"I caught him abducting a woman."
Nezha's lashes lowered, then lifted again. He had never believed he had done anything wrong.
"I didn't hold back."
"Y-you... Why didn't you run?"
"Where was I supposed to run?"
Nezha gave a scornful laugh.
"If I ran, would he spare Chentang Pass?"
General Li seemed to have been drained of all strength, his back pressed against the stone battlement.
Yin Shi stumbled up onto the city wall.
She had rushed too fast, nearly tripping over her skirt on the steps. Staggering forward, she threw herself in front of Nezha.
Her hands landed on Nezha's shoulders, her nails digging deep into the fabric there. Her voice was thin and hoarse.
"Nezha... Nezha, tell Mother, why did you..."
Nezha raised a hand and gently held her wrist.
His warmth passed through his palm. Feeling it, Yin Shi's tears finally began to fall.
"Mother, I wasn't wrong."
"He was abducting a woman, trying to drag her back into the mountains."
"I saw it."
"I couldn't ignore it."
"That girl—if I hadn't saved her, she would have been dragged back into the mountains by the Flood Dragon.
"You know better than I do what would have happened to her, Mother."
Yin Shi's sob caught in her throat, unable to rise or fall.
Her child had always been a good child, yet the whole world only called him a monster born into this world, evil by nature.
No one remembered a hundred good deeds, but one mistake made him an unforgivable sinner.
"I know—I know—"
Yin Shi covered her face and wept until she could not utter another word.
Yu Hua seized the chance and suddenly raised his voice.
"Did you hear that?! He admitted it himself! He was the one who killed him!
"General Li! You must