Chapter 65

"Corrupt official, prepare to die!"

Before the sharp cry of the young girl had even faded, another pleasant female voice followed, and then the dense foliage of the trees shook violently. A graceful figure holding a long sword leaped out, the sword's cold light flashing as it aimed straight for Lin Sha's head!

"Looking for death!"

Lin Sha's face turned cold, and the white wax spear in his hand twisted like a venomous snake, swiftly turning in the air and striking the woman who had launched the surprise attack. With a piercing scream, the woman's slender and fiery body flew out.

"Big Sister Yi!"

Before Lin Sha could make another move, another girl, around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a petite and delicate figure and a sweet, innocent face, rushed out from the dense forest. She rushed to the injured woman in panic, her large, watery eyes brimming with tears, looking pitifully helpless.

Big Sister Yi?

Lin Sha raised his hand to stop his subordinates from taking action, looking down at the two unexpected beauties. In an instant, he guessed their identities.

"Bind them and take them away!"

With many people around, it wasn't a good time to confirm the women's identities. After a brief moment of thought, Lin Sha waved his hand to give the order, and his subordinates immediately dismounted to control the two women.

"Ah, what are you going to do?"

The later-arriving, delicate girl screamed, her delicate face turning pale with fear, and her originally clear and soft voice becoming sharp and shrill.

"Corrupt, corrupt official, do as you please, whether to kill or to torture!"

The woman who had been struck by Lin Sha's spear struggled to raise her head, still not forgetting to shield the small, innocent girl behind her. Her eyes were full of resentment as she looked at Lin Sha, making a determined and fearless expression, and said coldly:

"Corrupt official, if you dare to have any improper intentions towards my... little sister, I will haunt you even in death!"

"Hmph, you still have the nerve to be defiant, little wench?"

Lin Sha raised his eyebrows, looking at the pale and sweating 'Big Sister Yi' with interest. Suddenly, his face changed, and his spear shot out with a swift thrust, embedding the spearhead into the soft earth just half a palm away from 'Big Sister Yi's' beautiful face.

Seeing 'Big Sister Yi's' face turn completely pale, he gently pulled back the spear and smiled lightly, "I hate being threatened, even by a beautiful woman!"

As he spoke, a wicked smile appeared on his face, and he chuckled, "I didn't have any such thoughts before, but now that you've reminded me, hehe..."

"You!"

'Big Sister Yi' glared with her phoenix eyes, her chest heaving dramatically, her originally pale face turning red with anger. She fainted in a fit of rage, her eyes rolling back, as the innocent girl behind her screamed in shock.

"Ha, why do I feel like I've become a big bad guy bullying the innocent?"

Lin Sha sighed inwardly, waving his hand to have his subordinates bind and take the two women. The innocent girl, though terrified and trembling, did not resist and obediently followed. The subordinates, feeling embarrassed, loosely tied her with a rope and placed her on the saddle.

...

With two female captives in tow, Lin Sha did not return to the camp but led his subordinates to a temporary residence in the small town.

A northern-style courtyard with three main rooms and three side rooms on each side, enough to accommodate nearly a dozen subordinates. However, the horses were too numerous and had to be stabled at a nearby wealthy household.

After returning home, he rested for a while, called his subordinates to assign patrol and guard duties, and took a hot bath under the maid's care. Refreshed, he went to the side room where the two female assassins were being held.

"Ha, how does it feel to be captives, little wenches?"

Lin Sha plopped down in a chair, smiling as he looked at the two beauties huddled on the bamboo bed.

"Hmph, corrupt official..."

'Big Sister Yi' was now awake, her hands and feet tightly bound, but she still struggled to protect the innocent girl behind her, her eyes filled with hatred and unease.

"Don't call me 'corrupt official' all the time, beauty, you should mind your image, you know?"

Lin Sha chuckled, not getting angry. He pointed to his nose, looking puzzled, "I don't know what evil deeds I've done, but you 'righteous people' attack me without asking questions, calling me a corrupt official as if you're the embodiment of justice?"

"Spit, working for the traitor Wu Sangui, what good can you be?"

'Big Sister Yi's' phoenix eyes were filled with anger, and she spat with disdain.

"Beauty, mind your image. You looked like a female bandit just now!"

Lin Sha chuckled, reminding 'Big Sister Yi' to mind her image again. He sneered, "According to your logic, anyone working for the Prince of Pingxi is no good, and the civilians in Yunnan Province who submit to him are also no good, right?"

"You, you, you're talking nonsense!"

'Big Sister Yi' was stunned, her eyes wide with anger, "The people are afraid of Wu Sangui's tyranny, they dare to be angry but not to speak!"

"Then what about your Mu王府 (Mu Mansion)?"

Lin Sha was unperturbed, suddenly changing his tone, "Are you loyal subjects of the Prince of Pingxi, or are you plotting rebellion under the guise of loyal subjects?"

"You, you, how do you know..."

The two women's faces turned pale, not understanding how Lin Sha could reveal their identities so easily.

"Don't pretend. I've been attacked three times recently, all by people from your Mu Mansion!"

Lin Sha waved his hand, his tone firm despite the question.

"Why do you people from Mu Mansion have to trouble a small fry like me when you can't find the real culprit? Why go to such lengths?"

He looked at 'Big Sister Yi' with a serious expression, "Your reckless methods will eventually anger the Prince of Pingxi, and he will take severe action against your Mu Mansion!"

Seeing 'Big Sister Yi' about to speak, he raised his hand, "Let me finish. You should be grateful that the old ancestors of Mu Mansion have influence in Yunnan Province. The Prince of Pingxi can't be too harsh without causing controversy. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so leisurely waiting outside the city to ambush me."

"Don't be foolish. With your limited power, even a general of the Yunnan army could crush you!"

Lin Sha's face turned stern, scaring the two women even more, making them look even paler and weaker.

"Ha, don't worry, I haven't decided what to do with you two yet!"

Lin Sha chuckled, softening his tone, and looked at the innocent girl hiding behind 'Big Sister Yi', who dared not raise her head, and smiled gently, "Especially you, Little Princess Mu Jianping..."

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