We Are A Team

Xianyu, her eyes glinting with fierce determination, nodded.

The flying machine dipped silently toward the clearing. As planned, Ye Simming and Xianyu launched a surprise attack. Ye Simming, a blur of motion, sliced through the attackers with his blade, while Xianyu weaved through them, her daggers flashing like deadly silver serpents.

Chujiu activated her invisibility and became a silent predator. She focused on taking down the isolated ones on the fringes of the fight. A swift movement, a well-placed blow, and an assassin crumpled to the ground, their eyes wide with shock.

The remaining assassins, thrown into confusion by the sudden attack and the unseen blows, fought back desperately. One of them, a burly man with a cruel glint in his eyes, lunged at Ye Simming, his axe swinging down with brutal force.

Ye Simming barely managed to deflect the blow, the impact sending him staggering back. He glanced around, searching for an opening, when another figure materialised behind him, a black-clad arm raised high, holding a wicked-looking dagger.

Reacting instinctively, Xianyu leaped forward, pushing Ye Simming out of the way. The dagger plunged deep into her shoulder, a scream ripping from her throat.

Fury surged through Chujiu. Ignoring the remaining assassins, she focused entirely on the one who had injured Xianyu. Disappearing into the shadows, she materialised behind him, her fist a blur of motion. With one slash, she beheaded him.

The remaining attackers, their resolve shattered by the sudden incapacitation of their leader, faltered. They looked around in panic, their movements sluggish and hesitant.

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Simming unleashed a powerful energy blast, sending shockwaves through the clearing. The remaining assassins, overwhelmed and demoralised, soon fallen dead.

Chujiu deactivated her invisibility and rushed to Xianyu's side. Xianyu, pale but conscious, gritted her teeth against the pain.

"Xianyu!" Ye Simming exclaimed, kneeling beside her. "Are you alright?"

Xianyu winced but managed a weak smile. "I am fine."

Ye Simming looked at her with a mixture of relief and concern. "You shouldn't have jumped in front of me."

"We are a team." Xianyu said softly. 

She fainted from pain.

Chujiu, her brow furrowed in worry, examined the wound. "It's not too deep, but it needs attention. We need to get back to the camp."

Ye Simming helped Xianyu onto the flying machine, his face grim. "Let's go."

As they flew away from the clearing, the weight of the situation settled on them like a heavy cloak. They had eliminated seven assassin groups and learned about the red.

Inside the flying machine, the atmosphere was tense. Xianyu lay pale on a makeshift bed of soft furs, her hand clutching her injured shoulder. Ye Simming, his face etched with worry, kept glancing at her.Ye Simming fed her a pill before when they got on to the flying machine.Bai Xinyu is awake now."Hold on, Xianyu," Chujiu said gently, rummaging through her storage ring. "I have something that will help."She retrieved two small pills, their contents glowing with a faint green light. "This first one will stop the bleeding," she explained. "It's a blood clotting pill."Xianyu nodded weakly, her lips pressed into a thin line. Chujiu carefully poured the pill into her mouth, followed by a small sip of water."This other one is for the pain," Chujiu continued, holding up the second pill. "It won't heal the wound completely, but it should ease the discomfort."Xianyu grimaced as she swallowed the pain-relieving pill. As the effects kicked in, a wave of relief washed over her face. "Thank you, Chujiu," she whispered, her voice stronger."Don't worry about it," Chujiu replied, a reassuring smile playing on her lips. Ye Simming offered Xianyu a small, encouraging smile. "Just rest, Xianyu. We'll get you back to the camp and get you properly treated."Night had fallen by the time they reached the campsite. The Ye brothers and sisters huddled together, anxiety etched on their faces. When they saw the flying machine approaching, a collective sigh of relief swept through the group.As the machine landed softly, Chujiu and Ye Simming emerged from the machine, their faces etched with fatigue but their eyes gleaming with determination.Ye Zhi rushed forward, her eyes searching for her brother. "Brother!" she exclaimed, she threw herself into Ye Simming's arms.Ye Simming hugged her. "Hey, I'm okay."Bai Xue rushed forward and saw her sister's face is pale."Sister Xinyu what happened to you?"Chujiu answered her, "she is injured in the fight, nothing to worry. She will get fine in 2-3 days."Ye Zhi and Ye Ning helped her down from the flying machine. Ye Ning examined her wound briefly, her brow furrowing slightly. "Looks like it isn't too bad. Did Chujiu treat it?"Xianyu nodded. "She gave me some pills. They worked really well."Ye Yuan, the eldest brother, approached them, his voice filled with concern. "What happened? Are you alright?"Chujiu took a deep breath. "We encountered seven groups of assassins. Thanks to Xianyu's quick thinking and Ye Simming's skills, we managed to eliminate them all."A collective gasp filled the air. Seven groups? The news was staggering."But…" Chujiu continued, her voice dropping slightly, "Xianyu got injured during the last fight."Seeing that Bai Xue is worried about her, Xianyu reached up and touched her bandaged shoulder, a wince crossing her face. "It's just a flesh wound. It stings a bit, but I'll be fine."Ye Ning, looked at Chujiu with wide eyes. "And you? Did you get hurt?"Chujiu shook her head. "Just a few scrapes and bruises. We all patched ourselves up with some basic healing pills."Relief washed over the Ye brothers and sisters. They ushered Chujiu and her team into the camp, offering them food, water, and a place to rest.As they settled around the fire, Chujiu recounted their harrowing encounters with the assassins. The others listened intently, their faces grim."They all have red cards," Chujiu concluded, holding up one they had collected from the fallen attackers. "That is how they bypassed the festival array."A tense silence followed. The implications were clear. Someone from within the festival was working with the assassins."We need to warn the others," Ye Yuan said finally, his voice filled with determination. "We can't let them fall victim to these attackers."