Chapter 18: [World 1] Castle Stories 18 : Blood Moon

“Save me first.”

“All right. Oh, right, I think I have some tools in my room that can open this. Wait a moment.”

Fu Ruxue greeted briefly and hurriedly ran back. Along the way, she was stopped again.

“Hey, Fu Ruxue!”

She glared at the man before her with a displeased expression. “What do you want?”

Cheng Li looked around cautiously, then sneaked close to her side. “Don’t you think that Li Hua is suspicious? I suspect he’s the one who killed Zhang Zhuanghao.”

Fu Ruxue raised an eyebrow, clearly doubtful. “Oh? What evidence do you have?”

“I don’t have any. But he’s closer to Zhang Zhuanghao, right? Maybe Zhang Zhuanghao pissed him off privately, which made him want to kill.”

Cheng Li glanced around warily, lowering his voice as he spoke his theory.

“…I see. So why are you telling me this?”

Fu Ruxue’s interest was piqued.

Seeing her reaction, Cheng Li smiled confidently. “Let’s team up and get rid of Li Hua. If he can kill Zhang Zhuanghao, sooner or later he won’t spare us either.”

“Fine, I’ll think about it.”

Fu Ruxue agreed and ran upstairs.

Cheng Li couldn’t help but show a sarcastic smile, his eyes full of mockery.

She believes whatever I say? Such a fool is easy to deceive.

The “fool” Fu Ruxue returned to her room and found a saw. She tested it on the bedpost, leaving a scratch.

The saw was quite sharp; rescuing Xunian should be no problem.

She hoisted the saw and opened the door, nearly bumping into someone. She quickly pulled back her foot.

Seeing who it was, her lips pressed into a thin line, her face darkening. “What do you want?”

“Nothing, just a warning to be careful of Cheng Li. Zhang Zhuanghao might have been killed by him.”

Li Hua said this, then tactfully stepped aside.

Fu Ruxue’s helpless mood was indescribable.

Why were so many people coming to warn her? She didn’t care who killed whom. She just wanted to rescue Xunian quickly and cling to her for protection.

“Fine, I got it.”

Her footsteps bypassed Li Hua and gradually faded away.

Li Hua frowned, sensing Fu Ruxue was brushing him off.

……

Xunian leaned against the wall, nearly falling asleep.

Half a saw blade extended through the crack in the doorframe, beginning to saw at the wood.

Suddenly alert, she watched the wood chips falling bit by bit, estimating the time.

“Isn’t there a faster way?”

“N…no… there isn’t…”

Fu Ruxue, drenched in sweat, controlled the saw with her slender arms, moving it up and down.

“Why don’t you saw right at the lock?”

“…I forgot.”

The half-exposed saw was pulled out and inserted into another crack.

After another five minutes of grinding, the wooden door began to loosen.

Xunian pressed close against the wall and silently counted to three.

3, 2, 1.

“Bang!”

A whole wooden plank crashed to the floor with a loud noise.

A delicate face peeked out, revealing a sincere and joyful smile upon seeing Xunian.

Finally, she could cling to the big leg again!

“Getting out might still be a bit difficult.”

Xunian had placed some things under the ladder; she was very close to the opening but still had trouble getting out.

She reached out her hand to Fu Ruxue.

“Then… can you help me?”

“Heh heh, no trouble.”

Fu Ruxue smiled weakly and pulled Xunian out.

Finally, Xunian was pulled up. Fu Ruxue collapsed exhausted at the entrance.

“Follow me.” As soon as Xunian was up, she headed out, her dress hem fluttering lightly with her movements.

Fu Ruxue got up and followed, eyeing her quick steps with some confusion.

“Your foot okay now?”

“Pretending.”

Xunian walked quickly without looking back.

Actually, she had been able to walk all along.

She had faked being injured for two days to recover and to gain the Duke’s Daughter’s favor and sympathy.

So cruel.

Fu Ruxue thought to herself bitterly. The poor Duke’s Daughter was completely at someone’s mercy, yet she believed she was the one in control.

Little did she know, Xunian had been faking all along.

She slowed a half-step, trailing quietly behind Xunian as they exited the Castle.

The Blood Moon hung in the sky. Outside, the cawing of crows rose and fell, the world bathed in red.

A cold wind passed, making the leaves in the trees rustle.

“Maybe we should go back. Doesn’t the moon look even redder than before?”

Fu Ruxue hugged her arms, shivering, and drew closer to Xunian.

“Not much time left. There’s still no sign of the keys,” Xunian glanced at her, “Aren’t you worried at all?”

“Me? Of course I’m worried, but didn’t you forget… that timid girl died last night…”

Fu Ruxue held a chessboard in one hand, nervously tugging on Xunian’s sleeve, afraid of being abandoned.

“Don’t worry, if danger comes, I promise I’ll die before you do.”

Xunian comforted her.

After hearing this, Fu Ruxue felt even more uneasy.

She wished she hadn’t come. Xunian’s words sounded unreliable.

The crimson moonlight cast a red glow over the girl beside her, highlighting her fair skin. Her beautiful face was framed by thick lashes that fluttered as she blinked, her eyes still clear and fearless.

In this eerie atmosphere, she remained so calm, as if she had seen something even more terrifying.

The two reached the garden and collided with someone.

“Is it you?!”

A thin middle-aged man with one missing arm pointed at Xunian in shock.

Facing his terrified expression, Xunian said, “Why is it you again?”

“D-Don’t… come any closer…”

He took two steps back, his two arm stumps waving wildly in the air, looking at Xunian like she was a monster.

Apparently, she had scared him badly last time.

Nearby, a small pond reflected the three figures under the Blood Moon, their images clear.

“Let’s not bother with him for now.”

……

Outside the Duke’s Daughter’s room.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

The knocking sounded.

……

“Tap, tap, tap.”

High heels clicked step by step on the floor, making their way down to the basement.

At the basement door, the Duke’s Daughter looked at the spot where the wooden board door had vanished.

Inside, there was no one.

Her blood-red eyes burned more intensely than usual, cold and deep, filled with a bloodthirsty aura.