Jade of Another World

Lin Wan and Peng Yingchun fled in a panic all the way to the mountain. By then, they were both panting and exhausted. The mountain was covered with lush vegetation, and under the cover of night, it appeared eerie and silent. In their confusion, the two found a cave and quickly hid inside.

The cave was indeed small and cold, the walls damp, and cold winds constantly blew in from the entrance, making one shiver. Peng Yingchun had already caught a cold from her hasty escape from the village, and now, in this cold and damp cave, her condition worsened. She began to have a high fever, her face was flushed, her lips were cracked, her body was shivering incessantly, and she was muttering incoherent words from time to time.

Seeing Peng Yingchun's condition, Lin Wan was extremely anxious, her eyes reddening and tears welling up. She reached out and tightly grasped Peng Yingchun's hand, trying to give her some warmth, but the hand was frighteningly hot. Lin Wan bit her lip, thought for a moment, and then said to Peng Yingchun, "Yingchun, you're so sick right now, just stay in the cave and hide well. I'll go out and think of something. I'll go and send a message to Lin Ning, and bring back some medicine and food. You must hold on, I'll be back soon."

Peng Yingchun weakly opened her eyes, wanting to say something, but she could only open her mouth, making a few hoarse sounds, and ultimately couldn't utter a complete sentence. Lin Wan gently touched her forehead, tidied the stray hairs on her forehead, took off her own coat and covered Peng Yingchun with it, then stood up, took a deep breath, and mustered her courage to walk towards the cave entrance.

As soon as she reached the cave entrance, a biting wind swept over her, causing Lin Wan to shiver involuntarily. But her eyes shone with determination. She glanced back at Peng Yingchun lying in the cave and silently vowed to find Lin Ning, medicine, and food as soon as possible so that Peng Yingchun could recover quickly. Then, she resolutely walked out of the cave and into the vast darkness of the night.

The mountain path was rugged and difficult to traverse. Lin Wan trudged along, her heart filled with worry for Peng Yingchun's condition and fear of encountering any danger. Yet, she knew that she was Peng Yingchun's only hope at this moment, and she could not back down no matter what. However, in the pitch black, finding Lin Ning and obtaining medicine and food would be no easy task.

After carefully stepping out of the cave, Lin Wan followed the path she had come by, relying on her memory. The night on the mountain was still dark, and the winding path was faintly visible in the moonlight. She had to be extremely careful with every step she took, for fear that she might accidentally step on a stone or trip over a tree root.

She knew very well that the most important thing right now was to contact Lin Ning as soon as possible to get the medicine to treat Peng Yingchun. After thinking it over, she felt that the pawnshop might be an opportunity. After all, that was where they had escaped from before. If the investigators had left and they were safe now, then going to the pawnshop to send a message to Lin Ning would be the easiest way.

Throughout the journey, Lin Wan remained constantly vigilant, the whistling wind making her heart leap with fear that someone or some wild animal might be approaching. Though her steps were hurried, she dared not go too fast, needing to both travel quickly and be mindful of the path beneath her feet.

She finally reached the foot of the mountain and was getting closer to the pawnshop. But the closer she got, the more uneasy she became, unsure of what awaited her. She quietly hid in the shadows at a street corner and peered towards the pawnshop.

The pawnshop's doors were tightly shut, and the surroundings were quiet. The suspicious-looking people from before seemed to have vanished. But Lin Wan didn't dare to act rashly. She patiently observed for a while longer, and only after confirming that there was nothing amiss did she slowly move towards the pawnshop.

Upon arriving at the pawnshop, she gently knocked on the door, but after a few moments, there was no response. Lin Wan's heart skipped a beat, wondering if Manager Wang was also not there. She tried knocking a few more times, but still, there was no answer.

Lin Wan was getting anxious. She circled the pawnshop, trying to find a way to get in or leave a message. But all the doors and windows were tightly shut, and for a moment, she was at a loss. However, she knew she couldn't give up so easily; she had to find a way to let Lin Ning know their current situation.

Lin Wan stood outside the pawnshop, her brows furrowed, her heart filled with conflict and worry. She knew that if she rashly returned to the city, she would undoubtedly be putting herself in danger. After all, the Crown Prince's men had been searching for them everywhere, and there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be people secretly watching them in every corner of the city.

She knew in her heart that once those people discovered her whereabouts, not only would she be unable to save Peng Yingchun, who was still running a high fever and in critical condition in the cave, but she herself would probably be in danger as well. At that time, she would truly be left with no one to turn to for help.

Moreover, Lin Wan was currently unaware of the momentous news that the Crown Prince's position had been stripped. She lingered in a corner outside the pawnshop, cautiously observing her surroundings while pondering a solution. She thought to herself, "If only I could find a reliable person to help me get into the city and deliver a message!" But where could she easily find such a trustworthy person in such a short time?

She looked up again towards the city, a place that was usually familiar and bustling, but now seemed like a dangerous place full of traps, making her hesitate to go in. Peng Yingchun was still struggling in the cave, waiting for her to bring back medicine and food. With each passing minute, Peng Yingchun's danger increased. Lin Wan's eyes reddened with anxiety. She bit her lip, secretly blaming herself for being so useless, unable to even handle this simple matter. However, in this dilemma, she dared not take that risky step and could only continue to rack her brains for other feasible solutions.

Lin Wan hesitated for a long time in front of the pharmacy before finally mustering the courage to knock on the door. The shop assistant, still half-asleep, opened the door and, seeing a woman with an anxious face, asked her impatiently what she wanted. Lin Wan quickly explained that she wanted to buy medicine to treat a cold and high fever. Seeing her flustered expression, the assistant wanted to ask more questions, but seeing Lin Wan's anxious look, he turned to get the medicine.

Lin Wan paid, clutching the medicine packet tightly. Just as she was about to leave, she cautiously looked up, her gaze sweeping towards the shop across the street from the pharmacy. This glance sent a chill down her spine. There were two furtive figures there, glancing furtively towards the pharmacy every now and then. The two were dressed plainly, but their eyes held a shrewdness and wariness. Lin Wan felt a chill run down her spine; she was worried she was being watched.

Her mind raced, trying to figure out how to save herself and successfully deliver the medicine to Peng Yingchun. If she left now, those two would definitely follow her, but staying in the pharmacy wasn't a solution either; it would attract more attention sooner or later.

Standing in the pharmacy, Lin Wan was in a state of utter confusion when a sudden idea struck her. She quickly returned to the counter and said to the clerk, "Young man, could you please prepare another dose of the exact same medicine for me? I need it urgently." Although the clerk was somewhat puzzled, seeing how generous Lin Wan was, he still prepared another dose according to the previous prescription.

Lin Wan took the two doses of medicine and carefully put one into her bosom. She thought to herself that as long as she could escape the pursuit of those suspicious people, she could immediately take this medicine back to the cave and give it to Peng Yingchun so that her condition could be relieved.

Next, she picked up another dose of medicine, found a piece of paper on the counter of the pharmacy, and, relying on her memory, sketched the approximate location of Peng Yingchun's cave with a simple drawing. She then added a few key clues next to it using a code only she and he knew, such as the more conspicuous landmarks around the cave. Afterward, she carefully folded the paper and put it into the medicine packet.

After doing all this, Lin Wan said to the shop assistant with a look of anxiety and solemnity, "Young man, please help me deliver this medicine to the Liu residence and give it to the second young master of the Liu family, Liu Si. The situation is very urgent, so please deliver it to him personally. If you deliver the medicine safely, he will definitely reward you handsomely." As she spoke, she took out a few silver ingots from her pocket and placed them on the counter, saying, "This is a deposit."

The shop assistant's eyes lit up at the sight of the gleaming silver, and he quickly replied, "Don't worry, miss, I'll deliver it right away and make sure it reaches Young Master Liu as soon as possible." With that, he grabbed the medicine packet, hurried out of the pharmacy, and headed towards the Liu residence.

Watching the shop assistant's departing figure, Lin Wan silently prayed that Liu Si would understand the coded message and drawing she had left behind. She hoped that if she were captured, her brother would rescue Yingchun, ensuring Yingchun's safety. However, she also knew there were many variables. What if the shop assistant failed to deliver the medicine to the Liu residence, or if Liu Si didn't understand its meaning? That would be disastrous. But she had no better option at the moment and could only place her hopes on this. She took a deep breath and cautiously observed her surroundings again. It seemed her guess was correct; those people wouldn't even notice the shop assistant delivering medicine. They might be passersby, or they might have come specifically for her.

She glanced around the pharmacy and noticed a small courtyard at the back; perhaps she could find an exit there. Trying to remain calm, Lin Wan approached another shop assistant, making sure her voice sounded steady, and said, "Young man, I urgently need to use the restroom. Where is the latrine here?" The assistant pointed to the courtyard at the back. Lin Wan thanked him and quickly walked towards the backyard.

Once in the backyard, she searched everywhere for a way out. Luckily, she found a low wall on one side of the yard, beyond which lay a narrow alley. Without hesitation, Lin Wan climbed over the wall and vaulted over. The sound of her landing was somewhat abrupt in the quiet alley, but she didn't care and took off running.

She ran while glancing back, noticing that the two men didn't seem to be catching up yet, but she dared not let her guard down. She weaved through the alleyways, trying to shake off any potential pursuers. After running for a while, she stopped to catch her breath, mentally calculating how to safely return to the cave. She thought she couldn't go directly back via the main road; she had to take the mountain paths, even though it would be more difficult, it would be relatively safer.

She knew that once those people realized she was missing, they would definitely search the surrounding area. She had to hurry and get back to the cave before them to meet up with Peng Yingchun, and then they would find a safer place to hide together. But she wasn't sure if they would encounter any other dangers along the way. She could only pray silently that she could successfully bring the medicine back and help Peng Yingchun recover quickly.

Lin Wan proceeded cautiously, relying on her wit and prudence, and was finally about to reach the path leading up the mountain. The path was not far ahead; as long as she followed it, she could quickly return to the cave where Peng Yingchun was. A surge of joy welled up in Lin Wan's heart; she felt that she had finally managed to avoid those dangers and return safely.

However, at that moment, an unexpected event occurred. Two people approached, dressed in black, yet their gait exuded an unusual agility, and their eyes held a subtle scrutiny. Lin Wan's alarm bells rang; she immediately realized the situation was dire, and these two were likely up to no good.

Without the slightest hesitation, she quickly and cautiously turned her head, intending to flee in another direction. But before she could take a few steps, one of the two men in black, with extremely agile movements, rushed over first like a ghost. With a flick of his hand, a ball of white powder flew towards Lin Wan. Lin Wan subconsciously tried to shield her eyes with her hand, but the powder spread extremely quickly and was instantly inhaled into her nostrils, a pungent odor filling her senses.

Immediately afterward, Lin Wan felt a wave of dizziness, her vision blurred, and her legs gradually lost strength. Despite her desperate attempts to tell herself to run, to get away from there, her body wouldn't obey, and she slowly collapsed to the ground. In her final moments as consciousness faded, she was filled with despair and resentment, thinking of Peng Yingchun waiting for her rescue in the cave, and knowing that all her efforts were about to be in vain. She was too weak to struggle any longer and finally fell into a deep coma. The two men in black, seeing Lin Wan lying on the ground, walked over and took her away.