Just then, Yan Qing took out an exquisite wooden box from his bosom and gently placed it in front of Xu Yuehuai: "This weapon was made by me at the request of the prince. He said he hoped it could protect you in a critical moment."
The wooden box was opened, revealing a finely crafted dagger inside. It gleamed with a cold light and was incredibly sharp, clearly superior to the previous one.
Xu Yuehuai took the dagger, gently stroked it, and a hint of tenderness and gratitude flashed in her eyes.
She knew that this dagger was not just a weapon, but also a symbol of Qi Guze's deep care and love for her.
After she put away her dagger, the two continued to tend the campfire, discussing how to explore this mysterious area next.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting its silvery light. An hour passed quietly, and Li Lei and Li Guang appeared by the campfire on time, taking over the night watch from the previous shift.
Yan Qing gently added a few more pieces of dry firewood, making the dying embers leap up again, and then slowly got up.
"Everyone must be careful. If there is any disturbance, alert us immediately." Xu Yuehuai stood up, her eyes scanning the surroundings, seemingly to confirm that every place was safe.
Li Lei nodded and replied, "Don't worry, Your Highness."
After saying that, Xu Yuehuai and the other person entered the tent one after the other, preparing to rest for a while.
As the first rays of dawn pierced through the treetops, Xu Yuehuai was the first to wake up.
She stepped out of the tent, only to find Wang Mang, looking miserable, rubbing his stomach and complaining by the campfire: "What time is it? Where's the food? Didn't we agree there would be something to eat when I woke up?"
Xu Yuehuai frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising in her heart.
"Don't rush, answer me a question. When you woke up, did you see anyone else around this campfire?" Xu Yuehuai's voice was somewhat serious.
Wang Mang looked bewildered and shook his head: "No, I just saw the fire was about to go out, and I was thinking of finding something to eat, but then..."
Xu Yuehuai's heart sank. She quickly turned around and ran back to the tent, only to find Yan Qing, who had just been woken up and looked puzzled, inside.
"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?" Yan Qing asked.
“Li Lei, Gu Shen, and Pei Hai are all missing.” Xu Yuehuai’s face showed undisguised anxiety.
Yan Qing's face turned pale: "Gu Shen and Pei Hai are top-tier bodyguards who have risen through the ranks, how could they both be in trouble at the same time?"
The two exchanged a glance and decided to act immediately.
"Let's split up and search, be careful," Xu Yuehuai said as she walked out, with Yan Qing following closely behind.
At this moment, Wang Mang also came up, looking anxious: "I'm starving, sister, is there anything to eat?"
Xu Yuehuai stopped and said gently, "If you can help us find the missing person, I will find you something to eat."
Upon hearing this, Wang Mang immediately perked up. He patted his chest and said confidently, "Leave this to me!"
After saying that, he actually bent down, sniffed the ground like a hunting dog, and then ran quickly into the depths of the forest using all four limbs.
Seeing this, Xu Yuehuai immediately used her lightness skill to follow closely behind, and Yan Qing was not to be outdone, following closely behind as well.
The leaves rustled in the forest as the three figures moved through the morning light, leaving behind a series of hurried yet determined footprints.
Soon, they arrived at an unusual area—the trees here were all dead, their charred branches pointing straight to the sky, as if they had survived a catastrophe.
A faint smell of burning filled the air, clashing with the vibrant scene around them.
"How could this be?" Yan Qing exclaimed in a low voice.
Wang Mang stopped and pointed ahead with a solemn expression: "They are right here."
Xu Yuehuai and Yan Qing exchanged a complicated look, then cautiously approached each other.
As they ventured deeper, a shocking scene unfolded before them: under several hidden trees, well-concealed fragments of clothing were faintly visible, along with scattered small objects, all exuding an ominous aura.
"This...could it be..." Xu Yuehuai's voice trembled slightly. He could hardly believe that his usually skilled companions had met with such misfortune here.
"We must find out exactly what happened." Yan Qing clenched his fists, his eyes bloodshot.
"Awooo!"
Wang Mang sniffed around nearby, occasionally letting out low sobs, as if he too was grieving for this sudden turn of events.
The three searched carefully on the scorched earth, each step filled with heaviness and unease.
As the sunlight gradually rises, the shadows in the dense forest are lengthened, making the scene appear even more eerie and sinister.
Xu Yuehuai, Yan Qing, and Wang Mang proceeded cautiously on this scorched earth, their unease growing wildly like weeds.
Finally, in a place that looked no different from ordinary trees but where the ground was slightly sunken, they discovered an unusual clue: a stone slab half-hidden under withered leaves. The edges of the slab were mottled from the erosion of time, but a complex totem was carved in the center, seemingly guiding some unknown path.
"Look here," Xu Yuehuai whispered, gesturing for the two to come closer.
The three of them worked together to carefully move the stone slab, and below they found a dark hole with moss covering its edges, indicating that no one had been there for a long time.
A chilling aura emanated from the cave, sending shivers down one's spine.
"It seems this is the place we've been looking for," Yan Qing said in a deep voice. He took out a tinderbox and lit a torch. The flame flickered in the darkness, illuminating the path for the three of them.
Xu Yuehuai turned to Wang Mang and whispered, "From now on, we must remain absolutely silent. Any slight noise could cause unnecessary trouble."
Wang Mang nodded. Although he was still afraid, his desire for food and concern for his companions made him grit his teeth and keep up with the group.
The three of them slowly descended the narrow passage. The air was filled with the smell of dampness and mold, and occasionally they could hear the crisp sound of water droplets falling on the stone wall.
As they went deeper, the chilling aura grew stronger, as if it could penetrate to the bone marrow and reach the heart.
"ah--!"
Just then, a faint but mournful wail broke the silence and made everyone's heart clench.
"It's them!" Xu Yuehuai shouted in a low voice, quickening his pace.
However, despite following the direction of the sound, they were unable to pinpoint its exact location.
The passageway was like a deep, winding snake, seemingly without end.
Yan Qing tried to penetrate the endless darkness to find the source of those wails that seemed to come from near and far.
“If this continues, we’ll only exhaust our strength and willpower in this maze-like passageway,” he said through gritted teeth.
Xu Yuehua nodded slightly, "Indeed, but we must proceed with caution. This wailing may be the bait of some kind of trap, luring us into an abyss."
Her fingers unconsciously rubbed the dagger at her waist, her only support.
Wang Mang also stopped smiling at this moment, and his expression became solemn.
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