A Hero's Heart - Chapter 8

I woke the man Lu Zichen had knocked out by splashing water over his face.

At first, he refused to cooperate. Lu Zichen drew his sword and threatened him until he finally began to talk.

“There is only one way out.” The man trembled as he led us through the tunnels.

I asked, “What happened to the women who were captured?”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. They were all locked in different places. The master never lets us go near them.”

I pressed the blade closer to his neck. “Where are they? Take us there.”

His whole body shook.

In the end, fear won out. He led us through countless branching tunnels and stopped before a stone door.

It was almost identical to the door in the room where Lu Zichen had been trapped. From the outside, it was impossible to tell where the mechanism for opening it was hidden.

The man I had dragged along looked at me miserably. “I don’t know.”

I could only turn to Lu Zichen again.

He had not been poisoned and still had strength to spare, though his face was already flushed from exhaustion.

As for how much strength he had left—enough to strike the door open or not—I had no way of knowing.

He seemed to understand what I meant. After gesturing for me to step back, he gathered his breath and struck the stone door with his palm.

The door did not move.

I clicked my tongue.

The tips of his ears reddened. Embarrassed, he struck it again.

I clicked my tongue twice.

He raised his hand to strike a third time. I hurriedly stopped him.

“At this rate, you’ll bring the whole mountain down before you open it.”

“Then what should I do?” he asked.

I decided to use the old method.

It took time, but after having solved the same kind of lock once, I opened this one in about a shichen—two hours.

Lu Zichen stared at me in amazement. “Are you some kind of thief?”

I said nothing.

I was his grandaunt, if he insisted on asking.

Too lazy to waste words on him, I kicked the door open and entered.

The room looked like a woman’s bedchamber. A sweet yet bloody scent lingered among the gauze curtains and soft bedding.

Before I could see the whole room, Lu Zichen grabbed my arm.

He lowered his voice. “How can a woman be so bold? Let me go first.”

“What’s wrong with a woman?” I glared at him. “Isn’t your mother a woman?”

He froze. “That’s not what I meant.”

I ignored him and crept farther inside.

There was no furniture besides the bed, and only a single lamp burned in the room.

In the wavering light, I saw what looked like someone lying on the bed.

The same suffocating scent grew stronger. I immediately tore off another strip of cloth and covered my mouth and nose.

When I reached the bed and lifted the gauze, I saw a beautiful woman lying there. Her face was pale, and her brows were tightly knit.

“Hey,” I called softly.

Her eyes remained shut. She gave no response.

Lu Zichen stood by the door with the expression of a man who believed it improper to look. Worried, he asked, “Could she be dead?”

I held a finger beneath her nose.

She was still breathing.

I pressed hard beneath her nose. After a while, I saw her lashes tremble. Her brows tightened, and she slowly opened her eyes.

The moment she saw me, she gave a soft cry.

I quickly covered her mouth.

“Don’t shout. We’re here to save you.”

The woman blinked, and large tears rolled down her cheeks.

Even I found it painful to watch. Unable to contain my anger, I asked, “Did that animal hurt you?”

She shook her head, then nodded. Finally, she pushed one trembling hand out from beneath the quilt.

The hand was pale as jade, but a terrifying wound circled her wrist.

I did not know what had caused it. The injury looked severe, yet there was no blood.

“Don’t worry about your reputation,” Lu Zichen said hurriedly. “Your life matters more than anything else.”

I nodded.

The woman trembled and whispered, “He… I fed him! It was him…”

Her voice was hoarse and incoherent.

I could not understand what she meant. She tried desperately to grab my hand, then released it as the movement pulled at her wound.

“He caught me… Every time he bathes, he comes to take my blood…” Fear filled her eyes. Her colorless lips trembled. “Today… he will come again…”

Her words had barely ended when I heard footsteps outside.

Lu Zichen heard them, too. He stepped forward, frowning. “We have to leave. There are too many people coming.”