...
Behind the expert stood a young woman, trembling incessantly. Her eyes darted in every direction, always fearful that Yan Xiaobao might appear at any moment to either mock her or thank her for her involvement in his plans. Though such thoughts were completely irrational, Li Meilin couldn't think clearly; her mind was consumed entirely by guilt over her betrayal.
"I didn't mean to do it," she muttered under her breath, biting her lip. Tears burned in her eyes. "I didn't know I was helping the enemy," she continued, her voice choked by an emotional outburst. The words became incoherent, barely audible to anyone nearby.
The expert leading her began to feel increasingly uneasy. He remembered when Li Meilin was a resolute and unyielding woman—someone who would do anything for the Emperor. But now, she was nothing more than a bundle of shattered nerves, a person on the brink of madness.
