Mo Li

An Er knew many experts in interrogation—such as the dashing and elegant Third Master Feng Zhiyao, the shadow guard leader responsible for their training, or the stern and silent but kind-hearted steward of Ding Royal Palace, Uncle Mo. But An Er had never imagined that their delicate and refined mistress, the Princess of the State, was also skilled in this field. Many times, the four of them couldn’t help but wonder just how badly the Ye family had mistreated their mistress to twist a noble-born young lady into someone like this.

Extracting that unlucky assassin from Princess Manor would require considerable effort. Given the heightened security, the cost of smuggling him out might far outweigh the benefits. So An Er didn’t plan to wait until tomorrow—he intended to pry open the assassin’s mouth right then and there. The guest courtyard was spacious, and Ye Li’s inner chamber was located at the very back. As long as they didn’t make loud noises, even those monitoring from outside wouldn’t notice anything amiss. Of course, the shadow guards already hidden within Princess Manor wouldn’t allow anyone who shouldn’t approach the guest courtyard to get close. The unfortunate assassin, after being forced to drink a cup of cold tea laced with Tendon Weakening Powder, couldn’t even scream if he wanted to.

Thus, an eerie scene unfolded in the otherwise elegantly decorated room. On one side of the couch lay the unconscious Southern Border maid, while at the table sat a delicate young girl, sketching under the lamplight. Just a few steps away, however, a brutal interrogation was taking place. An Er, his expression dark, shattered the assassin’s left leg bone. The assassin, pale and drenched in sweat, still clenched his teeth, refusing to speak. Restricted by the location and unable to resort to excessively messy or bloody methods, An Er’s expression grew increasingly grim. By the time Ye Li finished her work and looked up, An Er had yet to extract a single useful word from the assassin—who had nearly seized the chance to bite off his own tongue.

"No luck? Need help?" Ye Li stood and asked.

An Er’s lips twitched as he shook his head. "This kind of work isn’t suitable for you, miss."

"It’s fine. Even if you break his other leg, he still won’t talk."

"Then I’ll shatter every bone in his body," An Er said coldly, glaring at the assassin.

Ye Li chuckled and shook her head. "By the time you break half his bones, he’ll already be dead."

"Do you have any ideas, miss?"

Ye Li walked over leisurely, crouched down, and smiled gently at the assassin on the floor. "You understand the Central Plains language, don’t you? Don’t worry—I won’t be as rough as him." The assassin warily eyed the sweetly smiling young girl before him. His instincts as an assassin told him that this seemingly lovely and harmless girl was the truly dangerous one.Ye Li smiled amiably at the assassin who was eyeing her warily and said softly, "Don't be afraid. I won't break your bones like he did. I plan to... dislocate every single bone in your body. Starting with... your fingers." Her delicate hand lifted the assassin's left hand, and with a crisp crack , one joint of the index finger twisted unnaturally. Ye Li continued downward, another clear snap , and the entire finger was contorted. The assassin, whose jaw had already been dislocated, couldn't even scream, only managing muffled groans. Ye Li looked at him and said, "Nod when you're ready to talk. But... don't wait until I've taken apart every bone in your body. By then, it'll be too late."

Crack...

Ye Li's expression remained calm, her hands moving methodically. Yet it was precisely this calmness that was more terrifying than An Er's fierce threats and intimidation. Just as Ye Li moved her hand toward the assassin's right hand, the assassin—whose face was ashen and breathing weak—finally managed a difficult nod. Ye Li raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at An Er, remarking, "I thought he was really made of tough stuff. This is all it took?" An Er silently wiped the sweat from his forehead. He, too, thought the assassin was rather useless, but at the same time, what frightened him about his mistress wasn't her methods of torture—it was that terrifying calmness. If it were him, he'd probably be just as scared.

"Good. But don't joke with me. Otherwise... the consequences will make you regret being born," Ye Li advised him earnestly.

Ye Li nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now, tell me—who is your master?" She gestured for An Er to reset the assassin's jaw before asking. A flicker of fear passed through the assassin's eyes as he looked at Ye Li, opening his mouth but still saying nothing. Ye Li frowned slightly in thought and said, "If you're worried about your safety, I can guarantee your protection. Once I finish my business in the Southern Border, I'll give you enough money to start a new life under a different name." The assassin's eyes flashed, his expression wavering with hesitation. Seeing this, Ye Li's smile grew even more sincere. "Your information is very important to me. So... as long as what you tell me is true, I promise to keep my word. However, you should also understand that you're not the only one who knows this information. If you don't speak, someone else might. And then... I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to..." Watching the assassin's tense expression, Ye Li chuckled. "No, I won't kill you. On my way to the Southern Border, I passed through a valley filled with blood-red flowers. Under each flower coiled a small snake. At the time, I wondered—what do all those snakes eat to grow so big? What do you think...?"

"Ser... Serpent Valley... No..." It wasn't just Central Plains folk who feared places like Serpent Valley. While Southern Border natives weren't afraid of snakes, no one—except Snake Charmers—would remain unafraid of tens of thousands of uncontrolled venomous snakes.

"So... your answer?"

"I'll talk... What do you want to know?"

Ye Li turned to An Er and raised an eyebrow in satisfaction.In truth, not much information was obtained from the assassins, as those sent out as cannon fodder were unlikely to be core figures. However, it at least partially confirmed Ye Li's suspicions and narrowed down the target of Xu Qingchen's disappearance. Yet, Xu Qingchen's exact whereabouts remained unknown. Now that it was confirmed he was temporarily out of danger, Ye Li's anxious heart finally relaxed.

"Jun Wei... Jun Wei..."

Amid the bustling streets, a cheerful voice called out, drawing the attention of passersby who turned to see a handsome man dressed in white Central Plains attire waving joyfully at a young man not far away. Ye Li turned around and sighed helplessly at the sight of the white-clad man running toward her, forcing a smile as she said, "Brother Han, it's been days. How have you been?" Han Mingxi fixed her with a soulful, resentful gaze. "Jun Wei, I traveled thousands of miles to follow you to Nanzhao, yet you abandoned me. How cruel of you..."

"Abandoned me..." Ye Li couldn't help but shudder. Though the passersby couldn't understand his words, his tone and demeanor made them cast strange glances at the pair.

"Brother Han!" Ye Li rubbed her temples, barely controlling her temper before smiling. "Have you finally slept enough? How rare."

Han Mingxi showed no trace of guilt, leaning in with a grin. "Not at all! I woke up long ago and even took a stroll around the city. But I didn’t see you anywhere. Why didn’t you tell me if you had business to attend to? I could’ve gone with you—wouldn’t that have been safer?" Ye Li rolled her eyes. "I was just looking around, not charging into a dragon’s den or tiger’s lair." Han Mingxi shrugged nonchalantly. "Even if you were, I’d go with you." He blinked at her, his eyes practically spelling out, See how good I am to you?

Ye Li frowned. She hadn’t expected to run into Han Mingxi. Bringing him along now would be highly inconvenient, but leaving him behind—given his personality—might lead to the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity turning the Nanzhao capital upside down. After a moment’s thought, she said, "Brother Han, let’s talk somewhere else."

Once seated in a teahouse private room, Ye Li spoke. "Brother Han, I have some matters to attend to, and your presence might be... inconvenient."

Han Mingxi slumped onto the table, glaring at her accusingly. "You... When you needed intelligence from the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity, you didn’t say it was inconvenient! Now you want to ditch me. You’re heartless!" Ye Li was speechless. She had paid the appropriate price for the Pavilion’s intelligence—no free labor involved. Seeing her disinterested expression, Han Mingxi bit his nail and giggled. "What could possibly be happening in such a small place like Nanzhao? Aren’t you here for the Netherworld Dark Flower? I have news about the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border. Or is it the Sick Scholar? I know his whereabouts too, though it seems another group is after him. You’d better steer clear of them. Or perhaps... Qingchen Gongzi has gone missing, hasn’t he?" Tilting his head, Han Mingxi smiled innocently.

"The Pavilion of Heavenly Unity’s intelligence truly lives up to its reputation," Ye Li sighed softly.Han Mingxi smiled, "Isn't the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity in the business of selling information? There are only a few major events happening in the Nanzhao capital recently. If we didn't know about them, what would be the point of us being here? So... which one would Jun Wei like to deal with first?" Ye Li stared at him intently before finally chuckling softly, "Do you know where Qingchen Gongzi is?" Han Mingxi's eyes flickered slightly as he replied somewhat discontentedly, "So you want to find him first after all? Jun Wei, I thought the Underworld Flower and Netherworld Dark Flower would be more important to you." Ye Li said, "We can retrieve those items anytime, but if we don't find the person soon, he might not remain unharmed." Han Mingxi propped his chin on his hand and looked at her, "If you want information about Qingchen Gongzi, tell me first—what's your relationship with him?"

Ye Li shook her head with a smile, "You don't actually know Xu Qingchen's whereabouts either. Otherwise, you wouldn't be trying to bargain with me just now, would you?"

Han Mingxi snorted and glared at her in frustration, "Well then, do you want information about the Holy Maiden of Southern Border? If not, I'll burn it."

"He's my elder brother," Ye Li answered. Han Mingxi frowned, scrutinizing her for a long moment before asking, "Brothers? Are you Xu Qingbai or Xu Qingyan? Judging by age... you resemble Xu Qingyan more, but your personality seems more like Xu Qingbai. However... no one ever mentioned that any of the Xu family's young masters knew martial arts?" Ye Li smiled, "It seems the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity's intelligence isn't entirely reliable. The third young master of the Xu family, Xu Qingfeng, is currently serving in the military—didn't Brother Han know that?" Han Mingxi eyed her suspiciously, "Could you really be from the Xu family?" Ye Li smiled without confirming or denying it.

Han Mingxi paced restlessly around the room, occasionally muttering complaints at Ye Li, "You lied to me... You weren't here for the Netherworld Dark Flower at all—you came looking for Xu Qingchen! Jun Wei, you deceived me..."

"Gongzi," An Er's voice came from outside the door before it was pushed open. He glanced at Han Mingxi before addressing Ye Li, "Gongzi, we have news."

Ye Li nodded, "Come in and speak."

Inside the room, both Ye Li and An Er turned their gazes toward Han Mingxi. Unexpectedly, the usually perceptive Wind and Moon noble seemed oblivious to their silent request for privacy, lounging casually in his chair as he helped himself to some pastries. Ye Li sighed and waved at An San, "Never mind, just say it directly."

An San nodded and said solemnly, "Princess Anxi had contact with Qingchen Gongzi today... or at least someone related to him."

Ye Li frowned, "How so?"

An San explained, "When Princess Anxi returned to her residence today, her clothes carried traces of a particular incense. The people of Southern Border don't favor perfumes, so they don't study them in detail. But they don't realize that in the Central Plains, even the same incense can have many subtle variations. For example, among the Xu family's young masters, aside from the third and fifth young masters who don't use incense, the second young master prefers plum blossom fragrance, the fourth favors orchid, while Qingchen Gongzi—since he travels often—uses a special blend personally prepared by Madam Xu, which includes medicinal herbs beneficial to health, giving it a faint medicinal scent. Ordinary people would find it extremely difficult to identify, let alone replicate."

Ye Li frowned, "Where did Princess Anxi go today?""The palace. This morning, the King of Nanzhao summoned Princess Anxi. After leaving the palace, she returned directly to her residence," An San affirmed.

Han Mingxi chuckled curiously, "Could Qingchen Gongzi be inside the palace?"

An San hesitated for a moment, frowning. "Princess Anxi likely had little chance to see Qingchen Gongzi in person. From the moment she entered the palace until she left, she was almost entirely within our line of sight, except when she had an audience with the King of Nanzhao. It would have been impossible for her to meet Qingchen Gongzi unless it was during that audience. Moreover... after returning to her residence, Princess Anxi secretly dispatched additional people to search for Qingchen Gongzi."

Ye Li shook her head. "The King of Nanzhao wouldn’t be unaware of my elder brother’s identity. If something were to happen to him in Nanzhao now, it wouldn’t benefit the king. So... it’s unlikely that my brother is in the palace. That incense... must have been his way of sending us a message to let us know he’s still safe."

An San was puzzled. "If Qingchen Gongzi isn’t in the palace, why would the message come from there? How could the incense he carries end up in the palace?"

"Because the person responsible is likely someone from the palace—or at least someone who can freely enter and leave it."

Han Mingxi lazily shook his head. "Not quite, Jun Wei. In Nanzhao, aside from the Crown Princess, no one has unrestricted access to the palace. That includes the other princesses—and of course, this particular princess isn’t even in Nanzhao right now."

Ye Li glanced at him. "Officially, no one can. But what about unofficially?"

"Unofficially?" the two echoed.

Ye Li frowned and asked, "Have you tracked down the whereabouts of those assassins?"

An San nodded. "We found them, but we were a step too late. They were silenced on a small hill two miles outside the city, and their bodies were dumped in an abandoned cave."

"Explain in detail."

"We located their corpses in a hidden cave about ten miles west of the city outskirts. However, there were no signs of a struggle at the scene. Although the place isn’t far from the capital, the path there is extremely rough, and there’s nothing of note in the surroundings. Even if the assassins were fleeing, they shouldn’t have gone in that direction. Fortunately, the hidden weapons that injured them had been coated with a tracking incense beforehand. It took us an entire night to find them. They were likely silenced shortly after leaving the city, and their bodies were then discarded in that cave."

Rubbing her temples in thought, Ye Li asked, "In which direction were they killed?"

"East."

"So they originally intended to head east, but after being killed, the mastermind behind this threw their bodies to the west? What lies to the east?" Ye Li stood up. "Bring me a map of the Nanzhao capital."An San lowered his head and carefully took out a thin piece of paper from his pocket, spreading it on the table. Han Mingxi peeked at it and pouted, "A complete map of the Nanzhao capital? With something like this, Jun Wei, you wouldn’t have needed to gather information from the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity back then, would you?" Ye Li smiled faintly, "More information means more safety. I’ve always valued my life. Besides... I don’t believe the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity couldn’t produce this map." It wasn’t some defense layout—just an ordinary city map. Taking out a charcoal pencil, she circled the imperial palace, Princess Anxi’s Manor, the location where Xu Qingchen had disappeared, the dumping site of the body, and the place where the witnesses had been silenced. Then she looked up and asked, "What do you notice?"

Han Mingxi pointed at the map and said, "If we ignore the dumping site and Princess Manor, these locations all seem quite close to the Saintess Hall. Speaking of which... without this map, I’d never have realized how close the Saintess Hall is to the imperial palace." The Saintess Hall was located on a mountain five miles east of the capital’s outskirts. But if measured from the palace, including the mountain path, it would take at least ten miles to reach the Saintess Hall. Ye Li pointed downward and explained, "Ordinary people only think the route from the palace to the Saintess Hall isn’t short. Moreover, the palace is built against the mountain, and the peaks behind it are steep and treacherous. Attempting to traverse the mountain would not only be difficult but also take longer than simply leaving the city. So hardly anyone has noticed. In reality, the straight-line distance between the palace and the Saintess Hall is less than two miles."

"An underground passage?" An San suggested.

"Haven’t we already witnessed the Southern Border people’s tunnel-digging skills along the way?" Ye Li asked with a smile. The two of them simultaneously recalled the nearly hollowed-out mountains they had seen and fell into silent contemplation.

"What was the founding King of Nanzhao thinking, building the palace against a mountain?" Han Mingxi wondered aloud. In Central Plains history, only temporary palaces or secondary residences were built against mountains. The true imperial palaces always stood at the very center of the capital, symbolizing the royal family’s supreme dignity and the unifying authority of the realm. Ye Li replied half-heartedly, "Different customs, I suppose."

Han Mingxi immediately saw through her dismissive tone. Unhappy, he glared at Ye Li for a while, only to find her still lost in her own thoughts. His face darkened. After clearing his throat twice to draw the attention of the other two in the room, he finally grinned and said, "You suspect Qingchen Gongzi is in the Saintess Hall? As everyone knows, the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border is pure and chaste. The Saintess Hall forbids men from entering, let alone hiding one. If people knew you thought this way, believe me... you’d be drowned in the fury of Nanzhao’s citizens." Ye Li replied indifferently, "Precisely because it’s common knowledge, isn’t it all the more possible?"

Han Mingxi rolled his eyes. "Then, may I ask, how does Jun Wei Gongzi plan to enter the Saintess Hall, which is guarded as strictly as the imperial palace, and find Qingchen Gongzi, who could be hidden anywhere? If you don’t find him and get caught, we’ll truly be beaten to death by the Nanzhao people."

"I’m not planning to enter through the Saintess Hall," Ye Li said.Han Mingxi looked both amazed and impressed. "So, Young Master Jun Wei plans to boldly storm the Nanzhao royal palace? Brother Jun Wei, even if the Nanzhao king's palace isn't even a third the size of our Chu capital's, you shouldn't underestimate them, alright? Don’t forget... our Chu capital’s palace definitely doesn’t have poisonous snakes, but Nanzhao might." Ye Li smiled faintly. "Sounds like the Wind and Moon noble has never been to a palace before. I wonder who was bragging just the other day about having toured the inner courtyards of palaces across various countries?" Han Mingxi was left speechless, silently regretting how he had boasted about his past romantic exploits to Jun Wei out of boredom during their journey.

"Even if you get in and find Qingchen Gongzi, how are you going to bring him out?" Han Mingxi asked. "From what I know, Qingchen Gongzi doesn’t know any martial arts at all."

Ye Li frowned. "That’s something to think about carefully." A direct assault was definitely out of the question. Even if the shadow guards were strong enough to snatch someone from the Nanzhao palace, the aftermath would be troublesome. If outsiders found out the attackers were from the Ding Royal Palace, it would be even worse. Watching her deep in thought, Han Mingxi cheerfully laughed. "Well? Need some help?"

Ye Li glanced at Han Mingxi and shook her head. Their relationship was purely cooperative. Han Mingxi had already taken considerable risks following her last time—there was no way she could drag him into danger again this time.

Han Mingxi smiled at her and said, "Don't reject so quickly. After all, the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity is open for business. As long as Jun Wei can afford it, we can do more than just gather information." Ye Li's heart stirred as she looked at Han Mingxi and asked, "What does Brother Han want?" Han Mingxi grinned triumphantly, "The Fragrant Grace Chamber—I want an additional twenty percent share." Ye Li replied, "I thought the Pavilion of Heavenly Unity preferred cold, hard cash? You should know that no matter the amount, both the Xu family and I would pay." Han Mingxi looked at her with feigned grievance, "Jun Wei and I are friends. How could a friend take advantage of another's difficulties?"

Friends? Ye Li raised a brow faintly. "The Pavilion of Heavenly Unity isn't skilled in these matters. I wouldn't want to trouble Brother Han."

"Jun Wei, you're being too distant," Han Mingxi chuckled. "Though the Pavilion may not excel in this, we are very familiar with the capital of Nanzhao. Compared to our friendship, wouldn't you trust the Pavilion more?" Ye Li frowned, pondering for a long moment before finally saying, "Then I'll trouble Brother Han. Any losses incurred by the Pavilion afterward will be my responsibility, and of course, the twenty percent share of the Fragrant Grace Chamber remains unchanged."

"I told you, Jun Wei, you're being too distant," Han Mingxi sighed helplessly.

Ye Li smiled faintly and lowered her head without a word, silently considering whether she might still need Princess Anxi's help.

Amidst the shimmering pearl light, the heavy stone door was opened once more. The woman in golden robes, who once exuded leisure, now strode in with hurried steps, her disarrayed pace brimming with fury. "Xu Qingchen!"

Xu Qingchen, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them and turned his serene gaze toward the approaching woman, frowning slightly. "What's wrong?" The woman seemed utterly enraged. With a sweep of her sleeve, she sent the celadon teacups on the table crashing to the floor, the shattering sound crisp and clear. "Speak! How did they find out you're here?!" Xu Qingchen shook his head and replied calmly, "I haven't even been able to step outside. How would I know? What? Has someone caused trouble for you?"

"How could you not know?! You must have leaked the information. Tell me, what method did you use?" The woman struggled to suppress her anger as she questioned him.

Xu Qingchen sighed and shook his head again. "You overestimate me. I'm just a powerless scholar, not some hidden master. Instead of dwelling on this, perhaps you should consider whether you've offended anyone recently." The woman scoffed. "Why would I offend anyone? Aside from that woman Anxi, the only person I've ever crossed... Hah, seems to be your delicate fiancée."

"I warned you not to touch her," Xu Qingchen said darkly.

The woman sneered. "Don't worry, your precious fiancée is perfectly unharmed. But... just because she's fine now doesn't mean she always will be. Last time was merely a scare. Speaking of which... it seems the knight by her side is quite skilled." Xu Qingchen remained indifferent. "You mean her bodyguard? Noble ladies from the Central Plains often travel with a few guards. It's nothing unusual."

"You certainly trust her. Why don't we see just how well her protector can shield her? Who knows—perhaps they'll grow fond of each other in the process. After all, don't young ladies adore heroes who save them?"Xu Qingchen glanced at her and said, "If you have the time, you might as well tell me what happened that has you so furious."

At the mention of this, the woman's face beneath the mask twisted with anger as she spat, "Someone dumped the corpses of those assassins outside the Saintess Hall!"

Xu Qingchen was slightly surprised but quickly relaxed his brows. "Even so, it's not a big deal. Just hand them over to the Nanzhao royal family or the authorities for disposal."

"How can that be?!" the woman exclaimed. "Don't tell me you don’t know—if word gets out that corpses were left at the Saintess Hall, Anxi will seize the chance to search it. Hmph! Don’t think I’m unaware—she’s been itching to extend her reach into the Saintess Hall. But she has no right to!" Xu Qingchen picked up a book and flipped through it, remarking, "You haven’t mentioned that if people find out about the corpses at the Saintess Hall, the people of Nanzhao will begin to doubt the purity of the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border. Most importantly, if you had another year or two, you could pin this on Great Chu or Western Liang. But now… you’re not even prepared for war with Great Chu."

The woman’s eyes darkened as she glared at him and said in a low voice, "You know too much. Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill you?"

Xu Qingchen nodded slightly. "Because you still want to learn more from me, don’t you?"

"Exactly!" the woman admitted bluntly. "If it weren’t for you secretly helping Anxi, she never could have defeated me. Since you aided her, naturally you can help me too, right?"

Xu Qingchen shook his head. "I won’t help you."

"I’ll make you willing!" the woman sneered. Xu Qingchen set the book down again and looked at her with pity. "You’re simply not suited for this. None of the Holy Maidens of the Southern Border through the ages have been. Even if you’re smarter than them, in terms of governance, you still fall short of Princess Anxi." A flash of anger crossed the woman’s eyes as she retorted coldly, "Who says I’m not suited? You admitted I’m smarter than Anxi, didn’t you?"

"You’re just more skilled in schemes and deceit. But a country cannot be run on conspiracy alone. Besides… your schemes aren’t even sophisticated enough."

"So what? At least you’re in my hands now, aren’t you?" the woman declared arrogantly. Xu Qingchen smiled faintly and said nothing. Seeing his calm and indifferent demeanor, the woman suddenly felt a surge of rage and hissed, "You look down on me!" Xu Qingchen frowned. "I don’t look down on you. I just don’t agree with your current methods."

"I know! You do look down on me!" the woman shrieked. "What do you know? Do you know what kind of life Anxi had growing up? What kind of life I had? Why? Why was she born the Crown Princess, the royal heir? Why does she get everything?"

"You are the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border, equally revered by thousands," Xu Qingchen said.

"Hah… revered by thousands?" The woman’s voice cracked with bitterness. "I lost my mother at three and was left utterly alone by five. I wasn’t allowed to speak to maids, to play outside, to cry, to meet outsiders—not even to fall in love. And at twenty-eight, I’m supposed to go to some accursed sacred land? Who wants to go to that wretched place? Nanzhao is mine! Everything is mine!" She seemed to suddenly break down, her voice raw with fury.Xu Qingchen shook his head, "The life of the Holy Maiden of the Southern Border is indeed pitiable. But I don't believe that includes you. No one has ever restricted your movements, have they? Otherwise, how would you have had the chance to meet Prince Li, or how could you have developed a grudge against Princess Anxi? In fact... the new Holy Maiden was supposed to appear two years ago, but you killed her. While the Holy Maidens of the Southern Border can serve until twenty-eight, most step down before twenty-five."

"Anxi even told you that?!" The woman glared at him, "It seems she truly trusts you."

"Princess Anxi and I are friends."

"Hmph!" The earlier breakdown seemed to have been just an act. The woman quickly regained her composure, "What fine friends. I'll deliver the heads of your friend and your fiancée right to your doorstep." With that, she turned and left in a huff.