activa-t Chapter 355: They're about to catch up.
Chapter 355: They're about to catch up.
Pei Yan followed closely behind Fang Xiaoxiao, his breathing rapid and heavy, each breath feeling as if he were trying to suck all the air out of his lungs.
He gripped a short sword tightly in his hand, the blade reflecting a cold light in the sunlight, yet his hand trembled slightly from excessive tension.
"Xiao Xiao, hurry! They're catching up!" Pei Yan's voice trembled, as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.
The woman was being pulled along by Fang Xiaoxiao, almost being dragged along.
Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes filled with despair and helplessness, and tears and sweat mixed together, making her face indistinct.
Her lips trembled as she tried to say something, but could only utter muffled sobs.
Fang Xiaoxiao's heart felt like it was going to jump out of her throat; she could clearly hear her own rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing.
Every step I took felt like stepping on cotton, soft and yielding, leaving me with no strength.
But the belief in her heart was like a burning fire, driving her to keep running forward.
"Don't stop! Don't let them catch you!" Fang Xiaoxiao kept telling herself.
The shouts of bandits and the sound of horses' hooves came from behind, growing closer and clearer, like the tolling of death bells.
"Haha, let's see where you run to!" The bandits' wild laughter echoed through the narrow streets, sending chills down one's spine.
Fang Xiaoxiao's face grew paler and paler, and a hint of despair flashed in her eyes, but it was instantly replaced by determination.
"I'll give it my all!" She gritted her teeth and quickened her pace with the last bit of strength she had left.
Just when they were about to despair, Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes suddenly caught sight of a courtyard house whose gate was not closed properly.
The courtyard gate was half-closed, exuding an air of mystery and anticipation.
"Quick! Go in!" Fang Xiaoxiao practically shouted, her voice hoarse from extreme tension.
The three of them, as if grasping at the last straw, rushed into the mansion without hesitation.
As soon as I stepped into the yard, a musty, decaying smell hit me. The yard was overgrown with weeds, almost knee-deep.
In the corner, there was a pile of old, broken junk, covered with cobwebs and dust.
The plaster on the wall has peeled off, revealing the mottled bricks underneath.
Fang Xiaoxiao and her two companions came to an abrupt halt, panting heavily, their faces filled with a mixture of relief at surviving a close call and fear of the unknown.
Fang Xiaoxiao's chest heaved violently as her eyes scanned her surroundings warily, trying to find a place to hide.
Sweat streamed down her forehead, dripping onto the ground where it was instantly absorbed by the dry earth.
Pei Yan's face was still pale, and the fear from before still lingered in his eyes.
His hand gripped the short sword tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
The woman collapsed to the ground, her body trembling uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face once more.
Just then, a very old voice came from the kitchen stove next to the yard.
"Who's outside?" The voice trembled and was weak, as if carrying endless vicissitudes.
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others were startled and immediately stopped in their tracks, looking in the direction from which the sound came with horrified eyes.
After a brief moment of surprise, the old man quickly regained his composure.
Her wrinkled face, like ancient tree bark, bore the marks of time, yet also exuded a calm and composed demeanor that came with weathering storms.
Her eyes flickered slightly, then returned to calm. She gently raised her hand, gesturing for Fang Xiaoxiao and the others to quickly hide inside.
Fang Xiaoxiao and her two companions, as if grasping at a straw, quickly and quietly slipped into the inner room.
The inner room was small and dark, filled with a musty smell.
They huddled close together, their hearts pounding, barely daring to breathe, their ears perked up, listening intently to any sounds outside.
However, just as they had taken cover and before they could calm their nerves, a violent kicking sound came from outside the courtyard gate.
"Boom!" The already flimsy courtyard gate collapsed to the ground under the enormous impact.
As dust rose, the tall and ferocious figure of Black Impermanence appeared at the doorway.
He was like a black tower, exuding a chilling aura.
Sunlight shone from behind him, but it couldn't penetrate his black robe that seemed to embody darkness. It only outlined a blurry halo around his silhouette, which only added to his sinister and terrifying appearance.
Black Impermanence strode heavily into the courtyard, each step seeming to leave a crater in the ground.
His face twitched, and his eyes were fixed on the old man standing in front of the kitchen stove, filled with suspicion and ferocity.
"Old woman, have you seen two women and one man?"
The voice of the Black Impermanence seemed to come from the depths of hell, cold and deep, carrying an irresistible majesty.
The old man raised his head, his face still bearing a kind smile, though the smile seemed somewhat forced under the oppressive aura of the Black Impermanence.
"Sir, I am an old man living alone in this courtyard. How could anyone possibly come in? If someone did, you must be mistaken."
The old man's voice was calm and slow, but with a slight, almost imperceptible tremor.
Black Impermanence's brows furrowed instantly, and a hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes.
His lips turned down, revealing a row of gleaming white teeth, as if he were about to devour someone.
"Old woman, don't be stubborn and ask for trouble! Confess honestly, or you'll regret it!" His voice grew colder and colder, as if it could freeze the surrounding air.
At this moment, the muscles on Hei Wuchang's face were twisted even more violently, and his cold expression seemed to instantly drop the temperature of the surrounding area by several degrees.
His eyes narrowed to slits, shooting out two cold beams of light like venomous snakes as he stared intently at the old man.
That gaze seemed to pierce through the old woman's soul, trying to uncover her hidden secrets.
The old man's smile gradually disappeared under the fierce gaze of the Black Impermanence, replaced by a trace of fear.
But she still tried to remain calm, saying, "Sir, I really didn't see anyone."
Black Impermanence snorted coldly and approached the old man step by step. With each step he took, the dust on the ground would rise slightly, as if it were a manifestation of the anger in his heart.
Just then, a slight noise came from the inner room.
Black Impermanence's ears perked up instantly, and a cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Hmph, looks like someone's inside!" He turned around abruptly and rushed into the inner room.
Just as Black Impermanence's thick hand was about to touch the door, at that critical moment, a thunderbolt seemed to strike his mind, and a terrifying thought flashed through his mind.
His originally fierce face froze instantly, and the ruthlessness in his eyes was replaced by an indescribable fear.
After a moment's hesitation, he turned and roared menacingly at his men behind him, "You, come here and open the door for me!"
Upon hearing the order, the subordinate trembled, his face draining of color. Yet, daring not to disobey Black Impermanence's command, he had no choice but to steel himself and, with legs as heavy as lead, shakily walk toward the seemingly ordinary door.
His heart pounded like a drum, his breathing became rapid, and his trembling hand slowly reached out towards the door.
Just as his fingertips touched the door, it creaked open with a strong force.
In an instant, several crossbow bolts, like black lightning, shot out from inside the door with a sharp whistling sound.
"Thud thud thud!" The sharp crossbow bolts pierced the body of the subordinate with lightning speed.
His eyes widened instantly, filled with horror and disbelief.
Before he could even let out a scream, his body collapsed limply to the ground as if his bones had been removed, blood gushing from his wounds and instantly staining the ground beneath his feet red.
Upon seeing this, Black Impermanence's face instantly turned deathly pale, devoid of any color.
His eyes were so wide they almost popped out of their sockets, and his mouth was agape, but he couldn't utter a sound due to extreme terror.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead like rain, glistening in the sunlight as if they were a manifestation of his fear.
"Retreat! Retreat now!" Finally, Black Impermanence squeezed out this desperate cry from deep in his throat. His voice trembled, filled with undisguised panic.
His men, already terrified by the sudden turn of events, were now overjoyed at the Black Impermanence's command. They turned around and ran frantically out of the courtyard.
They staggered and shoved each other, afraid that if they were a step too slow, they would become the next innocent soul to fall.
As Black Impermanence retreated desperately, he kept looking back, his eyes filled with fear and vigilance.
His chest heaved violently as he gasped for breath, as if an invisible demon was relentlessly pursuing him.
Hearing the commotion outside, Fang Xiaoxiao and the others inside the house relaxed their tense nerves a little.
But they still dared not let their guard down, waiting quietly and listening to the sounds outside.