Qian Rushan added,
“Tonight, stay in the building. Don’t go anywhere or leave the premises, not even half a step.”
“I’ll personally take you to the examination site early tomorrow morning.”
“With experts from the top three academies stationed there, arriving early won’t raise suspicion. They’ll just assume you’re preparing for the exam.”
“This will ensure your safety to the greatest extent possible.”
“Understood. I’ll stay put tonight. Thank you for your efforts, Manager Qian,” Shen Ye replied sincerely.
Suddenly, the loud hum of a helicopter rotor echoed from outside.
An assistant entered the room and respectfully said,
“Manager, everything is ready for you.”
“I have a few things to take care of. See you tomorrow.” Qian Rushan rubbed his face, as though trying to shake off his exhaustion.
“See you tomorrow,” Shen Ye said.
In another part of the city.
West suburbs, Maple Grove Hotel.
Xiao Mengyu stood across the street from the hotel with Zhao Yibing after getting out of the car.
She gazed at the hotel with eyes as tranquil as deep ocean waters, holding an unreadable depth.
Killing intent…
It’s concealed incredibly well, almost invisible.
Only through meticulous observation could one sense the threads of mad, terrifying malice weaving into faint tendrils of killing intent.
This killing intent was tightly restrained, leaving the surrounding streets and the hotel’s exterior in an air of peace.
The person inside, like a seasoned hunter, was patiently waiting for the prey to step into the trap.
Xiao Mengyu parted her lips and spoke softly:
“That online contact of yours supplied you with numerous pills and advanced nutritional supplements to boost your performance. They also paved the way for your early admission to a top high school—am I correct?”
Zhao Yibing pursed her lips, staying silent with an expression tinged with anger.
Xiao Mengyu gave her a glance.
An inexplicable chill surged through Zhao Yibing’s heart, forcing her to steel herself before speaking reluctantly:
“They said that as long as I lead my classmates to go after Shen Ye, smear his reputation, and hit him hard, I’d continue to get everything they promised.”
—I brought this person here, but I have no idea if the mysterious figure behind the scenes will be angry about it.
If they are angry—
Will my guaranteed admission be revoked?
Once I meet this person, I must clarify that I was forced by this girl!
“Have you considered that Shen Ye being signed by the Martial Arts Corporation means your task has completely failed? Do you know what consequences await you?”
Xiao Mengyu’s question was calm but sharp.
“You kidnapped me. I’ll definitely report you to the police afterward!” Zhao Yibing retorted angrily.
Xiao Mengyu fell silent.
Forget it.
This is just a naïve young girl.
She’s never been exposed to the real world.
To her, what she did to Shen Ye was simply a transaction to secure benefits, completely unaware that this deal was just bait hiding a deadly hook.
And she bit it.
“Zhao Yibing, I’ll give you two choices.”
Xiao Mengyu’s voice was soft yet steady.
“What scheme are you up to now?” Zhao Yibing asked, visibly frustrated.
Xiao Mengyu said, “Option one: stay here or find a nearby hiding spot. Once everything is over, come out and testify to everything you know.”
“Option two: pretend you never met me and go directly to see your online contact. I’ll also pretend not to know you.”
“Make your choice, Zhao Yibing.”
“—Your fate is in your own hands, and I will respect your decision.”
Zhao Yibing didn’t hesitate for a moment and sprinted toward the hotel across the street.
True to her word, Xiao Mengyu made no move to stop her, only watching quietly as she entered the hotel, made a phone call, and was escorted to the elevator.
Five or six minutes later.
Xiao Mengyu raised her hand, gently resting it on the hilt of her sword.
With a metallic “clang,” the sword slid a few inches from its sheath.
Across the street.
Inside a hotel suite.
“Bingbing—may I call you that? You’re the most beautiful and talented young woman I’ve ever met.”
“I’m willing to sponsor your education, help you gain admission to a provincial-level high school, and even fund your academic journey.”
The elegantly dressed man raised his wine glass with a charming smile, finishing the drink in one go.
Zhao Yibing, still a bit uneasy, glanced between the bouquet of white roses on the table and the man’s mature, charismatic face. She twisted her fingers nervously and gave a slight bow.
“Mr. Han, thank you for your kindness. I don’t know how I could ever repay you. As for Shen Ye’s matter—”
“Don’t concern yourself with him,” the man said with a confident smile.
“Really? I don’t have to oppose him anymore?” Zhao Yibing asked anxiously. “But he’s signed with the Martial Arts Corporation. I’m afraid he’ll retaliate against me in the future.”
“Rest assured. As long as I’m here, he won’t be able to touch you.”
The man’s voice carried a firm assurance that eased Zhao Yibing’s worries.
“Mr. Han, did you mean it when you said you’d sponsor me?” she asked cautiously.
The man’s smile grew warmer.
She loves money.
—That makes this much easier.
“Bingbing, I absolutely meant it,” the man replied decisively.
Just as he prepared to elaborate further, his right eyelid twitched.
An overwhelming, chilling sword intent pierced through the walls, locking onto him.
The sword was being prepared.
If he did nothing and let it build—
“Mr. Han, is something wrong?”
Zhao Yibing asked, puzzled.
“It’s nothing,” the man replied quickly, flashing a smile. “Give me your bank account details. I’ll transfer some money to you right now.”
“Ah, that’s so generous of you. Thank you, Mr. Han!”
She rummaged through her bag for her phone. Just as she found it, she shuddered involuntarily.
The man clenched his fist discreetly.
Damn it.
This sword aura is too aggressive; even she’s affected.
I need to speed this up, or this perfect encounter will be ruined.
This is an unexpected challenge.
—But nothing can extinguish my enthusiasm.
I will complete this masterpiece!
The man quickly pulled out his phone. While transferring the money, he spoke gently:
“Bingbing, you’re not just talented—you also have a kind heart. I’ve decided to support you through high school and beyond.”
“What do you mean?” Zhao Yibing asked.
Ding!
Her phone chimed with a notification.
She stared at the string of digits on the screen, momentarily forgetting to breathe.
The man’s eyes locked on hers.
Her gaze, initially filled with unease, soon gave way to irrepressible longing.
Seizing the moment, the man leaned closer, whispering in her ear:
“I can nominate one student to take the entrance exams for the world’s top three high schools, Bingbing.”
The top three high schools!
Zhao Yibing’s mind spun, and she almost screamed in delight.
That’s the ultimate honor!
There, one could master truly advanced vocational skills!
Once enrolled, she would rise above ordinary people, forever breaking free from mediocrity.
“Mr. Han, are you serious?” she asked, her voice trembling.
The man entered a lengthy password into his phone, casually explaining,
“Years ago, during an archaeological expedition in the skies, I made a significant contribution.”
“Kunlun gave me this password. It allows my chosen successor to take the joint entrance exams for the top three high schools.”
“I’m giving this opportunity to you now.”
“But… my abilities…” Zhao Yibing hesitated.
“Don’t worry. With me here, I’ll help you improve,” the man reassured her.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed again.
She looked down.
A document with thirteen verified seals appeared on her screen, confirming her eligibility to take the entrance exams for the top three high schools.
—The more verified seals, the higher Kunlun’s acknowledgment.
In other words—
This couldn’t possibly be fake!
Overwhelmed by joy, Zhao Yibing felt as if the world was spinning. She could barely keep herself upright.
A pair of large, warm hands steadied her.
“Mr. Han!”
She exclaimed in exhilaration.
“Are you happy, Bingbing?” the man asked with an understanding smile.
“Yes!” Zhao Yibing nodded vigorously, tears of joy welling in her eyes as her smile widened uncontrollably.
At that moment.
The man moved his hand.
Just as she reached the peak of her happiness—
Before trouble descends, this romantic encounter must be brought to an end before the bud blooms, letting it fall and return to dust.
The climax of the symphony lies here.
He had to personally put an end to it, cutting it short!
In an instant—
Something seemed to happen.
But the two of them remained motionless.
The room showed no signs of change.
Only the man—
Holding his breath, his face a mixture of tension and unease, he gently raised an object with one hand while the other became a blur, swiftly pulling out an intricate web of steel wires from the void. His fingers danced like a pianist, rapidly stitching the wound.
Seven or eight breaths passed.
Finally, the man exhaled in relief.
Before him stood the headless corpse of a young girl, motionless. Miraculously, not a drop of blood flowed from her neck, and the wound had been completely sutured into a smooth surface, as if her head had never existed.
The man finally had a moment to gaze at what he held in his hand—
The girl’s severed head.
Even in death, her face retained an expression of joy, as though filled with hopes and dreams for the future, unaware of her demise.
Her eyes glistened with still-warm tears of excitement.
“Magnificent, Bingbing. Together, we’ve created a masterpiece of art.”
The man’s cheeks flushed, his breath quickening, like a youth beholding their first love.
Suddenly—
The air in the room began to churn violently.
The man’s expression changed, and he roared in anger:
“No!”
He shielded Zhao Yibing’s corpse, crashing through the wall as a flash of cold light sent him flying.
Xiao Mengyu had appeared silently.
Standing where the man had been, she held a long sword, casting a glance at Zhao Yibing’s body.
“Don’t touch her. Take whatever you want, but don’t touch her!”
The man’s desperate plea echoed, accompanied by an aura of madness and murderous intent.
Xiao Mengyu’s expression turned stern, and she raised her sword.
This was unexpected.
She had thought the man wouldn’t act rashly under the restraint of her sword aura.
But who could have foreseen such madness?
In that moment, the ominous aura emanating from him was far beyond her understanding.
Now was the time to truly cross swords.
The next moment—
A dense array of sharp steel wires suddenly materialized in the room.
The man reappeared on the opposite side, his fingers twitching. The wires surged like crashing waves toward Xiao Mengyu.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yibing’s corpse and head were gently lifted by a few wires and carefully placed in the corner with a tender, almost reverent touch.
Xiao Mengyu suddenly dashed forward, slashing toward Zhao Yibing’s corpse.
Clang, clang, clang—
Sword and wires clashed, producing sounds like a torrential downpour. The scattered sword aura carved countless fine marks into the walls.
“Enough! Don’t harm her!”
The man bellowed in fury.
“Unless you tell me who hired you, I’ll destroy this corpse entirely,” Xiao Mengyu retorted, her sword flicking, sending another blade of light.
The man abandoned his attack, fully focused on shielding Zhao Yibing from harm, while hastily replying:
“If you leave now, I’ll spare you out of respect for the Luo family. But if you dare to defile my art—”
“I’ll kill you!”
Xiao Mengyu cut him off, her voice cold. “You can try to kill me, but I want to know who your employer is!”
“Dream on!”
The man’s voice was filled with disdain.
Hum—
The long sword in Xiao Mengyu’s hand suddenly blurred.
A colossal sword shadow emerged from the blade, radiating an oppressive, razor-sharp aura.
Hum, hum, hum—
The resounding sword hum drowned out all other sounds.
The man’s pupils contracted sharply.
Such swordsmanship—he could fend it off, but he couldn’t guarantee Zhao Yibing’s safety.
“Bingbing!”
The man’s gaze lingered on Zhao Yibing’s corpse, his eyes turning blood-red with sorrow.
From his despair surged an unprecedented killing intent.
Behind him, a strange, blood-colored doll materialized, floating eerily in the void.
He was preparing to go all out.
“Let’s make a deal,” Xiao Mengyu said suddenly.
“A deal?” The man gritted his teeth, asking his final question before striking.
Despite the thunderous hum of the sword, he could still hear her words clearly.
“Tell me who hired you, and I’ll let you hunt me down. Succeed or fail, I promise not to use the Luo family’s power against you, nor will they seek revenge.”
Xiao Mengyu continued calmly, “If you kill me, my corpse is yours to do with as you please.”
The man froze.
He stared at Xiao Mengyu’s unparalleled beauty, her sword in hand, radiating heroic spirit. Her eyes, as clear as autumn waters, held a lofty sword intent.
The boiling killing intent in the room vanished entirely.
“Are you serious?”
The man’s voice wavered between nervousness and bashfulness.
“Serious,” Xiao Mengyu replied.
A smile slowly spread across the man’s face.
“What a headache,” he said, squinting as if caught between embarrassment and a troubling predicament.
But finally, he spoke with an almost joyful tone:
“For you, I’ll betray my employer, breaking the ironclad rules of the Assassins’ Guild. I’ll be hunted by them for the rest of my life.”
“Afraid?” Xiao Mengyu taunted.
“Oh, dear girl, to have you, I’m willing to make such a sacrifice,” he said, his tone melodramatic. “I hope one day I can hold you close and shower you with fiery kisses as passionate as the equator.”
“My sword will cut you into pieces,” Xiao Mengyu replied coolly.
“Ah, another kind of beauty entirely. Just hearing your heavenly voice excites me—I wouldn’t refuse it unless you failed to deliver,” the man said, bowing elegantly.
The deal was struck!
Now, only one thing remained.
The “Skinner” emitted the sound of countless wires rubbing together.
The steel wires seemed alive, probing and testing Xiao Mengyu’s sword aura in the air, seeking an opening.
Her sword suddenly trembled, releasing a piercing cry.
Sharp sword aura and wires clashed, leaving deep marks on the ground, walls, and ceiling.
The battle was imminent!
