Grand Olympia: Further Horizon - Chapter 25: Third Group
The fire crackled low, flickering against the twisted bark of ancient trees. The air was damp, thick with the scent of blood and scorched earth. The aftermath of the battle had left Qin Shi Huang's group scattered and battered, but no one had died — yet.
Edward Teach sat on a fallen log, his coat in tatters and his face smeared with dirt and sweat. His right arm, wrapped in rough bandages, rested uselessly in his lap. Despite his injuries, his voice was as loud as ever.
"Bah! All that schemin', all that planning — and what do we have to show for it?" He spat into the dirt. "Nothin'. Not a damn thing!"
He grimaced as he shifted, clutching his side.
"And worst of all… those pricks get something out of this when that oversized snake starts choking the life out of us!"
Beside him, Zheng Yi Sao was just as miserable — her coat ripped, her arm loosely bandaged, and her braided hair singed at the tips.
She had her back propped against a tree, her legs sprawled out in front of her. She winced every time she moved, but her sharp tongue hadn't dulled.
"Yeah?" Zheng Yi Sao snapped. "I seem to remember you screamin' like a dying seagull when that snake nearly swallowed you."
Her voice rasped from the smoke she had inhaled earlier.
"How 'bout next time I let you get eaten?"
Edward chuckled hoarsely, coughing through the pain.
"Fine by me," he wheezed, "but you'd have to find someone else to drag your sorry *ss out of the poison cloud."
"Please," Zheng Yi Sao muttered. "I had one eye open. I could've crawled out by myself."
"You barely made it out," Edward barked. "Don't go pretending you're some damn hero."
Yasuke stood nearby, arms crossed, listening to the bickering in silence. His battered fierce oni mask was pushed back on his head, revealing his stern face — a face that looked far too calm given the bruises, cuts, and dried blood streaking down his arms and chest.
"You two," Yasuke said, his voice low and firm. "You're idiots."
Edward turned, his good arm waving weakly. "Oh, here we go… Mr. Stoic's about to lecture us again."
"Because you deserve it," Yasuke muttered. "You both nearly died trying to be bait into your trap." His eyes narrowed. "And you thought blowing up half the forest was a good idea?"
"That was the plan!" Edward shot back. "We were supposed to bait 'em in! Draw 'em close — make it look like we were desperate!"
"Desperate?" Yasuke's gaze hardened. "You were desperate."
"You think you're so smart?" Zheng scowled. "You were barely standing after that fight. Don't act like you're better than us."
Yasuke's cold stare didn't waver. "I'm still standing now," he said flatly. "You're both lucky to be breathing."
Zheng snorted and leaned her head back against the tree, gritting her teeth. Edward muttered something under his breath, then winced as he tried to adjust his wounds.
Watching from a distance, Qin Liangyu shook her head. She sat cross-legged near the fire, her spear resting across her knees. Compared to the others, she looked almost untouched — only a few bruises and scrapes here and there. Yet despite her better condition, her face carried guilt.
"I should've done more," she said quietly. Her voice barely rose above the crackle of the fire. "I arrived too late… I should've stepped in sooner."
Qin Shi Huang, who had been quietly observing from the edge of the camp, finally spoke. His tone was calm.
"You did what you could," he said. "You were alone when you arrived. Rushing in blindly would have done more harm than good."
"I still should've been there," Qin Liangyu insisted.
"I heard the explosions — knew something was wrong — but I hesitated. I didn't know if it was you or… someone else."
"Also I saw this man in a hood firing and hiding. Tried to surprise him but he was more skilled than I thought. And he got this weird mechanical left arm of his"
"Billy the Kid," Yasuke muttered. "The gunman."
"Billy the what?" Zheng Yi Sao coughed out a laugh. "That little bastard? He's the one who shot at us?"
"Yeah," Qin Liangyu said. "Didn't know his name, but… yeah. The guy with the smug grin and his damn weapon. I fought him then the giant snake appeared… but figured I'd have to support you all rather than waste my time than him."
"Wise move," Qin Shi Huang said, folding his hands behind his back. His gaze swept across the group. "Had you not been there Yasuke aline would not be enough to fight all them"
Bath Edward and Zheng Yi Sao screamed at the same time. "Hey, where too!!"
From the far side of the camp, Cleopatra's sharp laugh cut through the quiet. She lay draped across a fallen tree, arms crossed and a wicked grin curling her lips.
Despite her immaculate appearance — her black skin tight clothing, her gold ornaments still shining — she radiated disdain.
"Honestly," Cleopatra purred, "watching you all stumble through that mess was hilarious." She giggled, tossing her sleek hair over her shoulder. "I've never seen so much effort wasted for nothing."
Edward scowled. "We didn't exactly have you helping, now did we?"
Cleopatra gave a mocking pout. "Oh please, darling. If I wanted to get my hands dirty, I would have done it myself." Her grin sharpened. "But why would I? Watching you fools blunder about was far more entertaining."
"Careful," Yasuke warned. "You're not as untouchable as you think."
Cleopatra's grin faltered — just for a moment — before her confidence returned. She rose from her seat, walking slowly toward the fire. "You think you scare me?" Her gaze danced between Edward and Zheng, both bruised and beaten. "I know what's left of your strength. You're barely standing."
"Enough." Qin Shi Huang's voice cut through the tension like a blade. He stepped forward, placing himself between them. His sharp eyes locked onto Cleopatra. "You're here because I allow it. Don't forget that."
Cleopatra's smile remained, but she said nothing.
The fire crackled between them, throwing flickering shadows across their battered faces. Qin Shi Huang turned his gaze back to the others.
"We'll rest here for the night," he said firmly. "Then we move…"
"Whatever you say, boss," Edward muttered with a dry chuckle. He winced as he shifted his arm, still sore from the serpent fight. The grin on his face tried to hide his exhaustion, but the pain was plain in his eyes.
"What the boss says, rules," Zheng Yi Sao chimed in, her tone playful but sharp. She reclined against a log, her bruised ribs wrapped tightly in bandages. Her smile barely masked her discomfort.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Qin Liangyu added, grinning wide as she kneel and clasped her hands.
Cleopatra said nothing. She remained on the outskirts of the camp, seated on a smooth rock.
Her nails traced absentmindedly along the gold ornaments on her sleeves. She looked disinterested, but the glint in her eyes showed she was listening.
Yasuke sat nearby, kanabo across his lap. He didn't speak. His silence wasn't unusual — but the way his fingers tapped lightly on the weapon's handle made it clear his mind was turning.
The mood softened for a time. The tension that had coiled around them since the fight seemed to lift — not gone, but less suffocating.
But eventually, Qin Shi Huang spoke. "There are also still a third group that we haven't seen yet," he said, breaking the silence.
Edward turned his head. "Third?"
Zheng Yi Sao answered. "Dumb*ss do you remember what the Watcher said. Eighteen participants, remember? Six of us here… six from Musashi's group… that leaves six others still out there."
Qin Liangyu frowned. "You think they're still alive?"
"I'd bet on it," Yasuke said flatly.
"Right," Edward muttered. "That means they're not just surviving kicking — they're probably watching us from afar. Haha cowards."
Qin Liangyu's smile faded. "You think they're waiting for us to drop our guard?"
"That," Qin Shi Huang said carefully, "or they're planning something." His gaze drifted to the edge of the trees. "They could be gathering information… or worse, waiting for us to finish each other off."
"Or they're just cowards," Cleopatra's voice rang out lazily. She stretched her legs and crossed her arms. "Hiding in the dark like rats, waiting for scraps."
"Don't be so sure," Yasuke muttered. "Patience is a dangerous weapon."
Edward snorted. "Yeah, well… They can sit and watch all they want. We'll be ready for 'em."
…
George sat by the fire, his face drawn tight. His hands rubbed idly at his wrists, still feeling the ghostly pressure from earlier.
"I'm telling you," George muttered, "they weren't from Yasuke's group. Two figures — both in hoods, moving quiet as shadows. I didn't even hear them till one of 'em had a blade at my throat."
Billy leaned back against a tree, his revolver spinning lazily in his hand. "You sure they weren't just part of Edward's lot?"
George shook his head firmly. "No. This was different. They didn't talk much… just forced me down, pinned me, and kept still."
Musashi, seated nearby, let out a low grunt. "They let you live?"
"They were about to take me out," George muttered. "But something spooked them. One of 'em — the woman — she stopped. Said she 'felt something coming.' Then they just left."
"Could've been the serpent," Billy suggested.
"Maybe," George said. "But the way she said it… no. This was something else. Whatever she felt, it scared her badly."
Silence settled over the camp. The only sound was the soft crackle of the fire.
"Wait," Billy said, narrowing his eyes. "Didn't the Watcher say there were eighteen of us? Six with us… six with Yasuke…"
"Which means those two are part of the third group," Musashi finished grimly.
Billy's face hardened. "So there's more of 'em out there. Watching us."
"Yeah," George muttered. "And I don't think they're just out there sightseeing."
Musashi's hand drifted toward the hilt of his wooden sword. His fingers curled around the handle.
"They'll make their move soon," Musashi said quietly. "They'll want us while we're still weak."
Billy exhaled sharply, flipping his revolver back into its holster. "Well," he muttered, "they're in for a surprise."
"We can't let our guard down," George warned. "They're unexpected… unexpected than any of us expected."
Musashi's gaze lingered on the darkened trees. "Let them come."
The fire crackled on, the warmth feeling less comforting now — like the last light before the darkness swallowed them whole.