Chapter 18: "Survival in a Desperate Situation"
After successfully curing the child, Lin Xiao had not had time to enjoy the moment of relaxation before he keenly noticed an unusually depressing atmosphere in the village. The sky, originally as blue as a gem, was suddenly covered by layers of thick, dark clouds, and the strong wind was like an out-of-control beast, roaring wildly and sweeping over. The wind was whistling, and the branches were creaking, as if they were wailing in pain.
Lin Xiao tightened her thin clothes, her brows knitted together like twisted knots, her eyes full of vigilance and anxiety. "The weather has become too weird, I feel like some big trouble is coming." She muttered to herself, rubbing her hands nervously, her originally rosy lips now slightly pale due to nervousness.
At this time, the old people in the village seemed to be pulled by invisible strings and gathered under the old tree in the center of the village. Their faces were full of deep worry and fear, and they kept muttering something. Lin Xiao was curious and couldn't help but walk over quickly to listen to what they were saying.
"I heard that the nearby bandits are coming again, and this time they might turn our village upside down!" said a gray-haired old man in a trembling voice, his cloudy eyes revealing despair and helplessness.
"That's right! Our village has always been a peaceful place, how could we have been offended by such an evil star!" Another old man with wrinkles on his face sighed and kept beating his thighs with his hands, as if this could vent all the fear and anger in his heart.
When Lin Xiao heard this, her heart suddenly sank, as if she had fallen into a bottomless abyss. "Bandits? What should I do?" She bit her lip, feeling anxious as if there was a jumping rabbit in her heart.
At this moment, Mo Yu appeared quietly beside Lin Xiao like a guardian angel walking out of the darkness. His eyes were firm and deep, like the brightest stars in the night sky. "Lin Xiao, don't panic, I'm here." Mo Yu's voice was deep and powerful, with a magic that made people feel at ease.
Lin Xiao rolled his eyes at him, his face full of suspicion and disdain. "Humph, you? What can you do? Don't run away first!"
Mo Yu smiled slightly, and that smile was like the warm sunshine in spring, warm and firm. "Believe me, even if I risk my life, I will not let you get hurt at all."
Although Lin Xiao was still a little nervous, he calmed down a little when he saw Mo Yu's confident look.
The night was like a thick black quilt, ruthlessly covering the entire village. Only a few weak oil lamps were swaying tenaciously in the wind, as if they would be swallowed by the darkness at any time. Lin Xiao lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. The ferocious faces of the bandits kept appearing in her mind, and she was thinking about how to deal with them.
Suddenly, there was a noisy sound outside, which came from far away and was accompanied by the neighing of horses and the shouting of people, breaking the tranquility of the night.
"Oh no! The bandits are coming!" Lin Xiao jumped up from the bed with a start, hurriedly grabbed a wooden stick beside him, and rushed out like a gust of wind.
When we arrived at the center of the village, we saw a group of bandits dressed in black riding tall horses, waving shining swords and shouting loudly. Their faces were full of ferocity and greed, like a group of extremely hungry wolves.
"Hand over all your valuables, otherwise today will be the day you die!" The hoarse voice of the bandit leader sounded like the voice of a devil from hell, making people shudder.
The villagers were trembling with fear, and some even collapsed to the ground, with cries and pleas for mercy rang out one after another.
Lin Xiao clenched the stick in her hand, her eyes burning with anger. "You lawless bandits, don't even think about committing crimes in our village!" She roared loudly, and the sound echoed in the night sky, with a determination to die.
When the bandit leader saw Lin Xiao, he was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. "Oh, there's actually a little girl who doesn't know how to live or die!"
At this moment, Mo Yu stepped forward and confronted the bandit leader face to face. His posture was as straight as a pine tree, and his eyes were as cold as frost. "If you dare to touch her hair, I will make sure you never come back!" Mo Yu's voice echoed in the air like thunder.
The bandit leader was startled by Mo Yu's momentum, but soon regained his arrogant look. "Boy, don't be so arrogant! Today is your doomsday!"
The two sides were on the verge of a fight, and the atmosphere was extremely tense, as if a spark could trigger an earth-shattering war.
At this critical moment, Lin Xiao suddenly found a familiar figure in the bandit group. She was shocked, "Isn't that... the scoundrel who had a feud with me before?"
Before she could think clearly, the figure suddenly rushed towards her like a ghost.
"Lin Xiao, run!" Mo Yu shouted loudly, his voice full of anxiety and worry.
Lin Xiao had no time to react and was instantly grabbed by the figure.
"Don't come over here, or I will kill her immediately!" the figure shouted viciously, with the dagger in his hand against Lin Xiao's throat.
Lin Xiao struggled desperately, his eyes full of anger and fear. "Let me go! You despicable villain!"
Mo Yu was so anxious that veins popped out on his forehead. "If you dare to hurt her, I will tear you into pieces!"
At this chaotic moment, a dazzling flash of lightning suddenly flashed across the sky, followed by a deafening thunder. Bean-sized raindrops began to pour down, instantly covering the entire world in a white rain curtain.
The rain hit people's faces, making it impossible to open their eyes. The bandits were also a little flustered by the sudden heavy rain.
"Boss, the rain is too heavy, why don't we retreat first?" a bandit shouted.
The bandit leader glared at him fiercely and said, "No, we must get the stuff today!"
At this moment, Lin Xiao took advantage of the moment when the figure who grabbed her was distracted, suddenly raised her foot, and stepped hard on his foot.
"Ah!" The figure screamed, and the dagger in his hand loosened slightly.
Lin Xiao took the opportunity to break free from his restraints and ran towards Mo Yu.
"Chase! Don't let her run away!" the bandit leader shouted angrily.
Mo Yu protected Lin Xiao behind him and said, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Lin Xiao nodded, "Well, I'm not afraid."
At this moment, a burst of shouting and killing suddenly came from the village.
"It's government soldiers!" a bandit shouted in horror.
It turned out that at the critical moment, the people in the village asked for help from the nearby government in advance, and the government soldiers arrived in time.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the bandits fled in all directions.
"Don't let them run away!" The officers and soldiers chased after them closely.
A fierce chase begins in the rain...
After a fierce fight, the bandits were finally subdued.
The village returned to its former tranquility. Lin Xiao and Mo Yu stood in the rain and smiled at each other.
"Thanks to you this time." Lin Xiao said.
Mo Yu touched her head and said, "Do we still need to talk about this between us?"
The rain gradually stopped, and the sunlight shone through the clouds, illuminating the entire village.
However, what they didn't know was that this was just a small episode in their adventure, and greater challenges were waiting for them...