Chapter 10: A Narrow Escape
"Don't stop!" Mei Lian shouted, her voice sharp. "They'll be on us any minute."
Li Feng didn't argue. His legs burned with every step, but the thought of being caught by Shen Longwei's forces drove him forward. The forest seemed endless, the trees closing in like silent sentinels. Shadows danced in the moonlight, each one a potential threat.
"This way," Mei Lian said, veering sharply to the left. She led them through a dense thicket, her movements precise and purposeful. Li Feng followed, his breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
When they finally emerged into a small clearing, Mei Lian raised a hand, signaling him to stop. She crouched low, her keen eyes scanning the area for any sign of pursuit. Li Feng dropped to his knees, his heart pounding as he tried to catch his breath.
"Are they still following us?" he asked between gasps.
Mei Lian didn't answer immediately. Her gaze remained fixed on the trees, her body tense and ready. After a moment, she exhaled and shook her head. "Not yet. But they will be. That little display back there didn't exactly go unnoticed."
Li Feng looked down at the box in his hands. The carvings on its surface were intricate, each line and symbol glowing faintly in the moonlight. "What's in here?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You tell me," Mei Lian said, standing and crossing her arms. "It's your dragon that led us to it."
He frowned, running his fingers over the surface of the box. "It feels… alive. Like it's waiting for something."
Mei Lian raised an eyebrow. "Well, whatever it is, I hope it's worth nearly getting killed."
Before Li Feng could respond, the sound of distant voices reached their ears. Mei Lian's expression hardened instantly. "We need to move," she said, grabbing his arm and pulling him to his feet. "Now."
They plunged back into the forest, the voices growing louder behind them. The soldiers weren't far, their torches casting an ominous glow through the trees. Li Feng's grip on the box tightened as he ran, his mind racing. Every step felt heavier, the weight of the ring and the box pressing down on him like a physical burden.
"This way!" Mei Lian called, her voice urgent. She led them down a narrow path that sloped steeply downward, the terrain becoming more treacherous with every step. Loose rocks and roots threatened to trip them, but they pressed on, the sound of pursuit driving them forward.
As they reached the bottom of the slope, a river came into view, its rushing waters glinting faintly in the moonlight. Mei Lian stopped abruptly, her eyes scanning the banks for a way across.
"We can't swim that," Li Feng said, his voice filled with doubt. "It's too fast."
"We don't have a choice," Mei Lian snapped. She pointed to a fallen tree that stretched across the water, its surface slick with moss. "That's our way."
Li Feng hesitated, staring at the precarious bridge. "Are you sure about this?"
"Do you want to stay here and ask the soldiers?" she shot back, already climbing onto the log. She moved quickly but carefully, her balance impeccable.
Swallowing his fear, Li Feng followed. The log shifted slightly under his weight, and his heart leapt into his throat. He kept his eyes fixed on Mei Lian, forcing himself to focus on her steady movements rather than the rushing water below.
Halfway across, a shout rang out behind them. Torches appeared at the top of the slope, their light cutting through the darkness. One of the soldiers spotted them and raised his weapon, an arrow already nocked.
"Hurry!" Mei Lian shouted, her voice filled with urgency.
Li Feng quickened his pace, the log swaying dangerously beneath him. An arrow whizzed past, narrowly missing his shoulder. He reached the other side just as Mei Lian turned to face the soldiers, her dagger glinting in the moonlight.
"Keep going!" she yelled, blocking an arrow with a deft flick of her blade. "I'll hold them off!"
"I'm not leaving you!" Li Feng shouted back, his voice fierce.
"Don't be stupid!" she snapped. "Go!"
Before he could argue, the box in his hands began to glow brightly, its light piercing through the darkness. The soldiers faltered, their expressions shifting from determination to fear. Even Mei Lian paused, her eyes widening as the light grew stronger.
The glow intensified, and a wave of energy erupted from the box, sending a shockwave through the air. The soldiers were thrown back, their torches extinguished. The forest fell silent, the only sound the rushing river and the faint hum of the box.
Li Feng stared at the artifact in his hands, his heart pounding. "What just happened?" he whispered.
Mei Lian approached cautiously, her expression a mix of awe and suspicion. "Whatever's in there," she said, "it's not just some ancient trinket."
He nodded, his grip on the box tightening. "We need to figure out what it is. And fast."
She didn't argue. Instead, she gestured for him to follow. "Let's get out of here before they regroup."
As they disappeared into the forest once more, the box's glow faded, leaving only the faint hum of its energy. The night felt heavier, the air charged with tension. And in the distance, a low, guttural roar echoed through the trees, sending a chill down Li Feng's spine.
The journey was far from over.