chapter 10

Shen Ling Zhu was walking quickly, her breath coming in short gasps, her eyes darting nervously between the relatively empty hallways. She could feel Xiao Hong's thoughts through their spiritual connection, offering her reassurance. Xiao Hong was trying to calm her down, reminding her that they were close to the hospital gates. Once they escaped, those bad people wouldn't be able to catch them.

The spiritual beast was bonded to its master, sensing all their emotions. Xiao Hong hated those doctors and anyone who tried to stop his master from leaving this place.

If those humans dared to harm his master, he would make them pay.

Shen Ling Zhu's mind was entirely focused on escaping, unaware that her fear and negative emotions had been transmitted to Xiao Hong. This would have consequences later on, causing Xiao Hong to grow indifferent toward anyone besides her. As for humans who tried to harm her, their fate would be the same—death.

The words meant to reassure Shen Ling Zhu only deepened her inner turmoil. Her mind was fixed on one thing: getting out. Her emotions were teetering on the edge of control.

When she was just a few steps from the exit, a small smile appeared on her lips. For a fleeting moment, she believed she had finally escaped this place and her fate of becoming a tool in the hands of these doctors or anyone else. But that brief moment of joy didn't last long.

Just as she was about to step into freedom, guards in dark uniforms appeared in front of her, while others blocked her retreat.

Their uniforms bore the insignia of the Second Army, Ouyang's army, but Shen Ling Zhu wasn't in the mood to analyze their affiliations.

She furrowed her brows deeply, her voice cold and distant as she asked,

"Who are you? What do you want?"

Raising her head to examine them, she quickly recognized the men. They were the same ones who had been beside that terrifying man she'd seen earlier. But their gazes were no longer directed at an unknown, insignificant person like before. Now, their eyes resembled a predator locking onto its chosen prey.

She didn't need to think long to understand that they were here for her. Their cold, calculating stares, fixed on her every move, and their firm posture made their intentions clear.

Shen Ling Zhu wasn't an ordinary teenage girl. She was the daughter of a military family and had witnessed countless horrors during the apocalypse. She wasn't some naive child. Her experiences, years of training, battles during the apocalypse, and leadership over a base housing millions alongside her father—all of it had sharpened her instincts, allowing her to read people's intentions with uncanny precision.

In a nearby corner, Ouyang Jian watched the scene unfold. His eyes were fixed on the small girl surrounded by four sentinels. A strange feeling stirred in his chest.

Seeing that small, fragile girl trapped between those mighty sentinels ignited a raging anger within him. He wanted to kill them all, even though they were his trusted subordinates and acting on his orders to stop her.

He quickly buried the odd sensation, taking a deep breath before striding toward the girl with long steps.

Shen Ling Zhu stopped moving, her evasive eyes locking onto Ouyang Jian as he approached. She stared at him with clear, unrestrained hatred. It was obvious she understood that he was their leader and the one who had ordered them to block her way.

Her face was devoid of fear as she spoke in a steady voice,

"What do you want from me? Why did you have them stop me?"

Ouyang Jian didn't reply immediately. Instead, he smiled. If Bernard were present, he would've been shocked by the softness of that smile. Though still cold, it was far gentler than the usual icy expressions of Marshal Ouyang.

With a mysterious tone, Ouyang Jian said,

"Perhaps you should ask yourself what you were doing in Lieutenant Ouyang's medical room earlier."

At first, Shen Ling Zhu didn't understand his words, not knowing the name of Aunt Hua Rou's husband. But as she lowered her head in deep thought, the realization hit her.

Her eyes darted back to his face, fear evident in them.

She'd been discovered.

"Do you understand now? If you do, then come with me quietly. I need to ask you something."

Shen Ling Zhu pushed aside her chaotic thoughts, quickly regaining her composure. Her voice was tense but firm as she replied,

"I didn't do anything, and I don't know what you're talking about. Now move aside—you and your men—I'm leaving."

Her voice was loud, perhaps from fear or frustration.

The people coming and going from the hospital had gathered to watch the scene. Human nature, it seemed, remained unchanged regardless of the era. They loved witnessing conflicts, drama, and disputes.

Even the patients watched the unfolding drama in silence. It wasn't that they didn't want to comment, but this hospital belonged to the Ouyang family's army. With one glance, almost everyone recognized the cold man standing opposite the young girl. He was the youngest marshal in the Keralis Empire, Ouyang Jian—a man infamous for his icy demeanor, ruthless methods, and lack of mercy. His presence alone silenced the crowd, as no one wanted to provoke the beast within the marshal. Yet, their eyes remained glued to the rare and intriguing scene.

Shen Ling Zhu's defiant gaze remained fixed on Ouyang Jian.

Ouyang Jian knew convincing her to cooperate wouldn't be easy, nor did he plan to force her. But he needed to question her about her guiding power, why she had hidden it, and… a selfish part of him hoped she could heal his father. Her power was greater even than the queen's, the highest-ranked guide in decades.

He wouldn't coerce her, but questioning her was his duty, especially since she had used her powers in his territory. There was ample evidence and numerous witnesses.

For the first time in his life, the mighty Marshal Ouyang Jian felt helpless. He was used to getting what he wanted without caring about others, but for some reason, an inner voice told him not to deepen this girl's hatred for him. He simply couldn't bear to see her beautiful black eyes filled with more loathing.

He met her gaze, his emerald-green eyes glowing faintly as he spoke in the gentlest tone he could muster,

"You! You need to come with me. You have no other choice. But if you cooperate, I promise nothing bad will happen to you."

Well… don't judge the poor marshal too harshly. In all his forty years of life, he'd never needed to act kindly, not even once.

His unexpectedly gentle words shocked his four subordinates.

But Shen Ling Zhu wasn't in the mood to appreciate this "kindness."

To her, his words were a thinly veiled threat. She understood perfectly: either submit and follow him quietly, or he would make her comply by force.

While she weighed her options, searching for a way out of this predicament, a faint idea of trusting the man before her flickered in her mind. Maybe he would let her go after she answered his questions.

But that thought vanished instantly when one of the guards suddenly moved, grabbing her arm tightly in an attempt to restrain her. The movement was swift and unexpected.

Even Ouyang Jian hadn't anticipated his subordinate acting without direct orders.

Shen Ling Zhu cried out in pain.

"Let go of me!"

The sentinel didn't release her. Instead, his grip tightened. He was a proud and loyal soldier, and his devotion to Marshal Ouyang was unmatched—especially since the marshal had saved his life countless times on the battlefield.

He couldn't allow an ordinary girl, with no significant power or noble status, to insult the marshal in front of everyone.

At that moment, Ouyang Jian's face turned to stone. He shot his subordinate a deadly glare and said coldly,

"Who gave you permission to act?"

The sentinel trembled and immediately let go, but the damage was already done. Shen Ling Zhu's eyes glistened with tears—not just from pain but from anger and frustration.

What a fool she was.

She had been betrayed by those closest to her, used time and again for their personal gain. Humans... they never change. Yet here she was, foolish enough to consider trusting a man she'd just met two minutes ago. How naive.

Ouyang Jian, too, was observing the girl. He saw the deep hatred mixed with pain and despair in her eyes. For some inexplicable reason, he felt panicked. He wanted to speak, to defend himself, to assure the girl who was on the verge of tears that he hadn't intended for his subordinate to treat her that way.

But before he could say a word, he saw something.

A radiant red flame erupted, enveloping the girl. It swirled around her in a fiery vortex, yet she didn't seem to feel any heat or pain.

Finally... Finally, Shen Ling Zhu's emotions erupted, and with them, her power surged. It wrapped around her like a cocoon, shielding her from the enemies before her.

Gasps echoed from the crowd as they witnessed the display of strength. Who would have thought that this fragile-looking girl was a powerful sentinel? As the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving.

Only Ouyang Jian was certain that this girl was a spiritual guide, not a sentinel. Yet, even he couldn't comprehend how she could wield such overwhelming superpower. From a distance, he could still feel the searing heat of Shen Ling Zhu's flames.

But this was no time to ponder her secrets. It seemed that the girl now regarded them as enemies. After what had transpired, she wouldn't listen to anything they had to say, nor would she trust them. If they didn't use force to subdue her, casualties were inevitable.

Ouyang Jian closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them with resolute determination. He issued a commanding order to his subordinate, "Clear the crowd and surround the girl."

Shen Ling Zhu felt the threat intensifying, triggering her powers to activate instinctively, forming a fiery barrier around her. Even Xiao Hong, her spiritual beast, attempted to emerge from her spiritual sea, but she forcefully restrained him. She couldn't afford to let too many people discover his existence. With her fire abilities already exposed, she was determined to keep her other secrets hidden.

But her wishes were in vain.

Just as she managed to subdue Xiao Hong and calm him down, the guards closed in, surrounding her and aiming their weapons at her. 

 This infuriated Xiao Hong—how dare these lowly humans threaten his master? 

How do they dare to? ...

He'll show them...

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Author Rinna will just say:

Marshal Ouyang, my dear...

You just f..ked things up.

May God be with you.

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