Chapter 67: Warning (Part Two)

A sudden shock gripped the hearts of the dozen or so men; their pupils widened as they stared at An Ran. How could she possibly know?

They were not guards from the Prince Jing’s Manor. Even if An Ran had noticed the tattooed totems on their faces earlier, there was no way she could have been certain they were from the manor. At most, she could suspect that someone had hired assassins from Darkstar Pavilion.

Yet she spoke with such calm, without the slightest trace of excitement, as if her words were mere conjecture. How could it truly have been a guess?

A wave of dread surged through the group, an overwhelming sense of unease tightening in their chests.

“Are you all wondering how I could guess so accurately?” An Ran yawned languidly, her tone casual, as if she were musing to herself or reminiscing with an old friend. Sleep weighed upon her, yet she stubbornly refused to close her eyes.

It wasn’t as though she hadn’t offended anyone in Moon City; the most formidable of them all was the Lu family from the Prime Minister’s residence. An Ran had long anticipated that the days ahead would not be peaceful, though she hadn’t expected the storm to come so swiftly. Even so, she sensed that this matter was unlikely to have been orchestrated by the Lu family.

By now, most of Moon City knew there was enmity between her and the Lu family. Should anything happen to her, suspicion would immediately fall upon them. Lu Anrong was no fool, and though Madam Xu was old, her mind was as clear as ever. If they truly wished to deal with her, they would wait until all had calmed, when no one cared any longer, and then strike. By then, no one would suspect the Lu family.

Earlier, after she had successfully sown discord at the Prime Minister’s residence and left, a man, splendidly dressed in embroidered robes, arrived on horseback. At first, she had mistaken him for Jun Moli and intended to greet him, but the man ignored her, hurrying straight into the residence. The servant trailing behind called out, “Prince Jing!”

Since it wasn’t Jun Moli, yet someone so alike him, a little inquiry revealed his identity and the reason for his haste.

She sent Wanxia to keep watch, and, as luck would have it, witnessed the prince making a show of affection: presenting ancient melodies to a beauty, brushing his fingers over the strings, lowering his head as tears glimmered in his eyes. A prince as tender-hearted as he could not bear to see a beauty wronged.

No doubt, to win her favor and vent her grievances, he had come seeking satisfaction!

“Since you know who sent us, why not kill us all at once and be done with it?”

No sooner had the man finished speaking than—smack—a crisp slap landed across his cheek. Wanxia had struck without hesitation. Blood spurted from his mouth, and two teeth, stained red, fell to the ground.

Wanxia scolded coldly, “Even your tongue can’t save you now.”

An Ran’s eyes shifted, her jet-black gaze flashing coldly. With a casual flick of her wrist, a faint scent of sweet osmanthus filled the air—a fragrance both subtle and intoxicating.

In the next instant, all but the defiant man collapsed to the ground, their bodies convulsing uncontrollably. In mere moments, pale white worms wriggled out from beneath their black garments—one, two, three... until countless white worms covered their bodies. The seething mass gnawed at their organs and flesh. The most harrowing part was that their minds remained clear; they could hear the sickening “sizzle” of the worms and feel each one burrowing into their flesh. In no time, their bodies were entirely devoured, leaving nothing but a severed head.

The lone survivor turned as white as a sheet, terror frozen in his eyes as he stared at the grotesque deaths of his companions. Every hair on his body stood on end; even his heart seemed to forget how to beat.

As quickly as they had appeared, the worms vanished without a trace. Only the tattered clothes on the ground bore witness to their existence.