The sky was dim. The man opposite her stood tall and elegant, his bamboo hat tilted slightly, revealing only a pair of clear, piercing phoenix eyes.

Ye Chutang arched an eyebrow.

"What a coincidence."

’I thought I wouldn’t see him again after leaving the mine. I can’t believe we’ve run into each other after just one night.’

She tilted her chin up. "Together?"

But Shen Yanchuan shook his head. "It’s dangerous. Don’t go."

Ye Chutang was taken aback.

’Is he... here specifically to stop me?’

Shen Yanchuan was succinct. "They have reinforcements in Nanwan Lane. Their skills are not to be underestimated."

Ye Chutang understood at once—those people were deliberately baiting a trap!

’The previous search must not have gone smoothly, so now they’re trying this method as well—a two-pronged approach.’

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "...So, it really is him?"

Shen Yanchuan gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Although neither of them explicitly stated who "he" was, both understood perfectly.

Ye Chutang slowly clenched her fists, her tone betraying no emotion.

"But they have something I want."

’I have to see if the pattern carved on that wooden tablet is the same as the one I saw when the incident happened all those years ago!’

’Now, I have to get to the bottom of this!’

With that, she moved to continue forward.

Shen Yanchuan shifted, blocking her path.

Ye Chutang looked up, and a moment later, she heard him say, "It’s dangerous. I’ll go."

Ye Chutang froze, the words dying in her throat.

"Actually—"

"The searches will only get stricter. You should have left this morning," Shen Yanchuan interrupted. "Twenty li east of the city. Wait for me."

Without waiting for Ye Chutang to respond, Shen Yanchuan turned, his figure quickly disappearing into the curtain of rain.

"..."

Ye Chutang’s fingers twitched within her sleeve.

’Actually... I was about to say that even if they had superior numbers, I have a way to get what I want and escape unscathed.’

She blinked, put away what was in her hands, and the corners of her mouth curved into the faintest of smiles.

"Alright."

...

The rain seemed to fall harder. Shen Yanchuan moved silently through the downpour.

After he rounded a corner, the men ahead entered a narrow, winding alley.

Shen Yanchuan glanced up briefly, then followed them without a sound.

He stopped abruptly in the middle of the alley.

Three men in black suddenly appeared ahead, blocking his path. They glared at him predatorily, their ferocious auras barely concealed.

"You’ve got a lot of nerve!" the man in the middle sneered. "You managed to sneak into the mine last night and get away by some fluke, but you actually dare to show your face again today? You must be eager to die!"

Shen Yanchuan stood his ground, tilting his head slightly.

In an instant, several figures appeared behind him, each brandishing a blade, their killing intent chilling.

Pinned from the front and back and trapped in the narrow alley, escape would be extremely difficult.

Shen Yanchuan, however, seemed unconcerned. His gaze swept over them indifferently before finally landing on the man in the very front.

At his waist hung the wooden tablet.

"A misunderstanding," Shen Yanchuan said, his voice a low, raspy tone completely different from his usual one. "I mean no offense. I’ve only come to borrow one thing."

The man in the middle furrowed his brow. "Borrow something? What do you want to borrow!?"

He didn’t recognize the man’s face and had never seen him in Shiluan City before. But judging by the man’s light-footed movements, his skills were clearly impressive. On top of that, he had managed to escape the mine completely unscathed. All this meant the leader dared not underestimate him.

’Most importantly, I have to find out his background so I can report to my superiors!’

As he was considering this, he saw the man opposite him give a faint smile.

"Nothing else. Just your life."