Chapter 655: Strange Changes in the Downpour (Make-up for Missing Updates)
Night fell by the lakeside tavern.
These young men and women, around 18 to 20 years old, were at their peak of vitality and had just won in a major election. Most would soon enter prestigious factions, being nurtured as core members, naturally leading to high spirits, bold declarations, and unending ambitious promises that stirred everyone present, regardless of gender, into a fervor almost ready to swear brotherhood on the spot.
However, after cooling down, they all agreed to never forget this night’s resolve and to support each other through thick and thin.
As more dishes were served and the wine flowed, the evening gradually moved into its latter stages.
Another dish was brought out, looking like a platter of orange-scented oranges.
“Has Sister Jialan ever tried this?” Tang Nanlian picked up an orange, peeled off the top, revealing the delicious inside.
“Crab?” Lolan Hill guessed, looking at the yellow crab legs inside the orange.
“Yes, this dish is called ‘Crab in Orange.’ It involves cutting mature oranges at the top, scooping out the flesh, leaving some juice, stuffing crab meat inside, putting the top back on, steaming it in a basin with wine, vinegar, and water, then seasoning it with vinegar and salt. It has flavors of wine, chrysanthemum, orange, and crab.”
“My hometown is by the water, and a nearby tavern specializes in this. I didn’t expect to see it here in Le Xiaze,” Tang Nanlian said, picking up a small spoon and tasting it.
“It’s even better. Sister Jialan, do you want to try it?” Her eyes closed as she savored it.
“I’ll give it a try too.” Lolan Hill took an orange, carefully peeled the top, and tasted it.
The crab meat had a subtle aroma of wine, very fresh and rich, while the orange’s sweet and sour flavor cut through the richness of the meat and oil, making it refreshing to eat.
As the banquet progressed and more people got drunk, the noise in the hall gradually subsided, and it was time for the feast to end.
After bidding farewell, the young men supported each other down the stairs. The sound of carriages could be heard outside.
“It’s getting late; we should head back,” Lolan Hill stood up.
“Let me find someone to escort you two ladies,” Lan Yuqing, though somewhat drunk, still managed to stand steadily.
“No need, there are many others who need to be escorted, and we two haven’t had any drinks. It’s not necessary to trouble anyone,” Lolan Hill shook her head.
“Alright then, wishing you both a safe journey. See you all tomorrow,” Lan Yuqing bowed, then sat down again, clearly exhausted.
“Young lady sighed inwardly, then walked downstairs with Tang Nanlian.
After leaving the tavern, the cool night air brought the smell of lake water, adding a chill and a sense of clarity.
“Let’s go,” Lolan Hill and Tang Nanlian held lanterns and walked onto the street. There were still some pedestrians, as it was a big city. High candle towers were lit, casting faint light over the streets to avoid complete darkness.
After dropping Tang Nanlian off, Lolan Hill returned alone to her temporary lodging.
Halfway, she suddenly noticed something and looked up at the sky.
It’s going to rain heavily.
Before she could finish her thought, large raindrops fell from the sky, hitting the cobblestones with a splat.
Splashes of water rose on the stones, the rain mingling with the earthy scent in the air. The heavy rain poured down, so dense that if one tried to catch it, it would sting slightly.
To avoid the rain, Lolan Hill had to temporarily hide in a narrow alley between buildings, where the eaves provided a relatively dry spot.
Everything blurred in her vision, and the sound of raindrops filled her ears. She put down the half-wet, extinguished lantern, rolled up her sleeves, and wrung out the water before letting them drop.
Her damp clothes clung to her arms, causing a chill. She found a slightly raised stone to stand on and leaned against the wall, watching the raindrops fall.
Oh, I’m not at Sequence Three yet. If I rush out now, I might get soaked. That wouldn’t be good, she thought.
She decided to wait a bit longer until the rain lessened, standing quietly under the eave.
With the heavy rain came strong winds, tilting the rain and changing the sound. Amidst the storm, occasional raindrops drifted into the alley, hitting her skin.
Just as Lolan Hill considered using the waiting time to practice, a commotion broke out on the street outside the alley.
It sounded like a group rushing through the rain, their footsteps splashing in puddles.
“Who!” One voice shouted, seemingly detecting a hidden figure.
This sudden shout startled Lolan Hill. Was he calling for me? Should I step out and clarify? Before she could decide, a faint sound of drawing a blade echoed on the street.
The blade, perhaps made of fine iron but not of the highest quality, produced a significant friction sound when drawn, indicating it wasn’t polished and had a dull gray hue from oxidation.
As the blade was drawn, the group in the rain tensed up. They lowered a heavy object, possibly a sedan chair, and drew their swords from their waists.
A sudden bolt of lightning illuminated the entire street, revealing the figure blocking the way in front of the group.
Lolan Hill closed her eyes, sinking her consciousness into her senses, absorbing the chaotic information brought by the wind and rain.
A woman wearing a conical hat stood quietly in the middle of the street. Her upper body was wrapped in a faded, old chest binder, exposing her arms and abdomen, which showed signs of hard labor with a darker complexion.
She wore a torn dark green skirt, a style rarely seen in the deep mountains. Her wooden clogs were worn out, suggesting long use, though they remained relatively clean, only becoming cold and dark from the rain.
In her hand, she held a slender blade, shaped like a young grain stalk, pointing downward, with rainwater sliding down the blade and dripping off, forming tiny streams before being swept away by the surging rainwater.
“Who are you? Do you know who sits in this sedan chair? How dare you be so audacious!” The guards around the sedan chair approached, drawing their blades one after another.
The woman lifted her head, her face briefly illuminated by the lightning.
Her face was ordinary, indistinguishable from a woman working outside, except for her unusually calm eyes, showing an extreme calmness after unwavering determination.
The simple grain stalk blade suddenly twisted, shaking off the water droplets. Her figure moved swiftly in the rain like a shadow, the blade moving too fast for the eye to follow.
The guards protecting the sedan chair were no ordinary soldiers, with about twelve at Sequence Two and six at Sequence Three, their condensed aura and spiritual energy forming an ironclad shield around the sedan. Yet, under this swift blade, they were powerless, heads rolling into the rain by the roadside.
Blood flowed amidst the rain, quickly washing away even the sounds of fierce combat.
After the ten or so guards fell, the ones behind hadn’t even moved when the sedan door abruptly opened, and an eight-sided precious sword stabbed out towards the woman’s face.
With a crisp clash, the blade surged, shattering the thrusting sword, but the woman’s body seemed struck by lightning, flying backward.
“This sword was forged using the seven dragon veins of Cut Lightning. I bet this hit wasn’t pleasant for you either,” said a tall man emerging slowly from the sedan chair. His face was stern, exuding an intimidating aura, suggesting he held a high position.
“Who are you, and why did you attack me?” He waved his hand, and the guards beside him stepped forward, holding iron chains, ready to capture and interrogate the woman.
Humph.
Blood spewed from her mouth, but she remained silent, raising her blade again, her gaze intensifying.
“Kill!”
The guards’ Yanling blades flashed with the same vermilion-gold patterns, then turned red-hot like molten iron, slashing at the woman. Their trajectories left trails of steam as they cut through the rain.
Metallic clashes echoed across the street. Compared to before, the woman’s strength seemed to have weakened significantly, causing a brief stalemate as she struggled to subdue the guards.
During this short interval, the guards protecting the official from behind retrieved powerful crossbows from beneath the sedan, aiming at the woman engaged in combat. The tips of these crossbows resembled howling wolves, spitting sharp bolts.
[Greedy Wolf Crossbow] (Silver Grade, Rare): Created by the Mechanized Workshop under the Winter Ministry of the House of Plantagenet, used in the military.
Seeing the six Greedy Wolf crossbows fully charged, their luster receding, emitting a dangerous aura, the woman in the rain moved faster, apparently trying to dodge.
Ah—There’s a snake!
The bolts from the Greedy Wolf crossbows transformed into concealed silver streaks, piercing the night sky and vanishing into the distance. The soldiers holding the crossbows screamed in panic and dropped their weapons.
At some point, small black shadows appeared in the puddles, resembling miniature black-red snakes, climbing up the ankles, their tiny fangs like needles embedding into the flesh, injecting toxins that drove the victims mad.
It wasn’t that these guards lacked resolve, but the snakes were truly bizarre, instilling fear in their hearts.
In the alley, Lolan Hill tiptoed, watching the small snakes swimming in the water below, silently praying.
Snakes, don’t come near me. I hate snakes, especially those that appear unexpectedly.
She dared not use any extraordinary power to drive them away, fearing it might attract attention. Holding her breath, she watched the small snake shadows in the rainwater, her eyes tense.
Fortunately, the alley wasn’t as densely populated with snakes as the street. Moreover, these snakes seemed attracted to blood, remaining calm in areas without it.
The situation on the street reversed instantly after the snake shadows appeared. The guards, once dominant, began to collapse from poisoning, convulsing in the rain, their cries echoing.
Without the guards’ interference, the woman wielding the grain stalk blade launched another assault on the official standing in front of the sedan. The official was surrounded by small snakes, but stepping on them created a small circular barrier, separating the snakes. However, it seemed to limit his movements.
Seeing the blade slice through the rain, the tip cutting dangerously close to the man,
his expression darkened as he pulled out a golden stone token from his chest, directly blocking the incoming blade.
The ordinary blade, already damaged from previous clashes, shattered instantly under such force, sending fragmented pieces across the man’s face, leaving a bleeding trail.
The woman without the blade didn’t seem surprised, as if prepared. Her left hand, always by her side, darted out with agility, changing trajectory five times to avoid the blocking token, aiming for the man’s neck.
Unfortunately, a hand as strong as iron still blocked her path, stopping her.
The tall man felt that although the hand looked rough, its bones were surprisingly soft, unlike that of a common village woman, more like a gentle young lady who played music.
Just as he prepared to kick her and question her again, the hand in his palm suddenly changed, stabbing him like a spider bite, with a human-faced spider pattern flashing on the back of his hand.
An extremely cold energy spread from his palm throughout his body, as if he had been plunged into the frigid north. The man stared in disbelief at the woman, trying to speak, but his body could no longer support him, collapsing slowly into the rain-soaked blood.
His vision blurred with the night rain, everything dimming, until he saw a scar on the woman’s side, where a massive wound had been stitched.
“Cough… It’s you… Hah,” his voice rasped, then he resigned himself, closing his eyes, falling into the blood-soaked rain.
Watching the man fall, the woman stood quietly in the rain for a moment before turning and disappearing into the storm.
Lolan Hill, hiding nearby, finally breathed a sigh of relief but was conflicted. Should she report to the authorities? Would she be mistaken for an accomplice? After all, her origins were unclear.
Thankfully, her dilemma didn’t last long. A loud shout echoed through the street.
“Someone attacked an official! Someone’s dead!”
Tonight, there should be more chapters, but they will be later. You can go to sleep early.
End of Chapter
