It had rained just last night, making the dirt road difficult to traverse. The wheels of the flatbed cart kept sinking into the mud at every misstep.
Everyone’s shoes were caked with mud, making even walking a challenge.
Lin Zhiman: “Officer, could we stop by a water source later to wash up? The mud’s stuck to our soles, we can barely walk.”
“Look who’s being delicate!”
Su Moli’s shoes were equally mud-caked. She kicked her feet, shaking off the dirt.
“What kind of wretched place is this? Can’t even pave roads with stones—so backward!”
The more Su Moli thought about it, the more irritated she grew. If conditions here were this bad, what would await her when they reached Lingnan?
Their previously purchased rations were nearly gone, and Wang Hu was stingy beyond belief, doling out just one steamed bun per person daily. At this rate, they’d starve sooner or later!
Lin Zhiman: “If you don’t want to go, then don’t. No one’s forcing you!”
Su Moli pointed at the rope binding her wrists: “It’s not like I have a choice! If you’re so capable, why don’t you ask Brother Wang to untie me?”
“Enough, both of you!” Gu Mang’s expression turned grave as he tilted his head, listening intently.
Shang Yueli heard it too—the sound of rocks tumbling down the mountainside had been growing steadily.
“Rumble—”
After the heavy storm, the mountain rocks looked loose and unstable. Could it be…?
“Run!”
Countless boulders rained down from above, crashing violently onto the ground.
Su Moli’s face paled. She stumbled and fell, dragging the other Su family members tied to the same rope down with her.
“What are you doing?!”
“Dammit, I’m leaving you behind!”
Wang Hu and his subordinates abandoned the Su family and fled.
But after just a few steps, a shadow fell over Wang Hu. The next moment, a massive rock slammed into him, hurling him through the air.
With a “thud,” he plummeted down the cliff.
“Boss!” The guards following him screamed toward the cliff edge, but distracted, some were also swept away by falling boulders.
Mu Yunsheng dodged debris while tearing apart the hemp rope linking the group.
“Mother!”
Seeing a rock about to crush Wang Shi, Shang Yueli swiftly raised her hand and stored the stone in her space.
“Xiao Fu, come to me!”
“Okay!”
It was her first time storing a fast-moving object into her space, and Shang Yueli’s body struggled to handle the strain.
She forced herself to store a few more large rocks, gasping as she felt them rolling chaotically inside her space.
“This won’t work—there are too many rocks.”
Not only were there countless rocks, but they were also falling rapidly. She’d collapse from exhaustion before storing even a handful.
She needed a solution—otherwise, total annihilation was only a matter of time.
“Damn System, is there anything like a protective barrier in the shop?”
[Yes. An energy barrier from a higher dimension. 50 virtue points for a single use!]
Damn, so expensive and it’s one-time only!
[Will the host purchase it?]
Shang Yueli gritted her teeth. “Buy it!”
[Virtue points deducted successfully. Remaining virtue points: 9.]
The moment the System’s voice faded, a golden transparent barrier materialized above the group, enveloping them completely.
“Thud! Thud! Thud—”
Boulders smashed against the barrier, only to be deflected away.
“Oh my heavens!”
Lin Zhiman rubbed her eyes. “Did you all see that? Could the mountain god have answered our prayers?”
Jiang Xia crawled out from under the flatbed cart with her son, witnessing the phenomenon too.
Jiang Xia: “I saw it as well.”
“Then I must offer proper thanks!”
Lin Zhiman promptly knelt and kowtowed three times toward the mountain.
“May the gods bless us, may the gods bless us, may the gods bless us!”
“Hah…”
Shang Yueli felt completely drained.
Looking at her dwindling merit points, she sighed deeply.
Centuries of hard work, all gone in an instant.
Well, never mind. At least everyone is safe.
She glanced around and saw that aside from some minor scratches, no one was seriously injured.
Shang Yueli lay weakly on the ground to rest when suddenly she thought she saw Su Moli pushing her eldest brother?
Uncertain, she looked again.
“Little sister, cough cough cough, please pull me up quickly.”
Su Yi clung to the cliff edge, his rope-bound wrist swollen and red.
The hemp rope connecting him to Su Moli was slowly fraying under the strain.
Su Moli reached out to grab it but paused midway.
“Little sister?” Su Yi’s voice was weak, his face flushed crimson.
“Pull me up quickly! I can’t hold on much longer!”
“Eldest brother!” Su Er was trapped by a rock pinning his foot, unable to move.
The other Su family members had been knocked unconscious. He shouted to Su Moli: “Little sister, hold on a bit longer! I’ll come save you both right away!”
Su Moli’s fingers twitched, hesitation evident in her movements.
To save or not to save?
Her dear eldest brother seemed to already suspect her. If she saved him, would he pose a threat to her later?
But if she didn’t save him, he would die.
Snap! Another strand of the twisted hemp rope broke.
Su Yi’s body began sliding down the cliff face.
Su Moli’s eyes turned sinister, sweat droplets tracing paths down her cheeks.
From this angle, nobody should be able to see what she was doing.
If she later claimed the hemp rope broke on its own, wouldn’t that settle everything?
Su Moli reached out and, right before Su Yi’s eyes, began deliberately tearing apart the hemp rope strand by strand.
“Su Moli…?”
“Cough cough cough, what are you doing?”
“Eldest brother, I’m sorry. I want to survive too.”
Snap—
A sensation of weightlessness overwhelmed him as Su Yi’s body plummeted downward.
“Eldest brother!” Su Er’s foot remained crushed beneath the rock, blood gushing from the struggle.
He desperately tried to move forward but couldn’t free his trapped foot.
Watching Su Moli grow increasingly distant above him, Su Yi closed his eyes in despair, surrendering to the fall.
His suspicions had been correct.
Though he didn’t understand how it was possible, this Su Moli before him absolutely could not be his little sister…
“ELDEST BROTHER!!!”