Chapter 358: 358 Mechanism

Words : 1439 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

Chapter 358: Chapter 358 Mechanism Zhan Lan pressed forcefully several times, but Mu Yan still did not respond. Zhan Lan bent down in a hurry, ready to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation when suddenly, her head was gently held in place, and Mu Yan kissed her lips. Zhan Lan, upset, slapped at his arm and angrily said, “Mu Yan, are you trying to scare me to death!” Mu Yan coughed a few times, and Zhan Lan worried for him again, patting his back. Mu Yan soothed Zhan Lan, “I’m sorry, I really just woke up, I didn’t deceive you.” Zhan Lan glared at him, “You’re lucky you learned how to swim!” Mu Yan gently embraced her and said, “Mengmeng, I made you worry.” Zhan Lan looked around and said, “Where is this? We need to find a way to get back.” Mu Yan looked towards the river and said, “This river seems to be used for flood discharge.” “Then if we follow the river upstream, we should be able to find our way back.” Zhan Lan stood up. Mu Yan stood up, took her hand, and said, “Let’s wait here, start a fire, and dry our clothes first.” Zhan Lan agreed, the weather was gradually becoming cooler, and they would surely catch a cold if they went on this way. The two entered the forest and found a small wooden hut, which appeared to be used by hunters for hunting. Inside the hut were only some hunting tridents and arrows, as well as a few bundles of firewood. Zhan Lan took out the fire lighter and dagger she carried with her. Luckily, she knew they would be by the water these days, and made full preparations; the fire lighter was well wrapped and not wet. The two sat beside the campfire, drying their clothes, while Mu Yan looked at Zhan Lan shivering, and stood behind her to block the wind. Zhan Lan patted the wooden stump next to her, “Mu Yan, sit down.” Mu Yan sat next to her, embraced her in his arms, and the two nestled against each other. Zhan Lan felt incredibly reassured just by leaning in his embrace. Mu Yan listened to Zhan Lan mutter, “Mu Yan, are you used to such an exciting and tough life?” Gleams of fire danced in Mu Yan’s eyes, and he smiled, “Where you are, that’s where home is.” Zhan Lan leaned closer into his embrace, her face illuminated by the firelight, her smile sweet. Just as the two were immersed in their rare moments together, suddenly, an arrow shot silently toward them from the woods. Zhan Lan and Mu Yan sensed it at the same time, rolling out of the way, when suddenly a large net fell from above the trees, entangling Zhan Lan and Mu Yan. Zhan Lan drew her dagger and cut open the net. The masked assailants were skilled, coming at Mu Yan and Zhan Lan. Mu Yan landed a punch on the face of a masked man and with a turn of his body, effortlessly snatched away his sword. Zhan Lan, holding the Blood Drop, engaged in close combat, and before long, the ground was strewn with bodies. One of the attackers at a distance tried a sneak attack with a secret arrow, which Zhan Lan dodged with a swift movement, while Mu Yan grabbed the arrow and shot it back instantly. With a whoosh, the attacker was hit in the shoulder, and just as Zhan Lan was thinking Mu Yan’s archery still needed practice, Suddenly, Mu Yan said, “Lan’er, do you want to know who is behind this?” Zhan Lan was about to pick up the bow and arrows from the ground, but she paused at Mu Yan’s words. Following that injured masked man could lead them to the mastermind behind the scene. Zhan Lan and Mu Yan quietly followed the masked man, all the way into Helin County town. The masked person climbed over a high wall into a large estate, and Zhan Lan and Mu Yan also vaulted over to enter. Along the way, Mu Yan left secret signals for Vermilion Bird. Only after Zhan Lan and Mu Yan quietly infiltrated the courtyard did they realize the buildings here, whether pavilions, rockeries, or houses, were all extravagantly arranged. Such luxurious residences, in the not-so-wealthy Helin County, stood out glaringly. At a glance, even the residences of some famous families in Ding’an City were no better than this. The two saw the house into which the masked person had slipped, guarded by Protectors. Zhan Lan and Mu Yan exchanged glances, went around to the back of the house, and with a karate chop each, easily brought down the guards. Mu Yan gestured to Zhan Lan, and they split up to stand guard outside the house that the masked person had just entered. Zhan Lan heard voices inside the house from beside the window. A middle-aged man’s voice angrily said, “We failed, it seems those two are quite formidable!” The masked person, gasping for breath, said, “It seems those two are experts from the Ministry of War. The Assistant Minister of War dares to capture our big boss, they clearly don’t know the Wu Family’s background!” The middle-aged man snorted, “The Assistant Minister of War cannot be touched, but those two must be eliminated. Then our people can proceed with switching the big brother and Lin’er.” He then thought of something and urgently asked, “Has the letter to Ding’an City been sent out?” “It has been sent!” the masked person nodded. ... As Zhan Lan listened to the conversation inside the house, she believed that the Second Master’s courage was extraordinary indeed. From the content of the man’s speech, he seemed to be Wu Jiangliu, the Wu Family’s Second Master. This meant that besides being the local tyrants, the Wu Family also had some clout in the imperial court. Otherwise, he would not dare to switch prisoners right under the nose of a third-rank imperial official! “Who are you!” Suddenly, Zhan Lan spotted a group of patrolling Protectors. Mu Yan kicked the door open and entered the house. Zhan Lan climbed through the window and pressed a dagger against Wu Jiangliu’s throat. The injured masked person was knocked out by a punch from Mu Yan. The Protectors outside the door were all pointing their swords at Mu Yan and Zhan Lan. Wu Jiangliu, with the dagger against his throat, looked at Mu Yan and Zhan Lan and said coldly, “It’s you two, huh? Didn’t expect you to come seeking your own death!” As he spoke, he activated a mechanism nearby. With a bang, a huge cage descended, enclosing Zhan Lan and Mu Yan. The moment the cage fell, Zhan Lan quickly pulled Wu Jiangliu into the cage with them. Immediately after, the floor mechanism under the cage opened up, splitting in two, and the three of them fell down. “Second Master!” The Protectors panicked, but they couldn’t open the mechanism from the outside without destroying it. With a bang, the cage plummeted instantly. Zhan Lan and Mu Yan, both skilled in martial arts, landed easily in a dark dungeon, while Wu Jiangliu let out a cry of pain as he fell face down to the ground. He wailed, “Ah, you two are courting death...” Mu Yan took the keys from Wu Jiangliu’s waist and unlocked the cage. Zhan Lan took out a Fire Lighter and looked around. The walls were covered in torture devices, which still had blood on them. Zhan Lan, looking at the iron chairs, Wolf Fang Clubs, whips, and other terrifying instruments, was appalled. Someone had actually installed a private dungeon in their own home. Moreover, judging by the fresh bloodstains, someone had been tortured here recently. She looked around and noticed there was even a bed in the room. Who could actually sleep in a place like this? Mu Yan dragged Wu Jiangliu up like a dead dog and locked him onto an iron lock curtain hanging from the ceiling. Wu Jiangliu’s face was covered in blood as he glared at Zhan Lan and Mu Yan viciously, “You’d better let me go, or wait for death!” Mu Yan’s expression was icy. He really couldn’t figure out where this man got his courage to speak such words. Suddenly, from the other side of the secret room’s wall, there came a thudding noise of someone banging on the wall. Following that, Mu Yan and Zhan Lan heard a woman’s sobs.

Chapter 358: 358 Mechanism

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