Fear
After steadying himself, Qin Ran swept his gaze around, then swiftly backed up and pressed himself against the wall.
The courtyard contained a small lake at its center, with a bridge spanning across it.
The layout before him looked very familiar to Qin Ran.
After thinking for a moment, Qin Ran recalled Great Marsh's residence.
If the arrangement before him were enlarged, it would look exactly like the lake in Great Marsh's residence!
"Did Great Marsh build his residence based on this place?"
Qin Ran naturally came to that conclusion.
However, Qin Ran did not rush to verify his guess. He adjusted his breathing and concealed himself in the shadow of the wall.
Several minutes later, a sound suddenly came from atop the wall.
A figure vaulted over it.
Or rather...
It had been thrown over.
Just like Qin Ran had been earlier.
However, the other person did not have the chance to land steadily on both feet like Qin Ran, because Qin Ran suddenly pounced out from the shadows and kicked the figure, whose body could not move midair.
Bang!
With the collision between boot and body, the person was sent directly into the small lake before them.
Then, they silently sank beneath its surface.
There was no sound of splashing water.
The seemingly clear lake water was actually like a swamp, devouring life.
Qin Ran watched expressionlessly as the intruder's body was swallowed.
The figure outside the courtyard could not have appeared for no reason.
Just as no one would create counterfeit versions of him and Great Marsh for no reason.
That person had been coveting this place all along.
From the very beginning, the other party had never given up.
And they had cleverly laid out a smokescreen.
They had almost deceived both him and Great