Chapter 106: On the Brink of Death
"You don't need to know that," the farmer's wife sneered, pulling out a handgun. "Rest assured, we'll make sure you leave this world painlessly."
Silo had consumed the drugged food, leaving him seemingly defenseless. The gun was now aimed directly at his heart, and her mission was all but complete.
Silo's eyes darkened, like a bottomless swamp threatening to swallow anyone who ventured too close.
"Die, Prince Silo!" the woman snarled, her voice filled with malice.
But just as she was about to pull the trigger, Silo sprang to his feet, his body moving with lightning speed. With a swift kick, he sent the gun flying from her hands. Following through, his other leg struck her stomach with force.
"Ugh!" The woman gasped, unprepared for Silo's sudden counterattack, and crumpled to the ground.
Without wasting a second, Silo grabbed the still-pretending-to-sleep Liang Xiaoluo by the hand. "We need to go. Now."
Liang Xiaoluo was frozen in shock, her mind racing to make sense of the situation. The word "prince" lingered in her mind, raising questions about Silo's true identity.
But Silo had no time to explain. He dragged her out of the farmhouse.
"After them! Don't let them escape!" the woman bellowed, commanding her henchmen to give chase.
Silo ran, pulling Liang Xiaoluo along. His breath grew labored, but his determination never wavered.
Fortunately, Silo was familiar with the area. Dodging and weaving through the terrain, they eventually found a dense thicket and hid within it. Silo placed a hand over Liang Xiaoluo's mouth. "Shh, don't make a sound."
Her wide eyes stared at him in fear, her breathing shallow and silent as she obeyed.
The pursuers were close—so close that Liang Xiaoluo could hear their footsteps and frantic searching. Her heart pounded in her chest, threatening to leap out at any moment.
After several tense minutes of searching, the men gave up and moved on.
Only when their footsteps faded did Silo release his hold.
"You can breathe now," he said gently, noticing her face had turned red from holding her breath.
Liang Xiaoluo gasped for air, her chest heaving as she pressed a hand to her heart, trying to calm its frantic rhythm.
"Scared you, didn't I?" Silo said, his tone soft and apologetic.
For him, such life-threatening situations had become a grim reality he had long since grown numb to.
Liang Xiaoluo stared at him, her mind flooded with questions. Finally, she asked, "Silo, you…?"
"I know you must be wondering why I'm being hunted and who I really am," Silo said with a bitter smile.
If he had a choice, he would have traded his royal status for a simple, ordinary life—a life where he could share modest meals with his family in peace. To him, such a life was the ultimate happiness, but it was a luxury he could never afford.
"I…" Liang Xiaoluo began, unsure how to respond.
"I'm a prince of England," Silo revealed.
"A prince?" Her eyes widened in disbelief.
An English prince, here? Shouldn't he be attending some prestigious noble school instead?
She recalled their first meeting when Silo had said he was an abandoned and exiled man.
Could it be…?
"Yes. I'm the illegitimate son of the king and another woman," Silo admitted, his voice heavy with sorrow.
Although he was officially recognized as the second son of the queen, his true origins were a closely guarded secret. To prevent any potential conflict over the throne, he had been exiled to this remote place under the queen's orders, forbidden to return without her consent.
Three years ago, he had arrived here with only Ryan for company.
Liang Xiaoluo couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"You probably think I'm pathetic, don't you? Always putting on airs," he said, his voice laced with self-deprecation.
"No, Silo. That's not true," Liang Xiaoluo said quickly, her tone earnest.
She didn't see him as pathetic. If anything, she found his story heartbreaking. Compared to Silo, how much better off was she? Her own life was a series of humiliations, stripped of dignity and pride.
"Over there! Quickly!" The pursuers had found their trail again.
Before Liang Xiaoluo could respond, Silo grabbed her hand, and they began running once more.
This time, they weren't so lucky. Soon, they were surrounded.
"Where will you run now?" one of the men sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice.
Silo positioned himself in front of Liang Xiaoluo, shielding her. "Don't worry. I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you."
Liang Xiaoluo clutched the back of his shirt tightly, trembling with fear. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out, her voice stuck in her throat.
The men laughed menacingly. "Prince Silo, you can't even protect yourself, and now you're playing hero? Fine, we'll grant your wish. Boys, take him down!"
Armed with knives, they lunged at Silo.
Silo dodged and countered as best as he could while keeping Liang Xiaoluo safe. His movements were restricted, and several close calls left him narrowly avoiding their blades.
"Watch out!" Liang Xiaoluo cried out as she saw a knife swing dangerously close to him.
Her heart pounded as a name involuntarily came to her lips. Ye Tianlin… save us. Tianlin…
In her moment of desperation, the only person she could think of was Ye Tianlin. The realization startled her.
"Silo, leave me and run!" she pleaded, not wanting him to get hurt because of her.
"No. I brought you here, and I'll make sure you get back safely," Silo said firmly, his resolve unshaken.
Even without Ye Tianlin's earlier threats, Silo would have protected her with his life.
One of the attackers lunged again, forcing Silo to release her hand to avoid the blow. Liang Xiaoluo stumbled backward, putting some distance between them.
"Ha, Prince Silo. I'll kill her first, then finish you off," one of the men taunted, his knife gleaming.
"If you dare touch her, I'll kill you!" Silo roared, his voice filled with fury, like a lion ready to tear its prey apart.
But the men only laughed, unshaken by his threats.
Terrified, Liang Xiaoluo began to back away. "No… no, please…" she whispered, shaking her head.
She turned and ran, her instincts screaming for her to escape.
One of the men broke off from the group to chase her. "Don't run! Stop right there!" he yelled.
Panicked, Liang Xiaoluo tripped and fell to the ground. She scrambled backward as the man approached, her eyes wide with fear. When he was close enough, she kicked him in the leg, sending him stumbling back. Seizing the chance, she ran again.
"Damn it, you stupid woman!" the man cursed, picking up his pace.
He soon caught up, raising his knife high. "Die, you wench!"
Liang Xiaoluo turned to see the blade descending toward her. Her mind went blank, and she reflexively closed her eyes.
Would it hurt? Was this what death felt like?
In that moment, she surrendered herself to fate, ready to embrace the inevitable.