Chapter 217: Wu Yi’s Sacrifice

Manager Chang nodded his head. “Alright, send it in!” Manager Chang nodded his head.

“Alright, send it in!”

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Yun Ao bobbed his head in appreciation, before ordering the man beside him to drive the carriage over.

The horse carriage slowly entered the large courtyard. It passed through the front courtyard and headed towards the area where the women resided.

On their way in, they noticed that the miners had already finished their meals, and were currently sitting on the ground to chat. Some of them had sprawled on the ground with their eyes closed, seemingly asleep. It would be another half an hour before the miners had to return to work at the mines.

Meanwhile, several dozen kitchen ladies were busy washing bowls and utensils in the cooking shack.

Some of them noticed the approaching horse carriage and turned to look over. The assassin driving the carriage in front immediately lowered his head, while Yun Ao shifted his body sideways to block their line of sight.

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The resting area for the women was a standalone estate; the fence that cordoned off the courtyard was tightly regulated, with many guards patrolling the premises.

The moment the horse carriage drew close, a guard immediately went forward and interrogated, “Who’s there?”

Yun Zhu alighted the horse carriage and said courteously, “Big brother, this is my father. He’s helping me to deliver some items here. I must trouble you to let us in.”

That guard went forward to inspect the items in the carriage. “Alright, you may enter!” he replied.

The wooden gate slowly opened, and the horse carriage drove in.

Once they entered the courtyard, they were immediately separated from the chattering crowd outside.

The kitchen ladies were all busy, and the courtyard was empty, not a single soul in sight. It was enshrouded in silence.

Yun Ao signaled to that man with his eyes. He then proceeded to unload the clothes and bamboo mat off the horse carriage together with Yun Zhu, before shifting them into Yun Zhu’s room.

Once the two of them went inside the room, the assassin in disguise immediately sprang up to leave, moving swiftly to the area behind the rooms.

Su Jiu’s figure leaped out from the bottom of the carriage and flitted past like a gentle breeze, pursuing him without making a single sound.

After approximately half an hour, all the items on the carriage had already been unloaded. Yun Ao waited for the guards outside to change shifts, before driving the carriage out.

The guard at the gate had already been changed to another person. Yun Ao took the initiative to explain that he was there to help his daughter unload her possessions. The guard simply waved his hand and permitted him to leave.

Yun Zhu had also changed her clothes. She walked out of the room and headed to the cooking shack to join the other kitchen ladies in their menial tasks.

Previously, the kitchen ladies had received news of Yun Zhu fleeing. When they noticed her return, they secretly scrutinized her figure and engaged in private conversations amongst themselves. Yun Zhu simply walked to the corner to work alone, pretending not to hear anything.

In the courtyard, it was time for the miners to head to work. Several hundred men crowded together and walked out of the back gate towards the mining site. The area was bustling with noise and excitement.

Manager Chang was busy at work, while the guards at the gate had also changed shifts. The rest of them did not realize that one person was driving the horse carriage out.

As such, Yun Ao successfully drove the horse carriage out of the courtyard.

Su Jiu pursued the assassin in disguise and followed him to the lavatory at the foot of the mountain. There, the assassin concealed himself stealthily within the foliage, waiting for the carriage to arrive.

He hid in the grass outside the lavatory, while Su Jiu hid on a tree several meters behind him, observing his every move. She could already guess what he intended to do.

Sure enough, several miners needed to relieve themselves before clocking in at the mines. They entered the lavatory in twos or threes, before coming out again.

Very soon, someone lagged behind the miners. He tried to pull up his pants while chasing after the people in front.

The assassin, who was crouching in the grass, suddenly leaped up like a leopard. He sprang forward and pressed the person against the ground in no time, before twisting his neck forcefully.

Su Jiu could vaguely hear a “crack” several meters away. That miner collapsed onto the ground lifelessly, without making a sound.

The assassin carefully scanned his surroundings, before swiftly dragging the body behind the lavatory and changing into that person’s outfit. A knife with a narrow handle appeared in his hand, seemingly out of thin air, and the surface of the knife reflected a glare as he sliced that person’s face.

In the blink of an eye, he carved out a thin sheet of human skin.

Su Jiu widened her eyes in shock. That person’s skill and technique were unspeakable, and he had even managed to complete the task calmly in such an environment. He was simply a remarkable prodigy!

A hidden dragon and crouching tiger (1) within the trade; that saying was indeed true.

Su Jiu was even more curious as to who was directing him behind the scenes.

That man slightly brushed his hair back and pasted the thin mask crafted out of human skin onto his face. He touched up the corners and stood up – there was no difference between him and the miner just now!

Su Jiu gaped in shock, slowly sucking in a breath.

That person dragged the dead miner, who had his face peeled off, into the tall foliage behind him. He plucked out a few blades of grass to conceal the body, before walking out with a completely normal expression plastered on his face. He walked towards the group, who were on the way to the mines.

There were several hundred miners, and at that point, only half had entered the mines.

Su Jiu memorized that person’s appearance as she continued to wait.

A few others stopped by the lavatory once again, but their frames were all too stocky, making it difficult for Su Jiu to blend in with them.

Soon, a skinny and feeble-looking youth scurried over while clutching his tummy, his face wrought with unbearable agony.

However, many people needed to use the lavatory, and there was a queue of five to six people outside. Someone laughed sardonically at him. “Who asked you to leave in the middle of the night to ‘snack secretly’? Did you get blown by the wind outside?”

The other people all laughed along.

That person urgently stomped his feet, ignoring their ridicule. He repeatedly threw glances at the lavatory and scoffed with annoyance, “Why are there so few latrine pits?!”

“If there are too many latrine pits, you might just drop in!” The other people mocked him.

The man’s body stiffened, and he gritted his teeth forcefully. His face was flushed red as he bounded to the back of the lavatory.

The other people chortled in unison once more.

Once that person dashed to the back of the lavatory, a gust of wind blew by his ear just as he was about to strip off his pants. His vision blacked out, and he abruptly collapsed backward.

A shadow jumped off the tree and landed soundlessly beside that person.

The people queueing in front of the lavatory were still busy laughing and chatting. A manager could be heard exclaiming in a resonant voice, “Everyone, hurry up! It’s almost time to get to work!”

Only then did the chatter cease, and they all headed into their respective cubicles.

Behind the lavatory, Su Jiu removed that person’s outer robe and inspected the crotch of the garment. She heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that he had managed to hold it in at his final moments.

Su Jiu changed into his clothes, but she did not know the technique of peeling off a human face. Instead, she could only pull up her collar and rub some dirt onto her face.

Fortunately, the person who had fainted away had not washed up after his morning shift. Now that her face was grey with dirt, it would be difficult to make out her appearance.

Best of all, he was wearing a fraying straw hat on his head.

Su Jiu put on the straw hat to complete her look. She dragged that person into the foliage and took out his badge to examine it.

The worker’s badge was made out of iron, and the miner’s name and number were engraved on its surface – 176, Mu Ren.

He was a resident of the isle.

Su Jiu kept the worker’s badge aside and lowered the straw hat to conceal her eyes. She then bent over and clutched her stomach, before walking out.

Behind the courtyard, there was a gate that provided access to the mines. The people entered one after the other, and soon, there were only a few dozen people left behind.

Su Jiu sandwiched herself between the crowd and squeezed towards the gate.

A gentleman was seated at the door to check their badges and record their entry. When it was Su Jiu’s turn, she bowed her head and tipped the badge over. “Number 176, Mu Ren!” she spoke in a raspy voice.

Suddenly, the guard at the gate shouted at Su Jiu, “Why are you clutching your stomach? Raise your head, what’s the problem?”

One of the men at the side recognized “Mu Ren” and hooked his arms around her shoulders. “Mu Ren had food poisoning!” he answered the guard.

The guard said with a frown, “Can you still work? Don’t force yourself! If you can’t, go back and rest!”

Su Jiu nodded her head and grunted, “I’m okay!”

“Then hurry up and move on!” the guard responded.

“Mm…” Su Jiu answered in a nasal voice, before walking out briskly.

Towering walls were erected around the mining site, and guards were patrolling both inside and outside the wall. Hence, if one was not dressed as a miner, it would be very difficult for them to gain access.

At that moment, the miners were all pushing the wooden mine carts systematically into the mine shafts. Su Jiu walked straight in, in search of that assassin in disguise.

There were a total of five mine shafts at the foot of the mountain. The workload was divided among several hundred miners – some were involved in shoveling, some transported dirt, and others sieved… Everyone was delegated a specific task.

These mine shafts varied in height. Three of them provided direct access into the mountain, while the other two led underground.

Su Jiu picked up a shovel and scoured the area for any traces of that assassin.

Amidst the chaos, she heard a manager say, “Min Cheng, enter the third shaft together with Mu Ren today!”

When there was no response, that manager shouted, “Min Cheng?”

“Min Cheng!”

The manager took big strides towards the man’s back and patted him on the shoulder. “Have you gone deaf? You didn’t hear me even after I called you a few times!”

That person froze and slowly turned his head back. “I was thinking about something, so I didn’t hear!” he replied with a smile.

When Su Jiu saw that person, her eyes shimmered faintly. The person called “Min Cheng” was precisely that assassin in disguise!

“Mu Ren came over here. Both of you are to head to the third mine shaft together!” the manager shouted at Su Jiu.

“Okay!” Su Jiu sounded in acknowledgment before running over.

One of them pushed a minecart while the other held a shovel as they entered the third mine shaft with the rest of the group.

The third shaft led underground. Inside, lamps were hung on the walls of the shaft, and the deeper they walked, the dimmer the lighting was.

Both of them walked at a slow pace in complete silence. Su Jiu peeked out from beneath the straw hat and noticed that the man was peering left and right, seemingly searching for something.

After walking several meters, they reached an intersection. The two of them paused in their steps to contemplate which way to go.

“Min Cheng” looked doubtfully at Su Jiu.

Since he was a fake and did not know which way to take, Su Jiu was a genuine miner in his eyes. Hence, he did not understand why Su Jiu did not know the way either.

Su Jiu coughed lightly and mumbled, “I didn’t work this morning because I was having diarrhea. I didn’t know which shaft we were going to mine today.”

In the darkness, “Min Cheng” appeared to flash a smile. He pointed to the left side and said, “It should be this way!”

The two of them pushed the mine cart to the left.

However, the further they walked, the quieter it became. They could still hear the sounds of people chatting and mining a while back, but the noise eventually faded into nothing.

Both of them knew that they went the wrong way!

However, neither of them stopped in their steps.

“Min Cheng” pretended to squat down to tidy his clothes. Su Jiu threw him a glance and spotted him brush his fingers against a crevice in the rock.

As it turned out, he was looking for the symbols left behind by the people who buried the dynamite.

Su Jiu looked left and right absent-mindedly, before asking, “Did we go the wrong way? Why don’t I see other people?”

“Min Cheng” stood up and said, “Let’s walk a little further to have a look!”

Su Jiu clutched her stomach and smirked. “Even if we’ve gone the wrong way, it’s fine. My stomach just so happens to be feeling uncomfortable right now. I can’t do any more work today, so why don’t we find somewhere to lie down, and leave when the sky gets dark?”

“Min Cheng”, who was wearing the mask made of human skin, appeared to smile without saying a word.

Both of them continued walking forward. The lamps on the wall were dimly lit, and the shadows of their figures were cast on the walls of the shaft, flickering away.

After walking for about 30 meters, another intersection appeared ahead of them, and one of the paths contained a staircase that led downwards. There was even a humongous gondola at the side which descended underground, most likely used for transporting ores.

“Min Cheng” said, “Let’s head down! Maybe there will be people below!”

“Alright!” Su Jiu nodded her head.

“Min Cheng” suggested, “You walk in front!”

Su Jiu knew that he was looking for an opportunity to kill her, and only pretended to be ignorant of his intentions. She trod into the stone staircase while holding a shovel in her hand.

The staircase was made up of a few dozen steps. The two of them slowly descended, with Su Jiu walking in front and “Min Cheng” pushing the cart behind her.

The deeper they went, the lower the temperatures were. It was already the fifth month, and the climate outside was blistering hot. However, the interior of the mines was cool, and even a little chilly.

Just before they reached the staircase landing, a gust of wind suddenly blasted from behind. A glint flashed past Su Jiu’s eyes, and she threw herself towards the wall in utmost cooperation, before sliding down the side.

“Min Cheng” was probably overly confident in his martial arts. He turned back and ascended the steps, without checking a second time.

Su Jiu only sprang back up after he had exited the staircase, and proceeded to swiftly chase after him.

She crouched behind a wall and realized that the man had returned to the intersection they saw just now. He chose to walk in the other direction.

In the darkness, Su Jiu’s clear eyes were luminous. Her body was graceful as she pursued after him soundlessly, like a breeze flitting over water. The two of them, one in front and one behind, traversed another 30 meters before another mine shaft appeared ahead of them.

However, this mine shaft had been abandoned, and there weren’t even any lamps inside, plunging the space into darkness. Pieces of broken rock appeared to be scattered on the ground, causing the ground to be uneven.

Just then, the glow of a fire illuminated the area. “Min Cheng” had ignited a torch as he walked towards the corner of the wall, before squatting down and feeling the ground.

Su Jiu stuck closely to the wall, observing him in the darkness without batting an eyelid.

At that moment, Su Jiu did not know that three meters behind her, there were another three people hidden in the darkness, concealed in different spots as they fixed their eyes on her.

After some time, it seemed like that person did not manage to find what he was looking for. The firelight shifted, and he moved to another spot, before continuing to feel the floor.

Within the time it would take to brew one cup of tea, that person had changed positions four times. Finally, he stood up and leaped forward, seemingly vanishing into thin air!

Su Jiu widened her eyes and waited for some time before swooping over. When she reached a blind spot, she raised an arm to touch the wall. As it turned out, there was a small crevice in the ceiling that allowed one person to enter.

Su Jiu crouched there to listen out for any movements, before leaping through that crevice.

The surroundings were so dark that not a single finger could be seen on an outstretched hand. Su Jiu tunneled through the crevice and crawled upwards, only to reach a dead end. Su Jiu used her hands to feel around and discovered that there was another crevice on her left.

Su Jiu’s flexible body made a turn, and she squeezed through the gap.

Inside the hole, she could only crawl forward. Su Jiu could vaguely sense that this passage was leading downwards.

After crawling for an unknown distance, she noticed a faint glow ahead. The slivers of light did not seem to come from a candle, and it was giving off colorful but mottled streaks of light.

Knitting her brows, Su Jiu continued to move forward.

Once she reached the end of the tunnel, Su Jiu carefully stuck her head out, and she was astounded.

Up ahead was an enormous karst cave, with countless stalactites hanging from the ceilings and emitting an array of multicolored crystal rays. It was an exceptionally grand and magnificent view.

She was located at the midsection of the karst cave by then, and at that moment, “Min Cheng” was already searching the cave in all directions.

This time, he was probably looking for the dynamite that their men had previously buried.

It had been buried so inconspicuously; it was no wonder that the people of the Ji Manor did not manage to find it.

After “Min Cheng” went past a stone wall and moved towards the deeper parts of the karst cave, Su Jiu emerged from the crevice and cautiously followed after him.

Behind a cluster of rocks, she saw “Min Cheng” stop before a stone wall.

However, just as Su Jiu was about to head over, she suddenly heard a soft rattle behind her. She abruptly whipped her head back and spotted a shadow flash behind a wall.

Someone else was there!

Who would follow her?

She had not been able to detect them the whole way.

Su Jiu hid her body behind the large rock next to her. Afterward, she slowly inched her way over without making a sound. Her figure suddenly emerged as she extended an arm towards the person hiding behind the stone wall.

A soft gasp was heard, and the person retreated in panic. He probably did not expect to be discovered, and neither did he expect Su Jiu’s moves to be so swift.

Almost simultaneously, a blast swept towards Su Jiu’s arm, forcing her to dodge aside. Taking advantage of this, someone pulled the person Su Jiu was attacking backward.

Both of them were donned in a miner’s garments, and their countenance was plain. They were standing four meters away from Su Jiu, and the three of them exchanged glances without uttering a word.

Su Jiu had the premonition that the two people opposite her had put on a disguise just like herself. Most importantly, they had followed her the entire way, and yet, she could not detect their presence at all.

Was it because she was focusing all of her attention on “Min Cheng,” or because their level of martial arts far surpassed hers?

These two people were probably not in cahoots with “Min Cheng.” Otherwise, they would have made a move early on when they realized that she was tailing “Min Cheng.”

Were they friends or foes?

Amidst the glistening flintstones, countless theories flashed through Su Jiu’s mind. Her eyes fell on the shorter of the two, whose height brushed past her neck. Suddenly, she froze and asked hesitantly, “Shu Yan? Wu Yi?”

The one with a lanky figure smiled faintly. “Young Mistress, you have sharp eyes!”

Su Jiu’s clear eyes became cold. “How’s Ji Yuxian? Aren’t you supposed to be helping Ji Yuxian detoxify the poison?”

“Young Mistress, you don’t need to worry,” Wu Yi replied in a low voice. “I have already explained the detoxification process with Doctor Gu. There will be no issues.”

“Then, why are you all following me?” Su Jiu questioned coldly.

“Young Mistress, please do not blame us!” Yan Shu replied curtly.

Both of them were wearing human skin masks, and Yan Shu’s voice was not as deep and crisp as Su Jiu’s. Rather, it was exceptionally gentle and charming, contrasting her current appearance.

“I followed you out of curiosity, and when I realized that there were people out there scheming against the Ji Manor, I was worried that you would be too weak to handle them alone. Thus, I specially called my master to come and protect you, Young Mistress!”

However, Su Jiu did not believe a single word that Yan Shu said!

Protect her?

The few of them barely had any interaction together, so why would they want to protect her?

At that point, however, she did not delve into the matter further. Su Jiu turned her head over, and she was momentarily stunned.

“Min Cheng” was gone!

He was still feeling around that piece of rock a moment ago. During Su Jiu and Wu Yi’s conversation just now, “Min Cheng” had vanished!

Su Jiu bounded back towards the large rock that “Min Cheng” had stopped by a while back, but she could not find any trace of him.

Did “Min Cheng” hide after detecting her presence during her conversation with Wu Yi?

Su Jiu scoured the area for any secret passages or hidden crevices, incredibly annoyed.

Wu Yi and Yan Shu walked over and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Min Cheng has disappeared!” Su Jiu said this while gritting her teeth, glaring at Wu Yi.

If it wasn’t for the two of them, she would not have lost track of “Min Cheng.”

Noticing the hatred in Su Jiu’s eyes, Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes narrowed. “How big of a problem is that? We can simply look for him again!”

“Indeed, the karst cave is only this big! Where can a living person like him possibly hide?” Yan Shu laughed.

Su Jiu slightly nodded her head and searched the area thoroughly.

Yan Shu and Wu Yi walked together. She asked in a whisper, “Master, should we make a move now? Ji Yuxian has yet to regain consciousness, and if Su Jiu dies here, not a soul will know!”

Wu Yi’s eyes brushed past Su Jiu, who was not far away. He nodded his head and replied, “We’ll make a move when the opportunity arises!”

“Yes!” In the dark cave, Yan Shu’s eyes sparkled faintly, carrying with them a hint of excitement.

Su Jiu followed the architecture of the karst cave and walked deeper into the cavern. She then discovered a natural stone gate that existed behind the stone wall. Her eyes lit up, and her figure flashed in.

Wu Yi and Yan Shu followed closely behind her.

A rock hollow was behind the stone gate, and in the middle of the hollow was a six-meter-wide precipice. As she was nearer to the edge, she was tormented by the cold gale, and looking down, it appeared to be a bottomless pit.

It seemed that someone had entered this area at an unknown time, and constructed a wooden bridge across the underground river. A layer of lichen had covered the entire surface of the bridge, making it appear as though it had already existed for a long time.

Under the dim light, there were faint impressions of footsteps on the lichen, as though someone had trod over it. Su Jiu leaped forward onto the bridge.

Wu Yi followed right behind her.

The smooth wooden surface and the layer of lichen made it extremely slippery. Su Jiu chose to walk with extreme caution, as she was worried that she would alert “Min Cheng” with her movements.

Wu Yi was only around 30 centimeters behind her, and when he lowered his head, his eyes met the girl’s fair and slender neck, its curvature beautiful and attractive.

His pupils slightly constricted, and the needle at his fingertips glistened as he extended his arm to aim at her neck.

Su Jiu had focused all her attention up ahead. When she detected the man’s arm moving, she subconsciously shot her arm back to grab him. Her action was much faster than his as she stated flatly, “The bridge is slippery! Be more careful!”

Wu Yi froze. Su Jiu thought he was going to slip!

When he saw the girl holding his wrist, a trace of disgust flashed past his eyes. He promptly brushed his sleeves and took a step back, before quipping in displeasure, “Got it!”

Su Jiu suddenly recalled that this man was a clean freak and shrugged her shoulders, before continuing to move forward.

Yan Shu followed behind them, with a wisp of worry flashing past her eyes. Su Jiu’s martial arts far surpassed their expectations, and it appeared as though things were not going smoothly.

Once they reached the opposite side, Su Jiu turned back to face the two of them. “Why on earth are the two of you following me?”

Wu Yi smiled faintly. “Naturally, it’s to protect your safety, Young Mistress!”

Su Jiu smirked. “Protect me? More like being a nuisance!”

The smile on Wu Yi’s face stiffened.

Yan Shu said seriously, “Young Mistress, what do you mean? We’re doing this with good intentions!”

“Smart people wouldn’t expose themselves. Both of you certainly have a motive for following me. Even if you have malicious intentions towards me, I’m not afraid. After all, just the two of you alone cannot kill me!” The girl’s countenance was clear, and her words were as light as a cloud.

On the other hand, Wu Yi and Yan Chu were stumped. They had never seen someone as self-assured as her.

Su Jiu continued, “However, Ji Yuxian’s poison has not been removed yet, so I won’t allow you both to die. At this point, we are still not certain who will protect who. If the two of you are up to something, wait for us to leave before you do anything. Stop following me now!”

“Young Mistress, you have truly misunderstood. We do not have any evil intentions!” Yan Shu answered, “We have already walked to this point, so let’s just move together!”

Seeing their insistence, Su Jiu did not have time to nag at them and simply turned around to exit the cave hollow.

Outside the hollow, it was another karst cave.

Countless stalactites hung inverted from the ceiling, emitting a strange yet beautiful and enchanting light.

Faint voices, as well as the sound of a shovel chiseling against the mountain rockery, could be heard from above their heads. Astonished, Su Jiu suddenly came to a realization. This particular karst cave was directly under the mine shaft.

Furthermore, this was the most optimal location for burying dynamite.

Su Jiu’s brows twitched, and she suddenly detected a very familiar scent in the air. As she followed the trace of the smell, she discovered a stack of dynamite sitting on top of a large rock. The pile was as tall as a person, and at that moment, the fuse had already been lit, producing a crackling sound as it burned at a rapid rate.

The fuse of the dynamite was extremely long, and it trailed down from the large rock, which was as tall as a human, before snaking on the ground for another few centimeters. At that point, half had already been burned.

Su Jiu’s face brimmed with joy. As it turned out, the dynamite was here!

The fuse was exceedingly lengthy. It seemed as though the people who planted the dynamite had given themselves leeway to escape.

However, where did “Min Cheng” go?

This karst cave was smaller than the other one, and at a glance, it was easy to see that there was nowhere to hide here.

Not bothering about “Min Cheng,” Su Jiu lifted her leg and stamped on the burning fuse.

She had to extinguish the fire first!

However, that fuse was made out of some strange material, and no matter how many times Su Jiu stamped on it, the fire would not extinguish. The spark continued to shorten the fuse at an alarming rate.

Su Jiu then found a stone and attempted to smash the fuse to bits. But no matter how many times she hit it, it did not help in the slightest!

“F*ck! What is this thing?” Su Jiu swore under her breath.

At that moment, the spark on the fuse was already moving up the rock. Time was tight, and even Yan Shu, who was observing from the sidelines, had changed his expression. “This is most likely made from Daliang’s nephrite vein. It can’t be broken, and the fire can’t be stamped out!”

“What about water?” Su Jiu turned her head to ask.

Yan Shu shook her head. “I’m not sure!”

Wu Yi sneered, “How can there be water here? I think we should just hurry and flee!”

The crackling sound caused one’s heart to leap out of their body. As she watched the fuse become shorter and shorter, Su Jiu grabbed the fuse and pulled it forcefully. Although the gunpowder scattered, the fuse was still firmly attached.

“What the h*ll?!” In her panic, a thin layer of sweat emerged on Su Jiu’s forehead, and she could not help but cough out several profanities.

Naturally, she could not leave. Once this karst cave was blasted, the mine shaft above would also collapse. Hundreds of lives were on the line!

This was also related to the Ji Manor’s fate on the island.

She absolutely would not allow Yun Ai and that assassin to succeed in their scheme!

Su Jiu lifted a large stone and smashed it forcefully onto the fuse. The stone was crushed into dust, but the fuse remained lit.

She could see that it was only a few centimeters away from the dynamite.

“We need to leave quickly! Preserving your life is of utmost importance right now!” Yan Shu’s complexion became ghastly pale, and she gripped onto Su Jiu’s hand to drag her away!

“Let go of me!” Su Jiu flicked Yan Shu’s hand away.

“If you’re not leaving, are you waiting for death? Even if you die, this cave will still explode!” Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes narrowed, and his expression was gloomy.

Su Jiu’s eyes swept past him. Just as he was about to ask him and Yan Shu to leave first, she stared at the man and suddenly froze.

“That’s it!” Su Jiu urgently ordered, “Wu Yi, hurry up and pee on the fuse!”

The karst cave was suddenly plunged into silence. Only the nerve-wracking crackle of the fuse could be heard.

Wu Yi’s complexion became ashen. His fists were tightly clenched, as though he wanted to throttle Su Jiu to death.

“Pfft!” Yan Shu pressed her lips together before turning around, unable to hold back her laughter.

Her master hated dirty things the most. Usually, he would eat very little and even refuse to drink, all because he hated using the toilet.

Now, Su Jiu wanted him to pee in front of others. This was simply…

“Hurry up! If we delay any further, we will all be blasted!” Su Jiu glanced at the fuse and said anxiously.

“Impossible!” Wu Yi turned around and said resolutely.

“We won’t peek!” Su Jiu hastily dashed over to face Wu Yi. She spoke like a bullet train, “Think about it! If we are blasted to bits, this leg, and that arm may just be soaked in pee when the people on top of us fall and are scared out of their wits. Which scenario is filthier?”

Wu Yi gave Su Jiu a death glare as his body trembled slightly.

Yan Shu burst out laughing, having completely forgotten her fear of death.

“There’s no time to brood over this!” Su Jiu forcefully pushed Wu Yi forward. “Quickly go and pee!”

“Don’t touch me!” Wu Yi dodged her and glanced at the fuse, which was almost at its end. He furrowed his brows and appeared to be making the toughest decision in his life. “Move further away and turn your heads!”

Su Jiu spun around and walked a distance away. When she heard the man’s displeasure, she got into a bad mood. She sneered, “As if I want to see!”

Wu Yi’s hands, which were loosening his pants, trembled slightly!

How could there be such a girl under the heavens?

And she was the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor!

Yan Shu also turned around and hid far away with Su Jiu.

However, the karst cave was only that big, and there was even an echo. As a result, their hearing was unimpeded, and they heard the clear “trickling” of water.

Yan Shu had never seen such an ugly expression on Wu Yi’s face before. When she thought of how aggrieved he was then, she could not help but giggle in secret.

Su Jiu turned her head and shot her a glance. “What’s so funny about your master peeing? How often does he hold back his pee?”

Yan Shu’s laughter became even more resonant.

On the other side, the trickling sound of water stopped abruptly.

“Has the fire been extinguished?” Su Jiu immediately asked with her back turned.

The other party did not reply to her, and there was only the sound of clothes rustling.

Su Jiu listened carefully. The sound of the fuse crackling seemed to have ceased, and she could not help but sigh in relief.

She still cherished her own life!

“It’s done!” She heard a voice behind. Those two words seemed to have been forced out from the gaps of his teeth.

Su Jiu turned her head, and Wu Yi’s eyes met hers. He quickly shifted his line of vision in embarrassment.

Su Jiu harrumphed coldly. She had never met such a shy and petty man before!

Sure enough, the spark on the fuse was extinguished, and a particular odor permeated the air.

Su Jiu removed her outer robe, intending to wrap the dynamite up.

Wu Yi immediately stepped back and stared unhappily at Su Jiu. “Why are you taking off your clothes?”

Su Jiu gaped at him in amazement. His face was full of wariness, as though she was treating him with impropriety.

“I’m packing the dynamite! Otherwise, how am I going to move so much dynamite out?!” Su Jiu answered, and then looked down at her inner robes, which were decently wrapped around her chest without exposing anything. She muttered the word “unbelievable” before gathering all her dynamite.

Yan Shu went over to help her collect the dynamite. Wu Yi, on the other hand, maintained a distance with Su Jiu, as though he was trying to avoid a plague.

Despite that, Su Jiu was too lazy to bother with him. After she packed the dynamite, she threw the bundle over her shoulder and walked away.

(1) A hidden dragon and crouching tiger: Hidden talent

Chapter 217: Wu Yi’s Sacrifice

Manager Chang nodded his head. “Alright, send it in!” Manager Chang nodded his head.

“Alright, send it in!”

“Thank you, thank you so much!” Yun Ao bobbed his head in appreciation, before ordering the man beside him to drive the carriage over.

The horse carriage slowly entered the large courtyard. It passed through the front courtyard and headed towards the area where the women resided.

On their way in, they noticed that the miners had already finished their meals, and were currently sitting on the ground to chat. Some of them had sprawled on the ground with their eyes closed, seemingly asleep. It would be another half an hour before the miners had to return to work at the mines.

Meanwhile, several dozen kitchen ladies were busy washing bowls and utensils in the cooking shack.

Some of them noticed the approaching horse carriage and turned to look over. The assassin driving the carriage in front immediately lowered his head, while Yun Ao shifted his body sideways to block their line of sight.

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The resting area for the women was a standalone estate; the fence that cordoned off the courtyard was tightly regulated, with many guards patrolling the premises.

The moment the horse carriage drew close, a guard immediately went forward and interrogated, “Who’s there?”

Yun Zhu alighted the horse carriage and said courteously, “Big brother, this is my father. He’s helping me to deliver some items here. I must trouble you to let us in.”

That guard went forward to inspect the items in the carriage. “Alright, you may enter!” he replied.

The wooden gate slowly opened, and the horse carriage drove in.

Once they entered the courtyard, they were immediately separated from the chattering crowd outside.

The kitchen ladies were all busy, and the courtyard was empty, not a single soul in sight. It was enshrouded in silence.

Yun Ao signaled to that man with his eyes. He then proceeded to unload the clothes and bamboo mat off the horse carriage together with Yun Zhu, before shifting them into Yun Zhu’s room.

Once the two of them went inside the room, the assassin in disguise immediately sprang up to leave, moving swiftly to the area behind the rooms.

Su Jiu’s figure leaped out from the bottom of the carriage and flitted past like a gentle breeze, pursuing him without making a single sound.

After approximately half an hour, all the items on the carriage had already been unloaded. Yun Ao waited for the guards outside to change shifts, before driving the carriage out.

The guard at the gate had already been changed to another person. Yun Ao took the initiative to explain that he was there to help his daughter unload her possessions. The guard simply waved his hand and permitted him to leave.

Yun Zhu had also changed her clothes. She walked out of the room and headed to the cooking shack to join the other kitchen ladies in their menial tasks.

Previously, the kitchen ladies had received news of Yun Zhu fleeing. When they noticed her return, they secretly scrutinized her figure and engaged in private conversations amongst themselves. Yun Zhu simply walked to the corner to work alone, pretending not to hear anything.

In the courtyard, it was time for the miners to head to work. Several hundred men crowded together and walked out of the back gate towards the mining site. The area was bustling with noise and excitement.

Manager Chang was busy at work, while the guards at the gate had also changed shifts. The rest of them did not realize that one person was driving the horse carriage out.

As such, Yun Ao successfully drove the horse carriage out of the courtyard.

Su Jiu pursued the assassin in disguise and followed him to the lavatory at the foot of the mountain. There, the assassin concealed himself stealthily within the foliage, waiting for the carriage to arrive.

He hid in the grass outside the lavatory, while Su Jiu hid on a tree several meters behind him, observing his every move. She could already guess what he intended to do.

Sure enough, several miners needed to relieve themselves before clocking in at the mines. They entered the lavatory in twos or threes, before coming out again.

Very soon, someone lagged behind the miners. He tried to pull up his pants while chasing after the people in front.

The assassin, who was crouching in the grass, suddenly leaped up like a leopard. He sprang forward and pressed the person against the ground in no time, before twisting his neck forcefully.

Su Jiu could vaguely hear a “crack” several meters away. That miner collapsed onto the ground lifelessly, without making a sound.

The assassin carefully scanned his surroundings, before swiftly dragging the body behind the lavatory and changing into that person’s outfit. A knife with a narrow handle appeared in his hand, seemingly out of thin air, and the surface of the knife reflected a glare as he sliced that person’s face.

In the blink of an eye, he carved out a thin sheet of human skin.

Su Jiu widened her eyes in shock. That person’s skill and technique were unspeakable, and he had even managed to complete the task calmly in such an environment. He was simply a remarkable prodigy!

A hidden dragon and crouching tiger (1) within the trade; that saying was indeed true.

Su Jiu was even more curious as to who was directing him behind the scenes.

That man slightly brushed his hair back and pasted the thin mask crafted out of human skin onto his face. He touched up the corners and stood up – there was no difference between him and the miner just now!

Su Jiu gaped in shock, slowly sucking in a breath.

That person dragged the dead miner, who had his face peeled off, into the tall foliage behind him. He plucked out a few blades of grass to conceal the body, before walking out with a completely normal expression plastered on his face. He walked towards the group, who were on the way to the mines.

There were several hundred miners, and at that point, only half had entered the mines.

Su Jiu memorized that person’s appearance as she continued to wait.

A few others stopped by the lavatory once again, but their frames were all too stocky, making it difficult for Su Jiu to blend in with them.

Soon, a skinny and feeble-looking youth scurried over while clutching his tummy, his face wrought with unbearable agony.

However, many people needed to use the lavatory, and there was a queue of five to six people outside. Someone laughed sardonically at him. “Who asked you to leave in the middle of the night to ‘snack secretly’? Did you get blown by the wind outside?”

The other people all laughed along.

That person urgently stomped his feet, ignoring their ridicule. He repeatedly threw glances at the lavatory and scoffed with annoyance, “Why are there so few latrine pits?!”

“If there are too many latrine pits, you might just drop in!” The other people mocked him.

The man’s body stiffened, and he gritted his teeth forcefully. His face was flushed red as he bounded to the back of the lavatory.

The other people chortled in unison once more.

Once that person dashed to the back of the lavatory, a gust of wind blew by his ear just as he was about to strip off his pants. His vision blacked out, and he abruptly collapsed backward.

A shadow jumped off the tree and landed soundlessly beside that person.

The people queueing in front of the lavatory were still busy laughing and chatting. A manager could be heard exclaiming in a resonant voice, “Everyone, hurry up! It’s almost time to get to work!”

Only then did the chatter cease, and they all headed into their respective cubicles.

Behind the lavatory, Su Jiu removed that person’s outer robe and inspected the crotch of the garment. She heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing that he had managed to hold it in at his final moments.

Su Jiu changed into his clothes, but she did not know the technique of peeling off a human face. Instead, she could only pull up her collar and rub some dirt onto her face.

Fortunately, the person who had fainted away had not washed up after his morning shift. Now that her face was grey with dirt, it would be difficult to make out her appearance.

Best of all, he was wearing a fraying straw hat on his head.

Su Jiu put on the straw hat to complete her look. She dragged that person into the foliage and took out his badge to examine it.

The worker’s badge was made out of iron, and the miner’s name and number were engraved on its surface – 176, Mu Ren.

He was a resident of the isle.

Su Jiu kept the worker’s badge aside and lowered the straw hat to conceal her eyes. She then bent over and clutched her stomach, before walking out.

Behind the courtyard, there was a gate that provided access to the mines. The people entered one after the other, and soon, there were only a few dozen people left behind.

Su Jiu sandwiched herself between the crowd and squeezed towards the gate.

A gentleman was seated at the door to check their badges and record their entry. When it was Su Jiu’s turn, she bowed her head and tipped the badge over. “Number 176, Mu Ren!” she spoke in a raspy voice.

Suddenly, the guard at the gate shouted at Su Jiu, “Why are you clutching your stomach? Raise your head, what’s the problem?”

One of the men at the side recognized “Mu Ren” and hooked his arms around her shoulders. “Mu Ren had food poisoning!” he answered the guard.

The guard said with a frown, “Can you still work? Don’t force yourself! If you can’t, go back and rest!”

Su Jiu nodded her head and grunted, “I’m okay!”

“Then hurry up and move on!” the guard responded.

“Mm…” Su Jiu answered in a nasal voice, before walking out briskly.

Towering walls were erected around the mining site, and guards were patrolling both inside and outside the wall. Hence, if one was not dressed as a miner, it would be very difficult for them to gain access.

At that moment, the miners were all pushing the wooden mine carts systematically into the mine shafts. Su Jiu walked straight in, in search of that assassin in disguise.

There were a total of five mine shafts at the foot of the mountain. The workload was divided among several hundred miners – some were involved in shoveling, some transported dirt, and others sieved… Everyone was delegated a specific task.

These mine shafts varied in height. Three of them provided direct access into the mountain, while the other two led underground.

Su Jiu picked up a shovel and scoured the area for any traces of that assassin.

Amidst the chaos, she heard a manager say, “Min Cheng, enter the third shaft together with Mu Ren today!”

When there was no response, that manager shouted, “Min Cheng?”

“Min Cheng!”

The manager took big strides towards the man’s back and patted him on the shoulder. “Have you gone deaf? You didn’t hear me even after I called you a few times!”

That person froze and slowly turned his head back. “I was thinking about something, so I didn’t hear!” he replied with a smile.

When Su Jiu saw that person, her eyes shimmered faintly. The person called “Min Cheng” was precisely that assassin in disguise!

“Mu Ren came over here. Both of you are to head to the third mine shaft together!” the manager shouted at Su Jiu.

“Okay!” Su Jiu sounded in acknowledgment before running over.

One of them pushed a minecart while the other held a shovel as they entered the third mine shaft with the rest of the group.

The third shaft led underground. Inside, lamps were hung on the walls of the shaft, and the deeper they walked, the dimmer the lighting was.

Both of them walked at a slow pace in complete silence. Su Jiu peeked out from beneath the straw hat and noticed that the man was peering left and right, seemingly searching for something.

After walking several meters, they reached an intersection. The two of them paused in their steps to contemplate which way to go.

“Min Cheng” looked doubtfully at Su Jiu.

Since he was a fake and did not know which way to take, Su Jiu was a genuine miner in his eyes. Hence, he did not understand why Su Jiu did not know the way either.

Su Jiu coughed lightly and mumbled, “I didn’t work this morning because I was having diarrhea. I didn’t know which shaft we were going to mine today.”

In the darkness, “Min Cheng” appeared to flash a smile. He pointed to the left side and said, “It should be this way!”

The two of them pushed the mine cart to the left.

However, the further they walked, the quieter it became. They could still hear the sounds of people chatting and mining a while back, but the noise eventually faded into nothing.

Both of them knew that they went the wrong way!

However, neither of them stopped in their steps.

“Min Cheng” pretended to squat down to tidy his clothes. Su Jiu threw him a glance and spotted him brush his fingers against a crevice in the rock.

As it turned out, he was looking for the symbols left behind by the people who buried the dynamite.

Su Jiu looked left and right absent-mindedly, before asking, “Did we go the wrong way? Why don’t I see other people?”

“Min Cheng” stood up and said, “Let’s walk a little further to have a look!”

Su Jiu clutched her stomach and smirked. “Even if we’ve gone the wrong way, it’s fine. My stomach just so happens to be feeling uncomfortable right now. I can’t do any more work today, so why don’t we find somewhere to lie down, and leave when the sky gets dark?”

“Min Cheng”, who was wearing the mask made of human skin, appeared to smile without saying a word.

Both of them continued walking forward. The lamps on the wall were dimly lit, and the shadows of their figures were cast on the walls of the shaft, flickering away.

After walking for about 30 meters, another intersection appeared ahead of them, and one of the paths contained a staircase that led downwards. There was even a humongous gondola at the side which descended underground, most likely used for transporting ores.

“Min Cheng” said, “Let’s head down! Maybe there will be people below!”

“Alright!” Su Jiu nodded her head.

“Min Cheng” suggested, “You walk in front!”

Su Jiu knew that he was looking for an opportunity to kill her, and only pretended to be ignorant of his intentions. She trod into the stone staircase while holding a shovel in her hand.

The staircase was made up of a few dozen steps. The two of them slowly descended, with Su Jiu walking in front and “Min Cheng” pushing the cart behind her.

The deeper they went, the lower the temperatures were. It was already the fifth month, and the climate outside was blistering hot. However, the interior of the mines was cool, and even a little chilly.

Just before they reached the staircase landing, a gust of wind suddenly blasted from behind. A glint flashed past Su Jiu’s eyes, and she threw herself towards the wall in utmost cooperation, before sliding down the side.

“Min Cheng” was probably overly confident in his martial arts. He turned back and ascended the steps, without checking a second time.

Su Jiu only sprang back up after he had exited the staircase, and proceeded to swiftly chase after him.

She crouched behind a wall and realized that the man had returned to the intersection they saw just now. He chose to walk in the other direction.

In the darkness, Su Jiu’s clear eyes were luminous. Her body was graceful as she pursued after him soundlessly, like a breeze flitting over water. The two of them, one in front and one behind, traversed another 30 meters before another mine shaft appeared ahead of them.

However, this mine shaft had been abandoned, and there weren’t even any lamps inside, plunging the space into darkness. Pieces of broken rock appeared to be scattered on the ground, causing the ground to be uneven.

Just then, the glow of a fire illuminated the area. “Min Cheng” had ignited a torch as he walked towards the corner of the wall, before squatting down and feeling the ground.

Su Jiu stuck closely to the wall, observing him in the darkness without batting an eyelid.

At that moment, Su Jiu did not know that three meters behind her, there were another three people hidden in the darkness, concealed in different spots as they fixed their eyes on her.

After some time, it seemed like that person did not manage to find what he was looking for. The firelight shifted, and he moved to another spot, before continuing to feel the floor.

Within the time it would take to brew one cup of tea, that person had changed positions four times. Finally, he stood up and leaped forward, seemingly vanishing into thin air!

Su Jiu widened her eyes and waited for some time before swooping over. When she reached a blind spot, she raised an arm to touch the wall. As it turned out, there was a small crevice in the ceiling that allowed one person to enter.

Su Jiu crouched there to listen out for any movements, before leaping through that crevice.

The surroundings were so dark that not a single finger could be seen on an outstretched hand. Su Jiu tunneled through the crevice and crawled upwards, only to reach a dead end. Su Jiu used her hands to feel around and discovered that there was another crevice on her left.

Su Jiu’s flexible body made a turn, and she squeezed through the gap.

Inside the hole, she could only crawl forward. Su Jiu could vaguely sense that this passage was leading downwards.

After crawling for an unknown distance, she noticed a faint glow ahead. The slivers of light did not seem to come from a candle, and it was giving off colorful but mottled streaks of light.

Knitting her brows, Su Jiu continued to move forward.

Once she reached the end of the tunnel, Su Jiu carefully stuck her head out, and she was astounded.

Up ahead was an enormous karst cave, with countless stalactites hanging from the ceilings and emitting an array of multicolored crystal rays. It was an exceptionally grand and magnificent view.

She was located at the midsection of the karst cave by then, and at that moment, “Min Cheng” was already searching the cave in all directions.

This time, he was probably looking for the dynamite that their men had previously buried.

It had been buried so inconspicuously; it was no wonder that the people of the Ji Manor did not manage to find it.

After “Min Cheng” went past a stone wall and moved towards the deeper parts of the karst cave, Su Jiu emerged from the crevice and cautiously followed after him.

Behind a cluster of rocks, she saw “Min Cheng” stop before a stone wall.

However, just as Su Jiu was about to head over, she suddenly heard a soft rattle behind her. She abruptly whipped her head back and spotted a shadow flash behind a wall.

Someone else was there!

Who would follow her?

She had not been able to detect them the whole way.

Su Jiu hid her body behind the large rock next to her. Afterward, she slowly inched her way over without making a sound. Her figure suddenly emerged as she extended an arm towards the person hiding behind the stone wall.

A soft gasp was heard, and the person retreated in panic. He probably did not expect to be discovered, and neither did he expect Su Jiu’s moves to be so swift.

Almost simultaneously, a blast swept towards Su Jiu’s arm, forcing her to dodge aside. Taking advantage of this, someone pulled the person Su Jiu was attacking backward.

Both of them were donned in a miner’s garments, and their countenance was plain. They were standing four meters away from Su Jiu, and the three of them exchanged glances without uttering a word.

Su Jiu had the premonition that the two people opposite her had put on a disguise just like herself. Most importantly, they had followed her the entire way, and yet, she could not detect their presence at all.

Was it because she was focusing all of her attention on “Min Cheng,” or because their level of martial arts far surpassed hers?

These two people were probably not in cahoots with “Min Cheng.” Otherwise, they would have made a move early on when they realized that she was tailing “Min Cheng.”

Were they friends or foes?

Amidst the glistening flintstones, countless theories flashed through Su Jiu’s mind. Her eyes fell on the shorter of the two, whose height brushed past her neck. Suddenly, she froze and asked hesitantly, “Shu Yan? Wu Yi?”

The one with a lanky figure smiled faintly. “Young Mistress, you have sharp eyes!”

Su Jiu’s clear eyes became cold. “How’s Ji Yuxian? Aren’t you supposed to be helping Ji Yuxian detoxify the poison?”

“Young Mistress, you don’t need to worry,” Wu Yi replied in a low voice. “I have already explained the detoxification process with Doctor Gu. There will be no issues.”

“Then, why are you all following me?” Su Jiu questioned coldly.

“Young Mistress, please do not blame us!” Yan Shu replied curtly.

Both of them were wearing human skin masks, and Yan Shu’s voice was not as deep and crisp as Su Jiu’s. Rather, it was exceptionally gentle and charming, contrasting her current appearance.

“I followed you out of curiosity, and when I realized that there were people out there scheming against the Ji Manor, I was worried that you would be too weak to handle them alone. Thus, I specially called my master to come and protect you, Young Mistress!”

However, Su Jiu did not believe a single word that Yan Shu said!

Protect her?

The few of them barely had any interaction together, so why would they want to protect her?

At that point, however, she did not delve into the matter further. Su Jiu turned her head over, and she was momentarily stunned.

“Min Cheng” was gone!

He was still feeling around that piece of rock a moment ago. During Su Jiu and Wu Yi’s conversation just now, “Min Cheng” had vanished!

Su Jiu bounded back towards the large rock that “Min Cheng” had stopped by a while back, but she could not find any trace of him.

Did “Min Cheng” hide after detecting her presence during her conversation with Wu Yi?

Su Jiu scoured the area for any secret passages or hidden crevices, incredibly annoyed.

Wu Yi and Yan Shu walked over and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Min Cheng has disappeared!” Su Jiu said this while gritting her teeth, glaring at Wu Yi.

If it wasn’t for the two of them, she would not have lost track of “Min Cheng.”

Noticing the hatred in Su Jiu’s eyes, Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes narrowed. “How big of a problem is that? We can simply look for him again!”

“Indeed, the karst cave is only this big! Where can a living person like him possibly hide?” Yan Shu laughed.

Su Jiu slightly nodded her head and searched the area thoroughly.

Yan Shu and Wu Yi walked together. She asked in a whisper, “Master, should we make a move now? Ji Yuxian has yet to regain consciousness, and if Su Jiu dies here, not a soul will know!”

Wu Yi’s eyes brushed past Su Jiu, who was not far away. He nodded his head and replied, “We’ll make a move when the opportunity arises!”

“Yes!” In the dark cave, Yan Shu’s eyes sparkled faintly, carrying with them a hint of excitement.

Su Jiu followed the architecture of the karst cave and walked deeper into the cavern. She then discovered a natural stone gate that existed behind the stone wall. Her eyes lit up, and her figure flashed in.

Wu Yi and Yan Shu followed closely behind her.

A rock hollow was behind the stone gate, and in the middle of the hollow was a six-meter-wide precipice. As she was nearer to the edge, she was tormented by the cold gale, and looking down, it appeared to be a bottomless pit.

It seemed that someone had entered this area at an unknown time, and constructed a wooden bridge across the underground river. A layer of lichen had covered the entire surface of the bridge, making it appear as though it had already existed for a long time.

Under the dim light, there were faint impressions of footsteps on the lichen, as though someone had trod over it. Su Jiu leaped forward onto the bridge.

Wu Yi followed right behind her.

The smooth wooden surface and the layer of lichen made it extremely slippery. Su Jiu chose to walk with extreme caution, as she was worried that she would alert “Min Cheng” with her movements.

Wu Yi was only around 30 centimeters behind her, and when he lowered his head, his eyes met the girl’s fair and slender neck, its curvature beautiful and attractive.

His pupils slightly constricted, and the needle at his fingertips glistened as he extended his arm to aim at her neck.

Su Jiu had focused all her attention up ahead. When she detected the man’s arm moving, she subconsciously shot her arm back to grab him. Her action was much faster than his as she stated flatly, “The bridge is slippery! Be more careful!”

Wu Yi froze. Su Jiu thought he was going to slip!

When he saw the girl holding his wrist, a trace of disgust flashed past his eyes. He promptly brushed his sleeves and took a step back, before quipping in displeasure, “Got it!”

Su Jiu suddenly recalled that this man was a clean freak and shrugged her shoulders, before continuing to move forward.

Yan Shu followed behind them, with a wisp of worry flashing past her eyes. Su Jiu’s martial arts far surpassed their expectations, and it appeared as though things were not going smoothly.

Once they reached the opposite side, Su Jiu turned back to face the two of them. “Why on earth are the two of you following me?”

Wu Yi smiled faintly. “Naturally, it’s to protect your safety, Young Mistress!”

Su Jiu smirked. “Protect me? More like being a nuisance!”

The smile on Wu Yi’s face stiffened.

Yan Shu said seriously, “Young Mistress, what do you mean? We’re doing this with good intentions!”

“Smart people wouldn’t expose themselves. Both of you certainly have a motive for following me. Even if you have malicious intentions towards me, I’m not afraid. After all, just the two of you alone cannot kill me!” The girl’s countenance was clear, and her words were as light as a cloud.

On the other hand, Wu Yi and Yan Chu were stumped. They had never seen someone as self-assured as her.

Su Jiu continued, “However, Ji Yuxian’s poison has not been removed yet, so I won’t allow you both to die. At this point, we are still not certain who will protect who. If the two of you are up to something, wait for us to leave before you do anything. Stop following me now!”

“Young Mistress, you have truly misunderstood. We do not have any evil intentions!” Yan Shu answered, “We have already walked to this point, so let’s just move together!”

Seeing their insistence, Su Jiu did not have time to nag at them and simply turned around to exit the cave hollow.

Outside the hollow, it was another karst cave.

Countless stalactites hung inverted from the ceiling, emitting a strange yet beautiful and enchanting light.

Faint voices, as well as the sound of a shovel chiseling against the mountain rockery, could be heard from above their heads. Astonished, Su Jiu suddenly came to a realization. This particular karst cave was directly under the mine shaft.

Furthermore, this was the most optimal location for burying dynamite.

Su Jiu’s brows twitched, and she suddenly detected a very familiar scent in the air. As she followed the trace of the smell, she discovered a stack of dynamite sitting on top of a large rock. The pile was as tall as a person, and at that moment, the fuse had already been lit, producing a crackling sound as it burned at a rapid rate.

The fuse of the dynamite was extremely long, and it trailed down from the large rock, which was as tall as a human, before snaking on the ground for another few centimeters. At that point, half had already been burned.

Su Jiu’s face brimmed with joy. As it turned out, the dynamite was here!

The fuse was exceedingly lengthy. It seemed as though the people who planted the dynamite had given themselves leeway to escape.

However, where did “Min Cheng” go?

This karst cave was smaller than the other one, and at a glance, it was easy to see that there was nowhere to hide here.

Not bothering about “Min Cheng,” Su Jiu lifted her leg and stamped on the burning fuse.

She had to extinguish the fire first!

However, that fuse was made out of some strange material, and no matter how many times Su Jiu stamped on it, the fire would not extinguish. The spark continued to shorten the fuse at an alarming rate.

Su Jiu then found a stone and attempted to smash the fuse to bits. But no matter how many times she hit it, it did not help in the slightest!

“F*ck! What is this thing?” Su Jiu swore under her breath.

At that moment, the spark on the fuse was already moving up the rock. Time was tight, and even Yan Shu, who was observing from the sidelines, had changed his expression. “This is most likely made from Daliang’s nephrite vein. It can’t be broken, and the fire can’t be stamped out!”

“What about water?” Su Jiu turned her head to ask.

Yan Shu shook her head. “I’m not sure!”

Wu Yi sneered, “How can there be water here? I think we should just hurry and flee!”

The crackling sound caused one’s heart to leap out of their body. As she watched the fuse become shorter and shorter, Su Jiu grabbed the fuse and pulled it forcefully. Although the gunpowder scattered, the fuse was still firmly attached.

“What the h*ll?!” In her panic, a thin layer of sweat emerged on Su Jiu’s forehead, and she could not help but cough out several profanities.

Naturally, she could not leave. Once this karst cave was blasted, the mine shaft above would also collapse. Hundreds of lives were on the line!

This was also related to the Ji Manor’s fate on the island.

She absolutely would not allow Yun Ai and that assassin to succeed in their scheme!

Su Jiu lifted a large stone and smashed it forcefully onto the fuse. The stone was crushed into dust, but the fuse remained lit.

She could see that it was only a few centimeters away from the dynamite.

“We need to leave quickly! Preserving your life is of utmost importance right now!” Yan Shu’s complexion became ghastly pale, and she gripped onto Su Jiu’s hand to drag her away!

“Let go of me!” Su Jiu flicked Yan Shu’s hand away.

“If you’re not leaving, are you waiting for death? Even if you die, this cave will still explode!” Wu Yi’s peach blossom eyes narrowed, and his expression was gloomy.

Su Jiu’s eyes swept past him. Just as he was about to ask him and Yan Shu to leave first, she stared at the man and suddenly froze.

“That’s it!” Su Jiu urgently ordered, “Wu Yi, hurry up and pee on the fuse!”

The karst cave was suddenly plunged into silence. Only the nerve-wracking crackle of the fuse could be heard.

Wu Yi’s complexion became ashen. His fists were tightly clenched, as though he wanted to throttle Su Jiu to death.

“Pfft!” Yan Shu pressed her lips together before turning around, unable to hold back her laughter.

Her master hated dirty things the most. Usually, he would eat very little and even refuse to drink, all because he hated using the toilet.

Now, Su Jiu wanted him to pee in front of others. This was simply…

“Hurry up! If we delay any further, we will all be blasted!” Su Jiu glanced at the fuse and said anxiously.

“Impossible!” Wu Yi turned around and said resolutely.

“We won’t peek!” Su Jiu hastily dashed over to face Wu Yi. She spoke like a bullet train, “Think about it! If we are blasted to bits, this leg, and that arm may just be soaked in pee when the people on top of us fall and are scared out of their wits. Which scenario is filthier?”

Wu Yi gave Su Jiu a death glare as his body trembled slightly.

Yan Shu burst out laughing, having completely forgotten her fear of death.

“There’s no time to brood over this!” Su Jiu forcefully pushed Wu Yi forward. “Quickly go and pee!”

“Don’t touch me!” Wu Yi dodged her and glanced at the fuse, which was almost at its end. He furrowed his brows and appeared to be making the toughest decision in his life. “Move further away and turn your heads!”

Su Jiu spun around and walked a distance away. When she heard the man’s displeasure, she got into a bad mood. She sneered, “As if I want to see!”

Wu Yi’s hands, which were loosening his pants, trembled slightly!

How could there be such a girl under the heavens?

And she was the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor!

Yan Shu also turned around and hid far away with Su Jiu.

However, the karst cave was only that big, and there was even an echo. As a result, their hearing was unimpeded, and they heard the clear “trickling” of water.

Yan Shu had never seen such an ugly expression on Wu Yi’s face before. When she thought of how aggrieved he was then, she could not help but giggle in secret.

Su Jiu turned her head and shot her a glance. “What’s so funny about your master peeing? How often does he hold back his pee?”

Yan Shu’s laughter became even more resonant.

On the other side, the trickling sound of water stopped abruptly.

“Has the fire been extinguished?” Su Jiu immediately asked with her back turned.

The other party did not reply to her, and there was only the sound of clothes rustling.

Su Jiu listened carefully. The sound of the fuse crackling seemed to have ceased, and she could not help but sigh in relief.

She still cherished her own life!

“It’s done!” She heard a voice behind. Those two words seemed to have been forced out from the gaps of his teeth.

Su Jiu turned her head, and Wu Yi’s eyes met hers. He quickly shifted his line of vision in embarrassment.

Su Jiu harrumphed coldly. She had never met such a shy and petty man before!

Sure enough, the spark on the fuse was extinguished, and a particular odor permeated the air.

Su Jiu removed her outer robe, intending to wrap the dynamite up.

Wu Yi immediately stepped back and stared unhappily at Su Jiu. “Why are you taking off your clothes?”

Su Jiu gaped at him in amazement. His face was full of wariness, as though she was treating him with impropriety.

“I’m packing the dynamite! Otherwise, how am I going to move so much dynamite out?!” Su Jiu answered, and then looked down at her inner robes, which were decently wrapped around her chest without exposing anything. She muttered the word “unbelievable” before gathering all her dynamite.

Yan Shu went over to help her collect the dynamite. Wu Yi, on the other hand, maintained a distance with Su Jiu, as though he was trying to avoid a plague.

Despite that, Su Jiu was too lazy to bother with him. After she packed the dynamite, she threw the bundle over her shoulder and walked away.

(1) A hidden dragon and crouching tiger: Hidden talent