Rise of the Otherworld.

Faced with the turbulent river and the armored soldiers chasing them, they were in a desperate situation. The howling wind ruffled their hair and clothes, adding a bit of urgency and panic.

Zhang Hao stared at the river, his eyes determined. "No time to hesitate! Let's swim!" His voice carried a firm and powerful force on the wind, like a shot of adrenaline in the hearts of everyone. His eyes burned with the desire to survive, and the sword in his hand gleamed coldly in the moonlight.

The woman looked troubled. "The water's too fast! I'm... I'm scared." Her voice trembled, her eyes filled with fear. She stared at the rushing river and involuntarily took a few steps back.

The man in black gritted his teeth and said, "It's better to fight than to fall into their hands!" He gripped the staff tightly. The gem on the staff emitted a faint light in the darkness, as if it was a symbol of the last ray of hope in his heart.

The herbalist looked at the river and his legs went weak: "I... I can't swim!" His face was as pale as paper, his forehead was covered with cold sweat, and his voice was full of despair and helplessness.

The old man's eyes flashed: "Everyone hold hands and take care of each other!" Although his voice sounded a little old, it was full of calmness and decisiveness.

With that, Zhang Hao jumped into the river first, splashing everywhere. The icy water instantly enveloped him, but he didn't flinch, swimming forward with all his might. The others followed suit, holding hands tightly. The water was icy cold, and the force of the current made it difficult for them to move forward. Each step forward seemed to require all their strength.

The armored soldiers stopped at the shore, and the leader seemed to be hesitating whether to jump into the water and pursue. He looked at the turbulent river, a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

Zhang Hao and his companions struggled to swim in the river. The woman was repeatedly swept off course by the current, but Zhang Hao held her hand tightly. Veins bulged in his arm from the effort. "Hold on!" Zhang Hao shouted. His voice was resounding above the roar of the river, giving the woman courage and strength.

The herbalist struggled desperately in the water, while the old man and the man in black robes struggled to lift him up. Their bodies rose and fell in the water, and every breath became extremely difficult.

Just as they were about to be swept away by the current, Zhang Hao suddenly spotted a large rock protruding from the center of the river. "Swim towards that rock!" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice filled with surprise and hope.

They finally managed to grab the stone with their last bit of strength, their hands tightly grasping the cracks in the stone, breathing heavily.

At this time, the armored soldiers saw that they had temporarily stabilized in the river, and continued to chase them along the river bank.

"We can't let them succeed!" Zhang Hao gasped, his eyes filled with anger and unwillingness.

They rested briefly and continued on their way through the river. The water lashed against their bodies, as if trying to drag them into the abyss. But their resolve grew stronger, and they edged closer to the other side, step by step.

After an unknown amount of time, they finally reached the other side. After reaching shore, everyone collapsed on the ground, exhausted. Their bodies were exhausted to the point of extreme fatigue, and every breath was accompanied by severe pain.

"Finally made it," the woman gasped. Her hair was wet and stuck to her face, but her eyes revealed a hint of joy at having survived.

"But we can't relax yet, they're still behind us." The old man struggled to his feet. His body was shaking, but his eyes were still full of vigilance.

Zhang Hao looked into the distance and thought for a moment: "Let's go to the mountains and forests and find a place to hide." Although his voice was tired, it was full of determination.

The people supported each other and walked into the dense forest. The forest was full of thorns and the road was rugged, but they did not dare to stop. The branches scraped their clothes and scratched their skin, but they were unaware.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, the sky gradually darkened. Darkness enveloped the entire forest, making everything even more eerie and terrifying.

"Let's find a place to rest. We can't walk any further," the herbalist said weakly. His voice was filled with exhaustion and despair, as if he had reached his limit.

Zhang Hao looked around and found a cave: "Go in and hide first."

As soon as everyone entered the cave and sat down, they heard the shouts of armored soldiers outside.

"They're chasing us!" the woman cried in panic. Her voice was filled with fear, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Zhang Hao motioned for everyone to be quiet, and he quietly walked to the cave entrance to observe. He saw armored soldiers searching nearby, their torches illuminating the surroundings. Their figures flickered in the flames, appearing particularly ferocious.

"We must not be discovered." Zhang Hao prayed silently in his heart. His heartbeat accelerated rapidly, and his hand tightly gripped the hilt of the sword, ready to respond to any emergency at any time.

At this moment, a night bird suddenly flew out of the cave, attracting the soldiers' attention. The soldiers' eyes instantly turned to the cave and their footsteps also moved towards this side...