Chapter 68: Facing Death

Chapter 68: To Meet Death

The night was misty, with a few scattered stars dotting the sky.

The sound of the river crashing against the shore—the rush of water filling her ears—made her brows furrow involuntarily as she slowly opened her eyes.

When Qiu Shuiyi woke, she was still somewhat groggy.

She stared blankly at the sky.

The eastern sky was growing light; the first rays of dawn leaped over the riverbank, casting shimmering light upon the water.

Scenes from hours earlier played frame by frame in her mind.

She and Shen Yuchao had plunged into the river. And then?

Qiu Shuiyi struggled to recall.

After that... the ship was burning, and that man surnamed Liu sent people to hunt them down.

She had grabbed a piece of driftwood and escaped with Shen Yuchao.

Ahead lay unknown waters; behind them, relentless river pirates pursued.

Qiu Shuiyi was exhausted to the point of collapse. Her last memory was of a sudden, towering wave and a force around her waist that nearly snapped her in two.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she sat up, a flood of relief washing over her at having survived.

She slowly let out a breath.

Rubbing her temples, Qiu Shuiyi belatedly realized she was all alone.

Where was Shen Yuchao?

"Your Highness?"

Qiu Shuiyi tentatively called out.

The sound of water was occasionally broken by insect chirps, but no one answered.

"Shen Yuchao!"

Qiu Shuiyi called again.

Still no response.

Worry welled up in her heart. Qiu Shuiyi stood up and, using the faint morning light, carefully scanned the area, not missing a single corner.

This place seemed to be a mountainside, with dense tree cover and overgrown weeds. There were no signs of human passage, lending it a desolate air.

She felt around her waist, her fingers finding something hard, and she sighed in relief.

Good, it hadn't been washed away by the water.

She retrieved a small knife, about the length of a palm, from her waist. Finding a tree, she stood on tiptoe and slowly sawed off a sturdy branch.

Stripping it of leaves and twigs, Qiu Shuiyi used the branch to probe her way forward, trudging along with difficulty.

Crossing through the grass, she noticed the weeds ahead were trampled, clearly indicating someone had passed through.

Her tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Holding up her skirt with one hand and using the branch to beat back the grass with the other, she moved forward, struggling and looking rather disheveled.

After about seven or eight minutes, the trail abruptly vanished.

The light grew, revealing the chaotic, disordered trees ahead.

The weeds were almost as tall as her shoulders.

There was no path ahead.

Irritated, Qiu Shuiyi kicked a pebble at her feet.

The pebble hit a tree trunk with a dull thud.

With no way forward, Qiu Shuiyi prepared to turn back the way she came.

Just as she turned, a faint sound caught her attention.

Qiu Shuiyi froze, pricking up her ears to listen carefully.

The sound was somewhat distant. She took a few steps forward.

It seemed... like the clashing of weapons.

Her gaze sharpened. Gripping the branch tightly, Qiu Shuiyi hurried toward the source of the sound.

The noise grew louder.

Qiu Shuiyi tried her best to avoid obstacles along the way.

The surrounding woods thinned out, and her field of vision gradually widened.

In the clearing ahead, a man stood holding a sword. His dark green robe, soaked through, clung to his body, revealing a lean waist.

A steady stream of blood dripped from him.

His face was deathly pale, his upper body hunched over.

Before him stood two assassins in black. Though they bore wounds, judging by their expressions, they were in far better shape than he was.

The word "Your Highness" died in Qiu Shuiyi's throat.

She sidestepped and hid behind a tree.

Over there, the black-clad river pirates advanced with their blades, taunting, "Today we'll take Shen Yuchao's head and go back to claim our reward from the boss."

The other pirate laughed along, "Good! We'll go back for drinks and meat, then head to the brothel for a beauty. Won't have suffered this sword wound for nothing!"

Laughing tugged at the sword wound on his chest. The pirate hissed in pain, his expression suddenly turning vicious as he raised his blade and charged at Shen Yuchao!

Qiu Shuiyi's hand rested on the rough tree bark, watching nervously.

Faced with the ferocious pirate, Shen Yuchao had no strength to resist, only managing to dodge slightly.

The blade slashed straight across his chest, the tip piercing his outer robe and leaving a long, deep gash on his jade-like skin.

Drops of blood leaped from the azure sky, landing on the leaves like a few crystal-clear red dewdrops.

Shen Yuchao collapsed to the ground, like a lump of cotton that could be kneaded and flattened at will.

Qiu Shuiyi's fingers suddenly tightened, gripping the tree trunk so hard she nearly tore off the bark.

Her mind raced frantically.

What should she do?

Shen Yuchao clearly had no strength left to resist.

Was he... going to die here today?

Qiu Shuiyi's brows furrowed with anxiety as she lowered her head, searching herself for anything that could be of use.

"The renowned Prince Duansu is nothing more than all this," the pirate laughed arrogantly. "And yet you're going to die by the hand of a nobody like me."

Shen Yuchao weakly covered his chest, coughing.

He propped himself up on his sword into a half-sitting position. Blood continued to flow unceasingly from his body.

Yet Shen Yuchao seemed utterly indifferent, even curling his lips into a smile. "You're wrong, brave warrior. Although I am Prince Duansu, I am far from 'renowned.'"

"I don't care what you are!"

The pirate sneered, raising his blade. "Die!"

The tip of the blade gleamed with a cold light. Qiu Shuiyi anxiously took a step forward.

In the next instant, a long sword pierced through the pirate's chest. He convulsed a few times, a gurgle escaping his throat. Before his eyes closed, they were filled with disbelief.

Qiu Shuiyi stopped in her tracks.

The wind blew against the cold sweat on her back, sending a shiver through her. She patted her chest with a shudder of belated fear.

"Third Brother!"

The remaining pirate roared in fury, his eyes wide with rage as he glared coldly at Shen Yuchao. "Truly a worthy descendant of the Shen family. I underestimated you. Injured to this extent, you still have the strength to wield a sword."

"You flatter me. For the Shen family to have a descendant like me, it must be the worst luck for eight lifetimes."

Shen Yuchao chuckled lightly.

The laughter tugged at his wounds. He paused, turning his head aside as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Regardless of what the Shen ancestors were like," the pirate began to move, slowly advancing toward Shen Yuchao. The sharp, long blade left a narrow trail on the ground.

The occasional blade of grass swayed into its path and was instantly sliced in two.

"Today, you will die."

"You cannot kill me."

The words were mixed with ragged breaths as Shen Yuchao struggled to steady his voice.

"Shen, you think too highly of yourself!"

The pirate snarled in fury.

"No. I'm stating a fact."

Shen Yuchao tilted his head back slightly, gazing calmly at the pirate.

Though he was the one below, under his gaze, the pirate inexplicably felt a sense of inferiority.

This realization made the pirate's anger flare even hotter. He charged forward, blade in hand. "You're asking for death!"

Shen Yuchao strained to prop up his body, swaying as he stood.

The long blade came crashing toward his face. Using every last ounce of his strength, he reached out with his bare hands to catch it.

An intense, sharp pain shot through his palm. Crimson blood poured forth like a summer downpour—violent and swift.

Drop by drop, it fell, bending the blades of grass beneath its weight.

He sank lower, Shen Yuchao almost unable to stand steady.

This was the last one.

He had deliberately lured the pirates here. She should be safe by now, right?

If she was safe, then he could rest in peace.

Using all his remaining strength, he shifted the long blade toward his own neck.

Shen Yuchao said, slowly and deliberately, "Cut off this head, and you will truly have killed me."

The pirate was stunned by his action, nearly losing his grip on the blade. The edge left a bloody mark on the side of Shen Yuchao's neck.

"What did you say?"

"I said."

He lifted his head and closed his eyes.

His jade-like face, stained with blood, was serene.

Every part of his body ached, yet he felt all his blood boiling.

It cheered, it shouted, it celebrated that the long-cherished wish was about to be fulfilled.

After the boiling came a tranquility as clear and calm as a lake.

The peace he had yearned for, that had been absent for thirteen whole years.

He eagerly anticipated what was to come next.

Shen Yuchao parted his lips, speaking almost in a whisper.

"...Kill me."