C19 Female Assassin

No, "pale" would be an understatement. At that moment, the girl's body was completely drained of color due to excessive blood loss, and fresh blood was still spurting from her wounds.

Nie Feng used a dagger to carefully open the girl's wound and meticulously removed the bullets one by one. He then retrieved a small jade bottle from his pocket, filled with a healing medicine concocted by a former comrade. This remedy worked wonders on gunshot and stab wounds, and it had the added benefit of healing without leaving scars. Even though Nie Feng was no longer in the military, he made sure to always carry it with him. He was also familiar with the formula and could prepare it himself if needed.

After treating the girl's gunshot wound with the medicine, Nie Feng went downstairs to a pharmacy to purchase gauze and suturing materials. He then expertly stitched and bandaged the girl's wound.

With all his tasks completed, it was nearing noon. Nie Feng glanced at the girl resting on the bed, then settled himself nearby, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate. His cultivation hadn't progressed at all in recent days, but Nie Feng wasn't disheartened. He was confident that with perseverance, his cultivation would eventually undergo a transformation.

The Genuine Qi from the environment swiftly converged around Nie Feng, drawn into his body. It circulated through him for a complete cycle before being stored in his dantian. However, Nie Feng's dantian seemed to resist the Genuine Qi, which couldn't remain inside for long before being expelled.

This cycle repeated for several hours, yet Nie Feng's cultivation remained stagnant, leaving him baffled. Was his cultivation method incorrect? That seemed unlikely; he had followed the same practice before without issue.

Since reaching the Middle Period of Foundation Building, his cultivation speed had slowed significantly, allowing him to absorb only minimal amounts of Genuine Qi. Now, he found himself unable to absorb even the slightest bit, which was perplexing.

Perhaps he should seek advice from the elder accompanying Zhang Menglin? That man was highly skilled and might have some insights. But no, it wouldn't be wise. The identities of the elder and Zhang Menglin were still uncertain, and it was best to avoid too much interaction for now. The elder had previously referred to himself as the son-in-law of the Zhang family—a claim whose implications were yet unclear to Nie Feng. It was best to wait and understand the full picture before taking any further action.

Just then, Nie Feng suddenly felt a chilling surge of murderous intent from behind. His ring flared with intense light. With a swift motion, Nie Feng's eyes snapped open, and he reached back to grab the assailant.

The girl, clutching a dagger, lunged at Nie Feng, but he swiftly subdued her, causing the dagger to clatter powerlessly to the ground.

"Really, young lady? I save your life, and not only do you skip the thank you, but you also try to kill me?" Nie Feng said, his voice tinged with irritation. Had everyone become so thankless these days?

"Pervert, what have you done to me? Return my honor!" the girl demanded, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I only treated your wounds; I did nothing else! I apologize for seeing your body—it was unavoidable. If you expect me to take responsibility, I won't object," Nie Feng muttered.

"Get lost! Who's asking you to take responsibility?" the girl shouted, kicking out at Nie Feng. But the force of her kick reopened the wound on her thigh, and blood began to pour out.

Nie Feng effortlessly caught the girl's feeble kick. Accidentally, his gaze fell upon her private area, and he felt a rush of heat. It had been several months since Nie Feng had been with a woman, and he was struggling to maintain his composure.

Fighting the desire welling up inside him, Nie Feng pinned the girl to the bed and said, "What's with the fiery temper? Can't you tell you're injured? Keep this up, and I might just overpower you. Believe me?"

It might have been the sting of her wound or perhaps the fear of Nie Feng, but the girl finally quieted down, lying still on the bed, tears streaming silently. "Everyone bullies me. All of you!" she wept.

After re-examining the girl's wound and seeing no serious damage, Nie Feng spoke, "Stop crying. Who's bullying you? You're the one who tried to kill me, remember? Now, what's your name?"

"Why should I tell you? Who do you think you are?" the girl whimpered.

"I'm the guy who saved your life. In ancient times, you'd owe me your hand in marriage for that. And now you're upset because I'm asking for your name?" Nie Feng retorted with a huff.

The girl paused to think. Despite the man before her having the look of a ruffian, he had, after all, saved her life. And he hadn't harmed her. She recalled hearing that a girl's first time would be painful, yet she felt no pain at all.

"I'm Zhu Moyu. What's your name?" she asked, dabbing at her tears.

"Nie Feng," he replied coolly. "Now, explain how you ended up here and why your mission failed." Zhu Moyu? That name rang a bell.

"How did you know my mission failed?" Zhu Moyu's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Please, with your level of skill, you nearly got yourself killed. How could you possibly have completed the mission? I'm curious how someone as foolish and inept as you even became an assassin. Did you take a shortcut to get in?" Nie Feng's voice dripped with scorn.

"You!" Zhu Moyu was itching to argue back, but she couldn't come up with a single rebuttal. Nie Feng was right; she was both foolish and the least skilled among her siblings.

She had taken on this mission to prove her worth to her family, tasked with assassinating a real estate tycoon in Silkwick City. Yet, she had failed and nearly paid with her life. She hadn't anticipated that a man in his fifties could be so formidable, nearly rivaling her family's patriarch in skill.

"Why the silence? Who were you sent to Silkwick City to kill?" Nie Feng pressed.

"What's it to you?" Zhu Moyu shot back, her gaze fierce. She had no fondness for someone as arrogant as Nie Feng.

"If you won't talk, then I'll just have to... let's say, take advantage of the situation. You're injured and powerless to resist, so it looks like you'll be my slave until you're healed," Nie Feng said with a sly grin. Truth be told, he was only trying to intimidate Zhu Moyu; he wasn't the type to commit such a vile act.

Yet, Zhu Moyu was genuinely terrified. At just seventeen, she was no match for Nie Feng, the cunning old fox. Her defenses crumbled, and she spilled everything.

As it turned out, Zhu Moyu wasn't allied with the men in black. She hailed from a formidable assassin family within the country and had come to Silkwick City on a family mission to eliminate a real estate mogul.

"Your last name is Zhu, from the Zhu family in the south?" Nie Feng asked, taken aback.

"Yeah, you're familiar with my family?" Zhu Moyu responded, clearly surprised. "You're quite skilled. Are you in the same line of work?"

Nie Feng shook his head. "We're not in the same field. What's your relationship with Zhu Moxue?"

"You know my elder sister? Just who are you?" Zhu Moyu's eyes widened as she scrutinized Nie Feng, searching for clues in his demeanor.

Nie Feng let out a wry smile and bowed his head. By some twist of fate, he had rescued her sister, which, in a way, was a small solace to her.

"I'm a friend of your sister," Nie Feng finally managed to say after a pause.

"Do you know where she is now? Everyone says she's dead, but I can't believe it. My sister was the strongest among us, ever since we were kids. She can't be gone. Please, where is she?" Zhu Moyu's grip tightened on Nie Feng's arm, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Zhu Moyu had always been the butt of jokes among her peers for her lack of talent, and even her parents showed her little warmth. Only Zhu Moxue truly cared for her as a sister, constantly encouraging and protecting her. In the family, Zhu Moxue was her sole pillar, her only kin.

Years ago, Zhu Moxue had left to hone her skills and joined a military academy, after which she disappeared. But a few months back, the family was informed that Zhu Moxue had perished in an accident during an operation.

That day, Zhu Moyu's world seemed to crumble. She had lost her best friend, her only family. Taking on this mission was her way of showing Zhu Moxue that she wasn't the little girl who needed her protection anymore.

"I'm so sorry! It's my fault, I'm the one who caused your sister's death. It's all on me!" Nie Feng cried, clutching his head as tears poured down.

"What?! You? Why would you kill my sister? Why? I hate you!" Zhu Moyu exclaimed in anger.

"I'm sorry, so very sorry..." Nie Feng was at a loss for words. His arrogance had led to that fatal shot, ending not just his own prospects but also the life of Zhu Moxue—the person he cherished most.

Regrettably, it's too late for words now; the world offers no cure for regret. If it were possible, Nie Feng would willingly trade his own life for Zhu Moxue's.

"I'm going to kill you!" Zhu Moyu exclaimed, lifting her dagger and thrusting it toward Nie Feng's neck.

Nie Feng made no move to evade, simply closing his eyes and bracing for the inevitable end. He owed this life to Zhu Moxue; it was time to pay his debt.

But just as the blade hovered a mere centimeter from Nie Feng's throat, Zhu Moyu halted, her voice cutting through the tension, "You saved my life, so I'll spare you this once as repayment. But make no mistake, from this moment forward, we are adversaries. If we cross paths again, I won't show mercy. Leave now—I can't bear the sight of you!"

Opening his eyes, Nie Feng let out a weary sigh. He pulled out a piece of paper, jotted down a phone number, and laid it before Zhu Moyu. "You're her sister, which makes you my sister too. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call. I'd give my life without a second thought; it's the least I can do to honor the debt I owe your sister."

"I don't need anything from you—just go!" Zhu Moyu bellowed, her anger reaggravating her injury. Blood surged from the reopened wound, the pain overwhelming her into unconsciousness once more.

Startled, Nie Feng steadied Zhu Moyu, ensuring she wasn't in grave danger before allowing himself a moment of relief. He meticulously stitched up her wound, applied fresh bandages, and then sat in silent vigil by her side.