Just as Lin Hao had predicted, news that the three of them had been kidnapped by a villain and taken to Wuyin Mountain had already spread.

Originally, the General’s Manor and the Yichun Earl’s Manor had each sent people to stand guard outside Wuyin Mountain without alerting the authorities. However, there was also the wealthy merchant’s daughter Chi Caiyun to consider.

Chief Merchant Chi, being wealthy enough to afford it, had taken over a dozen concubines and sired a pile of illegitimate daughters, with Chi Caiyun being his only legitimate daughter. One could well imagine how genuinely doting he was on this legitimate daughter.

Upon hearing his daughter was missing, he became frantic with anxiety. Madam Chi told him to report it to the authorities immediately. Poor Chief Merchant Chi hesitated for just a moment and had his face scratched bloody by his principal wife, not daring to delay another instant before rushing to the yamen.

Though the Lin and Zhu families didn’t dare violate the villain’s demands by conducting a large-scale search of the mountain, they had stationed quite a few people on the official road outside. When the authorities and the Chi family arrived, they naturally learned what had happened. This being the case, the news that Second Miss Lin Hao of the General’s Manor and Fourth Miss Zhu Jiayu of the Yichun Earl’s Manor had likewise been kidnapped could no longer be concealed.

By daylight, even more people had rushed over, among them the siblings Qi Huan and Qi Qiong.

On the early winter morning, the chill was penetrating. Qi Qiong stood beside the official road, pulling her plain blue cloak tighter.

Though Qi Huan usually bickered with Qi Qiong, at this moment he showed some semblance of being an older brother: “Little sister, why don’t you go back? It’s colder here than in the city—be careful not to catch a chill.”

Qi Qiong’s gaze fell on the mountain entrance as she gently shook her head: “A’Hao has been kidnapped, and eldest brother hasn’t come out of the mountain all night. I’m so worried.”

Deep mountains harbored many wild beasts, and nighttime was the most dangerous. Never mind A’Hao who had fallen into the villain’s hands—even their elder brother who had entered the mountain with guards to search was cause for great concern.

What if he encountered a wolf pack? What if he encountered a fierce tiger?

These ferocious beasts mostly hunted for food at night.

“Eldest brother has good judgment and won’t let himself fall into danger.” Qi Huan patted his sister’s arm, his brows furrowed tightly as he gazed ahead.

The villain was too cunning, threatening to kill the hostages if he detected anyone entering the mountain to search, forcing their eldest brother to secretly enter with only three guards. Though he comforted his sister this way, his own worry was no less.

Suddenly Qi Huan’s eyes sharpened. Shouting “Watch out!” he pulled Qi Qiong behind him and protected her as they retreated several steps.

An arrow fell to the ground. Though it had lost its威力 due to the excessively long flight distance, it still caused quite a fright among the crowd.

Qi Huan saw a strip of cloth tied to the slightly trembling arrow shaft and stepped forward to pick up the feathered arrow.

“What is this?” He untied and unfolded the strip of cloth, his expression changing when he saw the words written in blood.

The cloth strip bore two characters: “Retreat Quickly,” along with a drawing of a dagger. The meaning was self-evident—those guarding outside the mountain must withdraw.

The people gathered outside the mountain came from multiple manors, plus there were bailiffs. After the cloth strip had been passed around for viewing, they had no choice but to disperse.

No one knew how many villains there were, so even though they knew the arrow-shooter couldn’t be too far away, they didn’t dare rely on their numbers to rush over and capture him. No one cared about the villain’s life or death, but they couldn’t help caring about the safety of three young girls.

The previously bustling area outside the mountain returned to cold desolation.

At this time, the three—Lin Hao and the others—were not faring smoothly.

Though the rising sun had roughly indicated their direction, going so long without a drop of water to drink had greatly affected their stamina. Combined with having to constantly watch their surroundings, Zhu Jiayu and Chi Caiyun soon couldn’t hold out any longer.

“A’Hao, I can’t go on. Let’s rest a bit.” Zhu Jiayu supported her waist, panting heavily.

Chi Caiyun’s pretty face was completely bloodless. Her eyes went blank as she sat down on the ground, giving up in despair: “I’m not running anymore. I’ll tell that villain not to kill me, and I’ll have my father pay a hundred thousand. For the sake of that much money, he might just be moved…”

“Don’t harbor false hopes. If A’Hao says that man won’t leave anyone alive, she must have good reason.”

Chi Caiyun cried: “What, what kind of deep hatred is this, a hundred thousand taels can’t buy back one life… My father clearly said that money makes ghosts push millstones…”

Lin Hao and Zhu Jiayu: “…” Your respected father really knows how to educate children.

“Then we’ll rest for fifteen minutes.” Seeing the two truly couldn’t run anymore, Lin Hao had no choice but to relent.

The three rested for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when Lin Hao’s expression changed.

“Hide quickly!”

Following Lin Hao’s low shout, Zhu Jiayu and Chi Caiyun crouched down in the grass. A stone happened to be near Lin Hao, so she darted behind it to hide.

Following her gaze, both Zhu Jiayu and Chi Caiyun saw that figure capable of causing nightmares.

The man was walking in this direction. Though he didn’t seem to be walking fast, in the blink of an eye he was close.

That face was cold as ice without excess expression, his eyes fierce as a wild beast ready to pounce on prey at any moment.

The three didn’t dare breathe, their eyes unblinking as they stared at the person drawing ever closer.

At this point, Lin Hao actually felt grateful they had just sat down to rest—otherwise they would likely have already been discovered by the man.

Judging by the man’s condition, he was far stronger than the three whose stamina was nearly exhausted.

The man drew closer. A long bamboo pole swept past, and the flattened grass was right before their eyes.

Zhu Jiayu covered her mouth desperately, her hands shaking nonstop.

Chi Caiyun simply stopped looking at the man, her gaze shifting to land on Lin Hao instead.

Can’t see me, can’t see me… the young girl repeated in her heart like a chant.

Lin Hao gripped the golden hairpin tightly, her palm full of sweat.

She had the habit of carrying a dagger for self-defense, but unfortunately the man was quite guarded against her. After arriving at the cave, he had searched and found it, then thrown it away.

Finally, the man walked past less than two zhang from where the three were hiding.

Zhu Jiayu lowered her hand, her face full of lingering fear.

Chi Caiyun noticed Lin Hao’s expression change and turned her gaze, the corners of her mouth involuntarily lifting.

“He’s gone!” She silently mouthed these words, her face showing the joy of surviving a disaster.

Lin Hao’s expression froze, however.

That person had actually turned back around!

Seeing her expression was off, Chi Caiyun glanced in that direction. Just at this moment, the long bamboo pole in the man’s hand swept over, seemingly about to fall on someone in the next instant.

The young girl who had been playing ostrich all along, not daring to look, instantly had her rationality snap as she screamed aloud.

In this moment, even the wind seemed to still.

“Run quickly!” Lin Hao shouted once and took the lead running in one direction.

If she hadn’t guessed wrong, this person’s target was her alone from the start. The farther she ran, the safer Zhu Jiayu and Chi Caiyun would be.

Sure enough, after seeing Lin Hao, the man paid no attention whatsoever to the fleeing Zhu Jiayu and the other, heading straight for her.

The mountain terrain was difficult, her stamina exhausted. Lin Hao only felt her legs seemed filled with lead, becoming increasingly unable to move.

She looked back once.

That person was only about ten zhang away from her—catching up was merely a matter of an eye-blink.

That was—

Almost by instinctive reaction, Lin Hao followed the momentum and fell to the ground, playing along.

Seeing her fall, the man’s expressionless face finally showed some fluctuation as his pace quickened.

His full attention was focused on the fallen Lin Hao, so it wasn’t until the arrow swift as flowing light reached close range that he sensed something was wrong.

But by this time it was already too late to evade. The arrow flying forth in fury instantly pierced his back heart. The man staggered forward a few steps before collapsing to the ground.