The dust hung in the air, whirling in the aftermath of the fierce conflict. The alleyway was strangely silent, except for the echo of Yun Fei's frantic footsteps as he struggled to his feet. He wiped a trail of blood from his lips, his eyes full with contempt.
Lian Xue watched, his breathing rapid and his heart thumping. His pulse boomed in his ears, and the illegal power he had conjured faded quickly. The woman who had intervened stood just beyond his grasp, her blade shining in the low light.
Han Sooyeon.
Her name echoed in Lian Xue's memory, but he remembered little about her. Her power felt... strange. Unstable but powerful. Dangerous. She moved like lightning, faster than anyone he'd ever seen. Even Yun Fei, despite his power, had been taken off guard.
For a time, Lian Xue wondered what her genuine goals were. Why had she arrived? There had been no indication of her before now—no warning, no whisper of her presence. She appeared to have emerged from the shadows.
She turned her gaze to him. Her eyes were cold and calculating, yet there was something else—something distant.
"Get up," she urged, her voice breaking the silence. It was not a directive, but rather a straightforward statement of truth. She didn't care if Lian Xue possessed the strength to rise, but the message was clear: he had to rise or face the consequences.
Lian Xue's eyes narrowed. He had no intention of bending before her. The woman may have spared him from Yun Fei's anger, but it did not imply he owed her anything. Nonetheless, he saw the gravity of the situation. If she hadn't intervened, he'd be dead in the muck by now, his life gone like a flickering candle.
He pushed himself to his feet, staggering slightly as the remnants of pain coursed through him. His strength was still drained, but the flicker of resolve inside him burned brighter than ever. The path of slaughter was his, and no one would take that from him.
"Why did you aid me?" Lian Xue asked, his voice low, almost growling.
Han Sooyeon did not respond promptly. She sheathed her blade with a harsh hiss and took a step forward. Her motions were smooth and almost predatory. She didn't appear concerned about the scary character she'd just helped him confront.
"You're not the only one with enemies," she finally answered, her tone chilly. "If you want to survive, you will need allies. Whether you like it or not, we're now in the same boat.
Lian Xue frowned. "I don't need your help. I've survived without anyone's help before."
She gave him a sharp look. "That's the problem, isn't it? You've been surviving — but have you been living? The moment you think you can stand alone, the world will chew you up and spit you out."
Lian Xue bristled at her remarks. His pride grew, a remembrance of the proud youth he had been. But underlying the pride lay something else: a deepening sense of understanding. The world was no longer the same. He was not the same.
"The Empire does not care about you, Lian Xue," Sooyeon added, her words slashing through his thoughts like a sword. "The moment they realize you are alive, you will be pursued to the ends of the Earth. Even if you manage to escape Yun Fei, you will not be able to leave the Empire."
Lian Xue clinched her hands. His opponents had no faces or names. They were a faceless, nameless system that had obliterated everything he knew. But, despite his loathing, he couldn't overlook the truth in her remarks.
"I'm not running," Lian Xue responded, her voice icy and determined. "I'll get my retribution. "The Emperor's dogs will pay for what they have done to me."
Han Sooyeon's lips twisted into a slight smile, almost as if she was amused by his comment. "Revenge is an extravagance, Lian Xue. You can't go into it blindly. If you want to endure this, you'll need more than hatred. You need power. "You require control."
"I have power," Lian Xue replied fiercely. "It's just sealed."
Her gaze shifted to him, detecting the hesitancy in his voice. "The Ashling of Time, correct? You were a prodigy once. She moved closer, her gaze analyzing him as if assessing his worth. "But you are weak now. "Weak and desperate."
The comments stung, but Lian Xue did not show it. He'd heard them before, from the same people who had betrayed him. It wasn't anything new. But what Han Sooyeon had spoken about the Empire struck a deep chord within him.
The Empire would come after him. There was no doubt. Yun Fei had made it obvious. And once the Enforcer returned with his report, Lian Xue's whereabouts would be known to the highest levels of power.
He needed to move immediately. He needed to be strategic.
"So," Lian Xue asked, his voice firm, "what is your plan? You did not aid me solely out of kindness."
Han Sooyeon did not respond promptly. She gazed down at her sword, as if deep in meditation. Eventually, she spoke.
"I have my own reason for being here. The Crimson Fangs, a group of rogue growers, have terrorized the Empire's outskirts. By the way, you are being hunted by the same faction. They want something, and I need it before they do. She hesitated, her gaze shifting to Lian Xue. "And you have to stop them. We have to stop them."
Lian Xue frowned her brow. He'd heard tales about the Crimson Fangs, a notorious organization of growers who had abandoned the Empire. They were vicious, unpredictable, and powerful. But why was Sooyeon involved in this?
"What is it that you want?" Lian Xue asked, his voice low and wary.
Her smile was sharp, predatory. "The Blood Lotus — an ancient artifact hidden within the Crimson Fangs' stronghold. It's said to hold the key to unlocking the true power of a concept beast. And I intend to claim it."
Lian Xue narrowed his gaze. The blood lotus. It was a mythology, a story that the most powerful growers had been searching for centuries. If it really exists, it had the potential to transform everything.
"I'm not interested in your petty treasure hunt," he replied dismissively, his tone frigid.
Han Sooyeon's eyes glittered. "Then you will die alone."
The quiet spread, dense and oppressive. Lian Xue felt the weight of her words, but pride prevented him from admitting it.
"I don't need your help," he said again, this time sounding more like a plea than a statement of fact.
Her lips twisted into a smile, as if she had expected this response. "Then help yourself." However, you should be aware that the Crimson Fangs are on their way. And you'll need more than a bruised ego to go through them."
Before Lian Xue could react, the ground shook once more. The sound of shuffling footsteps echoed in the distance, and Lian Xue knew in his heart that the Empire's hounds were approaching. The Hounds were the least of his problems right now.
Han Sooyeon fixed her focus on the shadows, her visage stiffening. "They are here."