258: CG of defeat!

Wei Ziqing finished off the Coffin Immortal and, without stopping to check the limp body, immediately gave chase at full speed in the direction the Hanfu Immortal had taken Little Stone.

Before he had run far, he spotted his target in a forest clearing.

Little Stone lay on the ground with his eyes tightly shut, appearing to have fainted, but his chest was still rising and falling slightly, and there were no obvious external injuries.

The Hanfu Immortal stood a few meters away, the silk covering his eyes slightly "looking" toward the direction Wei Ziqing was charging from.

"Listening to these footsteps... they are steady and powerful, yet not as heavy as my Junior Brother's." The Immortal tilted his head slightly, his tone remaining calm and devoid of much emotion. "So, he lost? Heh, you have some skill after all."

Before his voice had even faded, the sleeves of his hanging arms moved without any wind. Over a dozen long, flexible Centipedes burst through his skin again, like interwoven poison whips, lashing toward Wei Ziqing with a sharp whistling sound!

Wei Ziqing had been prepared for this. His figure flashed as he moved quickly through the trees, dodging the first wave of attacks.

While dodging, he looked for an opportunity. At the moment of another crossing, the hem of his skirt behind his waist suddenly swirled, and the familiar fluorescent powder was once again scattered toward several Centipedes that were pursuing him most closely.

"Puff! Sizzle—!"

The intense light and heat burned those flexible tentacles again. The Centipedes let out sharp screeches, and their attack rhythm instantly fell into chaos.

The Hanfu Immortal's brow furrowed slightly as he felt the painful feedback from the Centipedes.

These symbionts had already suffered burns in the ruins and had not yet fully recovered. Being hit hard again now made it difficult for them to spit out poisonous mist as cover like they did before.

And the opponent before him clearly already had a countermeasure for this tactic.

"Tsk." The Immortal let out an impatient low groan and, without hesitation, retreated rapidly into the dense shadows of the trees, choosing to flee once again!

"Hey! You're running again?!" Wei Ziqing shouted in anger, but he didn't dare to pursue too deeply.

He glanced at the unconscious Little Stone on the ground and then toward the direction where the Immortal had disappeared. It was clearly not an option to leave the child alone in this dangerous Mountain Forest; what if a wild beast or something else came along?

"Consider yourself lucky you're fast!" Wei Ziqing stepped forward quickly, carefully checking Little Stone's breathing and pulse. After confirming he was just unconscious, he gently picked him up. "The priority is to regroup with Senior first."

He identified the direction and, holding the child, quickly turned back toward the cave where Lu Jianchuan was located.

When he arrived near the cave, he saw Lu Jianchuan supporting someone as they walked out of the entrance.

That person was indeed the missing Blind Man, but his state was extremely wrong—his body was twisting uncontrollably and wildly, as if he were performing a bizarre and frantic dance. At the same time, his hands were constantly scratching at his face and arms, leaving trails of blood, while his mouth let out incoherent whimpers.

"Is this... poisoning?" Wei Ziqing was startled by the sight and stepped forward quickly while holding Little Stone.

Lu Jianchuan's expression was grave. While trying his best to stabilize The Blind Man, he spoke quickly to Wei Ziqing:

"There are two more inside the cave wearing Daoist robes. Their condition is similar to his—delirious with self-harming tendencies. I couldn't bring so many out at once, so I rescued this one first. The others... we'll let the authorities handle them later."

"Understood." Wei Ziqing nodded, looking at the unconscious child in his arms and the frantic Blind Man before him. "We can't stay here long. Let's retreat to a safe place and contact backup."

The two didn't delay. Lu Jianchuan simply carried the struggling Blind Man on his back, while Wei Ziqing held Little Stone, and they quickly retreated along the path they came from toward the edge of the mountains.

Only when they reached the edge of the Mountain Forest and his phone got a signal again did Lu Jianchuan stop. He carefully set The Blind Man down, pulled out his phone, and dialed an emergency contact number.

"Hello, this is Lu Jianchuan. I've sent you the coordinates. Deep in the mountains behind 'Aozi Village' in Laogua Ridge, we've found the target individuals. Their condition is abnormal; we need urgent medical and containment support.

Additionally, there are multiple individuals on-site suspected of being imprisoned and controlled, including a child. We need to start search, rescue, and cleanup immediately.

Among the suspects, one has lost mobility, one is severely injured and needs confirmation, and one primary suspect has escaped in an unknown direction... Right, as soon as possible."

After the rescue communication was cut, Lu Jianchuan and Wei Ziqing exchanged a look, knowing it would take time for the GUPA team to arrive. Neither the unconscious Little Stone nor the unstable Blind Man were suited for staying at the edge of the wilderness for long.

"Senior, I'll take him back to the village first." Wei Ziqing looked down at the child in his arms, whose breathing was steady but who hadn't woken up. He said in a low voice, "I can't let his mother keep living in fear, and... some things need to be brought to an end."

Lu Jianchuan glanced at The Blind Man, who was still twisting unconsciously and required his full attention to manage, then nodded. "Be careful and stay in touch. I'll wait for backup here and keep an eye on him."

"Understood."

The night was thick. Wei Ziqing held Little Stone, his figure like a ghost merging into the night wind. Relying on the enhanced senses and mobility of his armor, he avoided any possible lookouts and quietly slipped back into Aozi Village.

He was no longer a stranger to the paths in the village and soon arrived at the somewhat secluded house of Little Stone's family.

A dim yellow light was on inside. A slender figure sat on a low stool by the door, constantly peering outside—it was Reiko. Her face was filled with anxiety and despair, her fingers tightly interlaced.

Wei Ziqing didn't use the front door. He observed the surroundings and, after confirming no one was there, lightly vaulted over the low courtyard wall, landing like a feather inside without making a sound. He walked to the window at the back of the house and tapped twice on the frame with his finger.

"Who is it?!" Reiko inside was startled and asked nervously in a low voice.

"The person who brought Little Stone back." Wei Ziqing lowered his voice. "Please open the window, and don't alert anyone else."

Hearing this, Reiko was stunned for a moment before a surge of immense joy and disbelief flooded her heart. She almost ran to the window, her hands trembling as she pulled the latch and pushed the window open.

The first thing that met her eyes was a figure covered in strange, stark-white armor with smooth black patterns and gold trim, its head a single piece of red goggles.

But immediately after, she saw the tiny figure held in the other's arms, the one she had been dreaming of.

"Stone! My Stone!" Motherly love instantly overwhelmed her fear, and she reached out to take the child.

"He's fine, just asleep. He might have been a bit frightened." Wei Ziqing carefully handed Little Stone through the window. Reiko quickly took him, holding him tightly in her arms as tears streamed down her face, constantly kissing the child's forehead and cheeks.

Perhaps feeling his mother's familiar embrace and scent, Little Stone's eyelids fluttered, and he actually woke up slowly. He looked around in confusion before finally focusing on his mother's face and crying out, "Mom..."

"Yes! Mom's here! Mom's here!" Reiko was choked with sobs, only able to nod frantically.

Wei Ziqing stood quietly outside the window, watching the mother and son reunite. After a moment, Reiko calmed her emotions slightly and looked up at this "non-human" being who had saved her child. Her gaze was complex, filled with gratitude but also a trace of lingering fear.

"Thank... thank you! Thank you for saving my child!" She choked out, about to kneel down.

"There's no need for that." Wei Ziqing quickly stopped her, his voice coming through the armor. "I only did what I should have. But... I'm sorry, because of this, it might be difficult for you to continue living peacefully in this village."

Reiko, holding the child, trembled slightly at his words, but her gaze gradually became firm. She shook her head forcefully.

"No, please don't say that! I'm the one who should say sorry... no, it's us. I was too weak. I shouldn't have hesitated from the start, shouldn't have believed in some 'Immortal Fate,' and certainly shouldn't have almost given in..."

She took a deep breath, looking at the child she had regained, as if she had made a final decision.

"Actually, I should have taken Stone and left here long ago.

It's just that I was always afraid—afraid I couldn't survive away from a familiar place, afraid those people would retaliate... It was you, and that Officer Lu, and the police who entered the mountains today, who made me see clearly and finally gave me the courage to make this decision."

She raised her head, her gaze passing over Wei Ziqing as if looking toward the wider world beyond the village.

"While the police are still investigating in the village, they won't dare to do anything openly. I will pack my things as quickly as possible, ask the police for help, and leave this place. No matter where we go or how hard it is, I will definitely take my child to a place where we can live in peace."

After listening, the small bit of guilt Wei Ziqing felt for potentially bringing her trouble eased slightly. He could hear the resolution and newfound courage in Reiko's words.

"It's for the best that you think this way." He nodded. "Take care. In the future... look after yourself and the child."

With that, he didn't stay any longer. His figure retreated into the shadows, and with a light leap, he vaulted over the courtyard wall, vanishing into the night as silently as he had arrived.

Holding Little Stone, Reiko stared at the empty space outside the window where only the night wind blew. She hugged the child tightly and whispered firmly to herself, "Yes... we definitely will."