Bloodstained Kill - Chapter 18
Author's Note: I added a short paragraph at the end of the previous chapter, which basically explains how everyone left Sheep Intestine Valley. If you don't want the hassle, you don't need to go back and read it. :)
After leaving Yangchang Valley, Yun Ran and the others knew that the government troops would arrive soon. They dared not delay any longer and continued to walk for several more miles. When they saw that the surrounding area was full of wild grass and dense forest, they stopped.
Qi Mo remained calm and composed, but his gaze never left Yun Ran. He noticed that Yun Ran's face was cold and her lips were tightly pressed together, her eyelashes always lowered to the ground, and she never looked at him. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Watching the two of them, Wanwan smiled slyly and turned to Qi Mo, asking, "Chief Qi and Young Master Sima have no connection, so why did you come to lend a hand?"
Qi Mo smiled faintly and looked at Yun Ran, saying, "I was just doing my duty to someone."
Yun Ran's eyelashes trembled slightly as she recalled Qi Mo's words that he would only help her if conditions were exchanged. Her face turned pale, and she felt a wave of humiliation.
But Zhu Hong said in a deep voice, "Wen Huaifeng used my wife's life to force me to lure the Sima brothers into this trap. In a moment of folly, a terrible mistake was made, and I, Zhu Hong, am worthy of death. Fortunately, Sect Leader Qi has arrived in Sichuan, and I thought of asking him for help. This time, I will risk my life to rescue the Sima brothers! Ladies, since we are all here to save Young Master Sima, why don't we join forces? It will be much more effective."
Hearing the sincerity in his words, Wanwan glanced at Qi Mo, then turned to Yun Ran and asked in a low voice, "Should we join forces with them?"
Yun Ran didn't look up, but she could feel Qi Mo's gaze fixed on her face. She lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before slowly nodding.
Qi Mo smiled, but Shen Ye looked worried and interjected, "Although our Absolute Killing Sect has some manpower in Sichuan, Wen Huaifeng has mobilized hundreds of soldiers to protect us, which is somewhat difficult to deal with."
Everyone knew that the experts under the Absolute Kill Sect were skilled in assassination, but now, facing these hundreds of elite soldiers, they had no advantage whatsoever, and they couldn't help but feel secretly worried.
Zhu Hong's face hardened, and he said, "Things have come to this point, and we can only try our best. Are we just going to stand by and watch Brother Sima be taken to the capital? Brother Qi, I was already deeply grateful for your kindness in rescuing my wife. Now, with the government troops so powerful, if your Juesha Sect..."
He paused, his expression hesitant. He and Qi Mo had been friends for years. His wife had been kidnapped by the Dragon Guards, and Qi Mo had just arrived in Sichuan with horses. After receiving a letter from Qi Mo pleading for help, Qi Mo secretly had his wife rescued. Zhu Hong was grateful, but he also worried that a direct confrontation with the government troops would likely result in unnecessary losses for his Juesha Sect. However, if he allowed Qi Mo to withdraw, the rescue of Sima Liuyun would be even more hopeless. He hesitated repeatedly, unable to make a decision, and stopped mid-sentence, unsure how to continue.
Qi Mo smiled slightly and said, "Brother Zhu, since I have agreed to help you rescue Sima Liuyun, there is no reason for me to give up halfway. However, after the matter is accomplished, Brother Zhu should remember to pay the reward in full."
Zhu Hong knew that Qi Mo's words were out of consideration for their friendship, and he was determined to help him to the end. Otherwise, given Qi Mo's cautious nature, even if the reward were many times greater, he wouldn't risk sending the Absolute Kill Sect to confront the government troops head-on. He couldn't help but feel both happy and ashamed.
Qi Mo then said, "However, the government troops are powerful, so we should not confront them head-on. We need to think of another way."
Seeing the flicker in his eyes as he spoke, Wanwan blinked and asked with a smile, "Has Chief Qi already come up with a plan?"
Qi Mo smiled and looked at Zhu Hong, then slowly said, "This matter still requires Brother Zhu's help..."
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After Wen Huaifeng and his group joined up with four hundred soldiers dispatched from the government, they continued their journey and arrived at Wupen Ridge in the evening.
When Commander Zheng saw that although the reinforcements from the capital had not arrived as scheduled, the presence of four hundred soldiers escorting them along the Sichuan border made things much safer. He couldn't help but show his delight, his gloomy expression of the past few days vanishing.
That night, the group spent the night at Wupen Ridge, and the next day they broke camp and set off again. After traveling for a while, they found that the view ahead opened up, and the terrain gradually sank down, entering a large depression. Commander Zheng nodded to himself: so Wupen Ridge got its name from this terrain.
Just then, they heard the faint neighing of horses in the wind, followed by a cloud of dust rising in the distance and the sound of hooves growing louder, as if a large army was charging towards them.
Commander Zheng's expression changed drastically. He turned around and saw that Wen Huaifeng had also jumped out of the carriage. He hurriedly said, "Sir, things are not good. These... these bandits have appeared out of nowhere. It seems that there are quite a few of them."
Wen Huaifeng's face darkened, and he rebuked, "What's the panic! Pass down the order to have the Dragon Guard brothers guard the carriage, and the rest of you prepare for battle on the perimeter."
Commander Zheng was about to issue an order when he suddenly stared fixedly ahead, his eyes wide with astonishment, and he stammered, "This...this is..."
Wen Huaifeng followed his gaze and his expression changed as well. Amidst the billowing dust, a large herd of wild horses was swarming in from all directions. There were at least a thousand of these horses, each one agile and extraordinary, yet they seemed to be collectively frightened, charging wildly towards the depression below with loud neighing.
Upon seeing such a display of force, the soldiers turned ashen-faced with fear, and the more timid ones scattered and fled. The herd of horses quickly reached them, scattering the soldiers. Following closely behind were dozens of riders, including Qi Moyunran and his group. Seeing the soldiers in disarray, they no longer hesitated. As soon as they reached the carriage, they leaped from their horses and engaged the Dragon Guard experts guarding the carriage in combat.
A cold glint flashed in Wen Huaifeng's eyes as he shouted, "Everyone, guard the carriage! Don't let anyone near it!"
Qi Mo let out a long laugh, his long sword flashing with a blue light, and flew towards him, saying with a smile, "Lord Wen, this time you think you can't protect the carriage." He turned his head and gave a wink, and Yun Ran and Wan Wan rushed into the carriage from the side.
Just as Wen Huaifeng was about to intervene, he suddenly felt a powerful gust of wind rushing towards him. Zhu Hong's face was ashen, and he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Lord Wen, today we'll settle this score between us!" As he spoke, his left hand formed a claw and grabbed at Wen Huaifeng's wrist joint, while his right hand swiftly pointed at his Qimen acupoint under his ribs.
Upon seeing Zhu Hong, Wen Huaifeng was suddenly shocked to realize that the frenzied charge of the horses earlier was orchestrated by this "Horse King" before him. He angrily retorted, "Zhu Hong, do you know how serious your crime is for charging at the government troops on horseback!"
Zhu Hong sneered and did not answer. Xie Feng laughed from the side, "Even the King of Horses is willing to give up thousands of fine horses in his Wupenling Horse Ranch. Why would he be afraid of abandoning his family business and offending your government?"
Sima Liuyun sat alone in the carriage, having already heard the commotion outside. Suddenly, the carriage curtain was lifted, and Yun Ran leaped in from outside. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "Miss Luo!"
Yun Ran smiled slightly at him, then leaped to his side. Sima Liuyun noticed that her right arm was injured as she moved, and quickly asked, "Is your right arm injured?"
Yun Ran smiled and said, "It's nothing serious." As she spoke, she bent down to check his handcuffs and shackles.
Seeing that she looked much more haggard, Sima Liuyun was deeply moved and whispered, "Were you injured while saving me?"
Yun Ran smiled and shook her head, but then heard Wanwan giggle behind her, "She was not only injured, but she also fought with Sect Leader Qi to save you..."
Yun Ran's face darkened, and she turned around and shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting!"
Wanwan stuck out her tongue, quickly stepped forward, raised the short knife in her hand, and laughed, "If you don't give me a nice look again, I'll return this precious knife to Xie Feng and see how you unlock Young Master Sima's shackles."
Yun Ran snorted, smiled, and stepped forward. With a flick of her short knife, she severed the shackles on Sima Liuyun's hands and feet, and together with Yun Ran, helped him leap out of the carriage.
Everyone was overjoyed to see that Yun Ran and his companion had succeeded. Wanwan tossed the dagger back to Xie Feng and called out to Qi Mo, "Chief Qi, we've rescued Young Master Sima. Shall we leave now?"
Qi Mo was fighting Wen Huaifeng with Xie Feng and Zhu Hong when he heard Wanwan calling him. He smiled and replied, "You go ahead. I'll take this opportunity to kill Lord Wen and retrieve the Purple Thorn Soft Sword before I come to find you."
Anger flashed in Wen Huaifeng's eyes, and he sneered, "Sect Leader Qi wants to kill me? You'd better see how capable you are!" He swung his soft sword swiftly, unleashing several moves, each with a cold glint, all aimed at Qi Mo's vital points.
Seeing that Sang Feihe had led the Qingluan Gang to meet them, Yun Ran, preoccupied with the battle, whispered to Wanwan, "You protect Young Master Sima and the others and go ahead. I'll go back and check and come right back." Without waiting for Wanwan's reply, she turned and rushed towards the place where Qi Mo and the others were fighting.
Although Wen Huaifeng possessed the Purple Thorn Sword, he was no match for the combined forces of three top experts. He was now mostly on the defensive, the sword circle gradually shrinking, and he was at a disadvantage. Qi Mo laughed, "Lord Wen, hand over the Purple Thorn Soft Sword, and perhaps I can spare your life today." Wen Huaifeng sneered repeatedly, remaining unmoved.
Just as Yun Ran was about to rush into the circle, she suddenly felt a gust of wind behind her. She quickly dodged to the side and saw a crossbow bolt fly past her.
Qi Mo turned around and his expression changed slightly. He whispered, "The Dragon Guard's Divine Crossbow Battalion has arrived. Let's retreat for now." With that, he leaped away from the battle and arrived at Yun Ran's side in a few leaps. He said in a deep voice, "Head east, go quickly."
At this moment, arrows kept flying towards the two of them. Yun Ran didn't have time to think, so she followed Qi Mo and rushed eastward. Qi Mo lagged slightly behind and used his long sword to deflect the crossbow bolts that were shot at the two of them from behind.
Seeing his Divine Crossbow Battalion arrive at that moment, Wen Huaifeng was overjoyed but also felt regret: if they had arrived even a moment earlier, Sima Liuyun would have had no chance of escape. He immediately issued an order, commanding the Dragon Guards to pursue Sima Liuyun with all their might. However, the surrounding area was filled with scattered soldiers and frightened horses, and in the chaos, it was unclear where Sima Liuyun and his men had fled to.
Yun Ran and Qi Mo sped eastward, feeling the rain of arrows behind them thinning out, and no more pursuers were coming. Qi Mo saw a dense forest ahead, pointed into it, and the two leaped into the woods. After running for a while, they found the forest filled with ancient trees, extremely secluded, and even if the Dragon Guards tracked them down, they would have difficulty finding their trail for a short time.
Yun Ran was surprised to find that Xie Feng and Zhu Hong hadn't come along. Thinking that she and Qi Mo were alone here, she frowned slightly. But then she heard Qi Mo hum softly beside her. She turned her head and was immediately taken aback.
☆, Sharing weal and woe
Qi Mo was ashen-faced, leaning against a tree with his eyes closed, breathing rapidly, as if he had been seriously injured.
Yun Ran hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward to help him up. Looking behind him, she saw a crossbow bolt embedded in his back, with black blood slowly seeping out around it.
She knew that Qi Mo's rapid run after being shot had accelerated his blood flow, causing the poison on the arrowhead to spread even faster. If the poison wasn't drawn out immediately, his life might be in danger. Thinking of this, she quickly helped Qi Mo sit down under a tree with his back to her, tore open his shirt, and pulled out the arrow. She pressed the wound several times, but only managed to squeeze out a small amount of dark blood. Yun Ran frowned slightly and had no choice but to place her lips on his wound, sucking out the poisonous blood bit by bit.
As Qi Mo regained consciousness, he felt Yun Ran gently embracing him from behind. Her soft lips touched and sucked at the wound on his back, and the numbness gradually subsided, so he didn't feel much pain.
Yun Ran sucked out more than ten mouthfuls of poisonous blood. Seeing that the blood she spat out was bright red, she knew that the poison had been completely removed. She heard Qi Mo say softly, "Thank you." Yun Ran snorted and asked in a low voice, "Did you bring any antidote?"
Qi Mo nodded and replied, "In the pocket of my clothes."
Yun Ran got up and moved to kneel in front of him. She reached into his arms and took out several porcelain bottles, but she didn't know which one contained the antidote.
Qi Mo saw her lower her head and grope her chest, her long eyelashes making her pretty face appear even more gentle and charming. A surge of tenderness welled up in his heart, and he couldn't help but recall the many intimate moments they had shared that day. Seeing the slight confusion in Yun Ran's eyes as she looked up as if to ask a question, her appearance incredibly alluring, he couldn't resist leaning over and quickly giving her a light peck on the lips.
Yun Ran trembled, her face flushed red, and she pushed him away with one hand. Qi Mo's back hit a tree, and he immediately groaned in pain.
Yun Ran stood up, glared at him angrily, spat, and said resentfully, "Old habits die hard!" She simply ignored him, turned around and ran into the depths of the forest, disappearing in an instant.
Qi Mo frowned, endured the pain, and sat up. He picked up the porcelain bottle that Yun Ran had thrown on the ground, chose one with detoxifying and hemostatic effects, uncorked it, and intended to apply it to the wound on his back. Unfortunately, the injury was on his back, and he couldn't raise his arm easily after the injury. He tried twice, but both times he sprinkled the powder crookedly, feeling somewhat frustrated.
Suddenly hearing light footsteps, Qi Mo looked up and saw that Yun Ran had returned at some point. With a cold face, she slowly walked to his side without saying a word, took the porcelain bottle from his hand, applied the medicine powder to the wound on his back, and tore off a piece of her clothes to wrap the wound.
It turned out that Yun Ran had left in a fit of anger. After running around for a while, she remembered that Qi Mo had risked his life to save her many times before, and that he was wounded by an arrow this time because of her. Although she still felt angry with him, she was unwilling to leave him to die in the mountains. So she wandered in the forest for a while and then returned to the original spot.
After she finished bandaging Qi Mo's wound, she looked up and saw his deep, dark eyes watching her with a leisurely air. She couldn't help but feel annoyed again. Suddenly, she heard Qi Mo ask softly, "If I said I didn't know beforehand that someone had tampered with the tea, would you believe me?"
Yun Ran was taken aback, but then she saw Qi Mo's lips curl up slightly, a faint smile on his face, as he slowly said, "However, I do not regret what happened that day."
Yun Ran snorted heavily, turning her face away from him, her ears and neck already flushed. Qi Mo looked at her slightly flushed profile, wanting to lean in and kiss her, but fearing he would anger her again, he reluctantly gave up.
After a long pause, Yun Ran turned around, her face calm and expressionless, and said coldly, "Chief Qi saved my life that day, and now we are even, with no further connection between us. If you dare to be disrespectful to me again, I will definitely take your life!"
Qi Mo's heart sank, and he frowned as he asked, "Is it because of Sima Liuyun? Do you still want to marry him?"
Yun Ran didn't answer, but stood up and said calmly, "Wen Huaifeng must be sending people to search for us right now. Are you leaving or not?"
Qi Mo pondered for a moment and realized that Yun Ran was not entirely heartless towards him. Although she and Sima Liuyun were engaged, they were not yet married, so there was still room for negotiation. With this in mind, he felt a little more at ease and replied with a smile, "Of course I'll go. Please help me up, Miss Yun."
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The Divine Crossbow Battalion attacked suddenly, catching Wanwan and the others off guard. Sang Feihe led his men in a desperate effort to deflect the incoming crossbow bolts, and in the midst of the chaos, he said to Wanwan, "Miss Wanwan, you protect Young Master Sima and go ahead. I will take care of things here."
This was exactly what Wanwan wanted to hear. She looked around and saw that there were soldiers and horses all around. She quickly replied, "Chief Sang, have everyone disperse in the chaos and meet up at the Qingluan Gang headquarters later!" After saying that, she protected Sima Liuyun and hurriedly fled in the southeast direction.
The two ran for a while, and seeing that the surroundings were gradually becoming desolate and deserted, they had no idea where they were. Wanwan slowed down and turned around to ask, "Young Master Sima, how are your injuries? Can you still hold on?"
Sima Liuyun was seriously injured in the battle at the Zhu residence, but Wen Huaifeng did not want to kill him. Upon returning to Lezhou Prefecture, he immediately dispatched a skilled physician to treat him. After resting quietly in the carriage for the past few days, his chest wound had mostly healed. Although he felt somewhat weak and his chest ached slightly, he knew that staying here any longer would increase the risk. He replied in a deep voice, "It's alright. Wen Huaifeng will definitely not give up so easily. We must get away from here before the pursuers arrive, and it would be best if we could find a way to temporarily leave Sichuan."
Wanwan turned her head and smiled, "Young Master Sima is absolutely right. We had all planned to meet up at the headquarters of the Qingluan Gang in Qiannan if we got separated along the way."
As she spoke, she noticed that although Sima Liuyun's mouth seemed fine, his face was pale and there was a light sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. Worried that his injuries might worsen, she hesitated for a moment and then said, "Let's rest for a bit and change our clothes so we can avoid Wen Huaifeng's notice." With that, she helped Sima Liuyun to sit down by the roadside and took out her disguise to change his appearance.
Sima Liuyun thought to himself: Miss Wanwan helped me block the flying knife at Anping Inn back then, which can be described as standing up for justice. Now, in this time of trouble, she did not abandon me and still protects me with all her might. This chivalrous heart is even more rare.
He was naturally calm and reserved. Although he was very grateful to Wanwan, he simply smiled at her and said, "Thank you, young lady."
Wanwan smiled and said, "Since we are all friends, why should Young Master Sima be so formal with me?"
She gazed at Sima Liuyun's handsome profile, her eyes sparkling with laughter, but in her heart she was thinking: once she safely escorted him to Qiannan and met the Sima family, she could pocket the ten thousand gold coins reward. Although there would be some risks along the way, at worst she could abandon him in a crisis and escape herself; it was a deal she could make.
Thinking of her triumph, she couldn't help but chuckle. Seeing Sima Liuyun's eyes widen in surprise, she quickly composed herself and said with a pursed mouth, "Everyone went to great lengths to finally rescue you, young master. I was just a little carried away with joy just now, please forgive me, young master Sima."
Sima Liuyun had no suspicions. On the contrary, he found Wanwan to be uninhibited, straightforward and adorable. He smiled and said, "I've rested enough. Shall we get going?"
The two continued traveling southeast for several miles. Passing through a village, Wanwan casually stole two pieces of clothing hanging outside a farmhouse. Sima Liuyun felt guilty, but seeing that Wanwan had left a small piece of silver in front of the house, he said nothing. The two found a secluded spot to change clothes. Looking at each other, they found each other's rustic appearance and attire amusing, but thinking that this would likely help them evade the pursuers, they felt relieved.
Wanwan laughed and said, "Should we find a house to stay at tonight, or just camp out in the wild?"
Sima Liuyun hesitated for a moment. If he were alone, he would feel that it would be safer to camp in the wild. But seeing Wanwan's delicate appearance, he wondered if she could endure the hardships of the wind and frost.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard the sound of galloping hooves in the distance, which was coming towards them. He was immediately startled. Wanwan's expression also changed slightly, and she said in a low voice, "Our appearances have changed. Even if it is pursuers, they may not be able to recognize us."
Sima Liuyun nodded. The two remained calm and continued walking slowly, though both were inwardly sweating bullets.
A moment later, the group of people arrived. Upon seeing Sima Liuyun and Wanwan, they all reined in their horses and stopped.
Sima Liuyun secretly breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing that this group of people were not government soldiers. Upon closer inspection, he saw that these people were all dressed in tight-fitting clothes, with weapons hanging at their waists, all dressed as martial arts practitioners. The young man in the lead was handsome, with a hint of arrogance on his face, and his eyes were full of authority, seemingly the leader of the group.
Sima Liuyun nodded secretly, thinking to himself: This person's eyes are gleaming, it seems that he has a deep understanding of martial arts and is a master of internal martial arts.
Seeing that this man had an extraordinary bearing, he felt a sense of kinship and appreciation. If he hadn't been on the run, he would have wanted to ask him to befriend him.
But then the young master asked, "Excuse me, is this the road leading to Lezhou?"