They’re coming.
Hearing the commotion behind her, Jiang Sui turned around, only to find the window had, at some point, been sealed shut by a layer of spreading ice.
Was that a Special Technique of manipulation?
Jiang Sui was just about to call out her treasured Moon Mirror, but her power was interrupted by Lin Ying, who charged at her with swift movements.
This middle-aged man didn’t look all that powerful at first glance, but the strength in his hands was astonishing. Jiang Sui felt as if her head had been pinned by a massive iron pot.
“Don’t move. Breathe with me, if you want to see Young Master Lu Yunze alive.”
Just this?
Jiang Sui gritted her teeth, her hand reaching for her bracelet stopped as well.
At that moment, Lu Yunze’s figure flashed by the corridor outside the room and stopped at the doorway.
“Jiang Sui!”
Seeing the two people inside, and the window sealed by ice, Lu Yunze was stunned for a second before his expression became grave.
“Lin Ying, what are you doing?”
“Young Master Lu Yunze, you’re here too.”
Lin Ying looked even more shocked than he was, his tone still tinged with a strange tension. After speaking, he glanced at the frozen window.
After Lu Yunze entered the room, Lin Ying released his hold and quickly came over.
Lu Yunze and Jiang Sui quickly retreated to the bedside, and then Lin Ying lifted the entire bed and placed it behind them as a shield.
Just then, with a few gunshots, the frozen window shattered violently. Several bullets with black tails shot straight at the three people behind the bed.
Luckily, after tossing up the bed, Lin Ying reinforced it with ice. Otherwise, these bullets would have torn it to pieces.
Even so, the force of the bullets hitting the bed caused cracks to web across the ice, and Lin Ying, bracing the bed, nearly couldn’t hold on.
Only when the sense of pressure from behind faded did Jiang Sui snap out of it, realizing she had just brushed shoulders with death.
Lin Ying did act, but his target wasn’t her or Lu Yunze. On the contrary, he had protected both her and Lu Yunze.
Why is this unfolding differently from what I expected?
Still lost in thought, Jiang Sui heard Lu Yunze ask directly:
“What happened? Who are these attackers?”
“To be honest, Young Master, I don’t know how to answer you.” Lin Ying’s voice was deep, “Maybe they were tailing me.”
Having reached this point, Lin Ying decided to be frank. He had noticed several days ago that someone was watching him.
Their means of hiding were impressive. Lin Ying had tried several times to flush them out but had always failed, so he could only wait and watch.
Today was the day they were leaving Lan City, and those Assassins hiding in the dark finally lost their patience—
—and made a move.
Lin Ying had intentionally made sure he was with Lu Yunze and Luo Yao, and while exchanging words with Jiang Sui, he had caught a glimpse of a suspicious figure outside. Years of experience told him something bad was about to happen, so he made a split-second decision.
“To be honest, Young Master Lu Yunze, you startled me just now. If I hadn’t protected you well, Lord Kao would definitely have a word with me when we return.”
“Ha, is that so?” Lu Yunze scratched his head, then tried to peek out.
He’d barely poked his head past the bed when Lin Ying yanked him back. In that instant, a black bullet brushed past his hair, striking the floor.
The three of them watched as the bullet punched through the floor, hissing and burning, leaving black, expanding marks and giving off a pungent, muddy stench.
These were even Special Technique bullets.
Jiang Sui remembered the bullets Hu Ming used back in An Guang Town a few months ago—they were made from special materials.
Maybe next time I should get myself a gun like that for protection.
After mulling over this, Jiang Sui’s gaze shifted to the two men, especially Lin Ying.
His expression and actions didn’t look like he was working with the enemy at all.
Gunfire and shattering continued unabated. Even though Lin Ying reinforced the ice constantly, the sharp crackling sounds of freezing shards echoed, making the tension in the air even worse.
“We need to think of something.” Lin Ying muttered. “At this range, I can’t freeze his gun directly with my power.”
Upon hearing this, Lu Yunze immediately said, “If I can give you an opening, can you pull it off?”
“Young Master, you have a plan?” Lin Ying trusted Lu Yunze, but had never seen him actually use a Secret Art in a real fight.
“Of course I have a plan—several, in fact.”
Lu Yunze stood up as he spoke, knocked on the bed to check its sturdiness.
Then he reached a hand out to Jiang Sui, his voice turning serious:
“What’s about to happen might be a little rough. Hold on tight.”
Though she didn’t quite understand what he was planning, Jiang Sui still nodded and gripped his wrist tightly.
Maybe it was the drop in temperature, but Lu Yunze’s palm was even warmer than she’d imagined—broad and steady, instantly reassuring.
Then, in the very next second, Lu Yunze took a deep breath, and Jiang Sui found herself being swept up. When she came back to her senses, she was already in his arms.
What?
In her confusion, the warmth of his heartbeat pulsed against her cheek.
Lin Ying raised his eyebrows at the sight, as if watching a good show unfold.
Lu Yunze pressed one hand against the underside of the bed, took a deep breath, and then pushed hard.
It didn’t look like much effort, but the ice-sealed bed shot out like a racing car with the accelerator floored, smashing straight into the window frame and flying out.
The Assassin outside saw the bed flying toward him and, eyes wide, leaped up, clutching his sniper rifle.
Just as he was congratulating himself for dodging the attack, he saw Lu Yunze’s figure leap out the window, charging directly at him.
The Assassin didn’t panic, simply pointed his gun at Lu Yunze, ready to take him out at point-blank range.
Click, click!
He pulled the trigger several times—nothing happened. Only then did he realize the rifle in his hand was rapidly icing over. Starting from the barrel, frost spread in an instant, covering the whole weapon.
Too late!
When he looked up again, Lu Yunze had already leaped out the window, cradling the Little Maid in his arms. In midair, he struck a heroic pose, landing a solid kick right on the Assassin’s chest.
The Assassin was sent flying like a rag doll, crashing to the ground below, while Lu Yunze landed smoothly and quickly got back up.
Still in Lu Yunze’s arms, Jiang Sui was stunned. From the moment he’d leapt with her out the window, her mind had gone blank.
“Jiang Sui? We’ve landed. You can get down now.”
Lu Yunze’s voice snapped her back to reality. Only then did she realize she was clinging tightly to his neck, body pressed completely against him, hands gripping the front of his shirt. She must have looked like a startled kitten clinging to its master.
She quickly let go, scrambling off him as if electrocuted. Lu Yunze fussed over her, asking if she was alright, and gently brushed the wind-blown hair from her cheek.
Taking a deep breath, Jiang Sui finally spoke:
“Young Master, next time you do something like that, can you please give me some warning first?”
That sudden Princess Carry had really made her heart race like crazy. The reason she hadn’t immediately pulled away was because of the warmth and security of his embrace.
And yet, when Lu Yunze told her to let go, she was actually a little reluctant to do so.
What am I thinking?
Jiang Sui touched her forehead, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The Assassin, who’d hit the ground first, had already gotten up. He drew a dagger from his belt and, while Lu Yunze was facing Jiang Sui, launched a desperate attack.
But before he could take a step, his legs were instantly frozen by a wave of cold. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t move at all.
Hearing footsteps drawing close, the Assassin had only a moment to look up before Lu Yunze punched him straight in the neck, knocking him flat on his back and unable to get up again.
Lu Yunze had controlled his strength, not killing the man. When Lin Ying jumped down from the second floor, they began to interrogate the captive.
“Who sent you? Why are you trying to kill us?”
Faced with these two questions, the Assassin just clenched his jaw and refused to speak.
He spat blood to the side, a few teeth falling from his mouth.
“You’d better talk, or I have plenty of ways to make you open your mouth.”
Lu Yunze’s expression turned downright frightening.
“The one who sent me is…”
Just as the Assassin opened his mouth to speak, Lu Yunze noticed a strange mark on his tongue.
Then, right in front of them, the Assassin bit down hard on his tongue. His head ballooned like a pufferfish.
Lu Yunze hurriedly tossed him aside. As soon as he let go, the Assassin’s head exploded with a muffled pop, spraying blood everywhere, staining the green Rong Ping with a splash of red.
Such thorough preparation.
Watching from behind, Jiang Sui thought Lu Yunze had been too reckless. If you’re going to interrogate someone, you have to be prepared first.
The assassination attempt was finally over. No one was injured—luck, or misfortune?
Because of this unexpected incident, the late-arriving Luo Yao raised doubts about their planned departure, arguing that there would be more danger ahead and they should stay put.
But Lu Yunze and Lin Ying held the opposite view, believing that the enemy’s real goal was to stop them from reaching Central City. Staying here would only make things worse.
Better to take a chance and continue on as planned, and hurry home. With their family’s protection, ordinary Assassins would no longer be able to act against them.
A two-to-one vote meant Luo Yao had to agree, though she gave new orders to the Head Maid before leaving.
Jiang Sui didn’t join their discussion. Instead, she stood where Lu Yunze had landed, quietly looking at the ruined bedroom window.
So Lin Ying was actually trying to protect me? He’s not the enemy, so why would he do that?
Just as she was pondering this, Lu Yunze appeared beside her, rubbing his nose as he said, “Sorry for the trouble. Things were urgent—hope you don’t mind.”
“It’s fine. This room doesn’t belong to me anyway,” Jiang Sui smiled lightly. “But, Young Master, you really were heroic just now.”
Not only did he come up with a counterattack plan in such a short time, he even executed it flawlessly.
She stepped in front of Lu Yunze, resting her palm gently on his chest, where a faint glow seemed to flicker.
“You’re becoming more and more reliable, Young Master. Your growth is really impressive.”
“Haha, is that so?” Perhaps because of her gesture, Lu Yunze’s chest flushed slightly red, but he pretended not to notice.
Seeing his embarrassed look, Jiang Sui’s smile became even softer. Especially knowing she’d helped raise him into who he was now, she couldn’t help but feel her whole body tingling with excitement.