Chapter 183: Counterattack

The corridor was empty, with only a few wall lamps casting a dim, ghostly glow, their flickering shadows dancing across the walls.

There was no one— not even the slightest unusual sound.

She turned and ran back, regret washing over her like a tide.

“I should have attacked directly.” She murmured to herself in self-blame, her hand gripping the knife trembling slightly from the force.

‘Now the enemy would surely be on guard, and next time wouldn’t be so easy to catch.’

At this thought, Little An’s heart sank, and her steps grew heavy.

She walked back to the Bedroom, gently closed the door, and leaned against the wooden panel, taking a deep breath to quell the rising sense of defeat.

Inside the Bedroom, Mu Xi was already awake from a shallow sleep, her silver hair spread across the dark green pillow, a striking contrast.

She propped herself up slightly, her eyes shining with a peculiar gleam in the darkness.

“What’s wrong?” Mu Xi’s voice was a little hoarse, tinged with the haze of just waking.

Little An quickly walked to the bedside, dropped to one knee, and looked up at Mu Xi, her voice laced with obvious guilt, “Young Mistress, someone was here just now, but I scared them away.”

She briefly described what had happened, her gaze full of apology, “It was my carelessness that let them escape.”

Mu Xi didn’t respond right away, instead falling into silent thought for a moment before sitting up a little straighter, her silk robe slipping off her slender shoulders, revealing a pale collarbone.

She reached out and gently pressed her hand over Little An’s tightly gripped knife.

“Then we must be even more vigilant,” Mu Xi said softly.

Little An furrowed her brow in confusion, “But the other side already failed, they probably won’t try again, right? After all, it’s too dangerous.”

Mu Xi shook her head, her lips curling into a meaningful smile, a trace of old soul experience in that smile which seemed so out of place with her delicate appearance.

“You’re too naive. The enemy isn’t ordinary. Danger won’t stop them— in fact, it’ll numb your nerves.”

A dark glint flashed in Mu Xi’s eyes, “They want you to subconsciously think they’ll be afraid, so you let your guard down. But in truth, a second attack is likely— they want to catch us off guard.”

Little An froze, gripping her knife even tighter.

She stared into Mu Xi’s eyes, which shone all the brighter in the dimness, as if brimming with wisdom far beyond her years.

“Young Mistress is truly clever.” Little An sincerely admired, her heart pounding with a mix of awe and dread.

What had she gone through to possess such instinctive vigilance?

Mu Xi rose from the bed, her bare feet sinking silently into the soft carpet.

She directed Little An to push the wardrobe in front of the door, thoroughly blocking the entrance.

“Now she can’t come in through the door,” Mu Xi said, her gaze shifting to the large floor-to-ceiling window, the curtains drawn tightly shut, the outside world swallowed in darkness.

Little An instantly understood Mu Xi’s meaning. 

She gripped her knife and approached the window, but kept a cautious distance, not daring to get too close.

“Don’t get too close to the window,” Mu Xi warned in a whisper barely audible, “She’s probably waiting out there already.”

Mu Xi sat back on the bed, leaning against the headboard, arms hugging her knees— the pose making her look all the more petite and fragile.

But her eyes were uncannily calm, as if well accustomed to such life-or-death moments.

“We’ll keep watch together till dawn.” Mu Xi spoke softly.

Little An nodded resolutely, standing straight, eyes never leaving the window.

“Why is Young Mistress so certain she’ll attack again?” Little An couldn’t help but ask, still scanning every corner of the room.

Mu Xi was silent for a while before replying, “Just a hunch.”

That answer made Little An’s heart shudder. 

She turned to look again at the seemingly frail girl on the bed.

The room fell silent, broken only by the occasional wind outside the window.

Neither Mu Xi nor Little An spoke again, but a silent understanding seemed to form between them.

Time ticked by, minute after minute. 

Little An’s vigilance never faltered, her gaze locked on the window, the knife now an extension of her body.

Mu Xi leaned against the headboard, eyes half-closed— but Little An knew she wasn’t asleep.

That alertness was like a cat, always ready to spring.

The night outside deepened. 

All sounds in the Manor faded away, and the whole world seemed to shrink to just this Bedroom, the two of them, and that invisible blade hanging in the air.

Suddenly, a faint sound came from outside the window, like something brushing lightly against the glass.

Little An tensed, her eyes going wide.

She crept toward the window, every step cautious, the knife flashing coldly under the moonlight.

Mu Xi slid silently from the bed, picking up a fruit knife from the bedside table.

At that moment, the window shattered, shards of glass gleaming dangerously in the moonlight.

A dark shadow appeared like a ghost behind the curtains, the night wind causing the fabric to sway and outline a tall figure.

Mu Xi’s heart tightened sharply, but she was prepared, her silver hair glimmering faintly in the dark.

Unexpectedly, the shadow didn’t rush to the center of the room. 

Instead, she instantly extended a cold, gleaming Dagger, striking straight at Little An hiding by the window.

The sound of the blade slicing the air was subtle but deadly.

“Watch out!” Mu Xi’s warning was nearly instinctive, her voice soft yet urgent.

Little An’s eyes widened, caught off guard by the enemy’s preemptive strike.

According to their plan, the intruder would charge into the room and then be ambushed by Little An.

But the shadow knew Little An’s location— or had predicted her ambush— and attacked in advance.

The Dagger shot for Little An’s throat. 

She hurriedly raised her knife to block, the clash of metal echoing harshly in the quiet Bedroom.

Her wrist went numb from the shock, almost losing her grip on her weapon.

“Tch!” Little An hissed through her teeth, her face paling, nearly slashed at the neck.

In her moment of panic, the shadow surged toward Mu Xi at the bedside like a gust of wind.

The movement was fluid and swift, clearly the mark of professional training but Mu Xi was not unprepared.

The moment the shadow attacked Little An, she had sprung into action— quick and precise.

She tore off the lampshade of the table lamp, her fingers trembling slightly from tension but still steady.

Then she smashed the lamp with the fruit knife, exposing the wires to meet the oncoming shadow.

“You want to kill me? Come on!” Mu Xi’s voice was soft but carried a steadiness far beyond her age.

The attacker hesitated, her figure pausing— realizing Mu Xi was trying to electrocute her.

That brief hesitation gave Mu Xi a precious chance to observe.

In that instant, Mu Xi saw clearly— the attacker was a masked woman, tall, her muscular lines barely visible under tight black clothes.

At a glance, it was obvious she was a member of the Nightfall Guards under Ye Lan. 

That well-trained bearing couldn’t be hidden.

Mu Xi’s heart sank, instantly switching tactics. 

She smashed the lamp down, snapping the wire, and the light went out.

This action immediately confused the enemy. 

The shadow’s eyes narrowed behind the mask, clearly wondering at Mu Xi’s intentions.

After all, that weapon was still useful for Mu Xi— at least it could have delayed the enemy’s assault.

“Why…” The shadowy woman’s low voice started but abruptly stopped.

But in truth, this was Mu Xi’s way of drawing her attention.

Little An took advantage of the daze to launch a strike from behind, her knife carving a chilling arc through the moonlight.

“Die!” Little An shouted in a cold, girlish snarl.