Chapter 7: In a desperate plight, a clue is found; the clinging killing intent invites suspicion

The sudden sound of voices outside the cave made Chen Wen's muscles tense instantly, his fingers gripping the stick whitening at the joints.

He pressed himself against the cold cave wall like a stone carving, his breathing almost ceasing.

All his focus gathered on his ears, carefully distinguishing the sounds outside.

The voice sounded young, that of a woman.

With vigilance and a barely perceptible fatigue, she addressed the other person as "Granny."

She seemed…… not like the perpetrator of that recent bloody massacre?

But he dared not be the slightest bit careless.

In this man-eating chaotic world, what appears harmless may be the most deadly.

"Shhh… keep it down."

Another, even older and hoarse voice sounded, tone solemn.

"The killing qi hasn't fully dissipated…… they just died not long ago."

"Be careful, go in and have a look; maybe there are still survivors, or…… we might find something to eat."

Footsteps sounded again, more cautious, heading straight for the cave mouth.

Chen Wen's heart leapt to his throat.

There was no hiding; once they entered, they would surely find him.

Strike first? Or……

In the instant he was rapidly calculating in his mind, a stifled cry suddenly came from outside the cave!

"Granny! Look at this! These footprints…… are fresh!"

"Just left! Someone's inside!"

It was that young female voice, obviously tense.

He'd been discovered!

Chen Wen silently cursed; their observation was surprisingly meticulous!

"Friend inside!"

The old voice rose slightly, tentative, echoing at the cave mouth.

"We're refugees, with no ill intent!"

"We just smelled the blood and came to look, hoping to find something edible or usable!"

"If we disturbed you, we'll leave right away!"

The voice was open and honest, carrying a rare restraint in this chaotic age.

Instead, it let Chen Wen's taut nerves relax a fraction.

If they were bandits, finding someone inside would either make them rush in or set an ambush; they wouldn't call out a warning like this.

Let's take a gamble!

Chen Wen drew a deep breath and slowly straightened from the shadows.

Yet he remained highly alert, the wooden stick held across his front.

He spoke in a low voice outward:

"Who are you? How did you get here?"

Hearing his reply, the outside fell silent for a moment, as if exhaling in relief, then grew more wary.

"We fled from the north,"

the old voice replied.

"Our group was scattered by a band of killers, and we barely managed to hide here."

"Young brother, who are you? What's going on with this Black Wind Hollow?"

"Fled from the north? Scattered by killers?"

Chen Wen's heart stirred; could they be the same group that Uncle Zhong was escorting?

He cautiously moved to the cave mouth, using the faint evening light to look outside.

He saw two people standing at the cave entrance.

In front was an old woman with white hair, a face full of wrinkles, yet her eyes showed sharpness.

She leaned on a polished wooden staff, her clothes though tattered were kept clean and neat.

Half a step behind her stood a girl about sixteen or seventeen.

Her visage was pretty but filled with panic, clutching a tiny chopping knife that looked utterly harmless, nervously gazing at him.

One old, one young, they indeed did not look threatening.

Especially the old woman, though her eyes were wary, they lacked the usual brutish ferocity of bandits.

Chen Wen slightly relaxed his guard, but still kept his distance.

He spoke:

"I was just passing by; seeing something off here, I came to check. It looks like everyone here was killed."

Hearing that, the girl's face grew more fearful, she instinctively shrank back behind the old woman.

The old woman sighed, her eyes sweeping over the grim scene at the cave mouth.

In her cloudy eyes flashed a hint of pity:

"What a sin…… this world……"

"Young brother, do you know who did this?"

Chen Wen shook his head:

"I don't know; it was already like this when I arrived."

He paused, then fixed his stare on the old woman and asked the most crucial question:

"Granny, you came from the north, have you ever encountered an escorted group of family members?"

"Inside there should be a woman in poor health and a little girl about twelve years old."

The old woman and the girl heard this, their faces slightly changed, and they glanced at each other.

"Family members?"

The old woman pondered for a moment, then carefully sized up Chen Wen.

"Young man, why are you asking about this? How are you related to them?"

Seeing hope in her expression, Chen Wen hurriedly said:

"That could be my mother and my sister! I'm looking for them! Are they together with a military sir called Uncle Zhong?"

"Uncle Zhong?!"

This time the exclamation came from the girl, who suddenly poked her head out from behind the old woman and spoke urgently.

"Do you know Uncle Zhong? How… how is he?"

Her tone was urgent and worried.

"I have met him…"

Chen Wen's expression darkened.

"He was mortally wounded and dying; before he passed, he told me the family had come to Black Wind Gully, begging me that if I met them, I should look after his young lady."

He omitted the details of how he obtained the cloth and hairpin, keeping a hidden motive.

Upon hearing the news of Uncle Zhong's death, the girl's eye rims instantly reddened, and she looked ready to cry.

The old woman also sighed, patting the girl's hand to comfort her.

"It seems heaven has guided you here."

The old woman's gaze toward Chen Wen softened considerably, and she felt more trust.

"We indeed traveled together with the family escorted by Sir Zhong."

"The Liu family girl and Wan Yatou you're looking for were indeed with us before."

Chen Wen's heart leapt! Found it! At last we have a solid lead!

"Where are they now?" he pressed urgently, his voice trembling slightly.

But the old woman's face darkened, and she shook her head.

She pointed to this battlefield:

"We fled here yesterday evening when the bandits in the gulley discovered us, sparking a clash."

"Sir Zhong covered our retreat; part of our group, including the Liu family girl and Wan Yatou, was scattered and captured by the bandits into this gulley."

"The girl and I were lucky, hiding in a nearby mountain crevice and escaping disaster."

She paused, her face showing extreme fear and lingering dread:

"Later… later, just before dawn, a group of people came…"

"No, they weren't like people…"

"They seemed like evil ghosts crawling out of hell!"

"They killed anyone they saw, whether bandits or us captives… their killing intent shot up to the heavens!"

"We hid in the crack, not daring to breathe, hearing only miserable screams from outside…"

The girl also trembled and continued:

"They… they slaughtered all the bandits, then…"

"They bound all the living, uninjured captives with rope and took… took them away!"

"Taken away? Which direction did they go?"

Chen Wen asked urgently.

"North! Into the mountains!"

The old woman said firmly.

"That group of evil stars was terrifying; they made almost no sound when walking, their bodies exuding cold air…"

"We waited until they had gone far before daring to come out… and then we saw… we saw this…"

"She couldn't go on; obviously the scene had inflicted great psychological trauma on her."

"North! Again, north!"

"And they were abducted by an extremely vicious mysterious force!"

Chen Wen's heart sank; the joy of having just found a clue was overwhelmed by a greater gloom.

"His mother was frail, his little sister young, falling into the hands of such a group…"

He dared not think further.

He must pursue!

Just then, the old woman suddenly twitched her nose slightly.

Her cloudy eyes carefully examined Chen Wen up and down, her brows gradually furrowing, a look of uncertain suspicion appearing on her face.

"Young man… you… you on your body…"

She hesitated to speak, her tone somewhat strange.

"Did you just go deep into the cave? Or… come into contact with something left by those evil stars?"

Chen Wen blinked, not understanding:

"No, I've only just entered; I've been checking near the cave entrance."

He instinctively lifted his hand to smell himself; aside from blood and sweat, there was nothing else.

That girl also seemed to sense something, and she whispered to the old woman:

"Granny, he… seems to also have a bit of that… uncomfortable chill?"

The old woman nodded solemnly, her gaze fixed on Chen Wen:

"No mistake… although it's faint, this old woman's nose is sharp—I wouldn't smell wrong…"

"You've got a trace of the killing qi left by those Evil Stars on you!"

"Killing qi?"

Chen Wen was completely bewildered. What does that mean? I just went into the cave and touched my mother's hairpin…

Wait! The hairpin!

He suddenly recalled that, when he picked up his mother's silver hairpin, he had felt it unusually cold, but in his haste he hadn't paid attention.

Could it be…

"That gang of mysterious killers not only murders people, but can also leave this strange 'killing qi'?"

And this killing qi actually clung to me through contact with the leftover object?

Just who are these people?!

The old woman watched his ever‑changing expression, sighed, and said:

"Young man, I don't know what's going on with you, but this killing qi clinging to you is certainly no good."

"For an ordinary person, catching it means at best a serious illness, at worst… it might draw the attention of those Evil Stars!"

"Draw their attention?"

Chen Wen wasn't afraid at all; instead, his eyes suddenly shot out a burst of bright light!

"If this killing qi really can attract those people, then isn't that… perfect?!"