The masked assassin barreled toward her, blade aimed straight for her heart.
Jiao Shui screamed.The bullet comments screamed louder.
[System: DODGE LEFT.][System: HOST, LEFT, NOT RIGHT—]
She dodged right.Obviously.
The blade grazed her sleeve, slicing through silk. She stumbled, caught herself on the wall, and nearly hugged it from sheer panic.
Emperor Yang was already moving.
He intercepted the assassin with a vicious kick that sent the man skidding across the floor. Before the attacker could rise, the Emperor crushed him down with his boot, blade pressed to the man's throat.
"Who sent you?"
The assassin hissed. "She must die. She carries the—"
Song Lingfang's blade flashed.
The assassin's words ended in a gasp as Lingfang struck the man unconscious with the blunt end of his short blade.
Emperor Yang glared. "He could have spoken."
"He already said too much," Lingfang replied coolly. "If he continued, she'd be dead by now."
Jiao Shui curled her fingers around her torn sleeve."Okay, so someone explain why everyone wants to kill me.And why I apparently carry… something?"
[System: Host has unlocked Anxiety Level: Max.][System: Heart rate resembles small frightened hamster.]
"Later," Emperor Yang said. "We leave. Now."
Song Lingfang stood by the hidden passageway, urgency tightening his features."The assassins won't stop. The east wing is already compromised."
Emperor Yang pulled her behind him again.
But Song Lingfang stepped closer.
"You asked her to choose," he said quietly. "Let her choose."
Jiao Shui blinked at both of them."NOW?! You want my answer NOW?! There are murderers outside, Lingfang!"
"Exactly," he replied. "Your life depends on who you trust."
The Emperor's eyes sharpened."Choose carefully."
They were insane.Both of them.
She opened her mouth—
Something cold brushed her ankle.
She froze.
Slowly, she looked down.
A small dart, coated in black poison, rolled to her feet.
Her blood ran cold.
More assassins had already breached the lower floors.She could hear footsteps— dozens — racing up the steps beneath them.
"No time," Song Lingfang said, stepping forward. "She goes with me."
The Emperor stepped in front of him, eyes darkening like a storm swallowing the sky.
"She stays at my side."
Lingfang clenched his jaw."She will die if she stays in your path."
"Try taking her."
Tension cracked in the air.Two forces clashing.Two fates demanding her.
Jiao Shui finally snapped.
"STOP!"
Both men froze.
"I don't know either of you well enough to choose who I live or die with!" she shouted. "And honestly, neither option feels SAFE!"
[System: Host has reached Maximum Honesty.][System: Catastrophic consequences loading.]
Emperor Yang stepped closer.His voice softened dangerously.
"Jiao Shui.Trust me."
Song Lingfang stepped closer too.
"Jiao Shui.Come with me."
Her heart pounded.
And then—
CRASH.
The window shattered.Three assassins leapt inside.
Song Lingfang grabbed her hand.
Emperor Yang grabbed her other arm.
Both pulled at the same time.
Jiao Shui screamed as the world lurched in two directions—
And the floor gave out beneath them.
The entire balcony collapsed.
All four of them plummeted into darkness.