Rescue Operation (Part 1)
The setting sun was like blood, dyeing the Ghost-Seeing Pass red.
Dada held his breath, staring intently at the herd of medicine men sprinting down the mountain. When the rear of the group completely passed through the pass, he yanked hard with his wrist.
Boom!
The cliff shook violently, huge rocks crumbled, and countless debris poured down, blocking the narrow passage. Dust rose into the sky, swallowing the last ray of light, and the earth trembled violently.
The guard ringing the bell in front reined in his horse and turned sharply, his face pale. Thinking of the urgent order to return to Beimang Mountain for support, a trace of struggle flashed in his eyes. He gritted his teeth and rang the golden bell fiercely, urging the medicine man to rush faster into the distance.
call out--
A flare whistled upwards and exploded above Ghost-Seeing Sorrow. The green flame illuminated Dada's solemn profile.
At the same moment, in Beimang Mountain, Doudou and Sally caught a glimpse of the green flame and exchanged a glance. Doudou's sleeves fluttered, sending a cloud of smoke into the air. Sally's sword flashed in a purple arc, forcing the guards back. The two quickly retreated, disappearing deep into the dense forest.
The sound of piercing the air suddenly resounded, and two figures, one red and one gold, shot out like arrows from a bow. The Changhong Sword, condensed into a red star, pierced the heavy door hinge; the Benlei Sword, wrapped in lightning, swept across the entire door panel.
Where the swords converged, the heavy iron gate of the Holy Fire Hall exploded with a bang, sending fragments flying everywhere. The violent blast of air sent several people in the front row careening back into the stone walls or their companions. Those further away were also struck by the flying metal, splashing blood everywhere. Cries of surprise and howls echoed through the smoke and dust.
Before the dust settled, two slender figures quietly swooped in. Lan Tu and Su Baiwei quickly stripped the fallen guards of their outer robes and put them on. The overpowering stench of sweat and blood assaulted Su Baiwei's face. Her face covering felt stifling, her clothes sticky and soaked with blood. She watched Lan Tu deftly fasten her bloodstained belt. Suppressing the churning in her stomach, she gritted her teeth and imitated the process. The next moment, the two figures vanished into the swirling dust of the Holy Fire Hall.
There was a faint sound of metal clashing outside the hall.
Beneath the silver mask, his eyes were sinister. His red fingers tapped unconsciously on the armrest of the chair, again and again.
Their target... is it Beimang Mountain? Or is it the Holy Fire Hall?
If it was Beimang Mountain, this forceful attack would force him to return for reinforcements, buying time for his accomplices on the other side. If it was the Holy Fire Hall... why were there only two of them? Were the others hiding in the dark?
The rhythm of his knuckles tapping against the armrests suddenly quickened, a dull clatter echoing through the hall. He couldn't fathom the truth! But Beimang Mountain couldn't afford to lose anything, and he couldn't afford even the slightest risk. His knuckles clenched the armrests so tightly that they turned pale.
"If the troops from Beimang Mountain withdraw," he mused, "then their fangs will surely be aimed at Tiao Tiao!"
"On the surface, nine hundred medicine men are enough to tie up those two reckless men to death." He slowly leaned back in his chair, his eyes sweeping towards the palace door like a knife.
"As for the dark places..." He raised his lips in a cold arc, with the arrogance of being in control of everything, "The bait in the dungeon has been spread, and the water dungeon is an iron barrel."
"I want to see," he slowly picked up the teacup and blew away the floating leaves, "How are you going to save her!" He lowered his eyes and stared at the tea in the cup. The curve of his lips deepened, but the smile did not reach his eyes, leaving only a cold look.
The bloody setting sun shone on the corridors of the Holy Fire Hall. In the distance, the sounds of shouting and fighting could be heard faintly. Mu Jin huddled in the shade of the pillars where she had agreed to stay, her hands clasped tightly against her chest. Every second seemed to stretch uncontrollably. Suddenly, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.
Mu Jin's whole body trembled violently, and she turned back suddenly, almost screaming out in shock. In the shadows, Su Baiwei had already removed her mask and put a finger to her lips.
The familiar, cold face before her eyes suddenly relaxed Mu Jin's tense heartstrings, tears streaming down her face without warning. Fear, grievance, and dread of the aftermath instantly flooded her mind, and she threw herself into Su Baiwei's arms, hugging her tightly, her body trembling with suppressed sobs.
"Miss... I'm so scared..." She buried her face deeply in Su Baiwei's shoulder. The familiar cold fragrance of herbs mixed with the smell of sweat penetrated her nostrils. Her voice was muffled by the fabric, with a thick sob tone, "I'm afraid I'll never see you again..."
Su Baiwei's body suddenly froze. She raised her chin slightly, as if trying to avoid the sudden intimacy, her arms hanging in the air, bewildered. In the corridor, Mu Jin's suppressed sobs blended with the sounds of battle in the distance.
Lan Tu on the side glanced around vigilantly, his fingers pressing on the hilt of the sword.
After a moment, Su Baiwei's arm finally dropped slowly, resting a little awkwardly on Mu Jin's trembling shoulders. "Mu Jin," Su Baiwei's voice remained clear, yet with a hint of gentleness, "You are very brave."
This brief touch and words suddenly woke Mu Jin up. The young lady never liked others to get close to her! She looked up hurriedly, her tearful eyes filled with surprise.
Lan Tu, who was standing quietly by, took in the whole scene, the corners of her lips curled up silently, and warmth appeared in her eyes.
"Time is running out." Su Baiwei gently pulled Mu Jin away from her arms, her movements smooth and easy as usual, as if the softness just now was just an illusion. "Let's go out and chat. This is Palace Master Lantu," she looked at Lantu, "you go with her and search the east side."
Mu Jin nodded vigorously, wiped away her tears, and suddenly said hurriedly: "Wait, Miss, I will take you to see someone!"
"who?"
"Uncle Li, whom Mr. Su saved at the Cold Pond."
Su Baiwei's pupils suddenly shrank.
Mu Jin led the two to a secluded hut. She knocked lightly on the door and lowered her voice, "Uncle Li."
The door creaked open, revealing the familiar face of the old man who delivered the meal.
The moment she saw Uncle Li's face clearly, Su Baiwei paused, and a vague figure deep in her memory surged up. The man who had lifted her up high and laughed heartily... Her nose felt slightly sore, and tears flashed in her eyes.
Uncle Li quickly let the three of them in. He cautiously peered outside the door, confirming it was clear before closing it. Turning back to inquire about the orphan, he caught sight of the still-drenched moisture in Su Baiwei's eyes. That touch of moisture instantly pierced through more than a decade of time, reminiscent of the memory of the little girl, hurt but still stubbornly pursing her lips.
"My daughter...is that you?" Uncle Li's voice trembled.
Su Baiwei raised her hand and slowly took off the mask.
Uncle Li subconsciously stepped forward, raising his hands as if to stroke her shoulders. Su Baiwei leaned back slightly. His hands froze in mid-air, then he pulled them back unnaturally. He rubbed them vigorously, muttering, "It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay..." His eyes swept across Su Baiwei's pale, thin face, and a pang of pain lingered in his heart. "These past few years... you must have suffered a lot?"
Mu Jin watched with bated breath, her eyes burning. Lan Tu felt a pang of pity when she saw that Su Baiwei's eyes had calmed down.
Su Baiwei's voice returned to its usual coldness. "Uncle Li, one of our companions is very likely imprisoned in the water dungeon. Do you have any clues?"
Uncle Li's heart sank. The cold, frosty woman before him was nothing like the playful, playful little girl he remembered. He suppressed a sore throat, took a deep breath, frowned, and thought for a moment before shaking his head. "The water prison is a secret place built by Chi Lian himself, and only important people are imprisoned there. I heard a few words about it while delivering food, but I don't know its exact location..."
Su Baiwei dug her fingertips into her palm, her heart sinking. Uncle Li had endured this place for over a decade and still didn't know it. Finding the water dungeon in such a short time amidst the numerous traps was incredibly difficult.
"However," Uncle Li changed the subject and lowered his voice, "There is indeed a forbidden area in the Holy Fire Hall."
"Forbidden area?" Su Baiwei and Lan Tu looked at each other at the same time.
"Yes. It's very secretive, and not many people know about it. No one is allowed to approach except Chi Lian's close associates." Uncle Li recalled, his voice tinged with doubt. "Half an hour ago, Chi Lian suddenly dispatched a team of elite soldiers to garrison there. At first, I thought it was just to guard against the Seven Swords. But if I think about it... if it was just a normal deployment, why would they send them to the forbidden area? Perhaps... it's related to the person you're looking for."
Su Baiwei and Lan Tu quickly exchanged glances.
"Uncle Li, can you lead the way?" Su Baiwei asked.
Uncle Li straightened his slightly hunched back and said, "Let's go! I'll lead the way for you!"
The group entered through a very hidden entrance and wound their way along a secluded path covered by vines. Without Uncle Li's guidance, the three would never have found this secluded path. The path was slippery and cold, and a few dim rays of sunlight filtered through the branches overhead.
Still dozens of feet away, Su Baiwei paused, her brow furrowed. A faint, putrid odor, characteristic of the Rotten Bone Palm, lingered. She felt sad, yet mixed with a hint of joy at confirmation.
Arriving at the outskirts of the forbidden area, the odor suddenly became overpowering: the stench of flesh and blood rotting in the dampness, mingled with a faintly sweet, decayed aroma. Lan Tu's eyes flashed back to the image of Tiao Tiao being ravaged by the poisonous palm, and her heart tightened. Su Baiwei's face paled further, and her fingertips dug into her palm. Mu Jin covered her mouth and nose, her eyes filled with fear.
At the entrance, guards clad in heavy armor and masks surrounded them, tightly blocking the only passage. A fly buzzed by, then, with a sharp whoosh, was pinned to the stone wall by a poisoned dart. The people in the dark were horrified. Chi Lian's security was so tight that even a flying insect couldn't get through!
Su Baiwei lit a special intoxicating cigarette, and the smoke drifted towards the guard. The figure under the iron mask remained motionless.
Several people retreated into deeper shadows.
"There's something strange about the mask," Su Baiwei frowned slightly, "Chi Lian is guarding against me."
Lan Tu's eyes swept over the eaves above her head. "Break in by force?" The thought flashed through her mind, then she rejected it. "It's too dangerous. There must be an ambush."
At this moment, the sound of heavy wheels came from afar. Li Bo's pupils suddenly shrank, and he shouted hurriedly: "Food delivery cart! Hide it!"
Su Baiwei and Lan Tu's eyes met in an instant: Opportunity!
Lan Tu, disguised as a food delivery guard, arrived with a cart. Heavily armored guards lined up for food. One of them lifted a corner of his mask, took a few bites, and muttered vaguely, "Today's food... is a bit sweet?"
Lan Tu noticed from the corner of her eye that the tall guard holding the bowl next to her shook his hand slightly, and his swallowing was delayed for a moment.
After the food was distributed, Lan Tu pushed the empty cart away and returned to the dark.
Time crawled slowly. The four of them clung to the stone wall, their hearts pounding. At their feet lay the unconscious food delivery man. Sweat streamed down Lan Tu's forehead. Mu Jin clutched the corner of Su Baiwei's clothes. Uncle Li's anxious gaze fixed on the guard.
A cup of tea is as long as a century.
finally--
Bang!
A bowl fell to the ground. Immediately afterwards, figures collapsed one after another, their heavy armor thumping against the ground. The guards, their faces flushed, collapsed to the ground like mud, their only remaining sound being the heavy breathing.
Mu Jin was the first to evacuate. Remembering Tiao Tiao's horrific scene as he was dragged away, she silently shook her fist at the unconscious guard, her eyes blazing with anger. "Serves you right! The young lady's 'Seven Days of Drunkenness' is enough for you!"
Su Baiwei's clenched fists loosened quietly, and a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.
Everyone quickly searched the guard's body for the key. Lan Tu tightly grasped the key she had just found and said firmly, "Let's go!"
"Wait." Su Baiwei pulled out a box of ointment from her sleeve. "The bone-rotting poison corrodes the flesh and blood. The longer it's left, the more intense the foul smell becomes. It's been almost a day now, and the smell after opening the door..." She lowered her eyes, her voice choking slightly. "Apply this mint ointment on the face towel. It can help block it a bit."
Lan Tu felt a prick in her heart, and her fingertips trembled slightly as they touched a little of the cool cream. Mu Jin raised her foot to stomp, but finally let it go gently, muttering angrily, "You are such a piece of shit!"
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