Ren Miao woke up to find that the group around the Prince of Qi had already left, and even the villagers had disappeared.
Feeling weak and dizzy from hunger, he found a steamed bun in the kitchen and ate it with cold water. After brushing off the crumbs, he went to the courtyard to lead his horse, preparing to chase towards Kuang Feng County. Suddenly, his heart stirred.
It was an indescribable feeling, like a premonition or an inexplicable vibration pulling him by an invisible thread.
He suspiciously turned and hesitantly walked a few steps into the village. Just as he passed the courtyard, he saw a child shorter than his leg emerge from behind a house.
The child was startled upon seeing him, then panicked and ran away.
Had he not run, it would have been fine, but his running revealed a guilty conscience. Ren Miao’s skills were indeed faster than Yan Xiaohan’s. He casually picked up a small stone from the ground, flicked it with his fingertip. With a “whoosh” sound, the stone hit the child’s knee, causing him to fall face-first into the dirt.
Ren Miao pulled out the fire poker he was skilled at using, lifted the child with it, and hung him in the air, saying: “Why are you running?”
The child trembled. Ren Miao smiled and said: “Tell me, why do you look at me like you’ve seen a ghost? What guilty deed have you done?”
The child couldn’t speak, quickly filling with tears, looking pitiful. However, the iron-hearted man was completely unmoved.
Seeing the child remain silent, he carried him to a nearby well and hung him over the opening: “Won’t talk? Then stay down there. Anyway, no one’s in the village now, and by the time they return, you’ll probably be soaked…”
The child stared blankly, then looked down at the dark well mouth and burst into tears.
Ren Miao said satisfactorily: “Now you’re good? Where did everyone go? Show me the way.”
The child continued to cry silently. The child led him to a house while sobbing.
Ren Miao threw the child from the fire poker and measured the lock, then without warning, struck with the poker. A sharp wind accompanied a thunderous sound – the brass lock and half the door were smashed to pieces.
