dognovel Chapter 2173 Captured the First Time He Made a Move
Chapter 2173 Captured the First Time He Made a Move
"When was it discovered?" Huo Changhe's voice was deep.
Yin Ding replied, "I sensed it soon after leaving Rongzhou City. At first, I thought it was a coincidence."
However, no matter how fast we walked, we could always sense someone following us in the dark. But the other party was very cautious and kept their distance, never showing themselves.
"When we entered the inn just now, I glimpsed a dark figure flash through the woods in the distance. Although it disappeared quickly, I'm certain it wasn't an ordinary passerby."
Yan Ruyu frowned slightly. They had left Rongzhou secretly this time, keeping their whereabouts hidden. How could they have been targeted? Could it be remnants of the Liu family?
Or did the people from Youcheng receive advance notice and send people to intercept us?
"How many people are on the other side?" Yan Ruyu asked.
"I don't know for now." Yin Ding shook his head. "The other party is very well hidden. They only dare to follow from a distance and don't dare to get close. I also couldn't see the exact number of people, but it was probably three."
Huo Changhe said in a deep voice, "No matter who they are, if they're following us, nothing good can come of it."
We'll rest at the post station tonight. Everyone, be on your guard. Yinding, you and your men will keep a close watch on our surroundings. Report anything unusual immediately.
"Yes!" Yin Ding replied respectfully, turned and quickly left to arrange for guards to be on guard.
Huo Changhe glanced at the innkeeper and instructed the guard beside him, "Arrange a few good rooms. Also, have the innkeeper send some food to the rooms. We won't eat in the lobby."
"Yes," the guard replied, and quickly walked towards the main hall of the post station.
Yan Ruyu gazed at the distant woods. Night was falling, and the woods were pitch black, like a lurking beast.
They went straight up to the second floor and into the room.
The room was fairly spacious, simply and cleanly furnished, with the window facing the backyard of the inn.
Huo Changhe walked to the window, pushed it open, and cautiously observed the activity in the backyard. The backyard was empty, with only a few old locust trees swaying their branches in the night.
"If the other party had malicious intent, they wouldn't have just followed from a distance."
Yan Ruyu spoke softly, "Perhaps it's aimed at us, or perhaps it's aimed at the matter of Youcheng."
Huo Changhe turned around, his gaze falling on her face, his tone calm: "No matter which one it is, just be extra vigilant tonight. Yinding is reliable and won't make any mistakes."
late at night.
A very faint sound came from outside the courtyard wall, like the sound of withered leaves being crushed.
The lights were off inside; Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe were not asleep at all.
Huo Changhe's gaze narrowed slightly, and Yan Ruyu also looked up at the door. Neither of them got up.
The wooden planks of the second-floor corridor were old. Three figures clung to the wall, their footsteps as light as ghosts, only occasionally making a faint sound.
They were all wearing black face masks, revealing only pairs of wary eyes. They held short knives in their hands, the scabbards rubbing against their clothes, making a barely audible rustling sound.
The three moved slowly down the corridor, their eyes scanning the doors of each room, as if trying to confirm something.
In the shadows at the end of the corridor, Yin Ding, Wu Liang, and two guards stood silently, their breaths almost blending into the darkness.
Yin Ding's eyes were fixed on the three men in black, his fingers resting on the sword at his waist, but he did not give the order to attack.
The guard behind him asked in a low voice, "Brother Yinding, should we take them down now?"
Yin Ding slowly shook his head, his voice extremely low: "Let's take another look. They didn't break into the room, nor did they show any murderous intent. Let's find out their purpose first."
The three stopped outside Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe's room. The leader raised his hand, signaling the other two to be on their guard.
He pressed his ear against the door, seemingly listening to what was happening inside, while the other two stood guard on either side, their eyes scanning the ends of the corridor warily.
Just then, a light footstep came from the stairwell. Unlike the cautious footsteps of the three people, this footstep was crisp and decisive.
Immediately afterwards, a slender figure carrying a single-edged sword quickly walked up to the second floor.
The figure was also masked, revealing only a pair of bright eyes, and the single-edged sword in its hand gleamed coldly in the lantern light.
The three men in black were clearly caught off guard by the sudden appearance of a fourth person, and they were momentarily flustered. The leader instinctively gripped his short knife, his eyes filled with vigilance.
"What are you doing here?" The fourth person's voice was clear and crisp, with a touch of youthful cheerfulness.
The leader of the men in black said in a deep voice, "This has nothing to do with you. If you know what's good for you, get out of here!"
"None of my business?" The fourth man chuckled, continuing his walk straight toward the three. "This post station is public property. You're acting suspiciously, clearly up to no good. I was just helping out when I saw injustice. How is that none of my business?"
Before she finished speaking, she suddenly quickened her pace, and with a flick of her single-edged sword, she slashed at the leader of the men in black.
The movements were swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. The leader of the men in black hurriedly raised his knife to parry, and with a crisp "clang," the two knives clashed, causing him to be jolted back half a step.
Seeing this, the other two immediately rushed forward to help, wielding their swords. The three short swords slashed at the fourth person, but she skillfully dodged them all.
The fourth person was far more skilled than the three had imagined. The single-edged sword was as easy for her to wield as an extension of her arm, sometimes parrying, sometimes counterattacking, forcing the three men in black to retreat repeatedly, their wariness gradually turning into panic.
Not long after, she spotted an opening and kicked the man in black on the left in the knee. The man's legs buckled and he fell to his knees, dropping the dagger in his hand.
Immediately afterwards, she twisted her wrist, and the back of the knife struck the middle man's shoulder heavily. The man groaned, clutched his shoulder, and fell to the ground.
The last remaining leader, seeing this, turned to run, but she quickly caught up with him, pressed the hilt of her knife against his back, and he was unable to move.
The whole process took only a few moments, and all three men in black were captured.
Just then, the lights inside the room came on.
The door to Yan Ruyu and Huo Changhe's room was pushed open, and the candlelight inside shone through the crack in the door, illuminating a corner of the corridor.
The two walked out side by side, Yan Ruyu's face showing a hint of inquiry as she looked at the fourth person.
At the same time, Yin Ding and Wu Liang emerged from the shadows with their guards. Their swords were still sheathed, but they wore amused smiles as they looked the figure with the sword up and down.
"Your Excellency broke into the post station in the dead of night and captured these three people. What is your purpose?" Huo Changhe asked.
Upon hearing this, the fourth person slowly raised his hand and removed the mask from his face.
A head of jet-black hair cascaded down, revealing a delicate and bright face, with a hint of stubbornness and liveliness in her eyes—it was Su Shengsheng, who had secretly run away from home.
When Yan Ruyu saw her appearance, a look of surprise flashed in her eyes, and she subconsciously took a step forward: "Shengsheng? How come it's you? Shouldn't you be in Rongzhou?"