Something was happening!

The three exchanged glances, quickly tightened their sashes, and rushed outside.

In the courtyard, a girl with disheveled clothing held a short blade in her hand, surrounded by those same senior students in a fighting circle.

A fight had broken out — could that girl be tonight’s assassin?

But her build didn’t match — tonight’s assassin should have been a man!

Of course, it wasn’t impossible for the assassin to be tall, but this girl was quite average in height… it couldn’t be her!

“Zeng Lanyue, why won’t you let us inspect you? Could it be that you’re the one we’re looking for?”

The senior students who had chased her out each held a long sword, surrounding Zeng Lanyue in the middle.

The woman called Zeng Lanyue was empty-handed, her palms clenched tight. Facing the four senior students, she bit down hard on her lower lip.

“I’m not any kind of assassin, I’m just a student who just arrived!”

“If that’s so, why won’t you let us inspect you? If you’re truly not the assassin, we certainly won’t wrong you!”

Almost every room nearby had its door wide open; everyone had run out to watch the commotion, but no one dared approach.

“It’s not her.” Although no one had explained clearly who they were looking for tonight, Xiao Yingtao had actually guessed it.

Looking at Feng Jiu’er, she lowered her voice. “Jiu’er…”

“Let’s watch first.” Although she clearly knew that tonight’s assassin wasn’t Zeng Lanyue standing in the courtyard before them, her unwillingness to be inspected surely had a reason.

There weren’t only the two assassins from tonight — Yu Jingfeng himself had said that spies slipped in every year.

If Zeng Lanyue weren’t guilty of something, why would she refuse the inspection? Perhaps she truly had some secret on her body.

No one dared get close. Not wanting to cause more trouble, the four senior students raised their long swords and advanced on Zeng Lanyue.

Zeng Lanyue had no weapon in hand and could only dodge precariously. “I’m not an assassin, you’re wronging an innocent person!”

Fortunately, the four senior students only intended to capture her and held back from truly harming her — otherwise, how could she have survived this long?

“As long as you obediently submit to the inspection, we won’t trouble you.” They were all women — what was she panicking about?

But Zeng Lanyue simply refused to take off her clothes no matter what — even if it meant hurting herself, she wouldn’t!

With a swish, one of their swords swept toward Zeng Lanyue’s chest.

Zeng Lanyue’s heart jolted, her steps faltering. She had just barely sidestepped when another long sword was already pressed against her neck.

“Stop struggling pointlessly!” The senior student pressed the sword against her neck and snorted coldly. “Take her away!”

The other two sheathed their swords and immediately walked toward Zeng Lanyue.

Tears welled hidden in Zeng Lanyue’s eyes — and in them was nothing but an air of utter despair.

She closed her eyes…

“Watch out!” Feng Jiu’er’s heart jolted, and she immediately lunged forward. “She’s going to kill herself! Stop her!”

That despair in Zeng Lanyue’s eyes was clearly the look of someone who had given up on everything!

Hearing Feng Jiu’er’s cry, the sword-wielding senior student’s heart jolted, and she immediately tried to pull her sword back.

Unfortunately, she was still too slow!

Zeng Lanyue tilted her head to the side and forcefully pressed her own neck against the blade’s edge.

The senior student’s sword hand wasn’t quick enough; blood welled up from Zeng Lanyue’s neck.

“Ah!” Among the girls watching nearby, someone couldn’t help but cry out in shock.

Quite a few others, seeing the bright red trail of blood on Zeng Lanyue’s neck, were so frightened their legs went weak.

The senior student holding the sword was also shaken. She had never meant to hurt anyone — it was just supposed to be an inspection.

Could Zeng Lanyue really be the assassin? Otherwise, why would she rather die than submit to their inspection?