It's Lin Hu! He actually tracked me down here!
A cold sweat instantly broke out all over me, and my heart hammered wildly against my ribs. Damn it, how on earth did he find me?
I forced myself to calm down and listened intently to the movement outside.
"Lu Chen, I know you're in there, and you can't escape! Come out and accept your death like a good boy, and I might just leave your corpse intact!"
Lin Hu's voice was chillingly cold, like a venomous snake darting out its tongue, making one's hair stand on end.
I took a deep breath and gripped the dagger in my hand.
I couldn't just sit here and wait to die, let alone surrender without a fight!
Since I couldn't escape, I would fight him to the death!
Holding my breath, I quietly moved toward the cave entrance and peered through the gaps in the vines to observe the situation outside.
There stood Lin Hu not far from the entrance, holding a blood-dripping longsword with a murderous expression on his face.
I knew that rushing out now would undoubtedly be suicide; I had to outwit him, not confront him head-on.
Yet, what should I do?
Just as panic threatened to overwhelm me, a sudden flash of inspiration gave me an idea.
I quietly retreated deep into the cave, scooped up a handful of dirt from the ground, and hurled it forcefully toward the entrance.
"Who's there? Who is it?"
Hearing the commotion, Lin Hu immediately grew alert and looked sharply toward the cave.
Seizing the opportunity, I bolted out of the cave and ran wildly in the opposite direction.
"Trying to run? Not that easy!"
With lightning-fast reflexes, Lin Hu caught onto my intent. With a furious roar, he brandished his sword and gave chase.
I ran with all my might, but my stamina was limited, and coupled with my injuries, my speed simply couldn't compare to Lin Hu's.
Seeing that Lin Hu was about to catch up, I grew frantic, yet completely helpless.
Was I really going to die here?
Despair flooded my heart.
No, I couldn't give up!
Clenching my teeth, I forced myself to run desperately forward.
Just then, I caught sight of a small path ahead, and a flicker of hope instantly ignited in my heart.
Without hesitation, I turned onto the path and ran for my life.
The rugged path was difficult to traverse, flanked by dense woods that blocked out the sky, preventing Lin Hu from catching up immediately.
I had finally shaken off Lin Hu's pursuit for the moment, but I knew this was only temporary.
I needed to find a safe place to hide as quickly as possible; otherwise, once Lin Hu found me, I would be dead for sure.
Thinking this, I stumbled forward.
Yet, my luck seemed to have run out.
Not long after running, I realized I was lost.
Darting aimlessly through the woods like a headless fly, I couldn't find a way out no matter what I tried.
Utterly desperate, I wondered if I was truly going to die in these desolate wilds.
I refuse to believe I can't find a way out!
Clenching my jaw, I continued to grope my way through the forest.
After who knows how long, I suddenly heard the sound of running water ahead.
My spirits lifted, and I hurried toward the source of the sound.
Breasting a patch of woods, I finally spotted a stream.
Ecstatic, I rushed to the riverbank and drank my fill of the cool water.
The refreshing stream water soothed my throat and restored a measure of strength to my exhausted body.
Lifting my head to survey my surroundings, I noticed the terrain here was relatively open, so I shouldn't get lost again.
I decided to rest here for a bit before making further plans.
Finding a flat stone, I sat down, closed my eyes, and began to ponder my next move.
Now, gravely wounded and penniless, how could I escape Lin Hu's manhunt?
And who on earth wanted me dead?
Rack my brains as I might, I couldn't come up with any answers.
I felt like a piece of prey trapped in a spider's web—no matter how I struggled, I couldn't escape the fate of death.
Despair and a sense of powerlessness filled my chest.
Just then, I suddenly thought of Su Yao.
Su Yao was the town's gossipmonger; perhaps she knew something.
I decided to take the risk and return to town to seek information from Su Yao.
I knew it was dangerous, but to stay alive, I had no other choice.
Enduring the pain in my body, I stood up and walked toward the small town.
...
As night fell, I sneaked back into the town.
The town remained peaceful and serene, as if nothing had happened at all.
Hiding in the shadows, I observed the inn.
The inn was brightly lit with people coming and going; business seemed quite good.
I took a deep breath, pulled down the brim of my hat, and walked briskly into the inn.
"Welcome, honored guest!"
The waiter greeted me warmly.
Feigning nonchalance, I found a corner table and sat down, then ordered a few small dishes and a pot of wine. As I ate and drank, I covertly observed my surroundings.
The inn was packed with all sorts of people.
Sipping my wine, I pricked up my ears, listening to the conversations around me in hopes of catching some useful information.
Yet, after listening for a long time, I heard nothing about myself.
A trace of disappointment crept into my heart.
Just as I was about to give up, I suddenly overheard a few people at the next table talking.
"Say, have you heard? A few days ago, the young master of the Lin Family was murdered!"
"Really? Who's so bold as to kill the young master of the Lin Family?"
"I don't know who did it either, but rumor has it the killer was a young man who also had a grudge against him."
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"What kind of grudge requires such a ruthless execution?"
"That I couldn't tell you, but the Lin Family has already put out word: at any cost, they will hack the killer into a million pieces!"
Hearing this, my heart skipped a beat.
The young master of the Lin Family?
Could it be Lin Hu?
Yet, I clearly remembered not killing him!
Doubt and unease filled my mind.
Right then, I suddenly felt a sharp gaze fixed on me.
Startled, I jerked my head up and looked in the direction of the gaze.
There stood Su Yao not far away, looking at me with a half-smile.
Her gaze made my blood run cold.
I instantly realized I had been exposed.
"Young Master Lu, long time no see."
Su Yao's voice carried a hint of banter and mockery.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm.
"Boss Su, trust you have been well."
I said flatly.
"I'm doing fine. But Young Master Lu, how did you end up in such a state?"
As Su Yao spoke, her gaze dropped to the bloodstains on my clothes.
My heart sank, as I knew I had run out of road.
"Boss Su, I think there might be some misunderstanding between us..."
I tried to explain, but Su Yao cut me off.
"Misunderstanding? Young Master Lu, are you joking?"
Su Yao sneered, "You murdered the young master of the Lin Family—are you still trying to deny it?"
I froze.
"Boss Su, what are you talking about? When did I ever kill the young master of the Lin Family?"
I looked at her blankly.
"Young Master Lu, are you still going to play dumb at this point?"
With that, Su Yao clapped her hands.
Immediately, a group of men rushed in from outside the inn and surrounded me completely.
Leading them was none other than Young Master Li, the one who had harassed Zhou Wan on the street that day.
"Brat, heaven has a path you refuse to take, but you walk right into hell with nowhere to go!"
Young Master Li said viciously, "Today is your doomsday!"
Looking at the ferocious gang surrounding me, my heart turned ice-cold.
I knew that this time, there was truly no escape...
They trapped me in a tight circle like a pack of hungry wolves eyeing their prey, their vicious glares seemingly eager to tear me apart alive. Enduring the blinding pain wracking my body, I struggled to stand up, only for Young Master Li to kick me back down to the ground.
"Punk, didn't think you'd see today, did you?" Young Master Li spat, his face twisted in cruelty. "How dare you cross me—you didn't even bother to find out who I am!"
Before I could open my mouth, the thugs swarmed forward, raining punches and kicks on me. Powerless to fight back, I could only curl up on the ground and let them vent their fury. The intense pain made my vision swim and my ears ring, but I clenched my teeth to the end, refusing to let out a single groan.
Su Yao stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching the spectacle with cold detachment, a mocking smile playing at the corners of her lips as if enjoying a fine show.
After who knows how long, Young Master Li finally stopped. He looked down at me from above like a lamb ready for slaughter, his eyes filled with contempt and disdain.
"Punk, know your mistake yet?" Young Master Li propped up my chin with the toe of his boot, his tone frivolous.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, I glared at him coldly without uttering a word.
"Oho, still got some backbone!" Young Master Li sneered. "Fine, let's see how long you can keep that mouth of yours tough!"
He raised his hand to strike again, but Su Yao stopped him.
"Young Master Li, why bother getting worked up over a dying man?" Su Yao walked over to me, squatted down, and said in a voice bordering on pity, "Young Master Lu, you surely don't want to die with such an unclear reputation, do you? As long as you're willing to be a good boy and obey, I can give you a hand."
I stared at her coldly without speaking; I knew this woman was ruthless and cunning, and I wouldn't believe a single word she said.
"Young Master Lu, don't be so stubborn." Su Yao seemed to see right through my thoughts and chuckled softly. "I know what you're looking for, and I can give you some clues, but the premise is that you must pay a sufficient price."
I looked into her calculating eyes and sneered inwardly. As expected, this woman wanted something from me.
"How much do you want?" I asked, suppressing my rising anger.
"Not much. Just hand over all the money you have on you, and I'll tell you something you'll find interesting." Su Yao reached out her hand with a greedy smile on her face.
Looking at her ugly expression, my heart filled with anger and humiliation, but I forced myself to calm down. Trapped in a desperate situation, I could only take it one step at a time and placate this woman first.
Taking a deep breath, I tremblingly pulled a money pouch from my tunic and tossed it at Su Yao's feet.
"It's all in there." I said through gritted teeth.
Su Yao opened the pouch, took a look, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.
"Very good, Young Master Lu really is a straightforward man." Su Yao stood up and clapped her hands. "Someone, help Young Master Lu up."
Two thugs stepped forward and hoisted me up from the floor.
"Speak, what do you want to know?" Su Yao looked down at me from above, a hint of triumph in her voice.
Composing myself and enduring the pain, I asked, "I want to know, who wants me dead?"
Su Yao smiled, but instead of answering my question, she countered, "Young Master Lu, do you really want to know? The more you know about certain things, the worse it is for you..."
Looking into her unfathomable eyes, an ominous premonition suddenly surged in my chest; this woman truly harbored malicious intentions...
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"What on earth are you trying to say?" I demanded, forcing down the fury in my heart.
"What I'm trying to say is..." Su Yao paused, a cold, sinister smile curling the corners of her lips, "you've been played..."
"You're talking nonsense!" I roared, grabbing Su Yao by the collar. "What do you actually know? Who sent you?"
Startled by my sudden move, Su Yao struggled frantically, but my hands clamped onto her like iron pincers, pinning her firmly in place.
"Audacious!" Seeing Su Yao grabbed by me, Young Master Li flew into a rage. He lunged forward and shoved me away hard. "How dare you show disrespect to Boss Su! Tired of living?"
Staggering back from the shove, I nearly fell to the floor, but I ignored him and fixed my dead gaze on Su Yao, pronouncing each word distinctly: "Don't even think about tricking me. I will find out the truth and avenge my entire family!"
Straightening her disheveled clothes, Su Yao wore a look of contempt. "You? Just a homeless stray dog, and you dare talk big!"
"Men, throw him out!" At Su Yao's command, two thugs roughly hoisted me up and carried me toward the exit of the inn.
"Let go of me! I can walk myself!" I struggled, but my resistance was negligible before the two hulking brutes.
"Wait!" Su Yao suddenly called out to the thugs. She walked over to me and said in an icy tone, "Lu Chen, I advise you to give up this pipe dream. You can't beat them..."
"Get lost!" I roared, violently tossing my head back to shove Su Yao away.
The moment the two thugs tossed me out of the inn, my peripheral vision caught a small notebook resting on a table—the very notebook Su Yao had been flipping through earlier. My heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, my hand lashed out and snatched the booklet.
I hit the ground hard, a wave of pain washing over me, but ignoring my injuries, I scrambled on all fours and fled toward a secluded corner of the town.
Hiding beneath a dilapidated courtyard wall, I panted heavily, my heart hammering violently. Composing myself, I realized I was still clutching that small notebook tightly in my hand.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly opened the notebook, yet the moment I saw its contents, I froze.
The pages were densely filled with strange symbols—not a single one of which I recognized. I flipped through it back and forth several times, remaining completely clueless.
What on earth did these symbols mean? Could it be some kind of secret code?
Just as I was struggling to decipher the symbols, a familiar voice rang out by my ear...
"What are you doing?"