The Crown Prince's Bodyguard

38 ♛ The Escape

- Li Xun -

Exactly how many of such wretched things must he kill?

The events that occurred today enlightened him about the world in ways he would never have believed before. Never had he imagined himself encountering a bunch of walking dead bodies, a phoenix and a psychotic witch that was intent on killing both him and Long'Er.

If something else were to appear before his eyes again, he was certain a heart attack would be his cause of death instead.

Covered in cuts and bruises, he fought against the Wandering Ghoul, but his strength was slowly spent. Weren't the undead supposed to be dead and rotting in the soil? How were they so ridiculously strong and solidly built that it was difficult to stab their fatal points unless there was a distraction—

A loud cry was heard. The same phoenix that stayed by Long'Er's side flew past him, its beautiful, long wings once again engulfed in flames. The bird struck the creature across its face, burning the flesh and blinding its eyes temporarily.

There was his chance.

He slashed the legs, immobilising them and causing the giant beast to fall to the grounds. When he tried to attack another time, the Wandering Ghoul grabbed his sword with its bare hand. Snarling angrily in his face. He twisted his sword and thrust it deep into its chest, piercing through its heart. A thunderous roar of pain echoed through the trees before the Wandering Ghoul crumbled to eternal slumber.

Snarls came from behind. When his head snapped to the side, he witnessed one of the walking corpses reaching for him, but only to have its head sliced off his neck clean. Rolling into the sod of the earth.

A warm hand grabbed his wrist, pulling him along as they both ran off.

"We got to go!" Long'Er told him breathlessly. "Our commotion has awakened more undead in the area."

He glanced around and realised she was right. There were several more pairs of bloodthirsty red eyes watching them from the shadows. Chasing after their tails.

"Why are they being so persistent?" he grumbled, gripping her hand tightly. "I hope I don't see a headless person chasing after us. Now that will make me scream like a girl."

A laugh was caught in her throat. Considering all the madness that he had experienced today and their lives being threatened, she probably didn't expect him to have the energy to crack a joke in the middle of their escape.

"If that really happens, Your Highness, I'll be certain to tell everyone."

"Now, now. What is that supposed to mean? I thought you were always on my side? Don't become a bully."

"Who's the one who has been teasing me the entire time?!"

She shook her fist at him in disbelief, which made him emit a light chuckle.

They descended the mountain, with the phoenix soaring ahead of them to guide the way out of this wretched place. Even though they were nearing the foot of the hill, Li Xun's face remained knotted in a mixture of concern and anxiety.

"What if they follow us out of this place? Will they attack the nearby villages?"

Long'Er glanced back and squeezed his hand in an attempt to dispel his fears. "Don't worry, the fog has already cleared up. I reckoned that the dark energy was mixed in it before, thus allowing the undead to roam on the hill this long. As for the remaining ones which the witch has just conjured, I bet my godmother will do something about it."