Competing with the Male Lead for the Female Lead (Transmigration) - Chapter 13
The sounds of fighting came from afar. Moving deeper, the commotion grew louder. Lan Feier recognized some Wen family disciples among them. She joined the battle, killed the night raiders, and the group continued to move deeper.
Something was wrong.
Although her bl00d was up from the fighting, Lan Feier still felt uneasy.
How could so many disciples not be affected by the Soul-Devouring Flower?
She gradually noticed that the ground was covered with the corpses of the invaders, while her surroundings were filled with Wen family disciples radiating killing intent but showing no other abnormalities besides superficial injuries. The unease in Lan Feier’s heart reached its peak.
This should have been a massacre of the Wen family, but it had changed.
She and a group of fellow disciples reached the depths of the mansion and saw Wen Ran kill several invaders, tearing off their masks to reveal they were illegitimate sons of the Lin family.
Wen’s father was also standing unharmed under the eaves, and there wasn’t even a hint of panic from the sudden attack on his face.
Wen Ran held his sword. He, who usually looked somewhat scholarly and weak, now resembled a bloodthirsty killing god. He loudly addressed the Wen family disciples present, “The Lin family disregarded morality and launched a night raid. Their intentions are heinous!”
The disciples who had been attacked in their sleep and nearly lost their lives were stirred to fierce killing intent by his words. “The Lin family’s intentions are heinous!”
At this moment, a sharp cry echoed in the night sky. Looking up, they saw a ferocious bird flying towards them. It landed on the roof of the Wen family, its bean-sized eyes emitting a sharp light.
Receiving Sheng Baihe’s signal, Wen Ran shifted his gaze from the ferocious bird and looked towards the Lin residence. “Some will stay behind to guard, and the rest will come with me to demand justice from the Lin family.”
Since the Lin family dared to act underhandedly, this matter definitely wouldn’t end peacefully!
Everyone righteously sheathed their swords and flew after Wen Ran.
Under the moonlight, corpses lay everywhere. This was different from what Lan Feier had seen in the book. Her heart fluttered with unease. She didn’t understand why so many disciples hadn’t been affected by the Soul-Devouring Flower and had instead counter-killed the Lin family disciples. The more the situation deviated, the less security she had. Her greatest reliance had been her knowledge of the plot.
She suppressed the unease in her heart and turned to follow the large group going to the Lin family to demand an explanation.
Hundreds of dark figures rustled through the night sky above Ancheng, the atmosphere grim and oppressive.
They flew directly towards the main gate of the Lin residence. Wen Ran raised his hand to signal, and a disciple beside him swung out a long whip. The steel cable-wrapped whip flew through the air with immense force, crashing into the Lin residence’s gate, which collapsed with a loud bang.
Wen Ran led the disciples down from the rooftops, their feet barely touching the ground before they charged through the Lin residence’s gate.
They collided with the Lin family disciples guarding the gate, who looked terrified. Wen Ran swung his sword without a word, the startled cries ceasing abruptly. Only a layer of bl00d was added to the sword, but he didn’t care, and neither did the other Wen family disciples.
Without any further investigation or explanation, Wen Ran led them, killing anyone they encountered along the way. Only the sounds of fighting and miserable screams remained.
Soon, this battle turned into a one-sided slaughter.
The moonlight was clear, and corpses littered the ground. The entire Lin residence was shrouded in a strange, fierce killing intent, suffocating, oppressive, and tragic and inhumane.
Lan Feier stood among them, momentarily dazed, until Sheng Baihe appeared.
“Grandpa!” Lin Niaoniao’s voice cried out.
Lan Feier instantly woke up. She realized that Lin Mao had been captured at some point. His whole body seemed boneless as he slumped on the ground. Lin Niaoniao rushed forward and knelt beside him.
Sheng Baihe, who had appeared with Lin Niaoniao, walked to Wen Ran’s side. He wore an indescribable smile, seemingly not at all surprised by everything that was happening before him.
The look he exchanged with Wen Ran sent a jolt through Lan Feier’s mind, and a bold possibility flashed through her brain.
She and Sheng Baihe, as outsiders, both knew the plot. At most, she would intervene to save Wen Wuning, but Sheng Baihe was even more powerful, actually reversing the entire plot and turning the killers into the killed.
Seeing the corpses all over the ground, Lin Niaoniao screamed in a broken voice, “Wen Ran, what do you want?! What have you done to my grandpa?!”
Wen Ran handed his sword to a disciple beside him, instructing him to wipe it clean. “Elder Lin, explain to your granddaughter.”
Everyone looked at Lin Mao, whose face was ashen. His eyes, when they looked at Wen Ran, seemed to be poisoned. His chapped lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but only meaningless grunts escaped.
“Grandpa!” Lin Niaoniao supported him and angrily questioned, “What exactly have you done to my grandpa?!”
“Just repaying you in kind. You planted the Soul-Devouring Flower in the Wen family, wanting to take the opportunity to destroy the spiritual veins and annihilate the Wen family. Did you ever think of this day?” Wen Ran said coldly, “Your flower was planted in the wrong spot, but the Soul-Devouring Flower I planted in your Lin residence was precisely aimed, closest to you.”
Lin Mao’s eyes widened in disbelief. He suddenly looked at Sheng Baihe beside Wen Ran, understanding everything. His eyes were bloodshot, and he wished he could tear Sheng Baihe into pieces.
“What are you talking about?! What Soul-Devouring Flower?” Lin Niaoniao was unaware but knew the seriousness of the matter. She panicked. “Grandpa, what exactly is going on?!”
Wen Ran ordered, “Cut off his head and hang it on the lintel.”
Lin Niaoniao shuddered with fear and stood in front of Lin Mao. “You won’t!”
The Wen family had the numbers and the advantage. She was isolated and helpless. Seeing Sheng Baihe beside Wen Ran, Lin Niaoniao grasped at him like a lifeline and cried out, “Baihe, save my grandpa!”
Sheng Baihe gave her a smile that wasn’t quite a smile and turned his head to whisper something to Wen Ran.
A glimmer of hope ignited in Lin Niaoniao’s heart, but when she saw Wen Ran, after listening, instruct two people to run towards her residence, her heart panicked, and she shouted loudly, “What are they going to do? What did you tell him?!”
Wen Ran took out a piece of silk from his bosom. Recognizing it as the one she had given Sheng Baihe, Lin Niaoniao’s heart and courage shattered. She roared hoarsely, “Sheng Baihe, you betrayed me!!”
That piece of silk contained the secret incantation to enter the Lin family’s treasure vault.
It was given to Sheng Baihe by her own hand, yet it was in Wen Ran’s possession.
“Puchi!” A spray of hot bl00d shot out three feet. Lin Niaoniao cried out in alarm and dodged sideways.
The next second, realizing where the bl00d came from, she let out a miserable, drawn-out cry.
Turning back, she saw a headless body slump to the ground, a pillar of bl00d gushing from the wound. The head rolled on the ground and was stomped underfoot by a disciple, who then grabbed its hair and lifted it up.
Lin Niaoniao’s legs went weak, and she collapsed to the ground, tears flooding her eyes. Looking at the unclosed eyes of the deceased, the person who loved her most was gone!
The two disciples who had been sent out returned with a scroll. Wen Ran opened the painting, and Sheng Baihe glanced at it and nodded. Wen Ran put away the painting and gave it to a disciple beside him. He looked at Lin Niaoniao on the ground, his usually gentle face cold.
“Cut the weeds and pull out the roots.”
All the disciples returned. The entire Lin residence, including the servants, had been cleared out, leaving only this one person.
Hearing their report to Wen Ran, Lin Niaoniao knew she was doomed. She turned her head, her face devoid of fear. She looked at everyone with resentment, these people who had destroyed her Lin family. Even if she became a ghost, she would make them uneasy.
Her gaze finally rested on Sheng Baihe, her eyes filled with an emotion that was hard to tell if it was sorrow or hatred.
“Sheng Baihe, only you, I, Lin Niaoniao, have never wronged you, our Lin family has never wronged you. How could you be so cruel!”
As she spoke, tears flowed again. “I was blind. Are you truly such a heartless and unrighteous person?”
Yes.
Lan Feier, who had already guessed everything, said in her heart.
This tragic annihilation of the family had been brought forward by three years, and the target had changed. The only explanation was the protagonist’s intervention.
Understanding this made Lan Feier feel relieved. At least the world was still developing according to what she knew. She also felt wise for not revealing her identity in front of this fellow transmigrator.
She didn’t doubt for a moment that the Lin and Zhao families’ plot against the Wen family was Sheng Baihe’s doing. As for that painting, it should be the Lin family’s treasure.
All just to return to the Wen family.
A ruthless person.
Sheng Baihe frowned slightly. His persona was that of a kind, righteous, gentle, and learned scholar. With Wen Ran and so many Wen family disciples present, it wouldn’t be good if they misunderstood.
“My affection is only for those I value,” Sheng Baihe said slowly.
Tears streamed down Lin Niaoniao’s face. At this moment, she finally understood, but it was already too late. She reached towards her abdomen and murmured, “Perhaps there is already your flesh and bl00d in this womb…”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but those near her heard it. They looked at Sheng Baihe in surprise. Sheng Baihe’s expression didn’t change. He said to Wen Ran, “Leave her to me.”
Wen Ran’s gaze was scrutinizing.
“My heart only has Wuning. Elder Brother, trust me.”
Sheng Baihe’s tone was sincere, calm, and unhurried. Not to mention that this appearance was truly deceptive, Lan Feier had to admit that Sheng Baihe was becoming increasingly good at integrating with this identity and persona.
In the end, Wen Ran set fire to the Lin residence and led the people away.
Following the crowd away from the sea of fire, Lan Feier had the feeling that they were bandits going down the mountain to burn, kill, and loot, only their temperament was more lofty.
Finally, she glanced back at the two figures in the sea of fire, a mocking smile curving her lips.
She couldn’t possibly have any sympathy for a love-struck idiot like Lin Niaoniao. It was only her own fault for being blind and rash, a self-inflicted disaster.
A raging fire burned in the Lin residence, with Lin Mao’s head hanging at the gate. Nearby residents heard the commotion and came out to investigate, but upon seeing countless dark figures streaking across the sky with killing intent and bloodlust, they were all frightened back into their houses.
When they returned to the Wen family, the corpses of about a hundred invaders from the Zhao and Lin families had already been piled together, and beside them were dozens of corpses of Wen family disciples.
These Wen family disciples were almost all outside disciples, living on the outermost edge of the mansion.
Wen Ran and the others had long known that the Lin and Zhao families would resort to this trick, but they hadn’t informed these disciples to prepare, in order to lure these people in deep and catch them like turtles in a jar.
Although she could understand that great deeds required one not to be bound by minor details and that such ruthlessness and viciousness were necessary, Lan Feier, who had almost been used as cannon fodder, didn’t feel good about it.
With her status in the Wen family, she didn’t know which day she would be used as cannon fodder again.
The corpses of the Zhao and Lin family disciples were burned in a fire, while Wen’s father ordered the Wen family disciples to be properly buried.
Among them were many faces familiar to Lan Feier.
By the time everything was dealt with, it was nearly dawn. Lan Feier dragged her heavy steps back to her own courtyard. Walking in the darkness, she suddenly leaned against the wall and vomited.
Everything she had eaten at night came out, her stomach empty. She sat down against the wall, closing her eyes to rest in the darkness.
She didn’t know how long she rested, so long that she felt like she had even slept. She was awakened by a gust of cold wind, shivering. Only then did she realize that she had unknowingly broken out in a cold sweat.
Returning to her own courtyard, the courtyard was empty and silent, just like the way she had come, because the fellow disciples living nearby were all dead.
Because of that white feather flower, she had saved her life.
As for where the senior brothers and sisters from the same courtyard had gone, she didn’t care.
Glancing at a certain direction in the back mountain, Lan Feier returned to her room and fell asleep.