“Die!”
Yukiko’s face was a mix of shock and fear, but the drunkard maid’s mocking taunts gave her an opening. Though the maid seemed to be ridiculing her, she had also exposed a vulnerability. With her right hand’s dagger restrained, Yukiko flicked her wrist downward, and a poisoned needle shot from her sleeve toward the maid’s forehead with lightning speed.
*Talkative fools die by their own words!*
*History is full of such examples!*
*If you’d attacked the moment you caught my dagger, you’d have had me. But you foolishly wasted time mocking me instead of securing me.*
*This is your path to death!*
*My wrist needle, “Soul Seizer,” is as fast as lightning. Once it’s released, it claims lives and souls!*
*Die!*
Under Yukiko’s expectant gaze, hoping for a reversal, the maid leaned back with a mocking smirk, effortlessly dodging the deadly needle.
Then, in Yukiko’s disbelieving eyes, the maid twisted her chopsticks, and the dagger in Yukiko’s hand snapped in two.
*Clatter.*
It fell to the ground.
*Nani?!*
Yukiko’s eyes nearly popped out. *How is this possible? How could a pair of bamboo chopsticks break my tempered dagger?!*
*Is this some ancient Eastern sorcery?!*
*What kind of being have I provoked?!*
*A witch?!*
Yukiko’s terror and panic were beyond words. In that moment, she lost all will to fight, consumed by one thought: escape, flee, run without looking back. This woman was inhuman.
She turned.
*Ninja run!*
One step, two steps, three steps—Yukiko felt a surge of incredulous joy. *I’m escaping! I’m actually escaping!*
*That terrifying woman must not be fast!*
*Good thing speed has always been my strength!*
Today, she was performing beyond her limits, the wind whistling past as she sprinted.
But her joy lasted only a moment. From behind came the maid’s mocking voice again: “*Heh*, coming and going as you please? Do you think this is an inn or a brothel?”
Then, two sharp sounds sliced through the air, like crossbow bolts piercing the wind.
*Swish! Swish!*
Before Yukiko could react, searing pain shot through both her calves, and her body collapsed uncontrollably to the ground.
“Ah!”
She screamed, hitting the ground. Only then did she see that two chopsticks had pierced through her calves, protruding from the other side.
*Damn it!*
*Attacking with hidden weapons!*
Yukiko’s face contorted in pain as she glared at the cursed maid, cursing inwardly.
The next second, her face twitched. The maid seemed to teleport—one moment seated, the next crouching before Yukiko, slowly reaching toward her.
*Don’t come near me!*
Yukiko screamed in her mind, trying to dodge, but for some reason, the maid’s slow hand was inescapable, as if Yukiko were moving into it herself.
The hand touched her wrist—agonizing pain followed, and with a *crack*, her wrist dislocated.
The hand moved to her shoulder—more excruciating pain, and another *crack* as her shoulder dislocated.
With fluid precision, the maid dislocated Yukiko’s wrists and shoulders, twisting joints and bones effortlessly.
Yukiko had no power to resist.
*What kind of being have I provoked?!* Tears streamed down Yukiko’s face, filled with regret.
“Let’s go. You’re here to assassinate Zhu Ping’an, right? You targeted me for my clothes to get close to him, didn’t you? No need to thank me—I’ll take you to see Zhu Ping’an and grant your wish.”
The maid smirked, patting Yukiko’s cheek. She stood, grabbed Yukiko’s waistband, and lifted her like a pig, effortlessly carrying her toward Zhu Ping’an’s study.
“Ruonan, what’s going on? Why are you carrying a maid?” Zhu Ping’an was in his study, reviewing urgent reports on Wokou activities, when he heard a commotion at the door. He stood and saw the enigmatic Ruonan carrying a maid with two chopsticks embedded in her legs.
Hua’er and Qin’er, supporting Li Shu, hurried in behind.
“*Heh*, Zhu Ping’an, don’t say I didn’t bring you a housewarming gift. Here’s a bed-warmer for you. I broke her legs so she can’t run and dislocated her arms so she can’t resist. She’s all yours to do with as you please,” Ruonan said with a giggle, shaking the assassin Yukiko and winking playfully at Zhu Ping’an.
“Ruonan, how could you do such a thing?! You’re too reckless! The master—my lord—isn’t that kind of man!” Hua’er, taking Ruonan’s words at face value, stomped her foot angrily.
“Don’t listen to her nonsense. Not a word from her mouth is true,” Qin’er nudged Hua’er’s shoulder, urging her to calm down.
“Alright, let’s get to business. Who is she? Another assassin?” Zhu Ping’an stepped forward, addressing Ruonan.
“How boring—you guessed it right away,” Ruonan said, tossing Yukiko to the ground. “This assassin snuck into the courtyard to kill me, but her skills were lacking, and I subdued her.”
“I remember her. When I went to the kitchen to fetch food, she was sweeping in the back courtyard, sneaking glances at me several times. She thought she was subtle, but how could she escape my eyes?”
“I reckon she’s like that monk Wokou from earlier, targeting you. She probably went after me for my clothes, hoping to use them to get close to you.”
Ruonan analysed the situation.
“Here’s what I found on her.” She tossed several items onto the ground.
The objects were oddly shaped weapons: three star-shaped shuriken, a blowdart, a dagger inscribed with Wokou characters snapped in two, and more—all distinctly Eastern in origin.
Indeed, as Ruonan suggested, the weapons confirmed this female assassin was sent by the Wokou.
“Guards, take her to the prison. Treat her well and interrogate her thoroughly,” Zhu Ping’an ordered.
“The Wokou must think highly of me, sending two assassins in a row,” Zhu Ping’an said with a wry smile, rubbing his chin.
“Once, twice—there’s likely a third or fourth to come,” Li Shu said urgently. “Brother Zhu, quickly issue orders to heighten vigilance and expand the alert perimeter.”
Zhu Ping’an nodded and gave the orders.
Shortly after, a commotion erupted. A report came in: another assassin, also using smoke bombs, had been caught hiding in a tree in the front courtyard.
