Chapter 104: Not Wanting to Die, Nor Able to Die

Chapter 104: Not Wanting to Die, Nor Able to Die

He Zhiran paused in her actions and looked at Mo Jiuya.

After all, the original owner of this body was ignorant of the deceit and intrigue within the imperial court, so the truth of this matter still had to be determined by Mo Jiuya.

Mo Jiuya stepped forward. "You claim that Prince Heng sent you to assassinate me. Do you have any proof?"

The black-clad man, now desiring death, saw no reason to hide the truth.

"The person who just died in front of me was the leader. He had a token given by Prince Heng."

Hearing this, He Zhiran darted out of the space and searched the bodies of the black-clad men she had just killed.

Sure enough, she found a silver badge on one of them, clearly engraved with the character "Heng."

She returned to the space with the token and handed it to Mo Jiuya.

Mo Jiuya examined the badge and then nodded at He Zhiran.

He Zhiran instantly understood and pulled the black-clad man back into the space.

Despite facing an adversary, He Zhiran kept her word and swiftly ended the man's life with a single stroke.

Back in the space, she asked Mo Jiuya, "Do you have a grudge against Prince Heng as well?"

Mo Jiuya gave a self-deprecating smile.

"It's common knowledge among the court officials that Nan Qi and I have been close since childhood. Naturally, the other princes view me as a thorn in their side.

Nan Heng is unaware of the rift that has formed between Nan Qi and me. It wouldn't be unreasonable for him to take advantage of my current vulnerability and attempt to eliminate me."

With this explanation, He Zhiran grasped the situation.

It was likely that Prince Heng had played a role in the downfall and exile of the Mo family.

"If that's the case, since Nan Heng's first assassination attempt failed, he'll surely send more killers after you. Seems like we can't afford to let our guard down in the future," she deduced.

Mo Jiuya shared the same concern.

Alone, he could face anything; he could even meet his end alongside his foes. But with the Mo family's numerous kin and the woman he wished to protect for a lifetime, Mo Jiuya didn't want to die, nor could he afford to.

"To stop Nan Heng from targeting me further, the best approach would be to publicize the rift between Nan Qi and me."

He Zhiran nodded in agreement.

"That's indeed a good strategy. Nan Heng is mostly wary of your ties with Nan Qi. If he believes that you've severed all relations with him, he'll likely lower his guard against you. Besides, after losing so many loyal assassins in that attempt on his life, he'll surely weigh his options more carefully before sending more men."

While this logic made sense, both found themselves at a loss as to how to convince Nan Heng of their supposed fallout.

After much contemplation, they still couldn't come up with a reasonable plan.

Considering Mo Jiuya's injuries that hindered his mobility, He Zhiran decided it was best for him to stay temporarily in the space while she went out alone to search for a way out, sparing their loved ones from worry.

Initially, Mo Jiuya was against it, fearing that He Zhiran might encounter danger in this remote wilderness with no one to assist her.

He Zhiran reassured him that she would immediately seek refuge within the space should any peril arise.

Upon contemplating the miraculous nature of the space, Mo Jiuya's concerns alleviated somewhat.

After urging her to prioritize safety, he reluctantly allowed her to depart.

Exiting the space, He Zhiran searched the black-clad men once more, seizing whatever meager possessions they had, before proceeding in the direction they had come from.

She was convinced that there must be a passage leading to the outside world somewhere here, otherwise, how could those black-clad individuals have arrived at this place?

He Zhiran retrieved a Swiss Army Knife from her spatial dimension to clear the path, cautiously guarding against thorns that might tear at her skin and the snakes and insects lurking beneath her feet...

The clock turns back to the break of dawn.

The Mo family barely slept all night.

As Peng Wang rallied the main group to proceed, Madam Mo was the first one to remain behind.

"Gentleman Peng, my son and daughter-in-law's fate remains unknown, and I cannot leave just yet."

Upon seeing this, the sisters-in-law and Mo Hanyue also declared that they would not depart without Mo Jiuya and He Zhiran's return. They vowed to wait, even if it meant being flogged to death right there.

Out of respect for Mo Jiuya and He Zhiran, Peng Wang treated the Mo family with relative kindness.

"I've already promised Zhou Laoba that he will search for them and reunite with us in three days. By then, their fate will surely be decided. Staying here and waiting won't change anything; it's better to continue your journey sooner."

However, his words held no sway over the Mo family's womenfolk. Led by Elder Lady Mo, they stubbornly refused to budge.

Despite the sight of the officials' whips raised, ready to strike, they did not flinch.

Fang Chuanzhou and Xie Tianhai exchanged glances before heading towards the Mo family.

First, they respectfully bowed to Peng Wang. Fang Chuanzhou then sternly spoke, "Sir, the Mo family has shown kindness to my Fang family during our journey. I once vowed to follow the Mo family's lead for the rest of my life.

Now that their fates are uncertain, we'll wait with the Mo family," Zhang Qing declared.

Xie Tianhai also stepped forward to express his stance. "Sir, our Xie family will stand with the Mo family in this adversity."

Peng Wang, who had been a bailiff for many years, had never encountered such a situation before. His anger flared at the defiance, snatching the whip from Zhang Qing's hand and brutally lashing it against Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou.

Seeing them punished because of her family's affairs, Elder Madam Mo rushed over, standing protectively in front of the two men. The rest of the Mo family's women followed her lead, forming a wall behind Xie Tianhai and Fang Chuanzhou.

At the same time, members of the Fang and Xie families rushed over, ready to resist the bailiffs together. The He family watched from a distance, seemingly detached from the unfolding drama.

Peng Wang realized that these prisoners were serious; even if he ordered all the bailiffs to intervene, they likely wouldn't be able to shake their determination to stay and wait.

Despite knowing that they couldn't continue their journey, he couldn't afford to lose the dignity of an official.

He raised his whip and lashed it fiercely onto Third Sister-in-law, who was closest to him.

Third Sister-in-law didn't even cry out in pain; she didn't even attempt to dodge. With a resolute gaze, she displayed her willingness to face death head-on.

Seeing this, the other female relatives rushed forward, ready to protect Third Sister-in-law.

Even though Peng Wang was still angry, he was deeply impressed by the Mo family women's unwavering determination to die rather than surrender.

Sighing, he tossed away the whip in his hand.

"We'll wait! If they haven't returned in three days, I'll order my men to drag you all away, even if it takes effort."

"Thank you, Lord Peng, for your understanding. Three days will be ample time."

Lady Mo bowed solemnly to Peng Wang.

She was all too aware that if her son and daughter-in-law were still alive, they would have managed to join her within these three days.

On the contrary, their chances of survival might be grim.

At present, Madam Mo could only pray to heaven for their continued existence.