"Let's go."
He Ka Yan Yi said to Li Yun Er as they followed Meng Jing Wei and the others, "They should be leaving the mountain now. After about another hour, there's an area dense with rocks. That place has little vegetation, offering broad visibility, and with a steep cliff on one side, it's perfect for an ambush."
"How long until we get there?" Li Yun Er asked.
"An hour."
"An hour?" She worried that the longer it took, the more likely something could go wrong.
"The people I've arranged have already rushed to that area from the flank and will set up an ambush. She'll have nowhere to escape."
He Ka Yan Yi had made meticulous arrangements.
If the plan failed, he could push Li Yun Er out as a 'shield.' If the plan succeeded, he would strongly support Li Yun Er in taking the lead in this hunting activity, establishing his prestige.
In either scenario, he wouldn't lose out.
"Your Highness, thank you."
Li Yun Er sincerely thanked He Ka Yan Yi.
If he hadn't intervened, she would be nothing more than a corpse by now.
Li Yun Er was unaware of Old Chen Tou's plan, merely making assumptions.
"In private, just call me Yan Yi," He Ka Yan Yi spoke to her with particular gentleness. "There's no need for us to be so distant."
"This..." Li Yun Er hesitated, unaccustomed to He Ka Yan Yi's closeness, but she still nodded, "Okay. Brother Yan Yi."
...
"Your wound is still bleeding, do you want to get it bandaged?" Tang Si walked up to Meng Jing Wei, looking at the wound on her arm with some concern.
"No need."
Meng Jing Wei's heart was only with Qing Mu Ye. She had to leave quickly now and find Qing Mu Ye.
As they walked, Meng Jing Wei suddenly stopped and glanced back.
"What's wrong?"
Her action caused Tang Si to look back too, but behind them, the dense forest held only endless vegetation and thorns.
"I have a feeling someone is following us."
A vague unease made her feel apprehensive.
Yet, upon careful observation of the jungle behind them, she couldn't detect anything out of the ordinary.
"Don't overthink it. With me here, you'll be fine."
Tang Si nudged her arm with his elbow, winked at her, and said cheekily, "Being jumpy isn't like you. Remember the first time we met at the Nightfall Apartment? You gave me a shoulder throw, and it hurt so much that my backside was sore for days."
So much had happened today that Tang Si simply thought Meng Jing Wei was scared, leading to this misconception.
In essence, it was a sense of fear that had caused her significant psychological pressure and burden.
That's why he brought up past events, making a joke to lighten the tense atmosphere.
"Did I? I almost forgot."
Meng Jing Wei glanced at Tang Si, then looked back nervously one more time before turning to continue walking with Tang Si.
"You only have eyes for Second Brother, how could you remember me," Tang Si shook his head, looking displeased.
"Right, since you're here, where is Shi Ran?"
"Shi Ran is at Yi Pin Ju. Yi Pin Ju is full of Second Brother's people. She'll be safe there."
"Are you sincere towards her?"
It was rare to chat with Tang Si, so Meng Jing Wei spoke her mind directly, "Shi Ran has been working with me since graduating from university. I treat her like a younger sister. If you dare to let her down, I will truly fall out with you!"
Especially since Shi Ran was too naive, Meng Jing Wei was truly worried.
"Of course, I'm serious."
Tang Si dropped his casual demeanor and replied sternly.
They walked and talked until they reached a mountain slope covered entirely in rubble. They stopped.
"Let's take a detour. There are no obstacles here. If someone ambushes us, we'll be like sitting ducks," Meng Jing Wei suggested.