In the night sky, Xing Yue dragged Jiefulun back along the path they had come from. The night wind brushed against her cheeks, bringing a hint of coolness and carrying away the scorching aura lingering on her body after the battle.
She took an extra glance toward the Northern City Wall. Vaguely, she could see a gap had appeared in the wall, along with some blurry figures and torches moving. Though there was commotion, it wasn’t enough to break the tranquility of the night.
She looked south. There was complete silence. No shouts of battle, no war drums, no clamor of the Beastman Army assaulting the city. Only the night wind passing through the wilderness, bringing the rustling of grass and trees.
Xing Yue let out a soft sigh.
‘It seems… I really succeeded in stopping everything.’
She withdrew her gaze and continued forward. As she passed by the bakery, Xing Yue suddenly stopped.
The shop door was already closed, fastened with a small copper lock. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice into the store, illuminating the empty shelves and the breadcrumbs left on the wooden boards. The counter and floor were also covered in a shallow silver glow.
Xing Yue thought for a moment, then fished a few gold coins from Jiefulun’s person, and softly chanted a magic spell.
“Spirit of Earth, please answer my call.”
“Second Order Magic: Pass Through Walls.”
Xing Yue passed through the wall that had become transparent, landing softly inside the shop, her footsteps silent.
She placed those gold coins on the counter at the cashier spot—a corner that a staff member would notice but outsiders couldn’t see. There was just a small shadow there that could conceal the coins, hiding them well.
After doing all this, Xing Yue turned around and saw the shelf behind her. A single loaf of bread lay there, with a small wooden sign next to it that read “Near Expiry.”
Xing Yue hesitated for a moment, then reached out and picked it up. The bread had no warmth left, and was even a bit hard, wrapped in oil paper that pressed against her palm.
“These few gold coins should be enough to buy another loaf of bread, right…”
“Anyway, it’s near expiry…”
Xing Yue murmured softly, and in the end, she took the bread.
She passed through the wall again and quietly disappeared into the night.
As for whether those few gold coins were enough to cover it, Xing Yue wasn’t sure. But gold coins were valuable things, so they should… be enough, right?
—
The basement door was pushed open gently.
The familiar smell of mold and humidity rushed in. Moonlight streamed through the high ventilation window, slanting in and casting a white patch of light on the floor like a piece of soft silk.
Daibi was still curled up on the pile of hay in the corner. Her breathing was steady and even, her brow slightly relaxed, much more peaceful than before. The candlelight fell on her profile, dyeing her pale complexion a softer, rosier hue.
The jar of milk was still by her hand, and the bread remained untouched beside it.
Xing Yue looked at the unopened milk, feeling an inexplicable softness in her heart.
‘Still sleeping… That’s good. Let her sleep more.’
She dragged Jiefulun to the other end of the basement and casually dropped him in a corner. His hefty body collapsed onto the ground with a faint thud.
This slight commotion didn’t disturb Daibi. The girl’s breathing remained steady.
Xing Yue picked up a dirty rag from the floor, balled it up, and stuffed it into Jiefulun’s mouth. Now, even if this Baron woke up, he probably wouldn’t be able to make a sound.
After doing all this, Xing Yue finally couldn’t hold on any longer. She slid down against the wall, stretched out her legs, tilted her head back, and collapsed on the cold stone floor.
“I’m… so exhausted…”
Her silver hair was spread messily over her shoulders and back, with a few strands stuck to her cheeks with sweat. Her black and red dress was covered in dust, scorch marks, and black stains from somewhere she didn’t know. The wound on her arm from the Fire Arrow’s graze was still throbbing faintly, every muscle groaned silently, and her legs were as weak as if filled with lead.
Xing Yue closed her eyes and let out a long breath. This night had truly been too long.
The images of everything she had experienced tonight began to flash through her mind like a revolving lantern.
She thought back to a few hours ago, when she was overlooking this town from high in the sky, filled with regret and unwillingness. She remembered making up her mind to rewrite the outcome this time. She remembered swaggering into the manor and using the magic she had learned to thoroughly defeat the guards. She remembered Jiefulun’s disgusting gaze and the satisfaction of kicking him down. She remembered the complex expression on Gaierte’s aged face, perhaps hiding deeper secrets unknown to her.
But… it was all over.
At least this part of the battle was over.
Xing Yue opened her eyes and turned her head to look at the girl still sleeping in the corner. The moonlight fell on Daibi’s face, making her pale features look especially serene. Her eyelashes were long, casting a small shadow on her eyelids. Her breathing was light and shallow, her chest rising and falling with each breath.
She didn’t know what had happened outside. She didn’t know what Xing Yue had done for her. She didn’t know that the slaves who had been imprisoned like her had now escaped.
She knew nothing.
She was just sleeping quietly in her dreams.
Xing Yue suddenly smiled. That smile was light and faint, like ripples spreading on the water under moonlight.
This was fine.
She didn’t need to know the processes and experiences. She only needed to wake up tomorrow, see that figure who had haunted her nightmares tied up in the corner, and then grasp the blade in her hand.
Then, complete her revenge with her own hands.
“Since you summoned me…” Xing Yue’s gaze was exceptionally gentle as she murmured softly, “Then I should be the one to bear everything.”
She leaned against the wall, feeling the cold of the stone behind her, and slowly swept her gaze across the small, dim basement. In the corner, Jiefulun lay like a dead pig, gagged with a rag, his hands and feet tightly bound. In another corner, Daibi was curled on the hay, breathing steadily, her sleeping face peaceful. Through the distant ventilation window, the night sky was still deep, with a few leftover stars twinkling faintly in the distance like forgotten diamonds.
It was quiet, like another world.
Xing Yue looked down at the near-expiry bread in her hand. She gently tore open the oil paper, broke off a small piece, and put it in her mouth. The bread was a bit dry, but the wheat fragrance remained, with a faint sweetness as she chewed. She chewed slowly, feeling the warmth and sense of reality spread from her stomach.
It tasted good.
Just like the taste of this success.
She smiled again. This time, there was an extra trace of satisfaction in the smile.
It was wonderful.
This time, no one died.
Xing Yue closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion completely drown her.
‘I won’t fall asleep. Just a little… rest. A little.’
The moonlight slowly shifted, casting dappled light and shadow on the floor like a silent painting. In the distance, from the direction of the Night Whisper Forest, came the faint calls of night birds, crisp and faraway.
Dawn was still far off.
But the darkest part of the night had already quietly passed.