With full stomachs and satisfied appetites.
Watching as the waiter carried the plates away, Wei Jinhu wore a look of regret on his face. “There was still a little oil left on those dishes.”
He could easily have licked them completely clean.
Shen Ying felt a wave of nausea rise in her stomach. She turned and looked at him with cold eyes. “Do not say another word about this.”
Wei Jinhu shrank back slightly. “I understand. But tell me—just how much silver do you actually have?”
They had bought new clothes, and eaten meal after meal filled with meat and good food.
The more he saw, the more he realized that the woman he called his sister was far from ordinary.
Shen Ying did not answer his question directly. She looked at him with an expression that seemed both amused and unreadable. “Today, I will teach you a simple truth: curiosity kills the cat. The more you know, the faster you bring about your own end.”
Her fingers tapped against the table in a steady, rhythmic pattern.
Though the expression on her face remained calm and unchanging, Wei Jinhu felt an inexplicable sense of fear creep over him, and the back of his neck turned cold. “Very well, I understand. From now on, I will ask no more questions and will be careful to keep my thoughts and words to myself.”
Shen Ying withdrew her gaze, looking satisfied with his response. “There is one more thing you must remember: I do not keep anyone around me who serves no purpose. Today, I will assign each of you a task, so that I may see exactly what you are capable of achieving.”
Wei Jinhu immediately rose to his feet from the chair with a determined expression. “Consider it done. I will follow whatever instructions Sister Ying gives me.”
Chunya and Tudou also stood up quickly.
While Tudou appeared confused and timid, Chunya’s eyes shone bright and clear, filled with an eagerness that could not be contained.
It was a dark night with strong winds—the very kind of night that people said was made for committing crimes and shedding blood.
Outside the city walls, the voices and cries of displaced people echoed continuously through the air.
In the past, the streets and markets of the county town had always been filled with noise, activity, and life. But now, as soon as the sun set, the whole town fell into silence and stillness, with only a handful of people hurrying past with quick, quiet steps.
Inside an abandoned temple.
Several large, strong men sat together, holding roasted chicken in one hand and jars of wine in the other, their loud voices echoing all around.
“Damn it all, I simply cannot understand what is going through our leader’s mind. He insists we be cautious and even more cautious still. What is there to be careful about? It is just one woman, one man, and three small children traveling together. They are practically a herd of fat, defenseless sheep walking right into our hands.”
“Who could disagree with you? That woman may have dirt and grime covering her face, but just by looking at her figure, anyone can tell she is a fine catch. I have been with countless women in my life, and I cannot wait to take her right here and now and have her all to myself.”
“Hahaha, when the time comes, we will all take our turn and enjoy her together.”
These crude and shameless words drifted through the air, carried by the light breeze.
Hidden in the shadows nearby, Wei Jinhu clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and the bones in his hands creaked and groaned under the pressure.
Chunya held her dagger firmly in her grasp, her eyes blazing with a fierce and deadly light.
Beneath the moonlight, the blade of the dagger glinted with a cold, sharp gleam, and though she was still very young, the murderous intent burning deep in her eyes was far more intense and terrifying.
Wei Jinhu looked at her in amazement, shaking his head in disbelief. “I never would have guessed it, but you little girls are even more ruthless and cold‑blooded than I am.”
Chunya rolled her eyes dismissively. “These people intend to harm and kill Mistress. They deserve nothing less than death.”
As the night deepened, the moonlight grew brighter and clearer.
The wine in the men’s jars continued to dwindle, and their words grew bolder and more unrestrained with every passing moment. They had already begun discussing exactly how they would deal with Shen Ying and her companions once they had captured them.
They planned to sell the women to brothels and houses of ill repute, while the men would be taken away and sold at the slave markets.
As for the children, who were worth nothing at all and could not be traded or sold, their fate was to be roasted over a fire and eaten as food.
From a distance, Shen Ying heard them speak of eating the children, and her whole body trembled with rage. The calm and composed expression she had worn until that moment vanished completely, replaced by a look filled with overwhelming killing intent.
How dare these people be so audacious and cruel.
It was bad enough that they intended to kill and rob innocent travelers, but to go so far as to eat the flesh of living human beings was unspeakable evil.
She had heard tales of the darkest days of famine, when people were so desperate for food that they traded their own children with others just to have something to eat.
But she had never imagined that even now, when there was still enough food available to survive, these people would still be willing to harm and kill children for their own gain.
Yet when she thought about who they really were, it was hardly surprising. They were mountain bandits and robbers, and they had entered the town this time only to scout the area and plan their next attacks. For people who lived by violence and crime, committing such heinous acts was only to be expected.
Originally, she had considered sparing their lives and letting them live, but now it was clear that they deserved no mercy at all.
Shen Ying looked deeply toward the shadows where her companions were hidden.
Wei Jinhu understood her meaning immediately. He quietly crushed a small medicinal pill into powder and tossed it toward the area where the men were gathered.
A light, subtle fragrance drifted through the air and spread across the entire space.
Moments later, a series of heavy thuds rang out.
One by one, the men who had been drinking wine and speaking arrogantly just moments before collapsed heavily to the ground, unconscious and motionless.
…
A soft breeze blew through the air, carrying with it the strong smell of wine mixed with the lingering scent of the medicine.
Wei Jinhu leaned back against a wooden pillar, his arms crossed casually over his chest. “Let’s kill them and be done with it.”
He spoke these words in a calm and unfeeling tone, but what he said struck terror into the heart of Tudou.
With a loud thud, the small boy fell heavily to the ground, his whole body trembling with fear, and he was too weak and terrified to even stand back up.
Chunya felt nothing but disappointment and frustration at her brother’s cowardice. She hurried forward quickly, intending to help him to his feet, but no sooner had she pulled him upright than he collapsed to the ground once again.
She frowned deeply, thinking quickly for a moment, then turned to look at Wei Jinhu. “Brother Jinhu, let me be the one to do it. I will also take responsibility for killing in my brother’s place and complete his part of the task as well.”
Wei Jinhu was taken aback by her words.
Could such a thing really be done? Could someone take the place of another when it came to taking lives?
He glanced toward the distance and saw that Shen Ying showed no sign of objection or disapproval, so he simply nodded his head in agreement.
In the next moment, a shocking and terrifying scene unfolded before their eyes.
The small, slender figure of Chunya rushed forward, holding her dagger tightly in her hand.
There was a sharp slicing sound.
In one swift, precise movement, she brought the blade down.
Bright red blood spurted out instantly, and a human head rolled across the ground before coming to a halt, its eyes still wide open and staring, a clear sign that the person had died filled with anger and resentment.
As for Chunya… her face was completely covered in blood, yet there was not a trace of fear or hesitation in her eyes. On the contrary, it seemed as though her most primal instincts had been awakened, and a wild, almost maniacal light burned deep within her gaze.
Her face remained completely expressionless and calm. She lifted her sleeve and wiped the blood away from her eyes and cheeks, then raised her weapon once again and struck down at another victim.
One after another, two, three…
Head after head fell to the ground and rolled across the dirt.
Tudou was paralyzed with fear and let out a sudden scream, but Wei Jinhu reacted quickly and covered the boy’s mouth tightly with his hand before the sound could travel too far.
Chunya paid no attention to the noise or the commotion around her. At that moment, there was only one thought occupying her mind: these people intended to harm and kill them.
They deserved to die, every single one of them.
…
Half an hour later.
When they returned to the inn, Chunya moved as if in a trance, her eyes blank and unresponsive, looking as though she had been scared out of her wits.
But Shen Ying knew better. She realized that the young girl was not frightened or traumatized at all—rather, she was still immersed in the rush and thrill of taking lives.
She had never expected that the child she had taken in almost by chance would possess such natural talent and aptitude for becoming a killer.
Within the imperial palace, every noble and powerful figure had their own secret guards who were trained specifically to carry out dangerous missions and protect their masters at all costs.
Right now, the same bloodthirsty and ruthless look that appeared in the eyes of those specially trained guards could be seen clearly in Chunya’s gaze.
Then she turned to look at Tudou.
He was supposed to be a young man of courage and strength, yet he was trembling violently with fear, hiding himself behind Wei Jinhu and not daring to even breathe too loudly.
A long silence filled the room. Just as Shen Ying was about to speak, Chunya suddenly dropped to her knees with a heavy thud.
“Mistress, I beg you. I know my brother failed to complete his task, but I promise I will work twice as hard from now on to make up for it. Please, I beg you—do not send my brother away or drive him from our group.”
The room fell completely silent, so quiet that even the sound of a needle falling to the ground would have been clearly heard.
Wei Jinhu opened his mouth several times, wanting to speak on their behalf and plead for mercy, but each time the words died in his throat and he could not bring himself to say them.
Shen Ying observed the expressions and emotions written on everyone’s faces, then suddenly burst out laughing. “Who said I intend to send your brother away or make him leave? Everyone has their own unique strengths and abilities. Your brother may not be suited or prepared for the task we carried out today, but there is no need to rush or worry. We will discover what he is truly capable of in time.”
“Is this really true? Thank you, Mistress. From this day forward, I swear I will devote every part of my body and soul to serving you, and I will never hesitate or hold back no matter what you ask me to do.”
Though she was still small and young, the words she spoke were said with such seriousness and determination that they sounded like a solemn oath.
Shen Ying stepped forward personally and helped the young girl back to her feet. “While we are traveling and escaping danger, there is no need for such formalities or strict rules. You also do not need to address me as Mistress anymore. From now on, all of you may simply call me Sister Ying.”
Chunya hesitated for a moment, then called out the new name awkwardly and shyly.
As for Tudou, he still remained hiding behind Wei Jinhu, too afraid to come out.
Shen Ying was just about to tell them to go back to their rooms and rest when the voices of government soldiers sounded from outside.
“Everyone is to come out immediately! A murder has been committed, and this is bad luck and trouble for all of us. If I ever find out who was responsible for this, I will strike them down with a single blow and end their life.”