Good heavens, what kind of supernatural terror was that?
Not only killing in an instant, but making the corpse vanish into thin air!
This absolutely terrifying method could rival their master’s own skills.
“Get up. Don’t be so foolish in the future.” The man didn’t turn around, his tone dripping with disdain.
Witnessing such swift killing and not running away, foolishly squatting in a tree – were you waiting to be caught?
Zhu Yan steadied his breathing. Just as he stood up, he heard the rustle of approaching footsteps.
“Master, Young Master Han has arrived.”
Han Zhao approached along the stream, his prisoner’s garments unable to conceal his graceful demeanor under the night sky.
“How are things?”
Han Zhao bowed toward the shadows. “All remains calm for now. Old Gu is eating well, drinking well, and quite active – his health seems good. However… yesterday Old Gu suddenly made contact with someone, and his words seemed rather ingratiating.”
Han Zhao paused, as if waiting for the other to inquire further.
But instead of a response, he heard a laugh as light as drifting feathers.
Han Zhao looked with confusion at Zhu Yan standing nearby, who returned his gaze with a sharp glance.
Huh… what’s this inexplicable sense of awe?
“Is that Heng County ahead?”
Han Zhao nodded repeatedly.
“I’ve heard bandits have been running rampant near Heng County lately. Ah Zhao, you should be careful.” The man standing in the shadows gently clapped his hands.
Several dark figures emerged from behind trees, swiftly handing over several packages that were all stuffed into Han Zhao’s arms.
“Uh…” Han Zhao was pleasantly surprised. “Are these emergency supplies Your Highness prepared for me?”
His Highness still treats me with such kindness, sob.
“No.”
Han Zhao felt his joy had been in vain! His smiling face instantly lost its smile.
“My travel expenses.”
“Ah?”
“I’ll entrust them to your care for now.” The man slowly turned around, his phoenix eyes slightly raised, a faint, elusive smile playing on his lips.
“We’ll regroup in Heng County in a few days.”
Han Zhao felt as if struck by lightning.
What? This important figure was going to accompany them to the extreme northern exile grounds?
“But, but the court, the court…” Han Zhao stammered. He wanted to ask what about court affairs?
The other gave him a gentle smile, so chilling it felt like a basin of cold water being poured over him.
“Skyfire is coming. Who has time to care about others now? Of course, everyone should flee for their lives as the best strategy.”
“Rest assured, those who deserve to die will all die – not a single one will survive.”
Han Zhao felt chilled from head to toe. He didn’t know how he returned, moving like a walking corpse as he quietly made his way back to camp.
His younger brother Han Li, seeing his return, hurried forward to take the pile of packages from his arms. “Why so many things? What did His Highness say?”
Han Zhao pulled his brother to sit down, glancing around to ensure everyone had fallen asleep and no one was paying attention to them. He took a deep breath. “This world may truly fall into chaos. Ah Li, be prepared!”
Meanwhile, Zhu Yan followed behind his master, walking in complete silence, not daring to lift his head an inch.
He only knew that when his master remained silent, he shouldn’t waste words, otherwise he wouldn’t even know how he died…
A dark figure suddenly landed before them, clasping fists in salute. “Your Highness, the person is there.”
“Mm, let’s take a look.”
Zhu Yan didn’t know what they were going to see, but silently followed behind them as they made their way up the mountain.
Looking up, he could see shadowy figures crowding the mountaintop, with several people standing before a pond.
With his vision, he could vaguely make out a woman immersed in the pond, her hair disheveled and appearance utterly mad.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the woman struggled violently and screamed, “Crown Prince, how dare you? How dare you abduct me from the palace in the dead of night? Aren’t you afraid His Majesty will punish you?”
With a single glance from the man, someone by the pond immediately stomped the woman deep into the water, forcing her to gulp down mouthfuls until her stomach was bloated. “Gurgle, gurgle…”
“Ugh, ahhh, ahhh…”
Zhu Yan followed behind his master, not daring to make a sound.
This was Noble Lady He, the emperor’s recent favorite consort. There were even rumors circulating within and outside the court that if Noble Lady He were to bear another son, she could even become empress.
“Become empress?” Xiao Jinzhi smiled deeply, his tone gentle and affectionate. “How could you ever compare to my mother?”
“I had no intention of bothering with you, but you keep jumping around all day, irritating me.”
The Crown Prince reached out to take the sword handed to him by Zhu Yan, using the hilt to press the woman’s head inch by inch into the water.
“Do you have any idea how annoying you all are? I don’t have time to waste all day dealing with clowns like you.”
“Don’t any of you have anything better to do?”
He crooked his slender fingers. “Bring them forward.”
A group of men, women, and children of all ages were escorted forward by over a dozen black-clad Dark Guards, all bound hand and foot, weeping and wailing.
Noble Lady He stared wide-eyed at the people by the pond, screaming in horror, “Mother! Father! Elder brother! Nephew…”
“Xiao Jinzhi! Xiao Jinzhi, have you gone mad? You can’t do this! Xiao Jinzhi!” Noble Lady He shrieked, thrashing in the pond. “I was wrong, Your Royal Highness! I was wrong! I won’t compete with you anymore. I don’t dare compete with you anymore. Please spare my family, spare them!”
The Crown Prince narrowed his phoenix eyes, his gaze icy as he stared at her. “Compete with me? You?”
“All of you think you can climb the social ladder without paying any price. Acting arrogantly in the capital all day with no one to restrain you.” The Crown Prince took a deep breath and lightly waved his fingers. “Kill them all.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the Dark Guards swiftly drew their blades, cleanly slitting the throats of the He family members.
Corpses fell to the ground, instantly lifeless.
Soaking in the cold pond, Noble Lady He shuddered and let out a sharp, piercing scream.
She thrashed violently in the water, raising her voice to shriek, “Xiao Jinzhi, you devil! You’re not human! No wonder your father doesn’t like you at all! No wonder he sent you to Northern Yan as a hostage since childhood! You should never have returned! You should have died out there, just like your whore of a mother, buried forever underground!”
The Dark Guards delivered two heavy slaps to stop her sharp insults.
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow, showing no anger at the provocation, only smiling as he looked at her. “Don’t worry. The emperor will die, Northern Yan will die too. They’ll all join you underground, along with your son.”
“No…” Noble Lady He let out a desperate cry. “You can’t kill my Nan’er! He’s your brother too! No…”
The Crown Prince wiped his hands and turned away, signaling with his fingers for the Dark Guards to deal with the woman.
“Your Highness, Prince Cheng has been making unusual moves in Wanzhou these past few days.”
“It doesn’t matter.” The Crown Prince waved his slender fingers, a faint smile playing on his lips. “The Wasteland—let him fight over it if he wants.”
Before three o’clock the next day, the exiled convicts were startled awake from their drowsy sleep by a miserable howl.
Xin Nian now slept with her face covered—partly to prevent mosquito bites, and partly to block the light for easier sleep.
Tucking the fine cotton cloth that had covered her face into her bosom, Xin Nian rose while holding her mother’s arm, a playful smile curling at the corners of her lips.
Just then, the bearded man scrambled over as if he had seen a ghost, howling and stumbling in panic.