Dogs are loyal to their masters, but for anyone on the receiving end, that loyalty is a nuisance. Even though Jiang Wuyan possessed the ability to communicate with animals, it was useless at this moment.
As soon as the dogs began to bark, she took off at a full sprint. From far behind, she could hear the man known as Brother Qi barking orders: "Catch her!"
Guided only by the bird on her shoulder, Jiang Wuyan plowed forward, regardless of the obstacles she crashed into. But she was a blind woman; how could she possibly outrun several fit, burly men?
Just as they were about to close in, the bird on her shoulder soared into the air and let out a piercing cry. It summoned a flock of birds that descended upon the men, flapping wildly against their faces before darting away and diving back down in a relentless cycle.
By the time the men managed to drive the flock away, they had temporarily lost Jiang Wuyan’s trail.
***
Jiang Wuyan ran toward the back of the Jiang Estate, where there was a hidden hole in the perimeter wall. She scrambled through it without hesitation.
She knew they would be on her heels soon, so she didn't dare stop or dwell on her thoughts, running on sheer, numb instinct.
She didn't know how long she had been running. Relying on the birds and the stray cats and dogs she encountered along the way to gauge her general direction, she finally dashed into a forest. Perhaps because her legs were utterly exhausted, she tripped over a tree root and slammed heavily onto the ground.
After a brief moment of numbness came an unbearable tide of pain, radiating from every part of her body to her brain. The scrapes and bruises from the long run, combined with the impact of her fall—the pain she hadn't felt while running now rushed back all at once, nearly drowning her.
She tried to endure it. But when she fumbled for her cane and found it wedged against something, no matter how hard she pulled, it wouldn't budge. As her palms grew raw and stung from the effort, she finally broke down.
Why?
Why did she have to endure all of this?
What had she done wrong?
Even when she was branded a curse, reviled by thousands, and bullied by everyone, she had never actively harmed a soul. She was so afraid of bringing misfortune to those around her that she had once tried to wall herself off, refusing to touch anyone.
She had lived so cautiously, cherishing every scrap of hard-won love.
And so, when He Yunxuan chose her, insisting on marrying her against all odds, she was willing to sacrifice her own eyes to save him. She had even treated the entire He Estate with the utmost care.
So, when her younger sister began to draw near and show concern, she was willing to yield for her sake again and again. If not for her, Jiang Huan never could have helped He Yunxuan win that battle!
So, she endured her stepmother’s biases and vicious curses, even after being accused of causing her mother and father's deaths. She had once even cut her own flesh to use as medicine for her ailing father, and she had tolerated his new wife’s secret schemes and entrapments.
She didn't ask for anything; she only wanted to live!
But in the end?
In the end, what was it all for?
Hahahaha...
She was nothing but the world’s greatest joke!
Jiang Wuyan laughed wildly, her lifeless eyes turning redder and redder...
Suddenly, she heard rapid footsteps. The group chasing her had found her.
She didn't move. She stopped laughing, her face turning cold and grim.
Once, she had believed that as long as she was careful and patient, she could at least survive.
But now... was surviving really enough?
What belonged to her, what was owed to her—how was that to be settled?
A dark light seemed to flash in her crimson eyes. Soon, a rustling sound echoed through the surroundings. Before long, several snakes slithered up to Jiang Wuyan and circled her, showing no signs of aggression.
She placed her hand on the ground, and one snake crawled onto it, its tongue licking the blood from her palm.
"I never intended to burden you with the debt of human lives," she said in a raspy, gentle voice that held an indescribable chill. She lifted her other hand and gently stroked the snake’s head. "But now, I would like to ask for your help. Would you?"
She returned her hand to the ground. The snake slithered off and led the others toward the dark forest behind Jiang Wuyan, moving like a well-drilled squad of soldiers.
Jiang Wuyan did not look back. She sat still for a moment, then gripped her cane again and pulled hard. This time, it slid free.
She pulled out her ancient coins and cast a divination.
Then, she pushed herself up with her cane and limped toward the direction she had calculated.
After fumbling along for a while, she finally heard the clash of steel and several roars.
The bird flew out, circled once, and returned to her shoulder to relay the situation.
Jiang Wuyan curled the corner of her lips.
Fortunately, no matter how she was treated, she had never thought of giving up on herself. Although things had deviated from her original plan, she was finally putting it to use.
Several birds flew over the "battlefield" where the fighting was taking place, scattering an unknown powder. It wasn't poison, but once it entered one’s eyes, it would render them unable to keep their eyes open.
Jiang Wuyan took the opportunity to blend into the chaos. Relying on her keen sense of smell, she found someone else being hunted and grabbed him, pulling him away.
The man was "docile" enough to let her drag him for a distance without resistance. But as soon as they were out of range of the fighting, a hand shot out from behind, fast and ruthless, and clamped around Jiang Wuyan's throat.
At the same time, the man pressed his body against her back, subduing her completely. His voice was both harsh and calm. "Who are you? What do you want?"
Jiang Wuyan simply pressed a bottle of medicine into his hand, seemingly unfazed by the threat to her throat. "This will wash the powder from your eyes." She wasn't the least bit worried that her actions might provoke him into strangling her on the spot.
He hesitated, then accepted it. He used the medicine to rinse his eyes, and soon he was able to open them, gradually bringing the world into focus.
Including the person before him.
Xiao Jinxu was slightly taken aback. He looked at his future sister-in-law. She held a cane, her eyes unfocused, staring straight ahead. She was covered in wounds large and small, her clothes filthy with mud and dead leaves—she looked even more wretched than he, the one being hunted.
But her face, which usually looked pale and plain when ignored, appeared exquisitely beautiful upon closer inspection, despite the small cuts and bloodstains. Her expression was no longer one of cowering or hiding; in her calm, there was an undisguised coldness and fury. She was like a rising sun wrapped in dark, red energy—it was impossible to ignore her any longer.
At the very least, she was completely different from the woman he had seen during the day.
Why was she here?
Did she know who she was saving? And why?
Did she have anything to do with the ambush and assassination attempt tonight?
After a moment of thought, he lowered his voice and changed his tone. "Who exactly are you?"
Jiang Wuyan raised an eyebrow slightly.
She had come looking for him, so naturally, she knew who he was. And since he had seen her during the day, it was impossible for him to have forgotten.
If he wanted to play pretend, then they would play together. Anyway, she couldn't see, so neither of them had to acknowledge the other!
"A passerby. Just passing through," she said, withdrawing her outward resentment and throwing out these cold, mysterious words before turning to leave.
Xiao Jinxu hurriedly grabbed her. "Where are you going?"