Meanwhile, Hei Feng and Nine finally stopped to catch their breath, panting hard. Seeing no trace of the emperor behind them, Hei Feng spoke first.
"Why do you think that side of him appeared?" he asked in a low voice. "It's not even the usual time. Why now?"
"I don't know," Nine muttered. "But thank the heavens we escaped while he was still dealing with the assassins. Otherwise, we'd be lying dead in this mountain."
Hei Feng looked back anxiously. "But… can the emperor really handle the rest alone? He was stabbed in the stomach—and he's still carrying that older wound."
Nine frowned. "You're right. Let's go check if he's alright."
Just as they turned around, the sharp sounds of fighting echoed through the woods.
"Could he have already caught up to us?" Hei Feng whispered, unease creeping into his voice.
"He shouldn't have," Nine replied, though uncertainty laced his tone. "When we ran, there were still ten assassins left."
