Chapter 25: Second Watch “Let’s go together. You want me, and I want you…”

Chapter 25, Second Watch: "Let's go together. You need me, and I need you..."

In front of the ruins, Lin Ye used his martial arts energy to whisper covertly to Xue Li: "Can we escape?"

The girl standing in front of him had her hair flutter against her face, and her ears perked up slightly.

Of course, they could.

Xue Li had always been averse to using martial arts.

The black-clad men surrounding them were proficient in martial arts, but not among the elite.

Xue Li quickly evaluated the odds: killing them all was possible, but it would be far too draining. She had never been fond of hard work.

So, taking advantage of the black-clad men's sluggish response to the current situation, Lin Ye sprang to his feet. At the same time, Xue Li moved, her dagger slashing across the throat of the closest black-clad man as she whirled backward in a sweeping motion.

Xue Li happened to grab Lin Ye as he rose.

Lin Ye, at this moment, was experiencing erratic strength due to the impact of his martial arts energy, each exertion draining a significant amount of it. Fortunately, the person standing by his side was likely a top-tier martial arts expert. Xue Li gently patted his back, directly employing her qinggong to help Lin Ye melt into the shadows.

The flames surged behind them, and the black-clad men finally responded belatedly: "Chase them."

--

Xue Li led Lin Ye, following the direction she had already scouted, navigating through the inferno, leaving the market, and dashing through the wilds and forests.

Their pursuers were relentless.

Lin Ye remained vigilant, occasionally probing Xue Li with veiled questions: "It's so dangerous to go with me. Why are you still following me despite the danger?"

There was only one main road leading away from the Huanchuan market. Before the fork, the road would split towards Guangzhou and Luzhou. Before that, Xue Li and Lin Ye had been heading in the same direction.

Xue Li wasn't as analytical as Lin Ye.

She simply replied, "It's so dangerous, good thing I came."

Lin Ye was momentarily stunned.

Lin Ye, aided by the girl, sailed through the icy gusts. As he alighted on a tree limb, he glanced at the girl beside him, his heart torn between pain and a sudden flutter.

Heartbeats are not all the same.

Sometimes, the pain is too prolonged, making it hard to discern why the heart races.

Lin Ye couldn't tell. But he couldn't help feeling dazed, admiring his wise decision to buy that bag of "fragrant candies" tonight.

There was such a strange girl in the world... a bag of broken, discarded candies could make her favor him.

As Lin Ye hurried along, his heart felt soft and warm.

He had always been an unabashed rogue, believing that no matter how others treated him, it was all deserved, a result of his own excellence.

But Xue Li was different.

When he didn't know she was a fake Dong Jun, he treated her well with ulterior motives; after he found out she was fake, he treated her well out of lust.

He felt genuinely ashamed.

Young Master Lin rarely felt shame, but when it surged, it was sincere.

On the desperate path through the wilderness, with pursuers potentially catching up at any moment, Lin Ye, still harboring a naive sense of guilt, suggested to Xue Li, "Why don't you leave me and escape? I've already escaped the most dangerous situation. I'll figure out the rest myself."

Xue Li glanced at the dried bloodstains on his eyelashes and the blood seeping from the torn fabric of his sleeve.

He was losing a lot of blood.

Yet, despite his pale complexion from blood loss, he could still stay lively, using his lightness skill to travel alongside her with her internal energy assistance.

He certainly wasn't the "sickly and weak" young master mentioned in the intel.

However, Xue Li wasn't concerned about why he was in this state.

From a martial artist's perspective, Xue Li could see that his wounds were numerous yet non-lethal. Yet, the leader she faced tonight was extremely cruel, targeting her vital points with every strike, determined to kill her.

Why?

Why was she marked for death, while the young master was not?

She didn't have a sign around her neck or head identifying her as the "Snow Girl," and the leader didn't know who she was until she killed him.

So why the favoritism?

Just like how Chun Jun only spoke to Song Wanfeng and paid her no mind; how her master discussed matters with Song Wanfeng but remained silent towards her.

Perhaps Yu Long was her enduring obsession, though Xue Li herself didn't realize it. The young girl, who cared little for others, now posed a question simply because Lin Ye's injuries were numerous yet non-lethal.

Lin Ye was startled by her words.

He wavered between truth and lies, but as he looked up and saw the lush vegetation swiftly passing by, the girl gliding through the wind with clear, empty eyes, her face turned towards him in focus.

His heart ached with emptiness.

Lin Ye told the truth: "Because they want my blood. Emperor Xuanming of Northern Zhou wants my blood before I reach Bianliang, to confirm whether Southern Zhou has switched me out, whether I am truly the young master."

As for why Emperor Xuanming desired Lin Ye's blood...

Lin Ye had been hesitant, wondering how he would lie if she asked; but Xue Li didn't ask, as though it didn't matter to her.

Lin Ye was perplexed: What was she concerned about? His blood?

Was she... worried for him?

Did she care for him?

Lin Ye's heart briefly warmed, but he immediately felt the urge to slap himself to wake up from his arrogant delusion.

He didn't have to ponder it for long, as someone blocked their path ahead. In the cold wind, two white figures hovered atop the tree canopy, with ghostly puppets below surrounding Lin Ye and Xue Li.

The two white figures spoke in an old but authentic Southern Zhou accent, uttering eerily, "Young friends, stop."

Lin Ye and Xue Li abruptly halted.

Lin Ye's heart clenched: "Southern Zhou people?"

The person behind tonight's many plans was undeniably skilled. They had set up traps in Huanchuan, laid waste to the city, and pursued him. And that person, still not at ease, fearing Lin Ye might escape, had arranged for mercenaries to block the only official road leading west out of Huanchuan.

Only now did Lin Ye begin to believe the results of his interrogation with the black-clad men: the person behind them was a general.

A general of an alien lineage that Lin Ye had never known.

He smiled: "Your mastermind shouldn't be from Southern Zhou, right? Southern Zhou doesn't have generals with foreign accents. I'm really curious, what identity does that mastermind have, to be able to drive pure-blooded Southern Zhou people to betray their country, just to get my blood?!"

Although he was smiling, his eyes gradually turned cold, filled with anger.

One of the two old men stroked his beard and said, "Hmph, he can't command us, brothers. We are merely negotiating a deal with him. You two youngsters must have heard of our reputation. If you know what's best for you, the young lady can run, but leave the young master behind."

The other old man disagreed, "Elder brother, that young lady has exceptional physical potential, a rare martial arts talent. If she could be our puppet..."

The first old man examined Xue Li closely, his previously calm eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement, and he exclaimed, "Excellent, excellent! Hey, you two, stay here!"

At the same time, Xue Li observed the two white figures above—two old men with long white beards. Below them were countless puppet-like beings, their bodies covered with corpse spots, their forms barely resembling humans. The puppets were manipulated by strings, their faces numb, backs hunched, stumbling forward.

A good dog doesn't stand in the way.

Xue Li thought to herself: There are so many dogs standing in the way tonight.

One after another, endlessly. The difference was, this time, the dogs standing in the way had some skills—they could breathe steadily and fly above the ground, and even control the dead simultaneously.

Xue Li became more serious.

--

If a true wanderer were present, they would recognize these two white-robed old men controlling the puppets as the notorious "Puppet Twins" of Southern Zhou's martial world.

Legend has it that the "Puppet Twins" reside in the western part of Xiang, a pair of twins who have roamed the martial world for four decades without a single defeat. However, these two are obsessed with studying the dead, spending their days among corpses, which has earned them the scorn of many wanderers. Knowing they are unwelcome, they rarely appear in the martial world.

Despite their notorious reputation, they have rarely been involved in worldly conflicts.

And tonight, the "Puppet Twins" appeared here. Anyone with sense would be terrified, begging for mercy on bended knee.

But unfortunately—

Lin Ye put on an innocent face and said to them, "Heard of your names? No, no, I don't mingle in the martial world. I've never heard of your names, I don't know who you are."

Lin Ye's mood calmed down.

He had already resolved to kill the traitors, but he also realized that these two were highly skilled in martial arts, and he would need the assistance of the young girl beside him. With a heart full of anxiety, he glanced at Xue Li, giving her a pleading look, feigning helplessness.

But Xue Li misunderstood Lin Ye's intention.

Xue Li imitated Lin Ye, looking up at the wrinkled faces of the two old men, and said, "I mingle in the martial world. But I've also never heard of your names, I don't know who you are."

She didn't know anyone.

Names and reputations were like passing winds to her, gone as soon as they came. She hadn't even remembered Lin Ye's name.

Xue Li's casual words instantly offended both old men.

They sneered, "You two ignorant brats, didn't your elders teach you any manners?"

Lin Ye replied innocently, "All my elders are dead."

Xue Li also said innocently, "All my elders are dead too."

The two old men were nearly driven mad by their words, letting out a sharp whistle. The puppets below made guttural noises, baring their teeth and claws as they charged at the two.

In the urgent moment, Lin Ye called out, "Dong Jun!"

He was afraid she didn't realize he was calling her, but Xue Li had always been exceptionally talented in combat.

She quickly evaluated the two old men and the puppets on the ground, making an instant decision: "The old man with the shorter beard is controlling the puppets. He and the puppets below are mine. You go kill the old man with the longer beard—he has no skills other than light-footedness."

Her blunt words instantly offended both old men.

The short-bearded old man laughed in anger, "How dare you challenge me and my puppets alone? Little girl, I’ll turn you into my newest corpse emperor!"

The long-bearded old man, having his sore spot—his lifelong pain—stepped on, couldn't help but go mad with rage, "I have no skills besides lightness skill? Alright, alright, alright, let me show you..."

The long-bearded old man leaped down, intending to ambush Xue Li, but was blocked by a sword thrust from mid-air.

Lin Ye stepped on a tree branch and descended from above. His clothes fluttered as the young man who had emerged from the side smiled at him.

In the silent night, the black-clad young man with pale skin and red lips deliberately said loudly, "Our sister Dong Jun is truly amazing, seeing at a glance that you have no real skills. After testing you, old man, it seems you really don’t have much to offer, huh?"

Lin Ye’s sharp tongue instantly enraged the long-bearded old man. Lin Ye, holding his sword, gathered his energy and charged forward.

--

Xue Li had left the one she considered weaker in martial arts to Lin Ye.

But the one she deemed weaker had also been famous for decades, never having lost a battle.

Fortunately, Lin Ye was no ordinary person. Before meeting Xue Li, Lin Ye had also believed himself to be exceptionally talented. If not for the war, he would surely have become the world's top martial artist, traveling the great rivers and mountains.

Tonight, after witnessing Xue Li's true martial prowess, Lin Ye no longer dared to dream of being "the best in the world."

But he still dared to dream of "killing the Puppet Twin Old Men."

He didn't need to interrogate them afterward to obtain confessions or uncover the truth. Traitors must die. The truth, he could investigate himself.

Lin Ye's killing intent condensed on his sword. He was both charming and elegant, his eyes always smiling, but the smile was icy cold, making the long-bearded old man shiver and take a second look at the young man.

The mastermind had never mentioned that the young master of Southern Zhou was a martial arts genius.

The true martial arts genius was Xue Li.

Xue Li alone dealt with the puppets and the short-bearded old man controlling them.

During the fight, leaves flew through the air, and the moonlight cast a frosty white light across the forest.

With just a dagger, Xue Li kept the puppet horde at bay, occasionally finding opportunities to get close and strike the short-bearded old man. The old man, with his vast experience in the martial arts world, never let Xue Li get close. The longer they fought, the more fearful he became, even entertaining the cowardly thought that "it won't be easy to subdue this girl."

What a pity.

He had initially thought the girl's talent was excellent and wanted to turn her into a "living dead," the leader of his puppet horde, obeying his commands and helping him better control the dead.

After all, the mastermind's offer to lure them out of seclusion was a secret technique that would allow a living person to retain a faint trace of consciousness, controlling their own body.

Although the corpse would decay, and the living dead would die faster... it was still an offer the Puppet Twin Old Men couldn't refuse.

Now, in the midst of battle, the short-bearded old man realized that unless he killed Xue Li, he couldn't subdue her or have any "living dead." He had to abandon that idea and decided to kill the girl—

Even as a corpse, such excellent talent would make her the most outstanding puppet among the dead.

The instant the short-bearded old man changed his tactics, Xue Li noticed.

Strength, awareness, strategy, physique... she lacked nothing. She had survived more than a decade of slaughter in the slaughter field, and she was the most outstanding yet least known assassin raised by Yu Long.

The so-called Four Seasons Envoys were all inferior to her. It was just that Yu Long kept it from the world.

Now that the short-bearded old man had shifted from holding back to killing intent, no one understood it better than Xue Li, who had walked out of the slaughter field. Xue Li remained calm, feeling that everything was going according to her plan—

Fighting was tiring.

She always preferred simple methods of killing. It was just that the old man kept dodging, and there were too many puppets, making even lifting her arm exhausting.

Now the opportunity has come. As the opponent's power grew stronger, as long as she weakened slightly, the old man would have the puppets try to surround her, delivering a fatal blow. Once all the puppets surrounded her...

She wouldn't need to flee anymore; she could eliminate them all at once.

The foul stench of decay clung to the girl, and a thick cloud obscured the moon in the sky. Xue Li was surrounded by a dense crowd of puppets, and even Lin Ye, in the midst of his own fight, glanced over and felt his heart clench for her.

He saw the girl injured, her body grazed by the toxic claws of the corpses. Her martial prowess was formidable, but she couldn't handle such a mountain of corpses. The short-bearded old man cackled gleefully, while Xue Li, trapped in the encirclement, had her limbs wrapped tightly by puppet threads, slowly being hoisted into the air.

Lin Ye: "Dong Jun—!"

He yearned to rush over and rescue her, but the long-bearded old man held him back.

Lin Ye watched helplessly as the girl was surrounded by puppets: her black combat attire torn, her cheeks smeared with dirty, sticky blood, her eyes closed, her limbs suspended high.

The suspended girl appeared fragile and pitiable, her eyes closed, her skin pale as snow, her lips crimson as blood. A gentle breeze wafted through the forest, unable to disperse the stench of corpses, only stirring the girl's dark braid and the strands of hair by her ears and forehead.

Lin Ye's anger surged, his sword aura sending the long-bearded old man flying three zhang away. He cried out hoarsely, "Dong Jun, wake up— Dong Jun—"

His heart was consumed with anxiety, and as the mental thread in his mind snapped, his inner energy surged through his meridians instantly. When the long-bearded old man came at him again, Lin Ye used a few clever moves to deceive him.

As the old man fell for the trick, Lin Ye leapt into the air, his sword aimed at the old man's chest.

As blood splattered onto Lin Ye's eyes, he saw the puppet threads binding the girl tighten in the forest.

His throat parched, his body riddled with wounds, his strength waning, and his entire body in excruciating pain, he still forced himself to move, charging toward the short-bearded old man controlling the puppets. He thought that as long as he killed this man, she would be saved.

Lin Ye's mind was slightly dazed.

She was about to die because of him, yet all he could do was call out "Dong Jun" repeatedly, still unaware of her real name.

Such a beautiful young lady...

Such a beautiful young lady, as the puppet threads were about to pierce her shoulder, quietly opened her eyes.

The night wind blew, and the forest leaves rustled like waves.

The girl's beautiful almond eyes were clear and calm, gazing at the dense crowd of puppets around her, the somewhat smug short-bearded old man in the distance, and Lin Ye, who was charging toward the old man with his sword.

She harbored no killing intent, no hatred, no resentment, no love, no joy.

Thus, her aura was always so peaceful and faint, unnoticed by others. When she grabbed the puppet threads and raised her dagger toward the first puppet, no one reacted.

Against superior martial prowess, numbers were never a concern.

Who would tire from cutting vegetables? Xue Li thought. Though she felt tired, with a pile of "vegetables" already surrounding her, she couldn't resist the urge to swing her blade.

As Lin Ye sneaked up on the short-bearded old man, he saw the old man suddenly shudder, staring ahead in terror, screaming in horror, "Monster, monster! She's a monster! She's been pierced by my puppet threads, yet her movements haven't slowed at all...

"She feels no pain, no blood, she cannot die... hahaha, she cannot die. Monster, the monster is killing!"

The old man, nearly driven to madness by the death of the long-bearded old man and Xue Li's counterattack, continued to mutter "monster" even as Lin Ye fought him, pinning him to a tree. Lin Ye made sure the man was dead before looking back—

He witnessed a scene he would never forget, watching the black-clad girl kill with the same expressionless efficiency as someone chopping vegetables.

Her face and body were lacerated by rotting flesh and sharp claws, but she didn't care at all. Some puppets, with remnants of consciousness, tried to pinch her already injured and bleeding parts, but she seemed completely unfazed.

Only the act of killing remained.

In those calm, unflinching eyes, the mountains and rivers were reflected, as were the countless corpses littering the ground.

Lin Ye was also stunned in place, frightened by this scene.

A monster.

Indeed. Feeling no pain, unafraid of blood, killing without a change in expression—what else could it be but a monster?

--

Xue Li finished off the last puppet before collapsing to her knees in the pile of fallen leaves in the forest.

She was exhausted from killing.

She knelt on the ground, head bowed, her eyelashes smeared with blood and sweat. From the corner of her eye, she saw the fluttering leaves and the pale-faced young nobleman not far away.

She thought: He must be like everyone else, terrified by her killing spree. He fears her too.

She hadn’t wanted to do it—it was so draining.

But he had bought her "sugar candies."

Though she hadn’t eaten them and was now dizzy, nearly fainting from hunger, she was still willing to kill for that bag of candies.

Her master said, "Repay kindness with loyalty"; Song Wanfeng said, "Don’t be... don’t be..."

She wasn’t an ungrateful traitor.

She would save Lin Ye and go to Guangzhou to bid her master farewell. She wasn’t an ungrateful traitor.

--

Xue Li’s gaze calmly swept over Lin Ye’s face before she lowered her head again, utterly exhausted.

Kneeling on the ground, Xue Li felt the vibrations of the approaching black-clad figures through the earth.

The black-clad men were after the young nobleman. He was in danger.

So Xue Li said, "Go..."

Before she could finish, she saw Lin Ye walking toward her through the fluttering leaves and bloodied corpses. She wondered if he was coming to kill her, this monster she had become. But he stepped over the bloodied ground, past the long-rotted corpses, and came to stand before her.

He knelt down beside her. He didn’t avoid her gaze or look away. Smiling, his eyes clear and earnest, he reached out and drew her into his embrace.

Xue Li froze in shock.

The moonlight bathed the Milky Way, and the world fell into a deep, profound silence.

The fluttering leaves blurred her vision and thoughts, blending reality with imagination. And Xue Li heard the young man’s voice, soft and warm, like a spring gently seeping into her soul: "Let’s go together. You need me, and I need you too."

It was a breathtaking scene.

It was a grand scene.