Su Ling’s voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, but Phil still caught the helplessness and refusal within it. Her lips curled downward slightly, and after a moment of silence, she sighed, her tone tinged with helplessness and stubbornness:
“I know, right now your heart is full of that Princess. But Su Ling, don’t forget, as long as you’re by her side, you’ll never achieve an equal status with her.”
Su Ling lowered her head, nervously twisting the bracelet Tii had given her. It was the only comfort she could hold onto. She knew Phil’s words held some truth, but her heart was bound by a deeper trust and sense of duty.
Princess Sista was her master, and she—Su Ling—had already given her complete loyalty to her. This loyalty was not just a constraint of status, but a silent contract.
“Phil, you understand, the relationship between me and Her Highness is different.” She looked up, a hint of apology in her eyes. “I am her maid, my heart already belongs to her. It’s not a matter of status, but…”
“It’s feelings, isn’t it?” Phil interrupted, her tone carrying a hint of sarcasm. “Feelings, that kind of thing, sometimes can make people lose themselves. Su Ling, are you really sure that what you want is just to be a maid?”
Su Ling fell silent. There were indeed doubts in her heart, but more than that, she had accepted the current situation. She knew this relationship wasn’t perfect, but she was willing to slowly change it for Sista, even if it meant giving up some things that belonged to her.
“I… I don’t know.” Her voice grew softer, finally turning into a sigh. “But I know she needs me, and I need her too. I can’t leave Her Highness now.”
Phil still didn’t understand, but she sighed and gently patted Su Ling’s shoulder. “Alright, Su Ling. I respect your decision. But I want you to know that no matter what, I’ll be behind you. If one day you grow tired of your current status, or if that Princess disappoints you, remember to come find me.”
Su Ling looked up. “Thank you, Phil. I understand.”
“Don’t thank me.” Phil shook her head, a forced smile appearing on her face. “I just don’t want to see you suffer anymore. You’re always giving for others; it’s time you thought about yourself too.”
Su Ling felt warmth in her heart. She knew Phil’s concern was genuine, and after all the twists and turns they’d been through, it became even more precious. She said softly, “I will, Phil.”
The atmosphere between them eased a little, but Su Ling’s heart was still full of conflict.
“Phil, let’s think about how to enter the city first.” Su Ling tried to change the subject. “Her Highness has already agreed to the Flame Society’s request; next is our operation.”
Phil grunted in acknowledgment. She knew Su Ling was using this method to calm her down, to avoid falling back into that complicated emotional whirlpool. She took a deep breath, trying to adjust her mood. “You’re right, we don’t have much time.”
Several days later, night fell. A dim moon hung in the sky, its faint light spilling over the wilderness outside the city, weaving a silver veil over the land. Members of the Flame Society were busy outside this hidden stronghold, divided into several groups responsible for reconnaissance and arranging the routes into the city. Sista stood behind Su Ling, her gaze flickering slightly.
“Your Highness, you look exhausted.” Su Ling said softly, her tone filled with concern. “You should rest a while.”
Sista shook her head slightly. “The Blood Clan doesn’t get tired that easily. I’m thinking that this time, entering the city might not go smoothly.”
Just then, Phil entered from outside, a hint of seriousness on her face. “Your Highness, Su Ling, everything is ready. The routes into the city have been arranged, and our members will provide support along the way. But be careful, the situation inside the city might be more complicated than we expected.”
Sista replied, “Good.”
The night grew deeper, the city’s outline flickering in and out of the darkness. The Flame Society members cautiously threaded through the night, their figures sometimes scattering, sometimes gathering on the wilderness like a group of nocturnal phantoms. Su Ling followed closely behind Sista, a short sword in her hand, ready to respond to any danger. Though she wasn’t skilled in combat, Sista had insisted she bring it just in case. Sista’s gaze swept around from time to time, her heart alert. She knew clearly that the situation in this city was on the verge of explosion, and her entry this time might become the key to changing everything.
In the night, the city’s outline gradually became clearer. The Flame Society members had approached the city gate, which was now tightly shut, surrounded by silence. Phil led Sista and Su Ling to hide behind a broken wall.
“Your Highness, from here we’ll split into two groups. One group will attract the pursuers’ attention, while the other will sneak you into the city.”
Sista nodded. “I understand.”
In the night, the city streets were empty, only occasional barks of dogs and the footsteps of patrols in the distance. The Flame Society members moved silently through the dark alleys, intimately familiar with the terrain. Every alley, every corner could be a hiding spot.
“Your Highness, we’re almost there,” Phil said in a low voice.
Sista nodded, her gaze occasionally sweeping over the surrounding buildings, her heart on alert. Though the Flame Society had arranged the route into the city, the situation inside was still full of variables.
Suddenly, Phil let out a low cry and abruptly pushed Sista and Su Ling into the shadows by the roadside. “Watch out!” The moment they dodged, an arrow shot from the darkness, embedding itself deep into the ground, its tail still trembling. “Ambush!” Phil quickly drew the short knife from her belt, scanning around warily, and shouted in a low voice, “Everyone prepare for battle! Protect Her Highness!”
Sista’s expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “Phil, don’t panic. We can’t get tangled with them here. Try to avoid the enemies and keep moving.”
“Understood.” Their most important task now was to enter the city. Any unnecessary fighting could expose their location or even endanger their lives. Phil waved to the other Flame Society members in the shadows, signaling them to spread out and look for opportunities.
Almost simultaneously, the sound of chaotic footsteps came from afar. More and more patrols were converging on their location. A few flames flickered in the darkness, obviously someone had lit torches to try to illuminate the enemies hidden in the night.
“It seems they know we’re trying to enter the city,” Su Ling said, a hint of nervousness in her voice.
Phil frowned and cursed under her breath, “Damn it, it looks like our movements have been exposed!”
Sista said coldly, “It seems the enemy is fully prepared. Phil, we’re running out of time. If we can’t shake them off quickly, they’ll soon pinpoint our location.”
Phil hummed in agreement, her eyes quickly scanning the surrounding buildings for any usable hiding spot. “Your Highness, Su Ling, follow me.” With that, Phil led them swiftly through the narrow alleys, using the darkness and terrain as much as possible to evade the pursuers.
However, the pursuers were clearly also very familiar with this area. The sounds of their footsteps grew closer, and the number of torches increased, as if they had completely sealed off this region.
“Don’t let them escape!” a shout came from afar. Then, more torches were lit, and the pursuers raised them high, like a pack of beasts chasing prey.
Sista’s expression grew even more serious. She knew that in this situation, any hesitation could trap them in a dead end. “Phil, we can’t drag this out any longer. We have to find a chance to charge through!”
Phil glanced at her and nodded slightly. “I was thinking the same. I’ll create a distraction, and you take the chance to get through.”
Just then, two figures suddenly emerged from an angle, blocking Sista’s path. They flailed their arms and looked ferocious, but before they could even draw their weapons, there was only a cry of surprise. Sista’s red eyes emitted a faint glow. Those weapons seemed to suddenly gain a soul, manipulated by an invisible force to stab back into their own throats. In an instant, those several pursuers were knocked to the ground, unable to get up.
“Your Highness!” Su Ling ran over, but Sista pulled her into her arms protectively. Sista coldly looked at the remaining pursuers, her voice carrying a warning: “Fighting against the Blood Clan is not a wise choice.”
The pursuers stared at Sista in terror, instinctively stepping back a few steps, their eyes full of fear, no longer daring to act rashly. “If you don’t want to die, get out of the way. The human body cannot contend with the Blood Clan.”
Sista nodded slightly, then turned and ran deeper into the alley. Su Ling followed closely behind. The two moved quickly along the alley until they finally found the entrance to the passage.
“Your Highness, hurry.” Su Ling reminded softly.
But things were clearly not going smoothly. Just when they were only one step away from entering the city, an arrow whistled through the air, heading straight for Su Ling. Before Su Ling could react, the arrow struck her calf. The intense pain made her let out a cry, and she instantly lost her balance, crashing heavily to the ground.
“Su Ling!” Sista’s pupils contracted sharply, her voice tinged with panic. She spun around and in a flash, lunged toward Su Ling, pulling her tightly into her arms.
More arrows flew from the darkness, dense as rain. Sista’s expression instantly turned ice-cold. Her red eyes flickered, and the air around her seemed to solidify. The arrows, the moment they approached them, all veered off course and fell weakly to the ground.
“Don’t be afraid.” Sista lifted Su Ling into her arms, feeling the slight trembling of the person in her embrace, a surge of anger and heartache welling up inside her. Su Ling’s face was pale, fine beads of sweat on her forehead, but she still gritted her teeth, trying not to make more noise.
“Your Highness… I’m sorry…” Su Ling’s voice was weak.
“No time for your apologies now.” Sista interrupted her. In the night, her figure was almost one with the darkness. Before the words faded, she held Su Ling tight and vanished into the darkness like a phantom.
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