The door had been treated with pine resin, and as it opened, a pleasant pine fragrance wafted in with the cool night breeze. The young lord had changed his clothes, now wearing a black-gold robe with narrow sleeves and a wide collar. At the hem of his garment was a pair of dark blue boots adorned with subtle navy dragon patterns. The craftsmanship was exquisite, with the designs done in the same color as the background, making them appear understated and reserved at first glance, almost imperceptible unless carefully observed. Yet upon closer inspection, a hint of fierce grandeur subtly emerged.
The room was dimly lit, with only two palace lanterns placed at the northern and southern corners. The lanterns were covered with pink shades, casting the entire room in an ambiguous, intimate light. A woman in a peach-red gauze wide-chested dress knelt on the floor. When the man entered, she bowed deeply, keeping her head lowered, appearing extremely submissive. From above, one could only see her swan-like, beautiful white neck.
The City Governor’s face was still somewhat pale, but he forced himself to remain composed and said, “My lord, please rest. I shall take my leave now.”
The young lord nodded and said in a deep voice, “Thank you for your hospitality, Governor Tang.”
The City Governor nodded and bowed repeatedly with flattering words. Before leaving, he addressed the kneeling woman, “You must serve the young lord well, understand?”
The woman immediately lowered herself further, appearing even more humble and careful, the picture of obedience. In a soft voice, she replied, “Yes.”
Her voice was pleasant to hear, gentle as water, humble, and submissive, though it sounded as if she had just awakened, carrying a slightly nasal tone. The young lord paid no attention to this, and the City Governor didn’t notice it either. After exchanging farewells with the young lord, he withdrew and carefully closed the door.
The footsteps gradually faded away, but it was clear that outside the room, at least twenty skilled guards were carefully keeping watch—no ordinary men.
The lamplight flickered, casting the room in a hazy glow. In the center of the room stood an absurdly large bed. To call it large was an understatement—it wasn’t so much a bed as an elevated ground mat. Five or six people could lie side by side without feeling crowded. It was covered with crimson brocade, soft bedding and high pillows, red gauze, and luxurious curtains. In front of the bed hung a string of brilliant pearl curtains draped with red gauze. Though there was no wind in the room, somehow these gauze curtains danced on their own, swaying lightly, creating a waterlike flow of luxurious intimacy under the warm-colored lights.
The young lord in the black-gold robe casually lifted the gauze curtain and sat on the large bed, leaning back nonchalantly. Looking at the woman still kneeling by the door, he said in a flat voice, “Aren’t you coming over?”
His voice was deep, with a thick nasal tone, as if he had caught a cold, his breathing somewhat heavy.
Hearing this, the woman made a small sound like a mosquito’s hum, then still kneeling, keeping her head down, she crawled toward him. Arriving at the young lord’s side, she extended a pair of fair white hands, lifted one of his legs, placed it on a footstool, and gently removed his boot. Then, she proceeded to remove the other.
A sudden “thump” was heard as the young lord kicked the woman’s shoulder. The force wasn’t great, but it was enough to push her hands away. The woman froze, immediately trembling all over, prostrating herself on the ground, not daring to raise her head.
The young lord sat on the bed, frowning as he looked at the woman. His expression was gloomy, seemingly angry and disappointed, yet strangely mixed with an inexplicable hint of relief.
No need to look further—the man slowly raised his head, gazing at the ceiling.
It had been too wishful thinking. If it were her, how could she have been captured so easily? Even if she had been captured while severely injured, she would have escaped afterward. How could she possibly serve someone so submissively, being cautious and silent?
That female assassin from earlier, with her cold, clear voice and nimble, superior fighting skills…
At this moment, he was almost eighty percent certain of that person’s identity!
Thinking about this, he felt somewhat annoyed. Had the heavy rain addled his brain? Despite this, he still hadn’t dispatched his tracking experts to join the City Governor’s guards in capturing the assassin. This psychology was mysterious, making him unable to grasp his intentions for a moment. Was it to avoid further complications? Was it due to the twenty percent of uncertainty? Or was it that he didn’t want her to fall into others’ hands?
No more dwelling on it. He stood up abruptly and strode toward the bathing pool behind the screen, unbuttoning his outer robe as he walked and casually tossing it on the floor. Wearing only a cotton white undershirt, his jet-black hair loose and unrestrained over his shoulders, his face fair, lips crimson, eyes bewitching—his entire being exuded a handsome yet mischievous air.
She’s just a woman! The young lord thought to himself, I simply want to retrieve what is mine.
The lamplight flickered as the young lord removed his undershirt, revealing muscular arms. Bare-chested, he walked into another room behind the screen. Upon opening the door, steam immediately billowed out, enveloping him in warmth.
Chu Qiao kept her head lowered, never once raising it to look at the man. Yes, this woman in peach-red light gauze was Chu Qiao. Earlier, when a large number of City Governor’s soldiers had gathered outside, even with confidence in herself, she knew that not even with an AK607 assault rifle could she possibly break through such a large encirclement alive. Not only would she have to break out of the room, but also the vast City Governor’s residence and the entire Wupeng City’s defense system, with countless guards armed with bows and arrows searching for the assassin throughout the compound. Not to mention the man who had just fought with her on the corridor roof—he was not easy to deal with.
In her haste, she could only resort to this desperate measure: hiding the unconscious woman, changing into her clothes, and attempting to slip away unnoticed. Indeed, her gamble had paid off—she had successfully deceived the City Governor, and the skilled fighter before her had no interest in her.
Chu Qiao’s lips curled into a smile, feeling proud of herself. It would be best if this seemingly righteous man who had repeatedly thwarted her plans disliked women, scolded her, and sent her away. Then she could walk right out of the encirclement of those dozens of guards.
“You, come here.”
Just as Chu Qiao was secretly rejoicing, a deep voice suddenly came from the bathroom doorway: “Scrub my back.”
Chu Qiao’s expression instantly became quite varied. She frowned, considering whether to quietly sneak in and, when he wasn’t paying attention, finish him with one stroke of her knife. But the man’s following words immediately made her relax.
“Then you can leave.”
Better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Chu Qiao cheerfully stood up, and with the humility and submissiveness expected of a female servant, she quickly followed him with small steps.
As soon as she opened the bathroom door, a wave of heat hit her face. Steam was everywhere, making it difficult to see and even to breathe. Chu Qiao frowned, about to enter, when the man inside said in a deep voice, “Take off your shoes.”
Indeed, a warm sensation came from beneath her feet—her shoes were already half-wet. Chu Qiao quickly withdrew her foot, removed her damp shoes, and walked in barefoot.
The bathroom was enormous, even larger than the bedroom outside. From the exterior, one would never imagine such a vast space existed behind a screen. In the center of the bathroom was a large bathing pool that could rival a swimming pool. On three walls surrounding the pool were four white jade statues of beautiful women. These statues were all half-naked, their poses seductive, their gazes alluring. Steaming water gushed from behind these twelve statues, flowing into the bath and then spreading across the floor toward drains on all sides, eventually flowing out of the bathroom through pipes.
Chu Qiao estimated that if they relied on manually heated water, it would be difficult to maintain such consumption. Moreover, the water temperature was extremely high. With current technological capabilities, the water would likely cool before it even reached the pool, and there wouldn’t be so much steam. This City Governor’s residence must have been built over a hot spring. This Governor Tang was someone who knew how to enjoy life, having commissioned people to tap into the underground source, bringing the spring water upward, and spending a fortune to create this luxurious artificial hot spring. The pipes delivering the spring water were made of copper and iron, heated red-hot by charcoal fires. As soon as the water flowed in, it emitted an enormous hiss of white steam.
Around the bathroom, several palace lanterns burned dimly, casting a faint, subdued light. On the bathroom walls were carved reliefs. Looking carefully, Chu Qiao realized they were all images of seductive women, uniformly unclothed, covering only a few key areas with various provocative poses, making them appear even more tempting.
Whether due to the high temperature in the room or some other reason, Chu Qiao’s cheeks reddened, and she immediately lowered her gaze, not daring to look further.
Above the bathing pool was a high platform with a blazing fire beneath, heating a warm kang bed above. On the bed was a complete white bearskin, with some fruit, wine, and meat placed on both sides. Chu Qiao knew with one glance what these were for. With this heated platform, even in such a steamy bathroom, the furs would not become damp, making it convenient for men to engage in some “beneficial” vigorous activity with these alluring female slaves after bathing.
“Are you dead?”
The deep voice slowly drifted over. Even with the heavy nasal tone, it couldn’t mask the powerful aura of menace in his voice.
Chu Qiao coldly rolled her eyes. Scrub his back? I’ll scrub a layer of skin off you!
Then, barefoot, she walked in.
The closer she got to the bathing pool, the thicker the steam became, making it harder to see anything. By the time she reached the edge of the pool, it was impossible to see even her hand in front of her face.
Chu Qiao groped forward, testing with her feet. Steam was everywhere, making it difficult to tell if she had reached the edge of the pool. Suddenly, there was a “splash” sound. Chu Qiao stumbled, her foot slipped, and she immediately lost balance, falling toward the pool. Normally, a quick sidestep in a split stance would have stabilized her, but considering that the pool contained a skilled fighter whom even she couldn’t best, she could only grimace and allow herself to fall into the huge pool rather than make any defensive moves.
However, at that moment, a slender hand reached out and grabbed Chu Qiao by the waist. With a powerful force and two deft maneuvers, she found herself kneeling at the edge of the bathing pool.
“I only called you to scrub my back. Don’t make trouble.”
The deep voice echoed slowly in the steamy bathroom. The man’s voice was extremely cold, with undisguised disdain. He had already decided that Chu Qiao’s actions were a form of flirtation.
Chu Qiao took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in her heart. She knelt by the water’s edge, looking around for a while, but couldn’t see where the scrubbing towel was. Sweat began to form on her forehead, and her brows gradually furrowed.
A splashing sound came from the water. Although Chu Qiao couldn’t see, she could still feel that the man in front of her had turned around. Through the misty fog, Chu Qiao could even sense the other’s sharp and impatient gaze. Since she had spoken at the end of their fight, to prevent him from recognizing her voice, she deliberately changed her tone, making it high-pitched, soft, and somewhat flattering: “Would the young lord like a massage first?”
The man in front of her didn’t speak, just turned his head away, seemingly giving his silent consent.
Chu Qiao rolled up her sleeves, extended her fair white hands, and began massaging the young lord.
An excellent special agent must be able to perfectly interpret various identities in different environments. Especially for a female agent, sacrifices in appearance might be inevitable when duty calls. Regarding massage techniques, Chu Qiao had received professional training in the modern world. Despite not using these skills for many years, they hadn’t deteriorated. Soon, her professional technique, different from this era’s methods, won the satisfaction of the man before her. At the very least, from his gradually relaxing muscles, Chu Qiao knew he was calming down.
Although she couldn’t see his face, there was no denying that this man had an excellent physique. Or rather, “excellent” was an understatement. His muscles were very firm, yet not ferociously knotted like those of common warriors. Instead, he possessed perfect lines, fluid and athletic, not an inch too much, not a bit too little, embodying both a scholar’s elegance and a man’s masculine beauty. Just from his upper body, one could tell this man was extremely tall, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs, without an ounce of excess fat. It was evident he exercised regularly, and Chu Qiao’s still aching shoulder was sufficient proof of his martial prowess.
Using a nearby water dipper, she poured hot water over the man’s shoulders. The water flowed along his latissimus dorsi muscles, slowly streaming down into the steaming pool. Chu Qiao’s tender white fingers worked diligently on his body. Unlike ordinary women, her wrists possessed considerable strength, her acupressure points were accurate, and her technique was highly professional. The man took a slow, deep breath, then leaned back slightly, resting on Chu Qiao’s thighs, apparently planning to take a nap.
Chu Qiao’s brows tightened, but she could do nothing. She knew this man was extraordinarily skilled; even if she gave her all, she might not escape unscathed. And even if she managed to kill him when he was off guard, it would be difficult to escape the encirclement of guards outside. Moreover, her mission tonight was to rescue Cai Qin, and she didn’t even know where that woman was being held. She didn’t want to create additional problems. Suppressing the anger in her heart, she pressed on the man’s shoulders, slowly massaging. After a while, she was already covered in sweat, more exhausted than if she had fought a round of Seven Harmonies Fist.
With a “plop,” a drop of fragrant sweat fell from her forehead, landing on the man’s nose bridge. The young lord didn’t open his eyes, merely saying flatly, “Take off your clothes.”
“What?” Chu Qiao was momentarily stunned, but quickly realized her slip and composed herself, saying, “What does the young lord wish to do?”
“You’re probably hoping I’ll do something to you now.” The young lord laughed lightly, his voice carrying faint mockery and coldness. “Unfortunately, I’m not in the mood. I just haven’t seen anyone wearing clothes in a bathhouse before. Just a friendly reminder, so you don’t die of heat.”
“Thank you for your concern, young lord, but this servant isn’t hot.”
Although he knew this was a lie, recalling the City Governor’s words, the young lord simply didn’t care and remained silent. After all, he was still an unmarried young official; though he had some small tactics, his face was still a bit tender.
Chu Qiao’s expression was quite unpleasant. In this place with great moisture and poor visibility, there was no need to pretend anymore. This man was truly too overbearing. Recalling how he had touched her earlier on the corridor roof, Chu Qiao’s lips curled into a cold smile, her eyebrows raised as a plan formed in her mind. Her fingers slowly moved down from his shoulders, her fingertips like butterflies, sliding down with a hint of flirtation, moving across his shoulders, neck, and muscular chest, then circling up and down.
The man’s lips curled into a slight smile, but he made no sound, apparently also consenting to this teasing.
Chu Qiao lowered her voice, saying seductively, “Young lord, this is the Front Cloud acupoint, the best point for relieving fatigue.” Having said this, she formed a fist with her five fingers and suddenly struck his chest hard with her knuckles.
As expected, the man immediately let out a muffled groan, his body arching up, no longer showing his previous languid air.
Chu Qiao pretended to be panicked, quickly lowering her head to kneel, saying anxiously, “Did this servant use too much force?”
The man groaned a few times, breathing rapidly. After a long while, he finally said in a hoarse voice, quite manfully, “It’s not your fault.”
Then, panting, he sat back by the pool edge and said in a deep voice, “Damn girl, you hit hard.”
“Is the young lord referring to me?”
“Not you.”
Chu Qiao naturally knew who he was talking about, because that spot was exactly where she had punched him during their fight. However, his tone sounded strange, as if he knew her. Chu Qiao slowly frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly.
“Were you bought by Governor Tang from Xianyang City a few days ago?”
The man’s interest was suddenly piqued, and he graciously decided to chat with her.
It seemed the woman in the cabinet was newly bought from Xianyang City, quite a coincidence with herself. Chu Qiao continued in that sickly sweet voice, “Yes, my lord.”
“Hmm,” the man continued asking, “From which dealer were you bought?”
Chu Qiao only knew one slave trader in Xianyang City and immediately said, “Master Mu from the West Market.”
“West Market?” Upon hearing this, the man in the bathing pool suddenly became interested, turning his whole body around and asking in a deep voice, “Have you seen a woman—no, a young man, about your height, with a handsome appearance and good martial skills?”
Chu Qiao frowned and said, “Good martial skills? Would someone with good martial skills be captured as a slave?”
“She was injured, quite severely it seemed, and appeared to have a companion.”
Chu Qiao grew increasingly alarmed as she listened, her brows tightly knit. She probed cautiously, “There are many such people. Does the young lord know this youth’s name?”
“Her name is…” The man paused, contemplating silently for a moment before saying, “Never mind, she would probably use a false name.”
“Then this servant wouldn’t know,” Chu Qiao said, feigning nonchalance, even giving a light laugh before carefully asking, “Who is the young lord looking for? Oh, with the young lord’s status, you wouldn’t have slave friends—is this person a servant from your household?”
The man instantly lost interest, turning his head away and falling silent. Behind the beautiful stone statues, steaming hot water continued to pour in, making gurgling sounds. After a long while, Chu Qiao suddenly heard the young lord say softly, “I’m hunting for her.”
Chu Qiao’s heart immediately chilled, thinking to herself that it was most likely Great Xia’s pursuers had arrived. They were indeed formidable, finding her even here, preemptively surrounding her in Wupeng City, and even locating Master Mu’s stall. It seemed if she hadn’t infiltrated the Zhan family’s ship, something might truly have gone wrong. At this moment, she had to reconsider whether escaping from the Zhan residence was still advisable. Rather than being captured by Great Xia’s pursuers, it might be better to temporarily remain on the ship and see what Jing Han was plotting.
Lost in thought, she was startled when the man in front of her suddenly stood up. Chu Qiao had been massaging his neck, and his abrupt movement caused her to lose balance completely. With a loud splash, before she could even struggle, Chu Qiao plunged headfirst into the pool, sinking to the bottom, her head striking the pool floor with a painful thud. If the water hadn’t been so deep with such strong buoyancy, this impact alone would have left her bleeding from the head.
Chu Qiao felt dizzy and disoriented. At that moment, a strong force gripped her hand, and she felt herself being lifted like a garlic bulb being pulled from the ground.
“Splash!”
“Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
The water dragons on both sides suddenly intensified, creating huge splashes. White mist and vapor rose thunderously, spreading throughout the bathroom. Chu Qiao was supported by the man, leaning on his arm, coughing loudly without any regard for appearance. Like any normal person who had swallowed water, the special agent’s face was flushed, her neck reddened, and her throat felt as if it had been burned by hot coals, uncomfortably hot.
The two stood in the center of the pool, the warm water reaching their waists, white steam permeating the bathroom, making it nearly impossible for them to see each other.
The young lord felt the woman in his arms trembling violently, as if about to cough up her lungs. She was quite tall yet extremely thin, her arms having almost no flesh, yet they felt good to the touch—her skin was elastic, smooth, and warm.
Looking up, he saw through the hazy white mist that the woman’s clothes were completely soaked, clinging tightly to her body, accentuating her slender, graceful figure with its undulating curves. Her long legs were now pressed tightly against his own, round and athletic—just a light touch was enough to know that she was nothing like the delicate ladies raised in wealthy households.
For some unknown reason, a gentleness arose in the man’s heart. He reached out his hand, lightly patting Chu Qiao’s back to ease her coughing. But as his hand came down, the thin gauze immediately fell away, and his hand suddenly touched the woman’s smooth, softback, like the finest white jade, slippery to the touch, with an astonishingly good feel.
Chu Qiao’s body stiffened, momentarily forgetting even to cough.
The man’s eyes flashed with a hint of gloom. Gripping Chu Qiao’s arm, he suddenly lowered his head and forcefully kissed her lips, pressing down deeply and painfully!
In that instant, Chu Qiao was stunned, horrified, and furious. She felt the man’s strong arms pulling her tightly into his embrace. Before she could clench her teeth, they were skillfully pried open by his tongue, which burst in with an intense, wild passion. One of his hands held her firmly in his embrace while the other pressed hard against the back of her head, leaving her nowhere to escape, his dominance overwhelming.
The immense shock left Chu Qiao’s mind blank for a moment. But in the next instant, she reacted, raising her foot to kick him hard. However, in her haste, she forgot they were in water, and the resistance not only prevented her from connecting with him but also caused her to slip and fall backward.
The man smiled mischievously, his eyes bewitching, and embracing her, he fell back into the pool with a loud “splash” as enormous water droplets erupted!
Warm water came from all directions, instantly flooding their ears. Their black hair swirled chaotically in the water, obscuring their vision. The man pressed on top of Chu Qiao as they slowly sank into the water, more than a meter deep. The flower petals in the water scattered in disarray. Just as they were about to reach the bottom, the man supported Chu Qiao’s head with one hand and her waist with the other, then once more pressed a painful kiss upon her cherry lips!
The young lord’s kissing technique was skilled and frenzied, as if releasing or venting something, his wild tongue roaming throughout her mouth, drawing in her sweetness and strength. One hand slowly climbed up from her waist. Chu Qiao frowned deeply, no longer caring about concealing anything, and raised her fist to block him. But all movements in water were greatly hampered. The man withdrew his hand from under her head, and with expert skill, quickly pinned both of Chu Qiao’s hands behind her back, his legs tightly trapping hers. Then his other hand continued its ascent, sliding over her soft waist, flat abdomen, and high, supple breasts…
“Mmm…”
Chu Qiao let out a muffled groan, her entire body violently resisting. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and bit down hard on the man’s lip. The strong taste of blood immediately spread between their lips and tongues. But he didn’t retreat; her resistance seemed only to inflame his desire further. He reached out and tore open the front of her clothes, revealing a large expanse of glistening skin.
Chu Qiao’s eyes widened instantly. Suddenly letting out an angry grunt, feeling the man’s warm hand touch the slick skin of her chest, she became even more furious. With a nimble grappling move, she broke free from the man’s grasp, then delivered a hard elbow strike to his chest before leaping up and breaking through the water’s surface.
“Gasp!”
The long oxygen deprivation had left Chu Qiao’s cheeks flushed red. She breathed heavily, and a moment later, with a “plop,” the man also emerged from underwater.
“Come here!” The deep, hoarse voice slowly rang out. The man’s voice was cold, with an undercurrent of impatience. He said sternly, “Don’t play these coy games with me!”
Yes, good—Chu Qiao’s extreme anger turned to laughter. She coldly curled her lips and slightly narrowed her eyes, like a hunter spotting prey, filled with resolute determination to fight to the death.
Unfortunately, the mist was too thick for the man to see her expression. So when she slowly approached him through the water, he thought she had changed her mind and was obediently complying.
But just then, the woman’s body suddenly moved like a cheetah, leaping fiercely into the air. Even in the water, she jumped over half a meter high, then swung her arm and delivered a whirlwind kick upward!
“Splash!”
An even bigger splash erupted. The man, frozen in shock, took Chu Qiao’s foot square in the chest and was instantly sent flying backward!
Close behind, the enraged lioness pounced ferociously, overtaking him, falling into the water with him, then raising her fist and mercilessly striking his handsome face!
Everything happened in just an instant. Although the man’s skills were in no way inferior to hers, under such an explosive attack, he had no time to react. Boom, boom, boom—consecutive impacts rang out as the man’s face took several punches in a row. If they hadn’t been in the water, these punches would have been enough to break his nose!
The man was momentarily stunned. Unable to fight back or retaliate, he quickly made a move unbecoming of his status. He pushed Chu Qiao away, scrambled to his feet, and crawled toward the edge of the pool.
“Trying to escape?”
Chu Qiao spat out the water in her mouth with a “ptui” and, like an angry leopard, leaped up again!
With speed, assault technique, and powerful rage achieving perfect synergy at this moment, the man had no chance to retaliate. After being pinned down and soundly beaten again by the powerful woman, he finally climbed out of the pool and ran toward the bathroom exit.
Chu Qiao didn’t give him the opportunity. Since she had already been exposed, she had to eliminate him; otherwise, if he escaped, she would be the one to die.
Flying after him, she grabbed the man around the waist, and they both fell to the ground with a splash.
Now on land, the man quickly adjusted, no longer completely passive and on the defensive. Instead of retreating, he advanced. In the dense white mist, two figures simultaneously sprang up, rapidly launching a series of quick attacks, engaging in hard-hitting close combat. Elbows collided, knees thrust forward, fists struck against fists—their speed and power were truly exceptional.
Chu Qiao was now exposed; if he successfully escaped, she would certainly have no chance of survival, so she naturally fought with desperate tactics.
As for the man, he was no longer naive enough to consider her an ordinary female slave. He was fully alert, using all his special moves without reservation!
Without weapons, assassinations, or sneak attacks, they employed genuine martial arts without any tricks or techniques. In the blink of an eye, this had become a life-or-death duel!
Ping, ping, pang, pang—after dozens of exchanges, both their elbows, knees, and legs were numbed from the impacts, and their hands had lost all sensation from the pain. But they both persisted desperately, neither speaking nor attempting to call out. The quick attack met the quick attack, allowing no moment of distraction; neither could let their assault slacken!
Both had fire in their eyes. Suddenly, the two shadows shot toward each other in the white mist like lightning. After a round of exchanges that reached the peak of speed, their fingers simultaneously closed around each other’s throats!
Death loomed! A stalemate!
Their movements were remarkably similar—five fingers forming claws, gripping each other’s windpipes. If either made the slightest move, they would mercilessly crush the other’s throat.
Then, with extraordinary synchronicity, they both slowly raised their other hands, waving lightly to signal… a truce.
Mutual destruction? That would be foolish!
Then, almost simultaneously, they released their grip on each other’s throats and slowly backed away. Indicating, this round was a draw; after retreating, they would continue their contest.
Just then, a tremendous sound of rushing water suddenly arose. At this critical moment, the hot spring once more began a large-scale water discharge.
And in that instant, the hands that had been withdrawing simultaneously came forward again. Just as they were about to strangle each other’s necks, they both felt the pressure on their throats.
Without prior agreement, they both rolled their eyes coldly at each other.
“Despicable!”
They spoke in perfect unison, the words leaving their mouths almost simultaneously.
However, at that moment, the man suddenly kicked a wooden barrel at the edge of the pool, causing his body to slide backward rapidly. He then stood up and, ignoring Chu Qiao behind him, turned and ran away!
This woman was truly a superb close-combat expert—there was no need to continue fighting head-on with her. As long as he could exit the bathroom, those outside would hear the commotion inside, and thus, he would gain the upper hand!
But Chu Qiao’s reaction was incredibly swift, her calculations precise. She jumped up, her form ghostlike as she pursued!
Their gazes matched! Their steps matched! Their movements matched! Even their chosen escape routes matched!
“Bang!” The bathroom door finally emitted a thunderous sound! The man, enduring a sidekick from Chu Qiao, had kicked open the door!
Chu Qiao’s scalp instantly tingled. She knew this sound would surely alert the guards outside. In at most three seconds, people would burst in, and when that happened, with arrows flying, she would have no escape!
The only chance was to finish this man within three seconds, then climb onto that ultra-luxurious large bed and assume an intimate position to bluff their way through!
With no time to consider the flaws in this plan, Chu Qiao flew forward, tearing off her cumbersome gauze dress as she ran, leaving only a short cloth jacket and short pants.
A frontal assault was her only option. Kicking off the wall, Chu Qiao leaped into the air and, using her tremendous momentum, crashed into the man. After two rolls, she landed a punch squarely on his back, falling with him onto the luxurious, soft, and extravagant large bed!
By now, footsteps outside were approaching. She had to either subdue him to bluff their way through or subdue him to use as a hostage. All routes pointed to the same prerequisite: she must subdue and capture him!
At this moment, Chu Qiao almost felt like she had gone mad.
Her wrists moved with practiced skill. In an instant, they exchanged more than twenty blows. Their wrists reddened and their elbows swelled. Finally, just as footsteps sounded at the door, Chu Qiao accomplished this feat.
She successfully captured him, once again gripping the man’s neck, but the price she paid was that her neck was also firmly gripped by him!
The situation was remarkably similar to before—mutual destruction? Mutual destruction!
Outside the door came violent knocking and anxious calls from the guards.
Inside, the lamplight flickered, casting everything in a haze, but even so, they could see each other’s faces.
At this point, this pair, who had been tormenting each other for half the evening, finally had the chance to raise their heads and see who their opponent was.
Yet, upon this first look, they both opened their mouths wide, staring at each other like a pair of fools, with eyes wide open, motionless as mummies!
“Bang!”
A tremendous door-crashing sound suddenly rang out. With a thunderous noise, the soldiers outside crowded into the room. The leading young warrior shouted, “Fourth Young Master! Fourth Young Master! What happened?”
Then, everyone simultaneously looked at the two on the bed, all maintaining an expression of astonishment.
The entire room was in chaos as if thieves had just ransacked it—water puddles everywhere, rugs in disarray, half the bedding dragging on the floor, and their clothes scattered all around. On that magnificent large bed, a man and a woman were entangled in an extremely intimate position, both staring wide-eyed at each other before turning to look at the doorway.
“Who told you to come in?!!!”
In an instant, as if a level-ten typhoon had swept across the land, Yue Qi and the others felt as if they were almost blown away. The shirtless man, his black hair standing on end and his face flushed red, let out a lion’s roar that shook the world. Everyone immediately turned ashen-faced, and several of the more timid ones even fell to the ground with a thud.
Then, in less than three seconds, the door was carefully closed once more. Everyone was frightened like a flock of quails, with no trace of their elite warrior demeanor.
After a stunned moment, the only two people left in the room turned to face each other and shouted furiously:
“How can it be you?”
—————Division Line—————
Hehe, I didn’t update yesterday, hope you’ll forgive me after I finish this chapter~~~~