🥀

Clinging to her hanfu, the slave struggled to breathe. Other slaves lay beside her, crawling with green spots covering their skin and faces. She looked around nervously, her eyes scanning the scene thoroughly.

Xiao Zhan and General Ruyu crawled in, coughing, with similar spots visible on their skin. "H-help me," they mumbled, struggling to reach her.

Xiao Fan, still bleeding, took a deep breath. His blood-stained hand moved slowly towards his lips, wiping away the remaining blood.

Several soldiers rushed over, panting, and began striking the slaves with horsewhips to get them back to work. But they couldn't even stand. Sobbing, they crawled towards Su Ruo.

Su Ruo stood still, confused. But Xiao Zhan and Ruyu shared the same symptoms.

"Get back to work!" a guard shouted.

Xiao Fan struggled to his feet and rushed to the door, yelling at the guard, "Stop! Are you going to beat them to death? Who'll work in the cave then?"

The guard hesitated, flustered by Xiao Fan's command. The other guards stood speechless, reluctant to intervene.

"The slaves are working slower than expected," one guard said. "Master required the same amount of explosives by the end of fall. How would we report to him if the slaves stop working?"

Xiao Fan lowered his head, the word "master" echoing in his mind. Su Ruo wore the same concerned expression.

She turned to Xiao Zhan, who coughed, crawling towards her. He clutched her hanfu tightly, Ruyu moving alongside, also crawling.

Xiao Fan's puzzlement gave way to determination. He clenched his fists, his trembling hand moving behind him as he turned to the guards.

"Our top priority is to cure these slaves. Only then can they work."

The guards exchanged reluctant glances before retreating. "Su Ruo will be in charge of that."

The guards looked up, shaking. "What is it?" they asked.

They pursed their lips, bowing. "Twenty slaves have passed away from the outbreak. We've not been able to detect what disease it is."

Su Ruo's eyes widened as she tended to the slaves, detecting weak pulses. "Blood venom?" she whispered.

The guards retreated, trembling.

"How did the blood venom spread here? Was it contagious?" Su Ruo wondered.

As she examined the slaves, she noticed only those handling herbs were infected. The guards began coughing blood, falling unconscious.

Su Ruo retreated, trembling. This scene seemed eerily familiar.

Clinging to her aching head, she shook off the haze. But memories refused to surface.

The slaves who had passed out began stirring, offering a glimmer of hope. However, they awakened with twisted, grotesque faces.

Their eyes locked onto Su Ruo, filled with an unsettling hunger. Twisting their heads uncontrollably, they lurched towards her.

Su Ruo backed away slowly, horrific memories resurfacing.

The visions seemed alarmingly tangible, transcending mere thoughts or fears. Su Ruo's memories insisted she had witnessed this macabre scene before. Xiao Zhan, Ruyu, and the others, now menacing and zombie-like, advanced towards her with murderous intent. Even the guards, previously unscathed, underwent a grotesque metamorphosis, their fingernails elongating to unnatural lengths.

As they closed in, Su Ruo retreated, clinging to her throbbing head, her mind racing. She collapsed against the wall, overwhelmed, and shut her eyes.

Just as the possessed group drew nearer, Xiao Fan intervened, expertly disabling Xiao Zhan and Ruyu's pressure points. Su Ruo's tears flowed freely, her frustration mounting. Why couldn't she recall?

Xiao Fan's concerned voice pierced the chaos. "Su Ruo."

She lifted her gaze, meeting Xiao Fan's empathetic eyes.

As she beheld Xiao Zhan's ferocious expression, a fragmented memory resurfaced – Zhao Yun's enigmatic words.

"Strange, grotesque beings?" Zhao Yun's sigh hung in the air. "Your account defies logic."

Yet, Zhao Yun's tone conveyed no disdain, only an air of mystery. "When they appear, energy transfer is the sole solution – at the cost of your own life. You'll comprehend when the situation unfolds."

Xiao Fan's melancholic gaze settled on the possessed duo. His fists clenched, resolving to act.

With deliberate slowness, he reached out, channeling energy into Xiao Zhan and Ruyu. The transfer's strain was palpable; sweat dripped from his brow, his hands trembled.

As the energy coursed through, dark, insect-like entities invaded his body. Agony contorted his features.

In a final, desperate bid, Xiao Fan wrenched his hands away, blood spurting anew.

Su Ruo covered her head, terrified. "It wasn't me! Don't kill me!"

Xiao Zhan and Ruyu gradually regained consciousness, their gazes clearing.

Xiao Zhan sprang to his feet, alarm etched on his face. The surroundings revealed a grim reality: Blood venom victims crawled towards them from every direction.

"Xiao Fan!" Ruyu struggled to stand, regaining consciousness.

As he took in the eerie scene, he stumbled back, overwhelmed. Blood venom puppets surrounded them, their vacant eyes fixed on the trio.

Xiao Fan collapsed into Xiao Zhan's arms, drenched in sweat.

"He transferred the venom into his body," Ruyu whispered, horror-stricken.

Su Ruo sat in a corner, lost in thought. Ruyu rushed to her side.

"Su Ruo!" he urged.

She jolted back to reality, her gaze locking onto Ruyu's.

"Mr. Ruyu?"

Ruyu's eyes swept the approaching blood venom puppets. "We must escape, now."

Su Ruo nodded, rising slowly. She grasped her sword, steeling herself.

Her eyes flickered, recalling Xiao Fan's anguished face.

"Xiao Fan...where is he?"

Ruyu's gaze dropped, his expression answer enough.

Ruyu's gaze dropped to Xiao Fan's limp form, his eyes filled with concern. Beside him, Su Ruo's expression transformed from shock to alarm.

Without hesitation, Ruyu rushed to Xiao Fan's side, cradling him in her arms. "Xiao Fan?" she whispered urgently.

Xiao Zhan's face fell, his mind racing for a solution. The encircling puppets left them little time for deliberation. Their original plan – exploiting a plague outbreak to facilitate escape – now seemed impossible.

"I thought we agreed to create a diversion with the plague and free the slaves," Xiao Zhan muttered.

Su Ruo's eyes clouded, recalling the guards' ominous words. "Before the fall ends... explosives... This is disastrous."

Xiao Zhan's curious gaze met Su Ruo's, but Ruyu grasped the implication. "Which location are they targeting before winter's end?"

Su Ruo's attention shifted to Xiao Fan's unconscious form, her voice laced with worry. "We need to find a physician and thwart the cave master's plans."

Xiao Zhan's sigh was weighted with concern as he regarded Xiao Fan. "I'm unaware of this Blood Venom method. He transferred it into his own body... I'm at a loss."

Su Ruo's gaze burned with determination, her eyes welling up with tears. "He can't die. If we escape, he'll survive."

Ruyu's expression darkened, disturbed by the unfolding events. "No wonder they attacked Song. The slaves were destined to become puppets after years of toil in this cave."

Su Ruo's sigh was laced with frustration, her fists clenched in determination. Xiao Zhan carefully draped Xiao Fan's arm over his shoulder, supporting him as they made their way out.

The door separating the slaves from freedom began to splinter, prompting Su Ruo to spring into action. She grasped Ruyu's arm, and they sprinted toward the exit, the puppets closing in with alarming speed.

After minutes of frantic running, Xiao Zhan halted, gasping for breath. He leaned against the door, barricading it against the relentless puppets.

"Xiao Fan!" he urged, but Xiao Fan's weakened body slid to the ground, blood seeping from his wounds.

Su Ruo rushed to his side, attempting to lift him. However, Xiao Fan resisted, his voice barely above a whisper. "G-Go... hurry."

Su Ruo's eyes welled with tears as she struggled to coax him upright.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhan braced himself against the door, the puppets' incessant pounding threatening to shatter it. Ruyu reinforced Xiao Zhan's stance, their combined weight staving off the puppets.

Xiao Fan's gaze locked onto Su Ruo, his eyes pleading. "X-Xiao Zhan, leave me... go."

Su Ruo's resolve remained unwavering. "No one will be left behind," she insisted, wiping away tears.

With a faint tremble, Xiao Fan pushed Su Ruo away, his body succumbing to the creeping darkness.

Ruyu handed Xiao Zhan a small object, his voice low and urgent. "Give this pendant to my daughter... if you find her. Tell her to live well."

Xiao Zhan's expression transformed from confusion to comprehension, his eyes widening in alarm. Ruyu intended to sacrifice himself to stall the puppets.

Su Ruo's eyes pleaded with Ruyu. "No, we can all escape together. The plan remains unchanged."

Ruyu's melancholic gaze swept across his companions, his voice heavy with resignation. "If we flee, they'll unleash terror upon the city, condemning innocent lives to suffering. I won't let Song's tragedy repeat itself."

Su Ruo's face contorted in desperation, shaking her head in refusal.

Xiao Zhan attempted to intervene, but Ruyu's resolve was unwavering. With a fierce battle cry, he burst open the door, sending puppets crashing to the floor. The stronger ones rose, their grotesque faces twisted in a murderous frenzy.

As they charged, Ruyu stood firm, his sword slicing through the horde with deadly precision. "Ruyu!" Xiao Fan's faint voice echoed, his consciousness ebbing.

Xiao Zhan hesitated, torn between loyalty and survival. With a heavy heart, he grasped Xiao Fan and Su Ruo, forcibly dragging them away.

Ruyu's screams of defiance echoed through the corridors as he single-handedly held off the puppet onslaught. Each blow that landed on him made Su Ruo's screams pierce the air. "Mr. Ru!"

The puppets descended upon Ruyu like a malevolent storm, their razor-sharp claws tearing at his flesh. Blood spurting from his chest, Ruyu slashed the neck of the puppet that had attacked him.

His yells of agony mingled with the clash of steel and the puppets' unearthly shrieks. Despite the relentless assault, Ruyu fought on, his sword rising and falling with desperate ferocity.

As Su Ruo glanced back, her eyes met Ruyu's, filled with anguish and gratitude. Tears streamed down her face, her voice hoarse from screaming his name.

Mo Yan savored his wine, a hint of amusement dancing on his lips as he turned to Zhao Yun. "So, shall I address you as Mr. Lu or Mr. Su?"

Zhao Yun's gaze dropped, his fingers wrapping around the wine gourd Mo Yan had tossed him earlier. "Mo Yan–"

Mo Yan's chuckle interrupted him. "You doubt my discretion? Do you think I'd betray your trust or prove inadequate in assisting you?"

Zhao Yun shook his head, his expression somber.

Mo Yan's eyes sparkled with mirth as he took another swig of wine. "All these years, I believed you'd perished alongside Elder Jing and Jing Yi. Yet, you were all alive, hidden from the world." His voice tinged with regret. "I've shouldered the guilt of inaction for far too long."

Zhao Yun's lips compressed into a thin line, his grip on the sword tightening. "Now I grasp the wisdom behind your words: ignorance can be a blessing. My closest friends concealed their existence, and my own father prioritized the throne over my mother's safety and my well-being." His voice heavy with turmoil. "Should I harbor hatred or forgive him?"

Zhao Yun's gaze shifted to the grave, his fists clenched in anguish.

Mo Yan's expression turned grave. "What did he reveal to you?"

He sighed, his eyes welling up with tears. "The poison afflicting Yihua is irreversible. Only by transferring or sealing one's senses can the activation be delayed." His gaze locked onto Zhao Yun's, sorrow etched on his face. "Yun Luo, when did you plan to share this with me?"
Zhao Yun's silence was palpable, his expectations tempered.

"The princess–"

"I'll handle it," Zhao Yun interjected, his eyes snapping with understanding. Memories of Jing Yi's sacrifice flooded back, and the puzzle pieces fell into place. "She's a liability, a ticking time bomb as Duke Wei's goddaughter, destined to unleash catastrophe upon the world."

Zhao Yun's fists clenched, his resolve steeling itself.

"I know you blame her for your father's downfall," Zhao Yun began.

But Mo Yan's words cut him off, laced with urgency. "She's infected with the Blood Venom. It won't take long for it to consume her. As the future heiress, she'll surrender Liang to Duke Wei's control."

Zhao Yun's voice was laced with dismay. "Mo Yan!" The sudden outburst made him jump, his hand jerking the gourd to the floor. It shattered, wine splashing across the grass.

"Have you fallen for her?" Mo Yan's tone was tinged with disappointment, his eyes narrowing in disapproval.

Zhao Yun's face darkened, fists clenched. "You know the venom feeds on desire. If it intensifies, your seal will shatter, and your qi will backfire, tearing your bones apart like a thousand arrows piercing your heart."

Zhao Yun spun away, but Mo Yan's words halted him.

"Yun Luo!" The name, once his own, stirred a forgotten sense of identity.

Mo Yan's voice softened. "Don't feign ignorance. You've seen how she looks at you. With your intellect, you must have noticed her feelings."

Zhao Yun's eyes closed, his trembling hands clenched. Emotions warred within him: duty, loyalty, and the forbidden attraction.

"You persist in denial, but actions speak louder than words," Mo Yan pressed, his voice heavy with concern. "Apart from Jing Yi, you've consistently defended this princess, despite the perilous odds. Yun Luo, Jing Yi, Elder Jing, Mo Qin – all lost due to her machinations. Don't feign ignorance; you know who orchestrated the elders' premature arrival and the sinister motives behind it."

Zhao Yun's eyes closed, his head bowed in defeat. Mo Yan's words cut deep, exposing the uncomfortable truth he'd been evading.

Everything Mo Yan said resonated with painful accuracy. Zhao Yun's self-deception had been profound; he'd convinced himself that his protection stemmed solely from her royal status.

But the harsh reality now stared him in the face: his feelings for her ran far deeper.

Just as Zhao Yun's emotional turmoil threatened to overwhelm him, Mo Yan's voice broke the silence.

"Rouran and Wei are vulnerable to imminent attack. Xu Jing's forces are already mobilizing. As her mentor, I'll ensure she's kept in check. Focus on the plan; I'll locate Zhen Lan."

The mention of Zhen Lan's name hung in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions.

"Does he know you're his brother?" Mo Yan asked, his tone laced with empathy.

Zhao Yun's silence was his only response, as he continued walking away.

Mo Yan's fists clenched, his gaze shifting to his father's grave. What could he do to safeguard his loved ones this time?

As Zhao Yun vanished into the forest's depths, Mo Yan's anxiety intensified.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yun's pace quickened, his senses on high alert. Suddenly, a sword flashed toward him, mere inches from his side.

He dodged by a hair's breadth, lowering his body to avoid the deadly blow. Zhen Lan's sword sliced through the air once more, driven by unrelenting fury.

"I'll kill you!" Zhen Lan's battle cry echoed through the forest.

Zhao Yun's eyes locked onto Zhen Lan's, a mix of shock, sorrow, and resignation swirling within. His brother, once bound by familial ties, now sought his destruction.

Bamboo leaves swirled around Zhen Lan and Zhao Yun as they clashed in a whirlwind of steel and silk. Jing Yi's freshly dug grave loomed in the background, a poignant reminder of their shared past.

Zhen Lan unleashed a flurry of strikes, his sword flashing like a demon's claw. Zhao Yun dodged each blow with precision, his feet weaving an intricate pattern across the forest floor.

A bamboo leaf drifted between them, trembling in the turbulent air. Zhen Lan's sword sliced through it, echoing like a mournful sigh.

Zhao Yun's eyes locked onto Zhen Lan's, his focus unwavering. Yet, he refused to engage, dancing around his brother's strikes.

The battle resumed, bamboo leaves swirling around them like restless spirits, as the brothers clashed in a dance of steel and sorrow.

      Comment 🌸 Vote 🌸 Share