My Wife Is The Female Lead In A Scum Alpha Novel - Chapter 68

68

The sound of thunder rolled in from the distant horizon, still capable of making one feel the awe-inspiring power of nature.

Boom, rumble, rumble.

It echoed across the heavens and the earth.

Ruan Zhi had gone to the estate in the suburbs to handle some matters. Knowing that Gu Qingci would come looking for her, she hurried back after finishing her tasks, hoping to reach the new house before nightfall.

But halfway there, the weather took a sudden turn. The sky darkened, and thunder rumbled incessantly.

Ruan Zhi huddled in a corner of the carriage, covering her ears and curling into herself, visibly trembling.

Some things seemed etched into her bones.

Even though Ruan Zhi had changed a lot and felt much stronger now, the sound of thunder was like a trigger.

Its roar could still drag her back to the darkest, most helpless moments of her life.

At the mercy of fate, drifting along, unable to control herself, powerless to change anything, watching as her loved ones were lost.

Ruan Zhi tried using the earplugs Gu Qingci had prepared for her to block out the thunder.

But they couldn’t completely mute the noise; she could still hear it faintly.

All she wanted now was to see Gu Qingci as soon as possible.

Neigh—

Neigh—

The sound of horses whinnying rang out, and the carriage Ruan Zhi was in shook violently as the driver brought the horses to a stop.

Ruan Zhi froze. She saw a horse’s head press against the carriage window’s curtain, neighing as if trying to communicate something.

It was Chihuo!

A flicker of joy rose in Ruan Zhi’s heart, and her taut nerves relaxed slightly.

Yet she didn’t see Gu Qingci step into the carriage. Instead, Chihuo anxiously nuzzled the window, whinnying as if it had something urgent to tell her.

Ruan Zhi instinctively felt that something had happened.

She took out the earplugs, her body still trembling as she struggled to control herself and leaned out to look.

There was no Gu Qingci—only Chihuo had arrived!

And Chihuo bore several wounds, its flesh torn open!

When Chihuo saw Ruan Zhi emerge, it gripped her sleeve with its teeth, whining and neighing urgently, its dark eyes seemingly filled with emotion as if urging her onward.

“Madam, Chihuo is here, but we haven’t seen the master. We don’t know what happened.” said Lian Rui, who was sitting outside the carriage.

Ruan Zhi felt her heart tighten.

Chihuo’s condition surely meant something had happened!

An overwhelming sense of unease washed over her, intensifying the trembling in her already stressed body.

A thunderstorm!

A thunderstorm that brought disaster!

Like a curse.

Had something happened to Gu Qingci?!

Ruan Zhi didn’t dare to think about it.

It felt like those thunderstorm days when she had lost her parents, lost her nanny.

Her breath nearly stopped, her body swaying slightly before Lian Rui steadied her.

“Madam, the master surely is fine. Don’t worry. Let’s follow Chihuo and see.” Lian Rui said, her voice trembling, the words sounding unconvincing even to herself.

Ruan Zhi’s fingers curled, her fists clenching so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, the pain sharpening her focus.

Ruan Zhi had been heading to a suburban estate to handle some business, not transporting goods, so she hadn’t brought many people with her.

Aside from the two mounted guards escorting the carriage, there was only the coachman and Lian Rui.

“Lian Rui, take my identification token to Prince You’s residence near the Forbidden Park. Explain the situation in detail. I’ll ride Chihuo to investigate and leave markers along the way. Look for ribbon signs at any forks in the road.”

Ruan Zhi first spoke to Lian Rui.

Ye Youli also had a residence near the Forbidden Park, and Ruan Zhi had seen her just the day before.

Their current location was relatively closest to Ye Youli. She could only hope that Ye Youli was still at that residence.

“Madam, you—you alone are too dangerous, and it’s thunderstorm weather right now!” Lian Rui knew Ruan Zhi was afraid of thunder and was worried.

“There’s no time. Do as I say!” Ruan Zhi commanded sternly.

After instructing Lian Rui, Ruan Zhi ordered one guard to rush to the estate and contact Min Guiyi, telling him to bring a few skilled men to follow the markers and search.

The remaining guard would go with Ruan Zhi.

Aside from Gu Qingci, only Ruan Zhi could get close to Chihuo. At this moment, Ruan Zhi was the only one who could ride Chihuo.

If they didn’t ride Chihuo and only followed by carriage, it would be possible.

But that would be far too slow.

Ruan Zhi had a very bad premonition.

She didn’t want to waste a single second.

Even if her own strength was meager, she wanted to exert every ounce of it.

She didn’t want to repeat her past life, where she had done nothing and lost everything just like that.

The power of fate was terrifying, but as long as she had even a shred of strength left, she would fight against it to the end.

Ruan Zhi’s body was still trembling. Every clap of thunder felt like another torture to her spirit.

Yet now, no matter how intense her fear, it paled in comparison to Gu Qingci’s safety.

Ruan Zhi stepped out of the carriage, her legs shaking, her body as if in the throes of a severe illness, drenched in sweat.

A clap of thunder nearly made her collapse to the ground, but with Lian Rui’s support, she managed to climb onto Chihuo.

“Madam, how can you go like this?” Lian Rui asked, her voice choked with tears.

“Go find the Prince of You immediately!” Ruan Zhi said to Lian Rui, her expression growing even more tense and stern.

On horseback, Ruan Zhi sat properly as Gu Qingci had taught her, her feet in the stirrups and the reins firmly in hand.

“Chihuo, I’m counting on you—take me to A Ci!” Ruan Zhi whispered to the horse.

With a long whinny, Chihuo surged forward, hooves churning up mud and splashing water in all directions.

At such speed without Gu Qingci by her side, Ruan Zhi felt even more terrified.

But to leave markers along the way, she couldn’t crouch low or close her eyes—she had to stay alert and observe her surroundings carefully.

Chihuo was an exceptional steed; even injured, its speed was unmatched, quickly leaving the pursuing guards far behind.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Gu Qingci was hidden in a tree, leaning against a branch as she gasped for breath. Her face was pale, her cheeks glistening with a mix of sweat and rainwater that trickled down her jaw. Her clothes were soaked through, and her hair dripped with water.

Gritting her teeth, Gu Qingci scanned her surroundings, forcing herself to stay conscious.

Half an hour earlier, she had been surrounded by over a dozen fully armed alpha .

These alpha were tall, immensely powerful, and physically formidable—each one matched Gu Qingci in strength, with some even surpassing her.

Dressed in Hu-style clothing layered with armor and wearing demon-mask helmets, they struck with ruthless precision.

Killing them was no easy task. Their armor was thick, their defenses tight, and their combat experience extensive, with seamless coordination.

Her usual sense of danger was useless—the attacks were too relentless.

She could only rely on instinct to evade.

At first, while still mounted on Chihuo, they aimed every strike at the horse. Had Gu Qingci not intervened multiple times, Chihuo’s legs or neck would have been severed.

Yet, despite her efforts to deflect the blows with her blade, the sheer number of attackers meant Chihuo still suffered several hits.

Those individuals had experience dealing with cavalry. With nets set up on the perimeter and trip ropes laid across the road, Gu Qingci found it impossible to break through immediately. Even Chihuo was wounded by their coordinated attacks.

Among them was someone skilled with ropes, who looped one around Chihuo’s leg and yanked the horse to the ground. Gu Qingci and Chihuo both crashed heavily onto the ground.

Gu Qingci scrambled to her feet and fought against the attackers, breaking through a gap at the cost of more injuries. However, she and Chihuo were separated, blocked off from each other.

Chihuo held back several pursuers for Gu Qingci, struggling fiercely and charging wildly, only to suffer several more cuts. Gu Qingci shouted for Chihuo to flee while she broke through in another direction, mustering all her strength to escape into the mountains.

Though Gu Qingci still had some stamina left, combined with the desperation to survive, she ran at full speed, initially maintaining her lead as she entered the forest. But the farther she ran, the weaker she felt, as if her strength was draining away.

Gu Qingci sensed something was wrong. During the fight, she had suffered several blade wounds, and she suspected the weapons were poisoned. The injuries on her arm, shoulder, and back were bleeding but not fatal, with no broken bones—yet she couldn’t summon any strength, and her breathing grew labored. Unable to continue, she had no choice but to find a place to hide and recover.

The rain washed away some of her tracks, making it slightly harder for the pursuers to find her. They split into pairs to search for her.

At first, Gu Qingci hid in low-lying bushes, ambushing one pair and striking at their eyes with her dagger. Though she didn’t kill them, they were incapacitated. Separated too quickly from Chihuo, she hadn’t been able to retrieve her bow and arrows, but she managed to take one from one of the fallen attackers.

As soon as she got the bow, she immediately moved, climbing a thick tree and concealing herself among the leaves, staying on high alert. While resting, her physical strength recovered somewhat, but the discomfort and weakness did not fade.

Something inside her body was spreading through her bloodstream.

Gu Qingci forced herself to stay alert in the tree, gripping her bow and arrow with full concentration, ready to shoot at any target within range—aiming for the gaps in their armor, their eyes, their necks.

The enemies moved in pairs, and soon someone alerted the others.

But by then, Gu Qingci had already killed more than half of them. As they regrouped beneath the tree, only five remained combat-ready.

The enemies also had bows and began firing arrows into the tree.

Gu Qingci dodged and returned fire.

Unfortunately, her arrows were limited and soon ran out.

Someone below climbed up the tree. Gu Qingci held them off for a few rounds before being dragged down and thrown to the ground.

The remaining enemies swarmed her.

After a fierce battle, Gu Qingci was utterly exhausted.

Her strength drained, and the poison from her wounds began to take effect. She swayed unsteadily.

Her enemies weren’t faring much better.

Of the five, only one remained, also covered in wounds.

Gritting her teeth, Gu Qingci charged at him, both unleashing their deadliest techniques.

It ended with Gu Qingci slitting his throat.

Completely spent, she collapsed onto the muddy ground, gasping for breath.

Was it over?

The moment the thought crossed her mind, a rustling sound reached her ears. Gu Qingci turned her head toward the noise—hidden in the grass not far from her was another person, who had remained motionless until now.

The figure was unusually tall, standing around two meters, also dressed in Hu attire and wearing a ghost mask.

Gu Qingci couldn’t see his face, but she had only seen such a towering figure once before—in Yanjing City.

It was Dou Qiang, the personal guard of the Third Prince.

Her heart turned to ice.

She was at her limit, while he was in perfect condition.

“I admit, you’re strong. And the stronger you are, the more you deserve to die.”

Dou Qiang strode toward Gu Qingci, speaking coldly. He kicked away the knife she could no longer lift, then drew his own blade and swung it at her.

“I surrender! I’ll pledge allegiance! I swear!” Gu Qingci rolled aside, her voice hoarse. The blade narrowly missed her, slicing through her clothes instead.

“Too late. You think I’d believe you?” Dou Qiang raised his sword for another strike.

“Wait!” A breathless voice suddenly called out.

Dou Qiang didn’t expect anyone to appear at this moment. He turned his head to look and saw a woman dressed in a pale purple soft robe come into view.

The woman’s figure was slender and delicate, appearing extremely fragile. Her skin was snow-white, her face cold yet stunningly beautiful, like roses dusted with snow.

She walked forward step by step, her skirt stained with mud, her clothes soaked through. Though she looked exceedingly delicate, there was an undeniable strength in her bearing.

Gu Qingci gasped.

It was Ruan Zhi!

Why was she here?

No!

No!

Gu Qingci wanted to cry out, but her voice stuck in her throat, only forming silent words. Bl00d gushed from her mouth.

Earlier, when she had fought against so many, moments away from death, she hadn’t felt fear. But now, with Ruan Zhi appearing at her weakest, when she couldn’t protect her—

The thought of what might happen to Ruan Zhi made Gu Qingci’s eyes turn bloodshot with fury, her breathing ragged before she spat out another mouthful of bl00d.

Suddenly encountering such a breathtaking beauty in the wilderness, Dou Qiang froze for a moment.

“Who are you?” Dou Qiang pointed his long blade at Ruan Zhi, glancing around and realizing she was alone, with no other movement nearby.

When Ruan Zhi went out, she either wore a veil or a face covering, so ordinary people had never seen her true appearance.

“I am Madam Zhilan, also the owner of Qingyou Teahouse, the Dance and Music House, and the Zhilan Clothing Shop!” Ruan Zhi said, staring straight at Dou Qiang, her voice carrying the softness characteristic of an omega.

Ruan Zhi was taken by Chihuo to the vicinity of the mountain forest where Gu Qingci was hiding. Chihuo was injured and, like Gu Qingci, had been poisoned. The faster he ran, the quicker his bl00d circulated. By the time they reached the mountain forest, he collapsed, sweating bl00d, and lay on the ground whimpering.

Ruan Zhi dismounted and told Chihuo to wait while she ventured deeper into the forest to search.

For someone unaccustomed to riding horses, the journey had chafed the sides of Ruan Zhi’s thighs painfully. But she could no longer afford to care, stepping through mud and rotting leaves as she pressed onward.

Recognizing that the location led to the official road to their suburban estate, Ruan Zhi had already guessed the truth.

Gu Qingci had been ambushed while trying to reach her at the suburban estate.

A flood of complex emotions surged within her, but Ruan Zhi suppressed them fiercely, continuing her search through the rainy forest.

Coming across several corpses along the way only heightened her dread.

Not finding Gu Qingci brought a momentary relief, but her anxiety quickly returned.

Then, she heard the sounds of a struggle and rushed toward the noise.

Seeing Gu Qingci lying on the ground while a tall man raised his blade to strike her down made Ruan Zhi’s heart nearly stop. Though her voice sounded steady, her body trembled uncontrollably.

Gu Qingci never took her eyes off Ruan Zhi.

This version of Ruan Zhi was different from the one she knew.

The usual cold sharpness was hidden, replaced by a deliberate softness.

She was trying to lull the enemy into lowering his guard!

“I never expected Madam Zhilan to be so beautiful. However, even if you offer yourself to me, I won’t spare Gu Qingci.” Dou Qiang said, his gaze flickering with greed before turning ruthless again.

“I am willing to give all my wealth to your master and pledge my loyalty to him, earning silver on his behalf—if only you spare my wife’s life. If you kill her now, I will take my own life right here, and you will gain nothing! How can you make such a decision without consulting your master? Does your master lack silver, or doesn’t he?”

Ruan Zhi stared at Dou Qiang as she spoke, gripping a dagger pressed against her own throat.

Dou Qiang hesitated for a moment.

The Third Prince had resented Ruan Zhi and Gu Qingci for giving the tea-making method to Ye Youli instead of him—precisely because tea was profitable and could generate wealth.

Recruiting soldiers, raising armies, and nurturing loyal followers all required vast amounts of silver.

If controlling Gu Qingci’s life could force this woman to hand over all her wealth, the Third Prince would surely agree.

Just the Qingyou Teahouse alone boasted enviable revenue.

Its teas, often priced at dozens of taels of silver per batch, were still fiercely sought after.

The milk teas and fruit teas sold out daily, bustling like a marketplace.

You can just take everything by force and then kill them all, finding someone to pin the blame on.

“I can spare her life, but you’ll have to show some sincerity too.” Dou Qiang looked at Ruan Zhi and smiled, already forming a plan in his mind.

“I have some banknotes on me—ten thousand taels. There’s another fifty thousand taels in banknotes at home, along with the deeds to the shops, property, and land, all stored in the house’s vault. You can come with me to retrieve them.” Ruan Zhi spoke slowly.

“Fine. Throw away the dagger in your hand and come here! I keep my word.” Dou Qiang said.

“How can I trust that you won’t go back on your word? The blade in your hand could kill both of us at any moment.” Ruan Zhi replied, the dagger still pressed against her neck.

“If I say it, I mean it. If you don’t believe me, I’ll put my sword down first.” Dou Qiang said, glancing at the delicate Ruan Zhi and then at Gu Qingci, who was covered in bl00d, coughing up bl00d and unable to speak. He planted his sword into the ground and stepped on Gu Qingci, pinning her down.

Even without a weapon, Dou Qiang was confident he could snap the slender neck of this fragile woman with just one hand. As for Gu Qingci, she was already at death’s door and could be killed at any moment.

Right now, he was the strongest, with the power to dominate them both.

Seeing Dou Qiang place his sword on the ground, Ruan Zhi seemed to relax slightly and slowly walked toward him.

Gu Qingci shook her head at Ruan Zhi.

Ruan Zhi only gave Gu Qingci a fleeting glance before stepping resolutely toward Dou Qiang.

As soon as Ruan Zhi approached, Dou Qiang grabbed her wrist.

Ruan Zhi deliberately released the scent of her omega pheromones.

“Little lady, so your pheromones carry the fragrance of tea! Finer than any tea I’ve ever tasted!” Dou Qiang chuckled.

Gu Qingci’s body twitched, but Dou Qiang pressed down harder with his foot.

Gu Qingci stopped moving, her breathing gradually changing, her eyes fixed on Ruan Zhi like pools of bl00d, terrifyingly red.

“I’ll give you the silver. Don’t be improper.” Ruan Zhi said, her face pale with fright, her voice trembling.

“Where is the silver?” Dou Qiang asked, eyeing Ruan Zhi.

Ruan Zhi lifted her sleeve and pulled out a wooden box from her pocket.

“The silver notes are in this box.” Ruan Zhi said, handing the box to Dou Qiang.

Gu Qingci, catching sight of the wooden box in Ruan Zhi’s hand, felt her pupils constrict.

“Open the box and take out the silver notes.” Dou Qiang ordered.

Ruan Zhi didn’t speak, but her hand holding the box trembled slightly, hesitating to open it.

“Frightened little—” Dou Qiang sneered, but before he could finish his sentence, there was a soft click—the sound of the box opening. At the same moment, something shot out swiftly, and Dou Qiang felt a sharp pain in his neck.

Dou Qiang cried out in pain, his hand flying to his neck.

A metal nail was embedded there, its depth unknown.

Unable to speak, Dou Qiang realized he had been tricked by this seemingly delicate young woman. He reached out to strangle Ruan Zhi, but before his fingers could close around her throat, he felt something grab his legs, throwing him off balance. He toppled sideways, landing heavily on the muddy ground littered with leaves.

The seemingly half-dead Gu Qingci, who had been lying weakly moments before, now lunged onto Dou Qiang, turning the tables.

The wooden box Ruan Zhi held contained the crossbow Gu Qingci had given her.

To conceal the crossbow’s true nature, Ruan Zhi had commissioned a craftsman to encase it within the wooden box. Opening the latch and triggering the mechanism would release the hidden metal-nail arrows.

With just one glance, Gu Qingci had recognized it.

If the crossbow’s shot didn’t kill Dou Qiang outright, any remaining strength in him would have been enough to easily kill both Ruan Zhi and her.

Despite having been drained of energy moments earlier, Gu Qingci, driven by the need to protect Ruan Zhi, summoned strength from somewhere deep within. The instant the crossbow mechanism was triggered, she threw herself at Dou Qiang’s legs, knocking him to the ground.

Gu Qingci had only one thought in his mind, that was not to let this person hurt Ruan Zhi.

Dou Qiang was thrown to the ground and tried to get up, only to be pinned down once more by Gu Qingci’s body.

At this moment, Dou Qiang was unarmed, and there was a deadly object lodged in his neck. Naturally, Gu Qingci wouldn’t let this opportunity slip. She lunged forward, gripping the exposed part of the iron nail, and dragged it downward. It only stopped when it caught on the bone, leaving a gaping wound stretching from his neck to his collarbone.

Bl00d gushed violently from the wound in Dou Qiang’s neck. Gurgling sounds, as if he were gargling, spilled from his throat, fragmented and broken. He struggled desperately, his strikes landing on Gu Qingci’s body. Gu Qingci groaned but held firm, driving the iron nail deeper into Dou Qiang’s neck and pressing down with all her strength, ignoring his frantic thrashing.

Beside them, Ruan Zhi, who had maintained her composure while speaking to Dou Qiang earlier, was now utterly panicked upon seeing Gu Qingci vomiting bl00d. She pulled out a dagger hidden in her boot, wanting to help Gu Qingci. However, with Gu Qingci on top and Dou Qiang pinned beneath, she was afraid of accidentally harming Gu Qingci. She could only hover nearby, hesitantly testing how to assist with the dagger in hand.

Dou Qiang’s agonized sounds grew weaker and weaker until they ceased entirely.

The entire ordeal lasted only moments, but to Ruan Zhi, it felt like years had passed.

By the time Dou Qiang lay motionless, Gu Qingci, too, had collapsed into the pool of bl00d without moving.

“A Ci, A Ci!” Ruan Zhi called out frantically, her voice trembling as she reached out to touch Gu Qingci.

“A Ci, A Ci… don’t scare me…” Her hands shook as she gripped Gu Qingci’s shoulders, turning her over.

Gu Qingci’s face was covered in bl00d, her eyes closed, her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.

“A Ci, A Ci! No, no…” Something in Ruan Zhi’s mind shattered completely, and she finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.

Tears streamed down her face, falling drop by drop onto Gu Qingci’s cheeks, diluting the bloodstains.

“Sister…” Gu Qingci opened her eyes and called out weakly, her voice barely audible.

When Ruan Zhi saw Gu Qingci open her eyes, it was as if light had returned to her world, which had crumbled into ruins moments before.

“A Ci, A Ci…” Ruan Zhi caressed Gu Qingci’s face, trying to wipe away the bl00d.

“Sister, I’m so tired, I want to go home.” Gu Qingci whispered.

She was truly exhausted. If it weren’t for hearing Ruan Zhi’s cries, she wouldn’t have had the strength to open her eyes.

She didn’t want Ruan Zhi to cry.

“I’ll take you home! Don’t fall asleep, wait until we’re home to sleep.” Ruan Zhi said, her voice trembling.

“Okay.” Gu Qingci replied, her voice now just a faint breath.

Ruan Zhi helped Gu Qingci up, turned around, and let her lean on her back. She carried her step by step, walking out of the mountain forest.

As an omega, Ruan Zhi wasn’t very strong, and her legs were injured from riding. Carrying Gu Qingci, who was taller than her, was extremely difficult. Every step made her legs tremble.

But driven by sheer determination, she stubbornly carried Gu Qingci forward, not daring to rest for even a moment.

“A Ci!” Ruan Zhi called out to Gu Qingci every few steps.

“Hmm.” Gu Qingci would respond with a weak murmur.

After what felt like an eternity, the sky grew darker and darker. Ruan Zhi spotted Chi Huo lying on the ground.

“Chi Huo, wait a little longer. I’ll send someone to get you soon.” Ruan Zhi said to Chi Huo.

Chi Huo whimpered softly from the ground.

Ruan Zhi continued carrying Gu Qingci toward the marked spot on the official road where she had tied a ribbon.

She didn’t know if the people she had called for had arrived yet.

As she neared the spot, Ruan Zhi heard voices. Unsure whether they were friend or foe, she crouched down with Gu Qingci to hide.

On the official road, a disorganized but orderly group of people faced off against another group with four luxurious carriages.

“The young master of our household is missing, and the master and mistress are frantic with worry. We beg Your Highness for mercy.” the leader of the first group said, bowing to the carriage.

“Scram! Her Highness needs to relieve herself here. All bystanders must leave! If you don’t leave now, we’ll kill every one of you!” A fierce-looking woman in front of the carriage shouted, waving her hand. A team of well-trained guards stepped forward, driving the group away with an air of arrogance and tyranny.

The group being driven away looked humiliated but had no choice but to retreat.

Watching from the side, Ruan Zhi clenched her fists.

She hadn’t expected Ye Youli to come in person!

After the crowd dispersed, Ruan Zhi emerged, still carrying Gu Qingci with great difficulty.