Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 29

29

Under the bl00d moon, the wind rustled through the forest leaves, carrying a thick scent of rust as it blew into the distance. On the shadowy, red-dirt path, a bamboo-patterned carriage was forced to a halt in the middle of the road, the horses restlessly stomping in place.

Around them, black-clad corpses littered the ground. Though the ambush had come suddenly, the Jiang family guards had faced countless such incidents before. Far from panicking, they handled the situation with practiced ease.

Silver blades clashed under the moonlight. A black-clad assailant’s long sword snapped in two, and in the next instant, a blade sliced across his throat. The guard didn’t even glance back before charging at the next enemy.

The attackers were clearly well-prepared, all C-rank or higher Alphas equipped with superior weapons. Yet, under the mental suppression of A-rank Alphas like Ah Fu and Di Changjie, they couldn’t even wield their vaunted mental powers, let alone match the Jiang family’s weaponry.

Which family in the Imperial Star could afford to equip their entire guard with Damascus steel blades embedded with magic cores, as the Jiang family did?

To own even a single such blade would be considered a stroke of ancestral fortune.

Yet Ah Fu and the others wielded them without hesitation, unconcerned about damaging or breaking the blades—after all, the family had four or five more stored away, gathering dust.

The number of black-clad assailants dwindled rapidly. Those who had come to ambush now faced the grim reaper. One of them, facing an Alpha with clear brows but cold eyes, swung his sword with all his might, only to have it effortlessly parried. Regret surged in his heart.

He had known this was a tough job, but he hadn’t expected to lose his life here. As his artery spurted bl00d, he glared at their leader, dying with his eyes wide open in resentment.

Jiang Ciqing stepped over the body, holding a blade in one hand and moving forward. In a fleeting moment, she casually thrust her sword downward into empty space. The blade vibrated, shaking off residual bl00d, leaving it as pristine and gentle as jade, untouched by the carnage.

The leader of the assailants watched Jiang Ciqing approach, fear creeping into his heart. He instinctively took half a step back but, remembering his master’s orders, gritted his teeth and pulled a palm-sized, seven-shaped object from his chest, aiming it at her.

Jiang Ciqing’s pupils contracted. Without hesitation, she dodged to the side.

—Boom!

A pungent smell of gunpowder exploded, carving out a space amidst the rust-heavy air. A streamlined iron projectile tore through the wind.

“Family Head!” one of the guards shouted in panic.

The bullet grazed her sleeve, and Jiang Ciqing hit the ground, rolling swiftly. In a flash, she grabbed a broken blade from the dirt and hurled it like a dart with all her strength.

The black-clad leader, who hadn’t yet pulled the trigger again, let out a muffled groan. The broken blade pierced his heart, passing straight through.

As he collapsed, Jiang Ciqing exhaled a shaky breath, cold sweat breaking out across her skin. Without pausing, she rushed forward and snatched the object into her own hands.

Gripping the handle, the Jiang family head—who publicly opposed technological advancements—expertly fired two shots ahead.

The remaining black-clad assailants fell. Ah Fu and the others hurried over, calling out, “Family Head!”

Jiang Ciqing stood still, her icy expression softening. When she raised her eyes, she was once again the aloof, refined young master—were it not for the stream of bl00d pooling at her feet.

“I’m fine,” she said first, then glanced at her sleeve. Though she had dodged in time, the bullet had torn through the fabric, leaving a thumb-sized burn mark.

She frowned slightly, then looked down at the object in her hand. Surprisingly, it wasn’t unfamiliar to her. Unlike the crude, simplistic designs of others, this one had gold-threaded roses meticulously crafted into the handle, making it both exquisite and luxurious…

It was strikingly similar to the one she had seen in the Third Princess’s study.

Jiang Ciqing crouched down immediately, pulling off the black-clad leader’s mask. His face was utterly ordinary, with no distinguishing features except the wide-eyed terror and shock frozen in his dying expression.

She tilted her head, thinking, and confirmed she had never seen this man before.

A flicker of contemplation passed through her eyes. She wasn’t naive enough to pin this directly on the Third Princess.

But this object…

The thin iron casing radiated intense heat, palpable even through her calloused hands. She had been careless. This weapon was new, unable to pierce beast-hide armor, and the royal family had deliberately suppressed its spread, wanting to keep the technology under their control. As a result, its influence was minimal, like a large stone dropped lightly into water, causing only faint ripples.

Jiang Ciqing’s gaze darkened as she mentally reviewed the families capable of possessing such a weapon, ruling out any possibility of imitation.

The Third Princess’s inner circle wasn’t as airtight as she thought.

She handed the object to Ah Fu, whispering, “Take it back to Uncle Ling.”

“Yes,” Ah Fu replied matter-of-factly, taking it and gripping the handle. He clearly wasn’t unfamiliar with it.

A swordsmith was also a blacksmith. How could the Jiang family, with the most advanced forging techniques in the Imperial Star, not have studied such things?

Being rigid and inflexible was merely a facade for those meant to see it.

“Clean this up and let’s head back,” Jiang Ciqing said softly, walking toward the carriage. A gust of wind dispersed the scent of bl00d on her. She donned an overcoat to hide the burn mark, tucked her long blade beneath the soft cushion, and picked up the warm hand-warmer, reverting to the frail Jiang family head.

—Crack!

The whip snapped, and the sound of hooves echoed once more.

Aunt Sun had been waiting at the gate for some time. Seeing the carriage, she hurried forward, saying, “Why is the Family Head so late…”

Jiang Ciqing smiled and offered a brief explanation, then handed over the medicinal herbs granted by the Emperor.

Aunt Sun smiled warmly. “His Majesty is generous, always keeping the Jiang family in mind. You must remember to show gratitude often.”

Jiang Ciqing nodded in agreement.

Aunt Sun added, “You’ve had a long day. Go rest. I’ll prepare these herbs for you tomorrow.”

“Alright, you rest early too.”

Her wide robe brushed through the corridor, the bamboo rustling softly. Only when she sank into hot water did Jiang Ciqing feel her tense nerves finally relax.

The scene of bl00d flashed before her eyes again—a stream of crimson flowing along the uneven ground. Jiang Ciqing curled her legs, submerging herself in the steaming water. Her medium-length black hair floated like water weeds. Her frame, broader than most women’s, was hunched together, sharp joints propping up pale skin. A terrifying scar ran from her left shoulder, across her spine, and down to her right waist.

She felt no fear from tonight’s events. Jiang Ciqing had long grown accustomed to such things. Beneath her harmless exterior, she was no stranger to bl00d and death.

But…

The dying man’s gaze reminded her of someone.

The oxygen deprivation from staying underwater too long brought buried memories to the surface.

A sealed, windowless room, lit only by a flickering electric lamp. The lingering rust smell had turned into an unbearable stench. A hoarse, labored wheezing, like a broken exhaust fan, filled the air—the final struggle of a dying person.

Jiang Ciqing stood rigid, with Xu Fusheng behind her. Like tonight, she was enveloped in the rich scent of tequila, her back pressed against the other’s soft body, feeling Xu Fusheng’s cool warmth.

The person behind her was languid, as if boneless, leaning against her. The chin resting on her shoulder was slightly sharp, and stray silver hair occasionally brushed her face, tickling her skin.

“Eleven,” the voice purred, warm breath curling around her earlobe. The tone was as winding and melodious as ever, not commanding like a queen but teasing, like a courtesan playing the pipa in a brothel.

Jiang Ciqing pressed her lips together, not daring to voice her thoughts, only silently watching the person crawling on the ground.

Her roommate, someone she had chatted with just days ago in that dark room. She still remembered her talking about her aging mother and young sister—how her mother could no longer wield a hoe, how her sister, still of school age, had to help with chores. Her voice had been heavy with longing.

Now, Xu Fusheng whispered in her ear, recounting how this person had approached her, attempted to assassinate her, and was caught.

In the lawless wilderness teeming with ferocious beasts, the greatest danger was always other people. The barbarian lands, free from national rule, were a haven for fugitive criminals. Anyone you met here could be a wanted felon with a bounty of a hundred gold coins and several lives on their hands.

Jiang Ciqing didn’t know how Xu Fusheng, an Omega, managed to subdue them and make them submit, but she knew most harbored ulterior motives, staging rebellions or assassination attempts every few days.

Sometimes, Jiang Ciqing wondered if Xu slept with her eyes open—how else could she have survived this long?

“Eleven?” The person behind her, annoyed at her distraction, playfully nipped her earlobe, teeth grazing the thin skin, causing a slight sting.

Jiang Ciqing trembled, her dark eyes misting over. Her earlobes were sensitive—she barely touched them herself, let alone endured such brazen teasing.

The person behind her continued her mischief, letting out a few soft chuckles at her successful teasing, making the soft flesh on her tongue burn even hotter.

She said, “Eleven, that person tried to kill me. Will you take care of her for me?” Her delicate tone, wrapped in a clear voice, was so endearing it melted the heart, impossible to refuse.

Cool fingertips brushed over Jiang Ciqing’s hand, then deftly slipped between her fingers, interlocking tightly.

She said, “Eleven, why are you trembling all over?” Under the dim yellow light, those eyes grew even more alluring, like the fox spirits in stories.

Bewitched, Jiang Ciqing acted. The sensation of a blunt blade piercing flesh was vivid. The person, already weakened from torture, stared at her with wide eyes, shock and fear blending into gray death.

Xu Fusheng was delighted, her arms wrapping around Jiang Ciqing’s neck, nestling into her embrace. Like praising a puppy, she repeated, “Eleven, so good.”

Was this what being good meant?

Jiang Ciqing stiffly raised her hand, lightly resting it on the other’s waist. Even through the fabric, she could feel its slender softness, delicate as a flower stem that might snap with a pinch.

The person in her arms gazed at her, eyes shimmering like clear water. “Eleven, do you know why I call you puppy?”

Without waiting for an answer, she revealed, “Because a puppy never betrays its master.”

She sighed, her voice so light it seemed it might scatter with the wind. “Eleven, don’t betray me.”

The air grew heavy and silent. Beside them, the corpse cooled, bl00d still dripping. For reasons unknown, Jiang Ciqing let out a soft, “Woof.”

The person in her arms was pleased, chuckling softly, the vibration felt even through the hand on her waist.

A slight tingling sensation. Jiang Ciqing curled her fingers, gently tightening her grip.