Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

Shen Chen found a flat rock to sit on and tore off the strip of cloth from his shoulder.

The wound was deeper than he had thought.

The black dragon blade had cut in two inches, exposing the bone. He rummaged through his cloth bag and pulled out a bottle of wound medicine, pouring it onto the wound.

"hiss--"

The moment the powder touched the wound, it burned with pain.

Shen Chen gritted his teeth, re-bandaged his wound, and leaned against a rock to catch his breath.

This battle was extremely dangerous.

If Wu Long's slash had been just half an inch off, he would be a corpse by now. If he hadn't consulted the divination, he really wouldn't have dared to fight like that.

After resting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Shen Chen stood up, ready to continue his journey.

Just then, the sound of fighting came from afar.

He stopped and listened intently.

The sound wasn't far away, probably from the woods about half a mile ahead.

Shen Chen hesitated for a moment, but decided to go around it.

It's better to avoid trouble than to get involved. He's injured now and it's not suitable for him to get involved in any more problems.

But after taking only a few steps, that familiar feeling popped into my head again.

The fortune slip has arrived.

[Good Fortune: Going to rescue people will lead to an encounter with Li Ru, the daughter of the Blackwater Village chief, paving the way for entry into the Blackwater Village. Great luck!]

[Winning the lottery: Taking a detour, missing a good opportunity, draw]

[Bad omen: Continue onward, but you will be surrounded by the Divine Eagle Constables.]

Shen Chen frowned as he looked at the four characters "Divine Eagle Constable".

Yang Chong'er said that Yuan Ying, the Divine Eagle Hand, has recently been leading a group of people to operate near Blackwater Village.

He took a deep breath and turned to walk in the direction from which the fighting was coming.

After passing through a thicket of bushes, the view ahead came into view.

Seven or eight men dressed as constables were surrounding a woman.

The woman was in her early twenties, tall and slender, holding a long sword in her hand, the blade stained with blood.

Her left arm was bruised, and blood was dripping down her arm.

"Li Ru, you can't escape."

One of the leading constables sneered, "If you know what's good for you, come with us obediently. Lord Yuan said that if you cooperate, he can spare your life."

Li Ru spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva: "Dream on!"

"If you refuse a toast, you'll have to drink a penalty cup."

The lead constable waved his hand, "Go, capture him alive."

Several constables pounced on him at the same time.

Li Ru gritted her teeth and fought back, her longsword drawing several cold streaks in the air.

But she was clearly at her limit; her swordsmanship, though sharp, was becoming increasingly slow.

A constable seized the opportunity and slashed at her back with his knife.

Li Ru tried to dodge, but her body couldn't keep up with her reaction.

The knife was about to fall—

"when!"

A short knife suddenly flew from the side and knocked the other knife away.

Everyone was stunned.

Shen Chen walked out of the woods and picked up the short knife from the ground.

"Who?"

The lead constable stared at him warily.

Shen Chen didn't answer, but just glanced at Li Ru.

The woman was also looking him up and down, her eyes filled with doubt.

"have a finger in the pie."

The lead constable sized up Shen Chen, then snorted coldly, "Since they've delivered themselves to our doorstep, let's arrest them all."

With a wave of his hand, two constables rushed towards Shen Chen.

Shen Chen sidestepped the first man's knife, and the short knife slashed across his throat.

Fresh blood gushed out.

Before the second constable could react, Shen Chen had already pounced on him and plunged a knife into his heart.

The two fell to the ground almost simultaneously.

The lead constable's expression changed: "A True Qi Realm martial artist?"

Shen Chen drew his short knife and shook off the blood.

"Attack together!"

The lead constable shouted.

The remaining five constables rushed towards Shen Chen at the same time.

Shen Chen didn't back down; instead, he went to meet him.

The dagger seemed to come alive in his hands, each strike precisely finding the opponent's weakness.

In less than ten breaths, two more constables fell down.

The lead constable finally panicked and turned to run.

Shen Chen raised his hand, and the short knife flew out, accurately embedding itself in his back.

The lead constable froze and fell to the ground.

Shen Chen turned to look at Li Ru.

The woman leaned against the tree, her face pale, but her eyes were full of wariness.

"Who are you?"

"Just passing by."

Shen Chen sheathed his dagger. "You're Li Ru?"

Li Ru was taken aback: "You know me?"

"I've heard of it."

Shen Chen took out Qin Pi's token from his pocket. "I am from Dog Tooth Mountain, and Qin Pi is my elder brother."

When Li Ru saw the token, her guard relaxed slightly.

"The people of Dogtooth Mountain..."

She tried to stand up, but her body went limp and she leaned back against the tree.

Shen Chen walked over and glanced at her wound.

Like me, he had been slashed in the left arm; the wound was deep, and the bone was exposed.

"Can you walk?"

Li Ru gritted her teeth and nodded: "Yes."

"Then let's go quickly, it's not safe here."

Shen Chen helped her up, and the two quickly left.

After walking about a mile, Li Ru finally couldn't hold on any longer, her body went limp, and she almost fell.

Shen Chen helped her up: "Let's find a place to rest."

There was a cave not far ahead, and the two of them went inside.

Shen Chen put down the cloth bag and took out some wound medicine from it.

"Lift up your clothes."

Li Ru hesitated for a moment, but still did as instructed.

Shen Chen poured the medicine powder onto her wound and then bandaged it with a cloth strip.

Thank you.

Li Ru leaned against the stone wall, her face still pale.

Shen Chen sat to one side and took a sip of water.

"What just happened?"

Li Ru remained silent for a while before speaking.

"There's a traitor in the village."

Her voice was a little hoarse. "Someone told Yuan Ying where I was, and they ambushed me on the way. All my men are dead."

Shen Chen asked, "Are you sure it was a traitor who informed on us?"

Li Ru nodded, "It must be someone from the village, otherwise they wouldn't know my route so well."

Shen Chen didn't ask any more questions.

After a moment of silence, Li Ru suddenly spoke.

"You're going to Blackwater Village?"

"Um."

Why?

Shen Chen thought for a moment: "Looking for something."

Li Ru stared at him for a long time, then sighed.

"You've come at the wrong time."

"How so?"

"The village is in chaos right now."

Li Ru said, "Strange things have happened at the Blackwater Pool behind the mountain. My father sent people to investigate, and several people died. Now the village is in a state of panic, plus Yuan Ying is watching us from the outside..."

She paused, then said, "It's very dangerous for you to go now."

Shen Chen didn't say anything.

He knew about the danger all along.

But the arrow was already on the bowstring, and it had to be released.

"Are you fully recovered?"

Li Ru suddenly asked.

Shen Chen was taken aback: "What?"

"The injury on your shoulder."

Li Ru pointed to his shoulder, "Your movements were noticeably stiff during the fight just now."

Shen Chen looked down and saw that the strip of cloth on his shoulder was already stained with blood.

"Minor injury."

"A minor injury?"

Li Ru sneered, "If this injury isn't treated properly, it will fester within three days, and then you won't be able to save your whole arm."

Shen Chen remained silent.

Li Ru took out a small porcelain bottle from her bosom.

"This is a healing medicine that my father treasures. Apply it and it will scab over in three days. Your injury is obviously more serious than mine. Take it and use it."

Shen Chen accepted the porcelain bottle: "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Li Ru leaned against the stone wall, closed her eyes, and said, "You saved me, so I'll repay you for your kindness."

Shen Chen opened the porcelain bottle and applied the ointment to the wound.

A cool sensation came over me, and the pain immediately lessened considerably.

Good medicine.

He re-bandaged his wound and leaned against the stone wall to rest.

The sky outside the cave gradually darkened.

Li Ru suddenly opened her eyes.

"Someone's coming."

Shen Chen heard it too.

There were many footsteps, and they were getting closer and closer.

The two exchanged a glance and stood up at the same time.

Shen Chen gripped the short knife tightly and walked to the cave entrance.