A Swift Rescue and a New Threat

“I advise you to stop.”

Just as Su Mengqi’s foot was about to connect with Frost’s back, Frost swiftly evaded the attack.

In the same fluid motion, she scooped up Luo Yao.

Luo Yao, cradled in Frost’s arms, hadn’t even registered Frost’s movements.

By the time he did, he was already firmly held against her.

Observing Su Mengqi’s missed kick, a hint of hostility sharpened Frost’s already icy expression.

“No!”

At that moment, Su Mengqi’s chuunibyou spirit (TL Note: A Japanese term, ‘chuunibyou,’ referring to ‘eighth-grade syndrome,’ a phase where adolescents develop delusions of grandeur.) had ignited completely.

At least, from Su Mengqi’s perspective, she was undoubtedly the heroine of a manga.

This, she imagined, was the classic scene of a hero rescuing a damsel in distress.

A strange fire had been lit within her as well.

“If you refuse a toast, you’ll be forced to drink a forfeit. You brought this upon yourself.”

Frost, gazing at the remarkably resolute Su Mengqi before her, gently set Luo Yao down on the ground.

Though they had just rounded a corner, the passersby who had been there earlier, hearing the commotion, now gathered once more to witness the spectacle.

Both Frost and Su Mengqi were stunning beauties, and Luo Yao’s ethereal aura was simply beyond compare.

Two breathtaking women fighting fiercely over a celestial-like boy—this kind of juicy gossip was irresistible.

Seeing the crowd regather, Frost only wished to finish this quickly.

The longer it dragged on, the more disadvantageous it would become for her.

Standing opposite Frost, Su Mengqi, despite knowing her skills were inferior, had been separated from Luo Yao for far too long.

Her yearning for Luo Yao transcended all other obsessions.

“Then… then let’s try it.”

Gazing up at Frost, who stood a head taller, Su Mengqi, though graceful, was far from foolish.

“Hmph.”

Frost cast a disdainful glance at Su Mengqi, then preemptively lunged forward, closing the distance between them.

Extending her hand, she reached directly for Su Mengqi’s throat.

The entire sequence was as fluid as flowing water; Su Mengqi didn’t even have time to react.

“W-wait…”

Caught off guard by the sudden assault, Su Mengqi had no time to respond.

She attempted to lean back, but her reaction was ultimately a step too slow.

“Too slow.”

Frost gripped Su Mengqi’s neck, a hint of disdain flickering in her icy gaze.

“L-let go!”

As Su Mengqi’s body was slowly lifted by Frost, she felt an inexplicable sense of suffocation, her throat clutched tight.

“Hmph.”

Hearing Su Mengqi’s words, Frost merely sneered.

If she wished, she could easily choke Su Mengqi to death right there, in front of everyone.

Though the aftermath might prove a little troublesome.

Watching Su Mengqi’s futile struggles, Frost gradually lost interest.

She even yawned, for a single exchange had already laid bare the vast disparity in their strengths.

“S-stop it!”

Luo Yao, witnessing Su Mengqi on the verge of unconsciousness, honestly didn’t believe Frost would commit murder in front of such a crowd.

Yet, seeing Su Mengqi fading and the murderous glint in Frost’s eyes, Luo Yao instinctively grasped the gravity of the situation.

‘Was she… truly going to kill someone right here, in front of everyone?’

‘Knowing that Frost served a master of extraordinary and ruthless temperament, and that Su Mengqi, too, was backed by the formidable Bluebird Group, Frost had no qualms whatsoever in her actions.’

****

Upon hearing Luo Yao’s desperate cry, Frost merely glanced back over her shoulder.

“Stop it!”

Luo Yao watched Frost, who showed no intention of stopping, and a shiver ran down his spine.

The murderous intent in Frost’s eyes was unmistakable.

A palpable, thick killing intent.

By now, Su Mengqi’s struggles had begun to wane, likely due to oxygen deprivation.

“Surely nothing serious will happen?”

The fight between the two had not devolved into the messy brawl the onlookers had anticipated; a single move had decided the victor.

Nevertheless, Frost’s fluid, effortless actions had delivered a powerful visual shock to the crowd.

“Perhaps we should call the police.”

Observing Frost’s prolonged grip and Su Mengqi’s significantly diminished struggles, they worried that a life might truly be at stake.

“Are you two very close?”

Frost, noticing Luo Yao had discreetly made his way behind her, merely raised an eyebrow.

Despite her growing irritation, she could not lay a hand on Luo Yao.

“She… she’s my classmate, let her go quickly!”

Luo Yao scurried behind Frost, his somewhat delicate fists pounding against her back.

However, against Frost’s robust physique, such attacks felt more like petulant gestures.

“Will you listen to me, then?”

For some reason, Frost adopted an air of authority, much like Mu Yaochen.

Indeed, worthy of master and servant, their every word and action seemed carved from the same mold.

“I’ll… I’ll listen. Please, I beg you, let her go quickly.”

Gazing at Su Mengqi, whose movements had almost ceased, Luo Yao felt a surge of guilt.

“Hmph.”

After a long moment, a rare smile finally graced Frost’s face.

Yet, in Luo Yao’s eyes, this smile was utterly chilling.

“Don’t… Luo Yao, run quickly, don’t mind me.”

Just as Frost intended to release her, Su Mengqi’s voice, though incredibly faint, was startlingly clear.

At the same time, her eyes, which had been tightly shut, struggled open.

“You haven’t passed out yet?”

Watching Su Mengqi’s continued struggles, Frost felt that this person was as annoying as a fly.

“You’d best just fall asleep.”

Before Su Mengqi could utter another word, Frost tightened her grip.

Frost vaguely recalled that prolonged suffocation could induce a temporary coma.

Before Frost could fully intensify her hold, another figure suddenly flashed out from the crowd.

Perceiving the shift in circumstances, Frost tossed Su Mengqi to the ground, preparing to meet the new assailant’s attack.

“Crack!”

A crisp sound of bone against bone echoed between them.

Frost felt a dull ache radiate from her elbow.

“Who are you?”

Frost sensed the person’s agile movements and knew they were a formidable beauty, difficult to handle.

“Why are you harming my young mistress!”

A tall, slender figure stood before Frost, their eyes burning with intense hostility.

“Heh, you can ask her.”

Frost’s piercing gaze swept over the woman before her.

This person was not old, yet her skills were impressive.

While her beauty wasn’t as breathtaking as Mu Yaochen’s or Su Mengqi’s, she exuded a refreshing aura.

“Both of you, you’d best explain yourselves before you leave.”

Observing the two women, the newcomer merely adopted a ready stance.

“That’s not up to you.”

Frost looked at the woman, who was now poised for combat.

She had no desire to prolong the fight; her primary goal now was to leave with Luo Yao.

Looking at the fallen Su Mengqi, it seemed she was also a child of a wealthy family, or she wouldn’t have such a formidable bodyguard.

Frost, who had always been tasked with protecting Mu Yaochen’s personal safety, had encountered members of various prominent families in Fanhai City, both big and small.

However, she had no recollection of the girl lying on the ground, much less this suddenly appearing personal bodyguard.

“You’d best take good care of her, or it might be too late to bring her back.”

Frost merely pursed her lips, her gaze falling upon Su Mengqi on the ground.

The earlier suffocation had rendered her unconscious.

“Young mistress?”

Hearing Frost’s words, the woman instinctively shifted her gaze to Su Mengqi, who lay prone.

But in the mere moment it took her to turn her head, Frost, cradling Luo Yao, swiftly vanished from her sight.

“Damn it!”

Staring at the suddenly vanished Frost, the woman was momentarily at a loss for what to do.

“Oh, oh, oh, oh, she ran off with him?”

Frost’s movements had been so swift that even the casual onlookers hadn’t clearly seen them.

But it didn’t matter; they were merely there for the spectacle.

Seeing the person suddenly disappear, the woman did not give chase.

Instead, she slowly knelt down and examined Su Mengqi’s injuries.

No sooner had the woman crouched down than she heard Su Mengqi seemingly whispering something.

“Luo Yao… Luo Yao, give Luo Yao back to me…”

Su Mengqi’s voice was extremely faint, audible only to someone close by.

Meanwhile, the Luo Yao whom Su Mengqi longed for was already being carried into a car by Frost.

****