Saving System: Calm Down, My Fleeing Host!

Chapter 294 - 286: Searching Far and Wide for Someone

Second Brother would only respond with ambiguous words, then try to extract the information he wanted. However, he genuinely wanted to know about Miss Cheng’s situation.

Seeing that Leng Qi wasn’t taking the bait, Leng Er sighed leisurely, "Ah, I wonder if the Pavilion Master is around? I’d like to tell him how much Old Qi admires and respects Miss Cheng after spending so much time by her side, perhaps he really likes Miss Cheng..."

At this, Leng Qi’s face changed dramatically; Second Brother’s words were too unsettling.

When did he ever like Cheng, Miss Cheng?

Words can’t be spoken recklessly. If they reach the Pavilion Master’s ears, being cut into pieces would be minor.

A furious blush colored Leng Qi’s face, and his lips quivered with embarrassment and annoyance, "Second Brother, stop talking nonsense. I don’t like Miss Cheng; I just... just think... if this reaches the Pavilion Master, I won’t have long to live. Is Second Brother dissatisfied with me being alive and wants to finish me off?"

"I’m asking you to speak, so speak openly. Why be so coy?"

"I..."

Some things were just too embarrassing, and he didn’t even want to recall them, let alone expose his wounds for others to laugh at.

What kind of peculiar hobby did Second Brother have, being so damaging?

"Speak up, Second Brother won’t make fun of you."

In fact, as Leng Er said this, he was already laughing inside.

Who in the pavilion didn’t know? Miss Cheng was the Pavilion Master’s confidante, so naturally, she wouldn’t entertain other thoughts.

But Leng Qi had always been dismissive towards Miss Cheng, avoiding her like the plague, even feeling some aversion. Such negative impressions could be considered extremely poor.

What was puzzling was that not long after, Leng Qi gradually changed his perspective, began to understand and agree, stopped being combative, and would even proactively help, eventually doing so with admiration. Ultimately, to help Miss Cheng escape smoothly, he risked his life.

Such deep affection and loyalty likely transcended mere orders.

Knowing that, in the final battle, he could have easily escaped, yet he persisted until his last breath for an unknown outcome, was quite unusual for assassins like them who acted on command.

This remarkable change piqued his curiosity.

He had no choice but to pressure this naive boy a little, anyway, being out of work was boring, checking in on a brother while finding amusement made life enjoyable.

Leng Qi, unwilling to answer, retorted indignantly, "This time Boss Han personally went, so finding Miss Cheng is only a matter of time, no need for Second Brother to speak."

He was certain that with Han Yi personally taking action, they must have found her. Otherwise, there would be some news from the pavilion, and no reinforcements had been sent, indicating they’ve already been in contact and she’s safe.

Leng Qi had just thought this, then Leng Er poured cold water on it.

"Based on the current information, they haven’t found her yet."

"How is that possible?" Leng Qi was incredulous.

"How could it not be? Outside, there’s ongoing conflict, and heavy snow covers all traces, making it not so easy."

Secretly, Leng Er also hoped they’d find her soon; the longer the delay, the more unsettled he felt. What he hadn’t told Old Qi was that because Han Yi hadn’t managed to find her for so long, the Pavilion Master had personally set out yesterday.

"Then..." What Leng Qi left unsaid was that it boded ill. Han Yi’s abilities were well-recognized, and even he couldn’t catch up, suggesting a large chance of mishap on their part.

Thinking this made his heart sink, fear spreading inside.

Immediately, he wanted to set off.

"Where are you going?" Leng Er looked at the limping figure eager to leave and asked puzzledly.

"I’m going to find the Pavilion Master to ask him to send more people to search."

Leng Er was taken aback, "You sickly person, why so agitated? Not found doesn’t mean there’s no news."

Leng Qi paused, turning back with a disdainful look, "If Second Brother had news, but kept hanging on to it without saying, what fun is that?"

"Of course it’s fun, come on, let’s continue discussing Miss Cheng." Leng Er was eagerly interested.

Leng Qi was dejected, fearing he couldn’t escape today’s joke...

Meanwhile, when Han Yi arrived in Yu County, he investigated thoroughly, ruled out other routes, and pursued all the way to Sulfur County, enduring a lot of hardships, even nearly catching a plague. If not for taking Elder Qi’s preventive pills beforehand, his crew would have been doomed there.

Wandering through many places, they barely found clues.

Finally, they reached Dingzhou with great difficulty, only to find it had become King Yu’s playground. The city had sparse inhabitants, captured soldiers and civilians were turned into slaves, and detained women were daily driven to despair and suicide.

Watching the desolate scene in the city, Han Yi’s heart sank. Previously, he only knew King Yu to be tyrannical and brutal, unrefined and useless, but didn’t know him to be so savage and absurd. If Tianqi really fell into the hands of such a person, the state would not be far from ruin.

Cheng Xiaoxiao stayed in Dingzhou for a short time, leaving hardly any trace.

Even though Han Yi was highly capable, in a short time he found nothing useful and had to continue northward to search.

Due to a misjudgment, he chose a different road at a crossroads, missing the best opportunity.

He spent a week in Yan State without hearing any news and guessed he might have chosen the wrong direction, so he immediately returned to Jingyu County, encountering Bai Family before entering the city.

The Bai Family had lost considerable manpower and treasure while fleeing, surviving with difficulty on the things Cheng Xiaoxiao left them, but without status, they were vulnerable to anyone’s abuse, and the girls yet to be married became targets for scoundrels.

Staying in Jingyu County would have led to eventual action from those people, so they had to abandon the newly bought house and find a new place to settle outside the city.

Despite this, those with ill intentions hadn’t planned to spare them, ambushing them in woods outside the city, turning the scene into a massacre.

Many guards and servants were killed, and the remaining were pale with fear, huddled together trembling. If not for three Hidden Guards they employed being effective, they would have been slaughtered.

During the fight, items from the carriage boxes scattered on the ground, among them items given by Cheng Xiaoxiao.

A delicate object rolled out, then broke, a scream drawing Han Yi’s frown.

Riding swiftly past on horseback, Han Yi hadn’t intended to intervene, but the smashed object was too distinctive to ignore.

At the critical moment, Han Yi saved the Bai Family.

Han Yi recognized the object’s extraordinary origin. Under inquiry, he learned about Cheng Xiaoxiao, confirming she had indeed been to Dingzhou, though he found no trace there.

Traveling along the lead to Jingyu County, then Yan State, yielded no evidence, suggesting Miss Cheng took another route he had previously disregarded—Liao City.