The Female Lead Always Comes Around [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 5

Li Xiao walked astonishingly fast, like a ghost. Ning Shu had been delayed only two minutes, yet when she caught up, the girl had vanished.

After searching nearby in vain, she reluctantly checked into an inn. As long as the beautiful elder sister remained in the capital, Ning Shu was determined she’d find her again.

From the outside, the inn looked luxurious, and stepping inside, it felt high-end. Though there were diners on the first floor, their voices were soft, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

“Miss, are you just having a meal, or staying the night? If staying, we’re fully booked except for one top-tier ‘Heaven’ room.”

The innkeeper’s words were clear: only the best room was available. If she couldn’t pay, she could leave.

Ning Shu appreciated his honesty. She pulled a silver note from her chest and said, “Book it for a month. We’ll see after that if I want to extend.”

A month should be enough.

Now that her martial prowess had maxed out, Ning Shu had a blind confidence in herself. She felt certain that if she encountered that couple, she could complete her mission effortlessly in the next moment.

The innkeeper was intimidated by her wealth and hurriedly fetched change, signaling a servant to escort her upstairs.

The inn had three floors: the first for dining, the second for standard rooms, and the third with two rooms each for Heaven, Earth, and Mystery, totaling six rooms.

Ning Shu stayed in the top Heaven room, with the bottom Heaven room next door. At that moment, the adjacent room’s door was closed, and the clinking of weapons rang out inside.

“Miss, this is your room. Everything inside is new and ready for your use. If you need bathwater, pull the red cord behind the door. For food, pull the yellow cord. For cleaning, pull the green. Here’s your key. If nothing else, I’ll take my leave.”

Ning Shu looked at the red, yellow, and green cords, marveling. Ancient inns could really feel like modern business hotels!

She pulled the red cord, waiting for the bathwater to arrive. After bathing, she changed into the inn-provided silk undergarments and lay down, ready for a good night’s sleep.

Ten minutes passed, and instead of falling asleep, she grew increasingly awake. The rhythmic clang of weapons next door grated on her nerves.

Finally, Ning Shu lost her patience. She leaned against the wall and shouted, “Hey, neighbor! What time is it? Can you stop disturbing everyone? If you want to practice swordsmanship, find an empty place. Don’t bother others trying to rest, okay?”

The noise stopped instantly. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and drifted into a sweet sleep within a minute.

In the neighboring room, Li Xiao put away her unsharpened sword and sat by the window, feeling the wind.

What had seemed like a chance encounter had happened twice in half an hour. It must be fate, giving her a chance to repay the girl’s lifesaving act.

Recalling Ning Shu teaching Ning Ming a lesson earlier, a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Li Xiao’s usually stoic face. A person who didn’t let grievances go easily—her personality matched Li Xiao’s taste.

In the middle of the night, Ning Shu woke to rustling sounds. Sitting up, she listened.

“Which room is Heaven? I forgot.”
“Upper room, you idiot!”
“Are you sure?”
“Not really. To be safe, put smoke in both rooms. Better to overdo it than let them escape, or how do we get the money?”
“Fine!”

Next, Ning Shu saw a hole punched in her window, a hollow bamboo tube inserted, and a foul-smelling smoke began to fill the room.

Ning Shu: “…”

This clumsy trick was like child’s play. Could these really be professional assassins?

As the smoke thickened, Ning Shu struggled but grabbed a cloth beside the washbasin to cover her mouth and nose.

The smoke wasn’t threatening to her martial ability just unpleasant. She worried she might suffocate before being subdued.

Meanwhile, faint noises came from next door the other tenants had noticed too.

“Big brother, enough! This dose would fell ten oxen.”
“You don’t understand. They said this one’s martial skills are strong. Keep going, make sure it’s foolproof.”

Ning Shu, annoyed by their dithering, stomped over and blocked the tube. The first assassin coughed violently.

“Second… what’s wrong?”
“B…big brother, I think I—”

“Bang!” A heavy object fell. Ning Shu opened the door, locking eyes with three assassins.

“What do we do now?” one asked nervously.

The so-called big brother remained calm, brandishing a dagger. “Don’t be scared. We outnumber her what’s to fear?”

Ning Shu smiled coldly. “You’re ganging up on a weak woman. Not very gentlemanly, are you?”

The big brother lunged with his dagger. “Gentlemanly? In our line, there’s only the target. No distinction between men, women, old, young, good, or bad!”

Ning Shu sidestepped calmly. “So you’ve shed a lot of innocent bl00d, haven’t you?”

He missed again, shifting stance, ignoring her now, intent only on killing her.

A cold, lethal smile curved Ning Shu’s lips. Like a soul-consuming poppy in the dark, she moved behind the three assassins, shoved them into the room, and locked the door.

Cries of pain came, quiet enough that the tenants in Earth and Mystery rooms weren’t awakened.

Fifteen minutes later, Ning Shu sat on a stool, legs crossed, while the three bruised and battered assassins knelt, trembling in fear.

The client had said she wasn’t weak, but hadn’t mentioned her immunity to smoke traps. Had he known, he’d never have accepted the job. Now, the would-be killers were at her mercy.

Misfortune aside, she’d check the calendar before taking the next contract.

The big brother trembled, trying to speak.

Ning Shu impatiently tapped her ear. “Speak, or stop pretending to be cute. Look at yourself trying to disgust me, are you?”

She raised her hand as if to slap them, and the three closed their eyes, “woo wooing” in fear.

Ning Shu chuckled. “Ah, forgot you had cloths in your mouths. Silly me.”

She removed the cloths and said sharply, “Answer my questions. Don’t say anything extra. Understand?”

All three nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes!”

“Who hired you to kill me?”

They exchanged glances. In their line, loyalty was absolute never reveal a client’s info. But faced with death, hesitation vanished. After a pause, the big brother spoke: “Miss Ning Ming sent us.”

Ning Shu wasn’t surprised. In the capital, she knew very few people. Only Ning Ming could have known she had survived.

A determined adversary grudges had to be settled immediately.

“You’ve shed enough innocent bl00d. You don’t deserve to live.”

She raised her hand but paused. Instead of killing them, she severed their tendons, crippling their martial arts, ensuring they could no longer harm others.

“Tell Ning Ming: If she wants to kill me, she must come herself. No one else will do.”

Sweat dripped from their pale faces, but they couldn’t cry out, forced to endure.

Ning Shu, disliking bl00d indoors, scowled. “I spared your worthless lives get out before I change my mind!”

They scrambled out, even dragging the unconscious one behind. Ning Shu, turning to worry about the bloodstains, saw Li Xiao standing at the doorway.

Expressionless, eyes calm.

Ning Shu: “!!”

After searching so long, she found her without effort.

She walked over naturally, looking up with a pitiful expression. “Sister, someone tried to hurt you! I drove them away so scary!”

Li Xiao’s face remained unchanged, eyelid twitching slightly. “Tried to kill me?”

“Yes! Didn’t you notice smoke in your room? It must’ve been your enemies. Luckily I noticed early, or you would’ve been hurt.”

Li Xiao could only say stiffly, “Thanks,” and turned back inside.

Sensing more trouble if she stayed outside, Ning Shu grabbed her sleeve, tears in her eyes. “Sister, you’re so heartless! I risked my life to save you, and all you say is thank you?”

Her acting talent shone. Tears fell immediately, her pitiful look complete.

Li Xiao couldn’t help but relent. “And what do you want?”

They were vicious. I barely drove them away. If they return, I couldn’t resist hat would happen to a weak girl like me is obvious.

Besides, my room’s a mess. If you really want to thank me, let me stay in your room tonight.