Two groups of people were moving along the path.
The people behind were sticking to them like glue. After Indigo took out his whip, they stayed just a little farther away.
"He didn't find me out, did he?" Aenwyn looked at the people behind, leaned over on Alizeh's back, and asked Indigo.
"Don't worry." Indigo patted her head and adjusted the scarf over her hair. The wind and sand here were even stronger.
"I'm not scared of him, he's just so annoying." She hated being stared at like a hyena eyeing a piece of meat. She could feel his gaze without even turning her head.
Indigo glanced back at them, his eyes cold and emotionless.
They kept moving, getting closer to the spot where she had landed before.
"Sir, after crossing that Dead Man's Gorge up ahead, we'll reach the real Kertar," said Dareng. If you go in without caution, it's easy to get lost. It's too dangerous.
There were still a few patches of wild grass ahead, but past that, not a single blade of grass grew. Even a horse's hoof would sink in.
Haozhou stared at the person in front. "Follow them. If they can go in, why should we be afraid?"
He was just curious. What was this delicate beauty doing in such a place? He remembered when Indigo returned from here before, he had someone wrapped in a cloak riding in front of his horse.
That must have been her. No wonder he wouldn't let anyone touch her.
Just then, Indigo ordered everyone to stop.
He looked at the canyon ahead with a serious face. The steep desert cliffs on both sides formed a gourd shape. The narrowest part was in the middle, and they were now at the upper section of it.
"What's wrong?" Aenwyn asked.
The first time she came here, she was too unsettled by the dead bodies to notice if she had gone this way.
Haozhou saw them stop and rode up with his men. "Brother, let's go back. What's there to see in this cursed place?"
Truthfully, he was also afraid of this man-eating desert. He usually only hunted foxes near the edge.
Just then, a group of masked men in black rushed down from the steep cliffs. They were fast and skilled.
There weren't many of them, but they were ruthless.
Haozhou's men lost four or five in the first clash. He had brought just over a dozen.
"Protect the young master!"
Assassins.
Indigo's heart sank. These people were coming straight for him.
He lashed his whip across Alizeh's back. The horse neighed in pain and took off like lightning.
"Run!" he shouted.
"Indigo!" Aenwyn looked back. He was already fighting two of the masked men. After a few moves, a blade slashed his arm.
"Run!" the beautiful youth yelled.
These people were too powerful for him. Every strike was deadly. They meant to kill.
At that moment, Haozhou broke out with the help of his guards. "Run, your master's done for," he said roughly as he tried to drag Aenwyn away with him.
No one knew where these people came from. They started killing without a word, and their martial skills were top-level.
Luckily, they seemed to be after Indigo. Haozhou felt a faint satisfaction.
"Get out of my way." Aenwyn gave him a sharp glare.
Seeing Indigo about to be killed, she turned her horse and charged toward them. "Alizeh, go."
She yanked Haozhou's reins as she turned. Pulling a dagger from her boot, she stabbed it into the rump of Haozhou's horse.
"Ah!" The horse screamed and bolted wildly back toward the fight.
"Damn." That was Haozhou cursing. Beautiful women really were the most ruthless.
"Young master!" Dareng shouted. He turned his horse to chase after them, but he hesitated.
All of their men were already dead. Indigo's people were still struggling to survive. He gave the enemies one last deep look, then turned and left.
Haozhou had already scattered the masked men. Aenwyn rode behind as support. "Indigo, get on!" she shouted.
Indigo's situation was dire. Blood had soaked through his stomach. He hadn't expected Aenwyn to come back for him.
In a flash, her slender hand reached for his. He gripped her hand tightly and swung himself onto the horse.
"Go!"
Alizeh neighed and leaped over several masked men, vanishing into the whirling sand.
Right behind them was Haozhou, who had narrowly avoided falling when a masked man slashed his thigh.
The horse was running too fast. Chasing them was impossible now, and the sandstorm was coming.
"Still chasing?" one of the men in black asked.
"Retreat first."
After running for a while, Indigo held Aenwyn in his arms. She could feel his blood soaking her back. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Indigo smiled. "I won't die just yet."
How could he not smile? She had actually come back to save him.
"If you're fine, then hold on tighter," Aenwyn shouted in frustration. She felt like he was about to fall off. This guy was about 1.8 meters tall. There was no way she could lift him onto the horse by herself.
"Alright." What answered her was an extremely weak voice.
Aenwyn turned her head. All she could see were his pale lips. His firm chin was pressed against her shoulder.
"Don't die on me," she cried out uncontrollably. The desperate cry came out raw, her soft voice hoarse and trembling.
Haozhou, who was hanging upside down on the horse with reins tangled around him as he was dragged wildly forward, heard her voice.
He opened his eyes.