The trees stretched so densely that they blocked out the sky, their branches like ghostly claws twisting and sprawling, casting heavy shadows as if intent on swallowing everything whole.
The scent of decayed leaves grew stronger, mingled with the earthy stench of damp soil, nauseating to the senses.
Jing Ji seemed to know this terrain like the back of her hand, dragging Mu Xi unhesitatingly deeper into the Forest.
Without turning her head, she tossed over a harsh warning, “Watch your step. Don’t slow me down.”
Her tone was rough, as if scolding an unruly pet.
Mu Xi stumbled a few times under her grip, nearly tripping over the gnarled roots twisting beneath their feet.
She bit her lip and said nothing, her delicate face full of stubborn resolve.
This woman Jing Ji was really rude and stupid—brimming with brute strength but her brain full of mush.
If the situation allowed, Mu Xi would have kicked Jing Ji’s backside without hesitation.
Jing Ji’s grip was like iron, clutching Mu Xi’s arm until it ached as if she were trying to crush her bones.
Being treated so roughly only fueled Mu Xi’s disgust deep inside.
She hated being controlled, dragged around like an object.
But now was not the time to cause a scene; she could only endure for the moment.
A gentleman’s revenge is never too late.
“Quit dawdling!” Jing Ji shot Mu Xi a fierce glare over her shoulder, eyes sharp as blades, “Move it!”
Her voice was coarse, carrying an unquestionable command.
Mu Xi took a deep breath, swallowing her irritation, and hastened to keep up with Jing Ji.
Suddenly, everything changed.
A bullet sliced through the air, its piercing whistle erupting in their ears—not skimming above but heading straight for her forehead.
Jing Ji reacted instantly, yanking Mu Xi back with a sharp tug.
The sound of fabric tearing split the silence.
Both tumbled awkwardly to the ground, narrowly dodging the deadly shot.
The bullet buried deep into a tree trunk, splinters flying, carrying a burnt scent.
“Who’s there?” Jing Ji growled low, voice hushed but fierce, her eyes scanning the dark Forest like razor blades.
She shielded Mu Xi beneath her—not out of kindness, but because Mu Xi still had value, at least until they reached safety.
From the shadows came a cold female voice, devoid of emotion, as if dipped in ice.
“This is the Ye Lan Escort Team. We have orders to capture Mu Xi. Alive or dead, we want her.”
‘Escort Team?’ Mu Xi’s pupils constricted sharply, her heart stabbed by an icy spike.
So Ye Lan really intended to kill her!
The Escort Team was Ye Lan’s most formidable trump card—silent, ruthless, answering only to her.
‘Escape? There was nowhere to run.’ Jing Ji spat a curse, drawing a dagger from her waist.
Under the dim moonlight, she hoisted Mu Xi onto her shoulder like a sack and took off running wildly.
“Dead girl, you’re in trouble now!”
Gunfire cracked behind them, bullets ripping through the air in sharp pursuit.
Sparks traced paths of death through the night, nearly grazing Mu Xi’s ears several times, the scorching heat making her scalp tingle.
Her mind went blank—never before had she faced such a real, imminent threat.
Terror crashed over her like a tide.
Jing Ji ran for their lives through the dense woods, dodging bullets with desperate speed.
Branches whipped her face, leaving fine cuts of blood, and tangled roots threatened to trip them at every step.
Her face was ashen; even she hadn’t expected Ye Lan to be so ruthless.
No negotiations, just cold-blooded shooting.
“Has Ye Lan gone mad!” Jing Ji hissed through gritted teeth, panic creeping into her voice.
Running for their lives was no long-term solution, Jing Ji knew this well.
Carrying Mu Xi slowed her down drastically, while the Escort Team—professionally trained and relentless like parasites—closed in steadily.
Sooner or later, they’d be caught and worn down.
Jing Ji clenched her teeth and gasped for breath, eyes darting quickly around until she settled on the densest cluster of trees.
Suddenly she stopped, roughly dumping Mu Xi on the ground like a sack, showing no mercy.
“If you don’t want to die, stay down and don’t move!” Jing Ji warned in a low, fierce voice, like a wounded beast ready to fight to the death.
She drew her dagger and pulled out a pistol, using the trees for cover as she moved with the speed and agility of a leopard, weaving swiftly through the trunks to counterattack the pursuing Escort Team.
Gunshots shattered the stillness of the Forest.
Jing Ji’s aim was precise and deadly; each bullet fired to kill.
Bullets zipped through the night, colliding with those of the Escort Team, sparking fiery bursts.
Mu Xi lay awkwardly on the ground, hidden by darkness and trees, stealing glances at Jing Ji’s figure.
She saw Jing Ji’s lithe form and efficient movements, a stark contrast to the rough dragging from before.
Bullets whistled past her, churning dirt and leaves into the air, thick with the scent of gunpowder.
Watching Jing Ji fight with bloodied resolve stirred complicated feelings inside Mu Xi.
This woman was savage and rude, ruthless in her methods, lacking a single redeeming quality.
Yet undeniably, in a life-or-death moment, she stepped forward to protect her.
Though Jing Ji’s protection was not born from kindness but from seeing Mu Xi’s utility, it still sparked a strange feeling in Mu Xi’s heart.
Complex emotions grew and spread within her.
Biting her lip hard, Mu Xi forced the feelings down.
Grateful?
Ridiculous.
How could she possibly be grateful to such a coarse woman?
“Bang!” Another gunshot snapped Mu Xi out of her thoughts.
Jing Ji wavered as if losing balance while dodging, but quickly regained her footing and continued firing back.
Mu Xi noticed several tears now marred Jing Ji’s black uniform, faint traces of blood seeping through.
She fought fiercely like a cornered beast, struggling desperately to buy Mu Xi a sliver of hope.
Lying on the ground, Mu Xi’s emotions were a tangled mess.
Jing Ji was rude, savage, and utterly unrefined… except for being willing to take bullets for her.
She had to admit, Jing Ji was useful when it counted.
If not for Jing Ji, with her fragile frame, Mu Xi might already be dead here.
The Escort Team’s firepower was brutal and their numbers overwhelming; at least three of them were shooting like a rain of bullets.
Jing Ji was overwhelmed, barely managing to fend them off.
A bullet grazed her cheek, burning fiercely.
She spat a mouthful of blood, her gaze growing even fiercer.
Another bullet hit her back; she grunted and staggered.
“Hold on tight!”
Jing Ji roared, yanking Mu Xi in front of her and demanding she clutch her waist tightly.
Mu Xi was terrified out of her wits, clinging to Jing Ji’s clothes like an octopus.
Jing Ji sprang up like a leopard and sprinted through the trees at full speed.
Bullets screamed behind her, each carrying the breath of death.
In this moment of life and death, Jing Ji’s survival instincts flared to full strength as she darted like a ghost between trees, miraculously evading wave after wave of gunfire.
Ahead, Jing Ji caught sight of a dark cave entrance nestled in the mountainside.
Without hesitation, she charged toward it.
The cave mouth was narrow, but inside, a hidden world awaited.
Deeper in, faint signs of human activity were visible: a few crooked wooden stools, a battered bucket scattered on the damp floor, exuding a sense of desolation.
Jing Ji roughly shoved Mu Xi into a corner, then quickly gathered some dry twigs.
From her gear, she produced flint and struck it skillfully to ignite a campfire.
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