Why would someone be knocking on the door?

The main gate was closed. This was Master’s room. If someone was knocking on Master’s door, it meant that person had already gone past the main gate and entered the inner courtyard.

It couldn’t be Master or Senior Brother; in their courtyard, they wouldn’t be so formal.

Mu Dai held the phone, puzzled, and slowly walked toward the door.

Luo Ren’s mind exploded, leaving him almost incoherent: “Mu Dai, don’t open the door. Hide, or escape quickly.”

Mu Dai suddenly stopped in her tracks, partly because of Luo Ren’s words, and partly because…

The master’s room had wooden lattice doors. Because the carvings on the door were intricate, the inside was lined with thick rice paper. From where she stood, she could see the shadow of the person outside cast upon the door paper.

Slender and graceful—it was a woman.

Mu Dai silently retreated, her gaze quickly scanning the room for the nearest usable weapon while asking Luo Ren in a voice barely above a whisper: “Leopard?”

On the table was Master’s teacup. The wheelchair was parked beside the table, with a brocade cover hanging quietly over the armrests.

“Mu Dai, leave immediately. I’ll explain everything else later. Try not to alert the person outside. Hurry… I’m begging you.”

Mu Dai softly responded with a “mm-hmm.”

She didn’t know what had happened, but if Luo Ren spoke this way, there must be a reason.

With someone at the door, to “try not to alert the person outside,” she could only leave through the second door. Mu Dai held her breath, opened the side door of the canopy bed, entered the narrow passage, then turned back to gently close it.

With this barrier, she felt much safer. She quickly ran to the end, reached out to unlatch the door, and pushed outward.

It wouldn’t budge.

Mu Dai grew anxious and tried forcefully twice more, but still couldn’t push it open.

There was only one possibility—someone had blocked this back door from the outside.

The passage was dim, the space narrow, even the sound of breathing seemed heavier. Mu Dai walked back to the side door of the canopy bed and pushed it open a crack.

The knocking continued, neither urgent nor slow. It would pause for a moment, then resume. The person outside knew she was inside and had enough confidence to wait for her to open the door.

The phone remained connected, with Luo Ren’s breathing right by her ear. Mu Dai asked him softly: “Is Leopard’s kung fu very formidable? Luo Ren, I have to fight my way out.”

She emerged from the side door. For some unknown reason, she felt inexplicably tense. She heard Luo Ren say, “Keep the call connected. Strike first, be ruthless, watch out for her gun.”

Mu Dai responded with a sound of agreement, put the phone back in her pocket, grabbed the brocade cover, and with a shake, twist, and turn in mid-air, fashioned it into a cloth staff. Then she quickly walked to the wall and pulled the light cord.

Instantly, the room plunged into darkness.

The knocking outside stopped, but the person hadn’t left. Mu Dai bit her lip, holding her breath and waiting. After a few seconds, there was a tremendous crash as the person seemed to be trying to break the door latch. But the door was too old, and it broke at the hinges, with both panels crashing inward together.

In the instant they fell, by the faint light, Mu Dai saw a clear silhouette. Without hesitation, she flexed her wrist, and the cloth staff in her hand became like a powerful whip, instantly sending the teacup on the table flying.

The cup lid, teacup, and saucer flew in high, middle, and low trajectories, striking at the person’s head, chest, and lower body with fierce momentum.

This move was one Mu Dai had practiced before. Striking multiple points with a single force was Meihua Jiuniang’s signature technique. Mu Dai hadn’t mastered it well, often missing her targets, but this time, her execution was perfect.

A smile appeared at the corners of Mu Dai’s lips. With a flex of her wrist, the collapsed cloth staff straightened again. She had already planned her next move: Leopard would be caught off guard by the attack, allowing her to spring off the wall, fly over, and deliver a heavy blow to her head before escaping.

She didn’t know why Luo Ren insisted she flee. A leopard might not be a match for her. Even if she truly had a gun, in the darkness, Leopard might not fare well.

The porcelain shattered. The cup lid, teacup, and saucer had almost perfectly hit their targets before breaking apart. In the darkness, white fine porcelain was scattered, tracing small, chaotic white paths.

That person still stood there, motionless.

An unusual feeling rose in her heart. Mu Dai suddenly felt her mouth go dry. She nervously licked her lips, one hand gripping the cloth staff tightly, the other reaching into her pocket to hold the phone.

The person raised a handgun, no fierce attack, and unhurriedly pulled down…

From the silhouette’s shape, it appeared to be an eye patch.

Originally, after the light went out, the outside was faintly black, with the person’s silhouette a slightly deeper black. Now, with the eye patch removed, there was another color.

In one of her eye sockets was red—blood red, flowing red, like a burning flame, or like a lantern very far away in the vast wilderness.

Mu Dai slowly brought the phone to her ear.

Luo Ren’s breathing was still there, suppressed and anxiously fluctuating. Mu Dai asked him softly: “Luo Xiaodao, where are you?”

She had seen such red the previous night.

At that time, she and Meihua Jiuniang were hurriedly walking toward the mountains, following the silver-eyed bat in the air. The surroundings were eerie, perhaps because of that strange bat, perhaps because of the task Master had given her. Mu Dai felt nervous and several times sensed someone following behind them.

She lowered her voice and told Meihua Jiuniang, who smiled and said: “I’m with you, what are you afraid of?”

Indeed, she wasn’t afraid of encountering robbers on a night journey. Not just in Mist Town, but throughout the Southwest, it would be hard to find someone who could defeat her and her master.

But she was still worried. Once, when she looked back, she softly exclaimed, “Ah.”

In the distance behind them was a point of red, flowing red like a burning flame. It vanished instantly at her exclamation. When she focused her gaze, there was only thick fog.

Turning her head, she saw that Master was also looking in that direction, her brow furrowed, but with a smile at the corner of her lips.

That smile contained many meanings: disdainful, eager, composed, prepared for whatever might come.

Meihua Jiuniang gently patted her chest and said: “Come, Mu Dai, go, remember what Master told you. Master needs to loosen up.”

At that time, she hadn’t thought much of it, truly believing it was just an ill-intentioned night thief. As she hurried to keep up with the silver-eyed bat, she even felt a faint regret, thinking: It’s been many years since I’ve seen Master in action.

Now, she finally understood. That point of red wasn’t her eyes playing tricks, nor was it some laser-like point of light.

It was an eye.

Luo Xiaodao, where are you? Are you nearby?

Luo Ren sat on the bed, his forehead pressed hard against his knee, the phone burning hot against his ear. He heard himself mechanically answer with a few words: “I’m in Lijiang.”

Oh, so he was in Lijiang, separated by so many miles. No matter how worried he was about her, he couldn’t return, couldn’t reach her side.

Mu Dai found it strange that at this moment, she didn’t feel like crying. She looked at that eye, smiled slightly, and said into the phone: “Luo Xiaodao, I probably can’t beat her.”

Luo Ren couldn’t remember exactly what he had said, seemingly telling her to “stay alive” and that he would find her. Mu Dai seemed to have answered him with a very soft word:

“Mm.”

Then there were a few seconds of silence, followed by sudden movement. Luo Ren kept listening, hearing wood splitting, tables and chairs overturning, and someone falling heavily to the ground.

Breathing sounds came from the other end of the phone, but they weren’t Mu Dai’s.

From beginning to end, Mu Dai hadn’t made a sound. She must have lost the fight, but there had been no scolding, no cursing, no crying, not even a cry of pain.

Luo Ren’s heart clenched with pain, and his vision suddenly blurred.

He heard Leopard say, “Luo.”

Luo Ren didn’t speak, instinctively drawing the dagger from under his pillow. In the darkness, the blade gleamed coldly, and he gripped the handle tightly.

“Things went so smoothly. I should thank you for moving everyone away in one day.”

Yes, it was his mistake.

Leopard’s voice was as low as a whisper: “Last night, the fog was thick, and the mountain paths were strange. No matter how I searched, I couldn’t find your little beauty.”

“But it doesn’t matter. Although there was a setback, the result is still the same. Luo, I’m so eager to see you.”

She hung up, and almost at the exact moment the call ended, Luo Ren’s dagger shot out. He couldn’t tell how much force he had used, only saw the bright silver blade flash and instantly embed itself in the opposite wall.

In the quiet night, in the quiet bedroom, in the distance, the tourist area’s unique night lights still flickered, their misty glow outlining the shimmering waterways, green trees, and stone bridges.

Luo Ren got out of bed, stood for a moment, then suddenly became angry. He lifted the entire bed with both hands, but halfway through, he abruptly let go.

With a tremendous crash, the wooden floorboards nearly split. Luo Ren strode out the door. As he descended the stairs, several nearby residents turned on their lights, anxious figures appearing at the windows.

The usual peace and tranquility of this place had been disrupted by a sudden loud noise in the dead of night, plunging the neighbors into deep unease: What had happened? Had burglars broken in? Should they call the police? Had someone been… injured?

Gather and Scatter at Will bar.

Because the scenic area had good security, and the bar always had many residents, after closing time, the so-called “lock” on the main door was merely an internal wooden bar.

When Luo Ren pushed but couldn’t open it, he suddenly became agitated. He grabbed the door rings with both hands, first pulling then forcefully pushing, causing both doors to burst open with a crash. Just as he raised his foot to step inside, a figure suddenly lunged at him from the side.

Full of momentum, fierce and imposing, it was almost instantly upon him, one hand locking his throat, a knee heavily striking his chest and abdomen, directly flipping him to the ground. Immediately after, a sharp, cold edge pressed against his throat.

Luo Ren knew it was Qing Mu. He didn’t dodge or counterattack. Qing Mu seemed to sense something unusual about the intruder, made a surprised sound, and flipped his blade, so the back of the knife pressed against the throat instead.

The lights blazed on.

It was Yan Hongsha who had rushed over, hearing the commotion. Uncle Zhang and Yi Wansan had also gotten up. Cao Jiefang must have been startled as well; the flapping of wings conveyed the frustration of not being able to leave the cage to see the excitement. Qing Mu was stunned for a moment, then stood up. The pressure on Luo Ren’s chest and abdomen suddenly decreased, but was followed by the backlash of force, making it feel as if his internal organs had shifted position.

Footsteps came from the stairs—it was Huo Zihong, the last to come down, wearing a draped garment, looking somewhat at a loss.

Qing Mu, with a gloomy face, extended his hand to Luo Ren, intending to pull him up.

Luo Ren paused for a moment before taking Qing Mu’s hand, but only sat up without standing, and said: “Drink.”

Qing Mu understood, turning to go to the bar counter. Without caring about the classification of liquors, he directly reached for any bottle on the rack, grabbing six bottles with both hands.

Some of the bottles were not cheap, and only connoisseurs would know to treasure them. Yi Wansan became anxious: “Hey, that liquor…”

Qing Mu gave him a cold glare, and almost simultaneously, Huo Zihong tugged at his clothes and said: “Let it go.”

She then looked at the remaining people: “Go back to your rooms and sleep.”

She could tell something was wrong but felt it was a private matter between Qing Mu and Luo Ren, not wanting to pry too much.

Everyone gradually returned to their rooms. Yan Hongsha helped turn off the lights, leaving one wall lamp for Qing Mu and Luo Ren. As she was about to go upstairs, she suddenly had an impulse and hid behind the wall, secretly poking half her head out to look. Inadvertently, from the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Cao Jiefang and almost laughed out loud.

This chicken, possessed by some strange spirit, had stretched its neck out of the cage, clearly imitating her, in a posture of eagerly eavesdropping.

But the key was that from her angle, she could see Qing Mu and Luo Ren, but Cao Jiefang, no matter how far he stretched his neck, could only see the counter surface. What’s the point of stretching like that?

She saw Qing Mu opening a bottle cap, his dagger twisting and turning, making a popping sound as the cap spun off and fell to the ground, extremely deft and neat.

He clinked bottles with Luo Ren.

The crisp sound of bottle necks colliding. Luo Ren didn’t move, holding the bottle, looking through the mouth at the amber liquid gently rippling inside.

He said, “Qing Mu, I have a favor to ask.”

“Speak.”

“Leopard should appear in the next couple of days. When that happens, I want you to arrange everything.”

Qing Mu didn’t understand: “What do you mean?”

“You take charge, and I’ll follow your arrangements.”

Qing Mu looked at Luo Ren. Luo Ren was silent for a moment: “Mu Dai is in her hands. I’m afraid I won’t be able to plan calmly.”

It was as if a hostage were the close relative of a police officer, the overall rescue plan would need to be arranged by someone else—caring leads to confusion, fearing you might act impulsively, be afraid, overthink, and miss the best opportunity.

Qing Mu laughed coldly: “Has Leopard broken your spirit?”

Luo Ren remained silent.

“First, Tasha, then nine brothers, now your little girlfriend. Luo, you’ve lost to Leopard too many times. You don’t admit it, but you’re already afraid.”

Luo Ren continued his silence, his clenched knuckles gradually turning white.

Yan Hongsha held her breath, not even noticing that her fingers, which had initially just been resting against the wall, were now gripping it tightly.

Qing Mu burst into laughter, tilting his head back to take a big gulp of liquor, then wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Fine.”

Luo Ren turned to look at him.

He was still laughing, his gaze cold: “But Luo, let me make one thing clear. My ultimate goal in dealing with Leopard is to avenge my brothers. In my plans and arrangements, your girlfriend is expendable.”

Luo Ren suddenly erupted, forcefully grabbing Qing Mu’s collar and slamming him against the table corner.

Qing Mu didn’t avoid his gaze, meeting it directly. His collar was pulled askew, but he remained composed, holding the bottle and taking another sip.

He said, “Is there a problem? She’s not my woman.”

“Luo, no one can look after everyone. I can die for my brothers, for revenge. I won’t care about her. To achieve my goal, I will sacrifice her without hesitation.”

“Want to save her? Save yourself. That’s your responsibility, not mine.”