Marrying a White Snake Wife is Super Cool

Gu Gaoxu saw the situation as clear as day. ’Gu Zhaolian’s wife had died a while back, and he now hates Lu Yuan’s guts. This is not the time to associate myself with Lu Yuan. It would just kill the mood.’

Gu Gaoxu waved his hand dismissively. "Me and that fellow... Lu, was it? We’re just drinking buddies, nothing more. Can’t say we’re close. Anyway, look at Elephant Island! Isn’t it a beauty?"

Gu Gaoxu certainly didn’t acknowledge Lu Yuan as his uncle.

Gu Zhaolian had no choice but to play along with Gu Gaoxu’s change of subject.

That night, Gu Gaoxu and Gu Zhaolian drank and made merry in the army barracks on Elephant Island.

After downing several large jars of wine, Gu Gaoxu was so full he couldn’t stop burping. He finally had to be helped back to his tent by a few soldiers.

For several days straight, Gu Gaoxu did nothing but eat and drink with Gu Zhaolian, putting on an air of utter idleness.

Gu Gaoxu patted his belly, which had grown a little plump. ’How strange,’ he thought. ’The waters around Elephant Island are completely calm, a perfect picture of peace.’

Aside from the seagulls soaring overhead, the only traffic was the occasional small boat ferrying fruits and vegetables between the mainland and Elephant Island. The sea was otherwise empty, showing no signs of anything amiss.

"Could Brother Lu have been wrong? It really doesn’t look like anything’s about to happen on Elephant Island." Having just finished drinking, Gu Gaoxu lay down on the soft bed in his tent and quickly drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, in his own tent, Gu Zhaolian was meeting with a man. "Why haven’t you given the signal?" the man demanded, his presence imposing.

A troubled look crossed Gu Zhaolian’s face. He whispered, "You’ve seen for yourself. The number of men on Elephant Island has doubled. It’s not just our people—King Yan’s second son, Gu Gaoxu, is here too."

"Do you intend to disobey the Marquis’s orders as well?" the man asked coldly.

Gu Zhaolian shot to his feet. "I wouldn’t dare! It’s just..."

"Then kill him!"

...

After the man left, Gu Zhaolian collapsed into his chair, gripped by a terrified indecision.

’Murder?’

Gu Zhaolian had killed before, but never his own cousin. Yet, when he thought of his wife, who had passed away so soon after their marriage, his noble sentiments gave way to a baser instinct.

He blamed Lu Yuan for the melancholy that led to his wife’s early death from illness. This man of iron will swore to avenge her.

And this plot on Elephant Island was to be Gu Zhaolian’s pledge of allegiance!

Gu Zhaolian snatched up his wine cup, drained it in several large gulps—GULP, GULP—and slammed it down on the table. "I’ll do it!" he muttered to himself.

「Later that night.」

Gu Gaoxu was fast asleep when he heard soldiers shouting outside his tent. "Fire! Fire!"

Gu Gaoxu shot awake and sat bolt upright. The blaze outside illuminated his tent, casting his flickering shadow upon the canvas walls.

BOOM! BOOM! Two massive explosions rocked the camp, making Gu Gaoxu’s head ring.

Gu Gaoxu threw on his robes and stepped outside, demanding of the guards, "What’s happening? Where did that explosion come from?"

Despite the fire and explosions, the soldiers stationed outside his tent hadn’t moved an inch from their posts.

One of the guards cupped his fist in his palm. "General, there’s a fire. That explosion sounded like it came from the arsenal."

The arsenal on Elephant Island was for the use of the garrison stationed there.

Gu Gaoxu stared at the distant, Heaven-Reaching blaze and murmured, "I imagine the Red Coat Cannons sent by the Court have just gone up in smoke."

As he said this, a thought suddenly struck him. He turned to the guard. "Go! Quickly! Order our men to secure our dozen-or-so large chests."

The guard cupped his fist. "Yes, General!"

Standing outside his tent, Gu Gaoxu calmly fastened his belt and straightened his robes, showing no sign of panic.

Suddenly, a squad of masked men burst from the side of the tent, charging straight for Gu Gaoxu with their blades drawn.

Gu Gaoxu cursed, "What the hell? You just start swinging without even asking who you’re dealing with!"

The guards at Gu Gaoxu’s side drew their swords to block the assault.

One guard was cut down, collapsing right at Gu Gaoxu’s feet. Gu Gaoxu, who had been about to step back into his tent to retrieve something, was instantly enraged.

Gu Gaoxu spun around and charged forward. A single punch was all it took to kill one of the masked men on the spot.

The remaining masked men were stunned for a second. "All of you, together! Kill him!"

Dodging left and right, Gu Gaoxu took down the masked men one by one with his bare fists.

Gu Gaoxu clenched his right fist, rolling his wrist and cracking his neck. "Where did these petty thugs come from?" he sneered. "They must have a death wish."

"Kill!"

"Kill him!"

He had barely finished speaking when he saw a massive, dark swarm of masked men charging toward him from the distance.

"Holy crap!"

Gu Gaoxu yelped, leaped back into his tent, snatched a piece of clothing and a communicator from the table, and made a break for it.

Gu Gaoxu yelled to his guards, "A real hero knows not to fight a losing battle! Run for it!"

A mob of masked men gave chase as Gu Gaoxu and his guards fled.

Gu Gaoxu didn’t stop running until he reached the camp of his own soldiers. He bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air. "What are you all gawking at?" he wheezed. "First Squad, charge!"

At Gu Gaoxu’s command, seventy or eighty men drew their swords and charged.

The two forces clashed, their battle illuminated by the raging fire.

An officer helped steady Gu Gaoxu. "General, are you unharmed?"

"I’ll live," Gu Gaoxu said, catching his breath. "Where are our chests?"

The officer replied, "Just as you ordered, General. The chests are being guarded."

"Good, that’s good!" Gu Gaoxu sat down on one of the large chests, his confidence somewhat restored.

...

Off the coast of Elephant Island, several large ships were stealthily approaching under the cover of darkness.

On one of the large ships, a man dressed in coarse sackcloth with his hair tied in a small topknot stared at the fire on the island and shouted excitedly, "Row faster!"

Gu Gaoxu watched the masked men, puzzled. ’Where did they come from?’ he wondered, then asked one of his officers, "Has anyone landed on the island these past few days?"

"To answer the General, no one has landed on the island besides the supply boats," the officer beside him replied.

Gu Gaoxu went on, "How strange. These masked men are well-trained, and their Martial Arts are exceptional. They don’t fight like common bandits. Besides, what bandits would be reckless enough to offend the Court?"

As Gu Gaoxu puzzled over the situation, he heard Gu Zhaolian’s voice calling from the distance.

Gu Zhaolian’s hand was raised high, his sword glinting with a phosphorescent light. "Cousin! Cousin! There are invaders!" he shouted.

Gu Gaoxu remained seated on a large chest and didn’t get up. He gestured to one of his men. "Go meet him."

"Yes, General!"

As Gu Zhaolian drew nearer, Gu Gaoxu felt a prickle of unease.

The area behind Gu Zhaolian was pitch-black. Something foul seemed to be following him, cloaked in the darkness.

Gu Gaoxu suddenly sprang to his feet, holding up a hand to stop him. "Stay back!"

At Gu Gaoxu’s shout, Gu Zhaolian halted. He slowly raised his head, the corners of his mouth twisting upward into a sinister, ghoulish grin.

Gu Zhaolian backed away slowly, melting into the darkness...

"Second and Third Squads, open the chests! Get the weapons!" Gu Gaoxu roared.

Before his voice had even faded, innumerable vicious wolves burst from the darkness where Gu Zhaolian had stood, lunging straight for Gu Gaoxu’s position.

"AHHH!!!"

Following a bloodcurdling scream, the soldier who had gone to meet Gu Zhaolian collapsed into a pool of blood, his throat torn out.

The wolves attacked with such speed that the soldiers had no time to retrieve the weapons from the chests.

Gu Gaoxu commanded, "Fourth Squad, with me!"

Gu Gaoxu led the charge, drawing the Soft Whip from his waist to meet the onslaught.

This was no ordinary wolf pack. They were Shadowless Purple Wolves, creatures of some magical power, and they were all being controlled by Spirit Binders.

This meant that a number of Spirit Binders were lurking in the darkness, directing the Shadowless Purple Wolves in battle.

It seemed clear now that Gu Zhaolian was deeply involved in this affair.

Gu Gaoxu laid out a "Lady Jiao" with every crack of his whip. "If I weren’t so damn skilled in the Martial Arts, you mutts might’ve actually made a meal of me!"

The number of Shadowless Purple Wolves kept increasing; it was a seemingly endless tide.

Growing weary from the fight, Gu Gaoxu drew the small pistol tucked at his waist and shot a wolf square in the head. "You just had to push it, didn’t you?" he muttered.