Bullets whizzed past, some striking the ground, others hitting tree trunks. They had intended to run downhill, but Chu Lingzhi suddenly thought of the villagers and her two sons. If they went back now, they would surely bring trouble upon them.
Chu Lingzhi abruptly stopped and fired at their pursuers. Her actions shocked Nangong Yehen, but soon a sinister smile curled on the man's lips. They used trees as cover to fight the enemy.
"In my twenty-nine years of life, this is the first time I've fought side by side with a woman," Nangong Yehen said, moving gracefully to quickly reach Chu Lingzhi's side.
"Uncle, in my twenty-four years, this is my first time in a battle." It really felt like a war. Before meeting him, she never imagined something like this would happen to her.
"Following me, you'll often encounter situations like this. Are you afraid?" Nangong Yehen asked. He had many enemies, and his position was unique. He turned and fired another shot, hitting a black-clad man in the heart, who immediately collapsed.
Chu Lingzhi also fired, but her aim was off, only hitting the opponent's arm. "Scared enough to pee!"
Bang bang bang— Chu Lingzhi fired several more shots. Using a non-silenced gun was thrilling. They took out the few who had chased up ahead, but there were still many behind. They couldn't possibly eliminate them all this way. They had to run, hide, and shoot simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Chu Lingzhi was deeply worried about Chu Junyu and the others. Compared to the situation on the mountain, things in the village weren't much better.
An hour earlier, most villagers were joyfully catching fish in the pond. A lot of water had been drained, and both adults and children had gone into the pond. Kids around Chu Junyu's age moved through the water like happy loaches, darting around, covered in mud.
Chu Junyu and Nangong Yichen were also dragged into the pond by Zhong Xibing, playing wildly with the other children. They abandoned all pretense of elegance, took off their shirts, rolled up their pants, and were so caked in mud that no one could tell whose child was whose. Huo Luan, who had been watching over them, was also pulled in by the villagers. With his pants rolled up and mud on him, his burly frame made him look like a village strongman.
Just as they were having the time of their lives, rows upon rows of black sedans drove in from the village's only road. The convoy was imposing and grand, instantly drawing everyone's attention. Villagers, unaccustomed to such spectacles, stared curiously at the many cars.
The cars lined up on the road, and out stepped uniformly dressed tall men. All in black suits, with cold, hard faces, they scanned the villagers with sharp, murderous eyes that made everyone's hearts tremble. The innocent villagers sensed trouble.
Standing by the roadside, they swept their gaze over the people in the pond, exuding killing intent as they looked down on them. One man stepped forward and asked coldly, loudly, "Where are they?"
The villagers looked confused, but they vaguely guessed that "they" referred to Chu Lingzhi and Nangong Yichen. "Has a young man and woman with two small children entered the village?" the man asked again, his voice icy.
Chu Junyu and Nangong Yichen's hearts both skipped a beat. Among the crowd, Huo Luan moved as if to draw his gun. The villagers shook their heads. The man sneered, his gaze sharp. "Are you sure?" Without even glancing aside, he shot a sheep grazing in the field.