The sky had already darkened, and the sandstorm outside grew increasingly fierce. The sound it made as it swept past was like wolf howls, unsettling and panic-inducing.

There was almost no one on the streets.

Every household had their windows and doors tightly shut to prevent the yellow sand from entering their homes.

This season was the prime time for merchants and traders. Zhuxin City was packed with quite a few merchants, and the major taverns had long been full to capacity. Those merchants who hadn’t arrived in time could only make do for the night in makeshift shelters by the roadside to avoid the wind.

Tiger Lord’s caravan had settled into the tavern, and all the goods had been properly secured.

Tiger Lord was by nature a rough man. Having traveled the desert for many years, he was naturally cautious and vigilant. Even when resting at night, he didn’t remove his belt. Wearing his tiger skin, he simply lay down to rest on the crude bed boards.

In the dead of night, a black-clad figure slipped in from the kitchen at the back of the tavern. Taking advantage of the night watchman dozing at the counter on the first floor, the figure quickly slipped up to the second floor, stopping outside a tightly closed guest room door. Peering through the door crack to investigate inside and confirming that the person inside had gone to sleep, the black-clad figure pulled a bamboo stick from their pocket and inserted it through the door crack.

After gently fiddling with it a few times, the wooden block inside that secured the door latch shifted to the side.

The door opened!

The movement was very light and didn’t disturb the person inside!

The black-clad figure quietly entered, closing the door gently behind them. Following the light streaming in from outside the window, they groped their way to the bedside.

Tiger Lord was snoring, sleeping soundly.

The black-clad figure’s gaze locked directly onto the dagger at his waist.

Delighted inside!

This little thief was actually the youth who had been drinking at the tavern earlier today.

However, though the dagger was right before their eyes, it was being grasped in Tiger Lord’s hand.

The youth took a deep breath, slowly reached out their hand, gently pinched the lower end of the dagger, and pulled it out bit by bit.

Just as it was about to be pulled free—

Unexpectedly, Tiger Lord suddenly opened his eyes.

“Who’s there?”

The youth was startled, their face full of panic. But facing the current situation, their first reaction was actually to quickly pull the dagger with force.

Snatching it from Tiger Lord’s hand.

Tiger Lord rolled up from the bed, immediately clenching his fist and swinging it toward the youth’s chest.

Fortunately, they dodged in time.

Avoided it!

Tiger Lord flew into a rage, shouting, “You little bastard, I’ll slaughter you and drink your blood as wine!”

Having said that, he lifted his thousand-pound heavy foot and kicked over.

The youth instinctively raised their arm to block. That kick landed squarely on their arm.

Because the force was truly too great, they were kicked backward repeatedly, their waist slamming hard into the window frame.

The pain was terrible!

It felt like all the bones in their body were about to fall apart!

Especially the entire arm—it felt just like it was about to break.

Because the sound was so loud, it alarmed the people outside!

Tiger Lord’s men all rushed in.

“What happened?”

“What’s going on?”

The youth thought quickly on their feet and immediately pushed open the window behind them.

The yellow sand outside swept in with the fierce wind.

It blew into everyone’s eyes, making them unable to see. They quickly raised their arms to block the sand.

The youth smiled, waved the dagger they’d obtained, and said, “This young master isn’t playing with you lot anymore.”

With that, they jumped out the window.

From the second floor to the ground wasn’t particularly high, but it wasn’t low either.

An ordinary person jumping down would surely break their legs or arms.

But the youth seemed unaffected, only rolling a couple times when they hit the ground.

Clearly they did this kind of thing often!

Those people looked down from the window and saw that black shadow running into the distance, gradually disappearing into the night.

Tiger Lord was burning with fury, touching his now-empty waist.

The dagger was gone.

He immediately slammed his fist into the window frame.

“What are you all standing around for? Hurry up and chase! I want to eat his flesh, drink his blood, crush his bones!”

Full of bloody intent!

The group quickly rushed down to give chase.

After escaping, the youth hid in a large shed. Seeing that those people hadn’t caught up yet, they pulled off the face covering and took the dagger out from their clothes.

Much of the lacquer on the dagger had been worn away. At a glance, it didn’t seem to be any rare item—quite ordinary really.

But the pattern carved on it was very exquisite.

Three tiger heads!

Lifelike.

Not comparable to an ordinary dagger.

Moreover, the feel of it in hand was neither too light nor too heavy—very comfortable to hold.

The youth drew it from its sheath. Under the moonlight, the blade flashed with silver light—extremely sharp!

They couldn’t help but exclaim, “What a fine dagger indeed!”

Just as they were admiring it with great pleasure—

“Chase quickly! That kid ran this way. We must find him, or Tiger Lord will skin us alive.”

“Quick, quick, quick!”

They hadn’t expected to be pursued so quickly!

Fast indeed!

They quickly put the dagger away, hiding it in their clothes, and fled along the path behind them…

At this time, it was already deep night.

Wild sand swept recklessly through Zhuxin City. Each grain of yellow sand rubbing against one’s face caused stinging pain.

Even fiercer than the sandstorms in the desert!

No one dared to wander the streets at night.

Moreover, people who traveled the desert year-round were very experienced, so merchant caravans passing through Zhuxin City all entered the city before dark.

At the desolate city gate, lanterns hung high but were swaying precariously in the wind.

Not a ghost in sight!

Yet at this moment, a woman wearing a gray cloak and carrying an iron oil lamp emerged from the desert and entered Zhuxin City.

The woman had a slender figure. She had wrapped her face and head with a large cloth, only revealing a pair of fine, long eyebrows and those cold, calm eyes. In her hands she also held a long object wrapped in a cloth bag—who knew what it was?

She had likely passed through here and was clearly not someone who traveled the desert year-round. She should be a greenhorn, and with bad luck, had only managed to enter the city at night.

The yellow sand howled around her. She walked against the yellow sand, planning to find a temporary place to stay in the city.

Only this Zhuxin City was perhaps too deserted.

Like an empty city.

Though before coming she had learned about the situation here, she hadn’t expected it to be much more desolate than she’d imagined.

She knocked on several inns and taverns—either they wouldn’t open the door, or they were full.

Even the wind-sheltering sheds were packed with camels and people!

Right now, the yellow sand in the city was growing increasingly fierce. If she didn’t find a place to settle soon, she’d probably be swallowed by the wild sand.

She carried her oil lamp and continued forward, wanting to try her luck again.

Just as she reached a crossroads, a figure crashed into her.

“Ah!”

She was completely unprepared. With this collision, her body was knocked hard to the ground.

Covered in sand all over!

Her palms were scraped bloody!

Her ankle seemed to be sprained—it hurt terribly!

The oil lamp in her hand fell to the ground and went out. The cloth bag she treasured immensely also fell to the side and was stepped on by the person who had knocked her down.

She couldn’t care about the injuries on her feet and body. She quickly pushed that person away, picked up the cloth bag from the ground, and vigorously brushed off the sand grains stuck to it. Extremely anxious.