The boy rode on horseback, his gaze fixed intently on the ground, as if captivated by the rain-soaked ruts.
The sound of rain masked the approach of Lin Mo, and his hood undoubtedly played a role in that as well.
The boy seemed lost in his own world, oblivious to the danger behind him. Until Lin Mo, like a gust of wind, instantly appeared behind him and struck the horse's rump with the back of his longsword.
Like a startled beast, the horse leaped up, its powerful hind legs almost touching the sky. The sudden impact sent the boy flying like a leaf, his cloak billowing in the wind like a wounded butterfly.
He fell heavily into the mud, splashing mud and water everywhere. When he struggled to his feet, his mouth was covered in mud and brown, withered grass, and he looked utterly disheveled.
Lin Mo dismounted. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
He stared at the boy in front of him, confirming that it was the man from the capital!
"Who are you?" Lin Mo's voice echoed in the silent air, carrying a hint of inquiry and wariness.
The boy's lips moved slightly, but he seemed bound by invisible chains, unable to utter words fluently. His eyes were wide open, like two hard-boiled eggs, revealing endless astonishment and confusion.
"Lei..." he managed to squeeze out the syllable, as if each word carried his heavy memories and emotions.
"Thunder..." he repeated, his voice echoing in the empty space, causing his chainmail to tremble and rattle.
"Ray. Ray."
“Thunder…what?” Lin Mo’s voice was low and cold. The long sword in his hand was like a silver snake, quietly coiling around the boy’s Adam’s apple, gleaming with a chilling light.
A flicker of terror crossed the boy's eyes, and his lips trembled as if even his voice was about to be swallowed by fear.
"No...no, Lei...Lei...don't." He stammered out a few words, then hurriedly put his fingers into his mouth, trying to dig out a clump of wet dirt from his moist mouth. Then, he spat it out, and a mouthful of dirt mixed with saliva fell to the ground.
"Lei...Zhen." He took a deep breath and finally managed to utter his name with difficulty, "My name is Lei Zhen!"
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow slightly, sheathed his longsword, and let the cold, sharp edge leave the boy's throat. But his eyes remained cold and deep, like a bottomless lake.
"Why are you following me?" he asked coldly, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Was someone assigned to secretly monitor me? Are you one of the Great Xia Emperor's men or the Transmigrators' Guild?"
The boy shook his head, his eyes filled with fear and confusion. "No...none of those," he replied, his voice trembling.
Lin Mo quietly observed the boy in front of him. He looked to be only about ten years old, with a childish face.
At the same time, his eyes were filled with fear.
“Ji Dong is dangerous for a boy!” Lin Mo warned him.
“No, it’s not dangerous!” the boy said. “I’m here to help you!”
"Help me? Ha, who sent you?"
“It’s…it’s a stone snake!” Lei Zhen replied.
"Stone Serpent?" Lin Mo was somewhat surprised. "It must mean Tomon," he thought to himself.
“It’s…it’s Tormon, that’s right!” Lei Zhen’s voice trembled slightly, but he still tried to remain calm. “It was Tormon who asked the Stone Serpent to send me to find you.” he said. “Lord Lin, Jidong is very dangerous…”
Upon hearing this, Lin Mo chuckled and interrupted Lei Zhen, saying, "You little rascal, you've reminded me of something. But don't worry, since I, Lin Mo, have already decided to step into Jidong, I've naturally made preparations."
"No, you don't understand!" Lei Zhen stammered again, "They, those people, set a trap in Jidong... waiting for you to fall into it!"
"Oh? Go on!"
Lei Zhen tried to catch his breath before continuing, "Your Majesty, I knew you would come, and that you would definitely come to Jidong. Therefore, Your Majesty has deployed an elite force of five thousand men in Wuzhong City!"
And the information you gathered in the capital was deliberately leaked to you by His Majesty!
Hearing this, Lin Mo frowned. "Where did you get your information from?"
“Your subordinates!” Lei Zhen replied, “Sir, have you forgotten that the capital was once your territory!”
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