bookcurios Chapter 256 - One Point Cheaper
Chapter 256 - One Point Cheaper
In this desolate mountain wilderness, Dongfang Wan'er traveled alone, sometimes engaging in a breathtaking and tenacious struggle against the harsh weather. The raging wind, like an enraged demon, howled past, its biting force like countless sharp blades, mercilessly scraping across her delicate skin, each touch bringing a stinging pain. The torrential rain poured down relentlessly, the torrential water forming a thick curtain of water that fell straight down from the sky, completely blurring her vision, leaving only a chaotic rain curtain before her eyes. Yet, in this arduous search, each precious medicinal herb she found added a glimmer of hope to her heart, shining like a brilliant star, enough to dispel the gloom—the source of her motivation to persevere.
However, fate intervened abruptly as she searched for the final crucial ingredient. She encountered a group of mysterious figures who blocked her way. These figures, all clad in black robes, possessed imposing statures that exuded a chilling aura. Their faces were cold and stern, as if sculpted by frost, their lines rigid and icy. Their eyes, in particular, held a deep, sinister depth that seemed to pierce the very soul, sending shivers down one's spine. They seemed to know Dongfang Wan'er's purpose perfectly, their greedy gazes fixed on the medicinal herbs she had painstakingly acquired, intent on snatching them away. Dongfang Wan'er's heart tightened instantly, her nerves stretched to their limit. Instinctively, she hid the bundle containing the herbs behind her back. At the same time, a resolute glint flashed in her eyes, like a stubborn flame burning in the darkness. She knew these herbs embodied countless days and nights of her painstaking effort and fervent hope; they were precious treasures she could not easily relinquish.
Dongfang Wan'er struggled to remain calm, though her heart was churning with turmoil. She still shouted, "Who are you? Why are you blocking my way?" The leader of the black-robed men smirked, a cold smile playing on his lips. His laughter was particularly jarring in the wind and rain. "Hmph, Dongfang Wan'er, we know perfectly well why you're searching for these medicinal herbs. Such treasures shouldn't be monopolized by you." With that, he waved his arm lightly, and the mysterious figures behind him, like well-trained shadows, slowly dispersed, their movements perfectly synchronized, instantly forming an impenetrable encirclement, trapping Dongfang Wan'er firmly in the center. Dongfang Wan'er's eyes widened warily as she slowly surveyed her surroundings. Her gaze was like that of a trapped cheetah, searching for even the slightest opening. At the same time, her mind raced, like a finely tuned abacus, trying to find a way out of this desperate situation.
Suddenly, in the suffocatingly tense atmosphere, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and, like a bolt of lightning, swiftly charged towards the weakest point of the encirclement. The black-robed figures seemed to have anticipated this; the leader's eyes sharpened, and he moved with ghostly speed. The others attacked simultaneously, their sharp palm strikes whistling towards Dongfang Wan'er, the force seemingly capable of tearing apart the surrounding air. Dongfang Wan'er, with her agile movements, dodged to the side, avoiding the direct attack like a wisp of smoke. At this critical moment, a soft whip appeared in her hand, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. The whip, like a nimble venomous snake, instantly came to life in her grasp. She wielded it, the tip drawing sharp arcs in the air, accompanied by a crisp whistling sound, temporarily forcing back the approaching mysterious figures.
But the enemy, outnumbered and outmatched, quickly swarmed in like a tide. In the fierce battle, Dongfang Wan'er's strength gradually waned; her forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and her breathing became rapid. Caught off guard, a mysterious figure seized the opportunity and struck her shoulder. She groaned, a sharp pain instantly shooting through her body, causing her to stagger back several steps. Just then, her eyes darted around in a panic, spotting a hillside behind the encirclement, below which lay a dense forest like a green ocean. Dongfang Wan'er steeled her resolve, gritted her teeth, and feigned weakness, deliberately revealing an opening—an opening that seemed obvious but concealed a hidden trap. As one of the mysterious figures drew closer, she suddenly threw the bundle in her hand with all her might in another direction; the bundle arced through the air. Taking advantage of the moment when everyone's attention was diverted, she turned and ran towards the hillside, then leaped down without hesitation. Upon seeing this, the black-robed man's expression instantly changed. A hint of panic appeared on his previously cold and composed face. He hurriedly chased after her to the edge of the hillside, only to see Dongfang Wan'er's figure becoming increasingly blurry as she moved through the woods, as if merging into that green world. They snorted angrily, their voices filled with resentment and bitterness, and followed her into the woods, leaving behind only a patch of grass ravaged by the fight. The grass was bent and twisted, as if ravaged by a storm, and branches swayed helplessly in the wind and rain, as if telling the story of the fierce conflict that had just occurred—a life-or-death struggle between courage and greed, hope and obstruction.
Dongfang Wan'er fled desperately through the dense forest like a frightened bird. The branches around her seemed to be wildly whipping, controlled by evil spirits, relentlessly lashing her delicate body. Each lash was like a sharp blade, instantly leaving gruesome bloody gashes on her skin. However, she had no time to heed the pain; only one unwavering belief burned within her: she must shake off the relentlessly pursuing pursuer, who was like a ghost. Behind her, the black-robed figure's footsteps were heavy and rapid, like the eerie beat of a death knell, echoing through the forest, each step feeling like a heavy blow to her taut heartstrings.
Just as she was running frantically, a swiftly flowing stream suddenly appeared before her. The water was like a raging dragon, its current roaring and splashing, appearing from afar like a seemingly insurmountable chasm. But there was no hesitation or retreat in Dongfang Wan'er's eyes. Using the momentum from her frantic run, she resolutely leaped into the water. In an instant, the icy, bone-chilling stream, like a ravenous beast, completely engulfed her slender figure. The cold felt like countless sharp icy needles piercing her very bones, causing her to shiver involuntarily. But she gritted her teeth, using all her strength to paddle with all her might, as if in a tug-of-war with fate, struggling to swim towards the other side.
Finally, she made it ashore, soaked to the bone, her hair plastered messily to her face, looking utterly disheveled. But she knew danger still lurked, and dared not rest for a moment. At that moment, the torrential rain gradually subsided, and a faint glimmer of light appeared in the sky, as if someone had torn a hole in it. This light seemed like a special gift from heaven, a sign of mercy on her plight, guiding her in the right direction.