The soldiers' eyes were all on Lang Huan, including the woman in black, Lin Ruochen, whose face was pale from blood loss. Lang Huan was acting strangely. She looked like she was in pain, her breathing uneven. Then, she dropped to her knees, clutching her chest, her gaze fixed on the ground.
The soldiers moved in slowly, raising their swords. Their movements made Lin Ruochen tighten her grip on her own sword, preparing to fight.
Then, suddenly, Lang Huan tilted her head in an unnatural way. A strange silence filled the space. She stood up. In the darkness, her eyes began to glow—a bright blue light.
The soldiers hesitated, some even stepping back. But the commander shouted, "Kill!!!" At his command, the soldiers charged forward.
But Lang Huan was faster.
In an instant, Lang Huan lunged at them with bare hands. Before they could react, her fingers tore through their uniforms and ripped through flesh like paper. Blood sprayed into the air. Screams echoed through the silent forest night.
One soldier barely had time to lift his sword before Lang Huan grabbed his neck and, with inhuman strength, tore his throat open, warm blood spilling over her arm. Another soldier tried to stab her from behind, but she spun around swiftly, sinking her teeth deep into his shoulder. His body trembled as he let out a scream, "AAARGHHH!!" Blood gushed from the gaping wound.
Lang Huan moved with impossible speed. One by one, the soldiers fell, their bodies torn apart without mercy. Limbs were ripped, flesh shredded, and blood pooled on the ground.
Lin Ruochen's mouth hung open, dumbfounded by the horrifying scene. The bodies of the soldiers lay torn apart. The thick stench of blood and death filled the air.
The little duke had turned into a Shura overnight.
Lang Huan stood among the corpses, like a lifeless statue. Her cold, emotionless eyes showed no guilt, no fear, no joy. Slowly, she raised her blood-covered hand and, with a calm, deliberate motion, licked the crimson liquid from her fingers. And then—she laughed. A low, quiet chuckle at first, but it grew louder. And louder.
Seeing Lang Huan like this, Lin Ruochen's fingers went numb. Without realizing it, her sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
Cling…
The sharp sound of the falling sword made Lang Huan's laughter slowly fade. She stopped, then raised an eyebrow, her gaze locking onto Lin Ruochen—like a hunter watching its prey.
Lin Ruochen's breath hitched. She swallowed hard as Lang Huan took a step forward. Instinctively, Lin Ruochen retreated, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.
With every step Lang Huan took, Lin Ruochen moved back—until, suddenly, her foot met nothing but empty air. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized—too late. The ground beneath her was gone. She gasped, her body tilting backward, and in the next instant, she lost her balance and plunged into the darkness below. "Ahhhh!"
Lang Huan watched as Lin Ruochen tumbled into the abyss. Without thinking, she leaped after her, reaching out to grasp her clothes. But her fingers missed. Failing to catch Lin Ruochen, both of them plunged into the darkness below.
---
Zhou An and Zhou Ming searched through Luo City, looking for any trace of the missing Young Master. But there was nothing—no signs, no clues. When they reached the crossroads leading to Shang Yue Forest, their eyes fell on the aftermath of a brutal fight—broken swords and lifeless bodies scattered across the ground. The forest was silent. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind.
Zhou An and Zhou Ming, along with their elite forces, had walked straight into the Black Tortoise Army's trap. In terms of experience and strategy, they were completely outmatched. One by one, their brothers fell.
In the end, only Zhou An and Zhou Ming survived. Not because of their own strength, but because of the loyalty of their brothers who sacrificed themselves to hold off the enemy so their commanders could escape. The memory of their sacrifice carved a deep wound in their hearts.
As commanders, the weight of guilt pressed down on Zhou An and Zhou Ming. They had failed to protect the team. But their duty was not over. Until they found the Young Master, they had no right to stop. Their duty to the Duke of Huguo demanded that they keep moving.
"Young Master… Young Master…" Zhou Ming and Zhou An called out anxiously as they entered the forest, their steps quick and cautious.
Then, among the bushes, they spotted Wang Hu lying on the ground, his body covered in wounds, drenched in blood. Panic surged through them as they rushed to his side, checking his pulse.
Wang Hu! Wake up!" Zhou An gently shook him.
Wang Hu's eyelids fluttered before he slowly opened his eyes. His breaths were shallow, his voice weak. "Young Master… Zhou Xun…" he struggled to speak.
Zhou Ming and Zhou An exchanged worried glances before carefully helping him to his feet. Though weak, they had to keep moving. With slow, unsteady steps, they continued deeper into the forest. As they crossed a small ridge, a chilling sight stopped them in their tracks.
Corpses.
Bodies lay scattered across the ground, torn apart as if mauled by wild beasts. The scent of blood filled the air, making their stomachs churn. They exchanged uneasy glances, confusion and fear reflected in their eyes. What had happened here?
"Zhou Ming's voice broke the silence, now filled with desperation. "Young Master! Answer me!!" But there was no reply.
Suddenly, the sound of galloping horses grew closer with each passing second. Zhou An signaled Zhou Ming and Wang Hu to hide. Silently, they concealed themselves among the dense trees, holding their breath as they peeked through the foliage.
The ones approaching were Black Tortoise Army soldiers. Their sharp eyes scanned the forest, searching for something—or someone. A few of them dismounted, walking among the scattered corpses. One soldier stopped, bent down, and picked up an object from the ground.
It was Lang Huan's baton, stained with blood.
Wang Hu's eyes widened in shock. "That... that's Young Master's weapon," he whispered, his voice trembling.
"Shhh…" Zhou Ming quickly signaled for silence, his sharp gaze warning him not to make a sound.
After searching for some time and finding nothing, the Black Tortoise soldiers finally decided to leave. But instead of exiting the forest, they moved deeper into it.
Zhou An let out a quiet sigh of relief, but he knew they weren't safe yet. He turned to Zhou Ming cautiously. "We need to return to the Duke's Mansion quietly," he whispered.
Zhou Ming nodded in agreement. The Black Tortoise Army had likely already realized that the elite forces came from the Duke of Huguo's mansion. Only Madam remained there. They couldn't allow anything to happen to her.
---
Inside the Princess's mansion, Feng Yao sat in her study, reading under the dim glow of an oil lamp but her gaze remained distant—her mind seemed to wander far beyond the book in her hands.
The night was colder than usual. Noticing this, A Li gently draped a fur cloak over Feng Yao's shoulders, ensuring the Eldest Princess stayed warm. "Is Your Highness worried about Lang Huan and Lin Ruochen?" she asked softly. "They will return safely."
But Feng Yao shook her head. "That's not what I'm worried about," she replied calmly. "I'm thinking about the Jade Flower Kidnapping Case."
Before A Li could respond, a sudden knock echoed through the quiet room. She quickly got up to answer, wondering if it was Qiu Yue bringing news about Lang Huan and Lin Ruochen.
When she opened the door, her guess was correct—it was Qiu Yue. Seeing her hesitate, A Li gave a small nod, silently encouraging her to enter.
As she approached Feng Yao, Qiu Yue studied the princess's face carefully, trying to gauge her mood. Her fingers curled slightly, and her expression wavered with uncertainty. She was afraid—afraid that Feng Yao was still angry.
Before Qiu Yue could bow and report, Feng Yao got straight to the point. "Is Lang Huan dead?" Her voice was calm, emotionless.
Qiu Yue met Feng Yao's gaze, but as always, she couldn't read the princess's thoughts or feelings. Swallowing nervously, she finally reported, "Young Master and Lin Ruochen… are missing. Young Master's guards are dead. But many of the Second Prince's men also dead… brutally."
"Oh..?" Feng Yao raised an eyebrow, showing no sadness or disappointment upon hearing that Lang Huan had gone missing.
"Brutally? Who did it?" Rather than worrying about Lang Huan, the princess seemed more curious about how the Second Prince's men had died.
Qiu Yue swallowed hard before answering, her voice slightly unsteady. "Their bodies… were torn apart, as if ripped to shreds by a wild beast."
Hearing that, Feng Yao chuckled. Then, in a calm yet firm tone, she ordered Qiu Yue, " Find Lang Huan and Lin Ruochen—dead or alive."
Qiu Yue lowered her head. "Yes, Your Highness."