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墨書 Inktalez
It suddenly dawned on me that the person discovered by the men in black was not me at all.
But the figure that leaped down from the rooftop to attack the leader of the black-clad men—wasn't that Han Meilan?
I felt a surge of panic. What was she thinking? There were over twenty of them! Was she out of her mind? This was practically a death wish! She could use lightness skills; even someone who couldn't would know how to find an escape route. This was just asking for trouble.
However, Han Meilan seemed remarkably different from her usual self. Typically, she appeared somewhat delicate, easily frightened, and prone to dramatics, but now all those traits seemed to have vanished. Her current demeanor struck me as foolishly brave, reminiscent of how I might act in certain situations. Oh no, could it be that I looked just as foolish in others' eyes?
I suddenly realized that I had never actually seen Han Meilan engage in a proper fight.
She wielded a long sword, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, lips pressed together as she clashed with the leading man in black. I focused intently; her strikes were incredibly swift, and her movements agile. The sword's gleaming arcs flashed like frost and lightning, dazzling to behold. It turned out that when it came down to it, she was quite formidable.
Yet the leader of the black-clad men clearly had superior skills. He wielded a short knife—Weapon half the length of Meilan's sword—but under the cover of her sword light, he didn’t yield an inch. Meilan’s sword was fast, but his knife was even quicker. I couldn't discern any techniques; all I could perceive were the chaotic flashes of blade and sword clashing, ringing out incessantly. Within just a few exchanges, I could clearly sense Han Meilan struggling.
Such exquisite knife techniques and that attire—it had to be from Snowfall Villa!
At that moment, I heard one of the men in black call out softly from their ranks: “Everyone, attack together! We must deal with this woman quickly; otherwise, we risk alarming others!”
Several people around him unsheathed their knives with a clatter—some long, some short, each with different shapes.
My heart raced again. One-on-one, Han Meilan was already at a disadvantage; now they were planning to swarm her? What chance did she have? Yes, I had my grievances with her, but we were on the same side! I couldn’t just stand by and watch her die!
At this point, there was no time to think about what would happen next. I chose the most concealed route and quietly approached the group of black-clad men. They were too engrossed in their fight to notice my presence.
I pulled out a modified tranquilizer dart. By "modified," I meant that one of the bandits from Wanzi Mountain, who had come by earlier to deliver something for me, had crafted a sneaky little ambush tool—a blowgun.
I aimed at the man preparing to join the assault on Meilan, took a deep breath, and blew into the tube. The dart struck him squarely in the backside. He let out a yelp and reached back instinctively to scratch an itch there; before his hand could even reach him, he collapsed with a thud.
"There's someone else!" A commotion erupted among the men in black, and dozens of gazes swiftly turned toward my hiding spot.
I blew another needle, but this time they were prepared. With a swift motion, a blade glinted in the light and the needle was deflected.
"There!" The one wielding the knife accurately pointed to my hiding place and whispered.
Oh no! I realized that over a dozen people were preparing to charge at me, and I couldn't help but panic. Please, I'm just an outsider; they should be targeting Han Meilan instead—her skills are far superior to mine!
My hands fumbled around until I finally grasped a broomstick. I had no choice but to tightly hold onto it, ready to use it as a weapon in the fight.
Just as I was quickly recalling Wing Chun's staff techniques, preparing to burst out and catch the enemy off guard, four dark figures suddenly descended from above like night owls.
These four figures were dressed differently from the men in black. Though they too wore black and had their faces covered, they were clad in dark armor and carried multiple weapons—swords, knives, crossbows, and chain locks. My heart leaped with joy; I recognized this attire. Were these not Li Shimin's Shadow Guards?
As the four landed, three of them swiftly drew their weapons and plunged into the enemy ranks, while the remaining one stepped back a few paces and leaned against the low wall where I was hiding.
"Please do not reveal yourself or act recklessly, miss. Our sole duty is to protect your safety at all costs. Please prioritize your well-being," said the Shadow Guard in a very low voice.
Huh? Protect me? The Shadow of Strategy is currently under Nie Qiuyuan's command. If these four are here to protect me, then they must have been sent by Nie Qiuyuan.
Even after using such means against me, he still doesn't trust me completely and has kept a backup plan. This shows just how unreliable I am in his eyes.
However, practice proved that his distrust of me was entirely justified.
By the time I regained my senses, the Shadow of Strategy had already drawn his sword and joined the fray.
They each faced five opponents, quickly finding themselves at a disadvantage, with blades striking them from time to time, blood splattering everywhere. Over there, Han Meilan's hair was disheveled, her breath coming in gasps; she had long since been reduced to merely defending herself, yet she gritted her teeth and fought desperately. Soon, a sharp cry escaped her lips as a blade grazed her shoulder, tearing a large gash in her clothing and causing blood to spurt out.
It was my first time witnessing such a vivid and bloody scene. I stammered on for quite a while describing it, but in reality, everything happened so quickly—within less than ten minutes. I felt at a loss; if I went out, I would likely only cause more chaos, but if I stayed in, they were clearly in danger.
Another piercing scream from Han Meilan indicated she had been struck again. Gritting my teeth, I grabbed the broom handle beside me, ready to rush out and help.
Just then, the air suddenly darkened as dozens of figures in black descended from all directions like soldiers. They wore tight-fitting night gear and cloaks that billowed in the dark like black wings.
As the black-clad figures landed, they replaced Han Meilan and the four members of Shadow of Strategy, engaging fiercely with the White Band Night Attackers.
I focused my gaze and felt a surge of joy. Among the group of black-clad figures, most wore masks, but two in the center were unmasked. Their handsome faces and graceful movements could light up the night sky. These two were Luo Dachun and my idol, Nie Qiuyuan.
We were saved! I sprang to my feet but suddenly felt a tingle run down my spine. A gaze! A murderous gaze was directed at me from an unknown direction.
I quickly scanned my surroundings but found nothing. The attackers seemed to have received some sort of signal; the leader exchanged glances with several others, and their fighting formation shifted abruptly. Han Meilan was taken over by two other black-clad figures while the leader's figure flickered and vanished into the night.
Nie Qiuyuan's expression turned cold as he suddenly kicked forcefully, sending his opponent flying. Gripping his sword, he surveyed the area before furrowing his brow and shouting, “Liuying!”
He called for me! Just as I was about to respond loudly, a sudden sharp pain shot through me as an iron-like hand silently reached from behind and clamped down on my shoulder blade with tremendous force, leaving me weak and unable to move. Then, a cold dagger pressed against my neck, pinning down my carotid artery.
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