"Come with me!" Shen Xiaoxiao said in a low voice, while reaching out to tightly grasp Dai Xingyun's sleeve and carefully moving backward.
Their footsteps were as light as ghosts in the night, trying not to make a sound.
Soon, they arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary courtyard wall.
However, upon closer inspection, one will discover that there is a courtyard gate that is very well hidden.
The door was hidden by the lush vegetation around it, and it would be almost impossible to notice its existence unless one was looking for it deliberately, especially in the pitch-black environment at night.
Shen Xiaoxiao gently pushed open the courtyard gate. The hinges made a slight creaking sound as they turned, but fortunately, it did not attract anyone's attention.
She glanced back at Dai Xingyun, signaling him to follow her, and then tiptoed out of the courtyard.
The two had only taken a few steps from their house when Shen Xiaoxiao suddenly quickened her pace, running up the mountain like a nimble deer.
Dai Xingyun dared not slack off and followed closely behind.
Just then, an accident happened—a sharp "snap" was heard, as Shen Xiaoxiao's foot accidentally stepped on a dry twig.
The sudden noise was particularly jarring in the quiet night, and the group of people who were quietly approaching the courtyard all looked up and vigilantly looked in the direction of the sound.
Shen Xiaoxin inwardly cried out in alarm, but at that moment she couldn't care less about anything else.
Without hesitation, she grabbed Dai Xingyun's hand and ran up the mountain with all her might.
The mountain path beneath their feet was rugged and overgrown with weeds, but they paid no heed to that, their only thought being to escape the sight of those people as quickly as possible.
"Damn it, they got away! You all better hurry up and chase after them!"
A furious, rough, and unrestrained male voice suddenly erupted from the darkness, breaking the silence of the night like a thunderclap.
A suffocating tension filled the mountain forest. Shen Xiaoxiao and Dai Xingyun, like startled rabbits, ran breathlessly, the dry branches and leaves crunching under their feet.
They desperately traversed the dense forest, trying to escape this dangerous place as quickly as possible.
However, the footsteps that were chasing them were becoming clearer and clearer, like a death knell, each step pounding heavily on their hearts.
The feeling was as if an unseen, evil eye was lurking in the endless darkness, watching their every move, which sent chills down their spines.
"Xingyun, run! There's a hidden cave ahead, let's go in and hide for a bit!" Shen Xiaoxiao said urgently in a low voice, while pulling tightly on Dai Xingyun's hand, and quickening her pace.
Before long, a dark cave appeared before them.
Without hesitation, the two of them plunged inside, then quickly crouched down against the cave wall, barely daring to breathe, and quietly listened to the sounds outside.
Time ticked by, and just as their hearts were about to leap into their throats, a slight sound came from afar.
Immediately afterwards, several indistinct dark figures slowly scurried past the cave entrance, accompanied by low, muffled conversation: "Hmph, those two can't have gone far. Everyone, give it your all and make sure we find them!"
Only when the fading footsteps completely disappeared from her ears did Shen Xiaoxiao's tense heartstrings finally relax a little.
She breathed a sigh of relief and then lowered her voice to ask Dai Xingyun beside her, "Xingyun, who exactly are these people? Why would they attack us?"
Dai Xingyun slowly shook his head, his brows furrowed tightly, and said with a solemn expression, "I don't know either, but judging from the current situation, these people clearly came with premeditation and preparation. From now on, we must be extra careful!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiaoxiao nodded slightly in agreement, but a trace of worry involuntarily flashed across her beautiful eyes. She murmured softly, as if to herself, "Those innocent villagers should be alright, right..."
Seeing this, Dai Xingyun quickly reached out and held her slightly cold little hand, gently comforting her, "Don't worry, Xiaoxiao, their target this time is only you. I'm sure they won't make things difficult for the ordinary villagers."
Just as the two were talking, a faint rustling sound suddenly came from outside the previously silent cave.
In an instant, Dai Xingyun and Shen Xiaoxiao's nerves tensed up again, and the two became more alert almost simultaneously.
Dai Xingyun flashed forward, quickly moving in front of Shen Xiaoxiao and shielding her behind him. At the same time, he lowered his voice and warned, "Be careful, those guys might have come back."
Just then, a familiar figure slowly appeared at the cave entrance.
Looking closely in the dim light, I realized it was Shen Xiaochuan.
He was covered in dust, his once clean clothes were now filthy, and there were several noticeable abrasions on his cheeks.
Even in such a disheveled state, his eyes remained sharp and piercing, like those of a hawk, revealing a resolute and courageous spirit.
"Brother!" Shen Xiaoxiao's clear and joyful voice suddenly rang out.
Her petite figure darted forward like a graceful butterfly, arriving beside Shen Xiaochuan in the blink of an eye.
She reached out and steadily supported his slightly tired body.
Shen Xiaochuan waved his hand slightly, a reassuring smile on his face, and said softly, "Xiaoxiao, don't worry, I'm fine."
His gaze then fell on Dai Xingyun, who was not far away, and he asked with concern, "Xiaoxiao, Xingyun, are you both alright?"
Shen Xiaoxiao gently shook her head, her bright eyes blinking as she asked with a puzzled look, "Of course we're fine, brother."
"But why did you suddenly come back? And how did you find us so quickly?"
Shen Xiaochuan took a deep breath and calmed his rapid breathing before slowly explaining, "Just now I overheard those people's movements and vaguely remembered that there seemed to be a cave here."
"So, concerned for your safety, I rushed over to check on you, and unexpectedly found you here."
Shen Xiaoxiao's curiosity was clearly not fully satisfied. She blinked and continued to ask, "But brother, you clearly left with Commander Xiao before, so why are you here now? Did something happen?"
Shen Xiaochuan continued, "Halfway there, Commander Xiao felt something was wrong. This time, because he was in a hurry, he didn't hide his identity, so why didn't those criminals make a sound?"
Because he was worried, Commander Xiao waited where he was and asked me to bring the two of us back to check.
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