Chapitre 6: Chapter 6: Settling Scores
"I must find a way to untangle this knot in my heart and dispel this resentment," decided Yu Lingxi.
If the issue with Ning Yin, the source of her troubles, was not resolved, it would become an obsession haunting her every night, disrupting her peace of mind.
Outside the window, the sky was faintly bright, and the warm light of the gauze lamp created a dim atmosphere. Unable to sleep, Yu Lingxi decided to get up. She draped a robe over herself, warmed her hands by exhaling onto her palms, and picked up a high-quality goat hair brush.
She casually tucked the strands of ink-black hair falling by her temples behind her ears, contemplating for a moment before gracefully starting to write on the paper.
If she was going to settle accounts with Ning Yin, she had to be fair and rational, not overlooking any of his wrongdoings, but also not giving him any undeserved grievances.
Ning Yin frightened her during the day and bullied her at night. However, in matters of food, clothing, shelter, and daily life, he had never mistreated her. He provided her with the highest standards of treatment, comparable to that of the imperial palace.
Ning Yin had eradicated her uncle's entire family, exiling all relatives of the Yu clan. However, when her mother and she were at their lowest, none of the Yu clan relatives extended a helping hand, and she had no reason to seek justice for them.
After careful consideration, Yu Lingxi put pen to paper, creating several lines of text. To her surprise, the man she had considered irredeemable and unforgivable didn't seem as detestable as she had imagined.
Hatred might not lead to death, and resentment was hard to dispel. In her past life, Ning Yin had mocked her, saying, "You are truly virtuous, but the hardest thing in the world is to be virtuous. It comes with so many constraints that living as a villain like me is more carefree."
Perhaps he was right.
Until now, she had never considered taking someone's life, even though Ning Yin, in his current state, was just a contemptible young man within the boundaries of the mortal realm.
The morning light streamed through the window lattice, the candle burned to its end, and with a soft sound, it extinguished.
After weighing her options for a while, Yu Lingxi decisively slammed the brush onto the desk, splattering some dried ink. Muttering to herself, she said, "Regardless, he tormented Xue Cen and caused me to meet an untimely end."
These two immoral acts couldn't be justified.
"Miss, why did you get up so early?" Hutao opened the gauze curtain and entered, hastily placing a tea tray on the table. She wrapped Yu Lingxi's delicate shoulders with a fox-fur cloak, saying, "Sitting like this in just your robe will make you catch a cold!"
"No worries, it's just right to wake up early and clear my mind."
Illiterate, Hutao was unaware of the written content on the paper that Yu Lingxi promptly placed under a book.
Shortly after, seven or eight maids entered, carrying silver basins, combs, and other items, attending to Yu Lingxi's grooming and changing clothes.
On a tray were two sets of dresses, one in silver-red and the other in light blue. Hutao smiled and asked, "Both are newly tailored winter clothes. Which one would you like to wear today, Miss?"
Yu Lingxi absentmindedly glanced and, without thinking, said, "Red..."
Then she paused, her beautiful eyebrows furrowing.
Ning Yin liked vibrant colors, especially those resembling blood. In her past life, she often wore bright and charming clothes, as it had become a habit over time.
This was not a good habit.
Unsure why she was upset, Yu Lingxi changed her choice, "Blue."
Hutao, oblivious to why Miss suddenly changed her mind, obediently brought the blue set of clothing over.
"Miss doesn't look well. Did you have a nightmare again?" While tying the moon-white silk waistband around Yu Lingxi, her slender waist made any woman blush.
Yawning lazily, Yu Lingxi said, "Troubled by malicious people, it's bothersome."
"What's so difficult about that?" Hutao smoothed out her sleeve and whispered, "This servant knows of a method used by commoners. You write down the appearance or birthdate of the troublesome person on a piece of paper, vigorously slap it, and it will drive away the trouble."
"Slap?"
Yu Lingxi paused, lifting her eyes. She thought, "It's quite an idea. Now that I am the butcher's knife and he is the fish, why bother with propriety and morality? After weighing so many options, it's simpler to choose the most straightforward path! Bunch of beatings, and once done, slip away. From then on, both her and Ning Yin will be going their own ways without interfering with one another and grievances will be resolved."
Feeling as if the pent-up anger in her heart had suddenly dissipated, the daylight became bright. Yu Lingxi raised her lips and instructed, "Go summon the Qingxiao guards; I have important matters to instruct."
An hour later, Hutao reported from outside the door, "Miss, the Qingxiao guards are ready and waiting outside."
Yu Lingxi nodded, paced around the room, then took down a gilded whip hanging on the wall.
A few flicks in her hand, it was just right for beating. She hung it on her belt, gathered her courage, and stepped out of the door.
The side gate of the general's mansion was surrounded by evergreen pines. Sure enough, Qingxiao and four sturdy guards were waiting beside a carriage.
The guards were selected from the Yu family's army, disciplined and unyielding, always following orders without questioning the reasons.
With her face covered by a curtain hat, Yu Lingxi inspected each one before asking, "Do you know what I want you to do?"
"We don't know!" Without a change in expression, they replied in unison, "But we'll follow Miss's orders!"
"Very well." Yu Lingxi showed a satisfied expression and boarded the carriage.
Lifting the curtain, she asked Qingxiao, who walked alongside, "Tell me about your findings. How is the investigation going?"
Qingxiao respectfully saluted, "Reporting to Miss, the fighters in the arena are mostly nameless and faceless. I've only heard about a youth in a black robe with a green mask, codenamed 'Twenty-Seven.' He sustained severe injuries in the previous match and has been recuperating in their nest..."
"The nest?"
"Because the fighters are considered lowly, regarded by society as mere dogs and livestock, their dwellings are called nests."
"..."
Yu Lingxi suppressed her discomfort, she let go of the curtain, and refrained from further inquiries. In stories, villains often met their end due to excessive talk.
If she had decided to play the role of a villain, it was best to ask fewer questions.
The carriage sped along, arrogantly entering the Immortal Realm City.
After several streets, the vibrant colors and fragrant breeze in the air gradually disappeared, replaced by an indescribable eerie and decadent atmosphere.
Finally, the carriage stopped. Qingxiao, who accompanied them, said, "Miss, the nest is just ahead. For safety reasons, the carriage cannot proceed."
At his words, Yu Lingxi lifted a corner of the curtain and peered from behind the light veil. Her brows furrowed instantly.
What kind of place was this?
Dirty stone steps extended along the side of the block, leading deep underground. A cold and gloomy dungeon spread before her eyes. Broken walls, dripping sewage, pests running amok, and in the prison-like low buildings, numerous ragged men were confined. They appeared numb and fierce, the slaves meant for the amusement of the aristocrats...
Yu Lingxi's breath caught.
Even the most dilapidated refugee street in the west of Luoyang city couldn't compare to the darkness and decay of this place.
Qingxiao had stepped forward earlier. Before long, a slender figure emerged from the direction of the black market. As the shadows gradually receded from him, the familiar green and black mask, the black military uniform – he had arrived.
Yu Lingxi peered from behind the curtain, subconsciously gripping the small whip in her hand. She planned to let the guards tie him up in a sack once he got closer...
However, Ning Yin's steps halted, and he looked towards Yu Lingxi's carriage. Then, as if sensing something, he turned and ran.
"Running away?" Yu Lingxi bit her lip, not caring much, and bent down to jump off the carriage, saying, "Chase him!"
"Miss!" Qingxiao stopped Yu Lingxi, alert, "The person he is evading is not one of ours."
As if confirming Qingxiao's words, three masked figures leaped down from the roof like ghosts and chased after Ning Yin.
They moved extremely fast and agile, not like slaves, but rather like well-trained assassins.
The sudden turn of events left Yu Lingxi stunned.
What's happening? Is someone else trying to capture Ning Yin?
Before Yu Lingxi could make sense of it, there was a muffled sound. Ning Yin took a punch to the chest, his body soaring and rolling on the ground, and his mask falling to the side.
"Danger, Miss, stay away!" The situation was chaotic, and considering she might be in danger, so they shielded Yu Lingxi behind the block wall.
Peeking from behind the corner, Yu Lingxi watched the struggling youth not far away, feeling a complex mix of emotions.
Ning Yin seemed to be heavily injured, and his reactions were somewhat delayed. Clutching his chest, he tried to stand up, but the three assailants delivered a kick to his chest, sending his body flying three yards away, like a ragdoll crashing into a pile of debris.
Baskets and bamboo poles clattered down, and the black-clothed youth curled up in pain, coughing up a mouthful of blood. The vivid red of the blood made his already pale face even more distressing.
The crimson stabbed at Yu Lingxi's eyes.
Even in her most resentful moments, she had never thought of torturing Ning Yin like this...
"Hold him down, don't rush to kill him," the leader, a dark-skinned, muscular man, declared. He stepped on Ning Yin, fixing him in place. Blood oozed from an old wound on his chest, tinting the pooled water with a faint rouge hue.
Pinned to the ground, Ning Yin's cheek was pressed against the dirty floor, mud and blood mixing as they dripped down. His face, once fierce and hateful, now looked even more pale and desperate, stained with the color of his own blood.
The dark-skinned man said, "The master said that since you're so good at escaping, we'll break your legs first, and you can crawl the road to the underworld."
With that, he stared at Ning Yin's struggling legs, raising the heavy wolf-toothed iron hammer in his hand.
The hammer reflected a chilling cold light, dazzling Yu Lingxi's eyes.
Her vision distorted, memories rapidly rewinding, and she remembered her past life.
In her past life, Ning Yin always enjoyed killing on rainy days.
In the beginning, Yu Lingxi thought it was some mysterious ritual, but later she learned that he killed purely because the rainy days intensified the pain in his injured leg, putting him in a bad mood.
On a day of thunderstorms, Hutao accidentally broke Ning Yin's usual glass cup. Ning Yin tapped his knuckles on the table, slowly opening his eyes. Yu Lingxi knew he had murderous intentions.
Without much thought, she approached, using sweet and clumsy words to try and distract Ning Yin. Ning Yin grabbed her neck, his fingers devoid of warmth, his face extremely pale, as if only blood could add some color to him.
In that moment, Yu Lingxi thought she was doomed. However, the iron grip on her neck eased a bit when it touched the warm skin of her neck.
Ning Yin's slightly raised, dark, and cold eyes conveyed a hint of confusion. He gradually changed his gripping hand to a soothing touch, as if questioning how a seemingly fragile woman could radiate such a warm temperature.
He placed his other hand on her, freezing Yu Lingxi's body hair. "Take off your clothes," he ordered coldly.
Yu Lingxi resisted the urge to run away, removed her clothes, hesitated, and used her own body warmth to comfort Ning Yin, whose leg pain had flared up.
For the first time, she accurately understood the madman's mindset.
When she kissed him, his teeth were still trembling slightly, and he bit her lips and neck. Yu Lingxi massaged him to relieve the pain, doing her best to please him.
In the end, exhausted, she fell asleep. When she woke up, Ning Yin was still tightly embracing her for warmth, his strong arms almost twisting her slender waist to the point of breaking her.
It was the only time Ning Yin showed a hint of what could be called "vulnerability," a memory that lingered in Yu Lingxi's mind for a long time.
Perhaps because Ning Yin was someone who never showed fear, remaining impassive even when pierced by a blade, driven almost to the point of losing all senses in madness.
So, Yu Lingxi was curious about what kind of piercing and bone-deep pain could make him endure a sleepless night, his teeth chattering.
Was his leg... broken like that?
Lingxi's pupils trembled slightly as memories and reality intertwined, and an answer seemed on the verge of emerging.
Without time for detailed thoughts, she exclaimed with a trembling voice, "Qingxiao! What are you all standing around for?"
The clear and crisp shout echoed through the vast sky, and a crow flew across the horizon.
The dark-skinned man turned in surprise, and Qingxiao released his long sword, slashing the wrist of one assailant. The iron hammer fell from the attacker's hand, splashing droplets of water that refracted a cold gleam in mid-air.
Immediately, two other guards from the Yu Mansion leaped out from behind Qingxiao, blocking the curved knives of the remaining two assailants.
In that moment, time seemed to stretch infinitely.
A swift wind arose, causing the light veil of her headdress to flutter. The charming and enchanting young girl stood in this incongruous hell, holding the precious twisted gold whip, draped in a precious moon-white fox fur, shining like a beacon amidst the chaos.
Meanwhile, the weak and disheveled youth lay in the muddy water, blood at the corner of his lips. His dark eyes were half-open, facing the beautiful almond-shaped eyes across the distance.
Ah, it was her.
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