My Promotion Story Through Time Travel

Chapter 25 Rescue (7)

The light inside the cave flickered between bright and dim, and no one else had ever come in except for the mountain that sent in a bucket of food every day.

Every day, children peered through the cracks at the entrance of the cave to watch out for what was happening outside. Lin Ziping and Ji Xun would also occasionally peek through the cracks to find out what was going on outside. During this time, everyone kept thinking about how to escape, but they still had no clue. However, they did not give up.

The handkerchiefs soaked in black oil had dried. Lin Ziping divided them into two pieces each, telling them that they could burn quickly. Xiao Fuzi was lucky; his wounds showed no signs of worsening. Ji Xun led the children to study how to untie the bound hands.

Lin Ziping had a premonition that they should be leaving soon.

On the seventh day, Lin Ziping overheard people outside the cave discussing that there were only a few soldiers searching the area below. Lin Ziping then shared this information with everyone.

"Have they given up looking for us?" Disappointment and sadness filled the cave, and Ji Xun's face also showed some sadness.

“This is just one possibility. Another possibility is that the parents down the mountain want the criminals to know that they have given up, but they are thinking of other ways. No matter which possibility it is, we can’t rely on them alone. We still have to find a way ourselves.” Lin Ziping told everyone his speculation and thoughts.

Ji Xun said, "Lin Ziping is right. We don't know the situation down the mountain. In any case, we still have to rely on ourselves. As long as one of us escapes and brings the news out, there is still hope for everyone."

Afterwards, the older children in the cave took turns standing guard at the cave crevice, listening intently to what was happening outside, while the other children searched for sharp stones in the cave, then carried them on their bodies and tied them to their arms.

On the tenth day, Da Shan and a few others who had been guarding the cave entered the cave. Lin Ziping understood that they were about to leave.

Da Shan instructed the men behind him, "Eighth Master wants to take them away. You, you, you hurry up and tie them up. Be quick."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people behind him suddenly turned somewhat ugly, but they still bowed and agreed, and walked towards Lin Ziping and the others with the rope.

The children looked terrified. The younger children struggled desperately, but they were like ants trying to shake a tree in front of several adult men.

A hand slowly reached towards the back of Lin Ziping's hand, moving upwards like a venomous snake slowly sliding into his sleeve.

Lin Ziping tried to suppress the feeling of nausea, but he couldn't bear it any longer and kicked the man hard. A wail echoed in the cave.

Da Shan stepped forward and slapped Lin Ziping hard across the face.

Lin Ziping's head was knocked to the side by the slap, his ears were ringing, and he felt dizzy.

"What are you doing!" Coming to his senses, he saw Ji Xun and Xiao Fuzi blocking his way, glaring angrily at Dashan.

"Oh, so this time you're really going all out with your goods, thinking you're still young masters and misses." Da Shan's face was ugly as he shouted.

Hearing Da Shan's rebuke, the other thugs gradually stopped what they were doing.

Zhao Xiancheng quickly got up and moved closer to Lin Ziping and Ji Xun. The other children also gathered around Lin Ziping and the others.

Seeing this, Da Shan shouted at the thugs, "What are you all good for? You can't even keep an eye on these kids."

He took the whip from his waist and lashed it at the gathered children. The children began to scatter and the cave descended into chaos.

"Dashan, what are you dawdling about? Master Jiang is still waiting down the mountain," Eighth Master shouted anxiously as he poked his head out from the mountain gate.

Upon seeing the situation inside the cave, Eighth Master strode in, snatched the whip from Da Shan, slapped Da Shan across the face, and shouted, "Stop it, all of you!"

The thugs stopped and looked at Eighth Master. Da Shan covered his face and said, "Eighth Master, these little brats need to be taught a lesson."

"Shut up." Eighth Master glared at Da Shan and said to the thugs, "I don't care how you usually play, but this batch of goods has already been ordered. Master Jiang is waiting at the foot of the mountain. If you ruin everyone's big plans, I, Liu Ba, will be the first to not let him off the hook."

One of the thugs said, "Eighth Master, it's not that we're trying to hold Master Jiang back, it's just that these brats are disobedient. Look at that kick that landed on my brother in a vital spot, we have to get our revenge."

"Zhang the Pockmarked, stop talking the talk. I know what kind of people you are. Stop wasting your breath and get to work. If you delay Master Jiang's business, I'll take your lives." Eighth Master spat at the man who spoke. "Dashan, call the brothers outside to come in and help. Don't keep Master Jiang waiting."

Da Shan ran to the cave entrance, and soon five or six more men came in and tied the children's hands.

"Hurry up." Eighth Master pushed Zhao Xiancheng forward, and several men carried the children on their shoulders and walked down the mountain.

"Lin Ziping, are you alright?" Ji Xun asked softly as he walked behind Lin Ziping.

Lin Ziping felt his teeth were a little loose and guessed that his face must be red and swollen. He sighed inwardly that this was the heaviest slap he had ever received in his life.

Ji Xun raised his hand and touched Lin Ziping: "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing." Lin Ziping shook his head, his face was in too much pain, and his voice was muffled.

He stretched his arms; perhaps because the cave was a bit chaotic, he could move them slightly, but he couldn't remove the stone tied to his arm. Was there still no way to leave after exiting the cave? Lin Ziping felt somewhat frustrated.

Stumbling and staggering down the mountain, it was already getting dark. Two carriages and several horses were parked at the foot of the mountain, and several men dressed in short brown robes were on guard around the carriages.

"Why are you only arriving now?" a man with an ordinary appearance but sharp eyes asked Eighth Master.

Eighth Master wiped the sweat from his brow: "We were delayed on the mountain for a while. Where is Master Jiang?"

The man didn't answer, but continued, "Quickly get them onto the carriage, the city gates are about to close, hurry up!"

Upon hearing this, the group shoved Lin Ziping and the others into the carriage.

The carriage suddenly started moving, and Lin Ziping's head hit the carriage wall. Tears welled up in his eyes from the pain. Adjusting his position, Lin Ziping moved his wrists, trying to break free of the ropes binding him.

The carriage curtains completely blocked out the light, making the interior of the carriage dim.

Suddenly, Lin Ziping felt someone touching his hand again, and kicked in that direction.

"Lin Ziping, it's me, Xiao Fuzi." A muffled groan came, followed by Xiao Fuzi's voice, "My rope is untied, don't move, I'll help you untie it."

The ropes binding his hands were untied. Lin Ziping moved his wrists and felt that they were a little damp. Without thinking much about it, he rubbed his eyes to adjust to the light inside the carriage. He could barely see the situation inside the carriage, which contained seven people.

"Xiao Fuzi, let's untie everyone else's ropes."

Together with Xiao Fuzi, they untied the ropes from everyone else and looked around, but Ji Xun was nowhere to be seen in the carriage.

He lifted a crack in the carriage curtain, and dust billowed outside. There were no pedestrians on the road, and two people were riding horses on either side of the carriage. Lin Ziping quickly lowered the curtain.

Xiao Fuzi tugged at Lin Ziping's sleeve, and Lin Ziping looked at him. Xiao Fuzi mouthed the question silently: "How's it outside?"

Lin Ziping shook his head, pointed to both sides, and silently said: There are horses.

The other children remained silent, gripping their stones tightly.