Unexpected Alliances and Lingering Suspicions

Having only recently used her ability, Xiang Qi’s mind was still somewhat muddled, causing her to blurt out her true thoughts almost subconsciously.

Fortunately, no harm was done, and she managed to smooth things over in time. A quiet sigh of relief escaped her only after she saw that no one seemed to suspect anything.

This incident only solidified Xiang Qi’s resolve to act tonight.

Her physical condition was deteriorating rapidly. She clenched her hands, feeling nothing but a profound sense of weakness and exhaustion. Having walked for an entire day, it was undoubtedly an immense burden on her current body.

Yesterday’s ankle swelling, which hadn’t subsided, was even more pronounced today. Each step brought a fresh wave of pain.

If she delayed any further, she might not even be able to walk, let alone resist.

****

The atmosphere grew silent, none of them speaking. Shu Xun drew closer to Xiang Qi, trailing behind her.

Though unvoiced, her worried eyes betrayed her thoughts, much like a startled fawn.

“It’s alright. We’ll win.”

‘I’m sorry.’

Xiang Qi embraced Shu Xun, patting her back and offering soft words of comfort.

“Sister Xia, I’m scared…”

Shu Xun’s body trembled slightly, her eyes reddening. She dared not look at the gruesome sights on the ground, burying her head against Xiang Qi’s chest instead.

With the comfort offered, her suppressed fear surged forth, as if she had finally found a refuge.

Forcing herself to ignore the strange sensation against her chest and suppressing the urge to push the girl away, Xiang Qi maintained a gentle demeanor, as though those thoughts were not her own.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

This tender scene of sisterly affection naturally caught the eye of a keen observer.

‘When did their relationship become so close?’ Xiang Ke’s gaze flickered between Xiang Qi and Shu Xun, filled with confusion. She filed this observation away in her mind.

She distinctly remembered warning that girl to be wary of the other.

‘Hah, what clumsy acting.’

The blue-haired young man watched the scene with indifference, offering no comment. The situation had devolved to such an extent that every sort of monster and demon dared to emerge.

Though, truth be told, he wasn’t faring much better himself.

As the ostensible strongest member of the current team, the blue-haired man was no longer as tense as before, gradually beginning to relax.

The few who were still alive had, more or less, gleaned some understanding of the system’s true intentions. While their guesses might not be entirely accurate, they had at least lowered their guard somewhat.

The unknown was always the most dangerous. Once a mystery was unraveled, a solution could always be found.

Xiang Qi, having already formulated a plan, naturally felt at ease. For her, the real peril lay tonight; now was a rare moment of respite.

After subtly revealing a hint of her unusual state, she seemed somewhat idle, half-indulging her own preferences.

As for why it was only half relaxing, that related to Xiang Qi’s habits. Her suspicious nature was almost on par with a certain Cao-named wife-lover; she could never truly let down her guard, nor could she ever fully relax.

There was certainly a reason for this sudden mention.

This particular habit allowed her to uncover some unusual occurrences.

****

Meanwhile, Gu Changqing had remained taciturn since returning to the stronghold.

Although it had previously been stated that he would be dealt with within three chapters, some minor unexpected events had pushed him to the back burner, successfully transforming him from a mere extra destined for an immediate demise into a supporting character.

While there wasn’t much difference between a supporting character and an extra, at least he would live for a few more chapters.

At this moment, Gu Changqing discovered something on a corpse, his eyes narrowing involuntarily.

He crouched down, flipping a body over, completely unconcerned by the blood that stained his hands.

“Tell me, did the attackers have guns?”

He directed the question toward Xiang Ke and Ji Hua, who had been left to guard the stronghold. His head tilted slightly, his expression exceptionally grim.

If they truly had guns, the trouble would be immense.

“No guns. If they had guns, how could we still be standing here unharmed?” Ji Hua spoke, her words denying it, yet her body unconsciously tensed.

“No, that’s not right… Think about it carefully. Are you absolutely certain there were no guns?” Gu Changqing noticed the signal Xiang Qi gave him, shaking his head imperceptibly. He then met Ji Hua’s gaze, taking two steps forward. “I’d stake my reputation on it. These are definitely gunshot wounds.”

‘Alright, I’ll trust your judgment.’

Xiang Qi ceased her subtle movements, accepting Gu Changqing’s actions. Though she had initially intended to ask him what was happening, she refrained from interfering upon seeing that he seemed to have his own thoughts.

It was important to delegate authority to one’s own people when appropriate. From this perspective, Xiang Qi appeared to be a talented leader.

In reality, she had already used her ability to confirm that he posed no immediate threat to her, which was why she appeared so magnanimous.

Young Lady Xiang was quite cunning.

“No… absolutely not…”

Despite her words, Ji Hua’s tone lacked conviction, and her gaze flickered nervously.

She wouldn’t have reacted this way if asked about anyone else, but Gu Changqing had specifically asked about the one person she least wanted to mention.

It wasn’t the muscular man. Ji Hua was perfectly certain about the muscular man’s cause of death and wouldn’t have displayed such a reaction.

The person he asked about was Chen Anhe, the young man abandoned outside the gate by two people.

Ji Hua actually felt some guilt for having done such a thing. Although the young man truly didn’t get along with her, it wasn’t to the point of wishing him dead.

Upon re-emerging and seeing yet another corpse on the ground, her already uneasy feelings from having killed someone worsened. Being suddenly reminded of it now made her somewhat flustered.

‘Who knew how this person actually died?’

“Alright, I understand now.”

Gu Changqing’s tone suddenly softened, no longer mentioning the matter, and he returned to Xiang Qi’s side.

Ji Hua breathed a sigh of relief, only to tense up again almost immediately.

She instinctively moved closer to Xiang Ke, who she had fought alongside earlier, as if that alone could provide her with a sense of security.

The slightly abnormal atmosphere within the group, after several deaths, finally erupted, deepening the rift between everyone.

Ji Hua didn’t believe that the others would let her off so easily, especially with Xiang Qi, who she had even more animosity with, standing there. It all reeked of a conspiracy.

Thus, an interesting situation had emerged: Gu Changqing, who originally belonged to the blue-haired young man’s side, had joined Xiang Qi, while Ji Hua had grown closer to Xiang Ke after the raid.

The blue-haired man, who was supposed to be the actual leader, suddenly found himself isolated.