Chapter 150: Stalling
Shi Tou said in a daze, “Brother-in-law, I murdered someone.”
“Mm.” Lu Chengjing pulled him toward Xiao Huan, his voice as usual, “You did it to save us. You did very well.”
These words were like a shot of strong tonic. Blood color returned somewhat to Shi Tou’s deathly pale face. He ran over on his own, helped Xiao Huan up, and anxiously asked, “How are you?”
Xiao Huan swallowed the surging smell of blood in her throat, clutched her chest, and shook her head. “I’m fine. Listen to brother-in-law. Hurry and go.”
Chu Xu had originally already run far away holding Yuan Yuan, but now seeing that the three people had dealt with the peddler, he quickly ran back holding Yuan Yuan.
His forehead was covered in sweat. He asked worriedly, “Are you all okay?”
“Temporarily fine. Hurry and go.” Lu Chengjing grabbed him. Shi Tou supported Xiao Huan, and together they headed toward the mountain forest.
If they went to the village for help, it would be hard to avoid bringing trouble to the villagers. At this moment, hiding in the mountain forest was the best choice.
Firstly, the mountain forest was full of dense vegetation and complex terrain. Even if the peddler’s accomplices came, it wouldn’t be easy to find them.
Secondly… Lu Chengjing glanced at Yuan Yuan. The mountain forest was Yuan Yuan’s home turf. If they couldn’t cope, Yuan Yuan could still help delay them a bit.
Lu Chengjing reached out and picked up the little one, gently patted her, and said warmly, “Yuan Yuan, will you help Daddy beat the bad guys in a bit?”
Yuan Yuan still didn’t understand what had happened.
Just now, Chu Xu had worried she would be scared, so he had kept pressing her little head against his chest, not letting her look.
Now hearing that she needed to help Daddy beat the bad guys, the little one’s big eyes blinked, she nodded her little head vigorously, and crisply said one word, “Beat!”
Chu Xu turned his head to look at the father and daughter, thinking that this scholar’s brain must have been knocked silly. It was already good enough that a baby wouldn’t hold them back, and he still wanted her to deal with those assassins?
He opened his mouth to ask, but Lu Chengjing suddenly pulled him back, dodging a dart.
Dozens of black-clothed people descended from the sky, surrounding the five people tightly.
The peddler’s accomplices had arrived.
At the same time, Shang Wan and Xiao Hui followed the traces together and had chased for five li, almost reaching Xiao He Village.
A donkey cart was stopped by the dirt road. A man wearing gray cloth clothes and a bamboo hat leaned against the donkey cart, unfastening his water skin to drink.
Shang Wan frowned slightly. Judging by his figure, this man wasn’t that fisherman.
Could he be an accomplice?
After the man finished drinking, he climbed into the donkey cart and gave water to each of the three children inside one by one.
The children were tied with hemp rope, tied up like grasshoppers, unable to move.
After drinking, the man stuffed the children’s mouths again to prevent the three children from shouting and attracting others’ attention.
Suddenly, a firework exploded in the distant sky. The man looked up in shock, thought of something, and no longer delayed. He jumped onto the donkey cart and continued driving forward.
Shang Wan watched the firework flash and disappear in the sky, her heart inexplicably beating faster.
Xiao Hui seemed to sense something. He bit Shang Wan’s skirt hem and tugged back, making whimpering sounds in his throat.
Shang Wan reached out and patted his head to comfort him. “Something might have happened at home. Let’s make this quick.”
Xiao Hui seemed to understand. He threw his head back and howled, then sped toward the donkey cart.
The man was startled. Where had this wolf come from?
Before he could think of a way to drive off the wolf, he suddenly felt a chill on his back. A green shadow seemed to flash at the corner of his eye. As he was about to look closely, his neck hurt, his vision went suddenly black, and he collapsed limply downward.
Shang Wan kicked him, then climbed into the donkey cart to check on the three children.
When the children saw her, they got extremely excited and cried and sobbed, tears streaming down their faces.
Shang Wan untied the three one by one while comforting them by patting their heads.
“Good children, it’s okay now. Don’t cry.”
Li Xiaomei shrank in Shang Wan’s arms, her body trembling uncontrollably. She was clearly terrified.
Yuan Lang and Er Pang were no better. The two kids huddled together, wiping tears and sniffling, their little faces red and puffy from crying.
Shang Wan had no choice but to use her child-coaxing ultimate move: handing out candy.
With sweet candy pieces in their mouths, the three children indeed quieted down and stopped crying.
Shang Wan used the untied hemp rope to bind the man and threw him onto the donkey cart.
The children fearfully glanced at the man and shrank back further inside.
Shang Wan comforted them, “Don’t be afraid. He’s tied up. I’ll take you home right now.”
She gave a whistle. Xiao Hui suddenly jumped up, jolting the donkey cart and startling the children.
But they were more familiar with Xiao Hui after all. With the furry one lying in the middle, the children were no longer afraid of that man.
Shang Wan was anxious to get back. She grabbed the donkey’s ear and threatened, “Run with all your strength. If you slack off, I’ll roast you.”
The donkey looked at her innocently. Her figure was clearly reflected in its big eyes. Its four hooves stamped in place.
“If you don’t speak, I’ll take that as agreement.” Shang Wan jumped into the driver’s seat, pulled the reins, and said, “Go.”
The donkey really broke into a run. Who knew if it was scared by Shang Wan or by the wolf on the cart.
On the other side, a group of assassins faced off against a large group of animals, including no lack of fierce beasts like leopards, wolves, and bears.
Under the animals’ cover, Lu Chengjing and the other four ran into the mountain forest all the way to the wolf den before stopping to catch their breath.
Lu Chengjing patted Yuan Yuan in his arms and saw that the little one’s face was pale. He couldn’t help but feel heartbroken.
“Good girl, it’s okay now. Put it away first.”
He coaxed his daughter warmly, slowly prying open her tightly clenched little fists one by one.
The strange light in Yuan Yuan’s eyes gradually faded. Her eyes closed, she nuzzled in Daddy’s arms, and fell asleep.
Her little hand lifted up and tightly grabbed Daddy’s collar.
Lu Chengjing gently rocked her, making it more comfortable for the little one to sleep.
Chu Xu had been pulled along running the whole way. His smart little head was already short-circuiting.
How had this scholar’s legs suddenly gotten better? Wasn’t he half-paralyzed?
Why had those animals suddenly rushed out to bite those assassins, yet acted like they didn’t see them?
This was a wolf den, right? Staying with a group of wolves, wasn’t he afraid of being torn apart?
He had a ton of questions and didn’t even know which one to ask first.
“Snap out of it. Scared silly?” Shi Tou grabbed Chu Xu’s shoulders and shook him. “How come even your eyeballs won’t move?”
Chu Xu slapped his hand away. Looking at the wolves surrounding him, his hair stood on end. His voice trembled, a bit stammering, “Th-they won’t eat us, right?”
He didn’t want to die that painfully!
“They won’t. Don’t worry.” Seeing he was fine, Shi Tou plopped down on the ground. Finding people, fighting, running—he was truly exhausted.
Xiao Huan was in a similar state, now leaning against a tree trunk and panting heavily.
Lu Chengjing looked around. Besides grass, trees, and stones, everything in sight was wolves of all sizes.
These wolves stood or lay, their attitude toward them not friendly but without hostility either.
A little wolf ran over and pawed at him, wanting the Yuan Yuan in his arms.
Lu Chengjing held on without letting go. The little wolf pawed at him a few more times, then was carried back by a mother wolf.
Lu Chengjing closed his eyes and leaned against a rock to rest.
Seeing that the wolf pack had no intention of attacking, Chu Xu went from initial panic to itchiness, wanting to get wild.
