Wu Lian did not stop running until her legs could no longer keep up with her fear.
She pushed forward through the forest, her breathing uneven and her steps unsteady, while Wu Huan stayed close beside her, holding her arm and urging her to keep moving.
A few villagers followed behind them, their faces pale and filled with panic as they tried to escape what they had just witnessed.
No one dared to look back.
They only ran.
After a long while, their pace began to slow as exhaustion finally caught up with them. One by one, they came to a stop, bending over as they struggled to breathe, their bodies trembling from both fear and fatigue.
"We… we should be far enough now…" someone said weakly, trying to steady their voice.
Wu Lian stopped as well.
Her chest rose and fell heavily as she turned her head slightly, looking in the direction they had come from, but the river bank was no longer in sight.
They had escaped.
For now.
The silence that followed was heavy and uncomfortable, as if everyone was waiting for something, but no one knew what to say.
Then suddenly, a woman's voice broke through the quiet.
"My child… where is my child?!"
Her voice trembled as she looked around wildly, her eyes filled with panic.
Another voice followed quickly.
"My husband… he didn't come out with us… he was still there!"
"I can't find my brother… he was right behind me!"
The calm that had just settled disappeared instantly as fear returned, this time mixed with grief and confusion.
People began to look around desperately, calling out names, hoping to hear familiar voices in return, but there was nothing.
No answers.
Only silence.
Some people dropped to the ground as tears filled their eyes, while others covered their faces, unable to hold back their cries any longer.
The group that had escaped was no longer complete.
They had left people behind.
A few of them slowly turned to Wu Lian, their expressions filled with desperation and confusion as they searched for answers.
"Miss Wu… what do we do now?" one of them asked, his voice shaking.
"You said this place was safe… what are we supposed to do now?" another added, unable to hide the fear in his tone.
Their trust had not disappeared yet, but it was no longer as strong as before.
Wu Lian stood still among them.
Her face had lost its earlier confidence, but she did not show panic. Instead, she forced herself to remain steady, even as the situation slipped out of her control.
For a moment, she did not speak.
Then slowly, she lifted her head.
"We move forward," she said.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
The people around her froze, her words sinking in slowly.
"Move forward…?" someone repeated, unable to believe what they had just heard.
Wu Lian continued as if nothing was wrong.
"We cannot go back," she said. "If we return now, we might lose even more lives."
Her gaze remained steady, though there was a faint tension in her eyes.
"The best thing we can do is keep moving and find another place to settle."
A woman shook her head as tears streamed down her face.
"But… our families are still there… how can we just leave them?"
Wu Lian did not answer immediately.
When she finally spoke again, her voice was firm.
"Those who could not escape… that is their fate."
The words fell heavily.
No one moved or even spoke out of shock and realization.
Shock spread across their faces as they stared at her, unable to accept what she had just said.
Even Wu Huan turned to look at her, his expression filled with disbelief, as if he had not expected her to speak so coldly.
But Wu Lian did not change her stance.
"If we want to survive, we have to keep going," she continued. "Standing here and crying will not save anyone."
Her voice remained steady.
But this time—
The people no longer looked at her the same way.
The trust they had given her so easily…
Was beginning to break.
But just then my voice broke the lingering silence.
The air was still heavy with grief when I spoke.
"So those are the words of a so-called leader."
My voice was calm, but it carried clearly, and the moment it reached them, everyone turned at once.
Their eyes landed on me.
Some looked shocked.
Some looked relieved.
And some looked at me as if I was their last hope.
Wu Lian and Wu Huan both froze when they saw me, and the surprise on their faces was obvious.
Wu Lian stepped forward, her brows tightening as she stared at me.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
Her tone carried both confusion and irritation.
I did not answer her immediately.
Instead, I walked forward slowly, my steps steady as I looked at the crowd around her, taking in their pale faces, their tears, and the fear that had not yet faded.
Then I looked back at her.
"What am I doing here?" I repeated calmly. "You should be the one answering that."
My voice remained steady as I continued, "You brought them here, and you told them this place was safe."
I paused slightly before adding, "Now everything has gone wrong, and your solution is to leave people behind and call it fate."
The crowd fell silent.
Wu Lian's expression tightened.
"You don't understand the situation," she said. "We had no choice."
I looked at her without changing my expression.
"If you had no plan, then you should not have led them here," I replied.
My tone was calm, but firm.
The people around us lowered their heads, while others looked between the two of us, and I could see it clearly—
They were starting to understand.
I shifted my gaze to the villagers.
"The people you left behind are still alive," I said.
The reaction was immediate.
"Alive?"
"They are still alive?"
"Where are they?"
Their voices were filled with urgency as hope returned to their faces.
I did not rush as I answered.
"They are trapped," I said. "But they can still be saved if we move now."
The crowd began to stir again, but this time it was not fear that moved them.
It was purpose.
I looked at them steadily.
"If you want to save them, then follow me."
My voice was clear.
This time, no one laughed or doubted me.
Because now they had seen the difference for themselves.