Chapter 62: Sorry, I Was the One Who Leaked It

Amidst the curling wisps of calming incense, Zhong Miao lay nestled in a comforting embrace, repeatedly massaging the bridge of his nose. Years of living as an assassin had left their indelible marks upon him, and it was only beside Xiaohong that he could feel a fleeting warmth.

"This calming incense was a gift from a wealthy merchant in the south, but judging by your appearance, you must have still suffered from nightmares."

Xiaohong gently stroked the side of Zhong Miao's face with her palm, wiping away the beads of sweat on his forehead with utmost tenderness.

"What time is it?"

"Two quarters past the hour of Mao. You have slept for four hours. Are you hungry? Shall I have them prepare some congee for you?"

Zhong Miao turned onto his side, his hand tightly clutching the bow that never left his side. After a long moment, he let out a breath and relaxed his grip.

"No, I still have a contract to fulfill."

Hearing the word contract, Xiaohong's heart instantly leaped back into her throat.

"You know, every time I hear that you have to go out, my heart fills with dread."

"This is the very last one. Once this is done, I will have enough silver, and then we can leave this place," Zhong Miao said. "Didn't you always say you wanted to eat lychees? We will go to Lingnan then."

"But your physical condition..." Xiaohong worried. "The wounds you suffered last time haven't even fully healed."

"The three-year agreement I made with the madam expires in three days. There is little time left," Zhong Miao explained his reason. "If I hadn't missed my mark last time, we would have already flown far away by now."

"Zhong Miao, no matter what, I just want you to be safe." Xiaohong wrapped her arms directly around his back from behind. "After your assassination failed last time, I had nightmares for days..."

"That was my first failure, and it will be my last," Zhong Miao said with conviction. "The target this time is just a scoundrel who sells children. Don't worry."

"Zhong Miao, actually, wherever we are and whatever hardships we face, I can endure them," Xiaohong sniffled. "If it were possible, I wouldn't wish for you to walk further and further down this path of an assassin."

"A person like me, if I am not an assassin, what else can I do?" Zhong Miao was momentarily baffled by the question.

"I often hear from the plays outside that one should be a hero who protects his country, and I also hope my beloved is a peerless hero."

"A hero..." Zhong Miao mused. "Can a person like me ever be a hero..."

...

Outside a three-story building nestled in a mountain hollow, Zhong Miao, having carefully scouted the perimeter, felt a sudden pounding in his head.

Wonders if word had leaked out.

The three-story building, which originally had very lax defenses, was now surrounded inside and out by lookouts and subordinates standing on guard.

Wang Erhaca, a notorious human trafficker throughout Youzhou, gathered orphans and traded in women, committing every heinous crime imaginable.

Not long ago, he had somehow offended a wealthy and influential merchant in the Central Plains, prompting them to issue a wanted bounty for him.

It was an opportunity to make a name for oneself, rid the world of a scourge, and earn a tidy sum of silver all at once—why not take it?

Normally, before any operation, Zhong Miao would spend two or three days observing the surroundings in advance.

However, perhaps due to time constraints this time around, Zhong Miao had shortened his reconnaissance period.

Though somewhat rash, thanks to his formidable skills, he still managed to easily pierce through the outermost defenses.

After using a volley of Soul-Pursuing Arrows to take down a sentry who had stepped out to relieve himself at close range, Zhong Miao slipped into the third floor upside down like a bat.

Walking on tiptoe, he pushed open the window, drew his dagger from his bosom, and walked straight to Wang Erhaca's bedside.

Just as he was about to strike, an excited voice of rebuke came from outside the door.

"Haha, Zhong Miao, I've waited for you half to death, and I've finally caught you." Wang Erhaca's taunting voice immediately rang out.

A look of surprise flashed across Zhong Miao's face, but having seen his share of storms, he quickly regained his composure.

"How did you know I would come for you today?"

Faced with Zhong Miao's question, Wang Erhaca burst into wild laughter. "As expected of a prominent figure on the Youzhou assassin leaderboard! You always cut straight to the point! That's right, someone tipped me off about your movements in advance. I spent three hundred taels of silver for the information; I hesitated a bit back then, but looking at it now, it was truly worth every coin! The head of the Soul-Pursuing Arrow Zhong Miao—heaven knows how much it's worth!"

Knowing that life and death were up to fate, Zhong Miao did not hesitate any longer, delivering a side kick and drawing his bow to loose an arrow!

The crossbow bolt, laden with incendiary oil, exploded with a roar, buying Zhong Miao a fleeting chance to breathe.

However, Wang Erhaca had already laid an inescapable net. Though Zhong Miao managed to narrowly escape the three-story building, his path was blocked by the outer ring of guards.

With his ankle grazed by a swallow dart, Zhong Miao soon found himself surrounded and trapped.

"Run! Why aren't you running as fast as you did just now? Keep running."

Wang Erhaca laughed maliciously. "Run for me and let me see."

With no arrows left to use, Zhong Miao leaned against a large tree, much like the tragic heroes nearing their end in storytellers' tales, and listened to the petty villains' final boastful rants.

"Walk by the river often enough, and you're bound to wet your shoes. I admit I've fallen this time," Zhong Miao said. "But I still want to know who leaked my whereabouts."

"You want to know? Well, I just won't tell you," Wang Erhaca said with a gloomy face. "Men, rip his head off for me!"

Scenes from the past flashed blurrily through Zhong Miao's mind, and he seemed to catch a glimpse of his beloved's tragic remaining years.

"Damn it! Am I really going to fall right here today?"

At the critical moment, a series of wails drew everyone's attention.

A massive wolf-toothed mace swept through empty air, shattering an enforcer's skull like a smashed watermelon.

"You dummy, how many times have I told you? Just kill them, there's no need to smash their heads to pieces—it's too disgusting."

From the nearby forest, Chen An and Wu Dazi slowly emerged.

The moment he saw Chen An, Wang Erhaca looked utterly shocked. "It's you?!"

"Uh-huh."

"Why!"

"There is no why. The fish has taken the bait; do you think the bait is still of any use?" Chen An said with utter disdain. "I never had any fondness for scum like you anyway. Dazi."

"Here, Brother!"

"Smash this place to the ground for me, and don't leave a single living soul."

"Don't you worry, Brother!"

As his voice fell, a symphony of wails rose and fell.

Compared to the battle-hardened, fully armored steppe cavalry, these human traffickers who only knew parlor tricks and lacked armor were no match for Wu Dazi.

Rushing into the flock of sheep like a grizzly bear, Wu Dazi began a thorough massacre.

"Can you still walk?" Chen An approached Zhong Miao and asked.

"Why did you come?"

Faced with Zhong Miao's question, Chen An hesitated for a moment, let out a long sigh, and deliberately played kept him in suspense. "That's a long story."

"Then keep it short."

"I was the one who told Wang Erhaca that you were coming to kill him."

"......"