Realizations and Delusion

Lei Mingxing looked around the strange room.

It hadn't been long since she woke up after being knocked out in the storage earlier and she couldn't have been out for long. At most about half an hour, probab lyless.

The furniture inside the room was luxurious, different from the more simple interior design of the Jing family's house, but it was still sorely lacking when compared to the Royal Palace.

So, this was either the estate of some rich merchant or an influential person in Dark Spirit Town.

Lei Mingxing quickly began going through the list of possible people that fulfilled these requirements.

The city lord, the Mercenary Association branch manager, and, Suan Bi.

It must be him.

The other two simply didn't have the necessary animosity towards her and Chang Liuyun.

Thinking off Chang Liuyun.

Lei Mingxing had no idea where he was.

She had been all alone from the moment she woke up in that soft foreign bed and it made her incredibly anxious.

Different from her, who was most likely the main target of this kidnapping, either because of Suan Bi's desire to harm Jing Jiang or his son's fancy for her, Chang Liuyun was little more than useless baggage.

Or maybe lower than that, more like a pesky bug, since Suan Bian had probably caught on that they weren't actual siblings.

And guys like Suan Bian didn't respond too well to a woman they wanted being 'sullied' by another man, even if they weren't in an actual relationship, something Lei Mingxing had seen herself.

So, these were very bad odds for Chang Liuyun's survival.

But Lei Mingxing also couldn't get out to look for him, and confirm his life or even death, when she stepped out of her room, two guards, much stronger than her, were standing in the corridor before her door and made sure that she wouldn't escape.

They were at least above Core Formation and definitely stronger than Jing Jiang, so they didn't even have to bother with locking her door.

This meant that Lei Mingxing was forced to sit inside the room, unable to do anything at all but think.

And that she did.

Thinking that she hadn't been careful enough, that she should have created some kind of artifact for situations like this, for protection, retaliation, communication, anything really.

But why did she only regret now? Why hadn't she been more careful earlier?

Simply put, it was only at this moment Lei Mingxing realized that she wasn't alone.

Every waking moment of her life, until the end of her last one, Lei Mingxing had spent alone. Endured alone.

And she had expected to live this life the same way, at least until she found her past friend.

But now?

Now, she had unconsciously started including Chang Liuyun in all her future plans as if he had been there from the very beginning.

It was almost scary thinking about it, as if Chang Liuyun had used some technique to charm her.

However, even with that possibility, Lei Mingxing wasn't at all opposed to Chang Liuyun's company.

Even if it meant that she had to change her way of thinking entirely.

From that moment, every time she thought ' I can endure that' or ' I won't die from something like this at least', she would also have to consider what happened to Chang Liuyun in those scenarios. And she knew that it would make many things much more complicated, but she still liked the idea for some reason.

Of course, all this only applied in the case that Chang Liuyun had survived and that they would reunite again.

At that moment, the door opened.

Lei Mingxing looked up, only to see two maids enter the room and shut the door loudly behind them.

It only took Lei Mingxing to realize that these two women weren't cultivators, but regular people with not an ounce of Qi inside of them. Meaning, Lei Mingxing would have been able to overpower and take them as hostages in a heartbeat if she wanted to, but that wouldn't have done her any good.

Suan Bi wouldn't have sent the two to her if he was scared of her killing or threatening them.

So, Lei Mingxing simply chose to observe as the maids walked towards her with a pile of clothes and accessories in their arms, their expressions aloof.

The shorter of the two with slightly red-tinged hair stepped directly in front of Lei Mingxing.

"Get up, our Young master wants you to wear these clothes to dinner."

Her voice was full of arrogance, staring directly at Lei Mingxing not even bothering to feign a hint of respect.

Clearly, she felt deep disdain toward Lei Mingxing.

And although Lei Mingxing was used to receiving such an attitude from servants, she had no intentions of enduring this behavior anymore. She'd much rather not have any servants or helpers than be met with constant animosity and ill intent.

She got off the bed.

Forcing the maid to take two steps back so she would be able to look into Lei Mingxing's eyes again.

She only barely reached Lei Mingxing's chest.

Hoping to hide the fact that Lei Mingxing had intimidated her by simply following her instructions and standing up, the maid opened her mouth, ready to let out a few harsh words.

But Lei Mingxing's eyes made her halt her actions.

Her heart began to tremble in fear.

She had seen such darkness before, in her childhood, when her family crossed the sea away from their small island and towards the mainland.

It was the deepest and darkest part of the entire ocean which made even the most experienced of sailors and cultivators tremble.

The Abyssal Sea.

Despite its calm surface, you just knew that there was unfathomable danger lurking in its depths and nobody dared cross it.

But at that moment, the maid felt the same thing emanating from Lei Mingxing's gaze, like death itself staring at her.

A chill ran down her spine and cold sweat began to emerge from her pores.

Was this really a wild, impure woman their Young Master had picked up because of a passing fancy? But her aura was so threatening!

Much more like an evil spirit or cruel demon, ready to rip apart your very soul when you anger her!

The maid swallowed hard. She really wanted to run away, screaming, but she still had orders to follow or she would face harsh punishment.

Gritting her clattering teeth, the maid began to speak, telling herself that Lei Mingxing was just a regular girl.

"Y-you have to put them on! O-or else you won't see your companion again!"

A hint of desperation had snuck into the woman's voice, as she trembled, but she couldn't care less.

Lei Mingxing just stared at this pathetic person in front of her for a few more seconds, causing the other to subconsciously back away a little more.

Only then did Lei Mingxing glance at the items in the maids' arms.

"Leave them and get out."

Lei Mingxing had no desire to entertain these two any further.

The maids quickly followed her order, especially the shorter one, she directly dumped the clothes in her arms to the ground before snatching the accessories from the other maid and throwing them onto the cloth's pile. Finally, she grabbed the taller maid's hand and hurriedly dragged her out of the room.

With a loud thump, the door closed, leaving Lei Mingxing alone in the room yet again. Now with confirmation that it was indeed Suan Bi who had kidnapped her and that Chang Liuyun was still alive.

She quietly looked at the intensely red clothes on the ground.

Disgust and a hint of unwillingness rose inside her heart.

Was this supposed to be a wedding gown?

Seemed like Suan Bian didn't even hide his true intentions anymore.

But if that was what it took to reunite with Chang Liuyun, she would reluctantly wear this delusion.

There was no way she would let Suan Bian have his way though.

Small theater:

Shorter Maid: Young Master, you have to immediately kick out this woman! She has the look of a killer!

Suan Bian confused: Yeah, I know already? That's why I took a fancy to her.

Suan Bian: Because of her killer looks!

Shorter Maid: ...