Nine Chapters of Strange Cases

Chapter 278 An Irresistible Dream
The deeper they fell, the fainter the howling and wailing became, almost imperceptible, as if containing an indescribable rhythm that seemed to drill straight into their ears.

Su Changying carried Zhou Zhao as she leaped down the mountain, landing gently on the ground.

The moment the two landed, a long sword shot out from all four directions, aiming directly at their vital points.

Zhou Zhao felt Su Changying turn around behind him, and the moment the two of them stepped on the ground, they were already in a back-to-back defensive stance.

Before Zhou Zhao could speak, her sleeve slipped open, revealing a dagger in each hand. The one in her right hand was the Green Fish dagger, while the one in her left hand was her old dagger, which, though not as sharp as the Green Fish, had been with her in countless battles.

Two against eight.

Either you die or I die.

Without hesitation, Zhou Zhao used two daggers to block four longswords. She showed no intention of backing down or giving those people a second chance. She lightly leaped up, without even looking, using the force of Su Changying's back to launch herself into the air.

The two daggers slashed directly along the blades of their swords, aiming for the wrists of the newcomers who were holding the swords.

Arrived!

Zhou Zhao suddenly exerted force on his wrist, and two screams rang out, followed by the fall of the two longswords to the ground.

Zhou Zhao looked closely and realized that there was light from torches burning underground. They had indeed fallen into a tunnel that looked like a well. In the mountain, there was a cave that was only slightly taller than a person and was filled with various stalactites that looked cold and shiny.

There were eight people surrounding them, all of whom were fake Taoist priests who had previously performed rituals up there.

The two men whose tendons had been severed exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with ruthlessness. Suddenly, a dagger appeared in their left hands, and their faces turned pale as they attacked Zhou Zhao together. However, since their left hands were not their dominant hands, their attack was much less powerful.

Zhou Zhao glanced at it and instantly understood.

The two fake Taoists she hit with one blow were probably one of the eight people blocking the way at the gate. After their sword formation was broken, they were obviously much easier to deal with.

The other two who avoided the situation were the people who had been waving their magical artifacts around Young Master Yu earlier; their martial arts skills were clearly much higher.

Before Zhou Zhao could think further, two longswords came thrusting at him again. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Zhao saw Su Changying standing to the side. She gave him a look, and in a flash, she switched places with him. The four coffin nails in her hand flew towards the four fake Taoists attacking Su Changying.

The four men had to avoid the coffin nails, and Su Changying blocked the two swords on her side, freeing her up to deal with the two men whose tendons had been severed.

Zhou Zhao moved swiftly, like a bat in the night, silently landing behind the two men. Two daggers flashed coldly from the darkness. The two men only saw a blur before Zhou Zhao vanished in an instant.

By the time they realized what was happening, it was too late.

The dagger slashed across their necks, Zhou Zhao was behind them!
Blood gushed out, and the two men fell to the ground with their eyes wide open, dead beyond any doubt.

Zhou Zhao did not stop and returned to his original position.

The dagger blocked the two longswords that came at him again, while Su Changying leaped into the air and faced the four people who had just dodged Zhou Zhao's coffin nails. He suddenly soared into the air, like a hawk, and fiercely attacked the four men.

The two who were the first to draw their swords felt a numbness in their hands the moment they made contact with him, and blood gushed out immediately.

Their legs went weak. Even though Su Changying held a thin sword, they felt as if Mount Tai was pressing down on them, forcing them to sit on the ground.

Just when they thought they were about to die, the murderous aura seemed to suddenly lessen. Both of them were overjoyed, thinking they had found an opportunity to stand up. But the moment they stood up, their companions' two long swords pierced through their chests.

"Take a sword for me? No reward."

Su Changying said coldly.

Two against four. The sounds of clashing weapons echoed continuously in the cave, growing increasingly intense. But soon, after a few screams, silence fell, leaving only faint, ghostly howls.

Zhou Zhao looked at the blood-stained dagger in her hand. A piece of her sleeve was torn, and a line of blood was drawn on her left arm.

"Your arm is injured?"

Seeing Su Changying's anxious expression, Zhou Zhao couldn't help but smile. "Take a few more breaths, and the wound will heal. It's just a scrape; I checked, there's no poison. Besides, even if there were poison, it wouldn't matter, I took the antidote, didn't I?"

Su Changying gave a soft "hmm," and said, "Young Master Yu isn't here. There should be another way out."

Zhou Zhao looked at Su Changying, his heart filled with tenderness. "Aren't you afraid that what lies below is a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire if you jump down with me?"

Su Changying reached out and patted Zhou Zhao's head. "Don't be afraid."

I fear neither mountains of knives nor seas of fire, but only the absence of you.

Although he didn't say it, Zhou Zhao got the answer he wanted from Su Changying's eyes, which were so ardent and determined.

Even Zhou Zhao felt that he had been a bit too pretentious in asking this question.

The two walked towards the front of the cave, but before they had gone far, Zhou Zhao noticed that the scenery in front of him had changed.

"Oh no! It's another illusion!" Zhou Zhao cursed inwardly.

She raised her eyes and looked at the sky.

The sky was dark and gloomy, with purple lightning illuminating half of it. The old locust tree in the alley swayed incessantly in the wind, and crows flapped their wings with difficulty, seemingly lost in mid-air.

This is Wujin Lane, and she is standing in front of the Shanming Villa.

Just then, a thunderclap suddenly sounded, and a bolt of purple-gold lightning descended from the sky, striking the old locust tree directly.

Half of the old locust tree branch was instantly split and fell to the ground, emitting a burnt smell.

"Ah Zhao, why didn't you cover your ears! That thunder was so loud, it almost scared the soul out of me!"

Zhou Zhao felt a ringing in her ears. She looked towards the person who had spoken, but perhaps because the thunder had been too loud, she couldn't hear clearly. A young face approached hers, with bright, cat-like eyes and a mouth that kept chattering.

It is Fan Lishen.

"Ah Zhao, your brother and Changying have been inside for so long, why haven't they come out yet? It looks like it's going to rain, let's take our umbrellas and go in to meet them!"

Zhou Zhao stiffly twisted his neck and looked at the worried woman, it was Sister Chu You.

This was when the Shanming Changyang case occurred.

Zhou Zhao was startled. Ignoring Fan Lishen, Chu You, and A Huang standing in front of the door, she rushed inside and ran as fast as she could towards the library.

Zhou Zhao, it's not too late! It's not too late, your brother isn't dead yet! It's not too late!
The murderer is inside!

Kill the murderer and save my brother! There's still time to prevent Changying from being kidnapped!

She killed her brother; she has to save him.

It's not too late!