The pursuer searched downstream along the turbulent river. The river water hit the rocks, making a gurgling sound, splashing water, and wetting the hem of his black robe. He held his hat with one hand and pushed aside the dense bushes with the other hand. The thorns scratched his sleeves, revealing the black lining inside. Several vultures were circling in the air, making sharp calls. They seemed to smell the smell of blood and circled in the air, refusing to leave.
"Search carefully! Don't miss any clues!" The pursuer shouted loudly, and the sound echoed in the valley.
The guards dispersed and searched carefully along the river bank, splashing water and wetting their trouser legs. Thick fog shrouded the valley, blocking the sunlight, making the surrounding environment look gloomy and humid. Branches were used as they pushed aside the bushes, turned over the stones, and checked the traces on the ground, hoping to find Mark's traces. The mud on the river bank was slippery, and some guards accidentally slipped and fell on the muddy river bank, swaying in the wind, making a "rustling" sound, like a ghostly whisper. The pursuer held the spear tightly in one hand and pushed away the dense bushes with the other hand, scanning the surrounding environment with sharp eyes, not missing any clues.
"Search carefully! He was seriously injured and can't run far!" The pursuer said in a deep voice. They quickly got up, patted the mud on their bodies, and continued to search.
"Leader! There is blood here!" A guard pointed to a stone not far ahead and shouted, with a hint of excitement in his voice.
The pursuer walked forward quickly, squatted down, and carefully observed the blood on the stone. The blood was dark red and had dried, but it was still clearly visible. He reached out and touched the blood, feeling the viscosity of the blood, then raised his head and looked in the direction of the blood.
The bloodstains extended intermittently into a dense bush. The bushes were so dense that they blocked the view and made it difficult to see what was inside.
The pursuer stood up and signaled the guards to be on guard. He then carefully pushed aside the bushes and walked in. The branches of the bushes scratched his cheeks and arms, leaving small wounds, but he didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the direction of the bloodstains.
Deep in the bushes, there was a hidden cave. The entrance of the cave was blocked by dense vines. It was difficult to find it if you didn't look carefully. The cave was dimly lit, the air was humid, and there was a musty smell. The pursuer saw a person lying deep in the cave with the weak light.
The pursuer held his breath, walked lightly, and slowly approached. With the faint light coming in from the cave entrance, he saw the person lying on the ground clearly - it was Mark.
Mark was pale, his breath was weak, and there were many wounds on his body. His clothes were stained red with blood. He lay there motionless, as if he had lost consciousness.
The pursuer quickly stepped forward, grabbed Mark's collar, and lifted him up from the ground. "Ahem..." Mark coughed painfully a few times, a trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, and he struggled weakly. His lips were chapped, his face was as pale as paper, his eyes were closed, and his consciousness seemed a little fuzzy.
Mark slowly opened his eyes, his eyes were blurred, as if he was not fully awake. He looked at the pursuer, his eyes were full of pain and fear.
The pursuer raised his fist and hit Mark's face hard. "Bang!" With a muffled sound, Mark's head hit the stone wall of the cave heavily, making a dull sound. He groaned and fainted again.
The pursuer threw Mark on the ground and began to search his body.
He searched Mark's pocket and found two pieces of energy stone fragments, which were diamond-shaped and emitted a faint energy fluctuation.
"Sure enough, it's the same as the energy fluctuation of the holy stone."
The pursuer held it tightly in his hand and felt the energy fluctuation from the fragment.
At this moment, he suddenly heard footsteps outside the cave. He quickly put down his spear and looked at the cave entrance vigilantly.
"Chief, have you found him?" A guard's voice came from outside the cave.
"Found it." The pursuer replied, and then put away the energy stone fragments in his hand.
"Take him back!" the pursuer ordered.
The two guards walked into the cave, lifted up the unconscious Mark, and then followed the pursuer out of the cave.
The night fell, a few sparse stars dotted the deep blue sky, the mountain wind whistled, and the shadows of the trees swayed.
"Be gentle! Don't kill him." The pursuer whispered, with a hint of imperceptible tension in his tone.
"Yes, chief." One of the guards responded in a low voice, and his footsteps became more cautious.
They walked down the rugged mountain road. On both sides of the mountain road, the dense bushes swayed in the night wind, making a rustling sound.