058 Ambushed

Chapter Title: 058 – Walked Into an Ambush

On a dark and frigid midnight, Fang Rulai and Zhu Xishi ran down deserted streets, growing increasingly uneasy with every step.

“Rulai, are we really that far behind Banxia and the others?” Banxia had left just moments before them, and they had set out right after. Even if the first group sped up to catch Qiang, there was an old Lady Lin and Wang Suozhi with them, so they couldn't have moved that quickly. Why, then, had they seen not a single trace of them since leaving?

Fang Rulai agreed, “Let’s move faster!”

They rushed through the wealthy eastern district—nothing. The impoverished western district—still nothing. Soon, they neared the city’s farthest edge, close to the walls, yet not a single suspicious figure appeared.

Zhu Xishi speculated, “Did we go the wrong way...”

“Shh!” Fang Rulai interrupted suddenly. “There’s a sound over here, hurry!”

Following the faint noises, the two hurried along the city wall. At an abandoned temple, the sounds abruptly ceased, replaced by an overwhelming stench of blood.

Zhu Xishi, with a flick of her wrist, drew out the butcher’s knife she’d brought and held it defensively. “Be careful. I’ll kick the door.”

With a loud crash, Zhu Xishi kicked down the rickety wooden door. She crouched, ready to spring inside, but upon seeing the scene within, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the ground.

Inside, corpses littered the floor—all wearing the same Zhaos’ clothing they had just seen at the Zhao residence.

“Ru...Rulai, this...” Zhu Xishi was so frightened she could barely speak. She’d seen plenty of enemy corpses at the Zhao house without fear, but suddenly seeing so many of her own side made her legs turn to jelly.

“Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll check further in,” Fang Rulai stepped over the threshold, grabbed a sword from the ground, and cautiously moved deeper inside.

She hadn’t met these people before, so could only identify them by their clothes. All wore the Zhao family attire—if they weren’t imposters, they must have been brought by Lady Lin.

Fang Rulai advanced with trepidation. Each corpse she examined was clad in Zhao garb; all had a bloodied hole in the forehead, identical in size and position. It was hard not to suspect they’d fallen into a trap inside the temple. She looked around—no murder weapons left behind. Without any evidence, how could she deduce what had happened?

Just then, a groan sounded from beneath one of the bodies.

Fang Rulai spun around, sword raised. “Who’s there?”

“It’s...it’s me.” At the tip of the sword, Wang Suozhi emerged, hair disheveled and face bloodied.

Fang Rulai quickly set aside her sword and knelt beside her. “What happened? Weren’t you all chasing just one person? Where’s Lady Lin? Where are Mu Zhijin and Banxia?”

“Heh, you ask me?” Wang Suozhi let out a foolish laugh, then suddenly lunged, hands gripping for Fang Rulai’s throat. “You wicked monk, bring my mother back!”

Fang Rulai stepped back in time and kicked her away. “Wang Suozhi, look closely. It’s me!”

Wang Suozhi was knocked down but quickly scrambled up, turning to ram her head at Fang Rulai. “You wicked monk, still pretending! I’ll fight you to the death!”

“You madwoman, what are you doing now!” Zhu Xishi rushed in and grabbed Wang Suozhi from behind, lifting her and tossing her onto a nearby tree.

Wang Suozhi groaned, tried repeatedly to get up, but failed.

“Hmph, so what? Are you going to come after me now?” Wang Suozhi wiped blood from her face, hatred blazing in her eyes. “Come on, I’m not afraid! Wicked monk, heaven sees all. You’ll pay for this!”

“You—” Zhu Xishi strode forward, ready to teach her a lesson, but Fang Rulai stopped her.

“Wang Suozhi, what really happened here?” Given Wang Suozhi’s current state, Fang Rulai felt a bad premonition: this pursuit had gone awry. “I followed right behind you, so how could Lady Lin be with me? And why are there so many dead, but no sign of Mu Zhijin or Banxia?”

Wang Suozhi spat on the ground. “Pretend, keep pretending! If you weren't in league with that Qiang, why would we walk right into an ambush as soon as we entered this temple? Everyone except the mother Banxia took away was killed instantly! If I hadn't been pinned under a corpse, I’d be dead too! What? At this point, you still ask what happened? You orchestrated all this to swallow the Zhao family whole—who would know better than you what’s going on? Heaven has no eyes! My Zhao family lived honestly, did everything right, so why us...”

Wang Suozhi wept and accused, while Fang Rulai filtered out the useless emotion and focused on the facts.

Ambushed right after entering—the signs along the way must have led them directly into the trap. But what about Mu Zhijin, who left those signs? Why didn’t Wang Suozhi mention him?

Banxia took Lady Lin, and the rest died instantly—that was simple enough. Banxia was sent by Guan Shiyin, so betrayal was unlikely; he must have sensed danger and saved Lady Lin. But then, if the threat was gone, why hadn't he reappeared?

Fang Rulai stood and shouted, “Banxia, come out!”

Zhu Xishi hurried over to cover her mouth. “Don’t shout, what if those killers come back?”

Wang Suozhi interjected sarcastically, “You’re the killers—what are you afraid of? Ah, I understand now. Because I still have the Zhao family’s only storeroom key, you have to finish the act, right? Don’t even think about it! I’d rather die here than give it to you!”

Zhu Xishi rolled up her sleeves and asked Fang Rulai, “Can’t we just hit this madwoman? I always thought you were the most notorious turncoat, but today she’s knocked you off the top spot! No way, I can’t stand ingrates—she needs to be taught a lesson!”

Fang Rulai blocked her, staring at Wang Suozhi. “If I’d plotted against the Zhao family, why would I lure you here to die? At the Zhao house, if I’d just let you and the fake second son fight until both sides were exhausted, wouldn’t I have had an easier time picking up the spoils?”

Wang Suozhi paused, her angry expression wavering—it sounded logical.

Fang Rulai let out a breath. “Now, tell me everything that happened after you left the Zhao house.”

“Are you sure you weren’t behind this?” Wang Suozhi wanted confirmation.

Zhu Xishi leaped from behind Fang Rulai, raising her fist. “Looks like you’ll only wake up after a beating.”

“No, no, I believe you,” Wang Suozhi quickly signaled peace.

Fang Rulai pulled Zhu Xishi back. “Enough, let’s hear her out.”

Wang Suozhi composed herself and recalled, “As soon as we left the Zhao house, that Banxia you sent led us straight here. Once inside, he said something seemed off and told everyone to be careful. No sooner had he finished speaking than countless hidden weapons shot at us from every direction. The Zhao people were killed instantly. When I was pinned down, I saw him carry mother out of the courtyard. Then I blacked out. When I woke up, you two were here.”

“Hidden weapons? What kind?”

“It was too chaotic to see, but I think they had long tails.”

“They weren’t tails,” Fang Rulai recalled the absence of murder weapons. “Each hidden weapon likely had a long control wire attached, so after killing, they could be swiftly retrieved, leaving no evidence for investigators.”

Zhu Xishi was astonished. “So many people, so many wired hidden weapons, all hitting their mark and then withdrawn smoothly without tangling? These ambushers must have been highly trained.”

At that, Fang Rulai and Zhu Xishi exchanged a glance. Highly trained, professional techniques leaving no trace—if not seasoned veterans, then surely official constables.

Fang Rulai clenched her fist. She’d touched the sword, the doorframe, the stones on the ground, but sensed nothing of the attackers. That meant they’d made no sound from start to finish, determined to ensure the ambush succeeded.

But what was their purpose? That Qiang? Wang Suozhi hadn’t mentioned him either.

Fang Rulai quickly asked, “What about the Qiang you were pursuing?”

“No idea. We never saw him again after entering the temple.”

“And Mu Zhijin? The one who left you the signs?”

“He never appeared either.”

Wang Suozhi’s answers were quick and firm; Fang Rulai judged she was not lying. So where had those people gone?

...

Meanwhile, outside the city wall, at a mound of earth, a group of heavily cloaked figures surrounded two pairs.

More precisely, one and a half pairs.

Banxia and Lady Lin, Mu Zhijin, and the so-called Qiang hanging half-dead from his hand.

One of the cloaked figures spoke.

“Hand over Lady Lin and Qiang!”

Mu Zhijin grinned coldly. “If we hand them over, will you let us go?”

The cloaked figures burst out laughing. “How could that be! Are you joking?”

“Then why should we hand them over?”

“Hmph, if you do, you’ll at least die quickly. Otherwise...” The leader shook his head, and the cloaked group spread out, each revealing something that gleamed silver in their hands.

The chain darts that had just taken dozens of lives in an instant!

Thanks to dear &! Manman! ^_$ and zengfengzhu for the encouragement with flowers! Mua~ Energy received, working hard.

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