Koi Fubao: Being loved by everyone on the road to escape from famine

As soon as he finished speaking, raindrops as big as beans began to fall from the sky. The officials immediately urged the villagers to hurry and go to the temple to take shelter from the rain.

Faced with the sudden rainstorm, the villagers did not have time to think too much. They hurriedly packed their simple luggage and followed the officials on the road to refuge.

In the crowd, Zhou Shuqiong leaned close to Xiao Zhixue's ear and whispered softly, with worry in her eyes: "San Ya, if this is a trap and these people want to take us away, you don't have to worry about us, you have to escape smartly."

Xiao Zhixue gripped the whip tightly, her expression firm, and she responded softly, "Mother, I know what I am doing, and I will not put myself in danger."

Fan Yanmu followed closely behind Xiao Zhixue, and his two loyal followers, Ying Yi and Ying Er, also followed closely behind.

Led by the officials, the group walked through the muddy path and finally arrived at the gate of a dilapidated temple.

At this moment, the sky seemed to open its floodgates and heavy rain poured down. Everyone hurriedly took shelter in the temple. The officials stood quietly under the eaves, waiting for the rain to subside before making their next plans.

The villagers expressed their gratitude to the officials one after another, and the stone in their hearts finally fell to the ground. However, Xiao Zhixue and Fan Yanmu did not relax.

The temple was dark, and there was an indescribable sense of oppression and mystery all around, which prevented them from completely letting down their guard.

They wondered to themselves why the mayor was so kind as to place them in this remote and dilapidated temple?

Is there some unknown danger hidden here, quietly waiting for them?

Fan Yanmu's eyes were calm as he gave a few brief instructions to Ying Yi and Ying Er. The two then stood solemnly outside the temple gate, like two silent guards, vigilantly protecting the people behind them.

He and Xiao Zhixue looked at each other, then walked into the temple gate tacitly, and their figures gradually disappeared at the end of the dim corridor.

The interior of the temple is exceptionally quiet, with an air filled with an old and lonely atmosphere.

The thirteen meditation rooms are closely arranged, each door is half-open, and a dim light shines through the gap.

Three Buddhist halls are arranged in sequence, and the Buddha statues are silent, as if silently witnessing the passage of time.

Those dense spider webs are particularly eye-catching in the dim light, as if silently telling us that this place has been forgotten by the world for a long time.

The sound of rain gradually subsided, and the raindrops gently hit the tiles on the temple roof, making a pleasant sound.

The officials showed a look of relief on their faces, and as the rain subsided, they stepped out of the temple gate one after another, each of them starting their journey home with anticipation and anxiety about an unknown journey.

Their backs stretched out on the wet ground and finally disappeared in the misty rain.

Xiao Zhixue and Fan Yanmu returned to the crowd. Xiao Zhixue had a faint smile on her face, her eyes gentle but firm.

The village chief's voice was slightly worried as he made his suggestion again, his tone full of trust and expectation for Xiao Zhixue.

Xiao Zhixue looked around and thought to herself that although this place was dilapidated and desolate, it did provide a temporary shelter.

She knew very well that in troubled times, being able to find a harbor to shelter from the wind and rain was a great fortune.

Fan Yanmu's decision was frank and decisive. His eyes revealed determination, indicating that he was willing to advance and retreat with everyone.

Xiao Zhixue nodded slightly, with a hint of gratitude in her eyes.

She knew very well that Fan Yanmu's companionship not only brought peace of mind to the villagers, but also provided support for her personally.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the temple became warm because of this mutual understanding.

Xiao Zhixue worked quickly and arranged temporary accommodation for everyone.

Despite the simple conditions, gratitude flashed in everyone's eyes.

In the Zen room, women and children snuggled together, enjoying the rare peace; in the hall, although the men were crowded, their smiles and words between each other made the night no longer cold.

The first ray of sunlight in the morning shines through the broken window frames and falls on the bluestone slabs of the ancient temple, bringing a hint of vitality.

The smoke from the temple courtyard slowly rises, interweaving with the morning mist, making the place seem particularly peaceful and tranquil.

In order to respect the holy place, breakfast is mainly vegetarian, simple but warm. Everyone sits together and enjoys a moment of peace.

Afterwards, some villagers went to Sanma Town to purchase supplies, hoping to make their refugee life a little more affluent.

Fan Yanmu stayed behind, with Shadow One and Shadow Two accompanying him. Their eyes were always alert, as if they could see through all dangers.

Xiao Zhixue used this precious daytime to carefully explore the temple, trying to uncover every possible secret.

When the two walked side by side to the center of the Buddhist hall, the silence was suddenly broken by a faint cry for help. Xiao Zhixue couldn't help but stop, looking puzzled.

Fan Yanmu frowned and nodded solemnly, confirming this sudden cry for help.

The two quickly approached the Buddha statue, only to find that the source of the sound had mysteriously disappeared.

Xiao Zhixue walked around to the back of the Buddha statue. In the empty space, there was nothing but dust and the interweaving of light and shadows, which made her brows furrow even tighter.

Just as doubts were welling up in my mind, the cry for help rang out again, clearer and more urgent.

Fan Yanmu took action immediately, came to the front of the cushion, leaned forward slightly, listened carefully, and finally discovered the secret of the sound.

It actually came from underground, as if some living creature was struggling for help deep underground.

When the camouflaged vines were peeled off, an ancient secret door hidden from the world quietly opened its obsidian mouth like a sleeping beast, revealing a deep entrance leading to the unknown underground.

At this moment, the intermittent cries for help seemed to be suddenly cut off by an invisible hand, leaving only suffocating silence in the air.

Xiao Zhixue approached quietly, only to see that the secret door was covered with traces of time's erosion. The heavy iron lock tightly locked the secret, as if silently telling of the seal of the past.

"Help, save me..."

It echoed in the darkness, with a barely perceptible tremor, like a candle in the wind that could go out at any time.

The two exchanged a firm look. Without further ado, Xiao Zhixue quickly reached out and used her skillful techniques to try to unlock the heavy lock.

With a soft hum of metal, the seemingly indestructible chain was actually vulnerable and fell off, demonstrating her extraordinary skills.

Fan Yanmu stepped forward and gently pushed open the secret door. A cold breath from underground blew in his face, and the dark tunnel was like a huge mouth of the abyss, quietly waiting for the explorer to step in.

Xiao Zhixue deftly took out an ancient fire starter from her sleeve and blew it gently. Flames leaped out and the orange-yellow light gradually dispelled the surrounding darkness and illuminated the unknown road ahead.

The stone steps seemed to have no end, and every step deepened their uneasiness. At the same time, the pungent and indescribable smell became stronger, as if warning them that the road ahead would not be easy.

Xiao Zhixue reacted quickly, took out two simple masks from her space, and handed one to Fan Yanmu, who looked confused.