The royal city had been exceptionally lively these past few days.
Snow-colored flowers hung from the streets, and white carpets had been laid out across the ground.
On the bustling streets, carriages and crowds streamed by.
Shops sold pancakes shaped like snowflakes, and paper cuttings in the same snowy patterns were pasted on houses.
People walking along the streets all carried a single, pristine Qingxue Flower.
They would tuck it into a prominent pocket or use it as a hairpin in their hair.
The flower stalls by the road called out, selling these blossoms, and customers came in a never-ending stream, crowding around so tightly there was no room to move.
Although it was still spring, these white decorations lent the city a touch of ‘winter.’
This wasn’t because of any festival with a ‘snow’ theme.
Rather, it was to welcome the Saintess of the Extreme Winter Tribe, who was about to arrive in the royal city.
No one knew where the rumor had started—it was said that offering a pure white Qingxue Flower to the Saintess would bring her blessing.
The moment this dubious rumor began to spread, the entire city took it upon themselves to decorate with lanterns and streamers.
Everyone carried a beautiful Qingxue Flower on their person, all hoping to catch a glimpse of the Saintess and receive her blessing.
Amidst the crowded, bustling streets, a figure in rough linen clothes, her head wrapped in tattered rags, wove through the throngs.
She was thin and frail.
The only exposed hand was as white as snow and slender-boned, her wrist slim and delicate as a bamboo joint.
Just a glance was enough to tell she was a woman—a woman whose very presence made one feel fate was beyond their grasp.
In such a crowded crowd, bumping into others was inevitable.
With her frail build, she looked especially small and was often overlooked.
Just now, as she passed a burly, rough-looking man, he clearly didn’t notice her and bumped shoulders with her hard.
Though the brute stood firm, the woman stumbled back several steps before coming to a stop.
The brute’s face twisted in anger, his brow creased so tightly it looked as if he could crush a fly.
“Are you fucking blind?!”
The woman said nothing. Once she’d steadied herself, she simply brushed past him.
“I’m talking to you, damn it, are you deaf?!”
The brute reached out his thick arm and grabbed the woman’s collar.
He hoisted her up roughly.
In that instant, the eyes hidden beneath her hood were revealed—so cold and gloomy, they could suffocate a person.
That chilling stare, paired with her pale, snow-like skin, made the brute involuntarily shiver as soon as he saw her.
This person… could she have just crawled out of a grave?
“Let go.”
A cold, hoarse voice rang in his ears.
He released her almost instinctively, stepping back.
He quickly wiped the hand that had touched her on his clothes, as if afraid of catching some bad luck.
The woman didn’t hesitate; as soon as her feet touched the ground, she brushed past him.
“First thing out the door and I run into a damn corpse. What rotten luck!”
Behind her, the brute’s cursing voice followed her, and the hand she’d placed on her dagger tightened.
As she passed a narrow alley, she turned and disappeared into the darkness.
Pulling off the ragged hood, a head of messy, gray short hair was revealed.
She shook her head again.
Two small black horns emerged from her forehead, and a pair of gray cat ears poked out from the top of her head.
The woman was Wensha. In less than a few days, her face had gained several new scars, and the clothes beneath her rags were thoroughly soaked with blood.
When she’d broken into Human Territory, she’d been beset by dozens of Border Guards.
Though she’d escaped, her body had suffered grievous wounds.
She yanked the rag off her shoulder, exposing the bloody gash beneath.
The filthy cloth binding it had been completely stained red, and blood continued to gush from the wound, soaking her once-pale skin with scarlet.
“Damn it…”
She must have torn her shoulder wound open again when she was bumped just now.
Agonizing pain shot through her whole body, but she, long used to suffering, didn’t even knit her brow at the sight of her bleeding wound.
She tore off another piece of rag from her clothes and wrapped it haphazardly over the wound.
But after so many tears, there was little left of her already tattered clothes.
When she covered the wound, a hint of scarlet could still be seen through the fabric.
“Grrr—”
Her stomach rumbled twice. Starving, she hadn’t eaten in two days.
Her bundle had been lost during the escape.
All she had left was a small piece of bread in her pocket.
“I need to hurry…”
She fished out the dusty bread from her belt, took a deep breath, and stuffed it in her mouth, chewing twice before swallowing.
“Found her, over here!!”
Just as she stood, a man’s shout came from the mouth of the alley.
A Border Guard in silver armor blocked the entrance.
He drew a silver sword from his waist, approaching Wensha step by step.
“They caught up so fast…”
She gripped her dagger tightly, holding it before her chest.
She turned, intending to flee deeper into the alley, but there was another guard at the far end.
They shouted for backup.
Wensha knew that if she didn’t run now, she’d really die in this dark alley.
“Catch the cat demon! Don’t let her escape!”
As a cat demon, Wensha was many times more agile than humans.
With a light leap, she vaulted onto the roof. But as if expecting this, one of the guards loosed an arrow, slicing through the air and plunging straight into Wensha’s chest.
“Damn it!”
More blood spurted from her body.
She tried to pull the arrow out, but it seemed to have struck her heart—any movement would damage it further.
Her strength drained away.
She looked at the surrounding guards, the fury in her eyes undisguised.
“Why are you standing in my way? This has nothing to do with you.”
She raised her dagger, pointing it at the guards, killing intent thickening in her eyes.
“You forced me to do this… don’t blame me…”
Before she lost all ability to move, she would kill them all…
In a flash of blades and clashing swords, blood splattered everywhere.
The alley was a scene of carnage.
The walls were smeared with crimson, the alley littered with severed limbs.
Wensha stood amid the carnage, drenched in blood, gasping for breath.
Beneath her ragged clothes were wound upon gory wound.
She leaned against the wall, dragging her half-broken right leg as she limped out of the alley, leaving a trail of bright red behind her.
It seemed… she really would die here.
She knew. Lantis’s purpose in sending her here had been for her to die.
Even if the mission succeeded and she managed to retreat unscathed, death would still await her upon her return.
Her way back was blocked, and before her, only a cliff awaited.
If she died here, perhaps her beloved chieftain would be spared…
But she wanted to do more for Mo Zhi.
If she could kill that person, maybe he would be pleased, and treat her beloved chieftain a little better.
But… it seemed there was no such chance.
“Thud—”
Her final strength gave out.
Wensha collapsed wretchedly in the alley, her body lying in a pool of blood, her own mingled with others.
After death, she would never see her chieftain again…
At this thought, the face that had remained calm even in the face of death finally showed fear.
She feared she would never see Mo Zhi again.
She feared even more that someone would approach Mo Zhi in her absence.
It was jealousy.
It was selfishness—she knew that.
She didn’t want someone as lowly and filthy as herself to taint Mo Zhi.
That was one of the reasons she’d resolved to die.
But in the end, she was still unwilling…
In her ears, it seemed there was a songbird’s melody—sweet and clear.
But who would sing for someone so filthy as her…
At this point, it didn’t matter anymore.
The singing continued, but Wensha’s pupils had already dilated, and she fell into eternal slumber…