The Masked Guard instantly fell to the ground. What was even more terrifying was that his right hand had been replaced by an extremely sharp steel claw.
At that moment, it had just pierced through Ma Jiang's chest and was still dripping blood.
"Continue forward."
The guard coldly shouted, as if the massacre just now had nothing to do with him.
Du Hongqing hugged his comrade's corpse, but he could only grit his teeth and hide his deep hatred.
The carriage and the Masked Guard coldly drove past.
As for his companions who were similarly indifferent, no matter what they thought, they did not dare to show even the slightest bit of dissatisfaction.
They did not even bother to look at their comrade's corpse.
Those who were slightly emotional could only look at Du Hongqing sympathetically and secretly tell him to hurry up and leave.
But Ma Jiang's death caused them to be unable to help but have the feeling of a fox mourning the death of a hare.
But it was useless.
When their first comrade collided with the person in the carriage and fell to his death, they had already realized one thing - they were victims.
If they could complete the mission perfectly and return alive, it would already be a great fortune.
In the end, Du Hongqing could only take Ma Jiang off to the side of the road and use a thin layer of snow to bury his corpse in the wilderness.
Then, he put away his sorrowful expression and shrunk his neck as he silently followed behind the group, turning himself into a senseless puppet.
Finally, when the sky was about to turn dark, they saw a narrow pass in the distance.
Those who knew the way knew that after passing through this pass, they would reach Elder Zhao's territory.
Those who were lucky enough to survive until now could not help but let out a sigh of relief.
They thought that since they were already here, as long as they obediently completed the mission, there should not be any more deaths.
The Masked Guard followed his daily routine. When the last ray of light was about to disappear, he indicated that everyone could rest for a while.
Everyone immediately got off their horses and went about their duties.
Some were in charge of gathering firewood, while others were in charge of cooking.
However, they had to stay away from the carriage, otherwise …
In the dark night, they huddled together to keep warm.
Otherwise, even if they froze to death or starved to death, the person in the carriage and the Masked Guard would not be afraid.
Drinking the tasteless snow water and eating the cold dry rations, the people sent by the Elders could only secretly look in the direction of the carriage.
Fortunately, the person in the carriage did not order them around.
That was because the carriage had plenty of charcoal and food.
Not long after, the enticing aroma of the meat soup wafted over.
Those people gnawed on their rations and could only twitch their noses behind their backs in an attempt to adjust their dry mouths with fragrance.
When the people inside finished eating, the leftovers would be dumped on the side of the road.
Some people couldn't help but want to dig some to eat.
In the face of hunger and cold, human dignity seemed to have become unimportant.
But no one dared to go.
They were too afraid of the person in the carriage.
As long as those things were not given to them, even if they were thrown by the roadside, no one was allowed to pick them up. Otherwise, it would be a cruel punishment.
Du Hongqing had been sitting in the corner with his back against his horse, munching on the dry rations in his hands.
Under the cover of the crowd, his line of sight occasionally fell on the carriage.
But soon, he looked away and lowered his head, thinking about something.
Both sides gradually quietened down.
Du Hongqing covered himself with all the thick clothes, leaving only a pair of eyes, wearily and sorrowfully looking at the waning moon in the sky.
He did not know how much longer he could live.
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As for him, he was already pessimistic that perhaps all of them would die here.
Even if they could survive, he did not know how much longer he could endure such inhumane torture.
In his hand, which was wrapped in layers of sleeves, was a small golden leaf.
That was something that Ma Jiang had left behind. It was something that he always wore around his neck and carried with him.
He knew that the golden leaf was Ma Jiang's youngest daughter, who had just turned one year old.
He still remembered how happy Ma Jiang was on that day.
But now, Ma Jiang could never go back to see that adorable little girl.
Suddenly, his hand tightened, and the sharp tip of the golden leaf pierced into his palm.
The pain made him sober up quite a bit.
At that moment, he heard a sound coming from the carriage.
He listened carefully. Although he did not dare to move, the sound seemed to be that of someone walking back and forth. He even heard suppressed sounds of breathing.
After about an hour, the sound finally quieted down.
At the same time, he heard footsteps approaching. He was so scared that he quickly closed his eyes.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer. Finally, he heard a very faint sound of clothes rubbing against each other.
Then, an unusual smell suddenly assaulted him.
He immediately closed his mouth and nose.
Fortunately, he had wrapped himself up tightly, so no one could tell from the outside.
Then, he heard what seemed to be the sound of flowing water, and the tip of his nose smelled some blood.
Du Hongqing's heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that someone wanted to take advantage of the night to kill someone?
But after the sound of flowing water, the footsteps moved away again.
He wanted to open his eyes to check, but a strong sense of danger made him continue to close his eyes and pretend to be asleep.
After about the time it took for a stick of incense to burn, he suddenly heard footsteps that he had not heard before.
Just now, someone was quietly lurking next to him!
Du Hongqing only felt that all the hair on his body stood on end. It was not until all the movements disappeared, and when his companions gradually woke up that he pretended to be awake and opened his eyes.
He quickly looked around and found that everyone was there.
Then what happened last night?
With something on his mind, he was naturally distracted.
But every time his eyes fell on the horse carriage, he could not help but have a huge doubt in his heart.
Could it be that the person in the carriage was just acting out of a momentary sense of humor and that was why he was so bloodthirsty?
As for them, were they really just unlucky? Was that why they were sent by the Elders Guild to pay for their lives?
A series of questions lingered in Du Hongqing's heart.
Finally, after a few days of travel, they finally arrived at their destination.
At this time, Lin Mengya had already received the news.
But Aunt Fang had been trying hard for a day and a night, but there was still no sign of Uncle Huo waking up.
"Master, they are already outside the city."
Cai Ru would keep her updated.
Lin Mengya nodded and continued to look at Aunt Fang and Uncle Huo's room.
"How many people are there?"
"There is a big horse carriage, and a dozen guards. There are about 20 to 30 other people in total. But our people said that they have people hiding in the dark. They are good at martial arts, so our people dare not get too close. "Cai Ru reported truthfully.
Lin Mengya nodded and turned back to her husband.
Long Tianhao seemed not to be disturbed by the situation outside.
It seemed that the world around him had quietened down.
"You came back at the right time. Look at what I found in the study."
He waved his hand to show.
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He gestured for Lin Mengya to go over and have a look.
These days, Long Tianhao had not been idle.
One had to know that in such a huge hot spring manor, if one wanted to hide something, it would take a lot of effort to find it.
Lin Mengya was busy running around, so this important task was given to him.
Lin Mengya saw a stack of yellowed drawings on his knees.
She looked carefully and couldn't help but say in surprise, "Isn't this the architectural drawing of the hot spring villa and the Zhao's mansion?"
Long Tianhao nodded and raised his eyebrows slightly, looking very happy.
"Yes. What we didn't expect is that the secret underground room here is connected to the secret underground room in the Zhao's mansion. "
"But I have been to the secret room in the study of the Zhao's mansion. Although it is very hidden, I am sure that there are no other secret doors. "
"That's why I said they are cunning." Long Tianhao pointed to the drawings of the hot spring villa and the Zhao's mansion.
"Look at the parts of the courtyard of the Zhao's mansion and the hot spring villa. Isn't there something wrong?"
If he didn't say it, Lin Mengya really wouldn't have thought about it.
Although she didn't understand the plan, the system could simulate a real model according to the drawings.
"These two courtyards … Eh? The area of the front courtyard is obviously larger than the back courtyard, but in fact, the back courtyard is larger than the front courtyard. How could it be? "
She was familiar with these two places, so of course she couldn't remember it wrong.
Long Tianhao rubbed his wife's head and explained patiently in a better mood, "This is also a kind of mechanism. By using the orientation and structure of the house, we can easily cover up the places that we don't want to be found."
"Think about it. Is there a place that even if we lived in this courtyard for our entire lives, we would never be able to think of such a place?"
Lin Mengya understood what he said.
Indeed.
Most people relied on their vision to judge the direction.
If the big house blocked the small house in front, of course, if one only looked at the back of the big house, of course, he would not think that there was a small house in front.
This principle was similar, whether it was the hot spring villa or the Zhao's mansion.
Some small corners were "hidden" in this way.
Even if someone found it, it didn't matter.
First, such a small house must be secretly guarded; second, as long as the master of the mansion didn't say anything, no one would think of breaking the door to see what was inside.
"This Zhao Laosi is really cunning!"
Lin Mengya couldn't help sighing.
Unexpectedly, Long Tianhao poked her forehead and asked her meaningfully.
"Do you really think that this is all Zhao Laosi's idea?"
She was stunned for a moment and then immediately understood.
Long Tianhao put the drawing back into the box, pulled him over, and said in a low voice, "Zhao Laosi is really smart, and his means are vicious enough. But this kind of mechanism is not something he can think of. "
"What's more, I heard that the Zhao's mansion was built by Huo Shujiang himself. Many places were also changed according to his ideas. No matter how long Zhao Laosi can stretch his hand, he can't completely control Huo Shujiang's ideas. "
"Otherwise, he wouldn't have forced them to take Old Grandma back, and even secretly instigated Fang Rao and instigated Zhao Ziyan."
Indeed.
Although Huo Shujiang had been forcibly transformed into another person, he had always been smart and strong-willed.
After more than ten years, Zhao Laosi couldn't completely control him, let alone Huo Shujiang, who had just been transformed and didn't have a high degree of psychological suggestion and acceptance.
"So, someone is helping him? Could it be the person behind him? "Lin Mengya guessed.
Long Tianhao put his head on her belly and gently stroked it to greet his daughter.
"We have to investigate this slowly. Anyway, Huo Shujiang's identity and the reason why he was chosen may have a deep meaning."
(End of this chapter)
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