novelhk Chapter 345: Pay attention to your surroundings
Chapter 345: Pay attention to your surroundings
Just as Fang Xiaoxiao and the others turned a corner and were about to cross a courtyard, a series of chaotic footsteps suddenly broke the silence.
Their hearts tightened, and they instantly became alert.
At the other end of the courtyard, a patrol of bandits was walking toward them with disorderly steps.
These bandits all had ferocious faces, and the torches in their hands flickered in the darkness, illuminating their vicious expressions and gleaming weapons.
Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes instantly turned sharp, and she quickly gestured to her companions, signaling them to find a place to hide.
The crowd scattered, some hiding behind pillars, others concealed among the flowers, barely daring to breathe.
The patrolling bandits didn't seem to notice anything amiss immediately, and continued walking and chatting.
But as they got closer, a sharp-eyed bandit suddenly noticed the messy footprints that Fang Xiaoxiao and her group had just stepped on.
"Something's wrong! Something's up!" the bandit shouted, his voice echoing in the silent courtyard.
Fang Xiaoxiao knew she could no longer hide, so she whispered, "Prepare for battle!"
Before she finished speaking, she was the first to rush out from her hiding place, like a nimble cheetah.
The short sword in her hand gleamed coldly in the firelight, aimed directly at the bandit at the front.
Before the bandit could react, Fang Xiaoxiao stabbed him in the throat with her sword. Blood gushed out, and he collapsed before he could even let out a scream.
Seeing that Fang Xiaoxiao had already made her move, her companions also rushed out from their hiding places. A soldier brandishing a long sword engaged in a fierce battle with a bandit.
Blades clashed, sparks flying and a clanging sound emanating from them. His companion, wielding a stick, parried and fought back, holding his own against the two bandits.
Fang Xiaoxiao moved with lightning speed, weaving freely through the bandits. Her swordsmanship was fierce, each strike aimed precisely at a bandit's vitals. Her face showed no fear, only unwavering determination and a resolute belief in killing.
The bandits were caught off guard by the sudden attack, but they quickly recovered and began a fierce counterattack.
Howling and brandishing their weapons, they charged at Fang Xiaoxiao and the others. In an instant, the courtyard was filled with the glint of swords and the deafening shouts of battle.
Taking advantage of Fang Xiaoxiao's momentary lapse in attention, a bandit swung his knife at her. Just then, a companion arrived in time and blocked the fatal blow with a stick.
Fang Xiaoxiao glanced gratefully at her companion, then turned and threw herself back into the battle.
The battle was extremely fierce, with sparks flying and blood splattering everywhere. Fang Xiaoxiao and her companions, relying on their excellent martial arts skills and seamless teamwork, gradually gained the upper hand.
One soldier seized the opportunity and slashed down a bandit with his knife. Another comrade kicked a bandit who was trying to ambush him, knocking him to the ground.
Just then, Fang Xiaoxiao spotted the bandit leader. He was standing to the side, directing the other bandits in their attack while shouting and cursing.
A murderous glint flashed in Fang Xiaoxiao's eyes as she leaped towards the bandit leader. Seeing this, the bandit leader raised his broadsword to meet Fang Xiaoxiao's attack.
The two clashed instantly, their swords striking each other with a piercing sound. The bandit leader possessed immense strength, but Fang Xiaoxiao was agile and skillfully dodged his attacks.
After several rounds, the bandit leader gradually became exhausted. Fang Xiaoxiao seized the opportunity and stabbed him in the chest with her sword. The bandit leader screamed and fell to the ground.
With their leader dead, the other bandits were thrown into chaos. Fang Xiaoxiao and her men seized the opportunity to launch a final attack, quickly eliminating all the remaining bandits.
However, although the brief but fierce battle was won, it also attracted the attention of other bandits.
More footsteps and shouts came from afar, clearly indicating that the commotion had alerted the nearby bandits.
"Oh no, we have to leave right now!" Fang Xiao shouted.
Without bothering to clean up the mess, everyone quickly retreated in the designated direction. They ran wildly through the dark corridors, their footsteps echoing in the empty building.
At this moment, the prefectural government office seemed to awaken from a deep sleep, and an atmosphere of tension and danger permeated everywhere.
The torchlight flickered in the distance, and the bandits' shouts grew closer.
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others ran desperately, with only one thought in their minds: they must shake off the pursuers and complete the rescue mission.
They passed through doorways and courtyards, but the pursuers were right behind them.
Suddenly, a high wall appeared in front of them. Without hesitation, Fang Xiaoxiao took a few running steps, stepped on her companions' shoulders, and leaped onto the top of the wall. Then she lowered the rope and pulled her companions up one by one.
Just as they scaled the high wall, the bandits behind them caught up.
"There they are! Don't let them get away!" the bandits shouted.
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others jumped off the wall and continued running wildly in the darkness. Their figures flashed through the narrow alleys and gradually disappeared into the night.
In the tense and suffocating atmosphere, Fang Xiaoxiao and the others' hearts were pounding so hard they felt like they were about to jump out of their throats.
Every breath he took was filled with deep anxiety, and every glance was brimming with urgency.
Without hesitation, they quickened their pace, their feet pounding the ground like drumsticks, their only thought being to find Pei Yan's cell as quickly as possible.
Stepping inside the government office, they truly felt the intricate complexity of its passageways.
The ancient walls exude a sense of decay, and the narrow passageways, barely wide enough for one person to pass through, occasionally branch off into several more paths, creating a dizzying effect.
The faint light flickered in the wind, elongating and shortening their shadows, like ghosts struggling in the darkness.
Fang Xiaoxiao walked at the front of the group, her forehead covered in sweat, but her eyes were firm and sharp.
Every time she reached a corner, she would cautiously peek out, observe for a moment, and only wave to signal her companions to follow after confirming it was safe.
The officers and soldiers behind him followed closely, barely daring to breathe, their footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the silence.
"Everyone be careful, pay attention to the surroundings," Fang Xiaoxiao warned in a low voice, her voice trembling slightly.
They had just turned a corner when they heard a cacophony of footsteps and the shouts of bandits in the distance. Their faces turned deathly pale; their hearts felt as if they were being gripped tightly by an invisible hand.
"Quick, hide!" Fang Xiaoxiao said urgently, her eyes quickly scanning the surroundings for a place to hide.
They discovered a small storage room nearby, and everyone hurriedly squeezed inside. Fang Xiaoxiao gently closed the door, leaving a tiny crack, to observe the situation outside.
A group of bandits, carrying torches and cursing, walked past the door. "We must find those intruders and show them what we're made of!" roared one of the bandits, whose face was covered in scars.
Fang Xiaoxiao and the others held their breath until the bandits' footsteps gradually faded into the distance before they breathed a sigh of relief.