The Dawn of the New World Chapter 1530

Having examined Che Yun's condition Hao Xuan was just about to return to the dig site when he heard footsteps coming his way.

Sumeet casually walked out from the left side of the rock formation with the stone tablet in his hand. He saw Hao Xuan standing by the shelter and Che Yun sleeping inside which made his brow wrinkle.

"Why are you not working?"

"I was. Just taking a break," Hao Xuan gestured towards the tunnel that he had dug out.

Sumeet glanced in its direction before quickly following up with another, "Did you go outside?"

"I did," Hao Xuan didn't even try to hide it.

He was holding the stone tablet so obviously he knew there had been some movement which is why he was here.

"Why?"

"The Djinn. They lured the boy outside so I had to bring him back."

His expression went from slightly annoyed to outright suspect.

"You went outside, fought with the Djinn, and then came back unharmed?"

Hao Xuan shook his head, "There was no fight. I tried talking to them and they were nice enough to leave on their own accord."

Sumeet scoffed, "Right, of course. It wouldn't be that you tried to run away, made it over the hill before realizing there was nothing out there before making a hasty retreat?"

Hao Xuan looked into his eyes and knew that there was nothing he could say that would convince him otherwise. Sumeet had already made up his mind.

"Think whatever you want," Hao Xuan shrugged, "I need to get back to work."

He turned to take his leave but stopped upon hearing the sound of rustling and leather stretching. Looking over his shoulder he saw the thorny red whip in Sumeet's hand.

Sumeet put the stone tablet away while brushing his fingers over the tightly wrapped handle. He was grinning ear to ear and that grin did not falter in the least even when the oxen tribesman walked out from the right side.

"What's the commotion?" Ketillaug asked with a deep frown.

Hao Xuan gestured towards Summet, "Not sure, ask him."

Sumeet couldn't hide his pleasure even if he tried as he listed his 'crimes' one by one and their respective punishments.

"Five lashes for exiting the array without permission and putting the rest of us in danger, five for returning without permission, and another ten for lying about it- per person!" he explained elatedly.

Hao Xuan's fist tightened as he asked through gritted teeth, "You want to...flog a child? For being TRICKED??"

Sumeet nodded proudly, "Mhm. But there is no need to worry, this isn't just any ordinary whip you see," he said holding it up so they could see, "The boy will survive- well, his body will."

Ketillaug stepped in between them, "Is that necessary? Five lashes are enough to turn a mortal human into a fool. Twenty for each of them is too much."

Sumeet's jovial expression took a turn for the worse as he glared at Ketillaug, "All crimes must be punished! They shouldn't have broken the law if they couldn't take the punishment!"

While they were arguing Hao Xuan inspected the whip in great detail. The vicious-looking thorns embellishing the ends of the whip reminded him of the giant plant that had brought him here in the first place.

'It doesn't hurt the body as much but the mind. That would explain what Ketillaug meant by turning mortals into fools. He thinks since I have no cultivation I won't be able to defend myself while the boy- he is just caught in the crossfire. But it's a fact he won't be able to take those lashes, his mind will be broken well before the so-called 'punishment' ends.'

"Regardless, we need him to work. He came back so what's the problem? Let it-"

"Fine," Hao Xuan interrupted Ketillaug, "I accept the punishment on the condition that you leave the boy alone. I will accept all the lashes."

Both Sumeet and Ketillaug were shocked by his words.

"A-All of them?!" Ketillaug repeated in a daze while Sumeet's eyes shone with a new light.

"Hahaha!" he threw his head back while laughing hysterically, "Now THAT is the mark of a true man, am I right? FORTY LASHES FOR THE SLAVE WITH THE HEART!"

"NO!" Ketillaug openly contested, "That is far too severe! Are you trying to kill him?! Master Rufgar will not forgive you if you leave him incapacitated and unable to work!"

But Sumeet waved his hands nonchalantly, "Don't you worry about that, he will be just fine. Won't you?" he looked at Hao Xuan knowingly, making him frown.

'He knows I can take it? How?? I haven't revealed anything to-'

He suddenly remembered what Rufgar had said in passing. Sumeet belonged to the Song children's group.

'Song Yi! This is her doing! She sent him here to 'punish' me. That stupid little...'

Sumeet saw the proverbial lightbulb over Hao Xuan's head and nodded slyly, "Looks like you finally connected the dots, huh? Brighter than you look, boy."