Strange sounds echoed through the sacred Rose Cathedral.
“Shing!”
“Pfft!”
“Crack!”
Like chopping meat on a cutting board, slicing through bone, with liquid splattering about.
Skin-cutting and bone-slicing noises rang endlessly.
Cold gleams flashed intermittently on the cathedral’s stained glass, blood splattering across the face of the Virgin Mary statue.
The knights and mages, whom the Church prided itself on, were steadily falling back, and the archbishops trembled curled up in their chambers.
All because of a single foreigner.
Blood covered the floor, yet her dress remained pure white—whiter than snow.
Her longsword’s blade was chipped, yet still capable against the enemies’ weapons.
She appeared devoid of magic, but with a snap of her fingers, heavenly fire descended and thunder roared.
“Are these people trying to overthrow the Church? How dare they send such a person!”
“That’s the assassin hired by Saintess Yue Lan; she wants to monopolize power!”
Both opposing factions within the Church accused each other of having hired this assassin.
The archbishops clutched their heads, huddled in corners, completely unable to make sense of the situation.
Everyone said this terrifying assassin was sent by the other side.
But the problem was, both sides were charging toward her, and she killed whoever she saw.
What on earth was going on?
“Blessed Virgin, protect us! Holy Light, save us! What is happening here?!”
“What is this female ghost’s background?!”
“Mages! Knights! Charge! Do not retreat, do not retreat!”
Listening to these fearful cries, Lin Qiyou danced through the enemy’s blood and flesh without a care.
Her eyes never left the grand door of the council chamber.
She had originally descended into the council chamber, but those mages foolishly teleported her outside the cathedral.
So she had killed her way back through the main doors.
The path was littered with corpses, the corridors flowed with rivers of blood, and the screams wove a haunting tune from another world.
Killing these people was effortless for her—she had no particular interest in them; they only blocked her path.
If only they would step aside quickly and clear a way, she would be deeply grateful.
But since they refused, there was no choice but to kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!
She had to find Yue Lan, the Saintess who knew where Qingmu was, to end this carnage.
And after this was over, she could finally understand one thing: everything was ruined.
She had tried to behave quietly since arriving in this world.
But whatever, it didn’t matter anymore.
Thinking so, she killed with even greater precision.
As Lin Qiyou pressed closer down the corridor, the archbishops were on the brink of collapse.
Mages formed defensive shields at the door, knights arrayed themselves in formation.
Challengers constantly charged at the advancing Lin Qiyou, only to fall one after another.
“For the Holy Light’s protection!”
Spears pierced through the air, carrying the knights’ faith and courage as they thrust toward Lin Qiyou.
She dodged like a ghost, stepping on a spear, her sword slipping like an eel into a knight’s chest. A slight twist, then a withdrawal.
Blood spurted from her longsword, fulfilling the knight’s wish to die for the Holy Light.
More knights came rushing in, their relentless charges met with endless deaths.
“Don’t retreat! Don’t retreat! Don’t retreat!”
Seeing this seemingly divine incarnation Lin Qiyou, the knights’ commander shuddered.
He looked at his lines and found their formation shrinking steadily backward.
“If you all charge in, who will protect the mages and the archbishops? Don’t retreat!”
Another commander shouted.
One side represented Yue Lan’s faction; the other part represented the deceased Saintess candidate’s faction.
Initially hostile, they had to unite against Lin Qiyou to protect the archbishops from threat.
No way could they allow this white-clad woman to take another step forward.
“Relax. Relax. I only want Saintess Yue Lan. You need not fear anyone else.”
Lin Qiyou said calmly.
The knights exchanged glances in confusion.
Only Yue Lan?
Just Yue Lan?
“Still say she’s not sent by Saintess Yue Lan!”
“She only wants Saintess Yue Lan!”
“Is she planning harm to the Saintess?”
“No matter! What Saintess? Didn’t she get accused of experimenting with forbidden potions?”
“Yue Lan killed the candidates, she’s guilty!”
Lin Qiyou heard their mutterings and understood their psychological defenses had collapsed.
Their words were like wind brushing past a woman’s ears, causing the knights to stagger and drop their weapons and shields.
Weapons clattered to the ground, one after another.
Of course, wasn’t it obvious now?
The Saintess had betrayed them.
The Saintess was betrayed.
Whatever the truth, there was no point in fighting against her anymore.
Opposing her meant death; charging forward meant death; resisting meant death.
Sacrificing one Saintess to save the other archbishops was the correct choice.
If you wish to become a saint, you must be prepared to suffer for the world!
Lin Qiyou watched the surrendering knights, her brows rising lightly in amusement.
She smiled, as if telling the knights, “This is how it should be.”
What was once a witch-killer became like a gentle goddess.
She strode calmly toward those knights, who even if unbroken in spirit, were no longer worth her concern.
The knights in holy armor saw Lin Qiyou coming and instinctively stepped aside, one by one.
Like thousands of troops avoiding a white robe, even the two commanders parted to make way without a word.
The mages fell silent, their spells ceasing, staffs still.
They saw the heavenly fire and lightning at Lin Qiyou’s whim, the winds swirling around her white garments.
Though uncertain if it was truly magic, they knew they could not stand against her.
The mages parted as well.
Lin Qiyou returned to the devastated council chamber.
The huge table lay broken with a fallen chandelier at its center.
Archbishops huddled in corners, pointing toward the open window.
“I guess you’re sent by the Holy Light to capture the traitor Yue Lan Fengling. She escaped out the window!”
“I think you’re here to save our Saintess. She left through the window!”
These two accusations dominated the archbishops’ voices, confused and shifting with the wind.
Lin Qiyou raised an eyebrow, feeling these words were as familiar as deceitful doublespeak.
Very familiar indeed.
Ignoring these supposedly great men who were so dubious inside, she flipped out the window.
From afar, she saw the Saintess being escorted away by a few people.
Just escaping?
Lin Qiyou shook her head and hurried after them.
Yue Lan glanced back once.
“Stop her!”
Three mages immediately cast spells to block Lin Qiyou.
Earth spikes rose, flames surged, wind blades sliced.
Lin Qiyou stepped aside twice, flipped, and casually dodged.
The mages panicked and tried to cast again, but it was too late.
With a twist and slide of her longsword, three heads were severed from their bodies.
“Don’t come near the Saintess!”
A knight slashed at Lin Qiyou’s back.
The heavy sword sang through the air, enough to chop off a troll’s head, let alone a weak woman.
But Lin Qiyou was no ordinary woman in the knight’s eyes.
As if she had eyes behind her back, she leapt with one foot, stepping on the great sword.
“What?”
“Bang!”
Lin Qiyou kicked the knight’s helmet hard.
“Of course, of course, of course, of course!”
Hearing the noise behind, Yue Lan’s heart panicked.
“Damn it! Why are Yue Qi’s minions so strong? Damn demon Yue Qi! Why won’t you disappear?”
Yue Lan ran while shouting angrily.
Her grace and calm as a Saintess were completely gone, replaced only by dissatisfaction and hatred for the current situation.
Anyway, the supposed Saintess demeanor was lost during her escape.
The door! It was close!
Seeing the angel statue at the cathedral’s entrance, Yue Lan’s heart leapt with joy.
Once she reached there, once she reached there!
“Stop running! Where is Qingmu!”
Lin Qiyou had completely shaken off Yue Lan’s guards.
She now felt like a predator stalking a wounded, bleeding rabbit.
She was the fierce wolf, the mighty tiger.
As a savage beast, no matter what happened, she would never give up the chase for Yue Lan.
“Die, Yue Qi’s minions! I will never tell you where my Qingmu is! Get lost! Get lost! Get lost!”
Ignoring her own dignity, Yue Lan cursed loudly.
Finally outside the Rose Cathedral, seeing the townsfolk, Yue Lan’s heart brimmed with joy.
“It’s Lady Yue Lan! The Saintess Yue Lan!”
“Wait, who are those behind the Saintess?”
“Stop her!”
Devout believers! Faithful followers!
Yue Lan said nothing, doing her best to keep an elegant fleeing posture.
She charged into the crowd, and the crowd shielded her.
From here, everything should be fine, right?
“She massacred the cathedral! Go inform the king! Summon the army!”
Yue Lan shouted to the crowd.
In her mind:
You can kill people, you can slaughter the cathedral?
Can you burn down Rose Kingdom’s entire city?
Can you wipe out the king’s royal guards by yourself?
I will never tell you where Qingmu is, never!
“You really know where Qingmu is… and what is your relationship with Qingmu?”
Lin Qiyou pointed her sword at Saintess Yue Lan behind the crowd, her expression strange.
“Get lost, demon!”
“Don’t come near the Saintess!”
“Die!”
No need for Yue Lan to reply; her followers had already spoken.
Children and women threw stones at Lin Qiyou, while men approached with pitchforks.
“Pfft!”
Yue Lan leapt aside, swinging her sword to decapitate a man, dodged a pitchfork attack from behind, then cut off another man’s shoulder.
“I will find out where Qingmu is. Before then, anyone who blocks me must die…”
Shaking the blood off her sword, Lin Qiyou revealed a demonic glare.
Yue Lan, who had seen countless demons, felt as if plunged into an ice lake, chilled to the bone.
“What is this woman… really?”
…
…
In another world, Lin Qiyou slowly woke.
Before her eyes was a neat, simple wooden house.
She lay on a bed, and steaming wild vegetable porridge sat on the cabinet nearby.
The door was open, and outside came the sound of sawing wood.
“Where is this?”
Lin Qiyou got out of bed, noticing her strange clothes.
This outfit was exceedingly shabby.
Coarse linen-like fabric, looking like a sack for grain if not for the belt around her waist.
Her shoes were straw sandals but surprisingly comfortable.
This place was unfamiliar, one she had never been to, but she felt no fear or vigilance.
What exactly… was going on?
She glanced around the room, which bore signs of habitation—evidence of two people.
So, who was outside?
Carefully approaching the door, she saw a man chopping wood with his back to her.
He looked like a villager, young in stature.
The more she looked, the more something felt off, her heart pounding faster.
Suddenly, the villager seemed to sense something, turned, and smiled at her.
“Lady, you’re awake?”
“Lady?”
Lin Qiyou repeated the word absentmindedly, barely registering it.
But when she saw his face, her legs went weak, and she had to hold onto the doorframe.
His sword-like brows and bright eyes, strong build, and an otherworldly aura.
This face—Lin Qiyou had dreamed of it countless times.
Rush forward, rush forward, rush forward!
A voice inside told her to do just that.
Drop everything, run to him, and embrace him!
Yet her legs were soft, as if filled with lead.
Someone was choking her throat, making her unable to speak.
She just stared blankly at him, like a fool.
“Lady, have you lost your mind?”
Qingmu stepped forward, reaching out to touch Lin Qiyou.
“Lady!”
Hearing this, Lin Qiyou collapsed onto the ground, dazed, staring at the astonished Qingmu.
“Lady, you don’t recognize me?”
Qingmu’s eyes widened, innocence flooding his face.
“Did you really hurt your head?”
Ignoring her resistance, Qingmu knelt, cupping her cheeks.
“Let me see, what’s wrong? Don’t scare me.”
“Hm?”
Lin Qiyou’s cheeks scrunched up.
“Who, lady? Hurt your head?”
“Come! Let’s see the healer!”
Without waiting for reply, Qingmu scooped Lin Qiyou up and ran toward the village.
Her mind remained dazed, confused.
Amnesia? Something was wrong!
She wasn’t supposed to be here…
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her head.
“Ah… it hurts, it hurts so much!”
Clutching her head, Qingmu grew anxious, shouting, “Lady, don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to the healer!”
Soon, Qingmu brought Lin Qiyou to the healer’s clinic.
Lin Qiyou lay on the bed, staring confusedly at the ceiling.
The healer whispered to Qingmu, “The lady’s head injury likely caused memory loss. Aside from that, no serious harm. Just rest and watch her diet.”
“I have amnesia, I heard that!”
Lin Qiyou shouted to them.
The healer and Qingmu exchanged whispers.
After a while, Qingmu returned to Lin Qiyou.
“Lady, shall we head back? I can buy you some snacks on the way.”
“…Okay.”
Lin Qiyou realized she couldn’t remember anything but felt vague fragments about this husband before her.
The pieces weren’t complete but enough to form one thought, one wish.
That was…
Her current relationship with him was exactly the life she always wanted.
Being called “Lady” by him warmed her heart.
As for memories?
She truly remembered nothing.
Then Qingmu carried her out onto the street.
“Candied hawthorn, want some?”
“Over there, fried snacks, how about meatballs?”
“Sweet soup!”
On the street, Lin Qiyou craved whatever she saw.
She didn’t know why she felt a little greedy, making Qingmu carry so many things felt bad, but she just wanted to.
Maybe… she was a bad woman?
Lin Qiyou couldn’t help but think so.
Back in the wooden house, Lin Qiyou sat eating the snacks while Qingmu never left her side.
“Why don’t you go chop wood?”
“I’m staying with you.”
“Oh.”
“Lady, do you want anything else to eat?”
“No more.”
Lin Qiyou found Qingmu overly attentive, as if guilty of some mistake, so she asked,
“Did you do something wrong to me?”
“No way!”
Qingmu raised his hands, his handsome face full of grievance.
“Hmph…”
Lin Qiyou slipped off her shoes, placing her socked feet on Qingmu’s leg, tilting her head to look at him.
He was handsome, no doubt, and just by his face, she recalled why she had come to be with him.
Wait, why again?
“My name is Lin Qiyou?”
“Yes.”
Recalling Qingmu calling her name earlier, Lin Qiyou blinked and asked,
“Tell me about my past. No lies! I’m going to ask others, and if you get anything wrong, I’ll make you pay!”
“Alright, alright!”
Qingmu muttered, “Why would I lie to you?” and began to tell her a story.