The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 76

Judith’s head popped out of the water. She looked around and realized there was no one else nearby. She reached down and tapped something below the surface. Another head emerged, this one belonging to Song Qing, who gasped for air and nearly collapsed. He couldn’t swim and had relied entirely on his inner energy to keep himself afloat. Still, being surrounded by water was unbearable, making him feel as if he were suffocating.

If it weren’t a life-or-death situation, he would never have done this…

“If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been discovered!” Song Qing weakly spat out a mouthful of seawater, his stomach churning uncomfortably. His voice, already low, carried an unusual fragility.

“Hah! But I got us out of there, didn’t I?” Judith stood up, wringing out her soaking clothes, then gave Song Qing a swift kick. “You’re too delicate for this. Get up! We need to leave now while no one’s around.”

“No one? Impossible!” Song Qing finally looked up at their surroundings. The eerie stillness was broken only by the faint glow of flames, and the air carried a strange scent. Sniffing cautiously, he muttered, “Did we come to the wrong place?”

“No, I think everyone fled.” Judith took a few sniffs, and her expression suddenly shifted. She sprinted toward a small boat nearby, shouting, “It’s the smell of crude oil! Hurry, help me! We need to get out of here now!”

Song Qing immediately sensed danger. His martial instincts screamed at him, as if some unseen beast lurked in the darkness, ready to pounce. Seeing Judith struggle with the ropes, he shouted, “Move aside!”

Judith barely had time to step back before a flash of silver sliced through the air, severing the ropes. The two of them jumped into the boat. Judith tossed an oar to Song Qing and began rowing frantically.

As a martial artist, Song Qing’s strength was unmatched. Infused with inner energy, the small boat surged forward as if propelled by sails. Smelling the increasingly strong odor in the air, Judith urged, “Faster! Row faster!”

Realizing there was no time for argument, Song Qing pushed himself to the limit, his face red with exertion.

The salty sea breeze hit their faces as they rowed out of the cave. Suddenly, an explosion erupted behind them. Song Qing barely managed to glance back, catching sight of flames roaring toward them. Judith reacted swiftly, throwing herself at him and dragging them both underwater. The violent jolt overturned the boat, which ended up shielding them from the blast.

Even underwater, the deafening roar of the explosion echoed. Song Qing forced his stinging eyes open, the seawater burning them painfully. Yet he couldn’t afford to care. He noticed Judith tying herself to the boat with some ropes and mimicked her actions.

Though Song Qing didn’t understand at first, he soon realized the necessity. The cave collapse disturbed the currents, dragging them downward. Without the buoyancy of the overturned boat, they might have been swept away and drowned in the chaotic waters.

The relentless turbulence eventually overwhelmed them, and they lost consciousness.

When Song Qing awoke, he was lying on the overturned boat. Judith, who had woken up earlier, sat nearby cursing under her breath. Noticing him stir, she grinned mischievously. “We’re drifting at sea now. Whether we survive or not is up to fate.”

Song Qing’s heart sank. He sat up with difficulty, scanning the horizon. All he could see was an endless expanse of water. On the larger ship earlier, he had never felt so insignificant. Now, he seemed no more than an ant surrounded by the vast ocean. The sky loomed like a giant dome over him, while the waves, ever shifting, could easily overturn their fragile vessel with just one gust of wind.

“…We’re so small,” Song Qing muttered, his voice tinged with despair. The dreams of preserving his martial sect and the ambitions of the Jianghu seemed trivial now. Life and death were fleeting, insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

“Small? How small?” Judith’s teasing voice broke his train of thought, pulling him back to reality.

Song Qing’s face darkened as he crossed his legs tightly, avoiding her gaze. He knew he had to rely on her for now, so he stiffly asked, “What should we do?”

“What else can we do?” Judith rested her chin in her hand, replying lazily, “We lost the oars, so we can’t row. The ocean currents will carry us. If we’re lucky, we’ll come across a ship. If not, well, a storm or a shark might end it for us.”

As Judith spoke, her tone was light, but Song Qing’s face grew increasingly pale. When he saw the smirk on her face, he realized she was toying with him. “You’re lying to me, aren’t you? You—!”

“You’re no fun. What would I gain by lying to you?” Judith yawned, turning away. “It’s just been one bad day after another—always soaked, always drifting.”

Ignoring her grumbles, Song Qing stood up to scan the horizon. Suddenly, he spotted a small black dot in the distance. Excitedly, he waved his arms and shouted, “Over here! Hey!”

“Calm down,” Judith warned. “What if it’s an enemy?”

“Then we’ll take their boat!” Song Qing gritted his teeth, unable to bear the thought of drifting aimlessly any longer.

Judith raised an eyebrow but said nothing. They waited as the dot gradually came closer, revealing a battered vessel. Judith, experienced with ships, immediately noticed the signs of careful repair. Whoever owned this boat valued it highly.

Just then, a figure popped up from the other vessel, their voice trembling with surprise. “Judith? Is that you?”

Judith squinted, recognizing a familiar face framed by sun-kissed dark hair and piercing blue eyes. “Ah, it’s you… little slave.”

To her surprise, the “little slave” didn’t argue this time. Instead, they smiled faintly and gestured for a rope ladder to be lowered.

Song Qing didn’t hesitate. “I’m going up first,” he declared, leaping onto the ship with impressive agility. The crew glanced at him briefly before returning to their work, paying him no further attention. One of them—a woman named A Zong—focused solely on helping Judith aboard, ignoring Song Qing entirely.

Irritated, Song Qing frowned. “Hey!” he barked.

A Zong turned her head, her expression calm. Her sharp, unpolished demeanor contrasted starkly with her once-timid nature. She now stood with quiet confidence, meeting Song Qing’s gaze without a hint of fear.

“You’ll listen to me now. I work for the Princess, and so does my sect. From now on, we’re colleagues. It’s best if you—”

Before he could finish, Judith interrupted. “Ow, my back! A Zong, help me!” she groaned dramatically, extending a hand.

A Zong immediately stepped forward, her strength surprising Judith as she pulled her aboard with ease. Judith stumbled into her arms, and A Zong instinctively supported her, her hands brushing against Judith’s waist. “Your back hurts? Judith, you really shouldn’t push yourself so hard at your age,” she said with genuine concern.

Judith’s eyes widened, and she sprang back indignantly. “Age? I could handle seven men and women at once! Believe it or not!”

A Zong froze, her cheeks turning crimson as her gaze unintentionally trailed over Judith’s wet, curvaceous figure. Embarrassed, she stammered, “I-I believe you… probably…”

Satisfied, Judith smirked, wrapping an arm around A Zong’s shoulder. “So, little slave, why are you here?”

A Zong explained quietly, “The Princess sent me to find you. I believed you wouldn’t die in the sea. Luckily, I found you.”

She turned to Song Qing, her voice steady. “Now that I’ve completed the Princess’s task, I’ll leave once everything’s settled. There’s no need for me to follow your orders.”

Song Qing’s face flushed with frustration, but he couldn’t retort.