Chapter 9: A Chilling Night in the Ravaged Valley, Bloodstains Linger
The moon hung low in the west, a waning crescent half-obscured by a veil of thin clouds. Its pale, ashen light spilled over the rolling, endless mountain ranges. The biting chill of the mountain night didn't arrive in sudden gusts; instead, it seeped slowly through the soil and dead branches, soaking into their clothes and creeping persistently into their bones. Lin Yan pulled the borrowed coarse outer robe tighter around himself. With every swing of his arm, the bandaged wound throbbed dully. The bandage, dampened by the mountain's moisture and his own sweat, clung tightly to his flesh, sending occasional waves of stinging itchiness.
It had been nearly an hour since the three-man reconnaissance team had left the outpost. They had deliberately avoided open slopes and well-trodden trails, plunging straight into the desolate, thorn-choked wilderness. The sharp thorns of the dense bushes constantly scraped against their clothes and snagged their pant legs. Lao Chai took the lead. He held a smoothly polished, slender wooden stick, gently parting the blocking vines with delicate movements, trying not to make a sound of tearing branches.
Lao Chai was forty-two, his temples already streaked with white hair. He had guarded the Zhenyue Escort Agency's outpost for sixteen long years. Tracking and stealth scouting in the mountains were his bread and butter. He didn't just march blindly forward; every dozen steps or so, he would pause, tilt his head slightly, and focus intently to decipher every faint sound in the forest. His nose would twitch gently, analyzing the scents carried by the wind, while his gaze slowly swept the ground, searching for footprints or broken foliage. Nothing escaped his eyes. His left hand always rested lightly on the hilt of the short blade at his waist—an instinct forged by years of wilderness combat. Even when there was no immediate danger, he was always ready to strike.
Bringing up the rear was Xiao Ge. Only nineteen years old, he was the most skilled fighter among the escort agency's new generation of guards. His grip on his blade was steady, but his shoulders remained tense, his eyes betraying the nervousness of a youth stepping into a deadly domain. Every few moments, he would secretly glance back into the pitch-black forest behind him, ensuring no one was tailing them. He rarely spoke, only nodding gently when Lao Chai signaled to stop or advance with hand gestures. When the mountain wind blew the stray hair by his temples, he would unconsciously press his lips together, his ears straining to catch every sound around them.
Lin Yan walked in the middle of the formation. Keeping pace with the other two, he continuously observed his surroundings. The scenes of the daytime bloodbath replayed in his mind: the flying shrapnel, the deafening roar of clashing steel, and Chen Yi standing alone with his sword before Green Face, waving his hand to urge A-Shi to break out with the token. The hazy intuition in his heart grew clearer with every step they took toward the valley. He knew he had come to this Jianghu to fulfill the deepest wish of someone's heart. Only when that wish was fulfilled could he leave. But who was this person, and what was their wish? There were no hints; he had to figure it out on his own. Right now, Chen Yi was his only clue, but it was merely a guess.
"Once we pass through this dwarf pine forest ahead, we'll reach the valley entrance," Lao Chai stopped, turning sideways and lowering his voice. His breathing was steady as his gaze swept over Lin Yan and Xiao Ge. "Remember, once inside, don't spread out too far. Keep within twenty paces of each other to ensure mutual support. Green Face is insidious. Experts like him love to leave hidden ambushes on battlefields after a fight. Our priority is to examine the scene. Don't rashly push into the depths. If you sense anything wrong, a short whistle is the signal to retreat immediately. No reckless fighting. Got it?"
"Got it," Xiao Ge nodded lightly, his fingers double-checking that his short blade was securely lodged in its sheath.
Lin Yan gave a slight nod, replying in a low voice, "Understood."
The three fell silent, using the dense shadows of the pine trees as cover to slowly traverse the dwarf pine forest.
Finally, the open valley spread out before their eyes.
The faint moonlight bathed the entire valley, laying bare the devastation left by the daytime slaughter. Broken long spears were thrust diagonally into the mud, their wooden shafts splintered along the cracks of the slashes. Vine shields shattered by blades lay scattered among the rocks, their dry vines snapped and curling upward. Arrows of varying lengths littered the ground, some arrowheads buried deep in the crevices of the rocks. Several black-clad assassins lay sprawled across the clearing in grotesque angles. Their clothes were torn, their wounds crusted with dark, dried blood, their bodies stiffly frozen in the exact postures of their deaths. As the mountain wind swept through, it tugged at the tattered hems of the dead, producing a faint, rustling sound. The air was thick with the metallic stench of blood, mingled with the damp, earthy smell of rotting leaves. Breathing it in made their chests feel heavy and suffocated.
The three stopped behind the bushes at the valley's edge, standing silently in the darkness, not stepping into the valley immediately. Lao Chai narrowed his eyes, slowly scanning the entire valley, his gaze sweeping over every rock, fallen tree, and bush inch by inch. Xiao Ge unconsciously held his breath, his vision darting nervously back and forth, his hand pressed tightly against his short blade. He had seen his fair share of Jianghu brawls, but he had never witnessed a battlefield this brutal. A chill crept into his heart.
"Don't rush in yet," Lao Chai whispered, his voice barely audible. "Listen carefully. Look closely. First, confirm there's no one hiding in the shadows."
They stood in the bushes for a long time. The valley was filled only with the mournful howl of the wind through dead branches. There were no human voices, no sounds of clashing weapons, not even the chirping of birds or insects. The entire valley was eerily, terrifyingly silent.
"I don't see any ambushers for now," Lao Chai exhaled slowly. "But don't let your guard down. We'll split up slightly to search, but stay close. Check the bodies first. Judge the nature of the fight from the wounds."
The three stepped slowly into the valley. Their feet sank into the decaying leaves mixed with blood, a soft, damp, and sticky sensation beneath their soles.
Lin Yan walked over to the nearest black-clad assassin and slowly crouched down. There was a clean, precise sword wound at the neck, the incision smooth—a classic one-strike throat seal. He recalled Green Face's sword style from the day before: light, yet devastatingly lethal. Lao Chai walked over to another body, bending down to examine the wound carefully, his brow slowly furrowing.
"Most of these assassins died from the same sword technique. Extremely fast, every strike aimed at a vital point. This is undoubtedly Green Face's work," Lao Chai said in a low voice, tracing the sword's path in the air with his fingertips. "Brother Chen Yi's sword style is heavier, relying on blocking and hard clashes. His wounds wouldn't be this clean and neat."
Xiao Ge stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the sea of corpses. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, forcing down his nausea. "So, you're saying Green Face alone slaughtered quite a few of his own men?"
"Men like Green Face only care about whether they get the token. To him, his assassins are nothing but expendable pawns," Lao Chai replied indifferently.
The three continued to inch forward, examining every trace on the ground. Soon, a massive black rock caught Lin Yan's attention. Its surface was covered with sword marks of varying depths, some several inches deep. Stone chips littered the ground, the layered sword scars overlapping, painting a vivid picture of the fierce melee that had taken place there. At the base of the rock, a massive pool of blood had spread out, far wider than anywhere else in the valley. A long drag mark extended from the black rock toward the dense forest on the opposite side of the valley.
Lin Yan hurried forward and crouched down to examine the ground. The bloodstain was half-dry, and the drag mark varied in depth. It was clear that the injured person had no strength left to stand and could only crawl away from the clearing.
"Lao Chai, Xiao Ge, come look at this," Lin Yan whispered.
The two quickly closed in at his call, bending down to examine the sword marks on the rock and the bloody drag mark on the ground. Lao Chai reached out, his fingertips gently brushing the cut on the stone, the rough surface scraping against his skin.
"This is where Chen Yi and Green Face fought," Lao Chai judged in a deep voice. "Judging by the drag mark, the injured man didn't die on the spot. He moved toward the dense forest after being wounded."
Xiao Ge leaned forward slightly, his gaze following the blood trail into the deep forest. "Could it be Brother Chen Yi? If it is, did he escape in there to hide, or was he taken by Green Face?"
No one could give a definitive answer. If he had been captured alive by Green Face, the consequences would be unimaginable. But if Chen Yi had escaped into the forest with his last breath, there was still a glimmer of hope.
Lin Yan stared at the continuous blood trail, his mind churning with thoughts. If the person who left the drag mark was Chen Yi, what was his greatest wish right now? Was it to see the token safely delivered to the Jiangnan headquarters? Or was it to stay alive until his companions came to his rescue? These two wishes were entirely different. If it was the former, the token had already reached the outpost, and the wish was fulfilled. If it was the latter, only by saving Chen Yi would the task be complete.
There was no evidence for any of these guesses. They could only follow the blood trail deeper into the forest to find the truth.
"Follow the blood trail into the forest. Everyone, be doubly careful," Lao Chai said, pressing his hand against the short blade at his waist as he slowly stood up.
Following the intermittent, dark red bloodstains, the three stepped one by one into the dense forest deep in the valley. The tree canopies intertwined densely overhead, blocking almost all of the already faint moonlight. Lin Yan's vision grew darker; he could only rely on the零星 moonlight filtering through the gaps in the trees to navigate. The grass on the ground had been flattened by a heavy weight, the trail of crushed foliage extending forward. As they ventured deeper, the blood trail gradually faded, appearing and disappearing. Eventually, only a few scattered dark red spots remained, nearly blending into the mud and rotting leaves.
The silence around them was terrifying, broken only by the extremely faint sound of their three pairs of footsteps.
Just then, Lao Chai, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped. He abruptly raised his right hand, making a halt gesture.
Lin Yan and Xiao Ge froze instantly, holding their breath, their entire bodies tensing in a split second.
Lao Chai tilted his ear, listening intently ahead. A moment later, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze locking onto a bush about ten paces ahead. The bush was shaking slightly—not the wide swaying caused by the mountain wind, but a short, deliberate tremor. Faintly, a figure could be seen leaning against the trunk of a massive ancient pine, completely motionless.
Xiao Ge's right hand instantly gripped the hilt of his short blade. He lowered his body, dropping his center of gravity, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Lin Yan's heart plummeted, a thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on his palms. Holding their breath, the three took slow, deliberate steps forward.
As the distance closed, the figure's outline became clear. He wore a gray combat suit, the fabric slashed in multiple places by sword edges, his body covered in wounds of varying depths. A deep gash across his chest had soaked a massive area of his clothes in blood. It was Chen Yi. He sat with his back against the ancient pine, his legs stretched out, his long sword leaning diagonally against the trunk beside him. His head hung slightly, but his chest still rose and fell faintly. He was alive.
"Brother Chen!" Xiao Ge suppressed his excitement, whispering as he took a few quick steps forward.
Hearing the voice, Chen Yi slowly raised his head. His face was as pale as paper, his lips cracked and peeling. His eyes were unfocused and cloudy. It took immense effort for him to barely focus and make out the three approaching figures. Every breath pulled at his wounds, sending waves of searing pain through his chest. He spoke in broken, gasping fragments, his breath incredibly weak.
"You... came." Chen Yi's voice was hoarse and dry. He paused between every word, his gaze sweeping over the three before finally landing on Lin Yan. "A-Shi... the token... is it safe?"
"The token has been delivered to the outpost. Brother Zhou Wu is preparing to escort it south to the Jiangnan headquarters tonight. A-Shi is severely injured, but his life is not in danger. He has been worrying about your safety," Lao Chai quickly replied in a soft voice. At the same time, he hurriedly crouched down, pressing two fingers against Chen Yi's neck to check his pulse, before quickly examining his multiple wounds. "Brother Chen, don't speak. We'll get you out of here immediately."
Hearing that the token was safe, the tension that had gripped Chen Yi for so long finally eased. A faint, exhausted smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The heaviest stone in his heart had finally fallen.
Lin Yan stood quietly to the side, observing Chen Yi, carefully capturing his current emotions. Chen Yi had risked his life to stay behind and hold the line. His greatest obsession had been to protect the token and ensure its safe delivery to the Jiangnan headquarters. Now that he knew the token was safe, this obsession was fulfilled. Yet, the hazy intuition in Lin Yan's heart hadn't changed in the slightest.
Was it possible that Chen Yi wasn't the person he was looking for? The thought swirled in his mind, leaving him somewhat bewildered.
Chen Yi took several ragged breaths and shook his head with great difficulty. His weak voice carried a hint of bitterness: "Don't... waste your strength taking me. Green Face didn't kill me. He only severely wounded me, leaving me with a breath of life. Before he left, he said he anticipated you would definitely come looking for me. Hidden lookouts are stationed all around this forest."
The instant those words fell, Lin Yan's sharp ears caught the faintest sound of fabric rustling from the bushes to the left. It wasn't the wind moving the grass and trees.
Lao Chai's face changed dramatically. He instantly stood up, his short blade half-drawn from its sheath, his gaze sweeping alertly across the surrounding forest. "No! We've fallen into a trap!"
"Hahaha... just as the master predicted, you would definitely come."
A chilling laugh echoed from the tree shadows on all sides. From the dark corners of the dense forest, figures in black slowly emerged from behind the tree trunks and bushes. The assassins' short blades gleamed with cold light, forming a fan-shaped perimeter that slowly closed in, completely surrounding Lin Yan, Lao Chai, Xiao Ge, and the severely wounded, immobile Chen Yi beneath the ancient pine. The encirclement tightened inch by inch, leaving them with less and less space.
It had been nearly an hour since the three-man reconnaissance team had left the outpost. They had deliberately avoided open slopes and well-trodden trails, plunging straight into the desolate, thorn-choked wilderness. The sharp thorns of the dense bushes constantly scraped against their clothes and snagged their pant legs. Lao Chai took the lead. He held a smoothly polished, slender wooden stick, gently parting the blocking vines with delicate movements, trying not to make a sound of tearing branches.
Lao Chai was forty-two, his temples already streaked with white hair. He had guarded the Zhenyue Escort Agency's outpost for sixteen long years. Tracking and stealth scouting in the mountains were his bread and butter. He didn't just march blindly forward; every dozen steps or so, he would pause, tilt his head slightly, and focus intently to decipher every faint sound in the forest. His nose would twitch gently, analyzing the scents carried by the wind, while his gaze slowly swept the ground, searching for footprints or broken foliage. Nothing escaped his eyes. His left hand always rested lightly on the hilt of the short blade at his waist—an instinct forged by years of wilderness combat. Even when there was no immediate danger, he was always ready to strike.
Bringing up the rear was Xiao Ge. Only nineteen years old, he was the most skilled fighter among the escort agency's new generation of guards. His grip on his blade was steady, but his shoulders remained tense, his eyes betraying the nervousness of a youth stepping into a deadly domain. Every few moments, he would secretly glance back into the pitch-black forest behind him, ensuring no one was tailing them. He rarely spoke, only nodding gently when Lao Chai signaled to stop or advance with hand gestures. When the mountain wind blew the stray hair by his temples, he would unconsciously press his lips together, his ears straining to catch every sound around them.
Lin Yan walked in the middle of the formation. Keeping pace with the other two, he continuously observed his surroundings. The scenes of the daytime bloodbath replayed in his mind: the flying shrapnel, the deafening roar of clashing steel, and Chen Yi standing alone with his sword before Green Face, waving his hand to urge A-Shi to break out with the token. The hazy intuition in his heart grew clearer with every step they took toward the valley. He knew he had come to this Jianghu to fulfill the deepest wish of someone's heart. Only when that wish was fulfilled could he leave. But who was this person, and what was their wish? There were no hints; he had to figure it out on his own. Right now, Chen Yi was his only clue, but it was merely a guess.
"Once we pass through this dwarf pine forest ahead, we'll reach the valley entrance," Lao Chai stopped, turning sideways and lowering his voice. His breathing was steady as his gaze swept over Lin Yan and Xiao Ge. "Remember, once inside, don't spread out too far. Keep within twenty paces of each other to ensure mutual support. Green Face is insidious. Experts like him love to leave hidden ambushes on battlefields after a fight. Our priority is to examine the scene. Don't rashly push into the depths. If you sense anything wrong, a short whistle is the signal to retreat immediately. No reckless fighting. Got it?"
"Got it," Xiao Ge nodded lightly, his fingers double-checking that his short blade was securely lodged in its sheath.
Lin Yan gave a slight nod, replying in a low voice, "Understood."
The three fell silent, using the dense shadows of the pine trees as cover to slowly traverse the dwarf pine forest.
Finally, the open valley spread out before their eyes.
The faint moonlight bathed the entire valley, laying bare the devastation left by the daytime slaughter. Broken long spears were thrust diagonally into the mud, their wooden shafts splintered along the cracks of the slashes. Vine shields shattered by blades lay scattered among the rocks, their dry vines snapped and curling upward. Arrows of varying lengths littered the ground, some arrowheads buried deep in the crevices of the rocks. Several black-clad assassins lay sprawled across the clearing in grotesque angles. Their clothes were torn, their wounds crusted with dark, dried blood, their bodies stiffly frozen in the exact postures of their deaths. As the mountain wind swept through, it tugged at the tattered hems of the dead, producing a faint, rustling sound. The air was thick with the metallic stench of blood, mingled with the damp, earthy smell of rotting leaves. Breathing it in made their chests feel heavy and suffocated.
The three stopped behind the bushes at the valley's edge, standing silently in the darkness, not stepping into the valley immediately. Lao Chai narrowed his eyes, slowly scanning the entire valley, his gaze sweeping over every rock, fallen tree, and bush inch by inch. Xiao Ge unconsciously held his breath, his vision darting nervously back and forth, his hand pressed tightly against his short blade. He had seen his fair share of Jianghu brawls, but he had never witnessed a battlefield this brutal. A chill crept into his heart.
"Don't rush in yet," Lao Chai whispered, his voice barely audible. "Listen carefully. Look closely. First, confirm there's no one hiding in the shadows."
They stood in the bushes for a long time. The valley was filled only with the mournful howl of the wind through dead branches. There were no human voices, no sounds of clashing weapons, not even the chirping of birds or insects. The entire valley was eerily, terrifyingly silent.
"I don't see any ambushers for now," Lao Chai exhaled slowly. "But don't let your guard down. We'll split up slightly to search, but stay close. Check the bodies first. Judge the nature of the fight from the wounds."
The three stepped slowly into the valley. Their feet sank into the decaying leaves mixed with blood, a soft, damp, and sticky sensation beneath their soles.
Lin Yan walked over to the nearest black-clad assassin and slowly crouched down. There was a clean, precise sword wound at the neck, the incision smooth—a classic one-strike throat seal. He recalled Green Face's sword style from the day before: light, yet devastatingly lethal. Lao Chai walked over to another body, bending down to examine the wound carefully, his brow slowly furrowing.
"Most of these assassins died from the same sword technique. Extremely fast, every strike aimed at a vital point. This is undoubtedly Green Face's work," Lao Chai said in a low voice, tracing the sword's path in the air with his fingertips. "Brother Chen Yi's sword style is heavier, relying on blocking and hard clashes. His wounds wouldn't be this clean and neat."
Xiao Ge stood to the side, his gaze sweeping over the sea of corpses. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, forcing down his nausea. "So, you're saying Green Face alone slaughtered quite a few of his own men?"
"Men like Green Face only care about whether they get the token. To him, his assassins are nothing but expendable pawns," Lao Chai replied indifferently.
The three continued to inch forward, examining every trace on the ground. Soon, a massive black rock caught Lin Yan's attention. Its surface was covered with sword marks of varying depths, some several inches deep. Stone chips littered the ground, the layered sword scars overlapping, painting a vivid picture of the fierce melee that had taken place there. At the base of the rock, a massive pool of blood had spread out, far wider than anywhere else in the valley. A long drag mark extended from the black rock toward the dense forest on the opposite side of the valley.
Lin Yan hurried forward and crouched down to examine the ground. The bloodstain was half-dry, and the drag mark varied in depth. It was clear that the injured person had no strength left to stand and could only crawl away from the clearing.
"Lao Chai, Xiao Ge, come look at this," Lin Yan whispered.
The two quickly closed in at his call, bending down to examine the sword marks on the rock and the bloody drag mark on the ground. Lao Chai reached out, his fingertips gently brushing the cut on the stone, the rough surface scraping against his skin.
"This is where Chen Yi and Green Face fought," Lao Chai judged in a deep voice. "Judging by the drag mark, the injured man didn't die on the spot. He moved toward the dense forest after being wounded."
Xiao Ge leaned forward slightly, his gaze following the blood trail into the deep forest. "Could it be Brother Chen Yi? If it is, did he escape in there to hide, or was he taken by Green Face?"
No one could give a definitive answer. If he had been captured alive by Green Face, the consequences would be unimaginable. But if Chen Yi had escaped into the forest with his last breath, there was still a glimmer of hope.
Lin Yan stared at the continuous blood trail, his mind churning with thoughts. If the person who left the drag mark was Chen Yi, what was his greatest wish right now? Was it to see the token safely delivered to the Jiangnan headquarters? Or was it to stay alive until his companions came to his rescue? These two wishes were entirely different. If it was the former, the token had already reached the outpost, and the wish was fulfilled. If it was the latter, only by saving Chen Yi would the task be complete.
There was no evidence for any of these guesses. They could only follow the blood trail deeper into the forest to find the truth.
"Follow the blood trail into the forest. Everyone, be doubly careful," Lao Chai said, pressing his hand against the short blade at his waist as he slowly stood up.
Following the intermittent, dark red bloodstains, the three stepped one by one into the dense forest deep in the valley. The tree canopies intertwined densely overhead, blocking almost all of the already faint moonlight. Lin Yan's vision grew darker; he could only rely on the零星 moonlight filtering through the gaps in the trees to navigate. The grass on the ground had been flattened by a heavy weight, the trail of crushed foliage extending forward. As they ventured deeper, the blood trail gradually faded, appearing and disappearing. Eventually, only a few scattered dark red spots remained, nearly blending into the mud and rotting leaves.
The silence around them was terrifying, broken only by the extremely faint sound of their three pairs of footsteps.
Just then, Lao Chai, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped. He abruptly raised his right hand, making a halt gesture.
Lin Yan and Xiao Ge froze instantly, holding their breath, their entire bodies tensing in a split second.
Lao Chai tilted his ear, listening intently ahead. A moment later, he tilted his head slightly, his gaze locking onto a bush about ten paces ahead. The bush was shaking slightly—not the wide swaying caused by the mountain wind, but a short, deliberate tremor. Faintly, a figure could be seen leaning against the trunk of a massive ancient pine, completely motionless.
Xiao Ge's right hand instantly gripped the hilt of his short blade. He lowered his body, dropping his center of gravity, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Lin Yan's heart plummeted, a thin layer of cold sweat breaking out on his palms. Holding their breath, the three took slow, deliberate steps forward.
As the distance closed, the figure's outline became clear. He wore a gray combat suit, the fabric slashed in multiple places by sword edges, his body covered in wounds of varying depths. A deep gash across his chest had soaked a massive area of his clothes in blood. It was Chen Yi. He sat with his back against the ancient pine, his legs stretched out, his long sword leaning diagonally against the trunk beside him. His head hung slightly, but his chest still rose and fell faintly. He was alive.
"Brother Chen!" Xiao Ge suppressed his excitement, whispering as he took a few quick steps forward.
Hearing the voice, Chen Yi slowly raised his head. His face was as pale as paper, his lips cracked and peeling. His eyes were unfocused and cloudy. It took immense effort for him to barely focus and make out the three approaching figures. Every breath pulled at his wounds, sending waves of searing pain through his chest. He spoke in broken, gasping fragments, his breath incredibly weak.
"You... came." Chen Yi's voice was hoarse and dry. He paused between every word, his gaze sweeping over the three before finally landing on Lin Yan. "A-Shi... the token... is it safe?"
"The token has been delivered to the outpost. Brother Zhou Wu is preparing to escort it south to the Jiangnan headquarters tonight. A-Shi is severely injured, but his life is not in danger. He has been worrying about your safety," Lao Chai quickly replied in a soft voice. At the same time, he hurriedly crouched down, pressing two fingers against Chen Yi's neck to check his pulse, before quickly examining his multiple wounds. "Brother Chen, don't speak. We'll get you out of here immediately."
Hearing that the token was safe, the tension that had gripped Chen Yi for so long finally eased. A faint, exhausted smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. The heaviest stone in his heart had finally fallen.
Lin Yan stood quietly to the side, observing Chen Yi, carefully capturing his current emotions. Chen Yi had risked his life to stay behind and hold the line. His greatest obsession had been to protect the token and ensure its safe delivery to the Jiangnan headquarters. Now that he knew the token was safe, this obsession was fulfilled. Yet, the hazy intuition in Lin Yan's heart hadn't changed in the slightest.
Was it possible that Chen Yi wasn't the person he was looking for? The thought swirled in his mind, leaving him somewhat bewildered.
Chen Yi took several ragged breaths and shook his head with great difficulty. His weak voice carried a hint of bitterness: "Don't... waste your strength taking me. Green Face didn't kill me. He only severely wounded me, leaving me with a breath of life. Before he left, he said he anticipated you would definitely come looking for me. Hidden lookouts are stationed all around this forest."
The instant those words fell, Lin Yan's sharp ears caught the faintest sound of fabric rustling from the bushes to the left. It wasn't the wind moving the grass and trees.
Lao Chai's face changed dramatically. He instantly stood up, his short blade half-drawn from its sheath, his gaze sweeping alertly across the surrounding forest. "No! We've fallen into a trap!"
"Hahaha... just as the master predicted, you would definitely come."
A chilling laugh echoed from the tree shadows on all sides. From the dark corners of the dense forest, figures in black slowly emerged from behind the tree trunks and bushes. The assassins' short blades gleamed with cold light, forming a fan-shaped perimeter that slowly closed in, completely surrounding Lin Yan, Lao Chai, Xiao Ge, and the severely wounded, immobile Chen Yi beneath the ancient pine. The encirclement tightened inch by inch, leaving them with less and less space.