Yan’er held Zhou Ningyu, crouching like a small cat against the cave wall, trying to circle around from the other side.
But because she was too young, carrying a six-month-old baby was somewhat strenuous, and she accidentally fell, making a noise.
A constable was drawn over and grabbed Yan’er, lifting her upside down.
“Trying to run, little thing?”
Zhou Ningyu in Yan’er’s arms rolled onto the ground, making Zhao Nuan’s heart stop in fear.
Fortunately, the ground was covered with leaves, and Zhou Ningyu didn’t even cry, his big eyes darting around.
Zhao Nuan knew she couldn’t wait any longer. Taking advantage of the constable in front of her being distracted, she fiercely stabbed the scissors in her hand into the top of his foot.
The constable cried out in pain, lifting his injured foot and hopping on one leg while howling and cursing.
“Ah… damn you, you bitch!”
Zhao Nuan decided to go all the way. Before the constable holding Yan’er could react, she hooked her foot around the constable’s good leg and knocked him to the ground.
The moment the constable hit the ground, she swung the scissors in her hand relentlessly.
Warm blood splattered across Zhao Nuan’s face. She didn’t even know where the scissors were stabbing, just mechanically striking again and again.
“Lao Er!”
“Bitch!”
The constable holding Yan’er was stunned for a moment before he reacted.
He threw Yan’er to the ground and drew his knife to slash at Zhao Nuan.
Yan’er pulled out her small dagger and, having fallen to the ground and being small, in a panic stabbed it into the thigh of the constable called Lao San.
“Ow~~ you little brat, asking for death!”
The constable roared in anger and turned to slash at Yan’er.
“Mother!”
Zhao Nuan was jolted awake. Seeing this, her eyes nearly burst with rage: “Yan’er!”
Luckily, Yan’er rolled away, avoiding the first slash.
Zhao Nuan was panicking when she suddenly saw the not yet fully extinguished fire. She didn’t care about anything else and used her left hand, stiff like a stick, to fling burning embers at the constable’s face.
The constable raised his arm to block. Yan’er grabbed Zhou Ningyu’s swaddling clothes and retreated, putting distance between them and the constable.
Zhao Nuan was about to join Yan’er when, before she could fully stand, she was pulled down by a force, her face hitting the ground hard.
Startled, she looked back and saw that the previous constable wasn’t dead yet and had grabbed her ankle.
If he didn’t die, they would. So Zhao Nuan hardened her heart, kicked a piece of red-hot charcoal, and pressed it against the constable’s face.
“Ow…”
The constable let go and was about to roll away when he felt a chill on his neck.
As Zhao Nuan pulled out the scissors, the constable looked at her with disbelief in his eyes.
“Yan’er, run!”
Yan’er dragged Zhou Ningyu and ran out. She knew she couldn’t cause trouble for her mother now.
“Damn it, how dare you run!”
The other constable had ash in his eyes, squinting with one eye open and one closed as he tried to give chase.
Zhao Nuan wouldn’t give him the chance. She pulled the knife from the other constable’s waist and swung it wildly at him.
But she could only hold the knife with one hand, and her strength was no match for a man’s. After a few swings, she was panting heavily.
The constable sneered: “Bitch! How dare you kill my brother! Today, I’ll flay you alive! And that little one, I’ll sell her to the lowest brothel!”
Zhao Nuan bet that the constables who found this place at night weren’t as familiar with the terrain outside the cave as she was. So she retreated while provoking him.
“Pah! Two big men bullying a weak woman like me, and even getting killed in return. Your ancestors would be so ashamed they’d flip their coffin lids!”
“Bitch, I’ll make you pay for your sharp tongue!”
The constable charged at her fiercely but the next moment stepped into a rat hole with one foot, letting out a sharp cry.
Zhao Nuan knew her physical strength couldn’t sustain much longer. Without lingering in the fight, she turned and fled.
Ahead, Yan’er was half-carrying, half-dragging Zhou Ningyu’s swaddling clothes through the pitch-black forest, stumbling and scrambling along.
Though trembling with fear and streaming tears, she remembered her mother’s daytime instructions and followed the small stream downhill.
Suddenly, an unidentified animal’s rustling footsteps echoed from ahead.
Yan’er halted, whimpering, “Mother… Mother, Yan’er isn’t afraid.”
Despite her words, she clung tightly to Zhou Ningyu, their cheeks pressed together.
After resting for a few breaths, the noise faded. The little girl wiped her tears and continued dragging the swaddling clothes forward.
Abruptly, a “Haha!” made Yan’er shudder violently.
By the water’s reflection, she saw a figure standing ahead.
“Little thing, got you without any effort.”
It was a human!
Yan’er sighed in relief.
But the next moment, her tension returned—it was someone sent to capture them!
Just then, rustling sounds emerged from behind.
“Mother?”
“Yan’er, Mother is here.”
“Perfect timing.” The lead officer chuckled. “Saves me the trouble of hunting you down.”
Zhao Nuan’s body stiffened—truly rotten luck.
“Yan’er, come to Mother.”
As mother and daughter drew close, Zhao Nuan scooped up Zhou Ningyu, who was clapping his hands, feeling both amused and exasperated.
Yan’er and Zhao Nuan worked in seamless coordination, swiftly securing her younger brother against her chest and the bundle on her back.
The standoff lasted mere moments before footsteps sounded again from behind.
“Big Brother!”
“Lao San?” The lead officer tilted his head, peering through the moonlit shadows. “Why are you limping?”
“Sprained my ankle.” The other officer, who had been chasing Zhao Nuan, spat bitterly. “Damn it, this bitch killed Lao Er.”
“What?”
The lead officer struggled to believe it. “Weren’t you two together? How could a scrawny woman like her kill a grown man?”
Hearing this, Zhao Nuan seized the opportunity and shouted first, “It wasn’t me! He killed him!”
“Bullshit!” Lao San retorted instinctively.
“It was you!” Zhao Nuan raised her hand. Though she had wrapped her jade bracelet with red string, it still emitted a faint green glow under the moonlight. “The Marquise’s family heirloom jade bracelet is unique. They fought over it.”
“Big Brother, I didn’t! Don’t listen to this woman’s nonsense.”
The officers remained about a dozen steps away, unmoving.
It was unclear whether they were scrutinizing Zhao Nuan or their companion behind them.
As the stalemate dragged on, Zhao Nuan continuously sought a way to break the deadlock.
Suddenly, the lead officer laughed coldly. “Little wench, daring to sow discord between me and my brother.”
The officer behind Zhao Nuan exhaled heavily and started to step forward, but then the lead officer ordered, “Lao San, seize that bitch for me.”
Lao San halted abruptly. He had intended to capture Zhao Nuan anyway, but now that Big Brother had spoken…
In the darkness, Lao San’s gaze flickered with suspicion and uncertainty.
Seeing his brother hesitate, the lead officer called out, puzzled, “Lao San?”
“Ouch… Ouch, Big Brother, my foot hurts.”
Lao San took the chance to collapse, crying out in exaggerated pain.
Witnessing this, the lead officer’s eyes gleamed with doubt.
Zhao Nuan’s heart leaped with hope—the seed of suspicion had finally been planted.
None of the three parties dared to move. After a tense pause, Zhou Ningyu could no longer contain himself and began to cry.
Zhao Nuan didn’t dare divert her attention to comfort him. The little one, feeling increasingly wronged, cried louder and more shrilly, the sound carrying far into the distance.
In the forest, the scattered individuals suddenly pricked up their ears, then simultaneously began moving toward the direction of the sound.