Chapter 81 He Chases 2 Please, have mercy, just take it and leave.

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse.

Chen Jian'an clutched his still-suffocating chest, his face pale. Hadan, supporting his aching, numb arm, looked on with shock, anger, humiliation, and a hint of disbelief. This robber's skills were far beyond those of ordinary thugs; his reactions, his strength, his finesse—clearly the work of a rigorously trained expert, perhaps even a veteran of battlefield combat!

Faced with an absolute disparity in strength and a threat to one's life, any resistance would be futile.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the helplessness and warning in each other's eyes. Hadan took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and slowly retreated to the shelves piled with leather goods and miscellaneous items, reluctantly bending down to lie down. Chen Jian'an gritted his teeth and had no choice but to do the same.

Fangru was already terrified. Without the slightest hesitation, she quickly retreated to the shelf and lay down on the ground as instructed.

The cold, rough ground pressed against her cheek, the smell of dust filling her nostrils, mixed with the scent of fear.

She secretly raised her eyes, nervously observing the man.

He was dressed plainly, even shabbily, and the coarse cloth bag slung across his shoulder was as unremarkable as he was, its edges already worn and frayed. But the skill he had just displayed with such ease, his composure in the face of danger, and the palpable killing intent emanating from him now made Fangru's heart sink.

This is definitely not an ordinary robber!

"Take out all your valuables, gold, silver, jewelry, everything you have! Throw them in front of me!"

The man glanced warily at the three people lying on the ground, then pulled the cloth bag in front of him and opened it.

Chen Jian'an took the initiative, groping for his money bag and a few pieces of silver hidden in his boot, and threw them on the ground not far from the man's feet.

Hadan's face turned ashen. After hesitating for a moment, he slowly took out his own money pouch and threw it over.

His purse looked a bit bulging than Chen Jian'an's.

However, when the man's gaze swept across Hadan's chest, which was slightly taut from lying down, it paused noticeably. The outline of the inner pocket there seemed to conceal something else.

It was that oil paper bag containing the secret method of iron smelting!

"You!" The man pointed the knife at Hadan, his voice rising abruptly with an undeniable threat, "What else are you hiding in your arms? Hand it over! Don't try anything funny!"

Hadan's body instantly stiffened like iron. That iron-smelting technique was of utmost importance; it was one of his greatest gains from this trip, and a crucial bargaining chip in future negotiations. How could he easily hand it over to a mere bandit?

"Huh?!" Seeing his hesitation, the man's eyes flashed with ferocity. He took a big step forward, the blade reflecting a blinding cold light in the dim light. The chilling killing intent was almost tangible, making it hard to breathe. "Want to die? I'll grant your wish!"

The chilling threat of death licked at Hadan's neck like a venomous snake's tongue. Veins throbbed on his forehead, cold sweat poured down his face, and his teeth clenched so tightly they clicked.

But in the face of that absolute power and killing intent, any act of perseverance seems laughable.

He clenched his fists tightly, then let them fall limply. Finally, filled with immense humiliation and resentment, he used his uninjured left hand, trembling, to slowly pull the crucial oil paper bag from the inner pocket of his robe, as if it weighed a ton, and threw it into the pile of valuables.

Fangru watched in horror! The secret method of iron smelting! Just like that, it was stolen!

Without this crucial credential and "pledge of allegiance," would the already fragile agreement she had just reached with Hadan still hold true? How would Prince Arslan view this?

All her hard work and the opportunity she risked her life for, are they going to be completely ruined because of this sudden accident?

Panic, like an icy tide, instantly engulfed her.

It was Fangru's turn.

Apart from a few pieces of dry food to stave off hunger and a handful of copper coins, she truly had nothing of value.

All her hopes and secrets rested on the jade pendant she kept close to her body. It was a gift from Zhou Ling in her previous life, containing complex and unspeakable emotions and memories. In this life, by a twist of fate, it returned to her from the princess's mansion. She had a feeling that this jade pendant, like the purple jade prayer beads before her, might be the key to her destiny, containing some mysterious power that she could not understand. It was the last reliance she held dear in her heart.

She struggled internally, torn between her thoughts and her anguish, and in the end, she only managed to pull out the dry rations and a pitiful few copper coins, which were pathetic compared to the other gold and silver.

The man nudged the valuables on the ground with his foot, his gaze lingering on the gold and silver purses for a moment before falling on Fangru. Seeing that she only had that insignificant amount of money in front of her, his brows furrowed tightly, and his face grew even more menacing.

"You!" He strode up to Fangru, knife in hand, his tall shadow completely looming over her. "Damn it! Are you trying to fob me off? What are you hiding? Hand it over to me!"

His voice boomed like thunder, ringing in Fangru's ears.

Fangru trembled with fear, burying her face even lower, her voice trembling with sobs and terror: "No...nothing left, hero, there's really nothing left...just...just this little bit of food and a few coins..."

"Bullshit!" The man clearly didn't believe it. He suddenly bent down, and a rough, gravel-like hand violently grabbed Fangru's shoulder, almost lifting her up. His other hand held a knife firmly against her back.

Then, the free hand began to grope and pat Fangru's body without any restraint.

Those hands, calloused and powerful, exuded an overwhelming sense of brutality, rudeness, and humiliating invasion, even through clothing.

Fangru trembled violently, tears welling in her eyes. She bit her lower lip tightly to keep from crying out.

She could feel the hand brushing across her waist, arms, and back... finally stopping on the inside of her chest, touching that hard object.

The man paused, then, without any mercy, with a destructive force, he ripped the jade pendant out of her inner pocket!

The thread snapped, causing a slight stinging sensation on the skin.

It was that jade pendant from the Xia Kingdom's palace, with its warm and delicate texture and exquisite, intricate cloud and dragon patterns!

Even in the dim light, it shimmered with a restrained yet lustrous sheen, creating a striking contrast with the rough and dirty environment and revealing its extraordinary origins.

The man held the jade pendant in his rough palm, and when his gaze fell on it, his movements paused almost imperceptibly.

His fingers traced the familiar patterns on the jade pendant, a complex and unfathomable emotion flashing deep in his eyes. It was not the pure greed that an ordinary robber would have when he saw a valuable item; it was more like a confirmation, a cold and mocking understanding.

But that strange feeling was fleeting, as quick as an illusion.

He immediately reverted to his fierce demeanor, holding the jade pendant almost touching Fangru's nose, his voice sharp and interrogative as he asked, word by word:

"This thing... it's from the Xia Kingdom's palace, isn't it? Even though I'm rough around the edges, I can tell this thing is unusual! Tell me! Who exactly are you? Are you a spy sent by the Xia Kingdom?!"

Fangru felt a buzzing in her head, as if she had been struck by a heavy hammer.

She'd been exposed? He recognized her? A wave of overwhelming fear gripped her, almost suffocating her.

She forced herself to stay calm; she absolutely could not admit it! Once her identity as a spy was confirmed, she would be doomed!

She abruptly raised her tear-filled face, feigning utter terror, and desperately pleaded, her voice broken and trembling with fear: "No...no! Please spare my life, sir! It...it was when I was a maid in...a wealthy household, I secretly...secretly took it! I...I thought it was pretty, so...so I hid it...Sir, you...you have such good taste, this...this must be something valuable! If you like it, take it! Please spare our lives! I beg you!" As she spoke, she made a gesture as if to kowtow, her posture so humble it was almost groveling.

The man stared at her, his eyes, which were deliberately made slightly cloudy, held a sharp, hawk-like light that seemed to pierce through her fragile disguise and reach straight to her heart.

The tent was eerily quiet, with only the heavy, uneven breathing of the men audible. Chen Jian'an and Hadan, lying on the ground, also held their breath, anxiously awaiting the man's reaction.

Those few seconds felt like hours to Fangru.

Finally, the man seemed to accept this seemingly reasonable explanation, or rather, he didn't really care about her specific identity, as long as he confirmed that he had the money.

He let out a cold snort that had no clear meaning, and casually tossed the jade pendant into the bulging cloth bag, where it mingled with the gold and silver purses, making a dull clattering sound.

"Hmph, you're smart to know what's good for you!"

He withdrew the knife from Fangru's back, took two steps back, and glanced once more at the two people lying on the ground, not daring to move.

A thick, deathly silence fell inside the tent, as if even the air had frozen.

The shock and struggle they had just experienced continued to reverberate in their hearts, like ripples on the water.

Fangru slumped to the ground, her fingertips icy cold and trembling slightly. This was not only due to the fear of her body being violated, but also because of the immense emptiness and unease brought about by the loss of the iron-making technique and the jade pendant. It seemed as if the lifeline she had just grasped had snapped.

Although Chen Jian'an and Hadan had managed to stand up, their faces were still filled with shock and anger. Hadan repeatedly moved his still throbbing and numb right arm, his eyes as gloomy as the sky before a storm, staring intently at the swaying curtain, his chest heaving violently, clearly trying his best to suppress the urge to chase after them and fight to the death.

However, the heavy footsteps did not fade away; instead, they slowly echoed from the direction of the counter.

"Splash... Clang..."

It was the soft sound of coins clinking and gold and silver falling into the cloth bag.

He was counting the "spoils" he had just looted from them.

The sound was particularly jarring in the silence, each utterance seeming to mock their powerlessness and wretchedness.

Fangru could even imagine his rough hands carelessly fiddling with the possessions that originally belonged to them, including the crucial oil paper bag and her jade pendant, which she considered a talisman.

A moment later, the rough, hoarse voice rang out again, carrying a clear hint of dissatisfaction and suspicion, breaking the suffocating silence:

"Old man," he said, clearly addressing the shopkeeper who had been huddled in the corner, trying to make himself as inconspicuous as possible, "your shop looks big, but all you have on the counter are these odds and ends? Are you trying to fool someone?"

He tapped the wooden counter with the hilt of his knife, making a dull thud. "Tell me! Is there any other place where you've hidden the money? In the cellar? In a secret compartment?"

The shopkeeper trembled with fear, his voice shaking uncontrollably, almost crying out, "No...nothing more, sir, really nothing more...I just run a small business, earning a meager living, and...this is all I have...please have mercy, take it and go..."

Just then, a series of slightly hurried footsteps came from outside the tent, growing louder as they approached. Then, a young man's voice, slightly out of breath and carrying a northern accent, rang out at the door: "Boss! Are you there? Bring me two jin of the strongest 'Shaodaozi,' hurry, I'm waiting to drink!"

It's a customer!

The sudden sound was like a stone thrown into an ancient well, instantly stirring up ripples in the still waters of Fangru, Chen Jianan, and Ha Dan's hearts.

Hope, a faint but real glimmer of hope, suddenly rose!

Perhaps... perhaps the person buying the alcohol sensed something was amiss inside the tent? Perhaps he could see the subtle abnormality behind the curtain? Or perhaps, if he was alert enough, he might have alerted the patrolling soldiers?

The three of them held their breath involuntarily, pricked up their ears, and nervously awaited the reaction outside the door.