135: Chapter 135 Setting Sail! Towards Life!

The piercing sound of alarms tore through the last bit of tranquility in Nanjing.

The sound was like countless sharp knives, frantically scraping the already riddled nerves of the city.

Dozens of scholars and their families, hidden at the entrance of a secret waterway, were scared out of their wits by the sudden alarm.

Panic spread like a plague through the narrow, dark space.

"What happened?"

"Is... is it for us?"

The historian who had been entrusted with the map by Chen Xi earlier tried to stay calm and soothe the crowd, but his trembling hands betrayed his inner fear.

They all knew the alarm was coming from the direction of the residence of the Japanese Army Division Commander Tani Hisao within the city.

Chen Xi was right there.

The flame of hope in everyone's eyes quickly extinguished, turning into cold ash.

He failed.

He might even be dead.

And they, the lambs trapped in this ironclad city, would be found by the frenzied Japanese Army after dawn and torn to pieces.

Despair, like icy seawater, submerged everyone.

Just then.

A black shadow stepped out from the deeper darkness.

He carried a faint scent of blood and the biting chill of pre-dawn.

It was Chen Xi.

He had returned.

Seeing him return safely, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately after, their hearts leaped into their throats.

They knew the alarm had sounded because of him.

They were now in unprecedented danger.

Chen Xi offered no explanation.

His eyes, terrifyingly bright in the darkness, swept over everyone present.

He only said two words.

"Depart!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable power.

No one asked another question.

The instinct for survival overcame all fear and doubt.

Dozens of scholars, usually elegant and refined, were now like the most obedient students. Under Chen Xi's command, they supported their families and began to board the dilapidated sampans that had been prepared beforehand.

This "Last Ark," composed of dozens of the Dragon Kingdom's top minds, sailed into that narrow, dark, and foul-smelling secret waterway under Chen Xi's leadership.

A stench mixed with silt, decay, and death wafted toward them.

Inside the waterway, it was pitch black.

The sound of the sampans cutting through the water was infinitely amplified in the narrow space; every stroke of the oars felt like a hammer blow against their fragile hearts.

Cold, fishy droplets dripped from the stone walls above, hitting their faces and making it hard to tell if it was water or cold sweat.

A child, terrified by the oppressive darkness, wanted to cry but was firmly silenced by his mother, letting out only a few whimpers from his throat.

This fleet, carrying the sparks of civilization, moved forward with difficulty through the suffocating darkness.

Ahead, the silhouette of a bridge appeared.

Just then.

A heavy and chaotic sound of footsteps came from overhead.

It was a Japanese Army search party!

"Quick! Search here too!"

"Bring the dogs over! Don't miss any suspicious corner!"

The Japanese Army Officer's roar and the impatient barking of the dogs came clearly from the bridge, like the drumbeats of death.

Everyone on the boats crouched down, not daring to move, even their breathing stopped.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

In the whole world, only the frantic footsteps above and their own drum-like heartbeats remained.

Chen Xi still stood at the bow, like a statue blending into the darkness.

He simply raised his hand and slowly made a "hush" gesture to the people behind him.

It was unclear how much time had passed.

The hellish footsteps and barking finally faded away.

Not until the sound had completely vanished did the people on the boats dare to slowly exhale; many were already soaked through.

They drifted in the darkness for an unknown amount of time.

Finally, a faint light appeared ahead.

They had reached the exit.

As the first sampan rushed out of the waterway and entered the relatively open Qinhuai River, the cool morning breeze blew, making everyone feel as if they were in another world.

However, while the dawn's faint light brought direction, it also brought new dangers.

They had escaped the underground prison.

But they were also completely exposed under the most dangerous line of sight before dawn.