"Wait!" Ruhan stepped forward slowly, voice calm so he wouldn't alarm the bandit.
The bandit hesitated for a moment, though his hand remained tight on Xiao Zhi's neck.
"Listen to me!" Ruhan's tone shifted, cautious but firm. He could not see clearly in the dark, but he knew the man had Xiao Zhi's life in his grip. "You can take everything you want," He started to negotiate, "Food, horses, supplies, everything! Just let her go." He stepped slightly forward, hands raised in a gesture of peace, showing that he meant no harm to the man with the knife.
"It's your fault! We warned you we would leave you alone, yet your soldier attacked us!" the bandit snapped, tightening his grip on Xiao Zhi.
"Alright, I'm sorry about that," Ruhan said, stepping closer, hands open in a calm but deliberate display of control. "But trust me, you do not want to hurt her."
The bandit tilted his head. "Try me!"
"This lady is not only the princess of Hua," Ruhan said steadily, "but she is also the fiancée of the Tughril Grand Prince. Kill her, and both Tughril and Hua will hunt you to the ends of the desert. Leave her, and you walk away rich. It's your choice."
At the mention of Tughril, the bandit leader hesitated. A flicker of fear flashed in his eyes. Hua soldiers were formidable, yes, but Tughril's men were known for their ferocity and skill. He and his men would not escape if he angered them.
"You're speaking empty threat," the bandit leader said, voice hardening as he regained composure. "We could take her, and nothing would stop us." He tried to hide his fear.
Ruhan's dark eyes locked onto him, sharp as steel. "Try," he said softly. "See how far your ego gets you before it kills you. I am not bluffing."
The bandit leader knew he had no leverage this time. The life of a stranger wasn't worth losing his own head. He looked around and saw several of his men already injured by just one Tughril soldier. He couldn't imagine what would happen if an entire army came after them.
With a deep sigh, he admitted defeat and gave a signal to the man holding Xiao Zhi. The grip on her throat loosened slightly.
Duran stepped forward, his sword glinting faintly in the moonlight, ready to strike at the first wrong move. One mistake, and the bandit would be dead before he could even blink.
Ruhan's hand shot up, a silent command to hold. Duran hesitated but obeyed, trusting Ruhan's calm control.
"Let her go. We'll take everything!" the bandit leader ordered.
The man obeyed, shoving Xiao Zhi forward. She stumbled, and before she could fall, Ruhan caught her firmly. Her heart pounded against his chest, her breath quick and uneven.
Ruhan's eyes flicked to the water pouch that the bandit had thrown on the ground earlier. While the bandits were distracted, he subtly reached down and tucked the pouch into his robe, unseen by anyone. They watched in silence as the bandits mounted their horses and rode off into the darkness, taking the carriage and all their belongings with them. The only sound left was the wind sweeping across the sand.
"Careful," Ruhan muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows and making sure they disappeared completely. "Don't move too quickly. Stay close."
"They've taken everything," Duran muttered, wiping blood from his blade.
"We'll manage on foot. There's no other choice," Ruhan said, his voice remaining steady and calm.
Xiao Zhi couldn't understand where his courage and composure came from. Her heart nearly jumped out of her chest from the chaos that had just unfolded before her eyes. The scenes she thought she would only ever see in movies. Yet Ruhan stood there, calm and certain, as if he had known all along that they would survive.
Xiao Zhi felt her stomach twist at the thought of what would come for them. Now they had to cross the desert with no water, no horses, no supplies. Survival would demand every ounce of strength and wit. She wanted to scream, to curse, even to cry. But she knew it would change nothing.
For the rest of the night, they camped beside a large, solitary rock, its broad shadow offering some shelter from the cold desert wind. They could travel no further. The chill in the air and the exhaustion from the earlier attack left them drained.
Duran managed to build a small fire from splintered wood and what little dry brush they could find. No food. Barely any water. Just the cold, unyielding desert night.
"You could have left me," Xiao Zhi said hoarsely, her voice barely above the crackle of the fire.
Ruhan glanced at her, pale-faced but composed. "And go where? Without you, I can't return to Tughril. And I won't abandon you here."
She swallowed, staring into the fire, wishing she had memorized every part of the story, every detail. She was pretty sure Lin Rui, the author, would be laughing right now if he knew what she was going through. Was this karma for mocking the novel before even reading it?
Even if she had read it, could she really survive? The story promised cruelty, and she knew that foresight alone could not guarantee safety. She had tried before and failed.
Ruhan crouched beside her, lowering his voice. "I'm here. I won't let anything happen to you tonight."
Xiao Zhi wanted to say something. Maybe a thank you for keeping her safe tonight, but the desert air left her throat raw, leaving only a slow nod. She pressed herself closer to the corner, feeling the faint warmth of Ruhan's presence beside her.
Minutes passed in silence. Ruhan shifted slightly, placing a protective arm across Xiao Zhi's shoulder. Xiao Zhi was taken aback for a moment by the sudden gesture.
"Do you feel cold?" he asked quietly.
"I… I'm fine," she whispered, shivering.
Ruhan glanced toward Duran, then back at her. "Stay close." He shifted even closer. "The fire is small. We have to keep close to stay warm."
Xiao Zhi understood. She nodded and let Ruhan remain beside her.
"T-thank you for not leaving me," she finally said. "I know you're just doing that out of duty. But still, thank you."
Ruhan didn't say a word, just smiled softly at her rare gratitude.
"Why are you always so calm?" she asked again. "It's like you always know what's going to happen."
"Panicking won't help us," he replied casually.
Xiao Zhi allowed herself to press herself closer, her heart still racing. Somehow, in the middle of this frozen desert night, with danger still lingering in every shadow, she felt… safe.