Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: Title

After eating her fill, Gu Hengbo walked out of the restaurant, tossing her heavy money pouch up and down. Shopkeeper Liu was too busy to notice her, so she strolled out without a care.

Just as she was enjoying herself, she realized the pouch she had tossed didn’t come back. Looking up, she saw a small figure darting away with it. She cursed under her breath and chased after him, lifting her skirt to run faster.

The thief zigzagged through the alleys, and before long, Gu Hengbo lost sight of him. Frustrated, she thought it was ridiculous—she hadn’t even made it to the gambling house, and her money was already gone. She gritted her teeth, determined to catch the little thief before going home.

Gu Hengbo wandered deeper into the alley, the surroundings growing quieter. Just as she turned to head back, she heard faint moans ahead. Slowing her steps, she cautiously moved toward the sound. Rounding the corner, she froze at the sight before her.

Seven or eight black-clad men lay on the ground, their eyes filled with terror. One of them had lost his mask, his eyes seemingly gouged out, hanging limply in their sockets. His mouth hung open, blood-red chunks spilling from it. He couldn’t speak, only making pitiful groans of agony.

Gu Hengbo stared in shock as another man’s clothes suddenly burst open, followed by his abdomen, as if sliced from within. His innards spilled out, yet he was still alive, twitching uncontrollably.

“I’m easy to talk to,” a deep, hoarse voice said calmly. “Confess, and I’ll spare your lives.”

The black-clad men trembled in fear. They had seen how this person killed—no, this wasn’t human.

After a long silence, the figure toyed with a jade ring on their finger, a sinister smile playing on their lips. “I won’t disappoint your master,” they said. Before anyone could react, two more men exploded and died.

One of the remaining men, seeing the twitching corpses, crawled forward and begged, “I’ll talk! It’s Youmeng Tower! Youmeng Tower!”

The figure laughed softly, leaning down to gently remove the man’s mask. Their fingers traced his face, moving slowly toward his neck. With a soft chuckle, they twisted, and the man’s head was wrenched off.

The figure pulled out a handkerchief, meticulously wiping each finger before tossing it aside.

“We meet again,” the low voice said, tinged with amusement.

It was her turn now, Gu Hengbo thought. Her legs felt rooted to the ground. She tried to breathe, but the air was thick with the scent of blood. Her eyes burned as she stared at the woman in red, now dressed in a robe instead of a loose gown.

Her long hair was tied back with a ribbon, a silver mask hiding lips as red as blood and a finely sculpted chin. With her hair up, she looked even more striking.

Seeing Gu Hengbo speechless, the figure stepped closer, gently placing the money pouch in her hand. Gu Hengbo blinked but said nothing.

Noticing her dazed expression, the figure leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You must be terrified.”

Gu Hengbo blinked again, still silent.

The figure chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her earlobe. With a gentle motion, they cupped Gu Hengbo’s head, their lips meeting hers. Before Gu Hengbo could react, she was pinned against the wall, the two of them locked in an intimate kiss.

Gu Hengbo felt a surge of anger. This woman had flirted with her before, and now it was happening again. She pushed her away with all her strength. “What’s wrong with you? I haven’t settled the score from last time! Just because you like women doesn’t mean everyone else does, you pervert!”

Instead of getting angry, the figure laughed even more recklessly. She pushed Gu Hengbo into a corner, her knee pressing against her, leaving no room to retreat. “Now I understand what you mean by ‘pervert.’ Why don’t we give it a try? I guarantee your body will be completely loyal to me.”

Gu Hengbo felt like she was losing her mind. This woman had driven her crazy. Just thinking about the way she had killed still sent shivers down her spine. She wasn’t a fearless hero; she was just an ordinary person who feared death like anyone else.

As Gu Hengbo wrestled with her thoughts, she suddenly felt lighter; the woman had stepped away from her. "Since you don’t want to, fine. But one day, you will," she said.

Before Gu Hengbo could respond, the flash of red disappeared without a trace. Gu Hengbo secretly sighed with relief; she’d rather deal with a man’s advances than this. Looking at her money pouch, she felt a chill. From the very beginning, the woman had known she was there and had recognized the pouch as hers. Remembering the lifeless bodies on the ground made her scalp tingle again. The brutal scene she had just witnessed had now vanished; all that remained was the dust swirling in the wind. Who was this woman? And what was the connection to the mention of the empress by those two maids at Daguan Temple? Could it be that the empress had been there at the same time?

Never mind, she thought. It wasn’t her concern, and she decided to stay home as much as possible from now on.

When Gu Hengbo returned to the restaurant, Gu Cheng looked anxious upon seeing her. "Meisheng, didn’t I tell you not to wander around alone?" At that moment, Gu Hengbo felt exhausted, both physically and mentally, and didn’t want to deal with Gu Cheng anymore. “Big brother, let’s go home.” She was tired.

Just as Gu Cheng was about to say something, a voice interrupted from the side. "I wonder who it is that makes the esteemed Eldest Son of the Gu family so protective? Ah, it’s the Second Miss!"

Gu Hengbo frowned in displeasure. She truly disliked people who spoke to her like that, and without thinking, she shot back, “Of course, he’s my brother! If he doesn’t care for me, should he care for you instead?”

“Huh?” the person asked, puzzled. “Ah Cheng, your second sister isn’t foolish anymore.”

Gu Cheng nodded. “Alright.”

Suddenly, the person moved in front of Gu Hengbo, startling her. “You’re trying to scare me to death!”

The young man had red lips, white teeth, elegant brows, and striking features. Gu Hengbo sized him up but remained silent.

He leaned closer to Gu Hengbo. “Good sister, don’t tell me you don’t recognize your brother anymore?”

Seeing Gu Hengbo sitting still, Gu Cheng quickly stepped forward to introduce them. “Meisheng, this is the Third Prince. He used to bring you treats from the palace when we were kids.”

Gu Hengbo lazily lifted her eyelids, looking half-hearted. “Hello, Third Prince.”

Gu Cheng smiled awkwardly. “Don’t mind her, Third Prince. My second sister just recovered from an illness, so she’s still a bit out of sorts with etiquette.”

The Third Prince waved his hand and laughed. “No worries! We don’t need so much formality between us. It’s good to hear that Miss Gu has recovered; that’s worth celebrating.”

Gu Hengbo glanced outside and casually said, “Big brother, it’s getting late. I think we should head back to avoid making mother worry.”

Gu Cheng looked at the Third Prince. “If you don’t mind, would you like to join us for dinner at our residence?”

The Third Prince smiled and waved his folding fan. “Since Ah Cheng has said so, how could Lianchen refuse?”

Gu Cheng patted Gu Hengbo, and the three of them left the restaurant, heading toward the Prime Minister’s residence.