Walking in the cycle of reincarnation

Chapter 59 The Arrow Arrives

Outside the tent, the sounds of battle shook the heavens; the crashing of the collapsing wooden palisade mingled with screams, each sound penetrating into the tent.

Wanyan Yue, her hands bound, huddled in a corner of the felt blanket. She looked up and saw that Zheng Shi was also bound, her hair disheveled, leaning against the tent wall.

"Mom..."

She uttered a soft sound, her teeth clenching so tightly they ached.

Using the shadow cast by the firelight outside the tent, Wanyan Yue propped herself up on her shoulders and slowly got up, hiding her body behind the tent flap.

Suddenly the curtain was thrown open, and a cold wind carrying the stench of blood rushed in.

Wanyan Yue suddenly sprang up from the shadows, her arms bound behind her back, yet she still thrust forward, intending to smash the attacker's throat with her forehead.

But as soon as she raised her head, she abruptly stopped.

A small head peeked in from outside the tent; it was a young girl.

"Duoya?"

Wanyan Yue cried out in a trembling voice.

Upon hearing the sound, the little girl trembled and hurriedly turned around, clutching a short dagger in her small hand, her tear-streaked face filled with terror.

Wanyan Yue's face darkened, and she subconsciously took half a step back, her eyes filled with wariness.

"Sister Yue!"

Seeing her like this, Duoya hurriedly waved her hand and explained, choking back tears:

"My father... my father was kicked to death by the livestock... They kill anyone they see and burn any tent they find! You must run, run away!"

She spoke incoherently, rushing forward as she spoke, cutting the ropes binding Wanyan Yue's wrists with a dagger, and then turning to cut Zheng Shi's.

The rope broke, and Wanyan Yue, without even rubbing her wrist, grabbed her mother to help her up.

Duoya pointed in a direction outside the tent, her voice extremely low and trembling:

"Go that way...go into the shady ditch, where the wind is strong and the snow is thick, footprints are buried quickly, and the livestock won't be found..."

Wanyan Yue nodded emphatically, said no more, supported Zheng Shi with one hand and grabbed Duoya with the other, and crouched down to slip out of the tent.

The moment I stepped out of the tent, the horrific scene before my eyes was scorching.

The men of Wanyan's remaining forces were being slaughtered in the snow by human laborers.

Some had their arms torn off, yet they still roared and tried to gouge the enemy's eyes with their broken bones. Others had their knees crushed, yet they clung tightly to the legs of the livestock, fighting for a chance to escape for the women and children behind them.

Screams mingled with the cracking of bones, and blood steamed everywhere.

Anger and helplessness swirled in Wanyan Yue's heart, but she could only grit her teeth, drag Zheng Shi and Duo Ya along, and rush towards the indicated direction.

But she had only taken a few steps when her hand suddenly slipped.

Duoya stood there, gazing at another yurt burning bright red deep within the camp, and stubbornly said:

"I haven't found my mother yet... I need to go find my mother."

After saying that, she turned and ran towards the most intense part of the fire, her small figure instantly swallowed by the thick smoke.

Wanyan Yue stared blankly at that back view, the warmth of her fingertips still lingering from when she had just held his hand.

She opened her mouth, but ultimately couldn't utter a sound. She just wiped her face hard, helped Zheng Shi up, and plunged headlong into the wind and snow.

......

Standing atop the mountain, Zhang Nanfeng looked down at everything, his heart filled with mixed feelings of worry and joy.

The good news is that the idea came true, and the supernatural power worked perfectly.

Worried, he plowed through the valley below again and again, but still could not find any trace of Wanyan Yue.

He did try using the search line to find people.

However, the orc army below was simply too large, stirring up a murky vortex between heaven and earth.

In such chaos, let alone finding a golden thread, even looking at it for a few more breaths would feel like one's soul was being twisted in agony.

He let out a low sob, and the murderous intent in his heart thawed.

Now that I've mastered the supernatural powers, I might as well slaughter all these filthy creatures and then slowly search for her... that wouldn't be a bad idea.

As this thought arose, he glanced sideways and suddenly saw a faint golden light drifting in the wind, falling from the mountain peak where he was and connecting to a certain place below the mountain.

Zhang Nanfeng's eyes lit up suddenly, and he was overjoyed. Without further hesitation, he leaped down from the mountain peak.

......

Wanyan Yue half-dragged and half-supported Zheng Shi, and the mother and daughter struggled to walk in the snowdrift.

Zheng was already weak, and after being repeatedly frightened, her breathing became even more shallow.

She managed to move another few dozen feet before her legs gave way and she collapsed heavily to the ground.

"Mom!"

Wanyan Yue hurriedly went to help her up and tried to carry her on her back.

Unexpectedly, Madam Zheng raised her hand and gently pushed her away.

"Jiaojiao..."

Zheng slumped down in the snow, her hair disheveled and her lips bluish-purple.

"Go quickly... don't worry about me..."

"I don't!"

Wanyan Yue knelt down, clutching her mother's sleeves tightly with both hands, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mom, I finally found you... I'll carry you on my back, I can carry you... Hold on tight, we're going home, we're going home..."

She cried incoherently and insisted on helping Zheng to her feet.

Looking at her daughter who was weeping uncontrollably, Zheng's eyes were filled with sorrow and tenderness.

Suddenly, she mustered her strength and pushed hard with both hands, causing Wanyan Yue to fall backward into the snow.

Wanyan Yue was stunned.

Madam Zheng slowly pulled a jade hairpin from her bosom, gazing at her lost daughter, her voice so soft it was almost a sigh:

"Ever since your father passed away... I think about him day and night."

She paused, a smile playing on her lips, and in a daze, she seemed to see that person standing at the end of the snowstorm, smiling and reaching out to her.

"Let me go with him... You live, you live for us."

Wanyan Yue sat in the snow, her mind in turmoil, unsure whether to pull her up or leave as she had been told.

High on the mountain ridge, a white figure stood silently.

Where Zhang Nanfeng's gaze fell, he saw that the crimson bloodline between the two was tightly intertwined, and he instantly understood.

Wanyan Yue risked her life to save her mother.

His gaze swept over the dying woman, then turned to the helpless Wanyan Yue. A certain part of his heart was gently stirred, and many old memories flashed through his mind like smoke.

That's enough. He might as well see this through to the end. Saving another person would be no big deal for him, just another breath of air.

Zhang Nanfeng darted out, a strange wind already gathering in his throat, threatening to sweep the two of them away.

Just as the strange wind was about to unleash its power, he saw a dark, deadly line of killing intent appear out of nowhere on the woman's body, connecting directly to him.

A cloud of doubt arose in his mind, and the strange wind that was about to burst forth suddenly stopped in his throat.

Zheng, who was lying in the snow, turned her head at that moment and caught a glimpse of the wolf-shaped figure on the mountain ridge.

She was terrified, not knowing what kind of mountain spirit or monster it was. Instinctively, she propped herself up and shielded the still dazed Wanyan Yue behind her.

......

From the camp's entrance, a blood-soaked man, clutching a longbow, stumbled and fled toward the mother and daughter.

Behind him, two bear-men roared and chased after him.

The man turned around and saw that the bear-like creature was close by. He hurriedly drew his bow and nocked an arrow, hoping to use his last arrow to stop the pursuers.

Unfortunately, he had lost too much blood and his hands were shaking so badly that before he could even steady the arrow, a bear-man swung his paw and smashed it into the bow.

The man's hand went numb, and he loosened his grip, causing the arrow to change direction and fly away from the bowstring.

The arrow pierced the air, cutting through the swirling snow.

Wanyan Yue was still puzzled, wondering why her mother had suddenly shielded her behind her.

A gust of wind swept by, ruffling the stray hairs on her forehead.

She slowly lowered her head.

Zheng remained in a protective posture, lying face up in the snowdrift, a feathered arrow piercing deep into her heart, its fletching still trembling.

Bright red blood gushed from her heart, spreading across the white snow and blooming into a flower.

The flowers bloom both very slowly and very quickly.

So slow that Wanyan Yue could see every strand of blood crawling among the snow crystals, so fast that by the time she reached out her hand, she could no longer protect the warmth.