The forest grew eerily quiet as Lusi and Wushi moved through the dense trees, their senses sharpened by the tension in the air. The low rumble of approaching footsteps echoed through the woods, signaling that danger was close. Lusi, though still recovering, refused to be seen as weak, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of movement.
Wushi led the way, his form tense but calm, as if this was routine for him. His demi-god abilities gave him an edge in situations like these. With every step, his muscles rippled beneath his armor, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Lusi couldn't help but feel a strange comfort in his presence despite the looming danger.
Suddenly, Wushi raised a hand, motioning for Lusi to stop. The footsteps had ceased. For a few heartbeats, the forest was silent once more. Then, in an instant, arrows shot out from the dense foliage, slicing through the air toward them. Without thinking, Wushi pulled Lusi behind him, his sword flashing as he deflected the arrows with ease. His speed and precision were almost unnatural, a clear reminder of his demi-god heritage.
"Stay close," Wushi muttered under his breath.
But Lusi wasn't about to stand idle. Her hands moved swiftly, pulling out a set of poisoned needles from her belt. With deadly accuracy, she flung them into the trees, hitting one of the hidden attackers. A muffled scream followed, and the figure fell from the branches, landing in a heap on the forest floor.
"We're surrounded," Lusi whispered, her voice calm but firm.
Wushi nodded, his eyes scanning the trees. "They think they can catch us off guard. Let's show them they're wrong."
Just as he said the words, more enemies rushed out of the underbrush, their weapons gleaming in the morning light. Wushi met them head-on, his sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. Lusi moved like a shadow beside him, her agility and cunning making her just as dangerous.
As the battle raged on, Lusi's mind raced. These weren't ordinary mercenaries—they were skilled, organized. Whoever had sent them wasn't taking any chances. And that only meant one thing: the stakes were higher than she had imagined.
In the heat of the fight, Lusi found herself back-to-back with Wushi. Their movements were in perfect sync, an unspoken understanding between them. With every swing of his sword and every flick of her poisoned needles, they pushed the attackers back, cutting through their ranks.
But just as it seemed they had the upper hand, a new figure emerged from the shadows—a towering man, cloaked in black, his presence radiating power. His eyes locked onto Wushi, and a sinister smile spread across his face.
"You've been a hard one to find, Wushi," the man said, his voice low and menacing.
Wushi's grip on his sword tightened, his expression darkening. "Who sent you?"
The man chuckled. "Does it matter? You won't live long enough to find out."
Before Lusi could react, the man lunged at Wushi with inhuman speed, his massive blade aimed at Wushi's heart. Wushi barely managed to deflect the blow, the force of the impact sending him stumbling back.
"Wushi!" Lusi shouted, her heart pounding as she rushed to his side.
But the man was relentless, his attacks brutal and precise. Wushi was powerful, but this opponent was no ordinary warrior. He was faster, stronger—and clearly out for blood.
Lusi's mind raced. She had to do something. She couldn't stand by and watch Wushi get overwhelmed. As the man prepared to strike again, Lusi quickly reached into her pouch, pulling out one of her most potent poisons.
"Wushi, cover me!" she yelled, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins.
Without hesitation, Wushi blocked the man's next attack, giving Lusi just enough time to hurl the poison vial at their enemy. The vial shattered against the man's chest, and within seconds, the poison began to take effect. The man's movements slowed, his body convulsing as the deadly substance spread through his veins.
"You... witch..." he snarled, his voice choked with pain.
Wushi didn't waste a second. With a swift, final blow, he plunged his sword through the man's chest, ending the battle.
The forest fell silent once more, the only sound being the ragged breaths of Wushi and Lusi as they stood among the fallen enemies.
Lusi turned to Wushi, concern written all over her face. "Are you alright?"
Wushi wiped the blood from his blade, his eyes hard. "I'm fine. But this isn't over. Whoever sent them knows where we are now."
Lusi nodded, her heart heavy with the realization. "We need to move. Quickly."
As they gathered their things and prepared to leave, a new sense of urgency filled the air. The road ahead was going to be far more dangerous than they had anticipated, and they would need every bit of strength and skill they had to survive. But for now, they had each other—and that would be enough.