Chapter 003: The Mysterious Lake

Just as Qin Lang was about to leave the surface of the water, an unusual phenomenon began to emerge at the center of the lake. The water in the entire lake started to swirl, forming a massive vortex

Qin Lang carried the woman in purple on his back, swiftly darting into the depths of the forest. Behind him, the bald man Xu Batian shouted loudly, and the dozens of bandits, sensing that something was amiss, quickly pursued after them

"Turn around, turn around, oh my, please don't come over here!" Qin Lang wished he could jump out and kick that woman away, but reality is often very cruel

"What a hero, huh? You have doomed me." Qin Lang wailed, turning around and preparing to flee. His so-called escape techniques finally came in handy at this moment

The surrounding woods encircle this lake, which is exceptionally tranquil. The calm surface of the lake is devoid of any ripples, resembling a pool of stagnant water

It is so beautiful, it is simply a hundred times more beautiful than the pillars of the Spring Red Mansion, no, a thousand times more beautiful. Qin Lang was roaring in his heart; the woman before him was like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal realm compared to those worldly women.

"Light beauty, why are you in such a hurry to leave? Wait for me, my dear. Hahaha." Xu Batian, bare-bodied, leisurely pursued the woman in purple, not in a rush to act. He intended to slowly break down her psychological defenses, leading to her complete collapse. Only in this way could he conceal his inner apprehension and fear towards the Lin family.

Qin Lang was unaware of what kind of family the Lin family was, but from the previous conversation between the bald man and the deceased elder, it could be inferred that the Lin family seemed to hold considerable power. If he could save this woman, perhaps he would have the possibility of...

As he gazed at the suddenly appearing eerie lake before him, Qin Lang inexplicably felt a chill rise within him. Just as he was about to circumvent the lake, a series of hurried footsteps sounded behind him, clearly indicating that the group of pursuing bandits was about to catch up.

Qin Lang glanced at the approaching bald man, gritted his teeth, and lifted the woman in purple attire, growling, "Remember what you said"

The bandits split into several small teams and chased in different directions, while Xu Batian also ran into the woods at this moment

Seeing Qin Lang preparing to escape, the woman in purple could not let this lifeline slip away. She pleaded, "Hero, I beg you to save me, please do not abandon me."

Qin Lang carried the woman in purple and jumped into the lake, plunging straight into the water until both he and the woman were completely submerged. Remarkably, not a single splash disturbed the surface of the lake, as if nothing had ever interrupted its tranquility.

"Damn woman, don't come over here." Under normal circumstances, if a woman were to recklessly run towards him like this, Qin Lang would secretly feel pleased and might even open his arms to welcome her. However, at this moment, this was not a stroke of good fortune; behind her was a perverted bald man in the nude.

Thus, within this forest, a chase scene was staged

What a soft hand! Qin Lang couldn't help but exclaim inwardly, tightening his grip on the hand of the woman in purple.

Qin Lang released the woman in purple, extended his head out of the lake, and looked around. Seeing no signs of movement, Qin Lang finally set his anxious heart at ease. It had truly been a harrowing experience; had it not been for the caution he developed from years of escaping after dining and dashing, he might have already met his end at the hands of that bald, naked man.

Just as Qin Lang was about to reach the shore, he and the woman in purple suddenly lost their footing and fell back into the water, unable to even let out a cry before being pulled into the lake by the whirlpool

"Hero, I beg you, if I fall into the hands of this villain, it would be better to die. I am a member of the Lin family; as long as you are willing to save me, I can agree to any request you have."

Before long, Xu Batian unexpectedly returned, once again arriving at the lakeside. Gazing at the still tranquil lake, Xu Batian squinted his eyes and finally shifted his attention to the depths of the forest, pursuing onward.

At this moment, Qin Lang, taking advantage of the night, finally saw clearly the woman in purple before him. He did not expect that the woman he had saved would possess such a delicate face, with eyes that sparkled like the bright moon, blinking as they gazed at him. A few droplets of water still clung to her eyelashes, and her small mouth was slightly open, breathing in small gasps.

Just moments after Qin Lang jumped into the water, Xu Batian led a group of bandits to the edge of the lake. Looking at the calm surface of the water, Xu Batian pondered for a moment and then shouted to the bandits: "Everyone, spread out and search. That guy is carrying someone and can't have gone far. We must find that person."

As the sounds from the shore gradually faded away, the woman in purple, hidden beneath the lake's surface, prepared to surface for a breath. However, Qin Lang swiftly embraced her, pressing her head down to the bottom of the water, preventing her from surfacing.

"Damn it, you broom star, I can barely take care of myself right now." Qin Lang lamented, too lazy to pay any attention to the woman.

Hero, save me

These bandits have been roaming these mountains and forests for many years, and they are extremely familiar with the terrain here. In contrast, Qin Lang is not only unfamiliar with the terrain but also carrying a woman, which gradually brings the two sides closer together

At this moment, the woman in purple has regarded Qin Lang as a great hero, her only support at present, and naturally, she listens to his words without question

At this moment, Qin Lang was anxious and regretful, realizing that he should not have acted impulsively. He had succumbed to temptation, and if this continued, he would inevitably be caught by the bandits, which would spell disaster for him

The woman in purple desperately ran towards Qin Lang's direction.

Cough cough... The woman in purple also surfaced, having been held underwater by Qin Lang, and she had choked on quite a bit of water. However, the woman in purple knew that if it weren't for Qin Lang, she would have already fallen into the hands of the bandits at this moment

Having spoken, and without waiting for the woman to respond, he leaped into the lake.

Soon, the lake returned to normal, as if nothing had ever disturbed its tranquility

"Is there really someone else?" Xu Batian, upon hearing the cry for help from the woman in purple, felt his pupils constrict and quickly quickened his pace to catch up.

Qin Lang gritted his teeth and said to the woman in purple behind him, "Hold your breath; otherwise, we are both doomed"

"No wonder that bald man would rather offend the Lin family than let you go, truly a seductress." Qin Lang murmured to himself, but spoke calmly, "Let's go, we need to find a way to leave the forest; it is still not safe here."

"I must not let anyone escape; otherwise, if today's events get out, I will be doomed," Xu Batian thought to himself, quickening his pace even more.

Qin Lang reached out and grasped the hand of the woman in purple, then swam towards the shore.

Qin Lang finally breathed a sigh of relief as Xu Batian, who had left and returned, departed once more. He knew that this bald, naked man would not leave so easily; his previous departure was merely a ruse. Therefore, when the woman in purple first prepared to surface, he intervened. Had she surfaced at that moment, it would undoubtedly have led to a direct encounter with Xu Batian. At this very moment, Xu Batian was truly leaving.

The pursuers were dozens of bandits, while the one fleeing was Qin Lang, who was desperately running away with a woman in purple attire on his back. The bandits knew that if these two managed to escape alive, they would face the Lin family's furious retaliation, and the only outcome for them would be death. Thus, they chased after them frantically. Qin Lang was also aware that this was not like being caught and beaten up for dining and dashing; if he were captured by the bandits, his life would surely be forfeit. Therefore, he pushed himself to the limit, running for his life.

In the face of the choice between heroically saving a beauty and preserving his own life, Qin Lang unhesitatingly chose the latter. It was not that Qin Lang was indifferent to the plight of others, but rather that he was truly powerless. With no weapons at his disposal, his only skill was running; what right did he have to engage in combat with this bald, naked man

Any requests

The woman in the purple dress had a hint of crimson on her face, yet she said nothing, allowing Qin Lang to pull her along.

Suddenly, the scenery before him changed, and the forest vanished without a trace. In the dim light of night, Qin Lang discovered that he had inexplicably arrived before a lake.

The woman in the purple dress indeed spotted Qin Lang hiding behind the large tree, and it seemed as if she had found a savior. She quickly turned and ran towards Qin Lang, calling out for help loudly.

She touched the droplets of water on her face, tidied her disheveled hair, and said softly to Qin Lang, "Fortunately, I have you. Otherwise, I would have been in a terrible situation."