Chapter 313: The Assassin Appears
Fang Xiaocao hid inside an abandoned factory building, with Hummingbird crouching beside her. As for Tom and Taotie, she had no idea where they had hidden—they had completely vanished from sight.
She kept her eyes locked on her phone screen.
13:59!
As the seconds ticked by, the time on her screen changed.
14:00!
Finally, it was 14:00!
Fang Xiaocao suddenly felt a little nervous. Her eyes darted around, scanning outside for any sign of Ye Lingchen and Qian Xia.
According to Hot Noodles, at precisely this hour, the pursued Qian Xia would bring Ye Lingchen into this abandoned steel factory for refuge.
It was here that Qian Xia and Ye Lingchen would both meet their demise.
For two months, the Ye family had searched for their young master. It wasn’t until they offered a hefty reward through various channels that a homeless man, hoping to test his luck, stepped into the Ye family’s branch office in Tang City.
He reported that he had once found two corpses in the abandoned steel factory in the southern part of the city. Out of fear, he had never reported it, especially since he had scavenged some valuables from the bodies.
But after seeing the Ye family’s reward, temptation got the better of him.
To prove his claim, he handed over an emptied wallet he had taken from one of the corpses.
Upon verification, the wallet was indeed Ye Lingchen’s.
And thus, the deaths of Ye Lingchen and Qian Xia were officially confirmed.
Their bodies were retrieved and given proper burials by the Ye family.
As Fang Xiaocao recalled the intel Hot Noodles had sent while she was in the car, a sudden series of hurried footsteps echoed outside the factory.
The footsteps were frantic—clearly someone was fleeing for their life.
Hearing this, Fang Xiaocao’s eyes lit up.
She turned toward the source of the sound.
There they were!
The very people she had been waiting for—Qian Xia and Ye Lingchen.
Even though she had found them, she didn’t rush to save them.
She still hadn’t seen who exactly was trying to kill Ye Lingchen.
Fang Xiaocao had planned this out carefully.
No rabbit, no trap. She wouldn’t make a move until the assassin revealed themselves.
Between adding flowers to embroidery and sending charcoal in the snow, she would always choose the latter.
It was a strategic decision—both for her safety and her own benefit.
The one who made the first move would be the mantis, while the last to act would be the oriole watching from behind.
“Huff… Huff… Qian Xia, let’s rest for a bit. I can’t run anymore…”
Ye Lingchen gasped as he tugged on Qian Xia’s sleeve.
He was utterly exhausted, his lungs felt like they were on fire, and his legs had turned to jelly.
Seeing Ye Lingchen in such a miserable state, Qian Xia shook his head helplessly.
If it weren’t for the young master’s poor stamina, he wouldn’t have been forced to take shelter in this factory.
This place was a trap.
The assassin could corner them here.
Still, he had no choice.
Qian Xia took off his coat and laid it on the ground.
Ye Lingchen collapsed onto it without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Qian Xia regulated his breathing, keeping a sharp watch on their surroundings.
As the Ye family’s chosen bodyguard, he was considered a skilled fighter.
But at most, he was just a first-class expert.
Nowhere near the level of Taotie.
For him to be forced into a desperate escape…
The assassin pursuing them had to be far beyond his ability to handle.
One Minute Later!
“Found you~”
A chillingly effeminate voice suddenly echoed through the factory.
Qian Xia reacted instantly.
He grabbed Ye Lingchen and shoved him behind his back.
At the same time, with a flick of his wrist, he sent a sharp throwing knife whizzing through the air toward the factory entrance.
Fang Xiaocao followed the knife’s trajectory with her eyes.
Then she saw the figure standing at the entrance.
A slender, sharp-featured individual with long, flowing hair and…
Wait. What?!
That’s a man?!
Fang Xiaocao was stunned.
This was a 妖儿 (yao’er)—a gender-bending assassin.
She had anticipated the assassin could be a man or a woman.
But she never expected… this.
At the same moment, the assassin flicked his long hair.
A thin steel needle shot out from his locks.
CLANG—!
A burst of sparks.
The steel needle had hit Qian Xia’s throwing knife mid-air, knocking it down instantly.
Fang Xiaocao’s eyes widened in shock.
That’s insane.
She knew exactly how deadly Qian Xia’s knife-throwing skills were.
But now, his signature move had been effortlessly countered…
By a guy flicking his hair?!
Even Qian Xia, the direct opponent, was caught off guard.
“Who are you? Why do you want to kill my young master?”
Qian Xia frowned and questioned the assassin.
“Me? Oh, honey, you can call me ‘I’ll-Take-Your-Life-3000~'”
The assassin giggled flirtatiously.
“Handsome uncle, wanna go on a date?”
And then, he threw Qian Xia a seductive wink.
“Disgusting.”
Fang Xiaocao almost gagged.
Just then, a voice crackled in her earpiece.
“Your Highness, I know him.”
It was Taotie.
Fang Xiaocao pressed her earpiece.
“You do? Who is he?”
Her curiosity burned.
“Yes, I do.”
Taotie’s voice lowered.
“That ‘I’ll-Take-Your-Life-3000’ thing is just a fake alias he uses to toy with his targets. His real codename in the assassin world is Yinghuo. He’s an exiled disciple of the Tang Sect. He’s especially skilled in poisons and hidden weapons.”
“In fact, his skills rival those of a top-tier assassin.”
“And… he’s infamous for being obsessed with men. Especially my third brother. That’s why people in our circle call him ‘Third Sister-in-Law’.”
Fang Xiaocao sat there, speechless.
“Wait. He likes men? Especially your third brother? And you guys call him ‘Third Sister-in-Law’?”
She felt like her ears were unclean now.
She took a deep breath.
“Can you and Tom take care of this ‘Sister-in-Law’?”
Taotie’s response was instant.
“Your Highness, don’t worry. If Tom and I work together, we’ll have him kneeling and singing ‘Conquer’ in no time.”
