Once outside, Song Lianhe and the other two were utterly stunned.
Compared to the sounds of battle outside the city walls, the scene within was a different kind of hellscape.
Wails and bloodcurdling screams echoed in their ears. Fires had broken out everywhere, and several burning houses quickly rged into a single, massive inferno! The common folk were too busy fleeing for their lives to even think about fighting the flas.
A chubby little girl stumbled and fell at Song Lianhe’s feet. She quickly scooped the child up.
The girl cried out, "Mama... Mama... I want my mama..."
Song Lianhe hurriedly asked, "Where is your mama?"
The little girl pointed a small hand toward a burning house behind them, wailing, "Mama..."
Watching the roaring blaze, it felt as if an elongated tongue of fire had suddenly wrapped around her neck, suffocating her.
She handed the little girl to Yin Huan. "Take her back to the clinic."
"Alright."
Yin Huan carried the little girl back while Song Lianhe and E Jintang began rescuing people.
"Hurry to the clinic!"
"Go to the clinic!"
The clinic wasn’t large, and there was no telling how long it would hold, but it was at least safer than being out on the streets.
While she was busy helping people for E Jintang to carry back, she was unexpectedly targeted by a thug who swung a large machete down at her!
Song Lianhe couldn’t dodge in ti. She tripped and fell backward.
A hand caught her just in ti.
At the sa ti, a shortsword appeared before her, parrying the incoming blade before a swift kick sent the attacker flying.
"Sister i!"
Seeing her, Song Lianhe excitedly grabbed her hand. "What are you doing here?"
The firelight cast a red glow on Xuan i’s face. "The master was worried you’d be in danger."
Suddenly, soone else charged them. Xuan i simply raised her hand and slit his throat with her sword.
"These n were sent by the Nanchen Kingdom! Princess Consort, hurry back to the clinic!"
Song Lianhe wanted to hide, but seeing the common folk fleeing for their lives all around her, she just couldn’t bring herself to abandon them.
’In my eyes, they aren’t just paper figures anymore, but living, breathing people! I don’t think I’m so great hero; I just can’t stand by and watch them die.’
"...I just want to do everything I can to help them."
Xuan i gave her a deep look, then turned away. "If you’re in danger, get behind ."
Song Lianhe smiled. "Okay!"
"Watch out!"
Xuan i shouted, pulling Song Lianhe to her side as she simultaneously thrust her sword at an attacker sneaking up from behind!
Song Lianhe had no ti for fear. Ti was of the essence. She took the opportunity to help a fallen woman to her feet. "Hurry, take shelter at the clinic!"
"Thank you! Thank you!"
The woman thanked her profusely and staggered toward the clinic.
anwhile, Manager ng had ordered the main gate opened. Ah Jun and Yin Huan stood guard at the entrance, helping the streams of people who ca seeking refuge.
"Into the secret passage! Quickly, get them into the secret passage!"
Having been in Sishui City for so many years, Manager ng hadn’t been idle. Every day, he would close his doors and dig his secret tunnel, preparing for just such an ergency. To put it another way, give him another year or so, and he could have dug his way right out of the city!
With the situation so dire, Manager ng hesitated for a long mont before gritting his teeth and giving the order to open the secret passage. The shop hands helped the elderly, the weak, won, and children inside.
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"
He ran to the main gate and was startled by the sight of the inferno outside. He imdiately began searching for Song Lianhe.
"Where is your Princess Consort?"
Ah Jun was frantic. "I don’t see her!"
As word spread that the clinic was a safe haven, more and more people began running toward it, which in turn attracted the attention of the thugs in the city.
"Careful!"
Yin Huan raised her curved knife, deflecting an arrow shot from a distance!
"Get inside! Close the gate!"
Ah Jun and Manager ng hastily retreated inside. Yin Huan deflected a few more arrows, then SLAMD the gate shut.
THWIP THWIP THWIP—
Several arrows embedded themselves in the gate.
"Dammit! Those bastards have us targeted!"
Yin Huan made a snap decision. They all retreated into the building and shut the doors and windows.
Manager ng had already sent everyone into the secret passage, but Ah Jun stubbornly refused to go. "My sister is still outside!"
"Jintang is with her. She’ll be fine."
Only after Yin Huan’s repeated assurances did Ah Jun finally follow Manager ng inside.
Seeing that she wasn’t moving, Ah Jun cried out anxiously, "Sister Huan, why aren’t you coming in?"
Yin Huan glanced at Manager ng, who was standing behind him, looking as if he wanted to say sothing but couldn’t.
He knew what Yin Huan was about to do.
Soone was needed outside to create a diversion and draw their attention away.
Yin Huan understood this as well. So, she only instructed Ah Jun, "Stay inside. No matter what happens, don’t co out."
"But, Sister Huan..."
"Close the door."
Yin Huan looked at Manager ng. He gave her a complicated look, then had his assistants hold Ah Jun back and shut the door.
Yin Huan pushed the Duo Bao Pavilion over to block the secret entrance, then added so other camouflage.
The sound of heavy blows ca from the main gate—BANG! BANG!
Yin Huan’s expression hardened. She decisively walked into the courtyard and pushed open the back gate.
With a trendous CRASH, the main gate was broken open.
She tightened her grip on her curved knife, turned around, and stood alone in the courtyard.
The thugs who stord in imdiately surrounded her.
Their leader was a man in black wearing a mask.
"Where are the people from the clinic?"
Almost instinctively, Yin Huan glanced toward the back gate before quickly looking away.
The man in black narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "They escaped through the back gate! After them! Kill them all!"
Yin Huan let out a cold laugh, gripping her curved knife as she stepped forward. "You’ll have to get through first!"
The man in black tilted his head, studying her. The woman before him had a baby face and didn’t look very old, yet her eyes were incredibly sharp.
Of course, he also didn’t miss the fact that the hand gripping her curved knife was trembling slightly.
The man in black’s eyes filled with scorn as he coldly spat out two words: "Courting death."
The man in black decided to handle her himself. He drew his sword and charged. Yin Huan’s eyes sharpened as she held her curved knife defensively before her, managing to block his strike!
The man’s strength was imnse; the force of the blow sent a searing pain through the web of her thumb.
Furthermore, Yin Huan was not skilled in close-quarters combat. After just a few exchanges, her stamina began to fail.
Her eyes darted. Just as the man in black swung his sword down, she suddenly flung her hand forward, and a cloud of fine powder appeared before him...
"What is this...?"
The man in black instantly went limp, swayed, and then collapsed.
Without a second thought, Yin Huan’s knife fell!
Blood splattered across her face, but she didn’t even blink. She casually wiped the blood from her eyes, her bloodthirsty gaze fixed on the others as she enunciated every word: "Any of you who aren’t afraid to die, co on!"
The n exchanged glances, then suddenly charged forward with a roar.
These n who had infiltrated Sishui City were all Nanchen Death Warriors; death threats were the one thing they did not fear.
Yin Huan gritted her teeth, raised her knife, and engaged them. From ti to ti, she would throw out various poisons—so were for her own self-defense, others had been given to her by Song Lianhe.
But more and more Death Warriors arrived, wave after wave, completely fearless. Yin Huan had already used up all her poisons and could only barely defend herself with her knife.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her knee as soone struck her with a hamr, and she reflexively dropped forward onto it! Before she could get up, another heavy blow landed on her back, sending her sprawling to the ground as she coughed up a mouthful of blood...
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