Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Zhao Si and his brothers supported each other and stumbled back home. Zhao Si had drunk a bit too much tonight and was in a dazed and groggy state, but his heart was filled with joy. After all, today was a truly pleasant and happy day for him!

Zhou Si walked unsteadily, humming a little tune no one had ever heard before, his body swaying from side to side like a stalk of rice in the wind. Just as they were about to reach their own street, a dark figure suddenly appeared beside Zhao Si like a ghost, raised a wooden stick, and struck him hard on the head.

Despite being heavily intoxicated, Zhao Si still keenly sensed danger when the chilly wind blew against his back. In an instant, his previously chaotic mind became perfectly clear, and he realized he was facing an unexpected attack. However, even though his mind had already made a response, his body, sluggish from the effects of alcohol, was unable to make an effective evasive move in time. As a result, the attacker's club landed heavily on his shoulder, leaving a long gash.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his body, causing Zhao Si to break out in a cold sweat, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. Faced with such a critical situation, Zhao Si had no time to think too much. He subconsciously turned around and tried to grab the sword at his waist for self-defense. But when he reached out, he found it empty. Then he suddenly remembered that when he and his friends went to the restaurant to drink, they had left all their swords at the government office to avoid trouble.

Seeing the black-clad man's sharp blade coming towards his face again, Zhao Si had no choice but to roll on the ground. Relying on instinct and luck, he successfully rolled out of the black-clad man's machete's attack range and escaped the disaster temporarily.

The man in black stared intently at Zhao Si, wielding his two long swords like the wind. Even after two consecutive strikes, he still couldn't kill Zhao Si on the spot! At this moment, he couldn't help but feel an indescribable anxiety. After all, this was someone else's territory. If he delayed too long and was discovered, killing Zhao Si today would be almost impossible.

Zhao Si, clearly aware of the danger he was in, shouted at the top of his lungs, "Help! Help! There's an assassin!" His voice was remarkably abrupt and resonant in the silence, seemingly piercing every corner. As his cries echoed, a commotion began to rise from the surroundings, as if someone was approaching.

Seeing the situation becoming increasingly unfavorable, the man in black suddenly decided to accelerate his attack in order to achieve a quick victory. He grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands and lunged forward. The blade flashed through the air, piercing Zhao Si's vitals. However, Zhao Si, drawing on years of battlefield experience and his familiarity with the surrounding terrain, nimbly dodged. His agility was like a ghost, repeatedly avoiding the man in black's deadly attacks. Furthermore, Zhao Si cleverly used various obstacles around him as cover, making it impossible for the man in black to truly strike him.

At that moment, the man in black clearly heard the commotion around him grow louder and louder. The sound of footsteps and shouts mingled, rapidly approaching their position. He knew his plan had already failed, and continuing to fight would only put him in a desperate situation. So, he acted decisively, sheathing his swords and turning, running in the exact opposite direction of Zhao Si. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the vast night...

After seeing the mysterious man in black walk away, he slumped against the wall, relieved. He seemed to have lost his soul, lost in thought. Doors that had been tightly closed on both sides of the street opened, and those who had heard the cries for help hurried out. Most of them were draped in coats, sleepy-eyed, but their faces were filled with curiosity and fear. However, despite their confusion and worry, they simply stood timidly at their doorsteps, staring intently. No one dared to step forward to investigate.

A murmur began to rise among the crowd. Someone whispered, "What the hell is going on? Why is that person sitting there so distraught?" Another speculated, "Maybe he's done something bad and is being hunted down by his enemies!" Someone else chimed in, "He looks a bit like Captain Zhao to me. Do you think he does?" This suggestion immediately garnered even more attention and discussion. Someone responded, "Hey, now that you mention it, he does look a bit like Captain Zhao! Why don't we go up and ask him?" But someone immediately backed off, saying, "You ask, I won't! What if I get in trouble? I'd better go home. These days, it's better not to watch this kind of excitement!" The crowd engaged in a ceaseless debate, while the figure slumped against the wall remained motionless, frozen in place like a statue.

Some people are naturally timid and fearful. After seeing the scene in front of them, they just took a quick glance and quickly turned away, as if they were afraid of getting into trouble. However, some people thought that everyone was a neighbor, and if they just walked away without saying a word, it would seem too cold and heartless. So they encouraged themselves in their hearts and bravely walked forward step by step to find out what was going on.

As they approached, they discovered an old man with a full white beard lying on the ground. Curious, someone stepped forward to take a closer look, and to their amazement, they recognized him as Constable Zhao! Constable Zhao was well-known in the area for his loyalty and sense of responsibility. Whenever someone encountered a minor problem or needed help, he would step forward without hesitation, earning him a great reputation.

At this time, the old man with gray hair hurried to the side of Captain Zhao and asked with concern: "Captain Zhao, what's going on with you? Are you being hunted by your enemies? Can you still walk? How about I give you a hand?" Captain Zhao heard the voice and slowly raised his head to look at the kind old man. After a long time, he slowly came back to his senses. He was pale as paper, with a look of bitterness and helplessness. He replied softly: "Uncle Wang, thank you for your concern. I'm fine, I'm just tired from running and I want to rest here for a while."

Seeing Captain Zhao respond to his words, Uncle Wang's already somewhat staggering steps now seemed even weaker and more shaky as he slowly moved towards the direction where Captain Zhao was. When he got closer, Uncle Wang couldn't help but sigh: "Oh, you kid, why are you so stubborn and won't listen to advice! Look at this icy and snowy weather, with biting wind, and you just sit there on the cold ground like this, how cold it must be!" After saying that, Uncle Wang quickly turned around and shouted to the people around him: "Everyone, come here quickly! Captain Zhao has been helping our neighbors a lot on weekdays, how can we forget this kindness? Now that he's in trouble, we must not be shy here, come over and lend a hand!"

Uncle Wang's cry was like a stone that stirred up a thousand waves, and everyone came back to their senses as if they had just woken up from a dream. A tall and powerful young man stepped forward first. He approached Captain Zhao with a look of concern and asked softly, "Hey, Uncle Zhao, what's going on?" At the same time, another young man, slightly thinner but smart, also walked forward quickly. He carefully reached out and took Captain Zhao's arm, and tentatively asked, "Uncle Zhao, how about we try to help you stand up and walk? If that doesn't work, we can think of another way."

Captain Zhao felt a surge of warmth as he looked at the warm and kind neighbors before him. Although his face was pale as paper, he managed a smile and said softly, in a voice so weak it was almost inaudible, "Thank you so much, everyone! Please help me get home. I feel like I have no strength left..."

Upon hearing this, the two young men hurried forward to support Zhao Si and whispered, "Let's go." In fact, Zhao Si was not far from home, only one street away. I could see their house at the end of the street if I bent down slightly. In a short moment, as if it took a cup of tea, Old Man Wang and I sent Zhao Si to the door of his house. Old Man Wang went forward and knocked on the door, shouting, "Is anyone there? Is anyone there?" A woman's slightly nervous voice came from inside the house, "Who is outside the door?" Old Man Wang heard someone respond and immediately said, "I am Old Man Wang from the front street. Open the door quickly. Your boss, Captain Zhao, can't walk in front. We will send you back." As soon as Old Man Wang finished speaking, there was a creaky sound and the door opened. A woman in clean clothes but not luxurious appeared in front of him. She was anxious and asked hurriedly, "What happened to my boss?"

Then, her eyes also fell on Zhao Si, who was supported by someone behind the prince. The person who looked like the daughter-in-law suddenly felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, and she shuddered. She hurried forward, tightly grasped Zhao Si's hand, and kept checking up and down, muttering: "Oh, God, what happened to you?" Zhao Si looked at his wife touching him all over. When Zhao Si's wife's hand touched his shoulder, he couldn't help but gasp. Zhao Si's wife hurriedly stopped, raised her hand, and looked carefully. She saw that her clothes were soaked with blood, as if a blooming blood flower had cut a long gash. Zhao Si's wife's tears instantly flowed out like a flood. She cried and choked and said: "What happened? Why was I so badly injured?"