Chapter 53: Taken

Nights like this brought up memories of her own country. Jun Huang lowered her eyes. The breeze cleared her head a little. Her stomach, however, started aching.

Nan Jihan saw Jun Huang leaving the manor. With a crooked smile, he took his leave as well without anyone noticing and returned to the relay station.

Inside the guest room were Nan Jihan’s people. Their eyes were as cold as those of the soul-sucking wraiths that plagued the night. They were experts in putting people to an eternal slumber.

“I told you to stay hidden and keep watch,” Nan Jihan said, crouching down. “You do remember what Feng Baiyu looks like, don’t you? Did you see where he went?” The window was left open. The wind made the candlelight waver. It would be put out any moment.

One of the men nodded in the shadow. “This servant remembers what he looks like. We will not let Your Highness down. He will be delivered to you straight away.”

Nan Jihan twisted his lips into a cold smile, his eyes dark. “Feng Baiyu is a rare talent. If he surrenders himself to me, I will reward you handsomely. Remember, do not hurt him. If he’s harmed in any way, you’ll get your punishment.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. We know what we’re doing.”

They left the room silently. The night would not be a peaceful one. Nan Jihan sat at his desk, his pale fingers wrapping around the teacup. There was a devilish smile at his lips. A cunning glint flashed through his eyes.

Jun Huang didn’t know why she wanted to get away from the bustling and prosperous areas of the city, but she did. When she came to her senses, she was in the middle of nowhere, far away from the main streets. She didn’t know where she was. And there wasn’t anyone around for her to ask for direction. She cursed herself for being careless.

Her stomach started cramping again. Her face went pale.

She supported herself against a pillar. Her forehead was covered in cold sweat. She didn’t have time to care about her condition, however; she could hear faint footsteps coming towards her.

She frowned. Showing up at this time of day in a place like this – must be someone with malicious intent. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and stabbed her own wrist with a silver needle to make herself focus.

Her vision cleared up. A group of men dressed in black appeared before her. There was an intimidating aura around every one of them.

Jun Huang forced herself to calm down. “Who are you?”

“These lowly men are here to invite the gentleman to be our guest,” said the leader.

“This gentleman didn’t know this was the way you invited people.” Jun Huang scoffed. “This is the imperial city. Don’t think about trying anything untowards. Otherwise you will make trouble for your employer. He won’t be happy.”

“If the gentleman refused to come peacefully, we will have no choice but to do this the hard way. We will make sure to make amends to you in the future.” The leader raised his sword, and the other men unsheathed their weapons as well. They closed in on her.

The night wind chilled her to the bone, making the tail of Jun Huang’s clothes flutter. Her eyes had always been beautiful. At this moment, they shone so brightly that they were even more brilliant than the fine clothes she was wearing.

There was a flash of silver light. Then a couple of the men fell down holding their necks. They went silent after only a few seconds of struggling, and their body went still. Thick blood started to pour out from their orifices. It was a horrifying sight.

The leader’s slanted eyes went cold. “I thought the gentleman was supposed to be honorable. To think you’re capable of such atrocities.”

“Ha! There’s no place for honor in dealing with people like you.” Jun Huang didn’t care about what he said. Her tone was chilling.

The men were experienced, and there was strength in numbers. They thought this was all Jun Huang could do and didn’t take her that seriously. In their mind, there was nothing more important than completing their mission.

Jun Huang stood alone in the dark. Her back was to the empty street. Above her was the pitch-black sky. She laughed and took her foldable fan in her hand. A flip of her wrist and it whipped opened. She was a commanding presence. Her eyes were as cold as winter sun. She didn’t need a sword to be threatening.