"Brother Jing has yet to return; could it be that he got entangled in the preceding chaos?" Long Tao's fretful concern for Sun Jing spilled out as he shared his worries with Hao Ren. Hao Ren, with a solemn shake of his head, yearned for Sun Jing's safe return.
Curiously scanning their surroundings, Long Tao noticed an absence—Sun Ming was nowhere to be found. "Where's Sun Ming?" Long Tao blurted out, his anxiety escalating. Sun Teng, with a calm reassurance, saying, "Fear not, he mounted his steed, the red bull, and journeyed back to the village to assess the situation." Sun Teng had been informed of Sun Ming's intentions beforehand.
"Sun Ming fears that the stranger may have wrought havoc upon the forest," Sun Teng elucidated, sharing the underlying motive behind Sun Ming's departure. Long Tao's countenance darkened upon hearing this, desperately hoping that the worst-case scenario would not unfold.