“Whatever.”

Either way, sworn or not, they’d all die. With such bitter days, he couldn’t last three months.

“Since neither of you objected, I’ll take that as agreement. Come, come, everyone get up. Let’s make our bows right here on the bed.”

As Zhang Tianxing spoke, he kowtowed three times to Xiao Ze, then three times to him.

“I’m done kowtowing. Your turn. Don’t just stand there—kowtow! You received my three kowtows, you have to return them. Ma He, you kowtow first.”

He kowtowed in a daze.

He actually just wanted Zhang Tianxing to shut up so they could sleep quickly, otherwise he’d have no energy for training the next day.

Xiao Ze, thoroughly annoyed, also climbed up and kowtowed six times.

Speaking of this, Lu Da paused and reached out to push open the window.

Outside the window was a full moon.

“The moon that night was also like tonight’s—large and round. After kowtowing, we three immediately fell asleep.”

On his plain and ordinary face was an expression somewhere between smiling and not.

“None of us anticipated that in the rest of our lives, we three would be each other’s most important people.”

With these words, Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao exchanged glances.

Just like them and Huairen—growing up together from childhood, helping and supporting each other, an iron-clad triangle.

“We trained in the high-walled compound for twelve years before we began accepting assignments.”

Lu Da recalled: “The first assignment was assassinating a Tibetan wing commander. That man had no other hobbies—he only liked children under ten, regardless of gender. A complete beast.”

The three of them formed a group, lurking in ice and snow for two full days before waiting for the wing commander to be alone.

The assassination went smoothly.

When the knife went in, it was like stabbing into the body of a fat pig.

Only the fat pig’s thunderous collapse was too loud, attracting his personal guards—dozens of people surrounding the three of them in the center.

No retreat, only fighting for survival.

At first the three fought separately, growing more and more strained. Then Xiao Ze gave a command, telling the other two to move closer.

Like this, the three with backs to each other seized two horses and with difficulty fought their way out of the encirclement.

“Miss Li.”

Lu Da suddenly spoke: “Do you dare expose your back?”

Li Buyan thought for a moment, pointing at Zhu Qing and the others: “I’d trust them with it.”

Lu Da shook his head.

“In our line of work, even biological parents—you wouldn’t dare expose your back to them, because in each chamber, ultimately only one person could serve by the noble’s side.”

Li Buyan froze: “You’re telling me that after all this, you three were actually competitors?”

“More terrifying than competitors.”

Lu Da: “The person who went to serve by the noble’s side had to kill the other two.”

Not only did Li Buyan’s eyes widen—even Zhu Qing imperceptibly frowned.

How cruel this tactic was.

Three brothers living in one room for ten years, going through life and death together—their feelings must run deep.

The person who dared strike down and kill both brothers—how cold-blooded and ruthless.

But cold-blooded ruthlessness was also a shadow guard’s most practical quality, at least enabling one’s own survival.

“Later, which of you won?” Zhu Qing asked.

Lu Shi looked at him thoughtfully, then said unhurriedly: “After receiving this news, the relationship between us three immediately became very delicate.

In terms of martial skills, Xiao Ze was best, with the greatest chance of winning. But if Zhang Tianxing and I joined forces to eliminate him first, then Zhang Tianxing and I each had our chances, and the odds were fifty-fifty.”

From that day forward, there was no more conversation in their chamber. Each person was heavy with concerns, mutually guarding against each other, secretly intensifying their training.

Xiao Ze trained for one hour.

Zhang Tianxing then trained for two hours.

He trained for three hours.

Having reached this point, who wanted to die?

Previously after lights out was the three’s happiest, most relaxed time. They’d pour out their hearts, afraid the other two wouldn’t know.

Now after lights out, the room was deathly silent.

Three months later, Zhang Tianxing was the first unable to hold on.

“I’m not competing anymore. Even if I compete, it’s meaningless. I have no father or mother, no need to bring glory to my ancestors. Just when you strike, be quick about it—don’t let me suffer.”

Hearing this, he thought for a while, then simply spoke plainly too.

“I don’t want to compete either. Where home is, who my parents are—I’ve long forgotten completely. I only have you two brothers. If you both die, I’m alone again.”

Xiao Ze didn’t speak.

He was silent for a very, very long time before finally saying: “My father has six or seven sons. He alone sent me to this hellish place. I’ve suffered so much—why should they be the ones enjoying comfort in the end? I’m not competing either.”

When men speak, one spit is one nail in the ground.

The chamber had conversation again, had laughter. Their bond became even deeper than before, constantly together.

What would the future hold?

Who knew?

Just live well these last few months.

Three months later was the competition. They were locked in an iron cage—the one who survived could leave the cage.

According to what they’d agreed beforehand, all three used their full abilities, fighting themselves to exhaustion, their last bit of strength spent. The three lay on the ground like dead dogs.

Noble sirs, do whatever you like. We’re done playing anyway.

Li Buyan urgently asked: “What happened after?”

Lu Da: “Among the first batch of trainees, ultimately only we three came out ahead. Xiao Ze became his personal bodyguard. Zhang Tianxing and I became shadow guards.”

Li Buyan: “How could that be?”

“We learned later that this was a test—testing human nature.”

Lu Da’s gaze turned toward Yan Sanhe: “He personally came to watch that death match. After watching, he said one sentence: ‘This world hasn’t completely gone bad after all.'”

Yan Sanhe’s face showed no expression, but in her heart she smiled.

Yes, only someone like Father could say such words.

Lu Shi: “We trained for another two years in the high-walled compound before going to his side. Only then did we learn our future master was the current Crown Prince.

Arriving at the Crown Prince’s residence, the open guards and shadow guards didn’t live in the same courtyard.

Xiao Ze’s courtyard was close to the Crown Prince, convenient for service, but he insisted on adding a bed in our room, saying he’d come stay whenever he had time.

Where was ‘whenever he had time’? As long as nothing was happening with the Crown Prince, he’d run to our room.

Zhang Tianxing and I had no regular schedule. Sometimes when out on assignments, we wouldn’t return for ten days or half a month.

Precisely because of this, we three talked even more than before. What we discussed most was actually him. Miss Yan?”

“Mm.”

“Want to hear what we discussed about him?”

“Let’s not.”

Hearing too much would entangle her steps, prevent her from moving forward. More important matters lay ahead—she needed to travel light.

Lu Da’s expression clearly dimmed a fraction, enough that Li Buyan and the others all paused.

Strange.

Why did he particularly want to tell Yan Sanhe?

“Just hearing about you three’s story is enough—it moved me greatly.”

In Lu Da’s eyes, a flame suddenly kindled.

“Continue, Lu Da.”

Yan Sanhe urged.