The wind and rain had not eased at all, but time waited for no one.
Neither woman dared venture outside to look. Even though only Liu Shi had heard the sound, and even she was unsure whether she had imagined it, Qiao'er had been frightened too.
Just then, however, Liu Shi suddenly thought of something and called out.
"Someone-come here!"
Qiao'er immediately caught on. She took a few steps toward the door and shouted outside. Her mistress might feel obliged to maintain some decorum, but she did not, and her voice was naturally much louder.
"Someone come here-the mistress has instructions-hurry!"
This was the official residence at the County Office, after all. Even if Guan Xinrui had taken some men with him, there certainly would not be a shortage of staff.
People might retire early in this cold, rainy weather, but someone was bound to be on duty.
Sure enough, shortly after Qiao'er shouted several times, footsteps sounded in the distance outside, and an elderly constable hurried over.
Despite the darkness and heavy rain, it was not so dark that he could not see his hand before his face. Seeing the lamplight inside as he reached the room, the old constable asked from the doorway.
"Madam, what are your instructions?"
Before Liu Shi could speak, Qiao'er hurriedly asked him a question.
"Do you see anything out there?"
"See anything?"
The old constable looked to either side, then at the heavy rain beyond the corridor, before turning back toward the door and answering the people inside.
"I don't see anything, Miss Qiao'er. What do you mean? Give me some details so I can look for it."
Rumble!
A low peal of thunder sounded across the sky, lighting up the surroundings. Behind the old constable, a figure with disheveled hair and blood