【Texture】(82, 83, 84)

Author: Wandering Traveler,
December 24, 2015, first published on sis,

Chapter 82.

Lu Zhaohui's expression at this moment seemed somewhat inexplicable to others. Perhaps only I among those present
understood the reason.

For a person, there may be more than one deeply memorable and unforgettable event in their life; some
may even have several. But for men, incest with their birth mother is probably
the most deeply memorable and unforgettable experience. At this moment, Old Zhao's disciple had asked her to go to Li Chao and try to awaken her son's mind with a deeply
memorable event. She also knew that for Li Chao, the most
deeply memorable or unforgettable experience was probably
the physical . Now, was she supposed to run to the square stone platform in the center of the square and
be intimate with Li Chao in front of so many people to awaken that deep-seated memory?

But to my surprise, Lu Zhaohui blushed, thought for only a moment, and then
made . "When will it begin?"

the disciple replied. "It will take a moment, depending on the injured man's condition within the Agarwood Village."

Lu Zhaohui bit her lower lip tightly, her expression resolute,
but her eyes filled with pain and inner turmoil. She seemed to understand
the consequences of using such a "heart-wrenching" method to awaken Li Chao's consciousness. Clearly,
she was disregarding everything else. As long as Li Chao lived, she was prepared to completely abandon reputation, face, shame, and
everything .

Realizing this, I felt a deep sympathy for the choice she faced.

I used to despise her, thinking her a shameless woman who would commit incest with her own
son . But through contact and interaction, I gradually came to understand her better. No matter
how strong and domineering she appeared on the surface, deep down, she was still a
vulnerable woman yearning for understanding and love. I can even roughly guess the specific reasons why she developed that unspeakable relationship
with . Her husband had a new lover, and she was neglected. But her status and
position made it difficult for her to seek a new lover like her husband. After all, people's hearts are unpredictable, and if she encountered someone
with ulterior motives , her disgrace would be the least of her worries; her husband's political future would also be affected. You must
understand that her marriage with that Li Chao was no longer a simple matter of marriage and family;
it had been completely controlled by political elements—the so-called "one for all, all for one." Therefore,
divorce was completely ruled out. For this reason, she could only place all her affections
on her son, Li Chao, wholeheartedly loving and nurturing him. Unconsciously, simple maternal love transcended the ordinary
mother-son relationship. She was a woman, needing the affection of the opposite sex and fulfilling her physical needs. As a man, I am well aware of
the Oedipus complex that inevitably exists in men during their growth. Furthermore, Lu Zhaohui is a stunningly beautiful woman;
with a mother's affection and a son's love, it's easy to cross ethical and moral boundaries without realizing it. Moreover, having witnessed
the situations between Lin Meimei and her son, and He Yanqiu and her son, I've unconsciously developed
a certain . Although I still feel disgust and contempt, I've also developed
a degree of acceptance of this behavior. After all, for me, existence is its own justification—a principle I've always adhered to.

For this reason, I unconsciously leaned close to Lu Zhaohui's ear and whispered, "If you
think it's okay, I'll go with you later. If needed, I'll try to cover for you."

Lu Zhaohui turned her head sharply, staring at me, her pupils dilating. "W-what did you say?"

I gritted my teeth, thinking that since I'd already revealed my true feelings, I might as well be honest with her. I immediately
lowered my voice again and whispered... "I saw something I shouldn't have seen at the stone tablet in the tunnel.
I kept it a secret before. Now, I roughly guess what you'll do to wake Boss Li. It
's all in front of everyone. You're A-Guang's godmother, and you're very protective of me. I think it's time for me to do my best
to help you..."

My words struck Lu Zhaohui's heart like a heavy hammer. She probably never
expected that I already knew about the "secret" relationship between her and Li Chao. Her eyes widened as she
stared at me, her breathing becoming unusually rapid... After a while, she seemed to have made up her mind and
nodded to me. She leaned up and whispered in my ear, "Thank you. Since you already knew, now I
can only rely on you to help me cover it up. I believe you because you've never done anything to hurt me."

I nodded solemnly to her. Just then,
the aura surrounding the stone altar in the plaza at the heart of the whirlwind began to change. The green light that had been gathering and swirling around the
aura it, giving the pale white a hint of green. Faintly, people
heard a soft groan coming from within the aura…

The disciple who had been watching the situation closely showed delight. Turning to Lu Zhaohui, he said, “
Madam Lu, it seems your son is beginning to regain consciousness. Now, please move to the altar and try
to bring him fully awake.”

Lu Zhaohui looked at me, and I said, “The wind is still too strong. Can I help Madam Lu over?” The

disciple nodded. “When the injured person is delirious, they may unintentionally bite or scratch
others , which is why close friends or family members are sent to awaken them. After all, it’s not necessary for unrelated people to take that
risk. If you’re worried about Madam Lu, feel free to accompany her.”

Thinking this, Lu Zhaohui and I exchanged a glance, then turned our attention to the others around us. Even
with the clothes I was wearing, my body alone was clearly not enough to block the gazes from all around. My first
instinct was to find a large piece of woven fabric. I had already thought of a reason for carrying it: to shield Lu Zhaohui from the wind.
Looking around, I suddenly saw an armed guard behind He Qiang, leaning against a corner of the house, smoking and peering warily through
a crack towards the forest. He was wearing a white, cloak-like object.
I glanced at it; it must be a "chawa," a garment used by the Yi people to keep warm. I immediately walked over to the man.
" Brother, it's windy outside. I'd like to borrow your chawa to shield Mrs. Lu from the wind, is that alright?"

The armed guard turned and glanced at me. He was slightly short, with thin features, but he had a kind of
piercing, intelligent air about him. He paused, took off the chawa, and handed it to me, saying, "
Remember to ." Then, he turned back to observe the situation in the eastern jungle.

I quickly walked to Lu Zhaohui's side, carrying the chawa, and then, supporting her against the still raging whirlwind,
we walked with difficulty to the edge of the air mass.

As we approached the air mass, the so-called "agarwood settlement," which had been condensed around the altar by some unknown force,
was instantly swept away by the surrounding whirlwind and vanished into the air.

The moment the smoke disappeared, Li Chao, lying on the stone platform, was revealed. Seeing Li Chao, I
couldn't help but feel genuine admiration for the old man Zhao on the altar. Tang Hui's assessment of him as
a leading figure in the exorcist profession was clearly not an exaggeration. When I recounted my experience to Lu Zhaohui earlier
, I had secretly observed Li Chao's condition. At that time, Li Chao was completely naked,
his skin was black, covered in dense black patches and various horrifying, festering sores
, and he was unconscious, barely showing any signs of life. But now, apart from his limbs and
sides remaining unchanged, at least his entire torso had largely returned to normal skin
color. While traces of the dense black patches were still visible, they were extremely faint
. The festering sores on his torso had vanished completely. Most importantly, Li Chao's body had begun
to breathe normally. Seeing this, Lu Zhaohui could no longer contain her joy and
threw herself into Li Chao's arms, embracing his body and crying out in a hoarse voice. "Xiao Chao,
Xiao Chao... You're saved! You're saved! Open your eyes, look at your mother, look at your mother! It's me, it's your mother!"

Old Zhao, on the distant altar, noticed Lu Zhaohui's intense emotional outburst. He shook his head slightly,
turned his back to us, and sat cross-legged before the large black stone cauldron. His hands formed a series of hand seals, and he began
chanting , seemingly performing the final stages of a ritual.

Lu Zhaohui rubbed her face against Li Chao's face with all her might. Finally, Li Chao seemed to sense
the external influence and slowly opened his eyes. Realizing Li Chao had opened his eyes, Lu Zhaohui propped herself up,
looked down into Li Chao's eyes, and cried and laughed at the

same time. But Li Chao seemed not to recognize Lu Zhaohui, his eyes blankly fixed on her face,
his expression vacant, like an idiot.

Lu Zhaohui remembered the disciple's instructions, looked around, and finally suddenly lowered her head and kissed
Li Chao's lips. I realized that Lu Zhaohui had decided to do whatever it took to restore Li Chao's consciousness and memory, to do
what was "the most profound and unforgettable memory" between them. I quickly flung Charva aside, using it
to cover most of Lu Zhaohui and Li Chao
's bodies. Since the whirlwind was still raging, to prevent Charva from being blown away, I had to press myself against Lu Zhaohui's back, raising my arms and
bracing to maintain Charva's current shape.

My actions successfully blocked what was happening on the platform and obstructed the view of the people gathering at the stone altar in the
distance . Whatever they saw, they might have doubts, but
they definitely wouldn't see what was happening within Charva's obstruction. Without seeing the specifics, whatever their suspicions
, Lu Zhaohui and I could have explanations and excuses to shut them up.

Lu Zhaohui lowered her head, stuck out her tongue, and licked Li Chao's lips. Li Chao seemed to
react, unconsciously opening his mouth slightly, and Lu Zhaohui's tongue immediately went in, swirling
around .

Li Chao must have sensed his mother's tongue in his mouth, and instinctively responded,
his tongue intertwining with Lu Zhaohui's. A soft "sizzling"
sound emanated from their mouths. Realizing her method was effective, and that her son might be returning to normal under her influence, Lu Zhaohui couldn't help but
tremble violently. It was unclear whether it was from joy or from the instinctive physiological reaction
triggered .

At this moment, I felt somewhat awkward. To completely cover the mother and son's actions, I had to press
myself close behind Lu Zhaohui, placing my hands directly above them, adjusting the coverage of my Charva.
This naturally brought my lower body against Lu Zhaohui's protruding buttocks. Her body trembled,
and her full, round buttocks rubbed against my crotch. I couldn't easily adjust my position; if I tried
to , my Charva might lift and expose me. I could only bend over and stick out my buttocks as much as possible
to avoid too much contact between my body and Lu Zhaohui's buttocks.

Lu Zhaohui was completely focused on Li Chao at the moment, and even if she felt her buttocks
touching , she didn't care at all.

While Lu Zhaohui was passionately kissing her son with her tongue, her hands instinctively went to her son's
chest, accurately found his two nipples, and immediately began to pinch and tease them with her fingers. Judging
from the skill of her technique, this was probably a common method in her and her son's foreplay.

At this moment, I was beginning to regret volunteering to cover for Lu Zhaohui. On the one hand, in order to
keep the mother and son's behavior discreet, I had to maintain a very awkward position to maintain the
"veil" made of charcoal; on the other hand, I was a normal man, and seeing Lu Zhaohui
's provocative behavior towards Li Chao, I naturally began to have a physical reaction. The thing between my legs gradually became hard
uncontrollably .

Lu Zhaohui felt Li Chao's nipples harden, so she stopped kissing him and
looked at his face. Li Chao's expression remained blank, but a glimmer of
light gradually appeared in his eyes, though it seemed more like a yearning for physical desire. This clearly showed that he
was gradually regaining his sense of reality from a state of confused ignorance.

Lu Zhaohui bit her lip, lowered her head again, and kissed
and licked Li Chao's chin, neck, and chest, licking him frantically with her tongue. Li Chao opened his mouth wide, making soft "hoarse"
sounds in his throat, his slightly purple lips trembling slightly, and a comfortable and satisfied
expression . At the same time, the only part of his dark legs with normal skin began to show normal physiological reactions, gradually
becoming engorged, hard, and erect.

Lu Zhaohui noticed this out of the corner of her eye and immediately turned her body quickly, shifting her head to
Li Chao's lower body. Her turning around caused her plump, fleshy buttocks to rub heavily against my genitals.
My penis immediately twitched outwards, as if jumping outwards. This time the reaction was a bit stronger; Lu Zhaohui clearly
felt me bump against her buttocks. She had just been holding her son's penis with her left hand, about to make
a move, but now she turned her head to look at me. Facing Lu Zhaohui's slightly surprised gaze, I gave her
an extremely awkward expression. I didn't know how to explain, but unexpectedly, she smiled at me and actually
stroked my groin area with her right hand, saying, "It's a normal physiological reaction for men, nothing
to be embarrassed about." She then withdrew her hand, turning her attention back to her son's erect
penis.

Clearly, she realized Li Chao's recovery was promising, and her heart was filled with joy.
She didn't care at all about my abruptness and offense. Moreover, she already knew I was involved in their incestuous relationship
, and she didn't care about displaying her "intimate relationship" with her son in front of me. She lowered her head and brought her mouth to
her son's genitals, sticking out her tongue and directly touching the tip of the glans, then swirling her tongue around
the rapidly, her movements extremely practiced. At this moment, feeling the intense stimulation in his lower body
, Li Chao finally let out an involuntary groan under the extreme physical pleasure.

Li Chao reacted noticeably, and Lu Zhaohui went even further, opening her mouth wide and
swallowing her son's entire penis whole, swirling it around in her mouth with her tongue. Li Chao's glans pushed against her cheek, like
a constantly shifting lump on her face.

The sucking sounds, "smack, smack," assaulted my eardrums. This caused my penis to
involuntarily remain erect, and since there was nowhere to put it, I could only keep it pressed against Lu Zhaohui's buttocks
. Lu Zhaohui didn't seem angry or disgusted by this; instead, while performing oral sex on her son, she freed her right hand
and reached behind her, stroking and pressing my penis several times through my pants.

Clearly, Lu Zhaohui was extremely experienced sexually and exceptionally knowledgeable about male physiology.
Although her main attention was on her son's genitals, while stroking and pressing my genitals, she
accurately found and stimulated the most sensitive tip of my penis, which was driving me to the brink of climax. Finally,
unable to hold back any longer, I spoke softly, half pleading, half threatening, to her. "Aunt Lu, please let me go. If you keep going,
I'll lose control and become a beast."

Lu Zhaohui was clearly in a good mood at this moment, because she noticed that Li Chao's eyes were starting to
move and look down. Moreover, his facial expressions were
changing , indicating that Li Chao's mind was rapidly recovering. Therefore, she didn't care about
my feelings at all. She spat out Li Chao's penis, turned her head and gave me a seductive smile that was almost provocative.

"You can't take it? When we get back, I'll try to prepare a good reward for you.
I don't know if you can handle it."

Obviously, she also realized that at this moment, her relationship with me had gone beyond the ordinary "elder" and
"junior". Since we had already crossed the line, there was no need to maintain false politeness.
It would be more comfortable to talk about certain things openly.

"What kind of thank-you gift?" Noticing that the whirlwind around me was beginning to weaken and gradually disappear, I felt somewhat helpless and
could only try to shift my physical attention to the conversation.

"A beauty like Jingyi is hard to find even with a lantern, but as many models, anchors, actors, etc., as you
want , I can arrange as many as you want. Just don't say that I arranged it for you if Jingyi catches you."
After saying that, Lu Zhaohui chuckled at me, then turned her head again, focusing her energy on waking up her son's "
unforgettable " memories.

She spat on Li Chao's penis, rubbed it up and down with her hand a couple of times, then opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue,
starting to lick the entire shaft up and down with her tongue. Because it was inconvenient to move her body position,
she could only stretch her neck from time to time, trying her best to bring her face and tongue to the base of Li Chao's legs. After several
attempts , she finally succeeded in sucking one of Li Chao's testicles into her mouth. Due to the position, she could only
hold it in her mouth for a few moments before reluctantly spitting it out.

At this moment, Lu Zhaohui was devoid of her usual dignified and elegant demeanor. Her face was filled with extreme
hunger and wantonness. Perhaps for her, this opportunity to be so intimate with her son again had been
a long time .

She opened her mouth and slowly swallowed her son's penis from top to bottom, swirling it around in her mouth for a while,
completing a standard "deep throat." After that, Lu Zhaohui spat out the penis, staring at it with glazed eyes for a long time,
her hand naturally reaching for her waist.

Realizing that she might be planning to take off her pants and sit on him, I hurriedly reminded her, "Aunt Lu, you're not planning
to sit on a lotus position, are you? If you really sit on him, I won't be able to completely cover you up!"
At this moment I also simply abandoned all meaningless pretense and restraint, speaking without restraint.

Lu Zhaohui was stunned for a moment, quickly realizing that what she was doing was inappropriate. At this moment, Li Chao had clearly reached
a point of intense desire. He slowly twisted his neck, his gaze fixed on his mother,
his eyes filled with longing and anticipation. His penis, stimulated by this intense physical urge, trembled
naturally . Simultaneously, he began to utter sounds like "Mom, Mom..." This meant
he was beginning to recall Lu Zhaohui's identity to him!

"What should we do? I know Xiao Chao's situation. It's difficult to make him ejaculate just with his mouth!" Lu
Zhaohui understood. She knew she had already covered for him for so long; asking her to disregard everything and sit on Li Chao...
If we were to have sex directly in the woman-on-top position, all our previous efforts would be in vain, and her
incestuous would be completely exposed to everyone. But it was clear that if Li Chao couldn't achieve
orgasm, he might not be able to fully regain his senses. Thinking of this, I noticed Lu Zhaohui's high and
full breasts, and then gestured towards her with my lips. "Have you ever given him a blowjob before? If so,
try it now..."

At this moment, I was speechless with myself. I actually gave Lu Zhaohui advice, suggesting that she satisfy her
own son's sexual desires.

Lu Zhaohui was stunned for a moment, then reacted,
bringing

her face close to mine, and to my astonishment, she kissed me on the lips, then turned around and unbuttoned her top. The moment the bra clasp came undone, Lu Zhaohui's breasts bounced out. I couldn't help but
swallow hard; a mature woman nearing fifty, yet her breasts still possessed such elasticity. Age aside, Lu Zhaohui
was undoubtedly a stunning beauty. No wonder Li Chao was so infatuated with his own mother, even going so far as to
abandon ethics and morality to commit incest with her.

"If my mother had a figure like that, with breasts like those, perhaps I would...
" I shook my head in alarm at the sudden thought, banishing it
from my mind. "That's impossible. That's just your unrealistic fantasy. It's
a Diops complex... Mother is long gone. How could I possibly defile her like that in my mind
..."

Lu Zhaohui cupped her large breasts and knelt between Li Chao's legs, trapping his
already erect
penis . At the same time, she lowered her head, sticking out her tongue and licking the glans.

Li Chao's body began to tremble violently. Lu Zhaohui felt her son's physical reaction, and
her movements intensified, even squeezing her breasts out of shape, hoping to increase the contact area and friction with her son's
penis .

A moment later, Li Chao's body swayed violently up and down a few times, and white fluid seemed to be squeezed out by Lu Zhaohui's
breasts , spraying directly onto her face. More of it landed
on Lu Zhaohui's snow-white breasts…

Li Chao let out a long breath, his previously numb and blank face transforming into a normal expression of
satisfaction . Lu Zhaohui turned her body again, bringing her face close to Li Chao's. In front of him, she
wiped the semen off her face and put it in her mouth, swallowing every last drop.

Li Chao smiled, looking at Lu Zhaohui buttoning her shirt, and said, "Mom,
it really is you… I feel like I've had a nightmare…"

Before Li Chao could finish speaking… Suddenly, I heard a
loud The sound was very familiar, and the word "grenade launcher" flashed into my mind.

Distance? Landing point?

A bomb then landed two or three meters away from the other side of the stone platform and exploded. In
the instant before the bomb hit the ground, I reacted quickly, pulling Lu Zhaohui along and dragging her to the ground
.

Thankfully, the grenade launcher had fired a hand grenade, not a mortar shell. Its power and kill radius were limited,
and the center of the square blocked the impact. Aside from a ringing in our ears, Lu Zhaohui and I were basically
unharmed. But when Lu Zhaohui struggled to her feet and glanced at Li Chao lying on the stone platform, she immediately
knelt down beside it, letting out a heart-wrenching wail...

Li Chao, lying on the platform, had his eyes wide open, his face filled with disbelief. His head and body,
facing the direction of the explosion, were riddled with visible shrapnel, torn flesh, and black
lacerations and burns.

I only glanced at him before realizing Li Chao was dead! His current physical condition, expression
, and the extent of his injuries all proved this.

"Someone's coming this way from the woods!"

"Fire! Fire! Stop them!"

"Protect Mrs. Lu!"

Because the attack came so suddenly, the armed guards scattered around the plaza only reacted in disarray after hearing Lu Zhaohui's cries
. But clearly, their reaction was too slow. Just as
they were each taking their own actions based on their judgment,
two more loud "bangs" echoed from the edge of the woods to the east.

My pupils dilated sharply, and I reached out to pull Lu Zhaohui away. The woman was clearly
overwhelmed by grief and resisted my pull, refusing to leave Li Chao's body.
At that moment, I realized that I couldn't take Lu Zhaohui away without force. I pulled hard,
dragging her off the stone platform, and ran recklessly towards our sheltered earthen hut to the side.

The first bomb had missed the stone platform by two or three meters. The personnel operating the grenade launcher were extremely experienced;
after a few moments, they adjusted the scale and direction based on the location of the first bomb's impact. Just as I dragged Lu Zhaohui several meters from
the stone platform and collapsed to the ground, two more bombs struck the platform with perfect accuracy.
Li Chao, Boss Li's body was instantly blown to pieces, limbs and severed arms flying onto the stone slabs
surrounding .

Simultaneously with the second explosion, the armed guards who had been sheltering inside the building finally reacted,
forming three or four firing positions using the rubble as cover, and began
firing .

He Qiang, Leopard, Jack Fred, Cai Yong, and several other armed guards who had been sheltering in the earthen hut rushed out
, arriving a moment later beside Lu Zhaohui and me. Without a word, He Qiang and Leopard each grabbed
Lu Zhaohui's arms and rushed towards the hut. The German helped me up, and with
the support and protection of Cai Yong and the other armed guards, we ran towards the hut. Seeing Zhou
Jingyi , signaling her to go back. Seeing me running and confirming I was unharmed,
Zhou Jingyi turned and ran to He Qiang and Leopard, and together they, as if holding Lu Zhaohui hostage, pulled her inside.
We entered the earthen hut. The others, along with me, followed closely behind.

"What's going on? Who are those people?"

As soon as we entered, I saw Old Zhao. He reacted quickly; the moment the first bomb fell, he
sprinted down from the top of the pyramid altar and ran into the hut. He was standing next to an armed guard, looking completely bewildered, and loudly questioning him. 　　The armed guard Old Zhao was asking was the same short, thin man with piercing eyes . 　　The short man leaned against a gap in the earthen wall, not firing, but calmly watching the situation . He didn't answer Old Zhao's question. At this moment, the people in the jungle began to respond to the armed guard's fire, and gunfire rose and fell. After observing and listening for a moment, the short man spoke, as if explaining, yet also muttering to himself: "Two grenade launchers, thirty to forty fully automatic rifles of various models, and six or seven semi-automatic rifles, probably all Type 56 semi-automatic. No machine guns, and they must have fired more than just these three grenades. Their firepower is stronger than ours. The grenade launcher operator is an expert, with accurate aim. If they keep firing like this, we're doomed ..." 　　I was taken aback by the short man's words. I was also observing the battle outside through a gap in the low wall, trying to make a basic assessment of the enemy's firepower. However, I hadn't yet made a reasonable guess about the types and quantities of their weapons, while this short man had already roughly described their equipment . 　　"Can't win? If we can't win, we should run!" The German immediately offered his suggestion after hearing the short man's words . I wasn't surprised that he wanted to slip away. Although this guy was German, I couldn't see any of the glorious traditions of bravery and tenacity of Teutonic Knights or Junker nobles in him. His Jewish ancestry was also questionable, given that Israel was now surrounded by powerful enemies, and the perseverance of fighting alone amidst a host of Arab countries was nowhere to be seen in him. 　　"I want to run too, but I'm a mercenary. Once the contract is signed, I'll act according to it. Whether to fight or run is not up to me, it's up to the employer." It turned out that this short man was actually the leader of the armed guards hired by Lu Zhaohui for this operation. At this moment, he turned his head, his bright eyes looking at Lu Zhaohui, who was curled up in a ball, shivering in the corner, being held by Zhou Jingyi... 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter 83 　　Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on her, Zhou Jingyi, who was holding Lu Zhaohui in her arms, immediately glared and started yelling at everyone. "You're all bastards! Aunt Lu is like this, and you still want her to make decisions! You're all men!" 　　At this moment, Lu Zhaohui's eyes were empty, her expression was blank, her head was resting on Zhou Jingyi's chest, and her whole body was just twitching. Although she had stopped crying sometime earlier, it was clear that she had completely broken down mentally... 　　"Are you sure you can't win?" He Qiang, the leader, frowned and asked the short mercenary for confirmation. 　　"If the other side were just a hastily assembled rabble, I'm confident I can lead the brothers to drive them away. But it seems that's not the case now. Although they're firing, they're actually testing our firepower and the few strongpoints where our personnel are concentrated. And if I'm not mistaken, their leader is probably an old hand like me. We just heard gunfire from the south and north, so they must have split into two groups and are flanking us from both directions. With the accuracy of those grenade launchers, not all of them, but a large portion of them are probably professional mercenaries like us. Now they outnumber us and have more firepower than us. If we fight on, they can wipe us all out..." The short man was clearly a seasoned veteran. Although he realized that his side was at a disadvantage, he still maintained a calm and peaceful tone. 　　"Can we break out?" He Qiang asked again. 　　"Definitely. They're flanking us from the north and south, their goal is to surround us from all sides, deliberately leaving the west open for us to leave. This shows they're not really interested in a fight to the death. Opening fire now is just to intimidate and drive us away; their real purpose is to get us out of the ancient city." The dwarf explained calmly. 　　He Qiang looked at Lu Zhaohui again, and finally gritted his teeth and said, "You have an employment contract with our Wanmei Group. President Lu can't make a decision right now. I'm the head of security at Wanmei Group, and I'm in charge here. Organize the evacuation of the ancient city immediately." 　　As soon as He Qiang finished speaking, Old Zhao shouted. "Evacuate? No way." He turned to the dwarf and asked, "If we hold out, how long can you hold out?" 　　"Why can't we evacuate? If we hold out, people will die! Master Zhao, what do you mean by this?" Although He Qiang was a tomb raider, he was extremely loyal and valued the safety of his partners. Especially after the incident, his brothers suffered heavy losses. Although they successfully cleaned up their act and joined the Wanmei Group, he also valued the lives of his comrades even more! 　　"He Qiang, you're just a tomb raider, what do you know! Do you think this is like those ancient tombs you dug up in the past? You think you can just dig a tunnel out from somewhere else? This is Xia Yu City, and the entire valley is covered by the Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams Bewitching Array! To leave this valley safely, you must offer sacrifices and complete a ritual in this city. Then you can exit through the passage opened in this square. Otherwise, no one can easily escape this bewitching array!" Zhao Zhongyuan now revealed his reason for opposing the withdrawal from the ancient city. 　　Hearing this, everyone understood. It turned out that the place to leave this valley was in the center of the ancient city . However, a ritual was required, and sacrifices were offered before a passage leading out of the valley would be opened within the city. 　　"How long does the ritual take?" the dwarf asked immediately after understanding. 　　"This...this...it will take at least an hour and a half!" Zhao Zhongyuan said. 　　"That's impossible. They have grenade launchers, and if they attack from three sides, even without considering ammunition consumption, my men and I can only hold out for half an hour at most. Any longer, and the result will definitely be total annihilation!" The short man shook his head, giving the longest period he could hold out. 　　"I say, Master Zhao, why are you so stubborn? We're just taking temporary refuge. Let's retreat now..."

"Let them have this place. We can come back after they leave, and then we can perform the ritual and offer sacrifices
to open the passage, right?" He Qiang understood that the mercenaries like the dwarf couldn't hold out for three hours.
He then explained his solution to Zhao Zhongyuan.

"The ritual can be performed again, but once we leave the city, it's hard to say how long we'll survive. There's the afternoon
blood rain , the patrolling ghost soldiers. The most crucial thing is the sacrifice. If I'm not mistaken, Master, you certainly wouldn't use human blood
sacrifice. You've prepared pseudo-Four Symbols or fresh Heavenly Demon blood, right? These things must
be used on the same day once we enter the valley; they won't work overnight." Zhao Zhongyuan didn't speak, but Shama Ayi, who had been
silently , suddenly spoke up.

"Human blood sacrifice? How could I use such a cruel method? Of course, I'll use pseudo-Four Symbols! Eh...
who are you, girl? How do you know these things?" Zhao Zhongyuan nodded first, then noticed Shama Ayi
speaking and asked in surprise.

"I know the sacrificial ritual and method too. When I came in with others, we originally planned to
leave using this method. However, an accident happened along the way, and we didn't have time to perform the ritual. So we were forced to stay here, and I
've been here for eleven years." Sama said to Zhao Zhongyuan, while taking out her exorcism bell and
showing it to him.

"Eh... this bell? You're from the Meigu Sama Wusa family?" Zhao Zhongyuan immediately recognized
Sama Aiyi's background upon seeing the bell.

"Sama Wusa is my uncle..." Sama then confessed her relationship with the Sama Wusa mentioned by Zhao Zhongyuan
. At the same time, she turned her gaze to Cai Yong and the German guy and the others. "I know you've been doubting
me, because I told you before that there was no other way to leave the valley except for the cave I discovered.
Now I want to explain that I didn't mean to deceive you. I know how Master Zhao and the others left
. But in this valley, the offerings needed for the ritual are nowhere to be found. Telling you would be
pointless ."

"Pseudo Four Symbols? Could it be a peacock, a python, a tortoise, and a tiger? I see, these things
probably can't be found in this valley." Cai Yong's face showed a look of realization, and his expression towards Shama softened
.

"Do you understand now? To leave the valley smoothly, we must firmly control this altar
area so that I can complete the sacrificial ritual. Otherwise, we'll be stuck in this valley forever, just like this girl
!" Zhao Zhongyuan's eyes widened as he emphasized the importance of guarding this place.

"This..." He Qiang hesitated at this moment. Especially after hearing Shama say that he had been trapped in the valley
for eleven years, he was caught in a dilemma.

Evacuating Xia Yu City could temporarily guarantee the safety of everyone. However, they might miss the sacrificial
ceremony and be trapped in this valley like Shama. Holding on until Zhao Zhongyuan immediately begins the
ceremony might not guarantee they'll survive until it's complete and the passage opens. And even if
they do survive until the passage opens, it's uncertain how many of them will survive the enemy's attack.

"Nothing in this world is more precious than human life..."

At that moment, Lu Zhaohui, who had been lying in Zhou Jingyi's arms, suddenly regained her senses.
She pushed Zhou Jingyi away, swayed, and stood up, leaning against the wall. She then uttered the final
words that would determine their next move!

"Ma Kui, you and Mr. Tang will lead three men to clear the way. Liu Bin, you will lead three men to guard the north. Zhang
Zijiao, you three will guard the south. Zou Ping'an, you will lead men to ensure the safety of President Lu and the others. I will
stay behind with two men to cover the rear." The short man gave the armed guards who had arrived after receiving his notification
the order to withdraw from Xia Yu City. He then turned and bowed deeply to Lu Zhaohui. He began, "Regardless
of the outcome this time, if you need mercenaries again, Mr. Lu, please have Mr. Tang contact me,
Xie Zhengnan . I will offer you the best price. I've met many employers, but you are undoubtedly the most
respectable one."

Without waiting for Lu Zhaohui's response, the short Xie Zhengnan left the earthen house with two armed guards.
Immediately afterward, the armed guards scattered throughout the ancient city center deployed under Xie Zhengnan's instructions.
We including Master Zhao and his two disciples, as well as Lu Zhaohui, He Qiang, and others
, began our retreat westward from the ancient city under the protection of Zou Ping'an and several other armed guards. Passing by
the earthen house , we saw the "sacrifice" Zhao Zhongyuan had prepared to open the passage out of the city.
The peacock and tortoise were one thing, but the so-called "tiger," which replaced the "White Tiger" of the Four Symbols, was actually
a tiger cub that was probably only one or two months old. I don't know what connections the old man used, but he actually
managed to get one...

Upon seeing the tiger cub, Zhou Jingyi was instantly overcome with maternal instinct and insisted on taking the cub with her. Perhaps
feeling that the prepared offerings, apart from the python locked in the cage, weren't
a burden to carry, Old Zhao didn't interfere much. Zhou Jingyi immediately scooped the tiger cub into her arms and helped
Lu Zhaohui along. Old Zhao's two disciples followed suit, one carrying a peacock and the other
a tortoise...

Just as Xie Zhengnan had predicted. The real purpose of the armed men outside the city attacking us was
to drive us away from the town center. They deduced our intentions from our movements.
They stopped firing and merely monitored our actions from a distance.

However, just as my group, the largest of ours, reached the westernmost edge of the ruins of Xia Yu City,
the armed men who had quickly moved in and controlled the center of the ancient city suddenly opened
fire and fired two more grenades with a grenade launcher.

The attack came somewhat unexpectedly. Although the bombs landed inaccurately, only
about ten meters away from our team, they still caused some chaos within our ranks.
Chen Ying and Qi Ying, in particular, screamed and ran around in panic at the renewed attack. Lu Zhaohui, supported by
Zhou Jingyi also somewhat bewildered; she couldn't understand why the enemy had previously ceased fire and watched us...

"We've already retreated, so why are they attacking us again now that we're about to leave Xia Yu City ?

" The mercenaries, including He Qiang and Zou Ping'an, understood perfectly well. "Those sons of bitches, despicable and
shameless ! The city has buildings for cover and concealment, making it difficult for them to attack. So they deliberately made
it seem like they were letting us retreat, but they actually wanted to lure us into the relatively open woods to fight..." He Qiang cursed,
desperately shouting and urging the chaotic ranks to focus their attention.

Although He Qiang cursed, Zou Ping'an and I could only remain silent and cooperate with him to gather the men together.
Clearly, the other side had tricked us. They had played us, even Xie Zhengnan, that old soldier.
But as the saying goes, all's fair in war! Although neither side was a regular army, the situation was now
a standard armed conflict, a battle. In war, one fights however is convenient, whatever is advantageous to oneself
. All the actions of the opposing commander were understandable...

Xie Zhengnan, who was covering the rear, realized he had been misled and deceived and immediately took
countermeasures . He loudly called for the armed guards on both flanks to move closer and reinforce their firepower, while simultaneously
launching a fierce counterattack against the pursuers behind them, sparing no ammunition.

Xie Zhengnan and his men's fierce counterattack was quite effective. Judging from
the fact that the enemy was forced to slow their pursuit, Xie Zhengnan was correct in at least one judgment: their primary objective was indeed to drive
them out of the ancient city, and only then would they consider eliminating them. Now that their primary objective had been achieved,
facing the fierce counterattack from Xie Zhengnan and his rearguard, they likely considered the possibility of casualties and
thus relaxed their pursuit. After all, their primary objective had been achieved; if they could take advantage of the chaos to
launch a major attack, that would be ideal, but if not, there was no need to continue the pursuit.

Therefore, although the two sides exchanged fire for nearly ten minutes,
it seemed that neither side had inflicted any new casualties. From
being to the gradual disengagement of the two sides... The only real casualty was Mr. Li, Li Chao, who was unfortunately
blown to pieces. Realizing this, I glanced helplessly at
Lu Zhaohui, whose eyes were vacant as she struggled forward, supported by Zhou Jingyi, Chen Ying, Qingying, and a few other women.
Reality was far too cruel for her.

She had spared no expense, hiring the master Zhao Zhongyuan, spending countless sums of money, even
abandoning her reputation and self-respect to expose her illicit relationship with her son to me. Seeing her son's
life finally saved, this joy lasted only a fleeting moment. For some reason, I felt a deep
sense of sympathy and pity for her. I couldn't help but wonder if I
should try to comfort her…

To avoid being flanked and trapped near the cliff,
Mr. Tang and Ma Kui led us away from the cliff route, choosing instead
to advance westward through the jungle. After confirming that they had gained a considerable distance from the pursuers, Xie Zhengnan, who was covering the rear, led his men
to speed up and jog to catch up with the main force in the center. Our group of about thirty people
continued westward through the jungle for nearly an hour. The dense vegetation made walking difficult, and
with several women in the group, I estimate we had
only . Fortunately, the pursuers seemed to have given up on continuing
their pursuit and attack.

This allowed us to finally catch our breath and begin discussing our next plans. Old Zhao
looked up at the sky, then unbuttoned the top few buttons of his bright red Tang suit to cool off before turning to ask
Shama, "Shama's girl, you've been trapped here for so long. You must be very familiar with the climate changes in this valley now
. How long do you think it will be before the blood rain falls?"

Hearing Old Zhao's question, the German, Cai Yong, and I exchanged glances. It seems Zhao
Zhongyuan has a very high level of knowledge about this valley and Xia Yu City.

Shama didn't seem surprised by the old man's question, and after observing him for a moment, he gave
a precise answer. "An hour later, but definitely no later than an hour and a half!"

"Phew..." The old man Zhao sighed seriously. "In the ancient city, those earthen houses and stone houses, although
dilapidated, were enough to shelter from the blood rain. Now it's troublesome. If we can't find shelter before it rains,
we'll all be soaked to the bone. Do you know any places around here where we can take shelter?"

"I know a few places, but..." Shama shook his head and explained. "Those places are all very
small. I used to be able to hide there by myself, but now with so many of us here, I'm afraid there won't be a single
place where everyone can fit."

The old man Zhao then frowned. The German, however, seemed to remember something and asked Shama,
"What about that cave halfway up the cliff that you originally planned to take us to? How big is it? If it's
the same size as the cave you're staying in, all of us here can squeeze in!"

Shama first glared at the German fiercely, clearly expressing her disgust, before
explaining to Old Zhao and the others, who showed a glimmer of hope, "That cave is a bit bigger than the one I'm staying in. If we can
get there, of course, it's no problem. However, the cave is located on the southwestern edge of the valley. But
we're already in the northwest. I'm worried that at our current pace, we might
not be able to get there before the rain starts."

Although Shama said this, Old Zhao's eyes lit up. "That's not necessarily true; it all depends on human effort!
The area of the valleys surrounding Xia Yu City is only a little over a hundred square kilometers, and the straight-line distance between east and west, and north and south, is only about ten
kilometers. Before, we had to guard against the pursuers behind us, which limited our speed. Now that we've confirmed they're no longer
chasing us, if we focus on getting there, we can speed up considerably. Your doubts about making it are just your
own estimation. As long as you don't deviate from the route, we still have a good chance of reaching the
place you mentioned before the rain."

Shama nodded, then looked around before pointing
south . "The master is right. In that case, I'll take you there immediately." He then led
the way south. Mr. Tang and several armed guards followed. He Qiang, Leopard, and the other armed guards
exchanged a few words with Cai Yong, Dong Jie, and the others, learning what "Blood Rain" was and how terrifying it was
. Their expressions changed immediately, and they quickly followed, surrounding Zhou Jingyi, Lu Zhaohui, and a group of women.
As the German passed Old Man Zhao, Old Man Zhao suddenly called out to him and handed the Yin-Yang Feng Shui plate
back to him.

"Young man, this compass isn't just for detecting yin and yang energy. It's a real waste that it's in your hands.
However, I don't have the habit of taking advantage of the younger generation. So, since we're all on the same side, I'll just return it to you.
Study it carefully, don't let this treasure lose its value."

The German probably didn't expect the old man to return the feng shui compass to him so readily. After receiving it, he was initially arrogant but later became obsequious and thanked
him profusely. Finally, when Old Man Zhao grew impatient, he put it away and followed the group ahead.

After seeing that the main group had already set off, Xie Zhengnan, the remaining three armed guards, and I escorted Zhao
Zhongyuan and his two apprentices to the back of the group.

At this point, everyone in the group knew that if they couldn't reach the cliffside cave that Shama had mentioned in advance,
they would likely be in grave danger. Driven by the thought of survival, the group's pace increased
significantly. After traveling for more than half an hour, comparing it with the simple map of the valley that Shama had drawn for us,
we felt that Old Man Zhao's decision was correct. If Shama's map is correct, and we maintain our current
pace , we might actually reach our destination in another half to forty minutes.
Judging from Shama's predicted rain time, we might even have ten minutes to climb that ten-meter-high cliff.
Most of us are strong mercenaries; once a few of them go up, they can quickly drag the
women and the weaker ones up as well.

Old Zhao seemed to have anticipated this as well, and his pace became more leisurely, far less
hurried than when we first set off. He even seemed to have a certain air of leisure, occasionally observing my condition. I'm
a man , but even I felt uneasy about the way Old Zhao was looking at me. Finally, I couldn't help but turn to him and ask
, "Master Zhao, why have you been staring at me all this time? Is there something strange about me?"

Old Zhao grinned. "Nothing? If I'm not mistaken, you're Honglian, aren't you?"

Hearing Old Zhao's words, I was stunned for a moment. Then I simply nodded in acknowledgment. I possess special abilities.
Wang Lie, Tang Hui, and even that German guy from Jack Fred's company all noticed something about me upon seeing me,
though they couldn't immediately pinpoint what those abilities were. The man before me, whom Tang Hui
considered a top expert in the exorcism field, naturally had a much sharper eye than the others.
It wasn't surprising that he recognized my special abilities and quickly identified them as those of the Crimson Lotus.

"You noticed? To be honest, although I know I'm the Crimson Lotus, I
still have no idea how to master or utilize these abilities." After acknowledging my Crimson Lotus
identity , I immediately explained my current situation to him with a self-deprecating laugh.

"Haha..." Old Zhao chuckled and patted my shoulder. "It's okay if you don't know how to use it!
These n't be rushed. And you can't rush it; everything must take its natural course, and things will fall into place."

Old Zhao's words seemed to echo the advice Wang Lie and Han Zhe had given me, which immediately brought me
some relief. Since learning I am the Crimson Lotus, I've felt dissatisfied with my
current situation . For example, when Liao Xiaoqian was killed, if I had already mastered the power of the Crimson Lotus, I probably
could have caught that arrogant female demon on the spot. And when that woman with the mole on her eyebrow was robbing my mother's grave,
if I could unleash the Crimson Lotus Flame, I could find her no matter where she went... But
all of this is just hypothetical. Therefore, I was once frustrated by my inability to comprehend the power of the Crimson Lotus within me.
But now, Old Zhao's words have given me some comfort. According to him, my inability to master
and control the power of the Crimson Lotus is not due to my laziness or incompetence, but simply because the time is not yet right for me to control it
.

"Speaking of which, while it's somewhat surprising that you're Honglian, what astonishes me even more is
the striking resemblance you to a senior I deeply respected back then. That's
the real reason I've been scrutinizing you all this way." Old Zhao's next words immediately
pulled me back from my contemplation of my own Honglian abilities.

"A senior you respected?" I blinked, looking at Old Zhao with confusion.

Old Zhao walked on, gazing at the faintly visible outline of the cliff in the distance, his gaze deep, as if
recalling the past, and spoke. "How old do you think I am?"

"Are you old? Hmm... over sixty, probably not seventy yet..." Although the old man's question clearly indicated
that his actual age was probably older than his appearance, I couldn't guess his
real age, so I still gave him my perceived age.

"Hehe, thank you for your kind words. To tell you the truth, I'm actually eighty-six years old..."
Old Zhao laughed, clearly quite proud of his relatively youthful appearance.

I was quite surprised to hear him say that. Because Mr. Tang told me that this old man was his senior apprentice, and
I had inquired about Mr. Tang's age; he was only in his early fifties. The age difference between these two apprentices was too great
. "What? You're eighty-six? But aren't you Mr. Tang's senior brother?"

"Tang Hui is my junior uncle's disciple. My junior uncle is two years younger than me, but the seniority is
there , and that can't be changed. I'm his senior brother, that's for sure. It's a pity,
but now our sect is only left with him and me. The younger generation of disciples have only learned a little bit; none of them will be able to
carry on the sect's legacy in the future." Old Zhao said, looking at the backs of his two disciples with a touch of melancholy.

Hearing the hint of sadness in the old man's voice, I quickly changed the subject to the person he mentioned.
He spoke of his highly respected senior. "You're already eighty-six, I wonder how old your senior must be?"

"Him? Well, if he were still alive, he'd probably be one hundred and thirty or forty. I remember he was
born at the end of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. I don't know his exact name, I only heard him say he passed the imperial examination at the county level.
I've in this business for almost seventy years, and I've seen all sorts of people. But no one has as
broad of knowledge as this man, and he knows so much about various esoteric arts and sectarian techniques. Of all
the people I've met over the years, only Han Zhe, who works alongside Wang Lie, has a similar temperament to this man. But even so, Han Zhe, even if he
spent his whole life, probably wouldn't reach even a fraction of this man's knowledge." Old Zhao recalled casually.

"Han Zhe won't even reach a fraction of this man's knowledge?" Old Zhao knew Wang Lie and also knew Han Zhe,
so it wasn't surprising. But the key was that his evaluation of Han Zhe and that senior expert born in the Qing Dynasty was something I
really couldn't agree with. When I first met Han Zhe, I didn't realize how vast his knowledge was. But as
our conversations deepened, I discovered that Han Zhe was practically an "encyclopedia of the supernatural."
There wasn't a single ghost, monster, deity, or spirit I could think of that he didn't know or understand. And in Old Zhao's
eyes, how could such a dedicated researcher be inferior to that
"what if" senior figure he mentioned? " Who knows how learned that senior was…

"Of course, that's just a figure of speech. Han Zhe is very smart, and his future achievements may not be inferior to that
senior's , but right now, he's still far behind. Hmm, when I was young, I received
guidance from that senior and met him a few times. But unfortunately, I still haven't found out his real name,
only his pen name, which I remember as Master of the Leisurely Studio… Hehe, that pen name is quite fitting. In that
era there were very few cultured people like him who studied Qimen Dunjia and sectarian techniques. If
they weren't idle, who would bother with those things!" Old Zhao seemed to be thinking about his
past exchanges with the Master of the Leisurely Studio, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Master of the Leisurely Studio? I feel like I've heard that pen name somewhere before?" I was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered.
Isn't that the guy who wrote articles specifically about the prison cages under the Phoenix Mountain tunnels? Copies of some of his meticulously researched
articles are currently on my desk at home. After getting them from Han Zhe, I originally
intended to read them carefully, but I was busy "training" Xia Jiang with Han Zhe, and constantly harassed
by text messages from that mysterious female demon. Before long, I almost forgot about it.

"Wait, I think I know this 'Master of the Leisurely Studio' you mentioned! Me, Wang Lie, Han Zhe, and I are from
the same place. Have you heard about the prison cages in the Phoenix Mountain tunnels there?" I
couldn't help but mutter to Old Zhao.

"The Phoenix Mountain Cage? Hmm, to be honest! If Tang Hui and Boss Lu hadn't accidentally wandered in this time, I
wouldn't have known about it before! But that's quite normal; the world is vast and full of wonders! Like that cage, and
now Xia Yu City and this valley, who knows how many other mysterious places exist throughout the country that remain unknown to the public
. Since that cage is a place where ancient sages imprisoned demons, it's
best if we don't consider going in to investigate further. That Mr. Li who died unjustly just now is a perfect example. How could
we mortals possibly covet such secrets? By the way, why did you mention that cage?" Old Zhao, clearly taking
the position of an elder, gave me, a junior, the necessary advice, and then asked why I brought it up.

"I have a photocopy of an article about the Phoenix Mountain prison. It seems to be
written by the same person you mentioned, the Master of the Leisurely Studio!"

"I see. That's not surprising at all. Let me tell you… the reason I was able to find Xia Yu
City was because of his guidance. There's almost no place like this, a place of illusion and strange wonder, that he
doesn't know. I heard that in his youth he had no interest in fame or fortune, and spent decades traveling throughout China,
exploring places rarely visited by people. He even called himself 'The Modern-Day Xia Ke,' referring to the late Ming Dynasty traveler
Xu Xiake ! However, Xu Xiake focused on studying local customs and geography. This old man, on the other hand, specializes in exploring
unofficial histories, legends, and unknown, mysterious places…"

What Old Zhao said before wasn't so bad. But when he mentioned "The Modern-Day Xia Ke,"
I paused. Because that title seemed familiar! I barely heard a word the old man said after that.
After thinking for a long time, I suddenly remembered. I seemed to
have seen that title in a letter Yang Changji wrote to my great-grandfather. The letter seemed to be about Yang Changji inviting my great-grandfather
to give lectures to students at the Hunan First Normal School, where he was teaching at the time. I don't know if my great-grandfather accepted the
invitation . But in that letter, Yang Changji had politely complimented my great-grandfather as
"the modern-day Xi Jinping," saying that his knowledge and learning were enough to enrich the students' knowledge and experience...

Just as I was wondering if this was a coincidence,

a commotion came from ahead. Seeing this, Old Zhao and I hurried over, only to find
Lu Zhaohui leaning against a tree trunk, refusing to leave despite repeated persuasion from Zhou Jingyi, Chen Ying, and several other women.

Her eyes were vacant, her expression blank as she stared at the ground, shaking her head and muttering to herself.
"You should all go... Don't worry about me anymore. I'm tired, I really can't go on... Xiao Chao is dead.
There's nothing left for me in this world, taking me along will only be a burden, adding to your burden... Let me stay
here, let me stay here with Xiao Chao..."

Chapter 84

Zhou Jingyi reached out several times to forcibly pull Lu Zhaohui away from the tree, but Lu Zhaohui slapped her away each time.

"Aunt Lu, don't be like this. We were all very saddened by what happened to Boss Li. But it was those
bad guys who did it. They killed Boss Li! How could you be so heartless..." Zhou Jingyi's
voice was trembling with tears. Of course, she had no good feelings for Li Chao, but for Lu Zhaohui,
Zhou Jingyi's feelings were not just about clinging to and using her; she genuinely had feelings for Lu Zhaohui.

Zhou Jingyi couldn't get close to her, and Chen Ying and Qi Ying, who were not familiar with Lu Zhaohui to begin with, were also at a loss.
Unable to persuade or assist Zhou Jingyi, they could only stand by and watch helplessly. The surrounding mercenaries, due to
their gender, were also hesitant to approach Lu Zhaohui, instead remaining on guard and observing the situation
.

Seeing Zhou Jingyi's predicament, He Qiang didn't hesitate. He stepped forward to Lu Zhaohui's side, placed his hand on
her shoulder, and apologized, "President Lu, don't make things difficult for us subordinates.
You must be exhausted from walking so long, no problem. I, Old He, may not have much else, but I have plenty of strength. I'll carry you
for the rest of the way..."

As he spoke, he reached out to forcibly hoist Lu Zhaohui onto his shoulder. But something unexpected
happened. Taking advantage of He Qiang's movement, Lu Zhaohui reached to his waist,
pulled out the pistol tucked in his belt, disengaged the safety, gripped the handle, pressed her finger on the trigger
, and pressed the muzzle against her chin. At the same time, she screamed shrilly. "Let go of me! If you move again, I
'll shoot myself right now!"

This sudden turn of events startled He Qiang. He was genuinely afraid Lu Zhaohui would immediately shoot herself, so he hurriedly released
her and took several steps back.

Lu Zhaohui held the gun to her chin, looking at He Qiang with a bitter smile. "He Qiang, I'm sorry. I know you
mean well. You're right, I'm tired. But not from walking, but from my heart.
Thank you for your dedication and hard work by my side all this time.
I know why you and your brothers accepted Xiao Chao's employment. Before this trip, I made
proper arrangements for you and your brothers. So, you don't need to worry about not being able to stay in the company after I'm gone
. Also, I want to make something clear to you. I didn't arrange this for you because you
risked your life to bring Xiao Chao out of that place, but because I believe you are indeed capable of serving as
the head of the company's security department. I'm absolutely certain I haven't misjudged you. So, please respect my
decision as the company's vice president and carry out the instructions I'm about to give you."

"What...what did you say? How can you be so irresponsible! With President Li gone, you're now
the head of the group. It's not just me and my brothers; tens of thousands of people in the entire group need you to keep things running!"
Although He Qiang had only followed Lu Zhaohui for a little over a month, it was clear that he had accepted Lu Zhaohui
as his leader. Hearing Lu Zhaohui say this, he understood perfectly well that she was about to give her final instructions.

"That's right, with Xiao Chao gone, I'm the boss. But I'm a woman, and women are always very willful." Lu
Zhaohui shook her head with a bitter smile. Then she looked at He Qiang and said, "You go with Master Zhao and Mr.
Tang and try to get everyone else here to leave safely. After you get back, report to the other directors on the board
that I died unexpectedly. As for the specific details, with so many of you here, you can figure it out yourselves. The board will
handle the aftermath according to the group's articles of association...Don't move, if you move even slightly, I'll pull the trigger immediately..."

When Lu Zhaohui realized that Mr. Tang Hui on the other side had his hand on the pure silver dagger,
she screamed hysterically again.

Zhou Jingyi and I had both witnessed Mr. Tang's throwing knives. When he moved his hand to the hilt, I
secretly cheered, hoping he would suddenly strike and knock the pistol from Lu Zhaohui's hand. But unexpectedly, Lu Zhaohui
, who had been in a daze the whole way, had suddenly become so sensitive, noticing Mr. Tang's subtle body
movements .

Faced with Lu Zhaohui's suicide threat, Tang Hui's face showed a helpless expression, and he could only slowly
withdraw his hand from the scabbard at his waist...

"Enough, if someone is determined to die, what others say is useless! Alright, we
don't have much time left. If she wants to stay here alone, let her be. The rest of you, those who want to live, leave immediately!"
Faced with this situation, it was Old Zhao who finally spoke up to end the stalemate.

Then, Old Zhao grabbed my hand, forcibly pulled me, and strode past Lu Zhaohui.
As he walked, the old man cursed at the people around him. "A bunch of hesitant, dragging-out bastards, if you want
to die here with her, then you can all stay here. And don't expect us to come back and collect your corpses after
we survive . Everyone has their own fate, wealth and honor are determined by heaven. Those who want to live, come with me."

The old man was incredibly strong, and I was dragged forward dozens of meters by him. Seeing that Old Man Zhao was pulling
me away and ignoring Lu Zhaohui, Tang Hui and the mercenary guards reluctantly followed. Seeing Tang Hui
and the others follow, and me being forcibly dragged away by Old Man Zhao, Zhou Jingyi finally burst into tears. Although she cried,
she ultimately didn't want to wait to die here with Lu Zhaohui. So, when Chen Ying and Qi Ying began
their actions , she could only follow them, sobbing, leaving Lu Zhaohui behind.

He Qiang realized that Lu Zhaohui definitely wouldn't follow him now, so he
bowed after the group.

As He Qiang left, I happened to turn back to check on Lu Zhaohui's situation. But after He Qiang turned and left, she
slumped to the ground, leaning against a tree, her whole body trembling slightly. Combined with the surrounding scenery and the dim light
of the sky , the scene was like an oil painting, etched into my mind…

We walked a short distance with the group. I turned to Old Zhao, who was holding my hand, and whispered, “We
haven’t heard any gunshots yet. I think we might still have a chance to drag her back.”

Old Zhao glanced at me sideways and said casually. “You little brat,
did I not notice you using that felt blanket to cover yourself up on the stone platform?”

Hearing the old man say this, I immediately thought of what had happened in Charva, and my face flushed
red.

The old man watched the changing expressions on my face, his eyes flickering. After a moment, he sighed,
released my hand, and said, "Fine, since you're still trying to persuade her, so be it. You're Honglian;
do what you want to do. Be careful when you leave the group; don't let others find out and drag
them down with you."

As he spoke, the old man and I slowed our pace, letting the others pass us one by one.
After confirming that we had fallen to the back of the group, I took off my automatic rifle and handed it
to Old Zhao. Taking advantage of a gap near a large tree, I ducked behind it. Once I was sure the group
was out of sight, I turned and sprinted back the way I came. My biggest
fear was hearing a sudden gunshot and then finding a cold corpse.

Fortunately, I didn't hear anything as I ran back. As I rounded the last
tree blocking my view, I saw Lu Zhaohui leaning against it, seemingly lost in thought.
She held the pistol in reverse, her right thumb on the trigger, the muzzle pointed directly at her
pale lips beneath her strong nose…

Seeing this, my heart skipped a beat. I wanted to stop her, but then I thought that would
probably backfire. A sudden idea struck me. As I walked towards her,
I spoke to Lu Zhaohui in a tone that sounded extremely cold and even hateful to outsiders.

"Want to know what it tastes like to put a gun in your mouth? It tastes completely different from your son's dick!"

As I expected, the moment Lu Zhaohui heard a voice, she instinctively pressed the gun to her face.
But when she heard my entire sentence, her face instantly contorted with extreme anger.
She looked up at the source of the sound and turned the gun towards where I was. However,
after , her anger quickly turned to surprise and confusion.

"I know what you're thinking. You're probably wondering why I came back, right? Don't worry, I didn't come back
to try and persuade you. I just wanted to collect the reward you promised me while I
still ." I said with a deliberately playful smile, secretly quickening my pace

. Lu Zhaohui was somewhat bewildered by my abrupt words. Her thoughts, guided by me,
had unconsciously shifted to the "reward" I mentioned. So, after hearing my last
sentence, she instinctively asked... "Reward? What reward?"

"Over there on the platform, I used that felt to cover you and your child. Although you didn't say it explicitly, you probably
meant that as long as Li Chao could save his life, you would arrange women for me, right?" I chuckled,
moving closer to Lu Zhaohui.

Lu Zhaohui paused, her gaze unfocused, then she seemed to recall some specific
details , and a blush crept onto her face. Realizing that the distance was now sufficient, I understood that success or failure hinged on this moment,
and immediately pounced on her...

Caught off guard, Lu Zhaohui was tackled to the ground. My target at this moment was not her body, but
merely the pistol in her hand, so I gripped her right wrist tightly with my right hand, and wedged my left index finger
into the gap between the trigger and the gun handle. As it turned out, this action was absolutely necessary, because as my left index finger
entered the gap, Lu Zhaohui instinctively pulled the trigger, but because the trigger was blocked by my left index finger,
it couldn't be pulled all the way down, so the bullet didn't fire.

Realizing that Lu Zhaohui's gun was useless, I braced my right elbow against her chest
while twisting my body, using my physical advantage to pin her down. To distract her
, I continued my rambling, "Li Chao's death was an accident, but you still have to pay me the reward you promised
.

It's your
freedom to wait here to die, but where am I going to find those pretty women to sleep with? So, I'm sorry, but
before , you have to fulfill your promise to me."

Hearing this, Lu Zhaohui seemed unable to believe her ears. Taking advantage of her
momentary distraction, I successfully snatched the pistol from her hand.

As soon as I had the gun, I rolled to the side, deftly
removed , and ejected the magazine, quickly flicking the bullets to the ground.
After I finished , I sat on the ground and let out a long breath. I didn't believe Lu Zhaohui could
snatch the gun from me again and successfully load it for suicide.

When I looked up at Lu Zhaohui, she slapped me hard across
the face , and I instantly felt a burning pain. Lu Zhaohui then knelt down
in front of me, wailing and crying. She must have realized that threatening me with suicide again was
impossible.

Looking at the weeping Lu Zhaohui, I didn't know how to comfort her. Although my goal was
to save her, I knew my previous words and actions had been cruel to her. Not only had I
exposed her illicit affair with her son, Li Chao, in front of her, but I had also used the psychological trauma she suffered to deprive
her of the right to commit suicide.

Understanding this, I couldn't help but feel guilty. But then I realized I couldn't think of any other way
to achieve my goal, so I could only reach out and hold her shoulder, trying my best to comfort her. "Aunt Lu,
please forgive me for resorting to this tactic. If it weren't for this..."

Before I could finish speaking, Lu Zhaohui suddenly looked up, staring intently at me. Her crazed and fierce appearance made
me swallow back the words I was about to say. But Lu Zhaohui's next actions completely put
me on the defensive.

After looking up, Lu Zhaohui, like a madwoman, rammed her head into my face, and then
pushed me to the ground.

"You want payment? You want payment? Fine... I'll give you, I'll give you..."

After pushing me down, Lu Zhaohui pounced on me, shouting and hitting
and biting me. Of course, I couldn't really fight back, so I could only hold her upper body tightly and
try to restrict her movements.

"You want a woman, right? There are no other women here, I am a woman, I'll give you! I'll give you, do you
want it? Do you want it?" Lu Zhaohui cried and shouted, struggling and twisting her body in my arms.

"You men just want women, right? Fine... I'll give you some, come and take it... come and take it!"
Realizing I was much stronger than her and she couldn't break free from my embrace, Lu Zhaohui screamed even more frantically.
Finally, she opened her mouth and bit down on my shoulder near my neck. This spot was right in front of her, so she naturally
didn't hesitate to bite.

Her bite was exceptionally fierce; even through my clothes, I couldn't help but cry out in pain. Hearing my
cry , Lu Zhaohui seemed to be injected with adrenaline, struggling even harder, releasing her grip and opening her mouth again to
bite other parts of my body.

At this point, I couldn't think too much. Realizing her next bite would be even harder and more painful, I could only turn my head,
using my head to push against the side of her head, trying to force her head away.

"You want a woman, don't you? I am a woman! Come on… I'll give you one, do you dare take it? Do you dare take it?"
With her head pushed to the side, unable to find an opportunity to bite, Lu Zhaohui provoked me again.

At this moment, I was finally enraged by her frenzied actions. Hearing her provocative shouts, my blood
boiled , and I shouted back. "You think I wouldn't dare? I'm fucking going to take it..."

I turned my head and, taking advantage of Lu Zhaohui
's momentary lapse in attention, met her kiss with mine. The instant our lips touched, Lu Zhaohui froze, her body relaxing. I forcefully rolled over,
pinning her beneath me.

"Fuck you... Don't think that just because you're rich and powerful, I won't dare do anything to you! If you don't listen to me,
I'll fucking rape you right here..." I pressed Lu Zhaohui down, released her mouth, and unleashed a torrent of curses at her.
But when I noticed her teary eyes, I finally calmed down and stopped uttering the last of my profanities.

Then, Lu Zhaohui and I stared at each other. After a moment, Lu Zhaohui closed her eyes, and
after gazing blankly at her beautiful face, I finally lowered my head again and kissed her soft lips. At that moment,
I forgot everything. All I knew was that a beautiful woman was beneath me. Who she was,
how —none of that mattered to me…

Her lips were cold, yet soft. My nostrils were filled with the faint fragrance of her hair, a
scent evoked an indescribable longing within me. The feeling was somewhat similar to the feeling my grandmother gave me in my childhood,
yet completely different…

“It’s not like my grandmother, but a feeling I’ve never had before. Hmm… Could it be my mother! That’s right…
My mother died right after I was born. I don’t even know what it would be like to be with my mother. Perhaps, perhaps this is
it…”

Unconsciously, I became immersed in this feeling. I just wanted to lie on Lu Zhaohui’s chest,
breathing in her scent… My hands, which had been tightly gripping her, loosened…

Although I let go, Lu Zhaohui didn’t take the opportunity to break free from beneath me. Especially after I
kissed and unconsciously pressed my head against her chest, her hand gently touched the top of my head,
stroking it back and forth.

After stroking her for a while, I suddenly realized what had happened. I scrambled up from Lu Zhaohui
, looking rather disheveled, and knelt beside her. I quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Aunt Lu, I
didn't mean to, I just..."

Lu Zhaohui didn't look at me; she calmly gazed at the sky through the
leaves

, interrupting me. "You just wanted to save me, no need to say anything. I know." Hearing Lu Zhaohui's words, I paused, then observed her expression. I couldn't help but
sigh. Although her face was still streaked with tears, the previous madness and
confusion were finally gone. The familiar, calm, rational, mature woman I knew had reappeared
before .

"Help me up, I'm exhausted, I have no strength left."

I bent down and helped Lu Zhaohui up. After taking only one step, she almost collapsed again
. Seeing this, I realized that she had unintentionally exhausted
herself . At this moment, I was even a little unsteady on my feet. Thinking that I'd already pressed down on her and kissed her, I simply bent down and
swept her into my arms. Lu Zhaohui naturally placed her hands behind my neck.
Pointing to the large tree she'd been leaning against, I immediately carried her back to the tree, leaning against the trunk and helping her sit
down.

The earlier struggle had also exhausted me. After Lu Zhaohui was settled, I
sat down beside her, panting heavily…

“Are you an idiot? You wasted so much time on me! Now, even if I don't intend to commit suicide, the two of
us probably won't be able to catch up with the group ahead. The result of you coming to save me is that you'll die with me.” Lu
Zhaohui pondered for a moment before speaking with a hint of sarcasm.

“If that's the case, then I accept it. After all, I'm a man, and a man keeps his word and
fulfills his promise!” I, of course, understood what Lu Zhaohui meant. But I don't know
why , I felt a strange sense of unease about the impending bloodshed. Even though I'd witnessed its
horror firsthand, I still felt that even if things turned out exactly as Lu Zhaohui predicted, my
return was worthwhile.

"A promise? I don't remember you promising me anything," Lu Zhaohui blinked,
looking down at me with surprise.

"You're so forgetful. You forgot? At the park teahouse, I promised you that
if , I'd come and cry with you. I never had a chance to fulfill that promise. Now that you're sad and
upset, of course I need to keep my promise and come be with you." I ran my hand through my hair,
searching for a "reasonable excuse" for myself and Lu Zhaohui to return, besides saving her.

Hearing my explanation, Lu Zhaohui froze, her face a series of complex expressions. After
a long pause, she suddenly chuckled. "Could it be... you've fallen in love with me? My
God ... I'm practically an old woman on my deathbed. You're such a fool! With
a beauty like Jingyi by your side, you'd risk your life to come and die with me? You're insane, you're really insane!"
Lu Zhaohui said, shaking her head repeatedly, both laughing and crying.

Lu Zhaohui's words also made me fall into deep thought. "I'm a fool? Maybe. I've never..."
Deny it! Am I really crazy? Lu Zhaohui is right, Zhou Jingyi is practically my
woman . With such a stunning beauty by my side, what more could I ask for? How could I have acted so impulsively and
recklessly rushed back to save her? Could it be, as Lu Zhaohui said, that I've unintentionally fallen in love with her? Is that really true
? ...To say I don't love Lu Zhaohui would be wrong. I admire Lu Zhaohui, not just for
her voluptuous and beautiful appearance, but also for her character and talent; perhaps there's also a
simple physical desire in a man for a woman. But to call it love is completely different from my feelings for Zhou Jingyi. It seems
there's something in Lu Zhaohui that I've never experienced before, but something I desperately want to possess...
What ... what is it? "

I pondered for a moment before speaking, "I don't know if I've fallen in love with you. Really, but I
know you're very important to me. Putting everything else aside, you've adopted A-Guang as your godson. If anything were to happen to you,
A-Guang would go crazy. You might not know, but you and A-Guang's mother, my aunt, look very alike.
I'm not referring to appearance, but rather that kind of aura, or rather, that feeling.
In , I had a vague, very familiar feeling about you, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. It wasn't
until after we came out and A-Guang saw you that I realized it!"

"Is that so? So you came to save me so that A-Guang wouldn't be sad..." Upon hearing
this, a slight look of disappointment flashed across Lu Zhaohui's face.

"That's not it. You're just as important to me. If something happens to you, A-Guang will be heartbroken,
but I'll feel just as much pain, and I'm sure my pain won't be any less than A-Guang's.
I really don't want to go through that kind of pain, so I came back. Even though I'd
be reluctant at least I wouldn't have to go through the pain of losing someone important to me. I've already been through too much. I
can't bear another blow like that..." I looked up at
the black clouds gathering in the sky, and surveyed the surrounding terrain. According

to Shama, there are actually many places in the forest where we can take shelter from the blood rain. She had even miscalculated the timing and been forced to enter those places before. However, these places are very small, usually only big enough for one or two people. Before, with so many of us, those places weren't a concern, but now, with only Lu Zhaohui and me, they become our only hope of escaping the blood rain. 　　"I see, thank you. I used to think that since Xiao Chao was gone, there was no point in me living in this world. It seems I was wrong. It turns out that I still have a reason to exist for you and A Guang." After hearing my explanation, Lu Zhaohui's mood improved a little. 　　"You underestimate yourself, don't you? It's not just me and A-Guang; you're incredibly important to so many people in this world! If you died, they would be heartbroken, saddened, and grieving. For example, Jingyi. If she knew I had a chance to save you but didn't, she would definitely slap me hard—even harder than the slap you just gave me. And Boss He, you saw what he was like just now. He's a tomb raider, arrogant and haughty. He looks down on everyone, but in front of you, if he hadn't been so stubborn, I bet he would have cried. You're so selfish. How can you bear to make these people who care about you sad and heartbroken?" I paused here, then continued, "Most importantly, have you considered Boss Li's feelings?" 　　Hearing me mention Li Chao, Lu Zhaohui's body trembled again. 　　"Do you think he would want you to die with him? You and he are not just mother and son, but also the closest lovers! My mother died young, and when I was little, I often woke up crying in the middle of the night because of that. I don't care how long I live, but I definitely hope my mother can live to be a hundred. I think Mr. Li must think the same way. No matter what he has experienced, he definitely hopes that you can live a strong and happy life. Don't forget, you are not only his mother, but also the woman he loves most... Put yourself in his shoes. I may not care whether I live or die, but I hope Jingyi can live a happy and joyful life... So, for his sake, you should also give up the idea of suicide and live a strong life!" I noticed Lu Zhaohui's condition, then turned to the side and pulled her into my arms, letting her sob and tremble ... 　　Lu Zhaohui propped herself up from my arms, wiped the tears from her face, pursed her lips, and nodded at me with a forced smile. "I'm starting to doubt if you're even a journalist. Your tongue's so sharp… Okay, I admit, what you said works. I don't want to die right now. What ? Do we chase after the main group, or sit here and wait for that blood rain to fall?" 　　Hearing Lu Zhaohui's clear answer, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. 　　Catching up with the main group was clearly impossible. However, taking advantage of Lu Zhaohui's sobbing in my arms, I now had a better grasp of how to deal with the impending blood rain. I helped Lu Zhaohui to her feet and headed towards a location on the east side of the forest. Just now, I saw what appeared to be the corner of a man-made structure in the jungle in that direction. 　　If I wasn't mistaken, there should be a dilapidated stone . Although I wasn't sure if the roof was still intact, even if it wasn't, I had a plan. 　　Shama had said that blood rain was strange; it didn't seem to have any corrosive effect on clothing or fibers . If that building had no roof, I could take off my clothes and try to create a small, sheltered corner from the rain using the fabric. Although the bloody rain might still leak through the gaps in my clothes, I had no other choice but to try. At this moment, Lu Zhaohui's survival instinct had ignited. Since she wanted to live, I decided to do everything in my power to prolong our lives, even if it was just a few seconds or tens of seconds! 　　Lu Zhaohui also instinctively sensed the approaching danger and did her best to support my struggle. Finally, just before the bloody rain fell, we reached the dilapidated stone house in the woods. Seeing the stone...

The moment I stepped into the room, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude and a desire to pray to all the gods in the universe.

This stone house still had half a roof remaining, providing shelter of only five or six square meters, but more than
enough for Lu

Zhaohui and me to survive the rain. Just as we rushed inside, a drop of blood rained down on the leaves of a nearby plant,
sizzling and burning. Lu Zhaohui, pressed against the innermost wall of the stone house, stared in horror at
the horrific , realizing what would have become of us

if we had stayed outside. After a while, Lu Zhaohui moved to a corner,
the furthest point from the blood rain,
where some items piled up, and reached down to rummage through the ash, pulling out
several pieces of cloth and something that looked like a metal can.

I joined her. After examining the cloth, Lu Zhaohui made her own judgment. "These
look like swaddling cloths and diapers for wrapping babies, and this tin can is probably for storing malted milk powder. I
remember it was popular to give babies this stuff back in the 70s and 80s. Strange, could it be that someone brought
a baby here in the past? Hey, look at this swaddling cloth, it even has the character '平' (ping, meaning flat) embroidered on the corner!"

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