On a small hill far from the hunting troops, the tall, black-clad girl and her subordinates did their best to hide in the small forest on the hilltop, watching everything unfold. As the hunting troops mounted their horses and rode away, the group of people finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The black-clad girl tilted her head, contemplating, and asked the middle-aged man beside her, "Uncle Hatice, Is that tall general Cyrus?" The man by her side nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, that's Cyrus, the top one cavalry general of Persia. The silver-armored troops are the Hunting Army of Persia, trained by the unparalleled hero Prince Farid of Persia. Our Khazars hero, Tong Yabghu Qaghan, fell at their hands... Miss, please don't pursue that young man any further. It's too dangerous."
The girl still seemed unwilling to accept it, her eyes contemplating something. The middle-aged man continued, "Even the guard of that noble girl left us powerless. Miss, you know how formidable he is. But against Cyrus, there's no chance! Cyrus, the fierce warrior of the Persia, with his Thunder Excalibur Sword and Thunder Power, once fought dozens of rounds against Tong Yabghu Qaghan. If he hadn't engaged Tong Yabghu Qaghan and allowed the Hunting Army of Persia to encircle Khazar warriors... Miss, let's go."
The girl's eyes sparkled, "Uncle Hatice, what does that ugly woman have in her hands that even Cyrus can be threatened by? Father has always been most concerned about the affairs of Persia. If we could get that thing, how would father react?"
The man, Hatice, shook his head repeatedly, "Miss, I can't let you take this risk!" Listening to the firm tone of the man, the girl bit her lip and stomped her foot in frustration. Despite her tall stature and extremely charming appearance, her behavior was quite childish. Finally, she reluctantly said, "Alright! Let's go home then. But can we not catch up to those hunters in front? We can walk side by side with them. Keep a bit of distance, at least we can witness some excitement... Uncle Hatice, it's not easy for me to come out..."
Unable to resist the girl's insistence and considering the risk was within manageable limits, the man reluctantly agreed to the girl's request. The girl cheered and, with her entourage, emerged from the woods and descended the small hill.
As they went, a figure on top of a big tree in the forest suddenly moved, and a silhouette of teenage girl slowly showed up. It was the person who mysteriously appeared last night, used a peculiar formation to divert the hunters' pursuit.
She was still wearing a large black cloak that covered her from head to toe. Sitting on a tree branch, she stretched her legs, saying, "That was a close call, almost missed out all the fun! These two fools don't know how to escape. I helped them divert the pursuit for a whole day, and yet they still got caught! Stirring up trouble everywhere... Even the Ashina tribe came to join the fun! Old man master, you've really arranged some tough tasks for me... If I don't find a way to help them, your plans will be completely ruined!"
Lucas embraced Ariana, urging the horse to gallop wildly. The night gradually darkened, but he dared not pause. Faint sounds of hooves echoed behind, making him reluctant to linger. He wondered when this escape would come to an end. Even though Ariana, the beautiful woman, was in his arms, he couldn't afford to focus on her tenderness. The sensation of pain in his right hand intensified, feeling like it was burning. Unable to bear it any longer, he grunted and checked his right hand.
The crescent-shaped scar emitted a constant flow of silver light, now shining brightly in the darkness. The silver light danced and flickered on his palm, resembling silvery mist. Ariana exclaimed in surprise, "What is this?"
Lucas angrily exclaimed, "How the hell would I know?" Ariana bit her lip, choosing not to argue with his foul mouth. It was this guy who had forcibly stood in front of her, taking a hit from Cyrus. As she recalled the moment they both fell from their horses, there was a mutual understanding in this perilous journey—a companion, even though he was a weird vagabond. The girl slowly put the jade amulet she had been holding in her hand back to her bosom to her bosom. The silver light in Lucas's hand gradually dimmed. With a flash, it returned to its original state, and the burning sensation suddenly disappeared.
"Damn it, coming and leaving as it pleases", Lucas thought angrily in his mind. However, the girl in his arms, Ariana, could no longer hold on. The confrontation with Cyrus had depleted all of her energy. She let out a low whimper, and a fresh streak of blood slowly unfolded on her shoulder. With a soft voice, the girl said, "Find... find a place to spend the night. As long as I have a breath left, the hunting troops won't dare to approach until the last moment... if we don't take a break soon, we'll be exhausted before reaching the Caspian Sea..."
Lucas had been crawling, climbing, and fighting for a day and a night, engaging in several life-and-death struggles, yet he still felt remarkably energetic. While he relished the thought of continuing to evade the ominous metal giant behind him, the girl in his arms was clearly exhausted. He could only wryly smile as he surveyed the surroundings, looking for a safe place to rest.
The winter landscape was truly desolate. In this vast wilderness, there were no villages or towns as densely populated as in his era. In the dimming twilight, only a few small villages cast gray shadows in the distance. Modest hills and peaks stood quietly around them. The Caspian Sea was still out of sight. The sound of the large hunting troops' cavalry, following them from behind, echoed across the vast land. However, when he turned around, he could no longer see the white feathers on their helmets in the dim light. Spending the night? Where could they find a safe place to lodge? If only he could have a five-star hotel at this moment, take a hot shower, and crack open a couple of beers. Damn tomorrow, whether it brought life or death. At this inexplicable point in his journey, his expectations for the future seemed to have dwindled to this pitiful extent.
The girl trembled gently in his arms, her breath falling on his face, carrying a slightly sickly warmth. It seemed that the cold winter night, the continuous journey, the exhaustive battles, and the significant energy depletion, coupled with the effects of the antibiotic shot from the previous night, had caused Ariana to develop a fever after her injuries! Her gaze became somewhat scattered, and Lucas's heart sank. He strained his eyes forward anxiously.
In his arms, Ariana struggled to look forward, softly calling out, "Father, I've reached the banks of the Caspian Sea. But I may never see you again!" The girl's voice was gentle and melodious but abruptly stopped. Lucas lowered his head to see Ariana had fainted in his arms. Gritting his teeth, he urged the horse forward, racing the last dozen miles. Suddenly, he saw, in the moonlight, the bright big lake appearing before him! Standing on the coast, the water surged and roared, with large chunks of floating ice colliding, creating a thunderous sound. This was the Caspian Sea, as the largest lake existed a thousand years ago!
Beneath the cold moonlight, Lucas stood by the ancient Caspian Sea, the mist hitting his face. Cradling a girl with unparalleled beauty in his arms, he felt a profound realization at this moment. He had truly integrated into this era. Regardless of how long his life would last or the uncertain future, as a young man, he had reached a peak, far beyond the mundane life of his original time.