Inside the dilapidated temple, although the corpses had been cleaned up, the pungent smell of blood, like maggots clinging to bones, seeped into every inch of air.
Mu Ruoyan's gaze fell on Lin Xihe, whose brows were furrowed. After a moment of inner turmoil, she couldn't help but ask softly, "How about we walk a little further?"
Lin Xihe shook her head slightly, looked up at Mu Ruoyan, her eyes showing exhaustion: "Traveling in the rain at night is too dangerous. I'm fine. I'll go rest in a corner. The others are all soaked. Let them warm themselves by the fire."
As she spoke, she bent down and picked up her cloak from the ground.
Fortunately, these attendants were highly skilled and had successfully kept the enemy at bay during the previous fight, their cloaks remaining unstained by blood.
After hearing this, Mu Ruoyan didn't say anything more and silently sat down on the ground.
But the image of Lin Xihe stepping forward and using her body to shield him from the sword flashed before his eyes again and again.
The hint of panic that flashed in her eyes the moment she looked up seemed to be etched into his heart, especially her clear, spring-like eyes, which he could never forget.
She was so small and thin, and she was so scared that she didn't even dare to open her eyes, so why was she willing to shield me from the arrow at all costs?
Mu Ruoyan's gaze involuntarily fell on Lin Xihe once again.
She was curled up in her thin cloak, making her appear even more delicate.
His heart tightened, and he quickly got up and walked out of the temple gate.
When he returned, his cloak was carefully folded into a ball and held tightly in his arms.
He strode over to Lin Xihe and, with a "whoosh," threw the cloak at her.
Lin Xihe was startled by this sudden action. She looked up at him, her eyes full of questions: "What are you doing?"
Mu Ruoyan turned her head away and said stiffly, "Don't freeze to death, or you'll waste time. You're the most useless person here."
Despite Mu Ruo's unfriendly tone, Lin Xihe naturally wouldn't refuse his kindness and said softly, "Thank you."
"Who needs your thanks? I just don't want you to waste my time."
After Mu Ruoyan finished speaking, she turned around and hurriedly returned to the campfire.
Lin Xihe wrapped the cloak tightly around her body, trying to draw a bit of warmth from the cloak that carried Mu Ruoyan's scent.
The rain outside was pouring down harder and harder, large raindrops pounding against the temple roof with a crackling sound, and thunder rumbled one after another, sending chills down everyone's spines. The moment she closed her eyes, she seemed to see a group of men in black emerging from all directions like ghosts, filling her heart with terror.
In such a state of shock, Lin Xihe didn't know when she finally fell into a deep sleep amidst exhaustion and fear.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Xihe slowly woke up. In her hazy state, she saw Mu Ruoyan's hurried departure from beside her.
A question arose in her mind: What was he doing here?
Or perhaps, they just happened to be passing by...
As dawn broke and the morning mist had not yet completely dissipated, the group hurriedly set off on their journey.
Upon arriving in the county town, Mu Ruoyan sent all three of his servants out to make purchases.
Lin Xihe sat by the window, glancing out the window from time to time, her fingers unconsciously tapping the table, her brows slightly furrowed.
Mu Ruoyan noticed her expression, hesitated for a moment, and then said softly, "Don't rush, I'll be back in half an hour."
Lin Xihe paused slightly upon hearing this, then looked away and turned to Mu Ruoyan with a polite smile, replying gently, "Yes, I know."
She knew that most of the road ahead was through remote wilderness, and supplies were essential.
What puzzled Lin Xihe was why this person, who usually mocked her, suddenly cared about her feelings.
She hadn't expected that Mu Ruoyan would take the initiative to explain herself just because of her anxious expression.
Lin Xihe looked up at Mu Ruoyan and saw him leisurely holding a teacup, sipping his tea slowly and calmly, looking quite content and in a good mood.
He thought to himself that this was a good opportunity to gather information, and at the same time, he should try to please him so that he could perhaps gain some favorable conditions for himself.
Lin Xihe tilted her head slightly, a perfectly measured look of curiosity on her face, and asked, "Yesterday, the people around you were incredibly skilled. Are you that good too?"
After speaking, she stared intently at Mu Ruoyan's face, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry.
Mu Ruoyan raised an eyebrow but did not speak.
Seeing this, Lin Xihe pressed further, "Is it a secret?"
Her eyes were full of expectation, and her tone carried a hint of coquetry, trying to close the distance between her and Mu Ruoyan.
This was the first time Lin Xihe had spoken to Mu Ruoyan in this manner, which surprised Mu Ruoyan.
He put down his teacup, his gaze becoming somewhat distant, and slowly said, "No, they were given drugs from childhood, so their reactions and physical abilities are different from ordinary people."
"There are medicines this powerful?"
Lin Xihe stared in surprise, her face showing disbelief.
"Hmm, impressive." Mu Ruoyan's expression was calm, but a complex emotion flashed in her eyes.
Can it be mass-produced?
Lin Xihe asked without thinking, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she secretly regretted it, worried that she had asked too hastily.
Mu Ruoyan glanced at her, her expression remaining calm, and said indifferently, "They all don't live past thirty; they usually die around twenty-four or twenty-five."
The voice was soft, yet it struck Lin Xihe's heart like a heavy hammer.
"What... can everyone die?"
The images of the three servants instantly flashed through Lin Xihe's mind. The youngest looked to be only fifteen or sixteen years old, with a youthful face, while the oldest was no more than eighteen or nineteen. They were in the prime of their youth, but their lives were already counting down.
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