"Unable to bear the sight anymore, Pei Ye picked up the two ten-year-old children and placed them on the horse's back, declaring, "I'll take these two, let's leave now!"
But a hand reached out and caught the horse's bridle. Cheng Feng, drenched in sweat, said, "Brother Pei, I'll help you carry one!"
The more people they escorted, the higher the likelihood that one might get chosen, and children, being more vulnerable, could be burdensome. Cheng Feng's act was both righteous and brave. Knowing that this was not the time to argue, Pei Ye handed over one child to him and they both rode out of the courtyard.
A small green figure brushed past them.
Pei Ye turned his head subconsciously and saw the bird's spread wings.
The Soul Bird had returned.
The moment he saw it, he recognized why it had taken so long to return.
A jade box hung on its back that was certainly not a typical load for this shabby bird.
It had initially targeted its master, but upon observing the situation in the courtyard, it gracefully swerved off course and fell into Chang Zhiyuan's palm.
Already at full gallop, Pei Ye had no idea what had transpired behind him. After a few strides, he noticed the rain had momentarily ceased, then abruptly swept backward.
This should be a good sign because it seemed as if the battle at the courtyard was still ongoing.
Feng Huai County was hardly ever lit at night. To save on expense, the residents would not let lamps burn all night. Thus, once night falls, the streets become as dark as the wilderness.
Yet Pei Ye and Cheng Feng dare not slow their pace. Even though the fear of unexpected falls lingered, the two men and children galloped westward like the wind.
"Exit through the west gate!" Pei Ye called out.
"Okay!" Cheng Feng responded, his voice battling against the wind and rain.
"Brother Pei!"
"Huh?"
"Can Lord Shen really not win?"
"..."
At that moment, Pei Ye felt an inexplicable emptiness behind him. He looked back and his pupils constricted.
Despite the mysteries and marvels of dreams invaded by Black Chi and symbols drawn by Divine Spirits, they did not hold a candle to the plain yet vivid visions of a young man manipulating water to control fire from his youth.
Now, this fantasy had materialized before his eyes.
They were at a considerable distance since they weren't slowing down, but on looking back, the brightly lit courtyard of the county government office was still conspicuous.
Several dozen feet of rainfall was sucked into the courtyard. A dragon made of water several meters long was leaping and swirling in the courtyard, as if capturing something.
At the same time, water kept shooting into the courtyard, like arrows and blades, piercing, cutting, and slashing, as if a host of tiny water soldiers were exhausting every trick in the book to launch a full-on attack against their target in the courtyard.
The rest of the rain magically hovered around the courtyard, forming a band of mist, much like well-disciplined soldiers waiting for orders.
Afterward, the water dragon submerged completely into the courtyard, as if tightly binding its target, followed by Shen Yanping's characteristic blue True Qi explosion. The water levitating in the air plunged straight down, making it hard to imagine what the small courtyard would look like after the calamity.
Cheng Feng's mouth dropped open. Instinctively pulling on the reins, he managed, "Brother Pei-"
"Don't stop!" Pei Ye shouted, "Keep moving!"
The terrifying spectacle indeed stirred up hopes in his heart. However, until the dust had settled, returning was not an option. After all, if Shen Yanping emerged victorious, it wouldn't be too late to return, but if things went south, an escape route would dissolve.
Hooves pounded like a drum echoing in his chest. Looking back at the county office, everything had quieted down. The lanterns had been extinguished by the rain. There was no way to tell who had won or lost.
But if the culprits were victorious, they would start choosing sacrifices soon, considering their potential victims were fleeing in every direction. Since no blue fire mark had descended, with every passing minute, Shen Yanping's chances of victory increased.
With such hopes and fears in their minds, they arrived at the west gate of the city. The two large lanterns hung underneath the gate shed some light.
"We'll split at the fork ahead! I'll go north, and you go south!"
Heading south would lead them to the main road to the provincial city, while going north would take them up the mountains. Pei Ye left no room for negotiation, leading his horse in the designated direction.
"Keep running and don't stop! If by dawn there's no fire mark on either of your heads, then… you can return to the city!"
The last few words were a source of motivation to the children as well as to Pei Ye himself. With one last glance at Cheng Feng's wind-blown face, Pei Ye turned around, held onto the child in his arms, and was about to spur his horse on when he heard the child say, "Brother…Brother, something on your head is glowing."
Pei Ye froze. He instinctively reached a hand to his forehead. As he turned around to look at Cheng Feng's horse, his heart sank.
Glowing from the same spot on the forehead of the child Cheng Feng held, named Zhang Xiaoyan, was a slowly-forming blue fire mark.
The fight had concluded and the selection process begun.
Lord Shen and Mr. Chang, they had both likely met with misfortune.
Upon realizing that they had lost both of their key supporters, the responsibility seemed to have suddenly fallen on his shoulders, making the gloomy rainy night suffocating.
Pei Ye lowered his head to ensure no strange signs were shown on the forehead of the child in his arms. He swiftly got off his horse, handed the child to Cheng Feng and commanded, "Cheng Feng, switch! Give Zhang Xiaoyan to me. I'll take him!"
"Brother Pei…"
"Take this child back to the city. Do not wander around, find a home to stay for the evening. Remember! Do not wander the city!"
Cheng Feng gritted his teeth, "Brother Pei, let him return alone, I'll stay with you!"
The words were like a spark, igniting frustration that surged fiercely in his heart, causing Pei Ye to tug at Cheng Feng's collar, almost pulling the boy off his horse. "You'll stay with me?! Who do you think you are? What capabilities do you have?! I can kill you with just three punches!"
Cheng Feng was taken aback, Pei Ye, after taking a few breaths, let him go and stated coldly, "How little you value your life? What am I to you that you would throw your life away for me?"
Cheng Feng opened and closed his mouth, unable to form words. Pei Ye, holding Zhang Xiaoyan, turned around and went back to his horse.
The government reinforcements had not arrived, and the local government had already been defeated. Feng Huai county had turned into a hunting ground where the enemy was free to wreak havoc. The situation had spiraled down to the worst possible condition. They were like mice, the enemy like cats. Only by being decisively hidden, evasive and willing to forsake others, they could keep the death toll to a minimum, and maximize the number of survivors.
They didn't need, "I'll go with you," kind of loyalty, nor did they need, "I'll fight with you," kind of courage.
Neither Pei Ye nor Zhang Xiaoyan, who was in his arms, showed signs of losing consciousness yet. The enemy's "selection" and "summoning" should be two separate phases. They were not sure when the next step would begin, all Pei Ye could do was to try to get as far away as possible.
However, when he took his next step down the muddy field, the sludge suddenly felt like a bottomless pit. He was pulled in, his world turned upside-down until he hit the ground with a thud. Only then, did Pei Ye realize he had fallen.
Only then did the sharp pain in his chest and abdomen manage to penetrate the fog in his mind.
Even though he had been repeatedly warned, the young man had not taken any care, and continuously exposed himself to the icy autumn rain. The wounds on his body had finally retaliated by punishing him mercilessly.