Nighttime offered her the best cover. The night was dark, the wind strong, and it was the eve of an exam. Dressed in a light blue trench coat, she wrapped her delicate body tightly inside. She then swiftly jumped down directly from the second floor, avoided the cameras, and ran into the pitch-black night.
She found that the Medicine King Canon allowed her to move as light as a swallow, and her running speed was much faster. The pale blue figure darted through the streets and lanes like a breeze, heading towards the darkest part of B City’s night market.
She had often gone out scouting these last few nights and was already familiar with the roads here. The strong scent of blood abruptly made Shangguan You halt. She carefully hid in the shadows, watching the bloody clash before her.
Crimson blood gushed onto the ground amidst severed limbs and dismembered bodies. Blood-drenched individuals collapsed, stiff as boards, while others holding knives desperately thrust their blades into their opponents’ bellies. The air was thick with the stench of blood.
"Li Qing, beg for mercy, and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise..." The blood-drenched middle-aged man’s sinister eyes swept around. He grabbed a woman beside him and pressed a gun to her forehead. The combatants immediately stopped, glaring fiercely at each other.
"Zhang Hu, let her go, or I’ll make sure you die without a complete corpse!" Li Qing said, wiping sweat from his forehead. A long knife wound on his arm continued to bleed profusely.
"HAHAHA! If you won’t surrender, Li Qing, then have the courage to watch your woman die at my hands. TSK, TSK, TSK, this skin feels rather nice." Zhang Hu held the gun to the woman’s forehead with one hand. With his other, he violently squeezed her cheek. Two bright streams of blood flowed down her face, a horrifying sight.
"TSK, TSK, such a figure, such a face! She’s better than all the women I’ve had before. Truly top-grade." Zhang Hu laughed lewdly, his other hand growing restless. His sleazy eyes continuously scanned the woman, yet the corners of his eyes remained viciously fixed on Li Qing’s every move.
"Zhang Hu, are you even a man? What kind of man targets a woman?"
"HAHAHA! You’ll find out very soon whether I’m a man." RRRIP! The woman’s clothes were torn apart.
A collective gasp rose from the men around them.
"Unexpectedly, she’s really stacked, Li Qing! Last chance: surrender or not? If you don’t surrender, I won’t be polite anymore," Zhang Hu said with a leer, his hand becoming even more restless.
"Wait!" Li Qing suddenly yelled, seeing Zhang Hu’s actions.
"Hehehe, Li Qing, think carefully. I have so many brothers here. If they all take a turn, even the best body couldn’t handle it. Can you bear to watch that?"
"Li Lan, I’m sorry. I couldn’t protect you." Li Qing’s voice choked, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. She was his only family, yet he couldn’t save her; he could only watch helplessly as she was humiliated.
"Brother, I understand. Don’t worry about me. Even if you surrender, they still won’t spare us. Rather than having all our brothers die for me alone, it’s better to take a chance. Even if we die, it’s worth it. I have no regrets, Brother." Li Lan’s eyes overflowed with tears of humiliation. Looking at her guilt-ridden brother, she glared hatefully at Zhang Hu. Even in death, she wouldn’t let him have his way. She preferred Li Qing to fight; at least then there was a fifty-fifty chance.
"You’re courting death! Since you refuse to be sensible, don’t blame me for being ruthless! Brothers, this one’s top-grade!" Zhang Hu cursed angrily, reaching out to tear off Li Lan’s clothes.
"Shameless! For a man to act like you is truly disgraceful," a cold female voice declared in the night. Simultaneously, two small pebbles accurately struck both of Zhang Hu’s pig-like hands. The gun dropped from one, and the other, already bloodied, released Li Lan.
The pale blue figure flashed. Shangguan You now securely held Li Lan, swiftly removing her own light blue trench coat and wrapping it around Li Lan.
"Put this on," Shangguan You said coolly. She admired Li Lan’s courage; that was why she had intervened.
"Who the hell dares meddle in my business? You’re courting death!"
Zhang Hu cursed angrily. Simultaneously, Li Qing’s men re-engaged with Zhang Hu’s forces. Shangguan You, holding Li Lan, watched the brawl and shook her head. They were just trading lives, exchanging blood for blood.
Li Lan stared blankly at Shangguan You, her savior. Tears she could no longer hold back streamed down her face. Finally, she collapsed into Shangguan You’s arms, sobbing loudly.
Shangguan You grimaced. Damn it, if only I were a man! Having such soft, fragrant warmth in my arms, and perhaps even her offering herself in return... that would be great. But I’m a woman, and my body hasn’t even fully developed yet. Li Lan is a whole head taller than me, and here she is, crying in my arms. What kind of situation is this?
"Go on, cry. Let out all the grievances in your heart, and you’ll feel better. Later, I’ll let you deal with that pig yourself," Shangguan You said softly, patting Li Lan’s shoulder comfortingly.
Watching the chaos unfold, Shangguan You’s mouth twitched. This is a rare opportunity. She placed Li Lan to one side and darted forward like a whirlwind. Onlookers saw only an afterimage. SMACK! SMACK! SMACK! Several crisp sounds echoed as Zhang Hu’s men were slapped across their faces. Then, Shangguan You launched into the air, her legs a blur in a beautiful spinning kick. With several cries of pain, Zhang Hu’s remaining men were sent sprawling to the ground.
CLAP. CLAP. Shangguan You dusted off her hands. Her cold gaze swept over them as she stepped firmly on Zhang Hu’s chest. Zhang Hu coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. Only then did she beckon Li Lan over.
"This man is yours. Deal with him as you please."
"Thank you," Li Lan said, glancing gratefully at Shangguan You. Before everyone’s eyes, she picked up the gun from the ground and pointed it at Zhang Hu’s forehead.