After The Mission Failed, The Scumbag Alpha Ran Away - Chapter 5

5: Your Highness, He’s Just a Child

The moment the first word left Lou Huaiche’s lips, the dagger in her hand was already pressing down, leaving a trail of bl00d on Jiang Youbai’s neck.

A thin line of bl00d slid from Jiang Youbai’s neck down to her collarbone.

Jiang Youbai let out a soft laugh.

The sound was light, almost out of place in the thick of the night—filled with amusement and unmistakable intrigue.

Before Lou Huaiche could slit her artery, Jiang Youbai grabbed her wrist with one hand and twisted it sharply, forcing her arm back.

Lou Huaiche winced in pain, but her slender fingers still gripped the dagger tightly, trying to cut Jiang Youbai’s throat.

Her other hand remained pressed over Jiang Youbai’s lips, preventing her from calling for help.

The cool touch of her fingers against Jiang Youbai’s lips, mixed with the scent of a cold woody fragrance, felt less like a sudden assassination attempt and more like a lover’s gentle caress—or perhaps an overly teasing flirtation.

Lou Huaiche’s dagger hand was locked in Jiang Youbai’s iron grip, unable to advance or retreat. She raised her eyes to meet Jiang Youbai’s gaze, her own now hardened with resolve.

Jiang Youbai’s eyes, however, shone with an unusual brightness, like a coiled dragon that had just discovered a priceless treasure.

As the two struggled, the scent of pheromones grew thicker in the air. Jiang Youbai’s pheromones slowly seeped into the cool night, clashing sharply with Lou Huaiche’s.

Lou Huaiche lifted her leg, intending to sweep Jiang Youbai off her feet and pin her to the ground. But just then, Jiang Youbai flicked out her tongue and lightly licked Lou Huaiche’s palm.

A light, soothing musk fragrance spread through the air.

A woody scent that blended seamlessly with the aroma of cedar.

The tendrils of musk curled around Lou Huaiche, seductive and enticing.

Lou Huaiche glared fiercely at Jiang Youbai but remained steadfast. She swept her leg forward, knocking Jiang Youbai down in one swift motion, then straddled her waist, using her body weight to pin her firmly.

As the cold glint of the dagger descended, Jiang Youbai rasped, “There’s no need for such haste, Miss Lou.”

Lou Huaiche’s sidelong glance didn’t waver, nor did her movements slow. “Your Highness need not stall for time.”

Jiang Youbai lay forced onto the gravel path, the uneven stones digging painfully into her back—yet at the same time, stirring an uncontrollable, boiling restlessness within her.

“Miss Lou, you can’t possibly kill a royal and leave no trace. If I’m gone too long, the Prime Minister’s residence will come looking.”

Lou Huaiche’s hand paused. Her gaze was icy. “Your Highness had best make it quick.”

“Killing me won’t do you any good. Not killing me might not either. So why not choose the option with more benefits? Besides… you can’t kill me.”

Lou Huaiche froze. Before she could react, the world spun around her. Jiang Youbai flipped her over with ease, pressing her into the flowerbed.

The dagger clattered to the ground. Jiang Youbai pinned Lou Huaiche down effortlessly, one hand cradling the back of her head. Her voice was laced with laughter. “The gravel path is too painful. The flowerbed suits Miss Lou far better.”

Lou Huaiche’s heart skipped a beat. The limited information she had on Jiang Youbai painted her as nothing more than gentle and reserved—even reports of her losing a sparring match to the eldest son of the Grand Prince, an Alpha, reinforced the image of mediocrity and docility.

But beneath that obedient facade was a grinning devil.

After subduing Lou Huaiche, Jiang Youbai bent down to pick up the dagger and walked toward the unconscious Alpha on the ground.

Under the moonlight, she finally saw his face and raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Well, well. Birds of a feather flock together.”

Lou Huaiche stood up, frowning. “What do you mean?”

“This is the eldest son of the Grand Prince—my cousin.”

Lou Huaiche said flatly, “Then it’s indeed ‘birds of a feather.’”

Jiang Youbai couldn’t help but laugh. “Miss Lou, the Grand Prince’s biggest advantage in the succession is that he has an Alpha son—unlike the other princes and princesses, who only have Beta children.”

The Alpha on the ground began to struggle, his eyes filled with disbelief and warning as he stared at Jiang Youbai.

Jiang Youbai glanced at him dismissively, crouched down, and drove the dagger straight into his heart without hesitation.

A spurt of bl00d gushed out. The Alpha convulsed once. Jiang Youbai pulled the dagger free and stabbed again.

Within moments, the Alpha’s body stopped twitching, his breaths fading into silence.

Jiang Youbai licked her lips, suppressing the excitement and exhilaration surging in her chest, then stood and walked toward Ning Yunze.

The overpowering aura of a top-tier Alpha, mixed with the scent of bl00d, made Ning Yunze scramble backward in fear.

Lou Huaiche quickly stepped forward and helped Ning Yunze up. The boy clung to her trustingly, burying himself in her arms and refusing to let go.

Lou Huaiche shot Jiang Youbai a reproachful look. “Why scare him? He’s just a child.”

Jiang Youbai was baffled. “How did I scare him?”

She added, “He’s already past his differentiation period. I even differentiated a month later than him. Does that mean I’m not an innocent little child anymore?”

Lou Huaiche scoffed coldly but gently stroked Ning Yunze’s back to soothe his frightened nerves.

Jiang Youbai suddenly felt like she’d suffered a hidden loss—though she couldn’t quite pinpoint how.

She turned to Ning Yunze. “Did Jiang Wenhan try to force you into a heat so he could mark you?”

Ning Yunze whimpered, “Yes.”

“I won’t ask why Lou Huaiche is here for now. Go back to your room immediately. If your parents ask, just cry and say you don’t want to marry the royal and wish to stay with them a few more years. Don’t act like nothing happened—just cry and say you’re scared of marrying me.”

Ning Yunze, still sobbing, nodded. “Okay.”

“Go now. Destroy the bloodstained clothes. You have offline machinery, right?”

Ning Yunze, thoroughly terrified, agreed to everything Jiang Youbai said before stumbling back to his room like a lost soul.

The secluded garden was now left with only Jiang Youbai, Lou Huaiche, and a corpse.

The scent of pheromones grew even more intense.