Big Boss – Chapter 46

Found you

People saw this situation and scene, all panicked and flustered, with chaotic screams filling the air around. The guards quickly surrounded the princess, the prince, and the concubines, while the leader shouted orders for someone to quickly go back to the palace and inform the emperor to send more help here.

In the chaotic crowd, Zhou Ziqiu, who almost stumbled, was grabbed by Shi Li. She clearly did not recognize Shi Li, her beautiful face full of panic, constantly saying something and pointing towards the mountain forest, seeming to urge someone to save Ci Ke.

However, the guards just kept her surrounded, not taking a step further into the woods.

Ye Youqing suddenly felt her heart being gripped by something. She pushed aside the person blocking her path, ran a few steps forward, and looked at the lush and dim forest, now restored to silence.

“Why aren’t you moving! If anything happens to Ci Ke, I’ll have your lives!” Zhou Ziqiu was clearly in extreme panic, colliding with the guards like a delicate flower against a metal net. However, as a weak woman, her action was like trying to move a mountain but causing no ripples.

The guard being pulled by her remained unmoved, simply bowing his head and saying, “Your Highness, please calm down. We are the guards of the palace, and our top priority is to protect the safety of the princes, princesses, and concubines. The alert has not been lifted, and we cannot leave.”

“You fools! Are you just going to watch her die?” Zhou Ziqiu was unable to push through, tears welling up in her phoenix eyes. “Ci Ke, I beg of you…”

Just like that. Ye Youqing frowned deeply, leaning forward. At the same time, Shi Li, who had been hiding in the crowd, suddenly jumped out. No one saw clearly what she did, but they saw a guard riding a horse fall by the roadside, while the woman was holding the horse, preparing to mount it.

“Master!” Ye Youqing seized the chance amidst the chaos to speak in a low voice, grabbing Shi Li’s arm and saying, “Let me go. If one attempt fails, there might still be trouble here.”

Shi Li’s eyes were deep as she quickly responded, “The forest is dangerous, you…”

“One person, I can handle it.” Ye Youqing said.

Little did she know, Shi Li moved too quickly. Just as Ye Youqing’s words fell, she felt a push on her waist, and the next moment, she was lifted into the air and landed steadily on the back of a horse.

A rush of unfamiliar panic enveloped her rapidly. Ye Youqing hastily spoke, only managing to utter, “I can’t…” before hearing the horse neigh. Shi Li slapped the horse’s rear with force, propelling the massive body forward into the forest.

Ye Youqing almost screamed out loud. She leaned forward, tightly gripping the reins, nearly wrapping her arms around the horse’s neck, with the mane obstructing her view. The uncontrollable jolts made her stomach churn once again.

“If I die from riding this horse, I will make Shi Li pay for it,” Ye Youqing thought with closed eyes.

The forest was dim, with occasional sparse spots where sunlight seeped through, casting a few scattered beams on the ground. The undergrowth was a mix of grass and dry branches, with a hunter’s trail emerging from the mountain, occasionally obstructed by vines.

Ye Youqing occasionally reached out to brush aside the obstacles, leaving tiny bloodstains on her fair hand. Unknowingly, she had ventured deep into the woods, and suddenly a thick branch extended in front of her, almost within reach.

Startled, Ye Youqing swiftly extended her hand, making contact with the rough bark. In an instant, she was lifted into the air, feeling disoriented. When she regained her senses, she found herself mid-air, somersaulting, then landing firmly on the ground.

Thanks to her foundation in martial arts, Ye Youqing was drenched in cold sweat, feeling a lingering sense of fear.

Meanwhile, deep in the jungle, the fast horse’s whereabouts were unknown. A masked figure held Ci Ke with one hand, clutching a long sword tightly in the other, cutting away any obstructing vines on the path.

“Cursed hell.” The masked man cursed under his breath, venting his frustration by recklessly hacking at a tree trunk a few times. Then, he forcefully shoved Ci Ke, causing the woman to almost stumble.

“Who kind of Noble Consort are you? Look at you, dressed like this. Isn’t it shameful for a Noble Consort?” The masked man ridiculed as he dragged Ci Ke through the forest.

Ci Ke’s cheeks paled, her pearl-white teeth biting tightly on her lower lip, as she coldly retorted, “Take another look and you’ll see.”

The masked man halted, violently pushing Ci Ke to the ground. He then retrieved a portrait from his bosom and scrutinized Ci Ke’s face closely. Delicate eyebrows, rosy lips, a high-bridged nose, and petite smooth cheeks.

“Cursed hell, it does resemble her.” He gruffly remarked, “It’s just that the eyes don’t quite match.”

“The portrait always has its flaws.” Ci Ke’s voice trembled, yet her articulation was clear.

Perplexed, the masked man pondered for a while, scratching his head. Eventually, he gave up comparing, neatly tucking away the portrait. “Forget it, consider yourself a Noble Consort without blessings. When my brothers arrive, there will be someone to deal with you.”

After speaking, he dragged Ci Ke further into the depths of the jungle.

Ci Ke lowered her head, concealing the fear in her eyes from the masked man, taking a deep breath.

Realizing that the masked man had mistaken her for someone else, she deduced that they seemed to have some sort of agreement, requiring a ‘verification’ before taking action. By pretending to be her aunt, she temporarily ensured her safety.

If she was found not to be Zhou Ziqiu, she would definitely be disposed of immediately. Ci Ke tightly bit her lower lip to calm herself down.

It was also fortunate that the masked man seemed quite stubborn. Otherwise, instead of waiting for his ‘brothers’, he would have killed her right then and there. In that case, she would truly have called out to the sky and received no answer, and called out to the earth and received no spirit.

“Where are you taking me?” Ci Ke controlled the trembling of her voice and asked.

“A person about to die still has so much to say.” The masked man did not answer her, scoffing.

However, he kept looking back repeatedly, seeming anxiously awaiting someone else to arrive. But the dense forest behind them remained silent, with only the sounds of grass and leaves rustling, and nothing more.

Ci Ke didn’t know if she felt fortunate or despairing. She was fortunate that the masked man’s so-called ‘brothers’ didn’t show up, but despairing because no one came to rescue her.

She didn’t know how her aunt was doing, or Ye…

Ci Ke suppressed the faint hope in her heart. She painfully closed her eyes, keeping herself distant from her, realizing they had no more connection. Why would she come?

Moreover, it was so dangerous here. It was best if she didn’t come.

She could only rely on herself. Ci Ke bit her lip until it tasted of blood, finally calming her restless heart. Even if it meant death, what else could she fear?

“Will you have to cross this mountain for the rendezvous?” Ci Ke suddenly asked, her tone firm.

“Speak another word, and I’ll cut out your tongue!” The masked man threatened sharply, gripping Ci Ke’s hand like a vise, causing her flesh to ache.

Realizing the situation, Ci Ke fell silent. She stumbled along, observing her surroundings, as the forest fell silent, only their breathing audible.

As the sun descended towards the west, the light in the forest grew dimmer. Climbing over the hill, they noticed the surroundings bathed in a cooked hue, tinged with the faint red of the setting sun.

Ci Ke’s legs were heavy and numb, barely able to take another step. The masked man was no better, panting heavily, lifting the cloth covering his face to breathe heavily.

Taking advantage of the moment, Ci Ke’s legs gave way, and she suddenly fell to the ground, quietly crying out in pain.

“These women are always causing trouble!” The masked man, leaning against a nearby tree, said in disgust. “Get up!”

After speaking, he continued to pull on Ci Ke. However, seeing the woman in front of him in so much pain that she couldn’t walk, every time he tried to pull her up, she fell again, appearing as if she was delicate and frail.

The masked man stood in place, cursing with offensive language that was unbearable to hear. Seeing that time was running out, he didn’t dare delay and had no choice but to bend down and hoist Ci Ke onto his shoulder.

Perhaps, he was deceived by her appearance of fragility and did not tie her hands or feet. 

“After a while, I will discuss with my brothers and personally kill you,” the masked man spat, striding heavily through the forest in a hurry.

Ci Ke focused her gaze, sensing the masked man’s footsteps growing heavier. Even the most powerful and martial-manly man would consume energy carrying an adult over mountains and through valleys. After a while, he leaned against a tree, panting heavily.

At this moment, Ci Ke’s eyes narrowed, a fierce look crossing her face. With a flick of her wrist, she reached up and pulled out the ever-present hairpin on her head, forcefully stabbing it towards the masked man’s waist.

With a cry of pain, the man’s grip loosened, sending Ci Ke flying to the ground. Simultaneously, his tall figure slid down the nearby tree trunk, bending into a shrimp-like shape.

Blood gushed from the wound, and the man let out a roar of anger, reaching out to grab Ci Ke’s leg. Unexpectedly, the woman in front of him pulled out a palm-sized stone, vigorously smashing it towards the man’s head.

With two thuds, the stone fell to the ground, and the masked man also toppled into the grass, motionless.

Ci Ke suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing as if drained of energy. The injuries she sustained from being thrown out earlier, hitting her legs, feet, shoulders, and back, all surged with pain, bringing tears to her eyes.

After lying on the ground for a while to recover, Ci Ke finally got up. Enduring the pain that consumed her body, she reached out to check the masked man’s breathing.

He was still alive. Ci Ke found the hairpin that had fallen aside, preparing to act on his throat, but she stopped midway. Instead, she tore the man’s shirt into strips. First, she tied up the deep wound on his waist, then she tightly bound his hands and feet before stopping.

After some thought, she stuffed the remaining piece of cloth into his mouth.

This man couldn’t die yet.

After completing all of this, Ci Ke sat exhaustedly on the ground, hugging her knees, feeling as if she had been beaten and in pain.

“It’s just pain. I’m used to it,” Ci Ke said with a cold and hardened expression, murmuring softly as if comforting herself.

Dusk seemed to be approaching, with the sun setting in the west. The surrounding light was warm and orange, like fire. Only then did Ci Ke realize she was all alone on the mountain. She couldn’t help but hold herself tighter.

No one came looking for her, making her feel abandoned. She wondered about her aunt, if she was in danger or not.

Thinking about it, Ci Ke endured the soreness in her legs and tried to stand up to return the way she came. Suddenly, she heard a rustling under her feet, causing her to look down in fright and take a few steps back.

A snake, as thick as a small arm, slithered towards her, coiled at her feet, hissing and flicking its tongue.

Ci Ke was most afraid of these kinds of creatures. She almost screamed, feeling a stronger wave of fear than before engulfing her. She seemed frozen in place, her back against the tree trunk, unable to move.

To make matters worse, at that moment, rustling sounds came from the dense and tall trees nearby again, louder than the snake’s movement, as if some fierce beast was approaching.

Ci Ke covered her mouth tightly, determined not to make a sound, and stared intently at the shadows ahead.

The sounds grew closer and closer.

Something emerged, with hair tangled by thorns, clothes in disarray, and a blood-red mark from the shrubbery on the fair face.

Brown eyes widened suddenly, misting up and forming droplets, collecting at the bottom.

“Ye Youqing,” she trembled, tightly pressed against the tree, afraid to move.

After struggling through getting lost several times and falling into dark holes, Ye Youqing looked nothing short of embarrassed. She spat out the grass in her mouth, finally easing the tension that had been gripping her heart.

“Wait a moment,” Ye Youqing said, then picked up a forked tree branch from the ground, imitating a technique she had seen online. She trapped the snake’s vital point with the forked end of the branch and pressed it hard into the earth, securing the snake firmly in place.

“It’s okay,” Ye Youqing said as she lifted her head, only to see the woman silently shedding tears, the tears washing away the dust, revealing a flushed complexion beneath.

Ci Ke suddenly leaned forward, and Ye Youqing quickly stepped forward, grasping her arms on both sides to support the woman who had become limp.

Looking down, Ye Youqing saw the black hair hanging down along the shoulder where the hairpin had been removed. The woman, with a hint of tears in her voice, said, “It hurts…”