Romance of the Four Kingdoms

Chapter 115

Dodomeki and ironjaw quickly rushed down to the streets, they were observing from higher up in the city. Mitsuko immediately ordered them to gather the rest of the officers for a meeting outside of the city in the fields as soon as possible. They did as they were told. Mitsuko helped LingQi to her feet and helped her to the fields where she was ambushed. An hour later everyone was present. LingQi explained the situation as she was training before suddenly she was ambushed by Zheng Jiangs soldiers.

'Why would she betray us? She got what she wanted right?' Gyuki questioned.

'Who said she needed a reason? She's a bandit, they're not honourable warriors.' Dodomeki answered, his arms crossed.

'But why wait now? She could've waited until we left and the result would be the same.' Diamondback asked.

'Could've wanted to wait until peace lasted, give us a false sense of security before she ambushed all of us and keep the city for herself?' ironjaw responded shrugging her shoulders.

'No, this isn't right. She has almost nothing to gain from this treachery. She has her city and we expressed the fact we were leaving. It can't be about territory.' Pang Tong explained.

'Then what is it about, do you know?' Mitsuko asked. Pang Tong shook his head.

'No. Lady LingQi, are you sure they were striking at you?' Pang Tong looked towards her who gives her a confused expression.

'Yes...why? Do you believe i am deceiving you!?' LingQi's expression transformed to anger as she lurched towards the strategist. Mitsuko quickly stopped her by putting one of her serpents in front of her, ensuring she doesn't step too far.

'Hey, no one's saying that.' She stated but LingQi still looked at the strategist with scathing hatred. The very idea she would lie to her fellow officers and Mitsuko was insulting to her! How dare he say such things about her.

Pang Tong noticed this glare but was perplexed, LingQi wasn't one for such strong emotion like this.

'I meant no offence of course my lady, it is just difficult to comprehend is all. After all, if she wanted us all dead why start with you? You proved your strength in the seige, no one would approach you so carelessly. If anything they would probably kill me because i would be the easiest target.' Pang Tong explained.

'Perhaps while she was training and exhausted they saw their opportunity?' ironjaw suggested.

'Hmm possible but unlikely. Why would they keep track of her, if this was planned at all, we would've been able to spot it? With lady Ironjaw and Dodomeki being our eyes and ears in the shadows, they would've been able to spot something out of the ordinary, no?'

The group pondered this, it was true. Dodomeki and Ironjaw spent their days hiding from most of them and keeping an eye on the streets below, if there was something whispered about treachery or anything, they would've been able to detect and inform them, then again it may be possible they did miss something.

'This is true, we didn't see or hear anything out of the unusual lady Mitsuko. If we did we would've snuffed it out before this attack happened.' Dodomeki stated.

'You can't be everywhere at once though. You didn't spy on the bandit queen did you?' Diamondback enquired. Dodomeki glanced towards Diamondback.

'No, we did not.'

'Then surely there's the possibility that you would've missed it.' Diamondback stated, trying to make Dodomeki understand he's not infallible.

'I'm positive we would've been able to spot any differences in their behaviour Diamondback.' Dodomeki responded but this time each word sounded more and more guttural, expressing his clear annoyance at his fellow demon questioning his abilities.