Chapter 33: Something Is Wrong
The afternoon wore on at a comfortable, unbroken pace. The trade road wound deeper through the heart of the northern territories, flanked by rolling green valleys that gradually gave way to dense, ancient pine forests.
The canopy above was thick enough to catch the golden rays of the descending sun, weaving long, flickering shadows across the dirt track.
Inside the carriage, the atmosphere remained remarkably calm. Han Lin spent a considerable amount of time organizing her travel bag, neatly folding her spare garments and taking inventory of their remaining food rations.
Across from her, Lu Feng maintained his quiet vigilance, keeping his eyes half-closed as he let the Primordial Chaos Bead circulate a steady, cooling current of energy through his limbs, soothing the lingering aches from his previous fight.
Outside, the steady rhythm of horses’ hooves and the low, rumbling creak of wagon wheels provided a soothing background noise. The passengers in the carriage just in front of theirs could be heard chatting casually.
"Do you think we will reach Crimson Vale City before nightfall tomorrow?" an older merchant asked, his voice carrying clearly through the wooden paneling.
"At this pace, easily," another traveler replied with a light chuckle. "Provided the road stays clear of any more unpleasant surprises."
"With the guards protecting us, I don’t think there’ll even be a problem if a problem arose. Didn’t you see how they dealt with the last one?"
"That’s true. They handled it without any loss."
General laughter followed that remark, a sign that the collective anxiety from the previous night’s brutal ambush had finally worn off, replaced by the mundane optimism of nearing their destination.
Even the guards walking alongside the mounts looked relaxed, their hands resting loosely near their hilts rather than gripped in white-knuckled tension.
Lu Feng watched the scenery roll past through the narrow window slot. The tranquility was almost too complete, too undisturbed to feel entirely natural.
Yet, as the miles ticked by and nothing disrupted their pace, even his guarded posture began to loosen. He allowed his mind to wander, contemplating his upcoming plans once they reached the city.
He needed to find a proper manual, figure out how to harness his unique situation properly, and keep a low profile while managing the thousands of pills sitting in his system inventory.
The journey continued like this for several more miles, wrapped in a peaceful, easygoing bubble.
Then, without warning, a strange, subtle shift occurred in the atmosphere.
It started as an imperceptible tick at the base of Lu Feng’s neck. His skin prickled sharply, as though an invisible static charge had suddenly filled the cabin air, making the hairs on his arms stand on end.
Lu Feng sat up straight, his eyes snapping fully open.
He felt weird. An odd, heavy sensation settled deep in his chest, making his breathing feel slightly restricted, though he could not pinpoint the exact source of the discomfort.
There was no sound of approaching blades, no sudden movement in the brush, and no obvious sign of danger. Yet every instinctual alarm bell in his nervous system began to ring quietly.
He frowned, turning his head slightly to look around the interior of the carriage to see if anyone else had noticed.
Han Lin was still busy folding a small cloth, completely oblivious to the sudden change. "Is something the matter, Young Master?" she asked, noticing his abrupt movement.
"Nothing," Lu Feng murmured, keeping his voice low. "Just keep quiet for a moment."
Before Han Lin could question him further, the person sitting across from her reacted.
Ye Chenxue’s body went instantly rigid. The relaxed, indifferent expression she usually wore vanished in a fraction of a second, replaced by a cold, alert intensity. Her brow knitted together into a deep, severe frown, and her sharp eyes darted toward the sealed wooden door of the carriage.
"Something is wrong," Ye Chenxue stated flatly, her voice dropping to a low, cold whisper that cut cleanly through the ambient noise of the rolling wheels.
Before Han Lin could even ask what she meant, the answer arrived with terrifying clarity.
Boooom!
A massive, concussive bang echoed across the forest. It sounded less like a natural impact and more like a heavy iron gate shattering under an immense, unnatural force, sending a violent shockwave rippling through the damp earth beneath the carriage wheels and rattling the wooden frame violently.
Instantly, commotion erupted outside. The steady rhythm of the horses broke into frantic, panicked whinnies as the animals reared against their harnesses.
The sharp, urgent voices of the lead guards rang out across the clearing.
"Hold your positions! Stay on guard! Scan the treeline!"
The instructions were loud and commanding, urging the security detail to lock down their zones and watch their surroundings.
However, as Lu Feng and Ye Chenxue both noted with chilling precision, the guards did not yell the familiar, frantic command to lock the doors and batten down the hatches. That specific instruction—the absolute panic-stricken order demanding everyone hide inside the wooden boxes—was completely absent.
On the surface, this meant the situation was technically different from the brutal, premeditated bandit ambush that had caught them completely off guard the night before. It implied a smaller scale, probably a minor disturbance, or perhaps a routine road hazard rather than a full-scale slaughter party like the previous attempt.
Yet, neither Lu Feng nor Ye Chenxue found any comfort in that distinction. Neither of them believed for a single second that this was a better, safer situation. The lingering static in the air and the profound, oppressive weight pressing down on their senses hinted at something far more calculated and dangerous waiting just out of sight.
After what felt like an eternity even though it was only a few seconds, there was an authoritative shout.
"Identify yourselves!"
Lu Feng stared at the reinforced wooden door, feeling the lingering pulse of the Primordial Chaos Bead humming anxiously against his ribs.
He let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders sagging slightly as he shook his head. "I didn’t sign up for all of this."