Chapter Six: Terror in the Alley

“Watch out!” Shang Ruohuai reacted swiftly, pulling Wan Qiyue behind him.

The two hid beneath a beam, cautiously observing their surroundings.

Wan Qiyue glanced at the scene before her and couldn’t help but speak, “Uh, I mean... these darts seem to be aimed at you, right? Why did you drag me here? I almost got hit! You scared me!”

“Oh?” Hearing this, Shang Ruohuai finally realized that was indeed the case.

He scratched his head, looked around, picked up a stone, and hurled it hard into the middle of the street.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!” Three darts whizzed straight to where the stone had landed.

“Wow, Brother Shang, who did you make an enemy of? They really want you dead,” Wan Qiyue shook her head in disbelief, while Shang Ruohuai remained calm.

He joked to himself, “Guess it’s because I have some family assets worth coveting, haha!”

Still in the mood to joke...

Wan Qiyue rolled her eyes at him. How big must those assets be to attract such deadly attention? Yet he remained so composed as if his life wasn’t at stake.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!” Five more darts suddenly slammed into the pillar where they hid.

Shang Ruohuai stared intently at the darts, his eyes filled with a complex emotion.

“Hey, big brother, why are you still analyzing this?” Wan Qiyue exclaimed, surprised by his fixed gaze.

Before they could say more, two masked figures charged out from the end of the alley, brandishing sharp blades—clearly hostile.

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t you know any hidden weapons? Hurry up and fight back!” Wan Qiyue frowned and tugged at Shang Ruohuai’s sleeve.

He fumbled in his sleeve, looked up at her, and awkwardly said, “Heh heh, I’m out of silver…”

[System: You have gone off course. A new route is being planned.]

Wan Qiyue’s eyes rolled so far back they almost disappeared. Damn it, there wasn’t a single reliable person around!

“Move further back, hide!” She yanked Shang Ruohuai behind her and with a flick of her folding fan, dashed forward.

Time to try out the lightness skill she had just learned.

Pushing off the steps with her foot, she leapt lightly about three meters high.

With a gentle flick of her wrist, the folding fan turned into a white streak of light, tracing a perfect arc through the air and aimed at the masked assassin’s throat.

The two assailants reacted swiftly, blocking with their swords, but there was a sharp “cling” as the blade was cleanly severed.

A chill spread from the broken edge as the fan whirled back into Wan Qiyue’s hand.

The assassin immediately launched several more darts, but she blocked them all effortlessly.

“Wow, this is awesome!” She fondled the folding fan like she had found a treasure.

Before Wan Qiyue could admire it further, the two attackers launched another assault.

One dropped his broken sword and switched to fists and kicks, his palm strike rushing towards Wan Qiyue’s forehead like the wind.

She dodged sideways and the palm smashed against the brick wall instead.

The wall instantly shattered into pieces.

Wan Qiyue gasped at the sheer force behind the blow.

The assassin then kicked up a pile of fallen bricks and hurled them at her.

Seeing his ruthless attack, Wan Qiyue no longer underestimated him and engaged him in close combat with her fan.

After several exchanges, Wan Qiyue’s strength waned, and she was knocked to the ground.

“System, system, help me!” she whispered urgently.

But no one answered.

Damn the system—it really wasn’t available on demand.

The attacker spoke coldly, “Kid, we want the life of someone named Shang. You’ve nothing to do with this. Step aside now and we might spare you; resist and you’ll die.”

Clutching her chest, Wan Qiyue gritted her teeth and resolutely said two words: “Never.”

“Fine, don’t blame me then!” He clenched his fist and lunged like a fierce tiger aiming to kill.

Just as the deadly palm was about to descend, “whoosh, whoosh, whoosh”—several familiar silver streaks flew from behind, striking the attacker’s chest.

The force was so great that he spat blood.

“Shang Ruohuai, I thought you were out of silver?” Wan Qiyue turned to glare at him.

He smiled broadly, “Found some more.”

Speechless...

What Wan Qiyue didn’t see was that after she turned around, Shang Ruohuai’s expression changed completely—eyes sharp and fierce as if ready to devour the attacker alive, a stark contrast to his earlier cheerful demeanor.

He stepped forward; the assassin retreated step by step until cornered against the wall.

Realizing he was trapped, he threw a smoke bomb and fled.

Shang Ruohuai paid no attention to the escaping assassin and turned to help Wan Qiyue up.

She yanked her hand free, frustrated, “If you had acted sooner, I wouldn’t be beaten like this!”

Shang Ruohuai reverted to his cheerful smile and comforted her, “But I just found the perfect weapon.”

“How come you’re acting like a little girl when you’re angry?” he teased.

“You still have the nerve to joke!” Wan Qiyue snapped.

He looked at her small frame and teased further, “You still have the strength to scold me, so I guess you’re not seriously hurt.”

“Shang! Ruo! Huai!” Wan Qiyue hissed like a flustered cat, teeth clenched.

“Alright, alright, thanks to you today, Brother Yun, otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it,” he quickly bowed to her in gratitude.

Standing up, he asked, “Brother Yun, we’ve only met once. Why are you so protective of me?”

Wan Qiyue paused, scratched her chin, and thought for a moment. “I don’t know either. Maybe we’re fated, and besides, when you see injustice, you pull out your sword to help. I…”

“Uh, I, the young master, am duty-bound!” she said solemnly, making Shang Ruohuai laugh.

Well, he couldn’t exactly say it was because helping her was part of his mission.

“Then we’re good brothers from now on. Just call me by my name, and I’ll call you Brother Yushan.”

“To repay a life-saving favor, take this token. If you ever encounter trouble, bring it to the Tian Tong Trading Company on West Street. I will do everything in my power to help Brother Yushan.”

Wan Qiyue took the item—a half-moon-shaped jade pendant engraved with cloud and thunder patterns, exquisitely crafted.

But it seemed to be only half of a whole.

She was about to ask more when a sharp bird call suddenly pierced the air.

Shang Ruohuai’s face changed instantly. Without waiting for her, he hurriedly said goodbye.

“Brother Yushan, I have some personal matters to attend to and can’t accompany you further. Sorry.”

Wait, wasn’t it supposed to be me accompanying you?

Seeing his urgency, Wan Qiyue replied, “Alright, you go ahead. I have things to do too. Until we meet again.”

Watching her silhouette grow distant, he murmured, “We will meet again.”

Turning serious, he walked deeper into the alley where the two assassins’ bodies lay.

A nearby guard knelt respectfully and said, “Master, they were men from Prince Rui’s faction.”

“Mm, noted.”

“Should I investigate the man from earlier?”

Shang Ruohuai nodded, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips.

“Hm, quite an interesting girl.”