Chapter 232 - 106: Slow, Slow Sounds (Part 1)

Chapter 232: Chapter 106: Slow, Slow Sounds (Part 1)

From behind him, Zhang Shutong could hear the driver’s muttering curses.

There was no time to worry about that now. Zhang Shutong whipped his head around for a quick glance and could still see the figure of the long-haired woman on the shore.

He immediately leaped off the bus. But the door was on the opposite side from the restricted area. His line of sight was gone, which meant he would have to circle around half the bus to see what was happening there again.

Lu Qinglian was faster than him. With a push of her toes, she launched herself out of the bus like a graceful swift, practically flying. But as she landed, she momentarily lost her balance, stumbling toward her injured foot.

Her old injury was acting up again. But Zhang Shutong knew why she was in such a hurry—

If their previous deduction was correct;

If that figure truly couldn’t hear;

This was a golden opportunity to subdue their target.

But neither of them dared to take the gamble. The bus’s sudden stop had already made a loud noise. All they could do was approach as fast as possible.

In the next moment, Lu Qinglian had already straightened up and was sprinting toward the back of the bus.

Zhang Shutong followed close behind. By the time he ran out of the bus, Lu Qinglian’s figure had already vanished around the corner. ℯℯ𝑙.

And by the time he reached the corner at the rear of the bus, Lu Qinglian had already reached the reeds ahead.

—The reeds.

’Damn it!’

Zhang Shutong cursed under his breath. From their high vantage point on the bus, they could easily see over the reeds. But now, standing on the ground, his view was once again obstructed by them.

From here on out, every second counted. Holding his arms in front of him for protection, he too plunged into the reeds. Lu Qinglian’s pace began to slow involuntarily. Within a few steps, Zhang Shutong was beside her. He caught her stumbling again out of the corner of his eye and was about to surge forward to clear a path, but the young woman grabbed his shoulder and said in a cold voice:

"It’s dangerous. Don’t go."

Zhang Shutong saw her brow furrow slightly. Her voice was usually clear and crisp, but those few words carried an authority that couldn’t be questioned. Zhang Shutong stopped in his tracks. Then, Lu Qinglian unfastened her long robe and flung it backward.

"Catch—"

She charged forward again, her figure instantly swallowed by the reeds. The sound of her footsteps was a RUSTLE RUSTLE, but it soon vanished, replaced by the thick, sticky squelch of feet treading in mud. Lu Qinglian had broken through the reeds. But then, that sound also stopped abruptly.

Zhang Shutong could almost picture it: the young woman gathering her strength, raising her leg, and kicking out at the figure on the shore—

Sure enough, the next moment came the dull THUD of flesh hitting flesh.

’Lu Qinglian and the figure are already fighting!’

At this, he paradoxically calmed down. ’Rushing in recklessly won’t help. If it’s an opponent Lu Qinglian can handle, she doesn’t need me. If she can’t, I’d just be a liability. It’s not impossible I’d even be taken hostage.’

Zhang Shutong’s eyes darted around, subconsciously searching for a makeshift weapon, but there was nothing. Endless reeds pressed in on him. He then remembered the fishing line tied to the stalks below, but that would be useless now. He had seen how fast that figure was—

The reeds were impenetrably dense. From their unseen depths came several more sounds.

Another THUD, the sound of footsteps, and the whoosh of clothes swinging through the air.

They had already exchanged several blows in a mere instant!

This reinforced Zhang Shutong’s decision. He quickly turned and ran back—

The last time they’d lost their quarry completely was when it had dashed into the reeds. So this time, Zhang Shutong returned to the road, his eyes glued to any movement in the reeds. There was no wind today; even the slightest disturbance would be noticeable.

Then, he saw a clump of reeds begin to move.

"To the north!"

Zhang Shutong yelled. At the same time, he started running. As his voice faded, the reeds to the north shook even more violently. That was Lu Qinglian in hot pursuit.

It was a chase. Zhang Shutong saw the position of the shaking reeds shift.

"To the east!"

He shouted another quick warning. Down below, the figure changed direction accordingly.

The setting sun was the color of blood, dyeing the feathery tops of the reeds orange. The two figures wove through them at high speed. Before one clump of plumes had even settled, the next began to sway. The disturbance expanded and spread, like an enormous, orange python slithering through the marsh.

Zhang Shutong ran, following the head of that giant serpent.

His breathing grew ragged. He had to constantly watch the road surface, which was beginning to ice over, and the dull ache in his chest was starting again. He could tell the figure had no intention of circling around; it was desperately trying to escape Lu Qinglian’s pursuit.

Zhang Shutong charged onward, tasting something metallic in his throat. He knew it was a sign of ruptured capillaries in his lungs. In an instant, they had covered another dozen meters or so. The reeds thinned, and he could gradually see the tops of their heads. But before Zhang Shutong could feel a flicker of joy, the figure in the rear froze for a split second, as if they had missed a step, and then tumbled backward—

’Something’s happened to Lu Qinglian!’

Zhang Shutong scrambled down, frantically parting the reeds. He saw the young woman half-kneeling in the mud, gasping for breath. A ghastly line of blood marred her flawless, porcelain-like face. When he looked up again, the figure they had been chasing was long gone.

"Are you all right?"

Zhang Shutong reached her side, panting heavily.

Lu Qinglian didn’t answer. It seemed breathing alone was taking all her strength. Only then did Zhang Shutong notice a muddy patch on her chest, the size of a footprint. His heart sank, but before he could speak, Lu Qinglian shook her head.

After a long moment, the young woman finally recovered from her breathlessness. She closed her eyes, forcing her voice to be as calm as possible: