After that peculiar exchange with Song Song, I tried to maintain my distance from her. However, despite my attempts to manage our interactions, her behavior remained as erratic and unpredictable as ever.
For instance, it would have been logical to stock up in Greengrass Town before embarking on our lengthy journey. We could have procured rations or necessary supplies, as commodities like that were unavailable in the Sect's market.
However, instead of following this sensible course of action, we found ourselves charging through a leafless forest, accompanied by disciples who wore worried expressions and exhibited signs of fatigue. Even my chubby friend, though not the most physically fit among us, was still better than most here who had gained their position due to their connections.
"Keep up the pace! Anyone lagging will get their pinky finger cut off!" Song Song's voice pierced through the air as she noticed the struggling disciples.
It came as no surprise that she proved to be an ineffective leader. It was evident to anyone with even a modicum of sense. Why my cousins believed it wise for me to be under her guidance baffled me.
...
Nearly twenty-four hours elapsed before the first disciple collapsed with a resounding thud, prompting Song Song to glare at the group. The said disciple who had fallen attempted to rise, but it was already too late as the crazy girl was already looking at him coldly.
"Tch, this is precisely why I hate teamwork," she muttered under her breath, a shadow crossing her face as she gazed skyward, the darkness enveloping us completely.
While I was accustomed to training the Rushing Bull Step for tens of hours, the others were tired and looked ready to fall over any second.
"I believe a brief rest would be good for all of us," I interjected before Song Song could act impulsively. "The entire group is exhausted, and it would be regrettable if we arrived at our destination too exhausted to be useful."
Though my suggestion was reasonable, a peculiar gleam flickered in her eyes.
Maybe questioning her was not such a good idea.
However, instead of reacting angrily, she sighed and gestured dismissively. "From now on, you will assume the role of vice commander and oversee logistical matters."
With that, she settled beside a leafless tree, assuming a meditative posture.
Oh? Was she cultivating? Nice...
While Body Tempering Cultivators primarily focused on physical training, Qi Gathering Cultivators were regarded as true cultivators, as they had to increase their Qi to progress further.
Turning towards the group, I clapped my hands to draw their attention. "Alright, everyone. I understand that most of you are exhausted. But since Song Song has put me in charge, I will make sure we take care of each other."
Even the envious guys, previously too captivated by Song Song's beauty to recognize her flaws, breathed a collective sigh of relief.
Typically, a leader needed to be fair and assertive, the latter serving as incentive for the team to fulfill their responsibilities. However, with Song Song present, the poor fellows had more than enough motivation to comply with my orders.
"I know you're all eager to rest, but teamwork is essential for setting up camp," I announced, organizing them into teams based on their fatigue levels.
The least exhausted would forage for food and gather wood, while the more tired ones would assist in setting up camp. To ensure fairness, I instituted a policy where those who worked the hardest would receive a larger portion of the food.
"What about you?" one of them inquired. "What will you be doing?"
The others nodded in agreement with the question, and just as I was about to respond, a twitch in Song Song's finger indicated she was awake and had heard everything.
While the cultivators had appeared on the verge of complaint moments earlier, they now averted their gazes, and their faces paled.
"I'll be erecting a protective barrier around the camp. We can't afford to be ambushed by monstrous beasts, especially as autumn sets in," I explained, crouching down and touching the ground with my palms. "While monstrous beasts are more apparent during winter, autumn is still a season where they wander about looking for food."
Closing my eyes, I sensed the Qi coursing underground. It felt murky and tainted; ordinarily, one could purify it with salt and a specific chant to use said Qi to create a barrier. However, that wasn't my intention.
"Dancing Moon, Hiding Shadows! Yellow Mist!" I whispered, and four beams of light shot from my hands, forming a translucent rectangular barrier around us. Standing up, I explained to others what this was about, "This will help us conceal our presence. The barrier will emit a bell-like alarm if anything larger than a certain size breaches it."
Typically, such a barrier would require the souls of monstrous beasts as fuel, but I lacked such resources. Trapping souls in beads was far beyond my capabilities; even though Array Conjurers technically could perform such feats, Imprisoning Arrays constituted a specialized branch and was hard to learn.
Ultimately, after everyone completed their tasks, we constructed a stick tent large enough to accommodate us all. We started a fire and dined on cooked rabbits, with me taking the initiative to cook the meat for everyone's convenience. I had to use an array to make a fire as we had no resources on us.
Afterward, they all settled onto the rough ground and drifted off to sleep so swiftly that one might have assumed they were resting on the finest beds.
Meanwhile, I took a thorough walk around to ensure the alarming array I had set up functioned correctly and that no small monstrous beasts snuck through.
Satisfied that everything was in order, I returned to camp to rest. At the same time, Song Song had finished her cultivation session.
She scanned the surroundings, her gaze settling on me like a hawk eyeing her prey. "You'd make a good leader."
"I doubt it. I'm too soft-hearted for such a role. Leadership demands making decisions where the greater good outweighs the individual's interests," I replied, finding a comfortable spot against a tree to settle down for the night.
"Why worry yourself with others' needs? A cultivator does as they please. They eat when they wish, kill when they wish, and roam wherever they desire. Cultivation represents the epitome of freedom," she remarked, a faint smile playing on her lips as her gaze intensified.
Her words might have resonated with me had I been uncertain about my path in life. She certainly had her own kind of charisma.
"I prefer to savor quiet moments and delve into books. That's all I want," I stated plainly. "If I were to ever gain a level of cultivation where I have immense power, that's all I'd ever desire."
"What sort of man settles for so little? You should aspire to conquer the world, etch your name into history as an immortal!" she proclaimed.
"No, thank you. I'd rather enjoy a peaceful night's rest than fret over betrayals, uprisings, adversaries, and the like," I shrugged, closing my eyes.
It was unlikely she would understand my simple dreams, so I refrained from delving into the details of my goals.
"Hmm," she murmured, and suddenly, I sensed someone beside me.
Cracking an eye open, I confirmed it was the crazy girl.
With a pensive expression, she rubbed her chin and turned toward me. "You're right. Betrayals and deceit are quite bothersome."
Well, she was accepting my advice. That was surprising. I had initially presumed she would sooner resort to violence than heed my advice. But with peculiar characters like her, trying to understand what they would do next was like trying to grab air.
"Now that you're my second-in-command, why don't we get acquainted? Share something about yourself," she suggested.
Second-in-command? I had assumed it was a temporary title until we established camp. Apparently, she had other intentions.
Opening my eyes, I faced her diamond-like gaze. I had no desire to be her second-in-command, but one could hardly argue against a gaze like hers. Dealing with unpredictable individuals was akin to walking on eggshells.
"I enjoy reading and prefer to distance myself from worldly conflicts and affairs as much as possible," I stated in a monotone voice.
"That's... nice and interesting," Song Song nodded, though even she struggled to feign enthusiasm for my rather mundane hobbies. But her presence shifted when she began speaking about herself, "Well, I believe in absolute justice and that everyone can be forgiven. I believe we can both agree on the latter."
Everyone can be forgiven? That sentiment clashed starkly with my own beliefs. Certain transgressions were unforgivable in my eyes.
It was strange that she thought like that.
To say the least, Song Song was no Mother Theresa.
With my curiosity piqued, I inquired, "Why do you believe everyone can be forgiven?"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she seemed genuinely engaged as she shifted into a more comfortable position on the ground. Before she began speaking, "I believe that the death penalty or mere imprisonment is insufficient punishment for crimes. Death is too quick, and prison too lenient. Instead, criminals should face appropriate punishment. We should employ methods like torture, gouging out their eyes, severing fingers, or even removing an ear or two for less severe offenses. This way, not only will the public know the individual's status as a criminal, but the offenders themselves can atone for their sins."
I stared at her incredulously, and she returned my gaze with an excited smile, seemingly awaiting my approval of her idea.
What in the world? This girl was unhinged.
In my previous world, individuals with such beliefs would have probably gone places... likely a prison or insane asylum.
She could even impose her twisted rules on the world if she gained sufficient strength. Which made her extremely dangerous.
"So? Don't keep me waiting. What do you think of this idea?" She prodded my shoulder, and the sensation felt akin to a hot needle, jolting me from my thoughts.
"Do you want me to speak honestly or lie?" I countered.
While lying might have been the prudent choice to prevent her from flying into a fit of rage and potentially ripping my head off, it would also lead her to believe that I endorsed her deranged ideas, thereby entangling me in her malformed path.
"The truth, of course," she insisted.
Gazing at the stars and the half-moon, I wrestled with my thoughts, striving to formulate an explanation that wouldn't endanger my life.
"If we were to treat criminals in such a brutal manner, how would we be different from them?" I met her gaze squarely, refusing to display any hint of weakness. "While some might find satisfaction in the gruesome punishment of criminals and even lend their support to it, the purpose of the laws extends beyond mere retribution. It reflects how civilized societies handle transgressors. Even the death penalty isn't solely about punishment; it serves to eliminate individuals deemed too dangerous in a manner that society perceives as humane."
"Why should I concern myself with the opinions of others? If I possess the strength to enact such laws, the weaklings may protest, but they'll be powerless to resist," she retorted, her expression morphing into irritation.
"Consider this scenario. What if we mistakenly convict an innocent person? We would be subjecting an innocent individual to torment unjustly. The law, like us, is fallible and imperfect," I paused briefly before adding, "Justice may be blind, but not heartless."
Though laws and justice were sometimes not the same. But I doubt Song Song wanted to hear a rant about how laws were filled with loopholes to benefit those who came up with the laws.
Her face softened, and she resumed her smile, momentarily relieving the tension. Then, she turned to me, "Do you think I am heartless?"
Did she compare herself to justice itself?
"A good leader may sometimes appear heartless," I responded, deftly evading the crux of her question akin to Neo dodging bullets in The Matrix.
While technically not lying to her, I managed to sidestep the question.
"In that case, I'll assume the mantle of heartlessness on your behalf. You can handle the mundane tasks and play the role of the benevolent figure," she remarked, her smile suggesting a revelation. "I retract my earlier statement about your leadership potential. As you said, you may not excel as a leader, but you'd make a well-liked second-in-command!"
How she arrived at such a conclusion was puzzling. In my experience, when a leader was despised and the second-in-command was adored, it often led to rebellion. However, such dynamics might differ in this world, where individuals possess the tangible power to quash people instead of just meager political power.
Regardless, if she chose to perceive me in that light, so be it. All I wanted was a night of uninterrupted sleep.
Just because a cultivator's body could handle a lack of sleep, it didn't mean it was a good idea to not get some shuteye.