Life-Taking Green Vine

Seeing this, Miss Zhu made a snap decision:

"Tie them here. We'll dismount and continue on foot."

The group had no choice but to obey. They led the three mules to a thick green vine and firmly tied the reins around it.

The vine was as thick as a man's arm and rooted deeply into the ground. Even with three beasts tied to it, it did not budge in the slightest.

But after that delay, Shen Hui and the other two had already vanished from sight.

Chief Zhao said in a low voice, "Third Miss, those three are moving too fast. We can't catch up. This place is eerie as hell—why don't we retreat to the street entrance and wait?"

The young lady shook her head and looked into the depths of the long street.

For no reason she could name, unease suddenly rose in her heart.

"Follow them. I have a bad feeling about this."

Hearing that, one of the escort guards hesitated, his face full of reluctance. "Chief Zhao..."

"Enough. Stop babbling."

Zhao Kun cut him off, his face cast bluish-black by the daylight.

"Move."

Everyone pulled themselves together and continued onward.

The road ahead grew narrower and narrower.

The houses on either side had been twisted beyond recognition by vines. Some had already half-collapsed, their beams and pillars propping themselves crookedly against the ground.

Vines bored out from the ruined walls, then burrowed back in, binding shattered bricks and broken tiles into clumps of green cocoons.

Shen Hui's group was nowhere to be found.

Just then, a street-facing door ahead suddenly moved.

"Someone?"

Everyone turned to look at it in unison.

Chief Zhao exchanged glances with several escort guards, and they all tightened their grips on their blades.

The young lady stared at the door for a