I traveled back to the Qin Dynasty, and the First Emperor begged me to become his empress.

Chapter 170 The Competition 3

Zhao Dage was searching for something alone on the mountain, his small figure appearing tiny and lonely amidst the dense forest. Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a color remarkably similar to the surrounding leaves—it was a yellow flag! It lay quietly on the ground, difficult to distinguish from the many leaves without careful observation.

Zhao Dage felt a surge of secret joy. He tiptoed towards the flag, careful not to make a sound that might alert anyone else. Finally reaching it, he cautiously bent down, picked up the flag, and quickly tucked it into his shirt, patting it gently to make sure it was secure. Having done this, he let out a long sigh of relief; his heart, which had been pounding with anxiety, finally felt a little calmer.

However, just then, he heard light footsteps. Zhao Dage's heart tightened, and without thinking, he hurriedly turned around to find a place to hide. But before he could take a step, a shout came from behind: "Stop!" The voice was crisp and loud, forcing him to stop. Helpless, Zhao Dage slowly turned around and saw Sun Daniu and Zheng Tieshan walking quickly towards him.

Upon seeing that the visitors were his familiar partners, Zhao Dage's face immediately lit up with a smile, and he greeted them warmly, "Brother Da Niu, Brother Tie Shan, what are you two doing here?"

Sun Daniu stared at him suspiciously and questioned, "What were you doing, acting so suspiciously just now?"

Zhao Dage's eyes darted away for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and waved his hand to explain, "I wasn't being sneaky, Brother Da Niu. I just suddenly had a terrible stomachache and wanted to find a secluded place to take care of it."

Zheng Tieshan, standing to the side, frowned and asked with a look of doubt, "Really?"

Zhao Dage nodded hurriedly, replying like a pestle striking garlic, "Of course it's true, Brother Tieshan, why would I lie to you?"

However, Sun Daniu did not believe his explanation and turned to Zheng Tieshan, saying, "I think this guy is definitely up to something. Maybe he found the flag, which is why he's being so sneaky."

Upon hearing this, Zheng Tieshan, who had been somewhat skeptical, became alert, his gaze fixed intently on Zhao Dage. Suddenly, he stepped forward, grabbed Zhao Dage's collar, and shouted sternly, "Tell me the truth right now, where is the flag?"

Faced with the two men's aggressive demeanor, Zhao Dage felt a little flustered, but he still forced himself to remain calm and replied, "I...I really didn't see the flag, Brother Tieshan, please don't wrong me!"

Sun Daniu said, "Brother Tieshan, you hold him while I search the surrounding area. There must be a flag nearby."

Zheng Tieshan nodded slightly in agreement, then said to Sun Daniu with a serious expression, "Alright, then search carefully. If you find the flag, you absolutely mustn't have any selfish thoughts about hiding it! Otherwise, hmph... you should know my methods and how powerful I am." After saying that, Zheng Tieshan suddenly raised his huge and hard fist, which was like a sandbag, and shook it forcefully in front of Sun Daniu's eyes a few times, as if the fist was about to smash into the other party at any moment.

Upon seeing this, Sun Daniu turned pale with fright and hurriedly nodded, saying, "Brother Tieshan, don't worry! Even if I had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard, I would never dare to do such a thing! Besides, I've always hoped that you could become the princess's guard. If that day ever comes and you rise to prominence, you must help me out! With my meager abilities, how could I possibly become the princess's guard? So my greatest wish is to follow you closely. Even if I only get to eat scraps, I'll be content!"

Hearing Sun Daniu's flattering words, Zheng Tieshan couldn't help but feel secretly pleased, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his face. He nodded slightly and said, "Hmm, you're smart enough to know what's good for you! Then hurry up and go find it."

Upon receiving the order, Sun Daniu immediately sprang into action. He widened his eyes, meticulously searching every inch of the surrounding land and every tree. His efforts paid off; before long, Sun Daniu actually found a flag high in the tree branch, its color remarkably similar to the tree trunk. When he saw the flag, his heart pounded, and his excitement was beyond words.

Sun Daniu knew that time was of the essence and there was no time to waste. He carefully took down the flag, tucked it into his robes, and then, with his agile movements, tiptoed away like a cat. Throughout the entire process, he made almost no sound, disappearing into the forest in no time. He understood perfectly well that only by quickly descending the mountain and successfully becoming the princess's guard could he truly guarantee his safety.

Zheng Tieshan stood anxiously in place, his eyes constantly scanning the direction where Sun Daniu might appear. Time ticked by, but Sun Daniu still hadn't shown up. He began pacing back and forth, his frustration growing stronger like a burning flame.

Seeing Zheng Tieshan's anxious expression, Zhao Dage thought to himself, "It seems Sun Daniu has most likely found the flag and slipped away. What should I do? Although I'm not afraid of anyone when it comes to running, Zheng Tieshan is watching me so closely, and this mountain forest has complicated terrain. If I run blindly, I'm very likely to get lost!"

After some careful consideration, Zhao Dage suddenly shouted, "Brother Da Niu!"

The sound echoed through the silent forest. Hearing the shouts, Zheng Tieshan instinctively looked into the distance, trying to find Sun Daniu. Just then, Zhao Dage seized the opportunity and dashed out like an arrow. His steps were light and agile, and in the blink of an eye, he had created some distance between himself and Zheng Tieshan.

However, Zhao Dage's actions still caused a slight commotion. Zheng Tieniu keenly sensed the anomaly and quickly turned around, only to find that Zhao Dage had already vanished without a trace, leaving only the sound of footsteps fading into the distance. Zheng Tieniu was instantly furious, roaring, "Don't run, Zhao Dage! If you dare to run again, I won't let you off easily when I catch you!"

Ignoring Zheng Tieshan's angry threats, Zhao Dage remained completely focused. His only thought was to reach the bottom of the mountain as quickly as possible. He held the flag; a successful descent would ensure his safety. With that thought, Zhao Dage moved with lightning speed, sprinting down the mountain.

Watching Zhao Dage's figure recede into the distance, Zheng Tieshan realized he had been tricked by Sun Daniu. Moreover, Zhao Dage should also have a flag on him. Thinking of this, Zheng Tieshan clenched his fists tightly. He was determined to find the flag. Once he became the princess's bodyguard, he would have plenty of time to teach Sun Daniu and Zhao Dage a lesson. With that thought, Zheng Tieshan continued his search for the flag.