Deities Are All Just My Food-Chapter 2167 - 964: Advisor Lin and the Courtesan

Under the cover of night, the servant boy led a group of people, escorting the palace maidens.

No one knew whether these maidens were unwilling to enter the palace or for some other reason, but they cooperated well with the group, staying quiet as they moved towards the back mountain.

The group led by Lin Baici followed at a distance.

"If they really manage to hide in the mountains, then what are we even looking for?"

The fisherman grumbled, thankful that Lin Baici and Gu Qingqiu had strategized so meticulously, arranging every step thoroughly.

"The mountain path is getting more difficult. Should we act now?"

Li Yintong suggested.

The number of people on their side was too few. If any maiden seized the opportunity to escape into the dense forest, it would be hard to catch her.

Missing even one might mean failing to cleanse the rule pollution.

"Let’s wait a bit longer!"

Lin Baici was in no rush; he wanted to see where these people planned to hide, and he felt there might be something else going on.

With Lin Baici’s command, everyone surely complied, silently continuing their chase.

A little while later, as they climbed a steep slope, a girl in the lead group suddenly shouted.

"Run, sisters!"

She shouted as she rolled down the slope.

"Shit, what’s happening?"

The fisherman was dumbfounded; such a steep slope, in the dark with poor visibility, rolling like that was as good as risking her life, but that maiden dared to do it, indicating a big problem.

"Keep following them; Red Medicine and I will find that woman!"

Once Lin Baici spoke, he darted out like a leopard.

If they arrived late, either she would be dead or they’d lose her trail.

Xia Hongyao hurried to catch up.

The sudden incident also caused chaos and screams from the group ahead.

Someone rushed and shouted loudly.

"In this dense forest, if you run wildly, you are heading straight for your death!"

The servant boy’s concern seemed genuine, but was actually a threat.

"She wants to enter the palace, to be cherished by the Emperor and enjoy wealth and prosperity, but she doesn’t know that you can’t even get in."

The servant boy tried to intimidate them: "Even the beautiful maidens won’t reach the Emperor but will be divided among the nobles instead. When they grow tired of you, they’ll declare you dead from illness, bringing back your corpse, leaving your family without a place to cry for justice!"

"My master took the risk of facing extermination of his family to save you from suffering!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

The servant boy’s words calmed the maidens.

Because the outcome he described was too terrifying, and those days, the reputation of the aristocrats was not good, inherently distrusted by people.

The servant boy called a fellow, instructing him to lead the group further into the back mountain; he himself took two people to find the maiden.

He had long prepared, calling upon two hunters, familiar with the terrain, even at night it didn’t impact their action much.

They pursued all the way.

The maiden was lucky, although she was scratched in many places after rolling down the slope, her limbs weren’t broken. She endured the pain, stood up, and ran in the direction she remembered.

As long as she saw people, she would be rescued.

With their physique, Lin Baici and Xia Hongyao, despite the night, had enhanced vision enabling them to see everything around.

Ten minutes later, they found the maiden, but didn’t rush to capture her, waiting patiently.

After following for half an hour, the servant boy came with two hunters.

The maiden saw there was no escape and hid in a tree hollow, covering herself with dead leaves, but it was futile.

"Brother Shen, over here!"

A hunter discovered the maiden.

The servant boy approached, wiped the sweat from his forehead, then bent down, dragging the maiden out of the hollow and slapped her repeatedly.

"Trying to escape?"

The servant boy scolded: "Can you escape?"

"We kindly rescue you, why would you run?"

A hunter complained.

"Rescue me?"

The maiden sneered: "You are clearly harming me!"

"If you know what’s wise, go and tell your master Shen that he’s in great danger, and the entire family is about to be executed!"

Hearing this, the servant boy gave her two more slaps.

"Tsk, you just want to be a concubine of the Emperor, to enjoy wealth and glory!"

The servant boy disdained.

"Are you a trusted aide of master Shen? He’s done for, and you can’t escape!"

The maiden’s swollen face didn’t make her look pitiful; instead, it highlighted a cold and elegant demeanor: "This is all a conspiracy by the Punishment Officer!"

"Go!"

The servant boy pushed the maiden.

He believed the maiden was lying to escape, and only wanted to complete the master’s task, to be promoted, and manage an estate.

The maiden tried to persuade more, but the servant boy gagged her with a cloth.

At this point, Lin Baici and Xia Hongyao had seen enough, learned the reasons for the maiden’s escape, and delaying further would be a waste of time, so they acted.

Xia Hongyao crept up, knocking out a hunter with the hilt of a knife.

Bang!

The hunter fainted.

Hearing the noise, the servant boy turned around and saw Xia Hongyao approaching him.

These three locals hadn’t turned into monsters, easily subdued by the ponytailed woman.

"Settled!"

Xia Hongyao approached the maiden.

"Who are you?"

The maiden instinctively stepped back, trembling as she looked at these strangers.