#393 - Chapter 393: Chase
Outside Qingxi County.
Lin Ziyang took the lead and began to move forward according to the original plan, but was startled by the sound of horses' hooves coming from not far behind.
"Not good, someone must be catching up."
The Lin family was not short of intelligent people, and thinking about the current situation, they also knew that things might have been exposed.
Without time to think about the reason, a dozen teenagers were inconspicuously thrown into the woods by loyal old servants beside them.
Instead, they whipped their horses faster, attracting the people behind them.
Seeing that the carriage in front was speeding up, the officers and soldiers behind them also waved their whips anxiously.
"Target spotted, hurry, don't let them get away!"
County Lieutenant Li's face was expressionless, but his heart was full of regret.
The Lin family's reputation was still good.
It was a pity that they encountered such a thing at this critical moment.
However, military orders were like mountains.
Being a soldier, he could only execute orders.
On a forest path outside Qingxi County, the leaves swayed gently in the breeze, as if also feeling uneasy about the coming storm.
Lin Ziyang lay on the ground, peering through the dense leaves at the official road in the distance, which was dyed golden by the setting sun.
His heart beat like a drum, each beat accompanied by the increasingly approaching sound of horses' hooves behind him.
"Everyone, try to keep your breathing low, don't be discovered," Lin Ziyang whispered to the teenagers around him.
Although he tried his best to maintain his composure, the anxiety in his voice was difficult to conceal.
These teenagers were all from the younger generation of the Lin family, pampered and privileged on weekdays, and had never experienced such a thrilling moment.
At this moment, in their eyes, besides fear, there was more fear of the unknown fate.
The sound of horses' hooves echoed like thunder in the forest outside Qingxi County, accompanied by bursts of hurried conversation.
The pursuers had already discovered the traces of the Lin family's old servants and were chasing after them at full speed.
Lin Ziyang lay on the ground, his heart in his throat. He could clearly hear his own heartbeat, each beat reminding him that danger was approaching.
"Surround them, don't let one get away!" A rough voice rang out in the distance.
It was County Lieutenant Li's voice, with an unquestionable majesty.
The old servants were also clearly aware of the seriousness of the situation.
They began to disperse, trying to break through from different directions in order to attract the attention of the pursuers.
To buy more time for Lin Ziyang and the teenagers.
However, the pursuers were numerous and well-trained, and soon formed a circle, surrounding the old servants.
"We must not fail the task entrusted to us by the master!" An old servant shouted loudly, his voice filled with determination and sorrow.
He waved the horse whip in his hand and spurred his horse towards the pursuers, trying to break the encirclement.
Unfortunately, with only the strength of the Lianli realm, his efforts were in vain, and he was quickly subdued by the pursuers.
"Reporting, sir, no Lin family members were found in the carriage."
County Lieutenant Li, holding a long spear, became interested and said, "Interesting, it seems that the county magistrate has also been deceived."
The subordinate asked doubtfully, "Sir, what about these servants?"
County Lieutenant Li waved his hand carelessly: "Forget it, kill these people."
The subordinates immediately raised their knives and dropped them, and the servants driving the Lin family's carriage fell into the pool of blood.
The wind was filled with a bloody smell.
"Go, search and see if there is anything valuable in the carriage?"
The subordinates looked at the abandoned carriage with surprise in their eyes.
These horses and vehicles could also be sold for a good price.
The superiors eat meat, and the subordinates also have soup to drink.
They stepped forward to check.
On the other side,
"Everyone, follow me!" Lin Ziyang said in a low voice to the teenagers around him.
Although his voice was low, his eyes revealed determination and courage.
Regardless of what happens to the Lin family's children now,
Lin Ziyang always had to take them to survive.
Holding this belief,
Lin Ziyang led the teenagers quietly towards a hidden path to escape.
Lin Ziyang prayed silently in his heart, hoping that the old servants could successfully attract the pursuers and buy them enough time to escape.
Just then, a gust of wind blew, bringing a trace of blood from afar.
Lin Ziyang's heart tightened. It must have been left by the old servants when they fought with the pursuers.
It might even be the blood of the old servants.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, trying to calm the turbulent waves in his heart,
But the heaviness was like a boulder pressing on his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe.
"We must leave here as soon as possible," Lin Ziyang said again, his voice filled with unquestionable determination.
He carefully got up and led the teenagers along the forest path, heading towards a more hidden depth.
Every step was cautious, for fear of making any noise and attracting the attention of the pursuers.
The path in the forest was rugged and uneven, covered with thorns and vines.
Although the teenagers were agile, their speed was greatly reduced in such an environment.
Lin Ziyang cleared the way while looking back from time to time to make sure no one was left behind.
His heart was filled with anxiety, but he knew that at this moment he must become the pillar of these people and lead them out of trouble.
After an unknown amount of time, when the last ray of sunset was swallowed by the night, they finally arrived at a relatively hidden valley.
Here, surrounded by high mountains, there was only a narrow path connecting to the outside world. Lin Ziyang felt a little relieved, knowing that this was temporarily a safe haven.
"Everyone rest here first, I'll go find some food and water nearby," Lin Ziyang ordered, his voice tired but extremely firm.
The road ahead was still long, and they had to recharge their energy to cope with any possible dangers.
The teenagers nodded one after another, found a relatively dry place to sit down, and began to sort out the clothes and wounds on their bodies.
Although they were young, after experiencing this series of changes, everyone's eyes added a touch of determination and maturity.
As night deepened, the valley was silent. Only the occasional cries of wild animals in the distance broke the silence.
Lin Ziyang wandered alone in the darkness, and with his familiarity with this mountain forest, he quickly found a stream and some wild fruits.
He carefully returned to the valley and distributed food and water to everyone.
"Let's spend the night here tonight, and we'll find a way to leave here tomorrow," Lin Ziyang said.
The rest nodded, following Lin Ziyang's lead.
