As the night grew deeper, the crowd slowly began to settle down.
The earlier panic had faded into quiet exhaustion, and people started sitting in small groups with their families. Some brought out the food they had managed to carry, while others simply rested, too tired to even eat.
Small fires burned here and there, lighting up the dark forest just enough to keep the cold away.
Not far from the others, we gathered at a quiet corner.
Uncle Han and his family sat together with us, while Yan Mo remained slightly to the side, silent as always.
Han Jun quickly gathered dry sticks and arranged them neatly before lighting a small fire. The flames rose steadily, casting a warm glow over everyone's faces.
Liu Muyan opened one of the bundles and began to take out the buns she had packed earlier.
"There's not much," she said softly, "but it should be enough for tonight."
She carefully handed them out one by one.
Aunt Han took one and passed it to Han Xiao first before taking one for herself. Han Mei and Han Jun also accepted theirs quietly.
Even Han Li, though still silent, took one without complaining.
Liu Ruyan leaned back slightly, eating slowly but keeping her eyes alert.
I took mine and ate without saying anything.
The taste was plain, but at least it filled the stomach.
Not long after, footsteps approached.
Zhang Lei and the others came over, each of them now with their wives and children.
They sat down near us, forming a small group.
Zhang Lei looked at me first. "Master… what should we do next?"
Chen Guo nodded. "We can't just stay like this forever."
Wang Bao scratched his head. "If we follow the others, we'll probably just wander around."
Li Shan remained quiet, but his eyes were on me.
Everyone seemed to be waiting for my answer.
I swallowed the last of my food before speaking calmly.
"I'm heading east."
They froze for a moment.
"East?" Zhang Lei repeated.
I nodded. "The east side of the San Forest."
Chen Guo frowned slightly. "Why there?"
I looked at the fire for a second before answering.
"Because staying with the crowd will only slow us down."
The group fell silent.
I continued, my voice steady.
"They will hesitate. They will argue. They will wait for someone to make decisions for them."
I lifted my gaze.
"If you follow them, you will keep wasting time."
Wang Bao shifted slightly. "Then… you're not going with them?"
I shook my head.
"No."
My answer was simple.
Clear.
"I'm not following anyone."
The fire crackled softly between us.
No one spoke for a moment.
They all understood what I meant.
Zhang Lei was the first to react.
"Then we'll follow you," he said immediately.
Chen Guo nodded. "Same here."
Wang Bao let out a breath. "At least with you, we know we won't sit around doing nothing."
Li Shan finally spoke. "We move when you move."
I did not respond immediately.
Instead, I looked at them one by one.
Then I gave a small nod.
"Rest tonight," I said. "We leave at first light."
They all nodded.
Beside me, Liu Muyan looked worried but did not object.
Liu Ruyan crossed her arms, but there was no disagreement in her eyes.
Uncle Han sighed quietly but said nothing.
The fire crackled softly between us, and for a moment, everything felt calm.
Then Yan Mo spoke.
His voice was low, but clear enough for everyone to hear.
"Following Wu Lian is the safer choice."
The words fell into the quiet like a stone.
Everyone turned to look at him.
I slowly lifted my gaze and met his eyes.
He did not look away.
"She understands the situation better," he continued. "The villagers already trust her. If we stay together, we have a better chance."
I let out a small breath.
"So you want to follow her?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied without hesitation.
His answer was direct.
Firm.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Zhang Lei frowned slightly, clearly unhappy, but he did not interrupt.
I looked at Yan Mo calmly.
"And what exactly is her plan?" I asked. "Stay here, wait, and hope something changes?"
"She is trying to stabilize the people," he said. "That is better than rushing into danger without a clear path."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Or maybe she just doesn't know what to do either."
His brows tightened a little.
Before he could reply, a soft whisper came from the side.
Han Li leaned closer to Han Mei and spoke quietly, but not quietly enough.
"It's obvious why he's defending her," she said. "They were a thing before this marriage."
Han Mei looked surprised. "What?"
Han Li continued, her tone low but sharp. "Everyone in the village knew. If not for this fatty witch forcing the marriage, he would have ended up with Wu Lian."
The words spread faster than they should have.
Even in a whisper, they were heard.
The air shifted.
Before I could react, Yan Mo suddenly stood up.
His expression had turned cold.
"Watch your words," he said sharply.
Han Li froze.
"I— I was just saying—"
"You talk too much," he cut in, his voice firm and rude.
The sharpness in his tone made her step back slightly.
Han Mei quickly pulled her sister's arm. "Enough, don't say anything more."
Silence fell again.
Everyone felt the tension.
I watched everything quietly.
Then I let out a small breath.
"So," I said calmly, "you think staying with her is better."
Yan Mo looked at me again.
"Yes."
I nodded slowly.
"Then you can stay."
The words were simple as I also stood up from where I was seated, facing him.
"I'm not stopping you."
For a brief moment, his expression changed.
But I did not wait.
I shifted my gaze away.
"I've already made my decision," I said. "I'm going east at first light."
My words fell heavily into the quiet, and for a moment, no one reacted.
Then suddenly, everyone stood up at once.
"Yanyu!"
Liu Muyan quickly grabbed my hand, her grip tight as she looked at me with worry. "What are you saying? You can't just leave like this."
Yan Mo also stood, his eyes fixed on me, disbelief clear on his face.
"You're serious?" he asked.
I looked at him calmly.
"Yes."
Liu Muyan shook her head, her voice filled with concern. "You two are married now. You shouldn't separate like this. Whatever it is, you should face it together."
I glanced at her, then back at Yan Mo.
Together?
I almost laughed.
I didn't even like him.
From the moment I saw him, all I felt was that he was good looking.. I thought he would be a quiet and sensible type but he's actually full of himself.
And now, in front of everyone, he was openly supporting another woman instead of standing with his own wife.
Ridiculous.
I pulled my hand slightly, though Liu Muyan still held on.
"I'm not forcing anyone," I said calmly. "He can go wherever he wants."
Yan Mo's expression turned colder.
He took a step closer, his voice firm.
"Don't try to emotionally blackmail me."
The words were sharp.
The air grew tense again.
Zhang Lei frowned deeply. "What are you saying?"
Chen Guo's expression darkened. "Master didn't even say anything like that."
Wang Bao shook his head. "You're the one choosing to follow someone else."
Li Shan remained quiet, but his gaze was cold.
Liu Ruyan crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "If you want to leave, then leave. No one is stopping you."
Yan Mo did not look at them.
His eyes stayed on me.
Waiting.
But I didn't react.
I simply met his gaze calmly.
"There's nothing to talk about," I said.
My voice was steady.
"You've made your choice."
A brief silence followed.
The fire crackled softly between us.
Then I turned away.
"Rest well tonight," I said. "At dawn, we go our separate ways."