Chapter 112 There is an Assassin

Liu Yueli walked quickly, and the hem of her cloak swept across the stone surface silently.

It wasn't entirely to avoid possible eyes, but more to reach the center of the lights as quickly as possible to feel the real atmosphere.

Beneath her hood, her lips were pressed into a stubborn line.

She knew that there were risks involved in coming out, but so what?

Luo Zhaohan... She chewed on this name in her heart, with a hint of complex emotions that she could hardly distinguish.

She probably couldn't have imagined that Liu Yueli would sneak out of the cage on a night like this, just to take a moment to breathe.

Thinking of this, she quickened her pace, almost jogging.

On the Wangjiang Tower, Luo Zhaohan's fingertips tapped lightly on the cold window frame.

Almost at the moment when Liu Yueli's figure emerged from the shadow of a narrow alley and was about to merge into the edge of the surging crowd on the long street, her eyes accurately captured her.

Although she was wrapped in the most inconspicuous gray cloak, and although her figure was as small as a grain of rice in the crowd, Luo Zhaohan's gaze was as if drawn by an invisible thread, firmly fixed on her.

Even from a long distance, I could seem to see her hurried steps and the fur on the edge of her hood trembling slightly in the night wind.

She came as expected.

The corners of Luo Zhaohan's lips twitched upwards, an expected arc.

Watching her like a drop of water melting into a boiling oil pan, she was quickly swept into the jubilant crowd. Her small gray shadow appeared thin and stubborn under the illumination of the colorful lanterns.

She did not move, still hidden in the shadows behind the window, but her eyes followed like a shadow, passing through the layers of colorful lights and figures, always following.

I watched her pause briefly in front of a candy figurine-blowing stall, watched her peer curiously from the periphery of the crowd guessing lantern riddles, watched her carefully avoid the children running around recklessly...

She walked and stopped, obviously trying to suppress her curiosity and excitement and maintain a calm appearance.

Luo Zhaohan saw it clearly.

She knew too well the other person's deep-seated yearning for excitement and freedom.

Liu Yueli was indeed captivated by this long-lost bustle.

She stood in front of an old man selling rabbit lanterns. The lanterns were delicately crafted, with red eyes and snow-white fur. A small candle lit inside, emitting a soft, warm yellow glow, looked adorable.

She couldn't help but stretch out her finger and gently touch the tip of the furry ear. Her fingertips felt the rough paper, with the slight warmth of the lamplight.

"Girl, would you like to buy one? It's the Lantern Festival, and I want to bring good luck!" the old man asked with a smile.

Liu Yueli paused her fingertips, quickly retracted her hand, subconsciously pressed down her hood, responded vaguely, and hurriedly turned and left.

She couldn't stay, couldn't leave any traces to be traced.

She walked aimlessly with the crowd, her eyes greedily sweeping over the various colored lanterns hanging on both sides: lotus lanterns, fish lanterns, palace lanterns, revolving lanterns painted with vivid stories of the West Chamber...

It is so bizarre and dazzling that it is hard to take your eyes off.

In addition to the sweet aroma of food, the air also contains the scent of cosmetics wafting from the women's bodies, mixed with the faint smell of saltpeter after the firecrackers have burned out, creating an atmosphere unique to the festival.

The breath rushed into her lungs, miraculously soothing the depression that had accumulated in the villa. A long-lost sense of freshness was gradually seeping into her tense nerves.

She stopped in front of a stall selling masks.

The stalls were filled with masks of all kinds: ferocious Nuo opera ghost masks, playful fox faces, and gorgeous half-masks painted with gold and phoenixes. Her eyes were drawn to a plain white mask in the corner.

The mask only covered half of the face. It was made of ordinary paper, with a few strokes of light green vine patterns on the edge, simple and cool.

After a moment's hesitation, his fingertips gently brushed the cool, smooth surface of the mask. Wearing it would temporarily shield him from the gazes of others, giving him a fleeting sense of security amidst the clamor.

She took out a few copper coins and handed them to the stall owner, picked up the plain white mask, turned her back, and quickly covered her face with it.

Under the mask, she let out a sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her shoulders.

However, just as she put on her mask and turned around to continue blending into the crowd, an extremely cold aura suddenly pierced through the gap in the crowd behind her!

The target is clear, it is her back!

All the hairs on Liu Yueli's body stood up instantly!

She didn't even have time to turn around to see who was coming, her body had already moved before her consciousness.

His waist suddenly twisted to the right at an incredible angle, and with his left foot as the axis, his whole body suddenly slid to the side like a reed broken by a strong wind!

“Sizzle!”

There was a sharp sound of cloth tearing.

The cold blade almost brushed past the edge of her cloak on the left side, cutting a long gash in the dark gray fabric!

The moment the fierce murderous intent brushed past her, a layer of tiny bumps instantly appeared on the skin of her jaw.

The attacker's attack missed, but he didn't stop at all and rushed forward again with an even more brutal aura!

This time, Liu Yueli saw the man clearly. He was a man in a plain brown shirt, his face so ordinary that he would be lost in a crowd. Only his eyes, under the flickering light, gleamed with the bloodthirsty light of a beast!

The people around finally realized that something was wrong, and their screams of terror exploded like water drops thrown into a frying pan!

"Murder!" "There's an assassin!"

The originally joyful and crowded crowd instantly fell into chaos. People pushed and shoved each other and ran away like headless flies. Countless lanterns were knocked to the ground. The candlelight ignited the paper, and small flames jumped between the panicked footsteps.

Liu Yueli was knocked off her feet by the chaotic flow of people, but the brown-clothed assassin was like a swimming fish, going against the chaotic crowd and approaching her again with precision!

In his hand, he held a short black spear less than a foot long. The edge of the blade glowed faintly blue under the light, and it was obviously poisoned!

The short thorn silently pierced her throat again at a tricky angle!

The pupils under the mask suddenly contracted.

Liu Yueli exerted force with her feet and kicked hard towards an overturned sugar-roasted chestnuts stall cart next to her, using the force to retreat quickly.

She kicked the chestnut cart sideways, and the hot sand and chestnuts splashed everywhere, temporarily stopping the assassin's momentum.

But her hasty dodge caused her back to hit a stall selling clay figurines hard, and the clay figurines shattered to the ground.

The assassin's eyes were more fierce, and he was obviously enraged. He ignored the scattered hot chestnuts and rushed forward, trampling on them. The short spikes made a sharp sound of breaking through the air and went straight to Liu Yueli's heart!

Faster! More ruthless!

Liu Yueli was knocked unconscious before she could stand still, and saw the poisonous black light about to penetrate her chest.

The shadow of death instantly enveloped them, chilling them to the bone.

A trace of despair flashed in her eyes behind the mask, and her body instinctively tensed up, ready to fight to the death!

At this critical moment!

A figure, like lightning tearing through the night sky, suddenly cut between the two people at a speed so fast that it was blurry.

"Bang!"

There was a dull, heart-pounding crash.

Liu Yueli felt a flash before her eyes, and the short black thorn that was almost kissing her heart was firmly grasped by a hand wearing a black leather glove.

The assassin's ferocious forward momentum was like hitting a city wall and was strangled!

The assassin couldn't believe it. He struggled hard but couldn't move the hand at all.

The man holding his wrist stood tall and straight, his dark brocade robe remaining motionless in the chaotic air currents and flickering lights, not even a ripple forming on the corners of his robe.

He had his back to Liu Yueli, his broad shoulders blocking her entire view and also blocking the deadly edge.

Chaos, screams, fleeing crowds... everything around seemed to be isolated in an instant.

Liu Yueli stood stiffly where she was, her back against the broken wooden frame of the clay figurine stand, the cold sawdust poking her.

She was gasping for breath, her heart pounding in her chest, almost breaking her ribs.

She could only see the broad figure standing in front of her.

The dark fabric shone with a deep, restrained luster under the lamplight, and the black jade crown holding her hair was meticulously done. The figure behind her was terrifyingly calm, carrying a sense of absolute power that seemed to control everything.

It's him!

There was no need to see the face clearly, this aura, this figure, this powerful and suffocating presence...

Who else could it be besides Luo Zhaohan?

Under the mask, Liu Yueli's lips trembled slightly.

How did he end up here? He'd been watching? Watching him wander around the Lantern Festival like a fool, wearing a mask, and nearly getting killed?

At this moment, Luo Zhaohan's hand, which was holding the assassin's wrist, seemed to move very slightly.

No one could see how he exerted his strength. All they heard was a very short, strangled "ugh" sound from the assassin, followed by a teeth-grinding "crack" of bones breaking.

The poisoned black short spear fell to the ground with a clang.

The assassin's face instantly twisted and distorted, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He looked at Luo Zhaohan with a look of despair, as if he had seen a demon from hell.

Luo Zhaohan didn't turn around, nor did he even glance at the assassin who had collapsed.

As if he had just casually killed a disturbing flying insect, he slowly turned around.

The lights were dim, and the light and shadow danced on his deep facial features, outlining his steep brow bones, straight nose bridge, and those two thin and cold lips.

His gaze, like a bottomless cold pond, penetrated the white mask on Liu Yueli's face and fell accurately into the depths of her eyes.

There was no surprise or astonishment in that look, as if it was saying "as expected".

He lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on the plain white mask on Liu Yueli's face, lingering for a moment.

Then he raised his hand, the hand that had just crushed the assassin's wrist bones, and moved it towards her face with an unusually steady movement.

The slightly cool leather fingertips gently touched the cold edge of the mask.

Liu Yueli's body instantly stiffened like a stone sculpture, and even her breathing stopped.

He is... going to take off her mask!

…

Pei Ji randomly found a familiar vendor at the street corner and threw the reins over. The black horse then stood quietly in the shadow of the corner, emitting white steam.

He did not stop, the corner of his dark robe drew an arc in the noisy lights and crowds, with a clear goal, heading straight for the brightly lit Youkang Teahouse at the other end of the long street.

Half a step behind him, Liu Yueli followed silently.

The long cut on the left side of the dark grey cloak, made by a sharp blade, had charred and curled edges, silently telling of the thrilling assassination that had just taken place in the middle of the street.

The mask had been taken off long ago and was tightly grasped in her palm. The white paper frame was deformed by the pinch, and her knuckles turned white due to the force.

The hood was still pulled low, covering most of her face and any emotions that might be revealed.

Only the tightly pursed lips reveal a hint of stubbornness.

Pei Ji didn't look back at her, and walked steadily.

People quickly returned to their entertainment, enjoying lantern riddles, snacks, and laughter, as if the fatal assassination had never taken place. Only the faint smell of saltpeter and a faint whiff of blood lingered in the air, overshadowed by the sweet aroma of pastries.

Liu Yueli's eyes swept across the faces that were filled with smiles again, and her heart felt cold.

The joys of this world are so fragile that they can be torn apart easily.

The heavy carved wooden door of Youkang Teahouse is right in front of you.

The waiter had sharp eyes and spotted Pei Ji from afar. His face was immediately filled with courtesy and awe. He trotted over to greet him, bowing very low. "Sir! You're here! The private room is ready for you. The best seat facing the street is always reserved for you!"

Pei Ji did not pause, only making a very faint "hmm" sound from his nose.

The waiter immediately understood what he meant and stepped aside to make way. He quickly glanced at Liu Yueli, and when he saw the unclear face under the disheveled gray cloak and hood, a trace of extreme curiosity flashed in his eyes, but he immediately lowered his head, not daring to look any further, and just led the way respectfully.

The teahouse was a bit noisier than outside.

The lobby on the first floor was almost full. Tea drinkers were chatting loudly, waiters were walking around, and the sounds of cups and plates clinking, laughter, and the waiters' drawn-out greetings mixed together to form a warm wave of sound.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of tea, the sweet smell of snacks, and the smell of sweat and tobacco emanating from the men.

The waiter led them through the bustling lobby and up the wooden stairs leading to the second floor.

The stairs were a bit steep, making a creaking sound when stepped on. The second floor was much more elegant, with carved screens and draped bamboo curtains separating each relatively independent small room.

The waiter stopped at the door of a private room with a Xiangfei bamboo curtain and respectfully opened the curtain: "Sir, please come in. Miss, please come in."

The private room is not big, but it is decorated very elegantly.

There was a square hardwood table and two armchairs by the window. The window faced the busiest section of the long street. Beneath it stood a small charcoal basin, its red fire scattering the chill of the early spring night, making a gentle crackling sound.

Pei Ji walked straight to the window seat and sat down, with his back to the door and Liu Yueli.

He raised his hand and took off the cloak of the same color covering his dark brocade robe, and casually draped it over the back of the chair next to him. His movements were calm and unhurried, as if he was just attending an ordinary appointment.

Liu Yueli stood at the door of the private room, with the bamboo curtain falling behind her.

The hot steam from the charcoal basin hit her face, bringing a sense of warmth, but it could not dispel the chill in her bones.

She looked at the broad figure with his back to her, her fingers curled silently in her sleeves, her nails digging deep into her palms.

"Sit down." Pei Ji's voice sounded. He didn't turn around, but just pointed to the armchair opposite.

The tone of command was calm and composed.

Liu Yueli's body stiffened for a moment. Beneath her hood, her lips tightened, almost forming a straight line.

After a few breaths, she took a step, walked to the armchair opposite him, and slowly sat down.

When she sat down, she kept her head down, and the wide hood cast her entire face in heavy shadow, revealing only a bit of her tight jawline.