Ink Burns

Chapter 194 Over there

The thick smoke drifting from the east, like the white mist from a frying pan, seemed to have grown hands, firmly grasping every wisp of wind and forcefully drilling into people's mouths, noses, chests, and lungs.

Qiushuidu Town is not large, but seven or eight hundred people were gathered there, some carrying basins of water, others holding jars, all talking at once about the rare flood that had occurred in recent years. The shouting, the chaotic footsteps, and the clanging of basins and jars all blended together, creating a particularly lively scene.

Both the torches and the people headed towards the eastern coast.

The town's alleyways gradually quieted down.

Shan Yue lifted her skirt with one hand and braced herself against the alley wall with the other, struggling to squeeze forward through the crowded throng. The slippery moss brushed against her palm, feeling as if she had been licked by a snake's tongue.

The highly toxic substance can cause heart palpitations.

Autumn fish followed closely behind.

The crowds surged like waves crashing against a hurricane.

The mountain moon, on the shore pointed to by the crest of the wave, rushes towards that wave. Meanwhile, the water's shimmering light hides in the abyss behind the waves, teetering on the verge of collapse.

Half an hour ago.

Shan Yue pushed open the door and came out. Shui Guang covered her face with tears and sobbed, hugging the bedpost. The thought that her sister would never scold her again made her feel unbearably itchy.

Then, thinking about how she hadn't received any praise for her supposedly impressive solo kill, but instead had been thoroughly scolded, she felt incredibly wronged.

Shuiguang covered her face with her arms and sobbed.

Three loofahs surrounded him, offering words of advice, their conversation blending instantly with the sudden commotion outside.

Little White Gourd curiously pushed open the window a crack, watching the crowd gradually increase and surge eastward, then looking at the billowing smoke in the distance: "The dock is on fire!"

After saying that, he went to get a basin of water to put out the fire, but Shui Guang grabbed him and said, "If there is a fire, someone will be injured. The doctors have all gone to put out the fire. Who will treat the injured?"

As soon as Shui Guang finished speaking, three knocks sounded at the door. The knocking was soft and not abrupt, but rather showed politeness and respect.

Xiao Bai bumped into the water and comforted her with a grin, "Your sister's back!"

Shui Guang frowned and shook her head: "No, she's not my sister."

Those three knocks weren't on the door, but on the door frame.

Only people from prominent families in the capital region would knock like this, because Zhong Kui, the god of misfortune, is often hung on the gates of their mansions, and one must avoid knocking on the door in the presence of the door god.

If it's not my sister, then who is it?
Shui Guang looked towards the wooden door.

The wooden door of Xinglin Hall is like a walnut with a patina, polished to a glossy sheen. It is also very thin, as if it could fall off with a gentle push.

Shui Guang slowly retreated, his hand groping haphazardly behind him. He gave everyone a "calm down" look and asked, "Are you the boat captain?" Raising his voice, he said, "Why are you only arriving now? Weren't we supposed to meet at three-quarters past dusk?!"

Suddenly, there was silence outside.

Shui Guang silently exhaled a long breath: The boat captain is the boss of the dock, a military household, and a government employee. Usually, when he hears that someone is coming, he will think twice even if he is going to do something bad.
Apart from the noisy sounds of firefighting outside the door, there was no other sound.

Shui Guang listened intently to the door for a while, swallowed hard, pointed to the four loofahs under the cabinet and table, and then tiptoed quietly toward the window that was slightly ajar: the imperial decree would not be delivered at night, and it was neither her sister nor a patient—the visitor was not friendly, and the friendly ones would not come; it might just be the "Chang family" that her sister had mentioned.

The title of "Hundred-Man Ship Captain" won't last long.

Shui Guang stared intently at the wooden door, slowly backing away.

Xiaobai had already cracked the window open. She only needed to seize the opportunity to open the crack, slip out through it, and run north to find the real boat captain, or perhaps jump into the water to hide first.
Shui Guang hunched her neck, lowered her head, pushed the window wider, and buried her head, preparing to squeeze out.

The firelight from the eastern sea was reflected on the dark ground.

Shuiguang's feet were almost touching the ground.

"Where are you going?" a grinning voice descended from above.

Shui Guang slowly raised her head in terror. A face with no eyebrows, an extremely wide jaw, and eight white teeth showing when it grinned was right outside the window, pressed against the blue brick wall, looking down at her with a sinister yet smiling expression.

Shui Guang shuddered, and without the slightest hesitation, stood up straight and immediately ran outside.

"Fuck-"

My hair was being grabbed tightly from behind!
Shui Guang was in excruciating pain—her scalp felt like it was being pulled off!

"Where are you going again, Wei Sibu?" The voice was cheerful, but the force in his hand was slowly decreasing.

Shui Guang could clearly feel strands of hair being torn apart and ripped from the scalp, causing her head to tilt backward involuntarily, leaning towards the square-faced man without eyebrows.

Shui Guang turned around with difficulty, her eyes suddenly lighting up: "Wu Dajian! What brings you here!"

Supervisor Wu!?

The great companion of a saint!?

Startled, Chang Yusu looked back and his hand involuntarily loosened, giving Shui Guang the opportunity. A flash of cold light appeared in Shui Guang's hand as she first cut off the hair that Chang Yusu was holding. Then, gritting her teeth, she grabbed the small knife she had just used to peel peaches and plunged it into the man's groin. After doing all this, Shui Guang quickly let go, turned around like a nimble little monkey, and ran into a side alley with her back arched!
Qiushui Ferry is a small place, but many people come and go.

The alleyways and courtyards were built in a complex and intricate manner. In order to facilitate the passage of mule carts carrying goods, the bungalows were not built in a straight line. Instead, they were unexpectedly recessed by three inches here and unexpectedly protruded by three inches there, which not only gave the mule carts room to pass but also provided the current Shuiguang with a convenient place to hide.

The townspeople all went to put out the fire with lanterns.

There are no powerful families here, and the common people have no power, so they hang candles in front of their doors all night for illumination.

Shui Guang clung to the wall, concealing her figure in the darkness as she moved swiftly.

The man behind her cursed even more fiercely than the flames: "That bitch lied to me! And she stabbed me with a knife!"

Someone nearby responded, "Young Master, your leg is bleeding! You should go back to the carriage! I'll bring it back for you!"

"Fuck your mother!"

It sounded like a watermelon hitting the ground!
The man suddenly grabbed the servant's head and slammed it against the wall, then looked up, chest puffed out, at the winding, dark alleyway stretching out in all directions: "Go! You guys go and keep watch on the outer perimeter! Don't let that woman get away! As for catching her—"

Chang Yusu smiled and said, "Murder and arson are only fun when you do them yourself!"

The man's voice was loud and full of energy.

Shui Guang pressed her back against the wall, panting heavily in the darkness. After catching her breath for three breaths, she bent over again and headed north. But as soon as she lifted her foot, she tripped over something soft and wide on the ground!
There's a person on the ground!
It's unclear whether the person is dead or in a coma!

Shui Guang reacted extremely quickly by covering her mouth with both hands, but still couldn't help making a slight sound due to the movement.

"Young Master! He's over there!"

The heavy footsteps grew closer!

It's right on the street corner!

Getting closer!
Shui Guang held her breath, her hands trembling uncontrollably.

The person has turned the corner!

Shui Guang was pulled into a narrow side door by a strong force through her left shoulder!
Immediately afterwards, a warm hand tightly covered her mouth!
Taking advantage of the moonlight hidden behind the dark clouds and the towering flames in the east, Shui Guang glanced back and, upon seeing who it was, her eyes revealed an extremely obvious anxiety: It was her sister!
It's my sister!
My sister came back again!

What's my sister doing back here?

She ran as fast as she could to get the man away from Xinglin Hall!
But she ran off to her sister's place!
Shui Guang's chest heaved violently, but her sister's face was cold, yet her demeanor was calm and unhurried. She glanced to the left, and the little girl behind her threw a stone from her arms toward the wall in another direction.

"Bang—thump—" The small stone landed and rolled a few times.

"Over there! That bitch is over there!"