¡Qué ganas de sentir la brisa primaveral!

Capítulo 59

"Why are you back, young lady?" she asked, glancing behind me again. "Where's Mr. Mo?"

I didn't answer him, but glanced down at the cellar entrance. The heavy stone slab had been opened, revealing a dark area underneath, from which a strong smell of alcohol emanated. It must have been the owner's usual storage place. It was truly well-hidden; I had been here for so long and had never discovered such a large underground hiding place.

"How many people can actually hide here?"

"We'll hide as many as we can. They're all from the same village; are we just going to watch them get killed?" The innkeeper wiped the sweat from his face. Some people were already helping the wounded into the cellar. Cheng Wei and I exchanged a glance. The sounds of battle were getting closer. He frowned and said, "This is the only way now. We don't know how many troops the Mo Kingdom has sent. It's pointless to rush in and fight head-on. We can't leave with so many wounded. We'll just have to stay here and hold out until reinforcements from Tuoguan City arrive. I believe the Alliance Leader won't keep us waiting too long."

"Reinforcements from Tuoguan City?" A man with a broken leg cried out in pain, "No way! Nobody will come to our rescue. The village chief who went up the mountain to light the beacon fire has already been shot dead. The message can't get out. Who else will come to our rescue!"

"Beacon fire?" I looked in the direction the man was pointing. Jinshui Town was surrounded by mountains. Although the sky was dark at night, I could still vaguely see a simple stone box on the northern mountain peak by the fire in the town.

“Yes, that’s our signal fire, used for communication in emergencies. But now that place is full of Mexicans who have stormed in. Our village chief was shot dead trying to light it. Who dares to go there?” The shopkeeper shook his head as he spoke. Most of the people gathered in the courtyard had already gone down to the cellar. Cheng Wei had just given emergency treatment to a seriously wounded man and was now directing others to carry him down to the cellar. The terrifying shouts outside were getting closer and closer; I could even hear someone yelling in Mexican.

The shopkeeper, having not seen Mo Li and the others for a long time, suddenly showed me pity. "So only the two of you have returned. Could it be that Mr. Mo and the others have already been...?" He sighed and said, "Miss, why don't you come in and hide with us?"

My heart ached when I heard him mention Mo Li. It wasn't that I was afraid Mo Li was in danger, given his martial arts skills, but I knew he must be utterly disappointed in me now, and might already be leading his men back to the Holy Fire Sect's headquarters.

He asked, "Ping An, do you want to come with me?" I agreed, but then I changed my mind. This time, I left him behind and came back here, back to be with these people—I don't even know how long I'll be able to do anything after I came back.

"girl?"

"Safety?"

The innkeeper and Cheng Wei's voices rang out almost simultaneously, both urging me to hurry up and enter the cellar. The sound of the inn's door being broken came from the front. There was no one else on the ground in the courtyard. Cheng Wei dragged a heavy stone slab and looked at me anxiously, as if he would jump out and drag me in at any moment.

The faint groans of the wounded could be heard from the cellar. This inn was far less ingeniously laid out than Fei Li Manor, which was both offensive and defensive, and it was not as secluded as the Lan Family Manor, which was hidden deep underground. It was a simple place with a few main rooms, and the only place to hide was the cellar. This place now held the few dozen lives left in the town.

The heavy footsteps of fully armed soldiers approached from behind me. I stood still, and in the crisp morning breeze, I heard that hoarse yet smiling voice.

"Ping An, do you want to come with me?"

The feeling of having my heart clenched makes it hard to breathe. What else do I need to hide? I've already been betrayed twice by my only family member, and I've already abandoned the only person I truly wanted in this world.

I turned back and glanced at the silent beacon tower in the darkness. Then, I gritted my teeth and rushed forward, saying to Cheng Wei and the shopkeeper under the stone slab, "You wait here, I'll go light the beacon." Without waiting for their response, I forcefully pushed the stone slab back to its original position and dragged over a stone platform to weigh it down.

Just as the heavy footsteps approached the courtyard, I leaped over the wall. Shouts and the sound of weapons whistling through the air rang out almost simultaneously with my movement. I glanced at the dark mass of soldiers below, swung my hand to knock away several tiles, and then, with a scream, leaped out of the inn. They roared and chased after me, but how could they possibly keep up with my speed? I sprinted forward, and in a few leaps, I left them far behind.

2

The town was ablaze, and fully armed troops searched the town thoroughly, leaving no living villager untouched.

The people here were used to a secluded and peaceful life. Although the outside world was already engulfed in war, they were still unprepared when the real devil came to them. Many people were burned to death in their homes while they were sleeping, and most of those who escaped died in the subsequent army.

After shaking off the pursuing soldiers, I still had to carefully avoid the patrolling soldiers scattered throughout the town and the dilapidated houses burned down. There were charred corpses everywhere along the way, and I forced myself not to look at those gruesome scenes, afraid that if I lost my breath, I wouldn't be able to keep running.

I was just recovering from serious injuries, and this morning I almost couldn't even climb over the wall. I was able to hold on only because of my willpower, but my body was not cooperating. I couldn't run far before it started to give up. Twice I almost couldn't even lift my breath and jump up, and almost crashed into the Mexican soldiers who were searching around.

The mountain where the beacon tower was located didn't seem far away, but I still had to cross the entire town. Although the town wasn't big, I had to avoid the burning flames and be wary of soldiers at all times. I finally made it to the edge of the mountain, only to find that it was surrounded by the army. I couldn't even get close to it, let alone go up the mountain.

There were people everywhere. Only a small squad had entered the town. The real army was stationed at the foot of the mountain. The front ranks were mostly archers, followed by neatly arranged infantry. The numbers kept increasing, and under the heavy night sky and the firelight, it was impossible to tell exactly how many people had arrived.

I watched all this in horror from a dark corner, with only one thought in my mind.

It's over. Such a large army has crossed mountains and valleys to penetrate deep into the heart of the territory. If they truly occupy this place and attack Tuoguan City from both sides, even a place as impregnable as Tuoguan City will be reduced to ashes in the blink of an eye. I turned back and looked one last time at the town engulfed in ferocious flames. Just this morning, this place was peaceful and beautiful; I even felt that it was the most beautiful place in the world. But now everything is gone; everything has vanished in these flames.

I gritted my teeth and took one last look at the silent beacon tower. No! I can't place all my hopes on my master. I must get this message out. Even if no one comes to rescue us, at least let the people in Tuoguan City know that they must prepare.

A silent, black-clad army assembled before the burning town, with towering mountains rising behind them. In the shadows of fire and ruins, I calculated the possibility of escaping their blind spots. Although the firelight was as bright as day, it only deepened the shadows. Coupled with the chaos and the deafening noise all around, if I used the trees for cover and climbed up the mountain, I might be lucky enough to escape unnoticed.

Once I made up my mind, I acted immediately. Gathering all the remaining strength in my body, I lifted myself up and climbed to the treetop, using the thick darkness and the shadows cast between the trees to conceal my movements. A wind rose at night, and gusts of mountain wind rustled through the branches and leaves, creating a loud noise that blended with all the other clamor, making it impossible for anyone to notice me moving among the treetops.

I climbed over several large trees and was just a few steps away from reaching the foot of the mountain. I was secretly rejoicing when suddenly a gust of wind blew by, causing the sea of trees to ripple like giant waves. I couldn't dodge in time and was struck on the shoulder by a branch that suddenly stretched out. The wound that had been aching from the excessive force was hit by this huge force, and the tearing sensation almost made me scream in mid-air.

There were screams, in a language I couldn't understand. I didn't know if I had been discovered, but my body had already begun to fall. In that instant, all I could do was frantically wave my arms, trying to grab something to stop my rapid descent. The sound of branches snapping cracked in my ears, and the familiar feeling of death came over me again. When all my efforts became futile, I suddenly laughed in mid-air.

Come on, all of this! I'm not afraid.

I've already lost everything, so what is there to be afraid of?

Suddenly, a force wrapped around my waist, halting my fall and pulling me back up. I heard loud, terrifying screams and sounds of attack. My body recognized the person who had come to my side. The feeling of having regained what I had lost made me react almost instinctively, in my most primal way.

I forgot I was still on the battlefield. No, I forgot everything. All I knew was to reach out my hand, and in the instant he retracted his whip, in the instant I could touch him, I reached out in mid-air, pounced on him, and hugged him tightly.

Mo Lili caught me amidst the swaying shadows of the tall trees, his face still stern and grim. Without a word, he leaped several times towards the mountain where the beacon tower was located. There were some soldiers on the mountain, and although he was agile, he was still spotted by a few. But he was ruthless. Often, he dealt with them cleanly before they could even cry out. One of them even ran towards us and raised his long sword, but with a twist of his whip, I only heard a crisp sound of bones breaking. When I turned around, the man had been strangled to death in an instant.

Seeing his clear goal, I was surprised. Without time for sentimentality, my first question was, "How did you know I was going there?"

He pursed his lips, the corners of his mouth slightly downturned—a familiar sign of my beloved Mo Li's bad mood. I sighed inwardly, knowing that opening my mouth would likely result in a mouthful of wind and possibly some strange little bug, but I still turned to him and said…

He snorted.

Oh my god! If the situation weren't so urgent, I would have liked to find a corner to squat down and hug my head.

"Why don't you hide in the cellar?" he suddenly asked.

I was shocked. "You saw him? Was he behind me the whole time?"

"What about the ones in green and red? Did they see it too?"

"They're drawing away the soldiers. Do you think you can distract everyone by yourself?"

I groaned inwardly; he had indeed seen everything. Thinking about how I had just been running with the resolve to die, I felt like crashing into a tree.

“It’s only because that idiot Chengjia would go crazy with you.” He hadn’t looked at me the whole time, and as he spoke, he led me toward the mountain peak. The closer we got to the beacon tower, the more Mo soldiers there were. Suddenly, he lifted me up, leaped onto a very tall tree, and left me behind. “Wait here.”

"I'm going too." I knew what she was going to do, and immediately became anxious, grabbing his hand to prevent him from going alone.

"Stay put," he said coldly.

I met his gaze, and suddenly it dawned on me. I turned around, used the Cloud Leap technique, and in the blink of an eye, I was far away. Under his glare, I ran towards the beacon tower alone.

In these years of wits and courage battles with unparalleled masters, in the process of oppression and resistance, in the deprivation and retaliation of human rights, I have finally realized that there is no reasoning with these people who only know power. Expecting them to empathize with you is like the moon shining on a ditch.

3

Although there were soldiers guarding the beacon tower, my speed was astonishing. They didn't even see what was rushing past, so how could they possibly catch up with me? I flew up to the top of the mountain and even snatched a torch along the way.

Roars echoed all around me, and some people drew their swords and rushed forward. In my haste, I made a move halfway through, aiming at the dark beacon tower and throwing the torch with all my might. Then I stared at the flame, praying that I wouldn't miss this golden opportunity.

But fate had other plans. I watched helplessly as the flame arced through the darkness toward the beacon tower, rising, descending, and approaching. My heart leaped into my throat, and then... I watched it drift away from the direction I wanted it to go.

I almost screamed in that instant, and then a dark shadow drifted across the firelight. I watched helplessly as it was corrected in mid-air and fell straight down onto that dark platform.

The dazzling flames rose up almost instantly. I cheered and began to dodge the soldiers rushing towards me, only to find that it was a futile move compared to the tide of troops charging towards me.

The flames roared behind me, igniting the entire sky above. I watched as a dark mass of armored figures rushed down from the mountain.

Mo Li was not far from me. As I flew toward him, he reached out and grabbed my hand. We stood together in the darkness and before the flames. I couldn't see his eyes or expression in the distorted light, but thankfully, he was always there.

After the beacon fire was lit, the two of us naturally became live targets. The Mo Kingdom's army kept rushing up from the foot of the mountain, and the sound of arrows piercing the air was incessant. No matter how high Mo Li's martial arts skills were, he was already somewhat powerless to resist the locust-like arrows coming from all directions, let alone having to take care of me.

I wanted to find a way for us to escape, but standing on this desolate mountaintop, surrounded by soldiers rushing down from below, and with the light of the beacon fires making us nowhere to hide, in such a desperate situation, unless he suddenly sprouted wings and flew into the sky, it was really unlikely that he could escape with me. I grabbed the scimitar of the dead Mo soldier on the ground as a weapon to deflect a few arrows, and turned to him again to speak.

"Mo Li, I don't want you to die here with me..."

His eyes darkened. "Shut up."

I sighed, endlessly missing the gentle expressions he occasionally showed.

Everyone dies eventually...

"Shut up."

"I'm already very happy..."

He stopped answering, turned his head, and glared at me fiercely. His gaze was so terrifying that even though I was standing next to the flames, I trembled and almost had my hand pierced by a flying arrow.

He blocked the arrow for me, and I saw sweat on his forehead. I knew that if this continued like this, even someone made of iron wouldn't survive. This might be the last sight we ever saw.

The rain of arrows suddenly stopped, and someone stepped forward, waving and shouting to stop, speaking to us amidst the fire and corpses.

I didn't understand, nor did I care. The army was silent in the gale, the taut bowstrings filling the air with a chilling atmosphere. I sighed, turned around, and grabbed his hand tightly. I looked up at him in the firelight and slowly repeated what I had said before.

"sorry."

This time, he didn't sternly tell me to shut up, but he still gave a soft hum and said, "Save that for the next life." He then turned his head to look at me in the firelight, his expression utterly calm, his dark eyes gleaming with a thousand lights that instantly captivated me.

Oh no, I'm blushing.

On this mountaintop where the wind howls, before the flickering flames soaring into the sky, amidst the terrifying sounds of approaching troops, I couldn't help but blush as I looked into his eyes.

The leader's shout went unanswered. After a brief delay, the overwhelming shouts of battle erupted again. I almost resigned myself to closing my eyes, but to my surprise, what followed was not arrows but locusts. Instead, the armored legion that had been pressing in on us began to turn and retreat, just as it had come, only in the opposite direction. The tide that had surged toward us was now receding.

Mo Li, of course, wouldn't let such an opportunity slip by. Grabbing me, he leaped into the air, disappearing without a trace of the ground, and then raced swiftly through the trees towards the deeper mountains. These Mo people, caught off guard by the sudden attack, abandoned us and retreated solely for self-preservation.

The two armies had already begun fighting, and the sounds of battle echoed down the mountain. I excitedly grabbed Mo Li's hand and exclaimed, "My master has arrived! It must be my master leading the troops!"

He didn't answer me. When I turned to look at him again, I saw him silently looking down at the scene below the mountain with his eyes slightly narrowed. He showed neither the relief of escaping death nor the joy of seeing reinforcements. Instead, he looked thoughtful.

I wasn't mistaken. The Chinese troops who had launched the surprise attack were reinforcements from Tuoguan City. The Mo army had marched day and night for several days, crossing the mountains, and then stormed into Jinshui Town. They were exhausted and nearly worn out when they encountered this sudden attack, catching them completely off guard. Furthermore, the reinforcements, who had been stationed at Tuoguan City for years, were familiar with the mountain terrain and skilled at using it in warfare, turning the tide almost instantly. By the time Mo Li and I descended the mountain, the lightning-fast battle was nearing its end. The Mo army had been routed, suffering countless casualties. As dawn approached, most of the Mo people who hadn't managed to escape were captured. Supporting each other as they crawled out in the morning light, seeing the devastation of their homeland, cries of despair filled the air.

I didn't know everything. Only Cheng Ping came with the reinforcements; Wen De stayed in Tuoguan City to assist in the defense. When I saw Cheng Ping, Cheng Wei was already beside him, and the two were talking. I don't know what they were saying, but when they saw me coming, all four of their eyes turned to me, which made me pause.

"What's wrong?" I instinctively touched my face. After the frantic running and fierce battle, my hands and feet were a little weak, and they trembled slightly when I lifted them up.

"Ping An, did you already know..." Cheng Wei asked me, his gaze shifting to Mo Li in the distance, who was speaking to the Holy Fire Sect subordinates who had regrouped. It was indeed a fierce battle; Qingyi and Hongyi looked somewhat disheveled, but fortunately, no one was killed or injured, as these people's martial arts skills were far superior to those of ordinary soldiers.

Mo Li lost his mask when he rescued the people, and now he only wears a wide hat and a veil hanging low, his face faintly visible when the wind blows.

Cheng Ping didn't speak, but looked at me with a complicated expression. I knew Cheng Wei must have told him everything he had seen on horseback, so I thought for a moment and nodded.

"Yes, I already knew."

They exchanged another glance, and Cheng Ping suddenly spoke up, “Ping An Jifeng is indeed dead. If he were still alive, he would never have acted this way. This person is just similar to him.”

Although Mo Li was nearby, within my reach, hearing those words still caused me a pang of pain. Before I could even think, I jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, gritting my teeth as I spoke.

"You're talking nonsense. I know it's him. He just forgot about the past."

They exchanged another glance. Cheng Wei hesitated, but Cheng Ping interrupted him, "Never mind, let's leave this matter to the Alliance Leader to discuss with her."

I hated their evasiveness, and I shouted, "What can't you say? What do you know? Just tell me!"

Cheng Wei glared at me. "Didn't you want to find Ji Feng? Only the Alliance Leader knows where Ji Feng is."

"Cheng Wei!" Cheng Ping interrupted him again, his face showing disapproval.

I almost screamed. Who said Wende knew? Wende knew nothing! Only I know that Jifeng is here, and Moli is here!

"Peace." Mo Li's voice came from beside me. He had walked up to me without me noticing, placed a hand on my shoulder, and looked at the Cheng brothers expressionlessly.

“Mr. Mo.” Cheng Ping and Cheng Wei bowed to him, “On behalf of the people of Jinshui Town who were able to survive, we thank Mr. Mo for his help.”