The setting sun cast its golden rays upon the dense forest, filtering through layers of leaves and dappling the ground with ever-changing light and shadow. The tranquility of the forest was suddenly shattered by laughter.
"Hehehehehe!"
The laughter was hoarse and sinister, like fingernails scratching against peeling paint, jarring and unsettling. It seemed to drift from the depths of the forest, or perhaps whisper in the three people's ears, sending chills down their spines.
Chuanliu and Zhuiming became alert almost simultaneously, dragging their weak bodies as they searched the woods for the source of the sound.
The man did not appear, but his voice seemed to be right next to them, each word like a cold blade, cutting through the silence of the air.
"Hello, 'Square 10'!"
The man's tone was filled with deep malice and mockery.
Chuanliu struggled to her feet, leaning against a nearby rock. Her face was pale, but her eyes were firm and cold.
"I've long admired Mandala, the top assassin of the 'Dark Gate'."
Chuanliu said coldly, his voice weak but possessing an indescribable aura.
The man laughed again, "Hehehe, it seems you know quite a bit. Well, I didn't underestimate you."
The water was rushing beneath his feet, so Chuanliu quickly grabbed onto the rocks beside him, bracing his entire body weight on the stones to prevent his powerless body from being swept downstream.
"When...did you poison me?"
Chuanliu's voice was weak, and her vision blurred into a white haze once more. She tried to clear her mind, but dizziness repeatedly overwhelmed her consciousness.
Mandala said in a hoarse voice, "You can guess. I have plenty of time."
The girl tried to raise her voice, but saw stars from the sudden exertion and quickly stopped. "We...we just met at the market...didn't we?"
Mandala affirmed with considerable appreciation, "You guessed right, so... who am I?"
"you……"
Chuanliu was focused on controlling his body and had no intention of uncovering the mystery, so he deliberately provoked, "We're both poisoned now, aren't you afraid to show yourself?"
"snort."
Mandala scoffed dismissively. He seemed to be observing the situation of Mo Qingchen and Zhui Ming, and did not reveal himself directly.
The toxins from the datura flower happened to trigger the remaining poison in Mo Qingchen's body, causing her to faint again. Meanwhile, Zhui Ming collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, his eyes closed, seemingly still struggling against his body's instincts.
Mandala was finally relieved.
A rustling sound suddenly came from the woods, and a small figure emerged from not far away. His small stature had allowed him to blend perfectly into the forest, making him difficult to spot.
The man wore a hat and childish clothes. He was less than a meter tall, and his thin frame made him look like a small child.
However, those eyes hidden in the shadows gleamed with a depth and sinister quality that did not belong to a child.
The moment Chuanliu saw him, she recognized him—Mandala, the boy who had asked her at the market if she wanted to buy flowers!
"It was you!"
Chuanliu's eyes were filled with shock. The boy-like person in front of him was actually the famous top assassin of "Dark Gate," which was truly unexpected.
No wonder, no wonder so many people have died at the hands of datura; no wonder no one knows what datura looks like; no wonder so many people use poison, yet datura stands out as the "top-tier" among them.
"That's right, it's me."
The hoarse voice came again, confirming his identity once more.
Mandala bypassed Zhui Ming and Mo Qingchen, heading straight for Chuan Liu. "My modified Mandala toxin, although it will prolong the onset of the drug's effects, will also make the drug more potent because anyone near you will inhale the toxin."
He kicked Mo Qingchen and Zhuiming twice, but the latter seemed not to feel any pain and did not react at all.
Mandala said gloatingly, "These two lads actually want to be protectors of flowers? How naive! They're just unlucky to have run into me."
He turned to look at Chuanliu, his eyes filled with amusement and admiration. "I must say, your willpower is indeed extraordinary. A normal person would have passed out long ago after inhaling this dose of toxin."
Chuanliu managed a weak smile. Her will was already on the verge of collapse; she was just barely holding on. A deep sense of powerlessness swept over her.
The icy stream water had already soaked her feet, but she didn't feel it at all.
I'm not reconciled.
Chuanliu was unwilling to let it end like this.
The girl's vision began to blur again, and her steps faltered involuntarily as she tried to back away.
Through her hazy vision, she saw Mandala's indistinct figure, clutching a gleaming knife, approaching her step by step.
The cold, white blade was particularly glaring in the setting sun as it mercilessly pierced the girl's body.
"Pfft—"
As it was pulled out, blood dripped down the tip of the knife, instantly turning the originally white blade into an eerie red.
But she couldn't feel any pain.
In a daze, she saw Zhui Ming struggle to his feet, and he suddenly pounced on Mandala from behind.
Mandala cursed under his breath, a flash of anger in his eyes. Using his petite stature as an advantage, he nimbly squeezed out of the crevice in the rock, shaking off Zhui Ming, and ran towards the river again.
Chuanliu covered his bleeding wound with both hands and kept backing away.
Zhuiming then tackled Mandala a second time, and the two began to fight under the setting sun.
Zhui Ming gritted his teeth, struggling to resist the effects of the poison; he gripped the dagger tightly in his hand, trying his best to calm himself down. Although his movements were slow, his killer instincts made every move deadly, forcing Mandala to fight back.
Mandala struggled desperately, trying to break free from the relentless pursuit of life. His target remained fixed on Chuanliu, determined to kill him.
Driven by a chaotic consciousness, the river could only helplessly retreat step by step, until it reached the edge of the waterfall.
The rushing water, like a wild beast, relentlessly crashed against the girl's body, and she felt a tremendous force pulling her away.
Finally, she couldn't hold on any longer. Her foot slipped, and she lost her balance instantly, falling into the surging waterfall like a falling leaf.
"Thump—"
With a muffled thud, waves surged up from the cliff edge, and the girl's figure was quickly swallowed by the rolling white curtain of water.
She vaguely heard Zhui Ming anxiously calling her name, but in an instant, she was falling freely with the waterfall, her consciousness gradually fading, and finally she fell into deep darkness.
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