chsdbacks Chapter 25, The 6th Time I Finally Found You
Chapter 25, The 6th Time I Finally Found You
Wen Xu stroked Ruby's fur and touched its neck. She could feel its trembling. Wen Xu then carefully moved her hand from its neck to its shoulder.
"I know you're scared, but running away means you'll die anyway, so fight for it now and you still have a chance."
Ruby quieted down, regaining her proud expression. After Wenxu mounted her horse, she rode deeper into the competition area, which was a simulated wild riding arena in the equestrian club. There were forest paths and small hills, with several different paths leading to different areas. Even if someone was very familiar with the equestrian club, it would be difficult to surround her. She was betting on one possibility: she wouldn't die easily at Awei's hands. In the end, the one who would have the chance to take her life would definitely be Lu Heng, the male lead of the reality show.
This time we're going to run as fast as we can. But as soon as Ruby's front hooves stepped into a small puddle in the wild riding area, it crashed into an invisible wall. Ruby's upper body was thrown off balance and then fell, almost knocking Wenxu to the ground.
"Why don't you ever learn your lesson?"
Su Yi's voice echoed in her mind, "You have no right to run away. You don't need to run away either. You can go and beg Lu Heng. I'll make a bet with you. If you kneel down and beg Lu Heng now, he will definitely let you go today."
Su Yi's voice was like the whisper of a demon. Everyone knows that drinking poison to quench thirst is a way to destroy one's own foundation, but humans are creatures that are easily frightened, and the current crisis is even more frightening.
"I know you're scared. Those memories of being torn apart by Awei are deep inside you, aren't they? If you just obey, you can live, and your mother can live too."
Wenxu's arm throbbed slightly. She remembered Awei's white teeth stained with her blood, and his dark eyes filled with bloodshot veins...
Wen Xu lowered her head with a docile expression, as if she were crying, but in an instant she raised her head, revealing a pair of even brighter eyes.
"Who said I was running away? This is a tactical retreat. I'll take care of everything at the equestrian club. Don't try to stop me. Or are you afraid that what I do inside will be something you can't handle?"
Su Yi knew she was using reverse psychology, but they had finally come to the riding arena, and it would be too disappointing to prevent her from running. Letting her think she had succeeded and then lose it would be more effective. Besides, the riding arena was open, and too much interference from her might alert the audience. Letting her run around for a while wouldn't cause any trouble.
With her restraints removed, Ruby immediately charged forward. Wen Xu had been forced to play a chase game with Lu Heng at the riding arena before, so she was very familiar with the course. Ruby could sense her owner's confidence. Driven by her, it pawed wildly, but barking came from behind them. Awei had caught up, followed by a dozen or so dogs.
It seems Lu Heng released all the dogs, which is exactly what Wen Xu wanted. If she gets rid of them, none of them will be able to bite Su Yuelan. Among the dogs, a greyhound ran incredibly fast; Ruby kicked it in the head with her hind leg, quickly putting distance between them like lightning.
Wen Xu rode Ruby across shallow puddles and over several small hills, covering about two kilometers. Just 500 meters from an exit of the riding area, she saw five dogs running towards her from another direction. Wen Xu spurred Ruby to run even faster. The chaotic formation of the five dogs crumbled under Ruby's iron hooves. One dog couldn't dodge in time and was trampled to death on the spot; another had its leg broken; and two others scattered in terror. Only one dog managed to escape, paused briefly, and then followed Ruby, creating some distance between them.
This reminded Wenxu that trained dogs could track her by her scent. All she was doing now was delaying her discovery.
Wen Xu guided Ruby towards the exit of the riding arena. Lu Heng's target was her; she needed to shake off the others and try to create a one-on-one situation.
Unexpectedly, Ruby's front legs suddenly buckled, and Wenxu's body was about to fly up uncontrollably, her entire upper body swinging forward. However, her legs gripped the horse's body even tighter, and her hands held firmly to the reins. She was not thrown off the horse, but Ruby did not stand up either. It remained kneeling, letting out a low growl. Wenxu got off the horse first.
Ruby's foreleg was stuck in a hole, and a large wound was cut by the broken plank. The grass Ruby had stepped on looked no different from the grass next to it, but it was actually a two-meter-deep hole with two thin planks placed on it. A person walking on thin planks might wobble a little, but an adult medium-sized horse weighs five to ten times more than an adult. The horse could break the planks in an instant, and it would likely throw its rider into the hole.
Horses are actually very sensitive creatures. Many horses would go berserk if they were stimulated like this. It would not be uncommon for them to trample their owners in the pit to death with their front hooves. Afterwards, the horses would be drugged or even shot dead. However, Ruby only let out a mournful cry, and Wenxu was not injured.
Wen Xu stroked its head, but had to leave. She felt sorry for Ruby, but she had to save her own life; Su Yuelan was still waiting for her. Based on the information she had, she didn't know if the trap was set by Lu Heng or if it had always been there, but judging from the corrosion of the wooden planks, the trap must have been set some time ago.
Wen Xu was already at the edge of the riding arena, the dogs barking wildly still some distance away. She turned and ran towards the cedar forest outside the arena. The lush cedars looked like rows of small green towers. The moment she stepped off the edge of the riding arena, she didn't feel any invisible wall blocking her way. Had she already passed the critical point? That wouldn't do. She had to finish off Lu Heng as soon as possible. If she jumped to the next critical point now, she couldn't guarantee Su Yuelan's safety.
Wen Xu ran deep into the cedar forest. She touched herself and found that, apart from the knife against her calf, she only had a pack of tissues and a piece of chocolate in her pocket.
Lu Heng had confiscated her phone, cutting off her contact with the outside world. But if you followed the cedar forest uphill, there was a path. Wen Xu had taken this path when she came to the equestrian club. If she followed this path, she could completely leave the equestrian club, which was deserted at night, and gradually reach the area where suburban houses were clustered. But this was not her purpose. Suddenly, she heard a woman sobbing.
Legends about female ghosts flashed through Wen Xu's mind, sending chills down her spine. But did she need to be afraid of female ghosts? As someone who had been reborn five times, she was already beyond the realm of ghosts and gods. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but laugh.
Her mind was no longer in turmoil, and her senses were sharper than before. Wen Xu felt the voice was familiar, and the higher she climbed, the clearer it became—it was a woman staggering along alone. Wen Xu had a rough idea of what was going on.
She was glad she wore sportswear to the banquet; she wouldn't have been able to walk this far in a dress and high heels. She was also glad she ate a high-calorie cake, otherwise she would have been exhausted after just a few steps.
She finally caught up with the woman from behind, reached out and patted her on the shoulder. The woman let out a piercing scream, turned around and took several steps back, but burst into tears when she saw Wen Xu's face.
"Xiao Xu, I've finally found you!"