Chapter 31: Memorial (Part Two)

Chapter 31: Memorial (Part Two)

Amidst the thicket and mountain slopes, corpses littered the ground like a chaotic graveyard. Yet, amidst this sea of bodies, one figure stood tall and unwavering.

Amidst billowing clouds, a silver-black hairpin held up his lustrous black tresses that danced against the icy gales. Amidst the surroundings drenched in blood, not a single drop stained his dark robes. In his hand, he held a long sword, from which blood droplets fell one by one, resembling raindrops in slow motion.

Ticking... Ticking...

Before him, amidst the sprawl of corpses, three Black-Clothed Assailants were still alive, their bodies quivering violently like shaken grains in a sieve.

Her legs weakened, causing her to stagger backward.

The reflective great blade she held felt as if it was slipping from her grasp.

"Devil, you're a devil!"

Among the trio, the one in the middle, struck with terror, cried out and attempted to flee, only to be pierced by a swift sword, blood gushing instantaneously.

The other two were already frozen in fear, their minds solely focused on escape - if they could flee from this devil they referred to, they believed they might survive.

"Devil?"

Chill, this person's voice was colder than the winter snow, colder than the biting wind that swept across their faces.

So icy cold, Su Rao thought of someone, Han Mo Chen.

Was it him?

"Yes, a devil," he muttered, his tone frosty.

The two fleeing figures were now severed in two, their leader's head rolling away, blood spilling, yet not a single drop touched him. His surroundings were as frigid as an ice cave, with a palpable thirst for blood seething within him.

It seemed he was barely holding back.

This scene made Su Rao's eyes narrow, and Yi Su inadvertently let out a breath, drawing the man's sudden attention. At the same time, a silver projectile streaked through the air, hurtling towards the tree they were hiding behind.

Startled, Su Rao's face transformed, and she swiftly pulled Yi Su to safety. With quick steps and a contorted body movement, she spun around.

They avoided the projectile that pierced through the tree in front of them, but it still grazed her neck, tearing a long slit in her vibrant red cloak.

The projectile pierced through the tree behind her, continuing its trajectory through three more before finally embedding itself.

With such force, Yi Su would undoubtedly meet her demise if it struck her.

Su Rao's heart trembled with each layer of realization.

"Miss..."

Yi Su swallowed hard, mirroring her reaction.

Su Rao shook her head, assuring them both that she was unharmed.

Her gaze fell forward.

That familiar mask, yet now the pair of slender phoenix eyes beneath it were bloodshot, completely reddening the whites of his eyes.

"Han...Mo...Chen..."

A muffled groan escaped, and Su Rao's eyes filled with renewed fear. She knew this man was a ruthless killer, but seeing him now, feeling his presence so intimately, she realized just how reckless she had been two years ago to provoke such a deadly encounter.

Su Rao's voice was barely audible, yet Han Mochen seemed to have heard it. The bloodshot gaze in his eyes dimmed slightly, but the ferocious aura around him remained undiminished.

He stepped forward and approached them.

A cold, bloodthirsty gust of wind blew against Su Rao's face.

"Miss..."

Yi Su tensed up, her nerves on edge.

Su Rao was also vigilant, but she didn't exaggerate her fear as Yi Su did.

Han Mochen stopped three meters away, his gaze landing first on the torn, crimson cloak that exposed Su Rao's skin, then shifting to her face.

Despite being well-covered, her cheeks still held a faint blush from the chilly wind. Her bright, almond-shaped eyes showed no fear at the sight of his ruthless killing, nor did they carry any hostility after the near-death experience. She remained calm, just like that first encounter on that fateful night.

"You, this maid, have failed the test. Had I not recognized you earlier, or if someone else were in my place, your head would now be severed from your body."

His icy words were directed at Yi Su for a brief moment.

Yi Su suddenly felt as if she had plummeted into an abyss of icy pillars, the chill numbing her body to the point of immobility.

"A servant like that would only be a burden. If she were mine, there would be no need for her existence."

Yet, a faint smile graced Su Rao's face. She shifted slightly, blocking Han Mochen's view. "But she is mine. In my heart, she is not merely a servant but someone I vowed to protect."

Han Mochen's unreadable eyes seemed to stir, as if a ripple had formed, or perhaps it was just an illusion.

After a brief pause, he spoke again:

"If you desire, I can gift you someone who can protect you."

Without hesitation, Su Rao shook her head.

She declined.

"I am capable of protecting myself. There is no need, but thank you all the same."

And with that, Han Mochen departed.

"The blood will be cleaned up, and if you want to meet Xiao and Yao, you can wait here. If not, then leave."

Xiao and Yao were the two major protectors under Han Molun's command.

Su Rao took Yi Su with her as they left. Her relationship with Han Molun was merely a collaboration, and she didn't wish to involve herself in his world. A man like him, drenched in blood, would undoubtedly be surrounded by violence every day. Such a gruesome scene was not something she wanted to risk her precious life for.

"Miss..." Even after leaving the hill, Yi Su still felt lingering fear. Cold sweat continued to seep through her palms. "Working with such cold-blooded killers is no different from making deals with tigers."

"But we have no other choice," Su Rao said calmly, though the turmoil within her was no less than Yi Su's.

In her fifteen years of existence, this was only the second time she had witnessed such a gory sight. The first was an unforgettable massacre that occurred when she was young.

Today marked the second encounter. The corpses, severed limbs, blood-stained snow, and the piercing sight of crimson eyes all left her fingers trembling beneath her sleeves.

Back at the courtyard, a warm cup of tea helped to calm her nerves. As she met Yi Su's gaze once more, they decided not to inform Qin Niang. In just a short morning, as Han Molun had said, if not for him, they might have lost their lives or been severely injured.

That night, the image of raging flames returned to haunt Su Rao's mind. The burning Eastern Palace, her mother's reluctant gaze being devoured bit by bit, her father's loving face turning red with blood, and the crimson flow from the city walls rushing like rivers, staining the pure white snow. Limbs and remains were so abundant that one could only trample over them, leaving their bodies and feet covered in an indelible crimson stain.

No matter how she scrubbed, it seemed ingrained into her skin, persistent through every wash. Her hands reddened and bled, yet the stain remained, for it was deeply etched in her mind, in her bones, taking root and sprouting into a colossal crimson tree that stretched to the heavens, its roots sinking deep into the earth for thousands of miles.

"Mother Empress, Father King, Rao Rao is so scared, truly, terribly scared."

Her eyes were tightly shut, brows knitted together, beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. Tears mingled with her cascading ink-black tresses spread across the pillow. Clutching the bedclothes with all her might, her fingertips turned pale from the strain.

It was that haunting, recurring memory.

Rao Rao, run, run as far as you can, survive, promise Father King and Mother Empress that you'll live. Forget your identity and live well, don't seek revenge, don't let hatred consume you. Father King and Mother Empress only want you alive, living safely and peacefully.

"Father King, Mother Consort..."

A tear rolled down the corner of her eye once more. In the darkness, a hand reached out and gently wiped away that glistening droplet.

Startled, Su Rao abruptly opened her eyes.

A profound and eerie presence emerged, tinged with a hint of murderous intent.

"It's me."

A chill in the air.

Su Rao extended her hand, only to retract it swiftly.

The moon was exceptionally bright that night, casting a silver glow. Her gaze fixated on the silver-black mask, and with a breath, her delicate brows knitted lightly.

Her heart trembled.

For someone to approach her so stealthily in the dead of night, and she hadn't sensed a thing. If this person harbored murderous intentions, would she have already...

Without lighting a lamp, Han Modun sat down by the bed, observing Su Rao intently.

"I thought you weren't afraid. Seems like I was wrong. You're still frightened."

Su Rao leaned back, wiping the sweat from her forehead. With a light chuckle, she replied, "Then it seems I won't be an exception to you, Han Modun, for much longer. I've just realized that partnering with you might be the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life, and now there's no turning back."

Such a candid confession.

A faint curve graced Han Mu Chen's lips, but in the moonlit night, it was barely discernible and vanished in the blink of an eye.