Chapter 1001: You Two, Stop Right There

Chapter 1001: Chapter 1001: You Two, Stop Right There

At this moment, the leading soldier glanced at them, his eyes lingering for a moment, as if he thought there was nothing unusual about this seemingly ordinary couple.

The soldier’s gaze shifted elsewhere, continuing to inspect others. Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao relaxed internally, keeping their heads low as they slowly walked past the soldier.

Just as Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao were about to leave the soldier’s line of sight, a deep and stern voice suddenly called out from behind: "You two, stop!"

The sound pierced the air like a sharp sword, instantly tightening Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s chests, as if their hearts were suddenly gripped.

Both of them simultaneously halted their steps, and the world around them seemed to freeze at that moment, with only the soldier’s voice echoing in their ears.

Ye Qingchen secretly cursed; he knew that any unnecessary movement now could expose them.

He quickly suppressed his emotions, his mind racing for a countermeasure. Beside him, Xiao Xiao couldn’t help but clench her fists; despite her efforts to stay calm, the momentary panic still revealed itself through her slightly trembling fingertips.

The two stood motionless, the sound of the soldier’s footsteps growing closer, as if each step landed directly on their hearts.

The air on the street seemed heavier, and the scenes around them became blurry and oppressive in their eyes, as if all focus concentrated on the approaching figure behind them.

"Where are you from?" The soldier asked coldly, now standing behind them and eyeing them sharply.

Ye Qingchen could feel the soldier’s gaze sweeping over them like a blade, seemingly trying to see through their disguise.

Xiao Xiao trembled slightly, almost looking up at Ye Qingchen, but she quickly realized that this action might expose them and forcibly restrained it.

Ye Qingchen sensed her tension, stirring a ripple within him.

He knew that any emotional fluctuation now could lead to failure, so he must remain calm and composed.

He slowly raised a hand, gently patting Xiao Xiao’s hand, a slight but firm gesture.

Feeling his touch, Xiao Xiao’s tension eased a little, and she tried to steady her breathing.

"Calm down, don’t show any flaws," Ye Qingchen silently reminded himself, turning around and replying in a low, husky voice: "Official, we come from the countryside. We came to the city these days to buy some things, and we were startled by the inspection."

He spoke with his head slightly lowered, not daring to meet the soldier’s gaze, and his tone carried a hint of humility and fear, as if he were truly just a frightened countryman.

His hand still gently held Xiao Xiao’s, offering her silent support.

The soldier scrutinized the two, a trace of doubt flashing in his eyes.

He seemed to think there was nothing suspicious about them, yet he was unwilling to let any possible flaws slip by easily.

The tension in the air rose again, as if every breeze around them was watching this confrontation.

"Show me your Identity Token," the soldier commanded coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Ye Qingchen secretly lamented, but his face remained composed. He slowly retrieved an Identity Token from his pocket and handed it to the soldier.

The Token was a forgery he had prepared in advance, engraved with the information of an ordinary civilian.

The soldier took the Token, examining it carefully, frowning slightly.

Seeing this, Ye Qingchen felt a twinge of nervousness, his breathing involuntarily quickening slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm and not let any anomaly show.

The world around them seemed to slow down infinitely, and Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao held their breath, waiting for the soldier’s next move.

At that moment, it was as if heaven and earth were in silence, with only the soldier’s eyes still coldly fixed on the Token in his hand.

Finally, the soldier returned the Token to Ye Qingchen, speaking coldly: "You don’t seem to be problematic. Don’t loiter here, head back soon."

Ye Qingchen took back the Token, feeling a slight relief from the heavy stone in his heart. He maintained a humbled posture, nodding repeatedly: "Thank you, Official, thank you, Official. We’ll head back immediately."

Just as Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao were about to walk out of the soldier’s line of sight and breathe a sigh of relief, the cold voice sounded again: "You two, wait!"

This sudden voice struck their hearts like a hammer. Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao both jerked, their hearts seemingly clutched tightly, and their breathing halted for a moment.

The nerves that had just relaxed tightened once more, and they could almost feel the chill rushing from their feet to their heads.

Ye Qingchen instinctively tightened his grip on the Token in his hand, a touch of cold sweat seeping from his palm.

Xiao Xiao felt the sweat in her palm, her heart pounding like a drum within her chest. Her gaze involuntarily turned to Ye Qingchen, a hint of panic in her eyes.

But just then, Ye Qingchen slightly turned sideways, gently patting her hand again, signaling her to remain calm.

"It’s okay, stay calm." Ye Qingchen silently admonished himself, knowing that any trace of panic now could reveal their identity.

The two slowly turned around to face the soldier, striving to keep a composed look.

The soldier stepped forward to face them, his gaze cold and scrutinizing them carefully, then took out a rolled-up scroll from his pocket.

He slowly unrolled the scroll, fixing his eyes on them, and spoke in a hard voice: "We’ve been hunting a traitor recently. If you see this person in the city, report immediately, and do not hide."

The moment the scroll was unrolled, Ye Qingchen and Xiao Xiao’s hearts sank heavily.

The scroll depicted a man with delicate and heroic features, the appearance Ye Qingchen had before his facial disguise.

In the image, he wore white, looking resolute, with a sharpness in his brows as if ready to draw his sword at any moment.

The brushwork was extremely detailed, vividly capturing Ye Qingchen’s expression and demeanor, depicting his unique brow and mouth curve so strikingly that one could almost recognize his true identity at a glance.

Upon seeing the scroll, Ye Qingchen was momentarily stunned.

Indeed, the image looked quite like him.

However, he no longer looked like this now, so he had nothing to fear.

Xiao Xiao also felt her heart race upon seeing the image, almost instinctively wanting to look up at Ye Qingchen, but she quickly suppressed this impulse, lowering her head to hide her panic.

She felt the sweat in her palms increase, as if entirely wrapped in tension.

But seeing Ye Qingchen remain poised, she too soon calmed down.

"Have you seen this person before coming?" the soldier asked coldly.

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