Chris Lewis secretly resented this person’s extreme selfishness—Richard Scott had saved his life, yet he only cared about his own escape.

Though Chris Lewis was dissatisfied, he didn’t show it on his face. Right now, everyone needed to work together, and Stephen Wood could help him take care of Richard Scott. “Let’s hurry up the mountain. I’m worried Yu Jin might turn back and chase us.”

Stephen Wood nodded, supporting Richard Scott as they took a small path up the mountain.

Chris Lewis’s instincts were correct. Although Yu Jin’s crisis was temporarily resolved, many things often fail due to some careless little detail, as if fate itself were at work.

After running three or four li, Yu Jin suddenly turned his horse around and rushed back. He had snapped out of his flattered daze—how could Liu Biao’s nephew be let go so easily? He should be handed over to the lord for punishment.

He led his troops back to the original spot, but Chris Lewis was nowhere to be seen. He found it odd—where had that kid gone?

At that moment, a soldier discovered bloodstains in the bushes and shouted, “General Yu, there’s blood over here!”

Yu Jin rushed over and saw blood splattered among the bushes—clearly, someone injured had hidden there. Yu Jin was instantly furious. He had been tricked by that kid! So Richard Scott had been hiding here all along. He roared, “Search for them!”

Soon, the soldiers found the corpse of a warhorse in a ravine, along with Richard Scott’s spear. Yu Jin became even more enraged, his eyes bloodshot, looking like a demon reborn.

“Pass my order—immediately dispatch five thousand troops to search the mountain!”

At this point, Richard Scott was no longer important. He swore to capture the youth who had fooled him and tear him to pieces with his own hands. In his whole life, he had never suffered such a loss.

This mountain was a rocky one, over a hundred zhang high, covered in dense thorns, with cracks and caves everywhere—very convenient for hiding. But it wasn’t a solitary peak; it was part of a hilly region stretching for dozens of li, with more than ten peaks. If someone really hid inside, a few thousand men wouldn’t be enough to search it all.

Chris Lewis, worried about Richard Scott’s injuries, didn’t dare go too far. After climbing a few hundred steps, he found a cave. The faint moonlight shone in, revealing a dry interior free of snakes or insects. There were traces of fire at the entrance, showing someone had lived there before—probably a herbalist or woodcutter.

Chris Lewis laid Richard Scott down to rest. Richard Scott was still unconscious. Suddenly, he heard a “ka! ka!” sound behind him. Turning around, he saw Stephen Wood at the entrance, striking flint to make a fire, about to ignite it.

Chris Lewis was furious. His dissatisfaction with Stephen Wood erupted. He rushed over and kicked the dry grass and flint away, glaring at Stephen Wood. “Are you crazy?”

Stephen Wood froze, then realized his mistake and lowered his head in fright. “I forgot. It’s my fault!”

Chris Lewis suppressed his anger and said, “Go outside and check the situation. See if Cao’s troops are searching the mountain.”

Stephen Wood nodded silently and left. Chris Lewis returned to Richard Scott’s side and picked up a water flask nearby—it was from Stephen Wood’s horse. The guy had already drunk most of it, leaving only a little.

Chris Lewis gave Richard Scott a few sips. The water took effect, and Richard Scott slowly woke up. He glanced gratefully at Chris Lewis and said in a low voice, “Thank you, young master, for risking your life to save me!”

“No need to thank me, General. You were wounded by arrows because of me. It’s only right that I do what I can.”

Chris Lewis felt a bit guilty. In history, Richard Scott hadn’t been injured; it was because he saved him that he got hurt, changing the course of his life. If he died because of this, wouldn’t there be no Zhao Zilong at Changban Slope?

Chris Lewis changed his medicine again and simply gave him the last few sips of water.

“Young master, are you really the nephew of Liu Jingzhou?”

“Let’s just say I am.”

Chris Lewis smiled and recited as if from memory: “I am Chris Lewis, from Gaoping County, Shanyang Commandery. Summoned by my uncle, the Governor of Jingzhou, I came to Xiangyang to seek refuge. On the way through Runan Commandery, I encountered Cao’s army. My family was tragically killed, and I am the only one left.”

“So it’s Young Master Jing. My apologies.” In the darkness, Richard Scott smiled faintly, his bright eyes becoming calm.

At that moment, Stephen Wood’s low, urgent call came from outside the cave. “Young master! Young master!” His voice was tense, his tone changed.

Chris Lewis gently patted Richard Scott’s hand and got up to go outside. “What is it?”

“Young master, look!”

Stephen Wood pointed down the mountain in terror. Following his finger, Chris Lewis’s heart sank. On the mountain path, long lines of torches stretched for several li, like a fire dragon, numbering in the tens of thousands. Countless torches were moving up the mountain—this must be Cao’s main force, preparing for a full-scale search.

The sight of tens of thousands of men terrified Stephen Wood, his face turning pale and his legs trembling. He couldn’t hold back anymore and turned to plead, “Young master, this must be Cao Cao himself. I don’t want to care about him anymore—he’ll drag us down. If we take him with us, we’ll never escape. We…”

Before he could finish, Chris Lewis punched him hard to the ground, pointing at him and cursing, “You ungrateful wretch! Without his help, you’d have died in the chaos long ago. If you dare speak nonsense again, I’ll kill you myself!”

Stephen Wood slowly lowered his head, a flash of hatred in his eyes. If he wasn’t afraid of having to explain himself when he got back, he would have run away long ago. Why would he have come back to find this brat?