RPAGF Chapter 681 That little brat is gone!
Chapter 681 That little brat is gone!
Upon hearing this, the area around the fire instantly fell silent, with only the crackling sound of burning firewood remaining.
The faces of the bodyguards all changed.
They were all well-traveled people, and they had all heard about the earth-shattering case in the capital.
The princess was murdered, the murderer committed suicide, the princess went mad, and the entire Yongwang Mansion was thrown into chaos.
"You mean... he's that woman's son?" A less timid bodyguard's voice trembled.
"It's almost certainly true!" Wang Er's eyes turned greedy. "Think about it, why did the young lady of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion send him away? Wasn't it because his mother offended someone, and he became a jinx that no one wanted!"
He looked around and coaxed, "That little girl casually tossed out fifty taels as a deposit. Do you think this kid might be carrying even more money for his travel expenses?"
A dangerous smell filled the air.
The timid bodyguard swallowed hard and said nervously, "Brother Wang, this...this won't do! What if the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion finds out? Will we still have our heads?"
"Idiot!" Wang Er spat disdainfully. "Don't you even use your brain! If he were truly someone the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion valued, wouldn't Gu Junze have sent his own guards to escort him? Would he have spent money to hire roughnecks like us?"
"I think this is clearly something those kids did behind the scenes, trying to get this troublemaker as far away as possible!"
His voice was seductive: "As long as we..."
Wang Er made a throat-slitting gesture, his eyes filled with ruthlessness.
"...Just say the person has been safely delivered to Chengdu. The emperor is far away; who would bother investigating our background for a homeless, orphaned dog like this?"
"He probably has enough silver on him to keep us brothers happy for years to come!"
The flickering firelight illuminated several faces twisted with greed and malice.
The burly bodyguard was tempted; he licked his chapped lips.
“Wang Er is right. This kid is a hot potato now. If he dies, I’m afraid no one will care.”
"But..." the timid bodyguard wanted to say something more.
"That's bullshit!" Wang Er slapped him on the back of the head. "Fortune favors the bold! It's settled then! We'll find a secluded mountain path tomorrow and make our move!"
In the corner, Lin Jiayou, wrapped in a straw mat, was already as stiff as iron.
He kept his eyes tightly closed, his long eyelashes trembling, and he heard every word clearly.
Fear spread from the soles of his feet all the way to his heart.
Mother, they're going to kill me.
His hands, hidden under the straw mat, had unknowingly clenched into fists.
His mother's dying words, as she held his hand, echoed in his ears.
"Live well... well..."
He bit his lip hard, not daring to make a sound, for fear that the pack of wolves would discover that he was awake.
He cannot die.
He had to escape before dawn.
He held his breath and listened carefully until the breathing of the bodyguards became heavy and long, and the smell of alcohol mixed with snoring echoed in the temple.
The time has come.
He emerged slowly from under the straw mat like the lightest raccoon, barely daring to breathe.
He glanced at the bundle of clothes not far away, knowing he couldn't take it, and quietly took the money bag containing loose silver and a silver note that he had hidden on his person.
Using the faint moonlight outside the temple, we moved step by step toward the dilapidated temple gate.
Finally, he escaped the hellish dilapidated temple and plunged into the pitch-black forest.
Almost at the same moment he disappeared, a cry of alarm suddenly came from the dilapidated temple, followed by Wang Er's furious roar: "That little brat is gone!"
"Come on!"
The flames instantly ignited, and the sounds of chaotic footsteps and curses grew louder as they approached.
Lin Jiayou ran desperately deeper into the forest. Sharp branches scratched his cheeks and arms, but he felt no pain. He had only one thought in his mind.
run!
live...
Taking advantage of his small size, he deliberately chose to crawl through narrow paths overgrown with thorns, paths that were difficult for adults to pass through.
The flames and shouts from behind kept hot on their heels.
"Over there! I see a shadow!"
"Damn it, grab him, I'll skin him alive!"
In his panic, he lost his footing and stumbled forward, ending up at the edge of a steep cliff.
Below was a bottomless abyss, where only the howling wind could be heard.
He turned around in despair, looking at the torches getting closer and closer behind him, their flickering light like deadly ghostly eyes.
There is no escape.
Mother, is your son really useless?
Soon, very soon I will be reunited with my mother...
Just as he was feeling utterly hopeless, a dark shadow descended from the sky, flashing past like a ghost, and dragged him into the bushes beside him.
Lin Jiayou was so frightened that he was scared out of his wits. Before he could even let out a scream, a rough and strong hand covered his mouth tightly.
"Don't make a sound. If you want to live, don't move."
Lin Jiayou's movements froze instantly.
Through the gaps in the swaying branches, he saw the镖师 (bodyguards/escorts) chasing after him to the edge of the cliff with torches in hand; the firelight illuminated their ferocious faces.
"Where is he? I clearly saw him run this way just now!" Wang Er looked around in a fit of anger.
"Could it be that it fell down?"
One of the bodyguards peered down the dark cliff, felt a wave of dizziness, and quickly pulled back: "It's so high, if we fell, we'd be smashed to pieces."
"Consider him unlucky! It saved us the trouble!" Wang Er spat on the ground. "Let's go! Go back to sleep!"
The group, grumbling and cursing, held up their torches and turned to leave.
The large hand covering Lin Jiayou's mouth was only released when the firelight and sound completely disappeared into the dense forest.
Lin Jiayou gasped for breath before he could finally see who had saved him.
A middle-aged man, with a missing arm, was carrying a large backpack.
"Who are you?" Lin Jiayou asked, mustering his courage.
The man didn't answer, but just glanced at him and then took out a water pouch from his pocket and handed it to him.
Lin Jiayou looked at him, hesitated for a moment, but still took it and wolfed down a few mouthfuls.
The cool water slid down his parched throat, clearing his confused thoughts somewhat.
"It's not safe here. Come with me." The man said succinctly, then turned to leave.
Lin Jiayou hesitated for a moment, but ultimately followed.
He knew this was his only way to survive.
The man led him through the rugged mountains and forests at a very fast pace, and Lin Jiayou practically tumbled and crawled to keep up.
He didn't know who this person was or where he was going, but his intuition told him that this person didn't seem to be a bad person.
At dawn, the man led him to a village.