smile contained gratitude, reluctance, and a hint of indescribable bitterness.

The boatmen started to retract the footboards.

Just then, Lü Ci suddenly shouted something.

"Why don't you just stay here!"

His voice was loud, and people around him turned to look.

"Stay! I...I'll take care of you!"

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Ying was stunned.

The people on the dock were stunned, and the noisy sounds suddenly quieted down.

Everyone turned to look at the farmer in his patched coat, and then at the farmer woman on the boat who was also wearing patched clothes.

Moments later, screams and cheers erupted. People clapped and cheered, some whistled, and others shouted "Well done!"

"well!"

"Stay here, sister-in-law!"

"Yes, yes, life outside isn't necessarily any better, so let's just stay!"

Everyone was watching this "farmer couple".

Lu Ci's words just now, in this tragic era of national ruin, widespread suffering, and endless war, can hardly be considered a romantic declaration.

But it deeply touched the softest spot in the hearts of countless ordinary people around it.

If given a choice, who would want to leave their hometown?

Those on the dock who were about to say goodbye to their loved ones watched this scene with mixed feelings.

Lu Ci's words also attracted the attention of the few strange people who remained on the dock, but they did not recognize him and Duanmu Ying.

In their eyes, these were just two ordinary farmers forced to separate due to the pressure of making a living and the helplessness they felt.

Because this situation is so common, even now, there are wives wiping away tears under the gangplank, repeatedly urging their husbands on the boat to earn more money and send it back to support the family.

But after hearing Lü Ci's words, the wife opened her mouth but couldn't say anything.

The young couple who had been holding hands tightly suddenly had their husband's eyes redden. He pulled his wife off the boat and cried uncontrollably, "Don't go, don't go!"

Standing on the ship's railing, listening to the simple cheers around her, Duanmu Ying could no longer hold back her tears, which streamed down her face like a burst dam.

She turned abruptly, pushed through the crowd, and rushed off the step.

The running board was narrow, and she stumbled as she ran, almost falling. People around her quickly made way for her.

Lu Ci came forward, but there was no hug, no exciting romantic scene; he simply reached out and took her hand.

Two farmers, dressed in patched clothes, stood facing each other on the dock, their hands clasped together.

Another round of cheers and applause erupted from the surrounding area.

Duanmu Ying lowered her head, tears falling one by one to the ground.

Lu Ci held her hand without saying a word.

This scene evokes a feeling reminiscent of a Jia Zhangke film.

Amidst the farewells and blessings of the crowd, the two left the dock.

Along the way, there were no obstacles, only applause and blessings.

Even the supernatural beings guarding this place thought the same way; they didn't associate the two of them with Duanmu Ying and Lü Ci at all. How could the unconventional eldest daughter of the Duanmu family and the mad dog young master of the Lü family possibly create such a scene?

After leaving the dock, Lü Ci and Duanmu Ying did not hide in the mountains, but instead found an inn and asked for a room.

The room was small, with a wooden bed, a table, and two chairs.

The oil lamp on the table flickered with a dim yellow flame, casting the shadows of the two people on the wall.

Lü Ci sat on the stool next to him.

Duanmu Ying sat on the edge of the bed.

The two remained silent for a long time.

Lu Ci broke the silence first: "Let's go to Lu Family Village. I have influence in the Lu family. With me protecting you, no one can cause you any trouble. You just need to hide for a few more years."

He paused, then added, "If you hide for a few more years, Senior Brother Zhang will come out of seclusion. Once he does, I'll take you to see him. With his help, there's nothing in this world that can't be resolved. Then you can go wherever you want and do whatever you want."

Duanmu Ying remained silent for a moment, then asked Lü Ci:

Why are you helping me like this?

Lu Ci was silent for a moment, then said, "I don't know either."

Upon hearing this, the flame of the oil lamp flickered.

Oh dear, what a spineless idiot Erbi.

"Ah!"

Lu Ci suddenly sneezed.

"What's wrong with you?" Duanmu Yan asked in surprise.

"I don't know, maybe something's got its eye on it," Lü Ci said somewhat awkwardly.

“Oh,” Duanmu Ying said again, “If you don’t even know the reason, then why are you helping me?”

Lu Ci was at a loss and said stiffly, "I'm the kind of person who never thinks too much before I do things. I help when I want to help, and I fight when I want to fight. If you ask me to give a reason, I can't say it."

Upon hearing this, the flame of the oil lamp flickered.

"Incompetent Second Wife!"

On Tianmen Peak, Zhang Zhiwei watched this scene and muttered to himself:

"In this respect, you're not even as brave as Prince Zhong. You're such a weak and cowardly fellow; I'll eat you alive for the rest of my life!" (End of Chapter)