C6 Same Old Rules

Lee Yiran intended to install a simplified version of the Illusion Dust Formation outside the courtyard, aiming to ensnare any unwelcome guests. Those without permission to enter would find themselves caught in an illusory maze, endlessly spinning in place.

Carving runes at the formation's focal point and infusing it with spiritual energy, a mist arose before dissipating, leaving the Illusion Dust Formation effortlessly in place.

"Why not set up something with a bit more bite?" Chi Yan, now awake, was nibbling on snacks brought back earlier.

"What's the point of a lethal formation? Imagine waking up to a scene of dismembered limbs, blood, guts, and brains scattered everywhere. I'd have to clean that mess myself—utterly revolting."

Chi Yan couldn't shake the feeling that Lee Yiran was going out of her way to make his stomach churn.

Lee Yiran went on, "You know, I could install a teleportation trap inside. I'd set the exit right over the latrine. If any intruders come snooping around—bam! They'd find themselves teleported straight into a pit of filth, covered in excrement and crawling with white maggots. Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl!"

Chi Yan was convinced Lee Yiran was taking pleasure in grossing him out.

Noticing that Chi Yan was still eating, Lee Yiran added, "And imagine, falling into that pit could mean getting maggots in your mouth. The worst part is biting into one halfway. What's that you're eating? Oh, it's just noodles. Ha, not the wriggly kind, though they do squirm a bit, don't they?"

Suddenly, Lee Yiran felt an intense burning on her rear end. Whirling around, she discovered a fiery orb searing her backside and cried out, "Hey, you rotten bird, that's a low blow! We're just talking here—no need for hostility!" She quickly conjured a sphere of water to douse the flames.

Despite the squabble, Lee Yiran proceeded to arrange an illusionary formation within the room, with its exit leading to a teleportation circle that indeed deposited anyone who triggered it directly into the latrine. She mused about who might be the first 'fortunate' victim.

"Xiaoqi, did you manage to return Su Chengda's belongings yesterday?"

"Yes, I saw my sister-in-law and her daughter. Their lives seem quite tough..."

Lee Yiran fell silent for a moment before speaking to Chi Yan, "Her daughter's a bit rebellious and probably isn't attending school. Should I lend them a hand? But Brother Su just wishes for them to live a simple life."

"The usual method!" Chi Yan responded immediately.

"Ah! That... I could try, but this time it needs to be a bit simpler."

"No, Xiaoqi, you're the one who set that rule."

"Alright, then. We'll switch roles this time."

Today, Su Xiaoxiao was out the door early again. Big Teeth had found her another task. The young master of the Lin City rice shop had his eye on a girl.

He tasked Big Teeth with tracking her every move—what she did on the streets, what she bought, where she went—all had to be reported back. Tailoring a girl was a job perfectly suited for Su Xiaoxiao.

Su Xiaoxiao had taken extra care with her appearance today, combing her hair and dressing in neat clothes, looking every bit the part of an ordinary civilian girl.

She trailed her target at a leisurely pace. The girl appeared to be a wealthy young lady, dressed in fine clothes and dazzling with beautiful jewelry that left Su Xiaoxiao feeling envious.

Oh, when could she ever own such lovely jewelry? Su Xiaoxiao thought wistfully.

The young lady seemed to be a student on break, wandering the streets with her maidservant, pointing out things that caught her eye, from pretty trinkets to tasty treats.

Su Xiaoxiao, a worker with a strong sense of duty, kept a meticulous record in her notebook:

At eight in the morning, half a bowl of cold noodles consumed on River West Street;

By eight-fifteen, a crystal bracelet purchased;

At eight-thirty, a skewer of candied haws and a clay pig figurine;

At nine, half a tael of silver given to a little beggar;

At nine-ten, she bumped into two female classmates and a male one;

By nine-twenty, a tall man from the Haohai Spirit Stone shop presented her with a high-grade fire attribute Spirit Stone, accepting only fire attribute Spirit Stones in return;

At ten, she parted ways with her classmates after buying half a basket of green crystal shrimp dumplings and two Fire Spirit Fruits...

Jing was starting to feel hungry when she considered picking up some snacks from the shop. But before she could make a purchase, two burly men—one tall, one short—burst through the door. The shop was quiet, with only Jing, her maidservant, the target, and two clerks present. Without a word, the intruders locked the door and brandished large knives.

The taller man, his face marred by two lengthy scars, bellowed, "This is a stick-up! Give us all your money!"

The young male clerk was visibly shaken. "Please, have mercy, Big Brother! We're just a humble snack shop with little to spare. You should hit the gem store across the street—they're the ones with money. Spare us, I beg you!"

The tall man shuddered, casting a glance at his shorter accomplice, who nonchalantly munched on a crystal pear and retorted, "Why waste words? I don't like your face, so I'm robbing you."

Suddenly, a fireball the size of a bowl materialized before each robber. The tall one let out a terrified cry, but his reflexes were quick; he sliced the fireball in half, and it vanished. The shorter robber coolly dodged, the fireball grazing him and exploding against the wall, leaving a small charred hole.

"Ah, we have a magician among us," sneered the tall robber, charging at the lady with his knife. "Try to ambush me, will you? Eat steel!"

The lady backed away, her arms sweeping up a barrier of flames. She had hoped it would buy her time, but suddenly, she felt an icy sensation on her neck. The tall man had eerily appeared behind her, his knife pressing against her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"Miss!" "Ah!" The maidservant and clerk cried out in alarm.

In the blink of an eye, Jing's legs turned to jelly. She glanced at the door, her mind racing to scream for help. But the short robber's icy gaze pinned her, making her feel like prey under the watch of a colossal beast. The plea for help died in her throat. "Stay strong, Jing. Don't let your legs tremble! I can't die now; there's so much I haven't experienced. The money I've hidden at home—I haven't even told Mother. I don't want to die, not like this."

Su Xiaoxiao's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts.

Suddenly, she heard the tall bandit bellowing:

"Wow, this chick's pretty hot. What a smooth face, and look at that waist!"

The tall bandit leered at the young lady, who was helplessly bound and could do nothing but weep in disgrace.

At that moment, Su Xiaoxiao's heart clenched in terror as she caught the lecherous gaze of the tall bandit turning her way.

"Pfft, I've got no interest in a plain Jane like you."

Hearing this, Su Xiaoxiao surprisingly breathed a sigh of relief, narrowly dodging a bullet, only to then scorn herself for feeling relieved.

"Nice, this one's a keeper. Didn't waste my time coming here. Let's take her back for some fun." The short bandit grinned, his lewd intentions clear as day.

Realizing the bandits were only fixated on the pretty lady and preparing to leave, Su Xiaoxiao thought she might just have a shot at escaping. As for the young lady's plight, she was powerless to help. All she wanted was to flee this hellish place as quickly as possible. The young lady's fate was in her own hands now, though Su Xiaoxiao resolved to inform the authorities, hoping they could assist.

"What about the rest?" inquired the tall bandit.

"Same as always, eliminate them. We can't let the officials trace it back to the Twin Dragons of Black Dragon Mountain."

A shiver ran down Su Xiaoxiao's spine. Not caring about her damp clothing, she was desperate to bolt from the shop, but before she could move, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air.

The shop assistant's and maidservant's heads soared skyward as blood spurted from their severed necks. Su Xiaoxiao collapsed to the ground with a gasp, just as a gleaming blade arced towards her neck.

This is the end!

Thud, thud, thud...

What was that sound? Struggling to open her eyes, Su Xiaoxiao was met with the sight of a sweet and tender face.

"You're awake. Are you alright? I'm a doctor. You were brought in yesterday, and you've finally come to. I'll go call the officer outside; he has many questions for you."

The woman's voice was soothing, and Su Xiaoxiao was enveloped by the comforting fragrance of perfume in the room.

What was happening? She was alive, unbelievably so. Su Xiaoxiao felt her smooth neck, finding no wounds on her body.

A middle-aged man entered the room, his face etched with gravity:

"Miss Su, there was a homicide yesterday, and you're the sole survivor. Can you recount what happened?"

Su Xiaoxiao's head spun, her voice feeble:

"I was at the snack shop yesterday when two robbers burst in... They abducted a lady and... they murdered everyone, wuu..."

The man disregarded Su Xiaoxiao's weeping and pressed on, "Can you describe the kidnappers?"

"I can't recall, sir. Please... You must rescue that lady!"

"Try to remember. Any distinguishing features? Anything they said?"

She racked her brain, "One was tall, the other short. The tall one had a scarred face. Yes, they mentioned they were the Twin Dragons of Black Dragon Mountain."

The man took diligent notes. Suddenly, the door was kicked open with a loud crash—it was the tall robber!

In a flash, the middle-aged man and the tall robber were locked in combat. In a mere moment, each landed a heavy blow—the middle-aged man coughed up blood, barely clinging to life, while the tall robber lay wounded on the ground, immobilized.

"Quick, finish him off, he can't move now," the middle-aged man gasped, tossing her a sharp knife with his last ounce of strength.

The tall robber, lying on the ground, let out a sinister laugh, "Little girl, I have something to show you." Slowly, he revealed an object.

To Su Xiaoxiao's horror, it was her mother's bracelet. She lunged for it, clutching the familiar piece. "What have you done with my mother? Speak!" she demanded, delivering a flurry of kicks.

"Hehe, cough, your mother is somewhere only I know. If you want to find out, hehe, kill that man first, then I'll tell you."

"Don't listen to him, girl. Cut his tendons first, then we'll force the truth out of him," the middle-aged man instructed.

"Cough, cough, there's no need for fuss. I'm gravely wounded and won't last much longer. Hurry, young lady, kill him and grant my dying wish. If I perish, your mother will die of hunger! Haha!"

Su Xiaoxiao's mind was in turmoil. Knife in hand, she aimed at the towering robber, desperate to coerce him into revealing her mother's whereabouts. Yet, with death looming over him, what did he have to fear?

Her gaze shifted to the middle-aged man across the room. Did she truly have to end his life? But even if she did, was there any guarantee the robber would divulge the information? And what if he actually honored his word?

Pacing nervously, Su Xiaoxiao felt her heart pounding against her ribcage.

With a squelch, her foot slipped in a pool of blood. This blood seemed different from any she had seen before.

Curiously, she touched a drop to her fingertip and brought it to her nose—no metallic scent. Bravely, she tasted it.

It was sweet!