Qingqing didn't put away her slingshot. Instead, she negotiated tremulously, "I can come over... but you have to promise to let the others go!"
Lin Zheng gave a faint smile, a sneer flashing across his lips, curving them into a strange arc. "Naturally. Our boss has taken a fancy to you. As long as you come with us, the others are of no use to me."
Lin Zheng sized Qingqing up and felt something was off. This girl was good - looking, but she didn't seem to be the kind of person who could drive His Highness the Prince of Yan crazy.
However, she was indeed dressed as a maid and had stepped out from here. According to the information he had, Caiyu was just a maid, and the Prince of Yan had only brought one maid with him when he entered the capital.
Lin Zheng dispelled his doubts and coaxed her, "Come here quickly. I guarantee you'll live a life of comfort in our stronghold!"
Qingqing hesitated for a moment but still walked over as told.
Lin Zheng seemed to intend to keep his promise. He waved for Ruan Qi and Ruan Ba to walk towards Qingqing to exchange hostages.
Everyone in the house was hiding in the shadows, staring intently at what was going on outside.
Caiyu felt as if the tiny nerve in her heart was being forcefully tugged and was about to break. She held her breath tightly. At this moment, there could be no slightest slack.
Who knew if Lin Zheng would go back on his word?
Ruan Qi and Ruan Ba gave her a deep look as they passed by and whispered, "We'll save you."
Qingqing's breath caught for a moment. She walked towards Lin Zheng and said, "You guys retreat... Ah!"
Lin Zheng's gentle - looking face suddenly turned gloomy. With lightning speed, he grabbed Qingqing and pulled her in front of him.
He pinned Qingqing's arms in front of her body. His laughter was as sharp as a blade as he issued a rapid order, "Attack! Kill everyone in the house!"
"You lied to me!" Qingqing shouted and struggled. "Liars! Liars!"
"Hahaha..." Lin Zheng let out a shrill laugh. He threw his head back proudly. "Those who achieve great things don't stick to trivial matters. I've never denied that I'm a bad person!"
The change happened so suddenly. Just as Ruan Qi and Ruan Ba reached the hunting lodge, they heard what was going on behind them. They immediately let out a roar and rushed back, bare - handed, into the crowd of the Eastern Depot agents.
In an instant, the smell of blood and the storm of battle were about to rise again!
It seemed that they had no choice but to fight back!
Caiyu gritted her teeth and was about to stand up when she heard Lin Zheng let out a scream!
The scream was so miserable that it stopped everyone's fighting. They all turned to look in Lin Zheng's direction.
They saw Lin Zheng covering his bleeding right eye with one hand and pointing at Qingqing, who had fled into the distance, while roaring, "You little bitch! Chase! Chase after her quickly...!!"
It had been so chaotic just now that no one knew how Qingqing had managed to break free and attack Lin Zheng.
Anyway, the main target had escaped!
Killing seemed less important now. Catching up with the person was the top priority!
A group of people immediately abandoned the injured Ruan Qi and Ruan Ba and left the hunting lodge.
In an instant, it was quiet around the hunting lodge, leaving only the four people who had rushed out of the house in a hurry.
Caiyu quickly assessed the situation and immediately took out the wound medicine from her bosom and threw it to Ruan San and the others. "Quickly apply the medicine to Ruan Qi and Ruan Ba. You guys take them to a safe place and wait to meet up with Han Fen and the others!"
Ruan San immediately refused. "No! Miss Caiyu, our duty is to protect you... No, Miss Caiyu! Miss Caiyu!"
Caiyu knew that arguing with these guards who only knew how to follow orders was a waste of time. So, without waiting for Ruan San to finish, she rushed into the darkness at the fastest speed!
Qingqing had escaped. She had taken Caiyu's place and was in danger. Caiyu couldn't just escape and leave Qingqing in this forest!
It had been sunny in Gusu for several days, but finally, the weather started to change. Lightning began to flash across the sky at some point.
The lightning illuminated the forest with layers of dim light, which made it easier for Caiyu to move through the woods.
However, the lightning made the forest look like it was filled with overlapping ghosts, which was creepy.
There were footsteps and shouts in the distance and nearby. The sounds of fighting and screams that had stopped began to ring out again faintly everywhere, one after another.
A strange thought occurred to Caiyu. Had Han Fen and the others encountered the water bandits and the Eastern Depot agents again?
But the situation was unclear, so she didn't dare to make a sound rashly. She could only sneak through the dark forest, hoping to run into Han Fen and the others.
The smell of an approaching rainstorm lingered in the dark night. Caiyu couldn't find Qingqing, and she was starting to lose her sense of direction. She had to slow down.
Suddenly, it became deathly quiet around her.
Raindrops started to fall on her head. A cold drop landed on Caiyu's eyelid, making her silently grit her teeth.
In this silent dripping sound, Caiyu inexplicably felt a killing intent in the darkness. It was as if a terrifying monster was slowly crawling out of the ground.
That familiar sense of crisis was the same feeling she got every time she faced Song Yinghuai's dangerous gaze. It spread towards Caiyu like a suppressed darkness.
Caiyu tightened her grip on the Yaojiu dagger in her hand. She pricked up her ears warily, trying her best to sense the direction of the enemy.
She knew that her martial arts skills were mediocre. If she encountered the agents of the Eastern Depot, even if she was alone, she might not be able to win.
The rain was falling in a patter. A sharp palm wind swept through a shower of water droplets with a whistling momentum and rushed towards her face instantly, making it hurt.
Caiyu lowered her head reluctantly to avoid it and at the same time waved her dagger!
The blade stabbed aimlessly in the darkness!
Caiyu was determined. No matter where the enemy was, anyway -
Stab!
Slash!
Chop!
She didn't believe that in such darkness, there wasn't a single wild swing of the knife that could hit the enemy.
However, the enemy seemed to really have eyes in the darkness, or rather, their ability to locate by sound was extremely high.
After Caiyu's crazy slashing, she was so exhausted that she could hardly catch her breath, but she didn't hear the slightest sound of pain from the enemy, nor did she feel that she had cut the enemy's flesh.
On the contrary, while Caiyu was dizzy, the enemy finally made a move!
Finally, a contemptuous laugh came from the enemy's throat.
This laugh...
It was quite familiar. It seemed like someone always liked to laugh at her like this?
Caiyu was dizzy when a big hand like an iron hoop reached out from the darkness and firmly grabbed her slender wrist!
Suddenly, force was applied!
Caiyu felt that her wrist was almost broken!
The killing intent suddenly became stronger!
Just then, a bolt of lightning split the sky, and the forest was as bright as day!
The forest was flickering. The light of the lightning was refracted on the dagger in Caiyu's hand!
The cold and bright light shone on Caiyu's dirty and embarrassed face, and at the same time, it also shone on the enemy's extremely handsome face!
Both of them were stunned!
It was Song Yinghuai who reacted quickly. The other hand that had been about to strike Caiyu suddenly changed direction!
A big tree behind Caiyu crashed to the ground!
"Caiyu!"
The big hand that was holding Caiyu's wrist quickly slid down along her arm to her waist.
At the same time, his other hand that had stopped its momentum suddenly grabbed Caiyu's Yaojiu dagger and stuffed it back into the scabbard.
The girl fell steadily into his strong chest according to his strength and heard his steady and powerful heartbeat as usual.
"My Lord." Caiyu grabbed the front of Song Yinghuai's robe tightly. She felt like she was in a dream and couldn't believe it. "You... Why are you here?"
Song Yinghuai hadn't gone to the capital. He had actually come back to save her?
"Yeah."
Song Yinghuai put his arm around her slender waist. Thinking of this girl's skills just now, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, but his voice was as calm as ever. "I heard that something happened in Lingbi, so I came back to find you."
"But..." Caiyu wanted to ask what would happen if he couldn't make it back to the capital to meet the emperor in time.
However, Song Yinghuai reached out and covered her mouth. His voice was as low as it could be. "Someone's coming!"