"Run!"

Yan Ning grabbed Xie Huaiye's wrist.

Like an arrow released from a bow, it plunged headlong into the maze-like alleys of the ancient town.

Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest, almost shattering her ribs.

"The drone is ruined..."

Xie Huaiye, panting heavily, shouted as he ran, "The audience can't see what's going on with us."

"To the Ye residence!"

Yan Ning's goal was clear, and her voice was resolute: "Find Master Ye, find Ye Qingling, only they can help us!"

"Wait, my phone still has a signal. Let me call Zhou Tian first."

Xie Huaiye suddenly stopped and took out his phone.

The screen signal flickered weakly.

"Zhou Tian, ​​it's me, Xie Huaiye!"

He shouted into the microphone, "We discovered that the mayor is corrupt and has imprisoned a group of poor people. The mayor wants to kill us now that he's been exposed."

"He's sending people to kill us. Call the police immediately! I'll send you the location! Send people over quickly!"

The signal was intermittent, and it was unclear how much the other party could hear.

After hanging up the phone, Xie Huaiye's face darkened further. "It's too far. It will take the police at least half a day to get here!"

"The mayor's men will arrive at any time."

Yan Ning gritted his teeth and said, "Master Ye is our only hope! Let's go!"

The two rushed back to the grand gates of the Ye residence like a gust of wind.

Sun Wuji happened to be looking out from the doorway when he saw their disheveled appearance.

His clothes were torn and covered in dust; his face was deathly pale.

His lively face instantly lost its smile, and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Sister Ning?!"

Sun Wuji rushed over and caught the slightly unsteady Yan Ning, his voice filled with both urgency and heartache:

"Good heavens! You've fallen into a bandit's den? What happened? Where are you hurt?"

He eagerly looked his friend up and down.

"No time, Wuji!"

Yan Ning grabbed his arm, her nails almost digging into it. "The mayor is going to kill us to cover it up! Take us to Master Ye! Quickly!"

Seeing that her expression of fear was no joke, Sun Wuji immediately stopped laughing.

"Come with me!" He turned and ran, his steps quick.

Master Ye was in his exquisite little garden.

Leisurely pruning the branches and leaves of a potted peony.

They saw Yan Ning and Xie Huaiye rushing in like beggars fleeing a disaster.

His hand trembled, and he almost cut off a beautiful flower.

“Master Yan? Mr. Xie? This…” Master Ye looked astonished.

Ignoring all formalities, Yan Ning rushed to Master Ye's side, her voice urgent and loud:

"Master Ye, do you know there's a slum on the west side of town?"

The color drained from Master Ye's face in an instant, and his eyes darted away.

"Slums...slums? What slums? Qingshui Town is a peaceful and prosperous place, where are there any slums?"

He vehemently denied it, his voice sounding somewhat weak.

"We saw it with our own eyes!"

Xie Huaiye said sternly, "You went in with a little flower-selling boy. The people inside live worse than pigs and dogs! You dare say you don't know?!"

"The little boy selling flowers?"

Master Ye's eyes darted around in panic, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Those...those are probably migrants from elsewhere...the mayor will handle it...it's none of my business..."

"None of your business?"

Yan Ning stared intently at him, pointing to the bleeding abrasion on her arm:

“We almost died there! The mayor sent men to hunt us down. We've already called the police, but they didn't arrive for ages!”

"Master Ye, only you can help us now!"

"Pursuit? Silencing?"

Master Ye was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly, his face as white as paper, and cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

"This...you've offended the mayor? This is terrible, my whole family is here...I...I can't..."

He waved his hands frantically, fear overwhelming his conscience, wanting nothing more than to distance himself from the situation.

"father!"

Ye Qingling's clear voice rang out.

She was both anxious and angry when she saw the injury on Yan Ning's arm and her father's retreating posture.

She rushed to the front of the Ye family mansion, her voice trembling with tears:

"Father, look at Sister Yan's injuries! She saved my life! If it weren't for her saving me that day, I would be the one who's dead!"

"You taught me from a young age that one should be grateful and have a conscience!"

"By standing by and watching someone die, how are you any different from those... those accomplices who harm others?"

She gripped her father's arm tightly, tears welling in her eyes:

"Father, are you just going to stand by and watch your benefactor die at our doorstep? How will you face our ancestors after this?"

"My daughter... my daughter will be haunted by guilt for the rest of her life!"

She spoke with tears streaming down her face, each word striking a chord deep within Master Ye's heart.

Master Ye looked at his daughter's tear-filled face.

Then he looked at the glaring bloodstains on Yan Ning's arm.

Time seemed to stand still, and every second felt incredibly long.

Finally, he stomped his foot, as if he had made a tremendous decision.

The voice trembled but was exceptionally clear:

"Fine, Qingling is right! I, Ye, cannot do something so ungrateful and despicable! I will help you!"

"good!"

With a huge weight lifted from Yan Ning's heart, he immediately said, "Master Ye, quick! Summon all the servants in the manor!"

"Grab any weapons you can find! Wooden sticks, shovels, kitchen knives, clubs! Hurry! They could come at any moment!"

Sun Wuji, who had been holding back his energy for a long time, immediately jumped up:

"I'll go get someone! Don't worry, Sister Ning!"

He dashed out like a gust of wind, shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran:

"Grab your weapons! Everyone, grab your weapons!"

On the other side, at the mayor's residence.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

The mayor kicked the servant who brought the news over the ground.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!