FID – Chapter 590

Chapter 590: Thank You

Let’s try this as a last resort!

Otherwise, with just me, I can’t possibly carry two unconscious people away.

Sure enough, moments later, the unconscious individuals’ breathing became heavier, their eyelids fluttered, and they gradually began to regain consciousness.

The unattractive girl was delighted when she saw this. She lowered her voice and said, “Grandpa Liu, Grandma Liu, can you move your hands and feet? If you can, hurry up and follow me!”

“Who are you?” Grandpa Liu propped himself up and shielded his wife, who still couldn’t get up, behind him. He looked at the unattractive girl warily, scanning the surroundings. It was pitch black, and he couldn’t see anything. All he knew was that they were in a cave. “Where is this place?”

“This is a bandit stronghold on the outskirts of Yunzhou City! Grandpa Liu, it’s not safe to stay here. Let’s talk after we leave, or it’ll be too late. Trust me, follow me!” She paused for a moment, worried that the two elders might be cautious and reluctant to leave. “I’m Li Junyue.”

“It’s you?” The old man was surprised.

Grandma Liu lay back for a moment and then slowly sat up. She patted the old man’s shoulder. “Miss Li is right. Let’s leave first and ask questions later.”

Though they didn’t understand what was happening or how Li Junyue had appeared before them, they did remember being kidnapped.

They had left the city gate, searching for a nearby village for shelter, when a group of people had suddenly appeared on the road and drugged them with a handkerchief.

When they woke up, they were still in this dark cave. They had been kidnapped.

By this time, they hadn’t returned to the yamen, and their children were probably frantic with worry.

With Li Junyue’s help, the two elderly people struggled to their feet, and as they exited the cave, they saw the two men lying at the cave entrance. There was no time to ask questions; they had to run first.

The bandit stronghold was located on a steep mountain peak, strategically positioned to be easily defended and hard to attack.

Li Junyue had spent over two months on the mountain and had mapped out the small paths and escape routes. She had spent a long time preparing, hoping to escape one day. She had cautiously kept a low profile, managing to collect just a little bit of knockout powder, which she used on the two men at the cave entrance.

But it wasn’t enough, and they would wake up soon.

They didn’t have much time.

Leading the two elderly people, they stumbled in the dark down a steep slope on the back mountain. There was a narrow, overgrown goat path that no one had used in a long time. The path was covered with thorn bushes, and they had to clear a way through it to proceed. But there was no time to worry about it while escaping. 

Li Junyue led the way, trying to shield the elderly from the thorns and helping them hurry on.

Her face and body were scratched by the sharp thorns, leaving small trails of blood, but at that moment, she felt no pain, only the urgency to run as far as possible.

There were three of them: two elderly people and a frail young woman who had barely survived. No matter how fast they moved, it wasn’t fast enough. The path was treacherous, the darkness overwhelming, and every step felt like a heart-stopping risk, slowing their pace even more.

In the dense forest, no one spoke. Only their exhausted, heavy breathing could be heard.

Halfway down the path, a commotion erupted from the mountain peak, followed by flickering lights.

Li Junyue turned back, her heart clenching tightly—those weren’t just lanterns, they were moving torches!

The two guards at the cave entrance must have woken up and discovered that the prisoners had escaped!

The three of them—a frail young woman and two elderly people—couldn’t possibly outrun the strong and agile bandits who were used to navigating the mountain terrain. 

No matter how desperately they ran, the gap between them and their pursuers was closing.

Having been drugged and left without food all day, the elderly couple’s bodies were failing them. 

Grandma Liu’s legs grew heavier, and her steps slowed as she clutched her waist, panting heavily. 

Grandpa Liu wasn’t in much better condition.

“I… I can’t go on… Miss Li, leave us behind,” Grandma Liu gasped. “Run! At least one of us has to make it out alive! If you escape, go to Yunzhou, report to the authorities, and bring help!”

Li Junyue fought off the dizziness clouding her vision, forcing her erratic heartbeat to steady. “Grandma Liu, just a little further! If we reach the main road, we’ll be close to the city gates. Hold on a bit longer, we can make it! I’ll help you!”

She couldn’t give up. Giving up meant certain death.

These bandits were ruthless. If she escaped alone, they would fear that she’d bring the authorities back. If the elderly couple was recaptured, they wouldn’t have a chance of survival!

“Wife, hold on a little longer,” Grandpa Liu gritted his teeth, determination hardening his voice. “Miss Li is right—we can do this. Let’s go together!”

With that, he and Li Junyue each took one of Grandma Liu’s arms, lifting her up and pressing forward.

Their pursuers were getting closer.

All three of them could hear their own thunderous heartbeats, the suffocating grip of despair spreading inch by inch.

Li Junyue glanced back once more. At this distance, in less than the time it took for a single incense stick to burn, they would be caught.

This wouldn’t work!

Clenching her teeth, she quickly assessed the terrain ahead before abruptly changing direction. “This way!”

She veered off the narrow path into a dense thicket of thorny bushes. Reaching a hollowed-out pit in the ground, she motioned for the elderly couple to crouch down and hide. “Grandpa Liu, Grandma Liu, if you follow this small path from here, you’ll reach the main road in about fifteen minutes. Remember, no matter what happens, you must keep going!”

Without another word, she quickly muttered an apology and began stripping off their outer robes!

“Miss Li, what are you doing?” Grandpa Liu gasped, too exhausted to stop her as he leaned against the dirt wall.

“I’ll lead the pursuers away,” Li Junyue said firmly. “Once they’re gone, you must leave immediately! Don’t stop! Don’t look back! Don’t worry about me—I know this terrain well. I have a much better chance of escaping on my own. I will survive!”

Li Junyue swiftly put on the old woman’s robe, then picked up a fallen tree branch, draping the old man’s outer robe over it to create a decoy.

Seeing her actions, the elderly couple immediately understood her plan. The old woman grabbed her sleeve in a panic.

“Miss Li, you won’t outrun them! Don’t worry about us—just save yourself! You still have a chance to escape!”

“Miss Li, we appreciate your kindness, but you should go!” Grandpa Liu’s voice was heavy with emotion. Telling that she has better chances of escaping was obviously just to comfort the two of them. 

She wasn’t even related to them—so why would she risk her life for them? How foolish!

Tears welled up in the old woman’s eyes. “You… why are you doing this?”

Li Junyue gazed at them deeply before suddenly crouching down and embracing the old woman. “Grandma Liu, you once said that the Li family’s daughter wasn’t bad. You were the first person to ever praise me. Thank you.”

That one simple sentence had warmed her heart for a long time.

With that, she firmly pried the old woman’s hand off her sleeve and ran in the opposite direction without looking back.Moments later, the torches of the pursuers arrived, closing in fast.

Seeing two faint figures flickering through the dense forest ahead, someone shouted, “Over there! Stop right there, you bastard!”

Hiding behind the dirt mound, Grandma Liu instinctively tried to stand up to stop them, but Grandpa Liu grabbed her and covered her mouth.

The two of them watched helplessly as a group of men stormed past right above their heads, chasing in the direction Li Junyue had run.

Only when the pursuers had disappeared into the darkness did Grandpa Liu finally release his grip.

Immediately, Grandma Liu started hitting him, sobbing. “Why did you stop me? Is our life worth more than hers? Is Miss Li’s life worth nothing? We are committing a great sin!”