She lived so freely, as if nothing in the world could bind her. A life of indulgence that she once yearned for but did not dare to hope for.
She dared not, and could not forget her identity and the burdens resting on her shoulders.
A single misstep, and what awaited her would be total annihilation!
"I don't know why I was able to appear and meet with you." The original owner's gaze left Mu Ge and looked into the distance. It seemed that by avoiding contact with Mu Ge, she could still preserve some dignity and pride. "But I do know that forty-nine days from now, I will completely disappear."
Completely disappear? That was indeed good news.
Mu Ge's eyes, half-closed, swept faintly over the original owner's semi-transparent body.
The original owner seemed unaware of this glance. She pressed her transparent lips tightly and began to speak to the darkness in the distance: "Mu Qingge, National Guardian General of Qin Country, legitimate grandson of the Duke of Yongning, heir to the hereditary title. Fifteen years old this year. Wayward in character, unpredictable in moods, a tyrant in Luodu. In the family, besides my grandfather Mu Xiong, the only remaining blood relative is my aunt, Mu Lianrong. The five hundred guards who protected me with their lives are my personal guard. This time we left Luodu and came to the battlefield of the Sunset Wilderness because..."
Mu Ge did not interrupt the original owner's words but listened carefully.
After her rebirth, she did not receive any memories from the original owner. At this moment, what the original owner was doing seemed to be helping her better inhabit this body and continue living under a new identity.
After listening to the original owner's narration, Mu Ge propped herself up and sat cross-legged on the grass. Crushing some wild grass that she had plucked between her fingers, she said, "So, your noble self appeared on this battlefield due to some malicious provocation, an impulsive act?"
The original owner pressed her lips tightly and did not refute, but nodded, not noticing the coldness growing in Mu Ge's eyes.
In her heart, a surge of anger rapidly accumulated, making her already painfully injured body feel like adding fuel to the fire. In her past life, she was a soldier, knowing what a soldier's duty was. Yet, she could not accept that the death of those five hundred soldiers was caused by the whims of a foppish fellow.
"What I owe them, I'm afraid I can never repay. But, please do not spare that malevolent person." Perhaps due to Mu Ge's previous warning, the original owner did not utter anything like 'you took over my body, so you must help me,' and directly pleaded instead.
The malevolence on Mu Ge gradually dissipated.
Although those five hundred people were not protecting her, she benefited from it. Imagine, without those five hundred willing to sacrifice their lives, the body she possessed would have been riddled with arrows, and how could she have been reborn?
No matter, a favor repaid is a favor settled.
Thinking this, Mu Ge nodded, indicating her agreement.
Receiving the desired answer, the original owner's tightly clenched hands at her side relaxed. If Mu Ge hadn't agreed, she would indeed have no means.
"Why did that person frame you? And what's with your gender-switching situation?" Mu Ge tapped her fingers on the grass, raising her eyebrows as she asked.
The original owner gave a wistful smile, a bit of loss, and the pride in her bones dissipated at this moment. "It was only because I coveted someone I shouldn't have hoped for. Others couldn't stand it, so naturally, they had to teach me a lesson. But who would have thought this lesson would cost my life. At this moment, if he knew I was already dead, I wonder if he'd..."
"Hey! There's no time to hear your love stories." Mu Ge interrupted, muttering under her breath, "So young, and already in a romance. Could it be that right after crossing over, I have to face rotten peach blossoms?"
The words, though heartless, were clear evidence that Mu Ge could feel the original owner's reluctance towards the one she loved.
But, is that person worth it?
This answer, Mu Qingge might also avoid answering, right?
Never mind, whether it's worth it or not, will only reveal itself upon meeting again in the future.
At this moment, Mu Ge was more concerned about the state of her own body.
"I was originally a woman, but for my grandfather, for the Mu Family, I had to put away my woman's attire and disguise myself as a man. I managed to conceal my identity not because I was exceptionally good at it, but because of an Illusionary Artifact left by my mother. It's the purple earring on your left ear." The original owner finished, her gaze landing on Mu Ge's left ear.
"Illusionary Artifact?" Mu Ge raised her hand, touching the purple earring with her fingers. So, this little thing could make her switch genders?
The original owner continued, "This Illusionary Artifact on your left ear is perhaps the only one in the entire Linchuan Continent. I don't know where my mother got it from, but I know this Illusionary Artifact can change the host's gender, like a Blinding Technique, making it hard for others to distinguish the truth. However, the Illusionary Artifact is damaged now, causing changes to the body. But once tonight is over, the Illusionary Artifact will naturally repair itself, and by morning, you will be the Young Master of Mu Mansion, the Princely Heir of the Duke of Yongning, and the hereditary Lord.
As the original owner finished, her semi-transparent body began to blur even more.
"Hey!" Mu Ge exclaimed, quickly standing up.
"I've said too much tonight, and I'm a bit tired. For these forty-nine days, I will stay by your side, call for me when needed." As the words faded, Mu Qingge's figure vanished without a trace.
"Just left like that?" Mu Ge raised her eyebrows lightly. Her clear eyes scanned the surroundings, confirming that Mu Qingge was no longer there before she raised her hand to touch the earring on her left ear.
The purple earring was somewhat dim at this moment. But under Mu Ge's touch, it strangely glimmered, as if it had a life of its own.
"Such a mysterious disguise exists, it seems this world won't be too boring." Letting down her hand, Mu Ge began to undo her severely damaged robes.
Mu Qingge's sudden appearance had interrupted her intention to clean herself. Now, with her doubts cleared under the moonlight, she could finally cleanse herself.
She removed her outer robe and light armor. Mu Ge, clad only in her undergarments, stood in the knee-deep stream, using a rag to wipe the blood from her body.
In the silent moonlit night, with no starlight, only the moon's brightness fell on her, and as the breeze passed by, only the sound of falling water droplets remained.
Suddenly, a strange fragrance mingled with the wind.
Mu Ge's movements paused, her shoulders tensed as she instantly determined the direction from which the scent was coming, barking coldly: "Come out!"