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墨書 Inktalez
Thick smoke and fierce flames rolled behind them as Zhang Rang and Duan Gui dragged Emperor Shao and the King of Chenliu, stumbling and falling as they fled toward Beiman Mountain. They gasped for breath, their faces a picture of despair, armor disheveled, and their faces smeared with blood and dirt. The shouts of battle and the pounding hooves of pursuing soldiers grew ever closer, each step echoing like the footsteps of death.
"Faster, faster!" Zhang Rang urged, pulling Emperor Shao along while glancing back at Duan Gui, his voice laced with terror. "If we get caught, it’s all over for us!"
Duan Gui panted heavily, gripping a short sword tightly in his hand. He scanned the surroundings, desperately searching for an escape route. "Zhang Rang, do you really think we can survive just by having the emperor with us? To them, he’s just another target! We’re nothing but live bait!"
"Having the emperor gives us some leverage!" Zhang Rang shouted back, sweat pouring down his face, his eyes reflecting a desperate stubbornness. "If we abandon him, do you think they’ll spare us?"
Emperor Shao, still young and exhausted, was being dragged along by Zhang Rang. Tears mixed with dirt blurred his vision. "Zhang Rang... help me... where are we going..." His voice trembled with fear and helplessness.
"Shut up!" Zhang Rang snapped as he suddenly released his grip on the boy’s hand, only to see Emperor Shao fall to the ground in fright. After a moment's hesitation, he pulled him back up and gritted his teeth, whispering fiercely, "You listen to me! I want to keep you alive!"
Duan Gui was already in a panic; he could see the flames drawing nearer, and the fear on his face was impossible to hide. He stopped in his tracks and looked around frantically before muttering under his breath, "I can’t do this anymore; I won’t die alongside you!"
"What did you say?" Zhang Rang turned back in shock, his eyes filled with disbelief and anger.
Duan Gui had already turned to run, even throwing his short sword to the ground. "Taking them along means certain death! If you want to fight to the end, go ahead; I’m not joining you!"
"Duan Gui! You bastard!" Zhang Rang gritted his teeth as he watched Duan Gui's figure disappear into the thick fog, despair and fury swelling within him.
At that moment, the shouts of the pursuing soldiers were almost upon them, the flames illuminating Zhang Rang's pale face. He tightly grasped Emperor Shao's hand and suddenly shoved him into a nearby thicket, whispering urgently, "Hide and don’t make a sound!"
Emperor Shao curled up in the bushes, watching Zhang Rang in terror but unable to utter a word. He saw Zhang Rang draw a dagger and stand by the riverbank against the backdrop of fire and approaching soldiers. His body trembled slightly, but there was a glint of mad determination in his eyes.
"Zhang Rang, don’t run!" came Min Gong's thunderous shout from afar as the soldiers drew nearer.
Zhang Rang let out a cold laugh as he stepped back to the riverbank, his gaze fixed on the approaching soldiers. He pointed the dagger at his own chest and murmured softly to himself, "Living is still dying; I might as well do it myself..."
Before his words could finish, he suddenly plunged the dagger into his heart, leaning back as he sank into the darkness, accompanied by the sound of the river churning.
Emperor Shao lay in the grass, covering his mouth to stifle his cries, his eyes filled with terror and helplessness. Beside him, the King of Chenliu curled up in a ball, sobbing softly, "Brother, are we going to die?"
The pursuers rushed past, the flames gradually fading away. The two children clung tightly to each other, hiding in the tangled grass, afraid to make a sound. In the night of Beiman Mountain, only the whisper of the river could be heard, as if mocking this absurd escape.
The dew was icy and the night was deep. Emperor Shao and the King of Chenliu huddled together in the grass, their clothes already soaked through, shivering from the cold. They nestled closely together, their bodies trembling slightly, their hands tightly clasped yet devoid of warmth.
"Brother... I'm so hungry," the King of Chenliu's voice was barely audible, tinged with tears.
Emperor Shao fought against his own fear and whispered comfortingly, "Just hold on a little longer; someone will come for us when dawn breaks." Yet he knew that this was merely a consolation. His stomach was already empty, and the cold wind cut through him like a knife, nearly unbearable.
The two cried until their voices were hoarse but dared not wail aloud; they could only stifle their sobs in the grass. The King of Chenliu wiped his tears with his sleeve and looked up softly, saying, "We can't stay here forever... If someone finds us, we'll be taken back."
Emperor Shao paused for a moment, looking up at the pitch-black sky. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "You're right; we need to leave and find a way to survive."
He removed his tattered sleeve and tore it into strips to make a long rope, securely tying them together as he whispered, "Stay close to me and don't fall."
They climbed step by step up the bank, their hands scratched by thorns that drew thin lines of blood. The pain made the King of Chenliu gasp quietly, but he gritted his teeth and dared not cry out. Surrounding them was utter darkness; from deep within the grass came faint sounds of insects, as if something might leap out at any moment.
"Brother... which way do we go?" The King of Chenliu's voice trembled with fear.
Emperor Shao stopped in his tracks, feeling just as lost. He looked around anxiously but saw only darkness and dense shadows of trees.
At that moment, a faint light suddenly appeared in the darkness, flickering like stars dancing before them. Soon more lights followed suit; fireflies swarmed around them, their twinkling glow illuminating the night.
"Brother, look!" The King of Chenliu exclaimed with delight as he looked up, his eyes sparkling. "It's fireflies! They seem to be showing us the way!"
Emperor Shao looked at the dancing lights in the night sky, as if he had seen hope. He took a deep breath and softly said, "This is heaven helping us. Follow the fireflies!"
The two supported each other, struggling to follow the guidance of the fireflies. The lights leaped in the darkness, seemingly drawing a path for them. After walking for a while, they finally spotted a faint trail, bringing a glimmer of comfort to their hearts.
However, their steps grew heavier, and eventually, they could no longer hold on. They stopped beside a patch of grass at the edge of a hill. Emperor Shao sat down, panting heavily, his feet aching to the point of numbness. He whispered, "Let's... take a break..."
The King of Chenliu was utterly exhausted, lacking even the strength to speak. He simply collapsed onto the grass pile and closed his eyes. They curled up together, leaning against each other, drifting into a half-dreaming state in the cold night.
In the courtyard before the grass pile, a middle-aged man suddenly awoke from his dream, drenched in cold sweat. He had dreamed of two red suns falling behind his estate, their brilliance blinding him and startling him upright.
"What does this mean?" he muttered to himself, feeling an unsettling anxiety in his heart. He put on his outer robe and stepped outside; the night wind hit him face-on, bringing a chill. He looked around but saw only a faint red glow rising from the grass pile behind his estate, as if the dream had come to life.
With confusion, he approached the grass pile. When he saw the source of the red light, he took a step back in shock. There were two ragged children huddled by the grass pile, covered in mud and wounds. What astonished him even more was that despite their disheveled appearance, these children bore an innate nobility in their demeanor that set them apart from ordinary people.
"What happened?" mansion's Master murmured as he hurriedly crouched down to check on them. "Who are you? How did you end up here?"
Emperor Shao opened his weary eyes; his voice was as fragile as a feather. "We... we need help..."
mansion's Master was taken aback, sensing that these two children might be of extraordinary origin. After pondering for a moment, he draped his outer robe over Emperor Shao and said softly, "Come with me to my house; you'll freeze to death like this."
In the night, the courtyard door slowly closed behind them, leaving behind a profound silence. The fireflies continued to flicker in the distance, as if whispering ancient songs about a fateful encounter.
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