Lin Wanwan's words, "I want to go with you," were like a thunderclap, instantly resounding on the edge of the quiet forest, causing the surrounding air to freeze.
The entire audience erupted in uproar!
All eyes, like iron filings drawn to a magnet, were fixed on the audacious Empress. Their gazes were filled with shock, bewilderment, and even a hint of schadenfreude, as if watching a spectacle unfold.
To openly defy the imperial decree and contradict the emperor is an heinous crime in the Great Xiao Dynasty!
Prince An and the others frowned deeply, their eyes filled with disapproval as they looked at Lin Wanwan. In their eyes, the Empress's actions were utterly arrogant and unreasonable, a case of taking advantage of her favor to the extreme!
Xiao Che's expression also darkened instantly.
His brows furrowed, a clear displeasure and deep bewilderment flashing in his deep black eyes. He simply couldn't understand why the usually intelligent and sensible Empress would act so willfully and recklessly at such a crucial moment.
He rebuked in a cold voice, not loud, but carrying an awe-inspiring, authoritative authority:
"Nonsense!"
"The forest is dangerous, you stay put!"
This was no longer a discussion, but an order. Every word was like a cold block of iron, carrying an undeniable weight.
However, Lin Wanwan did not back down in the face of Xiao Che's fury.
She still gripped his reins tightly, her eyes, usually gentle and smiling, now burning with a stubborn and unyielding flame. She tilted her head back, meeting his storm-filled eyes without fear, and spoke clearly, word by word:
"Your Majesty was injured for my sake, how can I let you risk your life alone?"
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a resolute determination, each word striking Xiao Che's heart hard.
"If you're going, then let's go together!"
You shielded me from a devastating blow, how could I stand by and watch you walk alone into the death trap set for me?
I cannot explain it, I cannot articulate it, but I know that ahead lies a den of dragons and tigers, a mountain of knives and a sea of fire.
If you want to go, I'll go with you!
If you want to die, I'll die with you!
These words, like the hottest magma, instantly washed away all of Xiao Che's displeasure and anger, leaving only an indescribable, immense shock and emotion.
He stared at her, gazing into the pure, unadulterated resolve in her eyes. It wasn't spoiled arrogance or unreasonable tantrums; it was a... mutual, unwavering determination.
Xiao Che was stunned.
The area above his head that Lin Wanwan was constantly watching also underwent subtle changes.
The meme expressing confusion, "What does she want to do? .jpg", slowly disappeared. In its place appeared a chibi-style figure deep in thought, wearing a huge question mark: "Why does she insist on following me? .jpg".
Yes, why?
He couldn't understand it.
In his brief standoff and silence, time seemed to stretch out. The surrounding ministers dared not even breathe, and the entire scene fell into an eerie stillness.
In the end, in this silent struggle, Xiao Che compromised.
He gave Lin Wanwan a deep look, his gaze incredibly complex, containing helplessness, emotion, and, more than anything, a kind of indulgence that even he himself hadn't realized.
He didn't scold them anymore, but simply said, "Stay close."
After saying this, he ignored the dumbfounded ministers behind him, spurred his horse, and chased after the direction in which the white deer had disappeared.
Lin Wanwan felt relieved and immediately spurred her horse to catch up with him, keeping a distance between them.
The two, one in front and one behind, quickly broke away from the protection of the main group and headed into the depths of the unknown forest. The noisy crowd and astonished gazes behind them were left far behind, and they eventually disappeared into the dense forest.
As they ventured deeper, the surrounding light began to dim.
The towering canopies blocked out the sun, shattering the sunlight into fragments, leaving only scattered spots of light that danced like will-o'-the-wisps on the thick layer of fallen leaves. The forest was utterly silent; even the chirping of birds and insects had vanished, leaving only the rustling of two horses' hooves on the dry leaves and the increasingly heavy breathing of the two men.
A suffocating and eerie atmosphere permeated the air.
The "Danger Warning!" icon above Xiao Che's head flashed more and more frequently in the dim environment. Its dazzling red light became almost the only source of light in this dark and dense forest, and also the only guide in Lin Wanwan's heart.
She knew that they were stepping into a deadly trap meticulously laid by the enemy.
After traveling for an unknown amount of time, Xiao Che suddenly pulled on the reins and stopped.
Lin Wanwan also stopped and looked ahead warily.
In a clearing in the woods not far ahead, a pure white elk stood quietly, as if it had been waiting for them.
It stopped running and simply gazed at them with its clear, glassy eyes, its posture both sacred and eerie.
We've reached the center of the trap.
Lin Wanwan's heart leaped into her throat. She abruptly looked up at the top of Xiao Che's head, trying to discern the source of danger from the constantly flashing warning lights.
However, when she saw the scene clearly, a chill a hundred times stronger than when she saw the "Danger Warning!" message instantly gripped her heart like the most vicious curse!
The red warning icon has disappeared!
Instead, there was a constantly magnifying, pure black object dripping with thick, fresh blood...
[Skull.gif]!
It was no longer the cartoonish, flaming skull from before.
This is a realistically nauseating scene, as if it had just been pulled out of hell, covered in...
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