A young boy from the 1970s, separated from his family, fled famine and led his younger brother into

"Look carefully, everyone! That little bitch can't have gone far!"

"A five-year-old girl, injured, must be hiding in the mountains nearby!"

That sound!

It's Su Weiqiang!

This persistent evil spirit has actually caught up with us to the territory of Xiangyang Village so quickly!

Su Nianci's blood ran cold instantly. She swiftly stuffed the dragon-shaped jade pendant back into the small stone's inner pocket, then covered his mouth with one hand and made a "shush" gesture with the other.

Although Little Stone didn't know what had happened, he sensed the deadly danger from Su Nianci's suddenly tense body and the cold light flashing in her eyes. He was so frightened that his eyes widened, his small body stiffened like a piece of wood, and he didn't dare to breathe.

The footsteps outside grew closer, mixed with the voices of several other unfamiliar men.

"Brother Qiang, this mountain is so big, where are we going to look?" a voice said, sounding a little impatient.

"I have to find her, even if I can't!" Su Weiqiang's voice was filled with resentment and impatience. "That brat almost got me arrested by the militia, and she even burned half of my yard's firewood! I'll skin her alive!"

"That's right, she really screwed over that human trafficker; he's still locked up in the commune. I heard that woman, Wang Guixiang's, hand bones can't be set anymore; she'll be a cripple for life!"

"Serves them right! Who told them to try and sell me out!" Su Nianci sneered inwardly, but her hands didn't dare to slack off in the slightest.

Holding onto the small stone, she crouched low and quickly hid behind the Buddha statue, which was mostly collapsed. It was the darkest corner of the entire dilapidated temple, filled with debris and cobwebs, and the only place to hide.

"There's a dilapidated temple up ahead! Maybe they're hiding inside! Let's go check it out!"

A voice rang out outside the temple, and then several tall figures appeared at the entrance of the dilapidated temple, blocking most of the light.

Su Nianci's heart jumped into her throat!

She stared intently at the doorway through the gap in the Buddha statue.

Three people entered, the leader being Su Weiqiang! His gaunt face, worn from days of running around and rage, appeared even more sinister and terrifying. The two men behind him were burly and thick-shouldered, with menacing faces; they were clearly not good people.

It's likely that Su Weiqiang specifically hired thugs from the village to arrest her!

"Pah! What a lousy place, it smells musty!" A burly man spat a mouthful of phlegm on the ground and said impatiently.

Su Weiqiang's gaze, sharp as a hawk's, quickly scanned every corner of the dilapidated temple.

His gaze lingered for a moment on the spot where Su Nianci and Xiao Shitou had just been.

There, the ashes of the fire remained, along with a few pieces of torn oil paper—the paper used to wrap cured meat!

Su Weiqiang's eyes narrowed sharply!

"Someone's been here!" he said in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of excitement, like someone who had discovered prey.

The other two men immediately became alert, gripped their wooden sticks tightly, and walked in step by step.

Su Nianci's heart almost stopped beating!

Her gaze fell on a wooden beam, half-rotted and stuck in the soil, next to the base of the Buddha statue.

Above that wooden beam was a rickety roof!

An extremely risky plan instantly took shape in her mind!

She whispered to the little stone in her arms, "When I push you, run to the door as fast as you can, and don't look back!"

Little Stone looked at her, seemingly understanding but not quite, his dark eyes filled with fear, but he still nodded vigorously.

The burly man had already reached the Buddha statue.

"There seems to be something behind this broken Buddha statue!" he muttered, reaching out with the wooden stick in his hand to poke it in!

It's now!

Just as the stick was about to be thrust in, Su Nian-Ci suddenly pushed the small stone out!

"run!"

She used all her strength to shout out that one word!

At the same time, instead of retreating, she advanced and rammed her thin shoulders hard into the rotten wooden beam!

"Crack—"

The already rotten wooden beams cracked under her impact, emitting a sound as they could no longer bear the weight!

"BOOM!!"

A chain reaction has occurred!

The collapse of that wooden beam caused the already precarious roof structure above to collapse as well! Large shards of broken tiles, rotten wood, and mud, mixed together, cascaded down like a waterfall onto the burly man who had just extended the wooden stick!

"ah--!!"

The burly man didn't even have time to react before he was instantly smashed to the ground, letting out a piercing scream!

This sudden turn of events stunned both Su Weiqiang and the other man!

In that moment of chaos, Little Stone unleashed an amazing will to survive. He scrambled out of the collapsed area and ran with all his might toward the entrance of the dilapidated temple!

"You little brat! Stop right there!"

Su Weiqiang was the first to react. He roared and took off to chase after them!

But after he had only taken two steps, he saw a small figure rush out from the dust and smoke of the collapse!

It's Su Nianci!

She had used the reaction force of the impact to avoid the most dangerous center of the collapse. Although she was covered in dust and looked disheveled, her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness!

Instead of running, she lunged in another direction toward the temple door that Su Weiqiang and the others had left ajar when they entered!

Her goal was clear: she wanted to close the shop!

She was going to use herself as bait to buy Little Stone time to escape!

"You little bitch! You're asking for it!"

Su Weiqiang saw through her intentions, his eyes wide with rage! He abandoned his pursuit of Xiao Shitou, turned around and pounced on Su Nianci like a hungry tiger!

As Su Weiqiang's withered, claw-like hand was about to grab her, Su Nianci's heart sank to the bottom.

She had calculated everything, but she hadn't anticipated that a grown man in a fit of rage would move so fast!

Finished!

Just at this moment of despair, a strange change occurred!

The little stone that had already run to the door saw that Su Nianci was about to be caught, and from who knows where the courage came, he actually stopped!

He turned around and saw Su Weiqiang's ferocious face. A surge of overwhelming hatred and fear flashed in his eyes. Then, he suddenly opened his mouth and let out a heart-wrenching scream:

"don't want--!"