"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..."
Xia Linyin closed her eyes, not daring to look into Xiao Li's eyes. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She understood. She finally understood why Xiao Li had that look in her eyes, why she was so numb to pain and so indifferent to life and death.
"Why are you apologizing to me, sister? You didn't do anything wrong. I'm so lucky to have met you."
Xiao Li held Xia Linyin's hand and pressed it against her cheek, smiling happily as if she had won the whole world.
Xia Linyin shook her head, not knowing what to say, and just kept crying.
"Why is my sister crying? Or is she going to abandon me? My sister who wouldn't abandon me in the face of the corpse beetle, my sister who wouldn't abandon me in the face of the female ghost, is she finally going to abandon me now?"
Xiao Li lowered her eyes, her long, thick eyelashes trembling slightly. Her sorrowful appearance was so heartbreaking that it almost broke one's heart.
He opened Xia Linyin's palm, looked at the scratches caused by the chains, and smiled again. "These are the injuries my sister sustained for me. How wonderful."
"I..." Xia Linyin's tears flowed even more profusely. "What should I do, Xiao Li? Tell me, what should I do?"
Looking at Xia Linyin, whose eyes were blurred with tears and who was crying her heart out, Xiao Li laughed even more happily. He reached out and caught a tear that slid down Xia Linyin's chin, licked his fingertip, and said, "It's salty."
"My sister is so kind! This is the first time someone has ever shed tears for my death."
Xiao Li, her eyes crinkling with a smile, leaned on Xia Linyin and said, "Xiao Li really likes you more and more, sister. Sister, don't be sad anymore. Xiao Li isn't afraid to die. I'd be happy to die in your hands."
On the dragon throne, the Marquis Wu, aroused by Ah Xiang's teasing, pinched Ah Xiang's breast hard before lifting her up in his arms, eliciting a soft cry from Ah Xiang, "Ah, Your Highness~"
Her soft, seductive voice made one's bones melt. King Wu laughed loudly and carried Ah Xiang towards the palace.
"Haha! My beloved concubine is in such a hurry to consummate our marriage? Then I will grant your wish."
After King Wuhou and Ah Xiang left the palace, the palace maids who were dancing with flowing sleeves also disappeared like a wisp of smoke, and the vast palace returned to silence.
Old Wu, Fatty, and Sister Liu got up and walked towards Xia Linyin and Xiao Li.
Hearing footsteps, Xia Linyin tensed up. She quickly wiped away her tears and looked up at Sister Liu and the others.
Seeing Xia Linyin's red eyes, clearly from crying, Sister Liu sighed. She took out her flute and said, "Xiaoyin, why did you have to do this? If you had acted decisively before, you wouldn't be so conflicted now."
"Xiaoyin, get out of the way!" The fat man produced a Guan Gong knife in his hand, its sharp blade reflecting a chilling light.
Old Wu took out a stack of yellow talismans and stared intently at Xiao Li.
Xia Linyin shielded Xiao Li behind her and said, "Old Wu, Fatty, Sister Liu, listen to me first. We are still in the tomb of Marquis Wu. If we make a big fuss here, we will inevitably disturb Marquis Wu. If we disturb his good time, we will definitely anger him."
"Xiaoyin, you don't need to worry about that. Just step aside, and I'll settle things with one slash." The fat man brandished his Guan Gong sword.
"Girl, you wouldn't be trying to protect this brat, would you?" Old Wu's sinister gaze fell on Xia Linyin. "If you want to die, we don't want to die with you."
"Are you crazy, Xiaoyin!" Sister Liu exclaimed. "Don't you know what will happen if we disobey our mission? Do you know what you're doing? Do you want us all to die?"
Sister Liu's questions were like knives stabbing straight into Xia Linyin's heart. She shook her head and said, "No, it's not like that. I just... I just thought we could wait a bit and leave the Wuhou Tomb first."
"And then what? The outcome will be the same. You know we have to complete this mission, or all of us will die. Dragging it out will only make you more hesitant."
Hearing Sister Liu's words, Xia Linyin lowered her head. She knew, she knew everything, which was why she was in even more torment and pain. She didn't want Xiao Li to die, but if she didn't kill Xiao Li, she, Sister Liu, Fatty, and Old Wu would all die.
"Girl, I don't want to kill you, but if you don't move aside, I'll have no choice but to kill you too," Old Wu threatened.
The fat man winked at Sister Liu, who quickly went over and pulled Xia Linyin, who was hanging her head, away. Dragged to the side by Sister Liu, Xia Linyin closed her eyes, a single tear rolling down her cheek. "I'm sorry."
I'm sorry, Xiao Li, she ultimately abandoned him.
Sister Liu patted Xia Linyin on the shoulder, "Fatty will finish this quickly and try to minimize his pain."
Xia Linyin suddenly felt as if a sword had pierced her chest. She was in so much pain from Sister Liu's words that she could barely speak. Xiao Li's words flashed through her mind: "He experienced different ways of dying over and over again. Sometimes he was lucky enough to survive in the tomb, but he would be killed in various ways by the returning镖师 (bodyguards/escorts).
"Xiao Li is happy to die at her sister's hands."
"Xiao Li, Xiao Li..." Xia Linyin murmured, turning around abruptly to look at Xiao Li. When she saw the fat man's knife swing down towards Xiao Li, she let out a heart-wrenching scream, "No!!!"
The sharp blade flashed brightly in the air, but the Guan Gong knife that should have landed on Xiao Li's neck suddenly swung towards Old Wu. The blade inexplicably turned an arc and slashed towards Old Wu's head.
Blood spurted from the broken wound. Old Wu's body swayed twice before collapsing to the ground. His head rolled a few times on the ground, his mouth open, and an expression of extreme shock remained on his face.
Xia Linyin stared in disbelief at the scene before her, while Sister Liu covered her mouth and looked at the fat man incredulously.
The fat man stared in disbelief at the blood-stained knife in his hand and Old Wu's corpse, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
What surprised them even more was that Xiao Li, who was supposed to be paralyzed, suddenly stood up from the ground. In everyone's sight, his long robe had turned into a suit, and his long hair was gone, replaced by a stylish short haircut.
His gleaming black leather shoes, well-fitting black suit, and delicate bow tie at the collar of his white shirt transformed him from an ancient young master into a noble young gentleman.
Gone is the thin and sickly look; Xiao Li's exquisitely sculpted face now has a touch of baby fat, making him so adorable that you can't help but want to pinch his cheeks. His lips are also as red as if he's applied rouge, making him an absolute heartthrob.
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