057 Someone stole something from me (Part 2)

"Shen Lang, are you sure that villain is outside the city?"

Even though Zhai Le was filled with enthusiasm, he now realized something was amiss—wasn't that thief running a bit too fast???

They had been chasing after Shen Lang for so long and hadn't seen any suspicious figures. Yet, Shen Lang showed no sign of stopping.

Continuing in this direction...

They might end up deep in the mountains _(´ཀ`」 ∠)_

Shen Tang replied calmly, "Yes, I'm very sure."

At this moment, Zhai Le was somewhat puzzled, but he also harbored some suspicions towards Shen Tang. He worried that this Shen Lang was deceiving him to go out and plotting something sinister! Not to brag, but his face could truly make young ladies swoon! 

But then again—

Shen Lang was also a steadfast man, a real man!

And he was handsome and charming. Was it really necessary to covet his face?

Moreover, he was a practitioner of martial courage. In a normal one-on-one situation, what could a literary man do to hold back a warrior?

As Zhai Le pondered, he silently dismissed the absurd speculation of "Shen Lang lusting after beauty." But another thought popped up like a groundhog—could it be that she wanted to lure him out into the wilderness to kill him?

Or perhaps there were accomplices in the wilderness, ready to join forces and take him down?

This thought quickly gained traction.

This speculation was not entirely implausible. After all, they were still followed by a guiding NPC. So, Zhai Le looked at Shen Tang with a slightly darker gaze, silently wary that Shen Tang might suddenly attack him, and they had not noticed when they entered the mountains.

At this moment, the midsummer had just passed, and it was not yet autumn. The mountain forests were lush and thriving. In the distance, the mountains rose and fell, shrouded in darkness, resembling beasts resting on the ground. Just entering the forest, the air was still filled with lingering heat, as well as the unique scent of grass and trees, with silence all around.

"Shen Lang, something doesn't feel right here." Zhai Le keenly sensed something, his thick eyebrows furrowed slightly as he grabbed Shen Tang's left arm.

Shen Tang still wore a wooden expression, holding her sword.

She replied, "I know, the despicable thief is right here!"

Zhai Le: "..."

Seeing that Shen Tang had only rushed out in her nightclothes, he felt that something was wrong. But he was also full of alcohol, even more so than Shen Tang, so he missed an important clue. As they got closer, Zhai Le became more cautious, or more accurately, Zhai Le became more cautious while Shen Tang remained the same.

Following the stream, they found a dwelling hidden in the mountains.

The dwelling was built against the water, mostly made of stones, wood, and thatch, a simple house. At this moment, the fire spread, casting a red mark on the mountains and waters. At a glance, Zhai Leknew something was wrong. Just as he was about to go out, a hand suddenly pressed down on his head, almost forcing him to kneel down.

He looked at the "culprit" angrily and resentfully.

"Shen Lang, why did you suddenly do this?"

Shen Tang calmly asked in return, "And what were you planning to do by going out?"

"Didn't you see the flooding? Of course, I was going to save people!"

Shen Tang snorted, warning Zhai Le, "You're going to save a bunch of thieves? Be careful they don't stab you in the back in a fit of rage!"

A bunch of thieves???

Zhai Le only now realized that the fire, which was growing larger and larger, was not an ordinary flame. Amidst the flickering firelight, figures were engaged in combat, or rather, a group of people was fighting against one person. The former, although dressed in coarse linen clothes, were well-trained, moving in groups of three to five, each group supporting the others, cooperating seamlessly.

The latter was alone but fierce and mighty. Despite facing enemies three or four times their number, they showed no signs of fear. Seizing opportunities, they would swiftly cut off their opponents' heads, arms, or legs with brutal efficiency.

"That person is injured? Looks like they're seriously hurt..."

Zhai Le's gaze remained fixed on the strong man.

Outsiders watch the excitement, insiders watch the doorway.

Outsiders might see this person as a ruthless killer with a high spirit, and that defeating the remaining enemies was only a matter of time. But in reality, it was not the case. Although he had a strong aura, he was already unable to continue.

With severe injuries, excessive bleeding, and depleted martial courage, coupled with the continuous influx of enemies, he was clearly at a disadvantage.

Should he fight and retreat?

But what if the enemy didn't give him a chance to retreat?

"He's the thief who stole my treasure!" Shen Tang declared.

Zhai Le became even more puzzled. "You mean the one being besieged?"

Shen Tang nodded, her wooden expression now tinged with an imperceptible hint of grievance. She exclaimed, "He stole my things, and he's not the only one!"

(｀)=3 How infuriating!

I really want to rid the world of all thieves!

Seeing Shen Tang's expression, Zhai Le found it difficult to doubt her sincerity. He admired the heroic figure, but stealing was a matter of moral character. It wouldn't be right for him to intervene. Just as he was hesitating, a streak of crimson light with a thunderous roar descended from the sky.

Its target: the besieged "thief."

"Oh my god, a ten-meter-long sword???"

Shen Tang squatted in the darkness, hands resting on her knees, looking up at the falling sword light, so surprised that even profanity escaped her lips. Witnessing the tremendous force carried by the sword light, which split the building beneath the "thief" into two halves, leaving only a half-meter-deep sword mark.

The "thief" sensed the fatal threat the moment the sword light appeared and, without hesitation, grabbed one of his enemies and threw him towards the sword light, while he himself dodged aside. The unlucky enemy exploded into a large cloud of blood in mid-air, not even having the chance to scream.

As the sword light dissipated, a burly man in armor, wielding a Yanling Blade, moved as fast as lightning, slashing towards the "thief."

This blow had been building up power for a long time, weighing as much as a thousand catties. In just one exchange, the tremendous force sent the heavily injured "thief" flying six or seven meters, crashing with a loud bang, hitting the nearby windows and doors of the house, and falling to the ground in a cloud of dust.

After a few breaths, the "thief" vomited a mouthful of blood, trembling as he crawled out of the ruins, covered in blood and dust. He spat out a mixture of blood and mud, glaring fiercely at the man with the Yanling Blade. "It's you?"

The latter didn't rush to take him down, but looked at him with a smile that was not quite a smile. "It's me, here to send you on your way."

As he spoke, others also surrounded them.

Zhai Le sighed, "This person is finished."

It was evident that this person's martial courage level was not low, but no matter how strong one's martial courage was, it couldn't withstand intense battles for long. With such serious injuries, both physical and mental strength were unable to keep up. Not to mention that at this moment, another pursuer with a similarly high martial courage level but in perfect condition had emerged.

Even if Zhai Le intervened, it wouldn't change much.

As he lamented, a gust of wind swept past him, and he only had time to catch a glimpse of a familiar figure disappearing from his sight.

Zhai Le was greatly alarmed, and following the direction of the wind, he only saw Shen Tang's figure disappearing quickly—

Shen Lang actually rushed out regardless!!!

With a swing of her long sword, an invisible and transparent sword aura accompanied by a thunderous sound slashed down between the man with the Yanling Blade and the "thief," leaving a ten-meter-long sword mark. As for those who were unable to dodge along the path of the sword mark, she couldn't be bothered.

This sudden change alarmed both sides.

The "thief," on the brink of collapse, suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. He looked up and saw a figure clad in white as snow rushing out from the woods like the wind, with a sword pointed at the man with the Yanling Blade.

Enraged, he roared, "Do you also covet my treasures?"