SWNOVELXO Chapter 53: Someone Doesn't Know Good from Bad
Shen Mansion was enshrouded in an invisible gloom, the air filled with an aura of stern killing.
Every person in the mansion could not help but feel unease in their minds.
Auntie Wang and elder sister Shen Fang sat side by side in the hall, with a lively maid standing next to them; the three frequently glanced at the solitary figure outside the door.
Shen the Second was sitting on the threshold like a farmer at this moment.
He held a dry tobacco pipe tightly in his hands, drawing on it with a clattering noise that sounded particularly grating, betraying an air of irritation.
After a while, the mansion's main gate opened.
With a burst of hurried footsteps, Shen Xiaoshan, Tian Xiaohu, and Zhang Shuyuan rushed in quickly.
Following that, they almost simultaneously turned around and shut the gate tightly, their movements extremely fast.
With a "clack," the bolt was secured.
Shen Xiaoshan and Tian Xiaoshu finally felt some sense of security.
Shen the Second suddenly stood up, his pipe still dangling from his mouth, and hurried over, staring intently at the two and asked, "How is the situation?"
Tian Xiaohu's face was so somber it looked like it might drip water. He said in a low voice, "The city gates... have secretly been allowed passage, our people can't get out at all. That Zhou fellow, I don't know when, but he's gathered quite a force. The situation... is not optimistic."
Shen Xiaoshan chimed in, "Everyone outside is saying that Brother Qingzi is dead."
"That can't be, Qingzi has come so far, he won't die so easily," Shen the Second firmly denied.
Zhang Shuyuan spoke up, "We are certain that the Boss won't die, but the people outside don't believe it. The problem lies here now; many have turned and betrayed us."
Upon hearing this, Shen the Second's expression turned even uglier, and he fell silent.
Before leaving, Shen Qing had instructed them to evacuate early.
They had also been prepared to evacuate, but what they didn't expect was that these people moved faster than they did.
In the short time after Shen Qing's departure, they began to act, which led to major changes in the situation within the city. They found themselves unable to cope, and even if they wanted to leave, they couldn't.
Their situation had suddenly taken a serious downturn.
Seeing this, Tian Xiaohu hurriedly consoled, "However, everyone, don't worry. I've already sent Xiao Zhi on a fast horse to contact Chen Guang and Ji Youwu. They're all from the Guardian Martial Department; the Boss has been kind to them. With them by our side, we should be able to fight for a chance at survival."
"Mhm."
Shen the Second was just an ordinary hunter, and with his "bone" grown old, he had no way to deal with this situation; he could only hope that others would.
Zhang Shuyuan advised, "At this time, we must keep our composure, there might still be a chance for survival. After all, there's no firm news of the lord's life or death; we can use this as a starting point to convince them not to act rashly."
"Hard to say, looking at those people, I'm afraid it won't end well today."
Time ticked away bit by bit.
Gradually, footsteps approached from outside, and someone knocked on the Shen Mansion's gate.
Tian Xiaohu and the others were jolted alert.
"It's me!"
"Xiao Zhi?!"
Tian Xiaohu lifted the bolt, opening just a crack in the gate and peered out.
Apart from Xiao Zhi at the doorway, there were only Chen Guang, Ji Youwu, and a few others.
He asked in astonishment, "Where are the others?"
"They all say they're busied with government affairs, that this doesn't concern them, and are unwilling to come," Xiao Zhi sighed.
Tian Xiaohu understood; this was just an excuse from those people.
Seeing that Shen Qing's situation was more perilous than lucky, they did not want to wade into these troubled waters and preferred to protect their own interests.
At that moment, Tian Xiaohu truly realized what it meant when they say "out of sight, out of mind."
"Come on in, all of you!"
One by one, Xiao Zhi and the others nodded and stepped heavily into the mansion.
Tian Xiaohu raised his hand to slide the heavy bolt back into its seat in the threshold with a "clang," fastening the door shut precisely and securely.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Xiao Zhi took two steps, stopped, and solemnly said to Tian Xiaohu and the others, "I've just learned some information moments ago; I'm afraid our situation has become even more troublesome."
"What's going on?" Everyone clustered around in unison, their gaze filled with anxiety and unease.
"I found out that Zhou Su has not only gathered a large group of people but has also secretly enlisted the aid of a martial master from the Innate Realm."
"What?!" Tian Xiaohu and the others exclaimed almost in unison, their voices mixed with disbelief and terror. Their hearts felt as if they were being mercilessly clenched by an invisible hand, plummeting into the abyss.
Xiao Zhi's words were like ice, instantly freezing the atmosphere within the room.
Now the place was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
To them, a martial master of the Innate Realm was a supremely exalted figure, someone of unfathomable strength, who could overturn life and death with a mere gesture.
Facing such an entity, they felt as insignificant and powerless as ants trying to shake a tree.
"Let's go inside and talk," Zhang Shuyuan, not too familiar with martial arts matters, could see from everyone's looks that things were not good; his deeply wrinkled face showed an added burden of concern.
Without further words, they gathered in the main hall.
One by one, they unconsciously gripped their dagger handles tighter, their knuckles whitening from the force.
Auntie and others close to Shen Qing had their faces even more tightly drawn, as if they were standing at a crossroads of fate, with a vast uncertainty ahead and no way back.
For a moment, the main hall fell into a deathly silence. The heavy atmosphere, like an invisible boulder, pressed upon everyone's nerves, rendering them breathless.
Only the occasional sound of wind passing through the windows offered a slight moment of respite for everyone's tense minds.
"Although the people we are facing are strong," Tian Xiaohu struggled to swallow, his voice hoarse, "we must not sit here and wait for death."
"Indeed, even if we must die, we'll take someone down with us."
Just when the tension had peaked, a sudden disturbance came from the courtyard: footsteps, as if someone had unexpectedly appeared.
"What's happening?"
Everyone's nerves instantly tensed to the limit, their weapons nearly unsheathing on their own.
Ji Youwu and Chen Guang, standing on the outskirts, exchanged glances, perplexed. Stay updated through empire
"Let's go. Let's check it out."
In a flash.
The two, as if on cue, drew their daggers and cautiously made their way into the courtyard.
When they reached the courtyard and saw the figure there, they stood stock-still, dumbfounded.
Behind them, Tian Xiaohu and the others, seeing the abnormal reaction, rushed over hastily, thinking they faced grave danger.
But when they saw the figure in the courtyard, they too were disbelieving, their eyes wide and filled with shock.
It was none other than Shen Qing himself, who had traveled from the Capital City.
Shen Qing, looking at the dumbstruck Tian Xiaohu and the others, asked, "Why are you all staring at me like that?"
Shen Xiaoshan swallowed hard, blurting out, "Brother Qingzi, they all said you were dead!"
"Not dead, very much alive," said Shen Qing with his hands behind his back, heading for the hall. He glanced at Zhang Shuyuan and commanded, "It's time for a meal, prepare a banquet!"
Zhang Shuyuan was puzzled.
Shen Qing smiled and said, "I've heard already. It seems we'll have quite a few people coming over soon to welcom me back, and we must play host, right?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I will have the servants prepare immediately."
Zhang Shuyuan hurriedly said and dashed towards the kitchen without a moment's delay.
However, no sooner had he left when footsteps and a pounding on the Mansion's front gate could be heard.
Boom, boom, boom!
"Ah..." Shen Qing sighed helplessly, "It seems someone doesn't appreciate the favor and doesn't want to eat this meal."
Bang!
The front gate shattered into pieces under a tremendous force...