The boy's pupils shrank. He lowered his head, staring at the gleaming dagger, then raised his eyes toward Xie Zhaolin. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard.
Zhang Laosan panicked when he realized what was happening. He thrashed violently and shouted in terror, "You little bastard! You dare touch me?! I'm—"
"Shut up." Xie Zhaolin flicked her finger, and a wisp of baleful qi instantly sealed his throat. All he could do was make strangled "huh-huh" sounds as his face turned red.
The boy took a deep breath, bent down, and picked up the dagger. His hands were trembling, but his eyes gradually steadied.
"I… I've seen him before," he muttered hoarsely. "He sold my sister to the gambling den too."
Xie Zhaolin raised an eyebrow.
—So that's it.
The boy gripped the dagger tight and stepped toward Zhang Laosan. His steps were soft, but every one landed square on Zhang Laosan's lifeline.
Zhang Laosan's eyes bulged. He shook his head frantically, but with his voice sealed, he could only watch helplessly as the boy drew closer.
"My sister… she was only fourteen," the boy whispered. His voice was quiet, yet filled with bone-deep hatred. "She begged you while crying. She said she'd work to pay the debt… but you still dragged her away."
Zhang Laosan's eyes went wild as he tried to scoot back. "You little bastard! I should've killed you and your sister back then—"
The dagger pressed against his throat.
The boy's hand was still shaking, but his eyes had turned cold.
"I searched for her for three months…" His voice was barely audible. "When I finally found her body at the mass grave, her eyes were still open."
The words had barely fallen when the dagger plunged in.
"Pchhh—"
Blood spurted out, splattering across the boy's dirty face. He clenched his teeth, refusing to close his eyes, watching Zhang Laosan convulse in agony.
The dagger withdrew and stabbed again.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
Only when Zhang Laosan's pupils completely dimmed did the boy release the handle. He staggered back, his fingers still trembling, sticky and warm between his fingertips. He couldn't tell if it was sweat or blood.
Xie Zhaolin watched him silently, a faint glimmer of appreciation flashing in her eyes. "Ruthless enough, and decisive enough."
"Your name," she asked.
The boy lifted his head. Blood trickled down his cheek, which he wiped with the back of his hand. His voice softened unexpectedly as he whispered, "Ah Mo."
Xie Zhaolin's eyes narrowed.
Under the moonlight, the blood-stained face looked strangely delicate. The voice, which had been forced deep earlier, now carried a trace of softness.
"You're a girl?" Xie Zhaolin's fingers twitched slightly.
Ah Mo stiffened for a moment, then straightened her back. She scrubbed her face hard, wiping off the dirt and dried blood. A youthful, almost childlike face appeared beneath—she was clearly just twelve or thirteen.
"Yes." Her voice was light, but she didn't look away from Xie Zhaolin's probing gaze.
Xie Zhaolin studied her bloodstained fingertips.
When she killed Zhang Laosan just now, there hadn't been a shred of hesitation. Every strike had been deep and merciless, filled with a kind of madness, a stubborn insistence on finishing him off. Now that she thought about it, that was clearly the eruption of hatred long suppressed.
"Why dress as a boy?" Xie Zhaolin's voice unconsciously softened.
Ah Mo's fingers rubbed at her bloodstained clothes. "It's safer… on the streets." Just a few short words, but they revealed the malice this world held toward girls left on their own.
Xie Zhaolin went quiet for a moment. Three hundred years ago, she too had cut her hair short and smeared ash on her face just to stay alive. Those bitter memories surged back as if they'd happened yesterday.
"Your sister…" Xie Zhaolin paused, "she was also ruined by Zhang Laosan?"
Ah Mo's eyes instantly reddened. She bit down on her lip and nodded. "He lied to her… said he could get her a good job…" Her voice broke, trembling so hard she could barely go on. "Later I found her at the mass grave… and she was already…"
Xie Zhaolin didn't press further. She knew better than anyone what awaited a lone girl who fell into a gambling den's hands. She didn't need the details. Her gaze softened as she looked at Ah Mo's small frame. The killing intent in her heart faded. It wasn't only because the child was a girl too, but also because this sight stirred memories she'd buried long ago.
With her current situation, she wasn't supposed to leave anyone alive. That first question, "Do you want to live or die," had been nothing more than habit. Normally, anyone who saw her secrets had to die.
But now… she'd changed her mind.
Maybe this girl could help her with things she couldn't handle openly.
Xie Zhaolin stretched out her hand, and the dagger flew back into her palm. She flicked off the blood casually and said lightly, "From now on, you'll follow me."
Ah Mo froze for a second, then suddenly realized—everything just now was her offering of loyalty!
She'd killed, and not just anyone, but someone tied to the gambling den. If she ever betrayed Xie Zhaolin, her life would end the moment the truth got out. Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees. "Ah Mo is willing to follow Immortal Master!"
Xie Zhaolin's lips curved slightly. "Good, she knows the rules."
"Clean it up." With a wave of her sleeve, a strand of baleful qi coiled around Ah Mo's wrist. "I'll wait in the room."
That strand would watch her—if she dared run, it could kill her instantly.
Xie Zhaolin stood by the window, tapping lightly on the sill with her fingers.
In the courtyard, Ah Mo dragged Zhang Laosan's corpse. Her small figure looked frail against the large body, but her movements were efficient. The moonlight revealed dried blood streaked across her face, making her dark eyes shine all the more fiercely.
Xie Zhaolin narrowed her eyes. She didn't completely trust this girl. Ah Mo had killed Zhang Laosan and seemed to stand with her, but people's hearts were fickle. Trusting anyone was dangerous, especially after betrayal.
Besides… the gambling den wouldn't let this go.
Zhang Laosan might have been a small fry, but the forces behind him were tangled and messy. Right now, her grasp of the Xuan Yin Foundation Building Technique was shallow, her strength no better than a first-level Qi Refining. The ambush worked only because of surprise. If it had been a head-on fight, in her weakened state, she'd probably have gone down with him.
Worse, this fight had drained most of her baleful qi. If she left things alone, trouble would come sooner or later. Her fingers twitched, and another wisp of baleful qi floated from the window, twining around Ah Mo's neck.
Ah Mo paused, clearly sensing something, but didn't turn back. She just kept working quietly.
"Smarter than I thought. But smart people don't usually live long."
Xie Zhaolin turned away and walked back into the room.
Moments later, soft footsteps approached. Ah Mo pushed the door open. The cool night air followed her in as she lowered her head. "Immortal Master, it's done."
Xie Zhaolin opened her eyes, her gaze falling on her.
Ah Mo had washed the blood from her face. Her features were delicate but pale. Her hair was still damp from washing, and she'd changed into a rough hemp shirt. Though shabby, at least it wasn't caked with blood anymore.
"Come here," Xie Zhaolin said calmly.
Ah Mo stepped forward and knelt before her.
Xie Zhaolin lifted her chin with one finger, forcing her to look up.
"Do you know why I let you live?"