Zhan Zhao Adventures - Chapter Six (Part II)

Chapter Six: Crane Rushing to the Sky (Part II)

The sky grew fully bright. The sun rose higher and higher, already piercing through the low, dark clouds, and dispersing the bone-chilling morning wind.
 
The intense sunlight struck upon Little Brother Huo's face; sweat had already seeped out from his pores.
 
"Even if you killed us, you——already——cannot run——away——!"
 
Those evil words still echoed by his ear.
 
——These soldiers, whose soldiers exactly were they?
 
Little Brother Huo's eyes had already become wild. The warhorse galloped frantically under his urging.
 
Finally, his horse let out a cry of grief and fell plop onto the ground from exhaustion, spitting white foam, unable to stand up anymore. Within that beast's eyes, looking at him, it seemed as if tears were about to flow out.
 
Next, Zhan Rifei's horse also fell onto the ground; no matter how Little Brother Huo drove it, it could no longer take a single step forward.
 
Little Brother Huo felt so much regret now.
 
——When leaving that main road between the gorges, he should have changed onto the horses of those iron-blooded knights. Why hadn't he thought of it earlier?
 
Gazing back, the flat main road was boundless at a glance, clearly telling the pursuing enemies their whereabouts.
 
A kind of terror had already revealed itself within Little Brother Huo's eyes. Not knowing from where a burst of strength came, he dragged Zhan Rifei up, fleeing frantically while choosing any path in his panic.
 
The wind howled, and the sunlight stabbed his two eyes so that they felt uncomfortably painful without form.
 
Little Brother Huo's chest was already aching covertly, his true Qi surged, and within the circulation of his internal breath, the lightness skill of "Jinghongyipie" had already been raised to the limit.
 
Now, he finally experienced the taste of flight: Zhan Rifei's body seemed to grow heavier and heavier, while the injury and pain upon his own leg assaulted him in bursts, even more so drilling into his heart like lightning.
 
But he did not dare to stay.
 
——Beneath the white day, after the sounding arrows, the enemies would very quickly pursue and catch up.
 
The road turned over, and a small agricultural estate had already appeared ahead; outside the estate was an old barn.
 
Seeing this barn, Little Brother Huo's legs suddenly seemed as if poured with lead, becoming heavy and rigid, unable to move another single step.
 
He had already been forced to stop.
 
He gritted his teeth, supported Zhan Rifei, and with a leap of his body, rushed straight into the barn.
 
The tall barn was old and disordered, appearing as if it had been abandoned for many years and unused for a long time. Even this door for entering and exiting the barn had split open with very large gaps.
 
As soon as they entered the barn, Zhan Rifei, who was leaning against Little Brother Huo's side, could no longer support himself, falling softly in a heap onto the ground. The injury upon his back, presumably having suffered a shock from Old Mother Hanshui's palm strength and the jolting along the way, fresh blood had already been flowing out unceasingly.
 
Little Brother Huo's own right leg, also because of the Hanshui palm and this frantic running along the way, had lost sensation. But at this moment, he could no longer care about these.
 
Tearing off a piece of the lapel from his yellow jacket, he busied his hands and feet to tap his acupoints to stop the bleeding, and bind up the wound for him.
 
Zhan Rifei truly had no strength left.
 
Struggling, he said: "You leave me alone. You leave quickly."
 
Only Little Brother Huo was just as if he had not heard his words.
 
His lips were tightly pursed, his countenance was anxious and solemn, and upon his hands, they were also very quickly stained with his blood.
 
Right when he lowered his waist, wanting to tie that piece of cloth tight, with a light "thud" sound, that roll of drawing tumbled out from his bosom, rolling straight to a corner of the barn, spreading open.
 
Little Brother Huo's countenance changed: that was his drawing, he must absolutely not let Zhan Rifei see it!
 
——Since it was his drawing, and he had also consistently been by Zhan Rifei's side, and Zhan Rifei had already seen him, why didn't he want to let Zhan Rifei see this drawing?
 
Stealing a glance at Zhan Rifei, seeing that his two eyes could already not open, and his breathing was rapid, appearing as if he had not noticed that the drawing in his bosom had dropped onto the ground, he involuntarily rejoiced secretly in his heart; leaping his body to this corner, he reached out his hand, about to take back that drawing.
 
That roll of drawing upon the ground had already spread open by half.
 
The white drawing paper had already, because of dropping into the mud-water just now, been soaked through so that it was full of patch after patch of stains.
 
Little Brother Huo scooped up the drawing, about to roll it up and put it away well. His gaze, suddenly, froze blank!
 
——Upon that drawing, it was unexpectedly not what he had originally consistently thought, that it was his drawing.
 
——Upon that drawing, it was surprisingly Zhan Rifei's face!