Chapter 5: Green Face Draws His Sword, A Desperate Stand for a Breakout
The valley was a maelstrom of flashing steel. Waist-high wild grass was trampled flat by the frantic footsteps of the combatants. Severed grass stems, drenched in flying droplets of blood, gleamed a dark crimson under the sunlight. The heavy stench of blood mingled with the bitter scent of mountain flora, pressing down like a suffocating weight over the entire valley.
Chen Yi fought three men at once, his broadsword weaving a dense, impenetrable curtain of blade shadows. The sharp clash of metal rang out incessantly, sending faint tremors through the surrounding air. His old wounds were still bleeding profusely. The fresh gash on his waist, torn open during the battle in the tunnel, burst anew with every swing of his sword. Warm blood trickled down his inner thigh, soaking through his coarse trousers. Every time he pushed off the ground, a piercing agony shot through his leg. Cold sweat dripped continuously from his jaw, mixing with the blood and blurring his vision.
An assassin seized the brief gap as Chen Yi drew a breath. The man ducked low and lunged forward, his short blade slashing diagonally toward Chen Yi's old shoulder wound. Chen Yi hastily raised his broadsword to block. The massive impact traveled violently down the hilt into his arms. The webbing of his hand tore open instantly, blood soaking the grip and making his palm slick and treacherous. The sheer force drove him backward, forcing a half-stumble that nearly broke his stance.
"Brother Chen!" A-Shi, clutching the oilcloth-wrapped token tightly against his chest, crouched at the edge of the rear slope. His eyes were red with desperation. He held only a severely worn short dagger. The earlier melee had drained most of his stamina, and though he had barely managed to repel an assassin trying to flank them, a new blade wound had opened on his own shoulder. The flesh was torn, and every movement of his arm sent waves of excruciating pain through his body. He desperately wanted to rush to Chen Yi's aid, but he knew that the moment he left his position, the token in his arms would be exposed to the enemy's blades. He could only stay put, watching the battle with his heart lodged in his throat.
On the other side, Lin Yan was still locked in a deadly dance with the assassin pursuing him.
He had absolutely no martial arts foundation. He had no techniques, no explosive strength. His only assets were the reflexes honed by dodging subway trains, weaving through city traffic, and climbing stairs in the modern world, combined with the raw survival instinct forced out of him by sheer desperation. He darted back and forth, twisted, and rolled across the thick grass. The assassin's short blade grazed his neck and chest time and again, the icy chill of death brushing past his skin with every near-miss.
Lin Yan kept bending down to snatch up stones of suitable size, hurling them one after another with all his might. Most were deflected or shattered by the assassin's blade, sending shards flying. But if even one stone could briefly disrupt the enemy's rhythm or delay the start of his next attack, it was a victory.
The assassin chasing him was growing increasingly irritated by this chaotic, rat-like harassment. With a low, frustrated growl, he dropped his shoulder and accelerated, lowering his blade to thrust directly at Lin Yan's lower abdomen.
In that hair-trigger moment, Lin Yan threw himself violently to the side, crashing heavily into a thick patch of grass. The blade stabbed viciously into the mud, sending dirt and grass clods flying upward. As the assassin pulled his blade back for another thrust, his movement stalled for a fraction of a second. Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Yan spotted a thick, dry branch nearby. Without a second thought, he grabbed the wood and, using the momentum of his roll, swung it in a fierce horizontal arc. The branch cracked hard against the inner tendon of the assassin's knee.
"Ah!" The assassin grunted in pain. His leg muscles instantly gave out from the heavy blow to his inner knee, and he crashed down onto one knee.
Lin Yan didn't dare linger. He scrambled backward on his hands and knees, desperately putting distance between them, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. During his roll, a sharp rock on the ground had sliced a long, bleeding gash across his arm. The flesh was torn open, and a fiery pain shot up his nerves straight to his brain. He had no time to check the wound. He blindly wiped the mud and grass from his face, his gaze instantly snapping back to the battlefield. He quickly counted the remaining enemies and assessed everyone's positions.
The cold rule of the dimension was always suspended in his mind: until the token reached the Zhenyue Escort Agency's outpost, the mission was not complete. If he failed, he would be trapped and die in this Jianghu dimension forever. He would never return to that tiny rental apartment in reality, never again hear the morning alarm or live his mundane, nine-to-five routine. This wasn't a spectator sport; it was his own high-stakes gamble with death.
Atop the slope, Green Face stood motionless, his gaze taking in every detail of the slaughter below.
His face was hidden behind an ancient bronze mask, the eye sockets nothing but pitch-black, hollow voids concealing any expression beneath. His ink-colored robe hung loose, the hem gently stirred by the mountain breeze. He had watched his subordinates' struggle with cold indifference, making no move to intervene, as if he were merely watching a tedious circus act. Only when he saw that Chen Yi, despite his severe injuries, was still stubbornly holding the line, and that the inexplicably appearing youth, despite his obvious terror, refused to flee and continued to disrupt the battle with clumsy methods, did Green Face slowly raise his hand to grip the hilt of the long sword at his waist.
With a gentle push of his fingertips, the sword slid slowly from its scabbard. There was no harsh, piercing ring of ordinary steel. Instead, a low, resonant hum echoed through the air. Sunlight caught the pristine blade, casting a pale, ghostly gleam. Its锋芒 was restrained, yet it harbored a terrifying power capable of claiming lives.
"A bunch of useless trash. You've been stalling this long and still can't take down two wounded men and a mortal."
Green Face stepped slowly down from the slope, his pace steady and unhurried. He walked over the flattened grass and scattered bloodstains with the casual grace of a man taking a leisurely stroll through the countryside, not a man walking through a bloodbath. He didn't radiate any wild, explosive killing intent. Yet, the more serene his demeanor, the heavier the oppressive pressure he exuded. It was as if the air in the valley itself was freezing, and even the rustle of the wind through the grass seemed to quiet.
Catching Green Face's approach out of the corner of his eye, Chen Yi's heart plummeted. He knew Green Face's strength all too well. During their last encounter, the masked man had severely wounded him in just three strikes. After the grueling battle in the tunnel, Chen Yi was completely drained. With his old and new wounds叠加, his stamina was on the verge of total collapse. He had absolutely no strength left to face this man's sword.
"A-Shi!" Chen Yi suddenly roared, his voice cutting through the clash of steel on the battlefield. "While I hold him off, run for the pine forest ahead! Beyond the pines is the Zhenyue outpost! We have reinforcements there!"
A-Shi's entire body jolted. His arm holding the token tightened instinctively. "But what about you? Green Face's martial arts..."
"Don't worry about me!" Chen Yi bellowed, his voice laced with the searing pain of his wounds. "Delivering the token is the only way to complete the mission! If it falls into Green Face's hands, dozens of Jianghu strongholds across several prefectures in Jiangnan will be destroyed, and countless innocents will be dragged into disaster! Go!"
A-Shi clenched his jaw, tears welling in his eyes. He gave a firm, heavy nod. "Brother Chen, I swear I'll deliver the token!"
"Lin Yan, cover his breakout!" Chen Yi quickly barked an order. He immediately gripped his broadsword with both hands, planted his feet in a heavy horse stance, and channeled every last drop of his remaining strength into his arms, bracing himself to face the approaching Green Face.
"I will hold him here."
Green Face stopped. The hollow voids of his bronze mask locked onto the blood-soaked Chen Yi. His voice was flat and emotionless. "Knowing you can't win, you still dare to block my path? With your injuries, you won't survive three strikes."
"To take the token, you must step over my corpse." Chen Yi applied slight pressure to his arms, raising the tip of his broadsword to lock onto Green Face's chest.
"You do have some backbone." Green Face raised his sword slightly, the tip pointing upward. "Then I shall grant your wish."
Before the words had even faded, a flash of sword light erupted!
There was no flashy opening stance, no wasted wind-up. The strike was blindingly fast. A white arc of light tore through the air, thrusting directly at Chen Yi's throat. Chen Yi's pupils contracted sharply. He channeled every ounce of his remaining strength to raise his broadsword in a desperate block.
CLANG!
The immense force traveled down the broadsword. Agony ripped through Chen Yi's arms as the webbing of his hand burst open. The broadsword nearly flew from his grasp. It was as if he had been struck in the chest by a massive hammer. He staggered back three consecutive steps, and a mouthful of blood erupted from his throat, staining the front of his tunic crimson.
In just a single strike, the difference in power was absolute.
Green Face stepped forward smoothly, his long sword launching into a relentless flurry of thrusts, each one aimed precisely at a vital point. Chen Yi gritted his teeth, desperately raising his broadsword to parry and block. But his severe injuries and depleted stamina meant that every single defense drained the last shreds of his life force. Sword and blade collided repeatedly, sending tiny sparks flying. With every clash, Chen Yi's wounds tore further open. He was losing blood faster, and his vision began to darken in waves.
Seeing that Chen Yi had lost most of his combat effectiveness, the remaining black-clad assassins stopped pressing him. Two of them broke off and lunged toward A-Shi, who was clutching the token and preparing to turn and flee!
"You're not getting away!" The two assassins flanked him from left and right, their short blades gleaming with cold light.
A-Shi's face paled. Gritting his teeth, he raised his short dagger to meet them. But already wounded and exhausted, he lasted less than two exchanges before his dagger was violently knocked from his hand, clattering uselessly into the grass.
One assassin instantly reached out, his hand shooting toward the tightly wrapped oilcloth bundle in A-Shi's arms.
"Look out!"
Seeing this, Lin Yan didn't have time to think. He threw himself sideways with all his might, slamming his entire body into the assassin's waist. The assassin's center of gravity shifted, and his grab missed. In retaliation, he spun and delivered a brutal kick squarely to Lin Yan's chest.
Excruciating pain exploded instantly. Lin Yan was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing to the ground. His chest felt as though it were being crushed by a boulder, stealing his breath. A faint, metallic taste of blood rose in his throat. But he clenched his jaw, fighting through the nauseating churn of his internal organs, and frantically scrambled on his hands and knees, desperately trying to stand and block the path again.
A-Shi seized this fleeting window. Gritting his teeth, he spun around and sprinted wildly toward the towering pine forest in the distance.
"Stop him!" Catching sight of A-Shi's breakout attempt, Green Face's voice dropped a fraction in temperature. He raised a hand, signaling the fastest assassin to disengage and pursue A-Shi directly.
Green Face himself didn't bother chasing the fleeing target. Instead, his sword攻势 grew even more ferocious, forcing Chen Yi into a continuous, desperate retreat with a rapid succession of strikes. Another horizontal slash caught Chen Yi off guard. The long sword tore across his lower abdomen, ripping open a deep, gaping wound. Warm blood gushed out, flowing down his stomach.
Chen Yi stumbled two steps before his knees buckled. He crashed heavily to the ground in the grass, his broadsword falling from his trembling, numb fingers. He could no longer hold the hilt.
"It's over." Green Face raised his sword and walked slowly toward the fallen Chen Yi, the blade tip lowered and aimed steadily at his neck. "You've done enough."
"No!" Lin Yan struggled to his feet, his eyes frantically scanning the battlefield. He couldn't stop Green Face, and he had no power to save Chen Yi. His only chance now was to catch up to A-Shi and help him hold off the pursuing assassin.
Would A-Shi make it to the outpost? Would the token be safely delivered to the reinforcements? That was the only answer that mattered for his dimensional mission.
If A-Shi was caught and the token taken, the mission would fail. He would be trapped forever in this desolate Jianghu, never to return to reality.
Clutching his chest, Lin Yan forced himself to stand. His gaze pierced through the swaying grass, fixed on the direction A-Shi had fled. A-Shi had already reached the edge of the pine forest, but the pursuing assassin was incredibly fast, and the distance between them was rapidly closing.
Lying on the ground, Chen Yi used the very last of his strength to lift his head and roar at Lin Yan. His voice was weak, yet unyielding: "Go help him! Hold off the pursuer! You must protect the token!"
Green Face turned his head slightly. The hollow voids of his mask fixed on the wounded, swaying Lin Yan. His tone was calm, laced with a hint of disdain. "A boy with no martial arts, still struggling? Stop. I'll spare your life. There's no need to throw it away for nothing."
Lin Yan's heart hammered wildly against his ribs. Bone-chilling terror gripped his limbs. He knew that in front of Green Face, he was as fragile as a sheet of paper. With a single flick of his wrist, Green Face could end his life.
But he couldn't stop.
He cast a fleeting glance at Chen Yi, kneeling on the ground with his life hanging by a thread, and then looked toward the distant pine forest, where A-Shi and the pursuer had already vanished into the layered trunks.
Lin Yan didn't utter a single word in response to Green Face. He spun around and sprinted with everything he had toward the pine forest.
He had to catch up to A-Shi. Using the wisdom of an ordinary man, he would set up simple obstacles in the complex terrain of the forest to delay the assassin. This gamble could not be lost until the very last second when the token was safely in the hands of the reinforcements.
Green Face watched the boy's retreating figure disappear into the distance. He remained silent for a moment, making no immediate move to follow. He lowered his gaze to Chen Yi, who lay motionless on the ground. The tip of his sword still hovered a mere inch from Chen Yi's neck.
"Just a dying struggle."
The mountain wind swept through the valley, carrying the heavy stench of blood toward the pine forest. Deep within the woods, branches swayed. The frantic, panicked footsteps of A-Shi and the tight, rhythmic pursuit of the assassin echoed faintly from within. A brand-new chase through the forest had officially begun.
Chen Yi fought three men at once, his broadsword weaving a dense, impenetrable curtain of blade shadows. The sharp clash of metal rang out incessantly, sending faint tremors through the surrounding air. His old wounds were still bleeding profusely. The fresh gash on his waist, torn open during the battle in the tunnel, burst anew with every swing of his sword. Warm blood trickled down his inner thigh, soaking through his coarse trousers. Every time he pushed off the ground, a piercing agony shot through his leg. Cold sweat dripped continuously from his jaw, mixing with the blood and blurring his vision.
An assassin seized the brief gap as Chen Yi drew a breath. The man ducked low and lunged forward, his short blade slashing diagonally toward Chen Yi's old shoulder wound. Chen Yi hastily raised his broadsword to block. The massive impact traveled violently down the hilt into his arms. The webbing of his hand tore open instantly, blood soaking the grip and making his palm slick and treacherous. The sheer force drove him backward, forcing a half-stumble that nearly broke his stance.
"Brother Chen!" A-Shi, clutching the oilcloth-wrapped token tightly against his chest, crouched at the edge of the rear slope. His eyes were red with desperation. He held only a severely worn short dagger. The earlier melee had drained most of his stamina, and though he had barely managed to repel an assassin trying to flank them, a new blade wound had opened on his own shoulder. The flesh was torn, and every movement of his arm sent waves of excruciating pain through his body. He desperately wanted to rush to Chen Yi's aid, but he knew that the moment he left his position, the token in his arms would be exposed to the enemy's blades. He could only stay put, watching the battle with his heart lodged in his throat.
On the other side, Lin Yan was still locked in a deadly dance with the assassin pursuing him.
He had absolutely no martial arts foundation. He had no techniques, no explosive strength. His only assets were the reflexes honed by dodging subway trains, weaving through city traffic, and climbing stairs in the modern world, combined with the raw survival instinct forced out of him by sheer desperation. He darted back and forth, twisted, and rolled across the thick grass. The assassin's short blade grazed his neck and chest time and again, the icy chill of death brushing past his skin with every near-miss.
Lin Yan kept bending down to snatch up stones of suitable size, hurling them one after another with all his might. Most were deflected or shattered by the assassin's blade, sending shards flying. But if even one stone could briefly disrupt the enemy's rhythm or delay the start of his next attack, it was a victory.
The assassin chasing him was growing increasingly irritated by this chaotic, rat-like harassment. With a low, frustrated growl, he dropped his shoulder and accelerated, lowering his blade to thrust directly at Lin Yan's lower abdomen.
In that hair-trigger moment, Lin Yan threw himself violently to the side, crashing heavily into a thick patch of grass. The blade stabbed viciously into the mud, sending dirt and grass clods flying upward. As the assassin pulled his blade back for another thrust, his movement stalled for a fraction of a second. Out of the corner of his eye, Lin Yan spotted a thick, dry branch nearby. Without a second thought, he grabbed the wood and, using the momentum of his roll, swung it in a fierce horizontal arc. The branch cracked hard against the inner tendon of the assassin's knee.
"Ah!" The assassin grunted in pain. His leg muscles instantly gave out from the heavy blow to his inner knee, and he crashed down onto one knee.
Lin Yan didn't dare linger. He scrambled backward on his hands and knees, desperately putting distance between them, his chest heaving as he gasped for air. During his roll, a sharp rock on the ground had sliced a long, bleeding gash across his arm. The flesh was torn open, and a fiery pain shot up his nerves straight to his brain. He had no time to check the wound. He blindly wiped the mud and grass from his face, his gaze instantly snapping back to the battlefield. He quickly counted the remaining enemies and assessed everyone's positions.
The cold rule of the dimension was always suspended in his mind: until the token reached the Zhenyue Escort Agency's outpost, the mission was not complete. If he failed, he would be trapped and die in this Jianghu dimension forever. He would never return to that tiny rental apartment in reality, never again hear the morning alarm or live his mundane, nine-to-five routine. This wasn't a spectator sport; it was his own high-stakes gamble with death.
Atop the slope, Green Face stood motionless, his gaze taking in every detail of the slaughter below.
His face was hidden behind an ancient bronze mask, the eye sockets nothing but pitch-black, hollow voids concealing any expression beneath. His ink-colored robe hung loose, the hem gently stirred by the mountain breeze. He had watched his subordinates' struggle with cold indifference, making no move to intervene, as if he were merely watching a tedious circus act. Only when he saw that Chen Yi, despite his severe injuries, was still stubbornly holding the line, and that the inexplicably appearing youth, despite his obvious terror, refused to flee and continued to disrupt the battle with clumsy methods, did Green Face slowly raise his hand to grip the hilt of the long sword at his waist.
With a gentle push of his fingertips, the sword slid slowly from its scabbard. There was no harsh, piercing ring of ordinary steel. Instead, a low, resonant hum echoed through the air. Sunlight caught the pristine blade, casting a pale, ghostly gleam. Its锋芒 was restrained, yet it harbored a terrifying power capable of claiming lives.
"A bunch of useless trash. You've been stalling this long and still can't take down two wounded men and a mortal."
Green Face stepped slowly down from the slope, his pace steady and unhurried. He walked over the flattened grass and scattered bloodstains with the casual grace of a man taking a leisurely stroll through the countryside, not a man walking through a bloodbath. He didn't radiate any wild, explosive killing intent. Yet, the more serene his demeanor, the heavier the oppressive pressure he exuded. It was as if the air in the valley itself was freezing, and even the rustle of the wind through the grass seemed to quiet.
Catching Green Face's approach out of the corner of his eye, Chen Yi's heart plummeted. He knew Green Face's strength all too well. During their last encounter, the masked man had severely wounded him in just three strikes. After the grueling battle in the tunnel, Chen Yi was completely drained. With his old and new wounds叠加, his stamina was on the verge of total collapse. He had absolutely no strength left to face this man's sword.
"A-Shi!" Chen Yi suddenly roared, his voice cutting through the clash of steel on the battlefield. "While I hold him off, run for the pine forest ahead! Beyond the pines is the Zhenyue outpost! We have reinforcements there!"
A-Shi's entire body jolted. His arm holding the token tightened instinctively. "But what about you? Green Face's martial arts..."
"Don't worry about me!" Chen Yi bellowed, his voice laced with the searing pain of his wounds. "Delivering the token is the only way to complete the mission! If it falls into Green Face's hands, dozens of Jianghu strongholds across several prefectures in Jiangnan will be destroyed, and countless innocents will be dragged into disaster! Go!"
A-Shi clenched his jaw, tears welling in his eyes. He gave a firm, heavy nod. "Brother Chen, I swear I'll deliver the token!"
"Lin Yan, cover his breakout!" Chen Yi quickly barked an order. He immediately gripped his broadsword with both hands, planted his feet in a heavy horse stance, and channeled every last drop of his remaining strength into his arms, bracing himself to face the approaching Green Face.
"I will hold him here."
Green Face stopped. The hollow voids of his bronze mask locked onto the blood-soaked Chen Yi. His voice was flat and emotionless. "Knowing you can't win, you still dare to block my path? With your injuries, you won't survive three strikes."
"To take the token, you must step over my corpse." Chen Yi applied slight pressure to his arms, raising the tip of his broadsword to lock onto Green Face's chest.
"You do have some backbone." Green Face raised his sword slightly, the tip pointing upward. "Then I shall grant your wish."
Before the words had even faded, a flash of sword light erupted!
There was no flashy opening stance, no wasted wind-up. The strike was blindingly fast. A white arc of light tore through the air, thrusting directly at Chen Yi's throat. Chen Yi's pupils contracted sharply. He channeled every ounce of his remaining strength to raise his broadsword in a desperate block.
CLANG!
The immense force traveled down the broadsword. Agony ripped through Chen Yi's arms as the webbing of his hand burst open. The broadsword nearly flew from his grasp. It was as if he had been struck in the chest by a massive hammer. He staggered back three consecutive steps, and a mouthful of blood erupted from his throat, staining the front of his tunic crimson.
In just a single strike, the difference in power was absolute.
Green Face stepped forward smoothly, his long sword launching into a relentless flurry of thrusts, each one aimed precisely at a vital point. Chen Yi gritted his teeth, desperately raising his broadsword to parry and block. But his severe injuries and depleted stamina meant that every single defense drained the last shreds of his life force. Sword and blade collided repeatedly, sending tiny sparks flying. With every clash, Chen Yi's wounds tore further open. He was losing blood faster, and his vision began to darken in waves.
Seeing that Chen Yi had lost most of his combat effectiveness, the remaining black-clad assassins stopped pressing him. Two of them broke off and lunged toward A-Shi, who was clutching the token and preparing to turn and flee!
"You're not getting away!" The two assassins flanked him from left and right, their short blades gleaming with cold light.
A-Shi's face paled. Gritting his teeth, he raised his short dagger to meet them. But already wounded and exhausted, he lasted less than two exchanges before his dagger was violently knocked from his hand, clattering uselessly into the grass.
One assassin instantly reached out, his hand shooting toward the tightly wrapped oilcloth bundle in A-Shi's arms.
"Look out!"
Seeing this, Lin Yan didn't have time to think. He threw himself sideways with all his might, slamming his entire body into the assassin's waist. The assassin's center of gravity shifted, and his grab missed. In retaliation, he spun and delivered a brutal kick squarely to Lin Yan's chest.
Excruciating pain exploded instantly. Lin Yan was sent flying backward like a kite with a snapped string, crashing to the ground. His chest felt as though it were being crushed by a boulder, stealing his breath. A faint, metallic taste of blood rose in his throat. But he clenched his jaw, fighting through the nauseating churn of his internal organs, and frantically scrambled on his hands and knees, desperately trying to stand and block the path again.
A-Shi seized this fleeting window. Gritting his teeth, he spun around and sprinted wildly toward the towering pine forest in the distance.
"Stop him!" Catching sight of A-Shi's breakout attempt, Green Face's voice dropped a fraction in temperature. He raised a hand, signaling the fastest assassin to disengage and pursue A-Shi directly.
Green Face himself didn't bother chasing the fleeing target. Instead, his sword攻势 grew even more ferocious, forcing Chen Yi into a continuous, desperate retreat with a rapid succession of strikes. Another horizontal slash caught Chen Yi off guard. The long sword tore across his lower abdomen, ripping open a deep, gaping wound. Warm blood gushed out, flowing down his stomach.
Chen Yi stumbled two steps before his knees buckled. He crashed heavily to the ground in the grass, his broadsword falling from his trembling, numb fingers. He could no longer hold the hilt.
"It's over." Green Face raised his sword and walked slowly toward the fallen Chen Yi, the blade tip lowered and aimed steadily at his neck. "You've done enough."
"No!" Lin Yan struggled to his feet, his eyes frantically scanning the battlefield. He couldn't stop Green Face, and he had no power to save Chen Yi. His only chance now was to catch up to A-Shi and help him hold off the pursuing assassin.
Would A-Shi make it to the outpost? Would the token be safely delivered to the reinforcements? That was the only answer that mattered for his dimensional mission.
If A-Shi was caught and the token taken, the mission would fail. He would be trapped forever in this desolate Jianghu, never to return to reality.
Clutching his chest, Lin Yan forced himself to stand. His gaze pierced through the swaying grass, fixed on the direction A-Shi had fled. A-Shi had already reached the edge of the pine forest, but the pursuing assassin was incredibly fast, and the distance between them was rapidly closing.
Lying on the ground, Chen Yi used the very last of his strength to lift his head and roar at Lin Yan. His voice was weak, yet unyielding: "Go help him! Hold off the pursuer! You must protect the token!"
Green Face turned his head slightly. The hollow voids of his mask fixed on the wounded, swaying Lin Yan. His tone was calm, laced with a hint of disdain. "A boy with no martial arts, still struggling? Stop. I'll spare your life. There's no need to throw it away for nothing."
Lin Yan's heart hammered wildly against his ribs. Bone-chilling terror gripped his limbs. He knew that in front of Green Face, he was as fragile as a sheet of paper. With a single flick of his wrist, Green Face could end his life.
But he couldn't stop.
He cast a fleeting glance at Chen Yi, kneeling on the ground with his life hanging by a thread, and then looked toward the distant pine forest, where A-Shi and the pursuer had already vanished into the layered trunks.
Lin Yan didn't utter a single word in response to Green Face. He spun around and sprinted with everything he had toward the pine forest.
He had to catch up to A-Shi. Using the wisdom of an ordinary man, he would set up simple obstacles in the complex terrain of the forest to delay the assassin. This gamble could not be lost until the very last second when the token was safely in the hands of the reinforcements.
Green Face watched the boy's retreating figure disappear into the distance. He remained silent for a moment, making no immediate move to follow. He lowered his gaze to Chen Yi, who lay motionless on the ground. The tip of his sword still hovered a mere inch from Chen Yi's neck.
"Just a dying struggle."
The mountain wind swept through the valley, carrying the heavy stench of blood toward the pine forest. Deep within the woods, branches swayed. The frantic, panicked footsteps of A-Shi and the tight, rhythmic pursuit of the assassin echoed faintly from within. A brand-new chase through the forest had officially begun.