077 Traces... to Follow

The man seized her wrist with an iron grip, swiftly retreating beneath an ancient tree, shielding her possessively behind him. Mu Qingcheng’s heart fluttered; the heat of his touch burned her skin, and even the breadth of his palm felt strikingly familiar.

“Is it him? Could it really be... him?” Waves of conflicting emotions surged within Mu Qingcheng. She had only pushed him away the day before, and yet, mere hours later, he seemed to stand before her once more. But at this moment, she dared not confirm his identity. The urge to uncover the truth wavered; on the brink of revelation, she felt a sudden desire to withdraw.

She silently drew her wrist from his grasp.

At the same time, two helicopters swooped overhead. The next moment—

Thud-thud-thud-thud—

A hail of bullets rained down like a storm, heedless of friend or foe, relentlessly sweeping the ground. Thump—thump—thump— In just seconds, black-clad men fell one after another. The scene tightened with unbearable tension; the remaining attackers scattered, desperate to find a sliver of hope.

“Watch out!”

With a low cry, the woman, still shielded behind him, suddenly wrapped her arms around the man’s shoulders and forcefully tackled him to the side.

Immediately, the ancient tree they had used for shelter bore a string of bullet holes; splinters exploded across their hands, stinging like sparks. It was all too clear—if those bullets had struck them...

“We’ve been discovered. Move—” Si Qingchen reacted instantly. Their opponents had come prepared; the random gunfire had merely been a diversion. Looking back, the trajectory and pattern of the shots had unmistakably targeted them directly.

Without hesitation, the man seized the woman’s slender wrist and dashed toward a protruding rock behind them. As they climbed, he gripped her gloved fingers tightly.

“He...” Mu Qingcheng’s eyes widened in surprise, her heart stirring with uncontrollable ripples. From his silhouette to his movements, everything matched Si Qingchen. She never imagined her confirmation of his identity would come at such a perilous moment.

But after barely ten seconds, the man who had been pulling her upward finally halted. They had reached the edge of the rock, suspended above a waterfall.

The deafening roar of water crashed below, sending up a veil of mist. Though the waterfall was not high, the treacherous terrain made the currents fierce and dangerous.

Jagged rocks hidden beneath the water threatened even the most skilled swimmers; the jagged ridges could easily wound anyone who dared cross.

Their hands, still clasped, gripped tighter, infused with a silent and unwavering resolve.

“Are you ready?” The sound of helicopter blades drew nearer; in three seconds, they would be overhead. With all cover lost, their only path lay behind them. No matter what, they would have to leap.

The man showed no fear—his composure was absolute, his heart cloaked in a quiet satisfaction. He glanced at the woman beside him; she nodded, drew a dagger from her thigh, and bit down on it.

In the moonlight, her eyes burned with icy determination, fierce enough to risk everything.

The man let out a low laugh and wrapped his arm firmly around her waist. In her stunned gaze, he drew her close, turned, and together they plunged off the cliff!