Chapter 34: There's No Escape
Reon took the Ironclaw Direwolf Hunt mission slip and made his way to the Mission Assignment Counter. He handed over the paper to formally accept the mission.
He also inquired at the counter for additional details and the exact location of the Ironclaw Direwolf within Mystic Evergreen Forest.
With all the information he needed, Reon left the Skyreach Mission Pavilion and began heading toward the southern part of the Outer Sect, where the Mystic Evergreen Forest was located.
[Ding! The Host has successfully completed the selected option. Host has received A Technique Insight Ticket (Rare-Grade).]
[The reward has been stored in the System Inventory. Check your Inventory for further details.]
As Reon made his way toward the Mystic Evergreen Forest, his attention was momentarily drawn to the large crowd gathered outside the Weaponry Hall. The hall sat between the Skyreach Mission Pavilion and the forest.
At the center of it, he spotted Ming Yuen lying unconscious on the ground. His subordinates were frantically feeding him Healing Pills, one after another, but there was no visible response although he was still breathing. Sweat beaded on their brows as panic set in, the pills seemingly ineffective against whatever had befallen him.
Reon's eyes flickered from the scene, only to catch sight of Yang Lie. Though still gravely injured, Yang Lie had regained consciousness and now rested his head in the lap of a girl. Reon hadn't seen her in person before, but he knew instantly who she was.
It was Yang Mi. The adopted younger sister of Yang Lie and one of the key heroines of the novel, who had been by his side since the very beginning, supporting him unwaveringly through every triumph and tribulation.
Yang Mi had an otherworldly beauty that could steal the breath from anyone who beheld her. Her long, raven-black hair cascaded in waves, shimmering under the light as though it held the very essence of night.
Her almond-shaped eyes, the color of molten amber, glowed with intelligence and an unyielding fierceness that both intrigued and unsettled. Her slender, lithe figure spoke of her agility in battle, and her flawless, porcelain skin gave her an almost otherworldly elegance.
She wore a flowing robe, intricately embroidered with threads of silver and crimson, a testament to her noble bearing. Yet, beneath her gentle beauty lay a deep and unyielding spirit—one capable of fierce devotion and even fiercer wrath.
Reon couldn't help but feel a moment of awe as his gaze lingered on her. How could someone possess such breathtaking beauty? She was the most stunning girl he had encountered since arriving in this world.
While most of the girls he had encountered in this world were undeniably beautiful—outshining even the most celebrated models and actresses of Earth—Yang Mi radiated an allure that felt altogether otherworldly.
She seemed to inhabit a realm of beauty all her own, captivating and enchanting in ways that left him breathless.
Yet, as a chill of fear crept into his heart, he swiftly tried to avert his gaze, acutely aware of the danger that lurked beneath her enchanting facade.
He knew all too well the truth about Yang Mi—behind that delicate, serene beauty was a fierce and dangerously possessive heart. A yandere.
She was fiercely protective of her brother, Yang Lie, and anyone who posed even the slightest threat to him—whether intentional or not—would find themselves on the receiving end of her terrifying wrath.
His mind flashed to the Sect Disciple Selection Ceremony, a key scene from the novel. Yang Mi had ranked first, her talents and beauty inspiring both admiration and envy.
When Xue Taiyang attempted to humiliate Yang Lie from the order of Niu Ling, Yang Mi's rage had been so terrifying that she would have crippled him if not for Yang Lie's intervention.
Her hatred for Xue Taiyang burned with an icy resolve, lingering to this day.
But before Reon could fully avert his gaze and escape her notice, their eyes locked.
In that brief moment of eye contact, his heart skipped a beat—whether from fear or something deeper, he couldn't quite tell.
As Reon's eyes met Yang Mi's, he felt a chill run down his spine. Her amber gaze was intense, as if piercing through his very soul, and for a fleeting moment, the world around them seemed to slow.
There was no warmth in her expression—only a silent, unspoken threat, a warning as clear as the glint of a blade.
Reon's breath hitched. He quickly averted his gaze, but the damage was done. He could feel her eyes lingering on him, scrutinizing his every move.
A sharp tension filled the air, and even the sound of the wind seemed to fade as an ominous silence settled over them. He could sense it—Yang Mi was displeased.
Reon's heart pounded in his chest, though outwardly he remained calm. Standing tall, like an immovable mountain, he resolved not to stay a moment longer.
He needed to leave, to escape the intensity of her presence. He set his sights on the Mystic Evergreen Forest, intending to move swiftly, far away from her piercing gaze.
But just as he was about to make his move, he noticed a shift in Yang Mi's actions. She gently placed her brother's head onto a pillow before rising effortlessly into the air, her movements graceful and controlled.
Without a sound, she landed before him, her presence commanding and undeniable, blocking his path.
Reon froze, his pulse quickening.
There was no escape now.