Chapter 17: Assassination

Outside, Shuangyu called twice, but there was no response.

Initially, she thought Xie Zhen was talking to Li Yu, so she didn’t enter. However, after a while, they still hadn’t come out. At this point, she sensed something was wrong and quickly entered the room.

“Second Miss?”

However, the room was empty. She went around the screen and looked into the inner room but saw no trace of Xie Zhen and Li Yu!

She panicked, searching inside and outside the room but couldn’t find Xie Zhen.

How could it be possible? She had clearly seen the Second Miss entering just now. How could she disappear in the blink of an eye? Shuangyu only now noticed that the bed was somewhat disheveled, the window slightly ajar—clear signs that someone had just left.

Shuangyu hurried out of the room and chased after them. “Second Miss, Young Master Li!”

People in the temple were busy fighting the fire, and no one paid attention to her situation. She didn’t dare delay and quickly ran ahead to inform Xie Liqing and Madam Leng.

Unfortunately, it was too late; Xie Zhen and Li Yu had already been taken away.

Xie Zhen was carried on someone’s shoulder, her mouth gagged with a piece of cloth, unable to utter a sound. The person carrying her walked on the uneven mountain path, causing her abdomen to ache with each jolt. Though she was terrified, she dared not cry out, fearing that making a sound would lead to her being killed.

When she went to Li Yu’s room earlier, just as she entered the inner room and hadn’t seen the situation clearly, a hand covered her mouth from behind.

The hand was rough and dry, with thick calluses, clearly not Li Yu’s hand.

As she struggled, she glimpsed another person carrying Li Yu, glaring at her fiercely. “If you dare to scream, I’ll kill you.”

Those fierce and ruthless eyes frightened her into immediate silence.

Li Yu, being more composed, couldn’t believe she had come. He, a bit less calm as a child, couldn’t help but shout at her, “What are you standing there for? Hurry, run!”

Without hesitation, Xie Zhen broke free from the hand and turned around to run. She thought that if she ran, she could still seek help from her parents to save Li Yu. She didn’t want to die here. However, before she could reach the door, the person carrying Li Yu regretted it. He gestured to his companion, “Bring her too, let’s finish them together.”

So, Xie Zhen ended up in her current situation.

Both individuals carrying them wore all black, their faces covered, making it impossible to see their features. However, judging by their physique, it was evident they were seasoned martial artists with good skills. Each carrying a child, they arrived halfway down the mountain. Originally, they intended to resolve the matter on the spot, but considering the proximity to the temple, they decided to walk a bit more and directly climbed to another peak.

Xie Zhen felt nauseous from the constant lifting and was about to throw up her breakfast and lunch when they finally stopped, throwing her and Li Yu to the ground. The back of Xie Zhen’s head hit a tree trunk, her upper and lower teeth collided, biting her tongue in the process, causing immediate tears in her eyes.

With a sob, she restrained herself from crying and instinctively reached out to grab Li Yu.

Li Yu was in slightly better condition, at least not injured. He quickly stood up and positioned himself in front of her, raising his delicate eyebrows as he looked at the two black-clad individuals. “Who are you? What do you want?”

Having not paid close attention in the room before, in the current sunlight, the boy indeed looked like… that person in the Forbidden City…

Although still young, his features already showed distinct contours, and his imposing posture was something ordinary children couldn’t imitate.

No wonder someone was desperately trying to eliminate him.

One of the sturdy black-clad individuals grabbed his arm and lifted him up, a chilling voice sounding from beneath the face mask, “You think we brought you here to have tea? Speak!”

As he spoke, the other hand pulled out a dagger from his waist. The icy blade reflected dazzling light in the sunlight, piercing into Li Yu’s eyes. He instinctively closed his eyes, feeling a cool sensation on his face. Upon reopening his eyes, the blade had slid down his cheek, making its way to his chest.

Seeing the knife about to stab into Li Yu’s chest, Xie Zhen hurriedly shouted, “Don’t!”

Xie Zhen climbed up from the ground, staggering, and ran to the black-clad person, hugging his leg. She tilted her innocent and pink face, with two grape-like watery eyes, tears shimmering. She pleaded, “Don’t kill Little Yu, please don’t kill him…”

The black-clad person had never seen such an adorable little figure before. Whether it was a wealthy young lady or an imperial princess, none were as endearing. He was momentarily stunned, quickly regaining his composure and kicked her away, saying, “Don’t worry, you’re next!”

Originally, they had no intention of killing her. However, she stumbled upon their plan, and they feared she might say things she shouldn’t after returning. To minimize trouble, it was better to silence her directly.

Li Yu’s shoulder was grabbed, the pain almost breaking his bones. He clenched his teeth and said, “You dare…”

You dare touch even a single finger of hers.

He was still young and had no idea about the meaning of the second half of the sentence, only feeling anger. It was inexplicable that Xie Zhen got implicated, and he felt furious because she got injured for him. The black-clad person coldly chuckled, finding it amusing to be threatened by such a small child. He didn’t bother explaining to him.

The sword cut through Li Yu’s clothes and pierced into his chest.

Frowning, Li Yu asked, “Why are you killing us?”

The person, perhaps thinking he was about to die or considering it pointless to explain to a child, said, “Why? There’s no such thing as so many whys in the world. If someone wants you dead, you won’t survive!”

As he spoke, he thrust the blade even deeper.

The sensation of flesh being cut was vividly clear. Li Yu endured the pain, clenching his teeth, but eventually, a mournful cry escaped him.

However, when he intended to pierce through Li Yu’s chest completely, he suddenly stopped. The black-clad person widened his eyes, looking down at the sudden appearance of a long sword in his chest. The tip of the blade was dripping with blood, precisely the blood flowing from his own chest.

The one who took action is another person in black.

That person did not draw the blade. Instead, he turned the handle in a circle. The other person immediately grimaced in pain, released Li Yu, and fell stiffly to the side.

The masked man pulled down his face covering, revealing a cold and handsome face. His brows and eyes were indifferent, untouched by a speck of dust. He seemed nothing like someone who had just killed. He looked at the black-clad person still alive on the ground, slightly parted his thin lips, and uttered a sentence: “To exterminate even a child, he truly has a heart as venomous as a snake.”

The men in black stared at his face, wanting to say something but unable to. In the end, their eyes rolled back, and they died completely.

Xie Zhen and Li Yu were both pampered children at home and had never experienced such a bloody scene. They were instantly stunned, especially Xie Zhen. She stared blankly at the person attacking and foolishly asked, “Why did you kill him? Aren’t you all together? Did you betray him?”

The person pulled out a long knife and handed it to the people appearing behind him. “We are not together.”

Guards dressed in waves emerged from the woods, respectfully kneeling behind him. Xie Zhen paused and timidly, as if afraid of waking something, asked, “Are you letting us go?”

Surprisingly, the person nodded, with no significant change in expression. Instead, there was a hint of compassion. “Go far away, the farther from the capital, the better.”

Xie Zhen was smart. Even if she didn’t understand his words at this moment, she nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, we will leave!”

The person looked at them deeply again, his gaze lingering on Li Yu’s face. His expression subtly changed, but quickly returned to a calm demeanor. He turned and led the group away.

*

Li Yu’s chest was stabbed with a hole, not deep but still a wound, continuously oozing blood. In the wilderness with only the two of them, Xie Zhen suddenly felt unprecedented helplessness and loneliness. Faced with the injured Li Yu, she had no idea how to save him.

Xie Zhen stacked her hands over the wounded area, covering it. “Little Yu, you won’t die, right? Don’t die; I’ll take you back to find Aunt Song.”

Li Yu couldn’t help coughing, and the movement involved the wound on his chest, causing him intense pain. He grimaced, no longer showing the earlier calmness.

Sweat dripped continuously from his forehead, probably due to the fear just now finally manifesting. Poor Xie Zhen was already terrified. They didn’t know where they had been taken, always feeling like they had walked a very long distance. The sun was about to set, and if they didn’t return to the temple soon, their mother said there were wolves and tigers on the mountain that would eat them all.

Xie Zhen pulled him a couple of times. “Little Yu, get up. Let’s hurry back.”

Li Yu nodded, holding his chest and following behind her.

The sides of the road were filled with weeds, some even half a person tall, making the journey extremely difficult. Moreover, the mountain was still untamed, with many scattered stones on the path, making walking very challenging.

Xie Zhen held Li Yu’s hand and walked for a while, feeling him getting heavier. Eventually, she couldn’t drag him any further. Turning around, she saw Li Yu lying on the ground motionless, and the weeds on both sides of the road were almost soaked with his blood.

“Little Yu!”

Xie Zhen shouted in panic, fearing he might be dead like the men in black earlier. She shook his arms anxiously, “Are you dead? Can you talk?”

After a moment, Li Yu breathed out slowly and said, “If I’m dead, how can I talk to you…”

Xie Zhen, overjoyed, tears streaming down, mumbled, “You must not die.”

Li Yu reluctantly nodded.

He didn’t want to die here.

This time he was completely unable to move. Xie Zhen, unwilling to leave him behind, lifted his arm onto her shoulder and dragged him forward step by step. Xie Zhen was taller than him, so supporting him wasn’t too difficult, but as time passed, it became a bit strenuous.

No matter how fast the two children walked, they wouldn’t be able to get out of the mountain tonight. After a short distance, the sun had set. The mountain quickly became shrouded in darkness, with only a faint residual light in the sky.

Xie Zhen panicked, constantly asking Li Yu, “What should we do? What should we do?”

By now, the wound on Li Yu’s chest had solidified, no longer bleeding. He felt numb from the pain, and at this moment, he couldn’t feel it anymore. As he was about to speak, a wolf’s howl echoed from the distant valley.

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