The rushing water swept Lin Xihe away, the icy stream water like sharp ice knives, constantly pouring into her mouth and nose, choking her to the point of almost suffocation.
Her body rose and fell in the waves. She struggled to paddle, trying to stay afloat in the raging torrent. The bright red blood on her wrists mingled with the stream water and was instantly washed away by the merciless current, disappearing without a trace.
Behind them, several kidnappers were chasing after them in the water, their shouts rising and falling amidst the howling wind and surging current.
"Don't run! Let's see where you can run to!"
Lin Xihe didn't dare to look back at all; her heart and mind were filled with only one firm belief: to survive and escape.
After struggling on the edge of life and death for an unknown amount of time, a shallow beach finally appeared ahead.
Lin Xihe mustered her last bit of strength and swam desperately toward the shallows.
When her hand finally touched the rough stones on the shore, she used all her strength to scramble and crawl ashore.
The moment she reached the shore, she collapsed onto the bank like a puddle of mud, gasping for breath, as if all her strength had been drained away by the rushing water.
However, before she could even catch her breath, she heard the sound of the kidnappers coming ashore behind her.
"She's definitely nearby, search her thoroughly!" one of the kidnappers shouted menacingly.
Lin Xihe, struggling to her feet despite her exhaustion, stumbled and ran deeper into the woods.
At this moment, she was dressed in tattered clothes, her wet garments clinging tightly to her body. Her wounds ached even more from being soaked in the icy stream water, but fear, like a ferocious beast, relentlessly pursued her, compelling her to keep moving forward without stopping.
Behind them, the kidnappers' footsteps and shouts grew closer.
In her panic, she tripped over a protruding rock and fell forward. Her hands instinctively braced themselves against the ground, and sharp stones cut her palms, drawing bright red blood instantly.
Before she could even react, the kidnappers had caught up behind her, and several rough hands grabbed her arms and yanked her up.
"Let's see where you run now!"
"A burly kidnapper with a face full of scars said viciously, his foul-smelling mouth almost touching Lin Xihe's ear, the breath he exhaled making her nauseous.
Another tall, thin kidnapper licked his chapped lips, his eyes gleaming with a chillingly lewd light, and reached out to tear at Lin Xihe's clothes.
Lin Xihe struggled desperately, her fingernails scratching bloody marks on the kidnappers' hands, but they held her even tighter, and tears of despair welled up in her eyes.
Her throat felt like it was being choked; she tried desperately to shout but could only manage weak sobs.
Just when she thought she had no chance of survival, a series of rapid and powerful hoofbeats suddenly rang out, approaching from afar.
Immediately afterwards, two screams of extreme fear shattered the silence, followed by the dull thud of a heavy object falling to the ground.
The kidnappers holding Lin Xihe instinctively let go and turned to look.
Lin Xihe's heart skipped a beat, and she looked in the direction of the sound. She saw Mu Ruoyan riding a lithe black horse, rushing over at lightning speed.
His black cloak fluttered in the wind, making him look like a war god descending from the sky, exuding a chilling aura.
Before the black horse had even come to a complete stop, Mu Ruoyan leaped off, her sharp blade flashing coldly, and in the blink of an eye, she had dealt with the remaining kidnappers.
"Lin Xihe!" Mu Ruoyan called out her name anxiously.
This shout, like a beam of light, instantly pierced through the darkness in Lin Xihe's heart.
Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, and the fear and grievances that had been building up inside her surged forth like a flood bursting its banks. She staggered toward Mu Ruoyan, her voice trembling with sobs as she cried out, "Mu Ruoyan! I'm here!"
Seeing Lin Xihe's disheveled appearance, Mu Ruoyan felt a pang of heartache in her eyes and quickly stepped forward to hug her tightly.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here, it's alright now."
He comforted her softly, patting Lin Xihe's back gently with one hand, again and again.
Lin Xihe leaned against Mu Ruoyan's chest and could no longer hold back, bursting into tears. The fear and despair she had experienced during this time finally found an outlet at this moment.
Mu Ruoyan looked at her with heartache, gently stroking her hair, her eyes filled with self-blame and guilt: "It's all my fault, I'm late. Don't be afraid, none of the people who bullied you will survive."
Lin Xihe sobbed, slowly raising her head, her voice choked with emotion, yet filled with the relief of surviving a disaster: "No, now that you're here, I'm alright."
Her gaze slowly swept over the surroundings, and she saw that the kidnappers who had been so fierce just moments before were now lying on the ground, obviously dead.
Mu Ruoyan pulled Lin Xihe to the front of the horse, took off his cloak, and wrapped Lin Xihe in it: "I'll take you home."
As he spoke, he carefully lifted Lin Xihe onto the saddle, his movements gentle, as if afraid of hurting her.
Then, he nimbly mounted his horse and sat behind her, his arms tightly wrapped around her. His strong embrace was like an unbreakable barrier, isolating her from all dangers.
After the horses galloped for a while, Mu Ruoyan led Lin Xihe to transfer to a carriage that had been prepared on the main road.
As soon as they entered the carriage, Mu Ruoyan still held the soaking wet Lin Xihe tightly in his arms. If it were yesterday, Lin Xihe would definitely have pushed him away. However, at this moment, Lin Xihe was still in shock and felt uneasy.
In Mu Ruoyan's arms, her long-tense nerves slowly relaxed, but her body still trembled slightly.
"It's okay, don't be afraid."
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