Chapter 336 - 323: One More Update
The night was oppressively dark as if trying to squeeze ink from the shadows, a heaviness and despair pressing down on everyone’s hearts. Qi Ling and Qi Zhu were leading the way, with Zheng Congyuan’s footsteps sinking deeper with every step he took.
No one in the procession dared to make a sound, only the footsteps, the rustling of clothes, the struggle of feet in the muddy ground, and the occasional weak, defiant chirp of a cricket pierced the silence.
Qi Ling didn’t know what to do next. The longer the time dragged on, the more faint the hope became. The commandery princess was not skilled in swimming, having been fearful of water since childhood, always keeping a wide berth even from a pond. The thought of her falling into the water made Qi Ling vividly feel the princess’s panic.
Terror, despair, helplessness. Under such tension, how could one think of holding their breath and navigating through the undercurrents? Even if, by some stroke of luck, one was carried downstream by the current, what were the chances of surviving?
Action must be taken, of course.
The guards that had descended failed to detect this undercurrent immediately, missing the best opportunity to search, costing a full two Shichen.
Not just the Hidden Guards of the Crown Prince’s Mansion but also the Loyal Warriors of Wen Family were likely to meet a grim fate. The Crown Prince would not refrain from taking lives if he wanted company in death, and given the Fourth Prince’s attitude, he would not let the matter rest.
Qi Ling was not afraid of death. If the commandery princess didn’t make it, he couldn’t imagine what would happen next.
Qi Ling suddenly stopped, not even realizing that he had been unaware of the team stopping a step ahead of him. Qi Zhu, following Zheng Congyuan, halted by the riverbank.
This particular riverbank was found after crossing a small, unremarkable hill next to the Golden Spirit Mountain range. The current was swift, the sound of the river rushing through the valley, extending into the wide sandy plains below.
Zheng Congyuan, looking at the river that suddenly emerged from the foot of the mountain, felt his heart hammered violently. Several Hidden Guards without waiting for orders had already dived into the water. This was their fourth time entering the water, rotating in groups of four, some unaware of the circumstances or perhaps only informed to search for Prince Duan’s offspring, Princess Chao Ren.