Yan Li is an assassin, and also a bodyguard.
After more than twenty years of hard work and struggle, engaging in risky business, he saved every penny and managed to accumulate fifty taels of silver to redeem himself from bondage.
She was just a hair's breadth away from her dream of retiring to her hometown and living a secluded life in the mountains.
Yes, she was tired of this life of living on the edge and was determined to leave.
Even if it meant wandering the world like a rat in a ditch, hiding here and there, she could endure it all as long as she could gain freedom.
Freedom is like the moon reflected in water or a flower in a mirror—visible, yet elusive.
…*…
Not long ago, Yan Li had a moment of madness and took a sword for her master who was being assassinated. From then on, she ushered in the greatest moment of glory in twenty years.
Despite strong opposition from her master, she was promoted to a first-class bodyguard, a position equivalent to that of the four leaders of the bodyguards around him.
Having reached a position that others envy and are jealous of, Yan Li coughed up a mouthful of black blood and finally collapsed to the ground, closing her eyes and loudly complaining in her heart:
I'm sick, I'm seriously sick!
What's so good about this position? The wages haven't increased, and I'm even closer to death.
Wen Shaoxing, the only master in the Regent Prince's mansion, is a well-known cripple with an unpredictable, cold-blooded, cruel, and sadistic personality. He enjoys torturing people and taking pleasure in doing so.
Those who fell into his hands were never whole; some were missing limbs, others were missing noses or their minds.
In short, those who offended him all died tragically, unable to rest in peace. The coffin lids couldn't contain the resentment emanating from their corpses, which soared to the heavens, so they had to be thrown directly into the mass grave.
Yan Li couldn't believe how dark her life would become after her direct supervisor was replaced. Just thinking about it made her want to break down and scream.
…*…
In the servants' quarters of the Wen family mansion.
[Immersive Single-Player Missions: 1. Protect Wen Shaoxing, and survive. 2. Prevent chaos from spreading throughout the world.]
[Host's current identity: Shadow Guard.]
Yan Li, who had just opened her eyes to hear the devastating news, said: "She said she had no idea why she would go and block a sword for him. Turns out it was because her passive skill was triggered."
But must she really take the fall herself?
Wen Shaoxing may be a crippled good-for-nothing, but as his subordinate, she may not be a good-for-nothing either, right?
For at least twelve out of the twenty years Yan Li spent, he was constantly cutting carrots, with a 50% margin for error, which allowed him to avoid being eliminated by the organization while also avoiding being too outstanding.
Is there anyone in the world smarter than her?
She's simply a genius.
…*…
However, even geniuses can fall from grace.
She sat up in bed, but the sudden movement aggravated her wound, causing her to gasp.
After a while, Yan Li, having recovered, leaned against the bed rail, raised her eyes slightly, looked at the room where she would be living for another ten years or so, and gladly accepted the arrangement of fate.
Unlike the communal sleeping room she used to sleep in, this was a single room, divided into two parts by a screen. One half was the bed she was lying on, and the other half had a table and chairs.
The bedding was brand new, and the gray-gray bed curtains effectively blocked out some of the light. She looked up and saw a window that had been deliberately left open, as well as a dressing table and a wardrobe.
Although the room wasn't very big overall, it was small but perfectly formed.
It seems there's a reason why those people are envious.
At least the treatment is visibly much better.
Hmm, it seems like it's not entirely unbearable.
Outside, a light rain was falling, and the sky was overcast, perfect for sleeping.
Of course, it's also suitable for doing tasks.
Once the rain falls, any trace of bloodshed will be washed away completely, leaving no trace.
Yan Li's professional instincts kicked in. She glanced at the bandaged wound on her shoulder, and without thinking much, stood up and began searching around the room.
Indeed, people cannot be complacent. Once they become complacent, they don't even realize they've lost their livelihood.
Who stole her tetanus sword?!
The calmer Yan Li appeared on the surface, the more flustered she was inside.
She remembered that when she was in training, her direct supervisor told her that if she lost her sword and that cripple found out, he would probably have to go to the underworld to ask for it back.
Thinking of this, Yan Li rummaged through things even faster, and the wound under her shoulder quietly reopened.
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