11 Tell Tale

Footsteps echoed in the damp alleyway. Shadows started to slither larger as the sun slowly went to rest. The pulse of her heartbeat echoed in her ears. Yun Da Xia could only hold her breath and sink into herself. She bit her lips; a metallic taste hitting her tongue. Damn it. Everything she was doing right now was undeniably futile. A million other swears clouded her mind.

Closer and closer came the clack of a heel on the ground.

Only moments ago she thought she was finally safe.

With a lighter coin purse, she had arrived a couple of roads down from the general's household. The man, Jiayi, had brought her. Her vehicle had been a fairly cramp vegetable cart. For an incense's time, she had been sitting in a large box; rotting cabbage leaves strewn over her head. She didn't complain, instead quietly taking out a soothing scented bottle to distract her nose from the smells around her.

At the instance the lid was lifted and fresh air filled her lungs, she nodded at Jiayi and bolted. With light feet and a chill going against her tresses, Yun Da Xia slowly closed the gap between her and the household. She could see that various guards marched around, all with a blue cloud emblem embossed on their uniform; the symbol of the Yun family guards that patrolled the manor. The delays had caught up with her.

She could immediately tell that those three guards the Wolfsbane Pavilion had sent were not able to hold her tail. Admittedly, there were some great points to being underestimated. She hadn't been able to tell their ranks due to the distance, but if they were this easy to dupe, then there was no doubt that they had sent the weakest of their side.

But when three dangers had been eliminated, a greater one arrived.

Although there was no doubt that her family was aware of her absence, there was a greater risk of information being leaked if she entered through the entrance even if she was disguised. Politics were vicious, she had no doubt that whatever great powers of the series sent spies on a daily basis in order to be aware of their adversaries' movements.

She couldn't strut aside inside like a normal person, and there wouldn't be any difficulty for her to get in the way she had gotten out. Behind the stockrooms, beyond the wall that separated the Yun manor from the rest of the city, was an alleyway. Crates and used papers were stacked against its walls. There was no chance that there would be any shady business conducted right next to the general's household, so it had been her chosen route that morning.

In the slowly creeping cold, when her hands and feet were poised to scale the wall—a disastrous pressure exploded in the alleyway. Her head rung. A choking feeling invaded her lungs, while a weight pressed on her shoulders; blood rising to her mouth. She forcefully choked it down; wiping away the slight tears that escaped the corner of her eyes with her shoulders.

Whoever carried the terrifying pressure, carried an aura saturated in bloodlust. This was something she knew she could not survive if she faced this person head-on. Unlike the greed of the Wolfsbane Pavilion, she had no idea of this person's intentions.

Yun Da Xia had pulled herself into a crouch; a small knife appearing in her hand. With a cut of a band, her hair tumbled over her face. Her shining peach bottom eyes disappeared; relying on her straining ears. Her grip tightened on the blade, maneuvering her fingers around the purple stain on its lip.

The familiar weight of the weapon was a comfort. She had always taken the time to sharpen its tip and coat the edge in poison. Once the tainted edge of her knife entered the body, the toxin would travel through the bloodstream and cause the limbs to go numb. However, even at her peak, she had been a weak fighter. She didn't know if she could even get her dagger to slash this person's skin.

She still had no idea if that person was a friend or foe.

Uncontrolled bloodlust and unknown motives were the perfect recipe for irreversible damages. Yun Da Xia could not afford that. Not when she still had something to do.

And so she waited.

Huff, came that person's breath. Swish, came that person's clothes. Thump, came that person's steps.

A hand grabbed her shoulder from the front. Shit, shit! Her balance wavered. Before her eyes could focus, she slashed at the figure holding her. Under the blade, she could feel the bite of tearing flesh. With a loud curse, the hand let go; letting her rise and make for the street.

"Mei mei, what have you been doing?" An angry voice tainted with pain shouted. Yun Da Xia paused at the familiar voice. She turned to see a tall silhouette. The dim light from the slowly darkening sky lightly highlighting the man's features; sharp and cold. She couldn't relax at the sight of a familiar face.

His eyes were trained on her. When she first arrived in this world, the shine in his gaze spoke of great gentleness and warmth.

Now, the way he looked at her caused a burning chill to rush down her spine.

Before her was the Young Master of the Yun family, Yun Wei.