The Bottom Line Isn't Yours to Touch

"We only wish to invite you to a certain place. Rest assured, we will not harm you."

Xiao Yi Xian lifted her beautiful eyes, sweeping them over the two men. Combining this with what she had heard over the past few days, her friend Li Xingluo was still alive and seemed to be causing trouble for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Even Mu She's son had died at the hands of Li Xingluo; Xiao Yi Xian was no fool.

Seeing that Mr. Yao's words were ineffective, Mu She's expression shifted from blank to slightly indignant in an instant.

"Mr. Yao, you are simply too polite." Mu She turned to stare fixedly at Xiao Yi Xian, blurting out his true intentions.

"I have come for you today for one reason only. If you cooperate, I can spare you. If you do not, I don't mind killing you right here. Your life or death is useful to me either way."

Xiao Yi Xian frowned slightly, naturally understanding the meaning behind Mu She's words.

Seeing the change in Xiao Yi Xian, Mu She seized the opportunity to say, "Although this matter concerns you, as long as you cooperate, I guarantee your safety. I only want Li Xingluo's head, not yours."

Mu She did not bother to hide anything, stating his attitude directly and clarifying that he had come to kidnap her as a hostage.

As for why, Xiao Yi Xian understood; more importantly, whether she resisted or not, or what the outcome might be, as long as she was "present," nothing else mattered.

Though their time together had been short, the impression Li Xingluo had left on Xiao Yi Xian was profound.

"Have you considered it?"

Xiao Yi Xian slowly withdrew the hand she had been hiding behind her back, which caused the tense Mr. Yao to heave a sigh of relief.

"You just want to use me to lure Li Xingluo out, don't you? Fine, I agree."

Mu She and Mr. Yao exchanged a glance; after preparing so much, they had not expected Xiao Yi Xian to agree so readily.

This far exceeded their expectations, but for someone even Mr. Yao feared, Mu She was naturally pleased that the result had been achieved so easily.

"Good, you have spirit."

"You must keep your word, otherwise, even if I have to die, I will drag you down with me."

"Rest assured, what I, Mu She, say is naturally set in stone."

The corners of Xiao Yi Xian's mouth twitched slightly. As she lowered her head, a faint arc appeared on her lips. In all of Green Mountain Town, who didn't know that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group was full of evil and oppressed others?

Fearing Xiao Yi Xian's poison arts, Mu She cleared a path. Xiao Yi Xian followed him into the headquarters of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group without a hint of fear. To prevent her from using poison, Mr. Yao followed as well.

Mu She locked Xiao Yi Xian in a small courtyard and ordered the others from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group to enter the Magical Beast Mountain Range to deliver a message to Li Xingluo.

Xiao Yi Xian wore a sorrowful expression, resting her chin in her hands as she gazed at the sky. Would he really come? Please, don't come. Xiao Yi Xian was caught in a struggle, both hoping Li Xingluo would come and hoping he wouldn't.

At that moment, in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a cold, biting longsword was pressed against a man's neck.

Terror filled his eyes as he awaited the approach of death. The member of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group shouted, "Don't kill me! I have information to share!"

"Oh? What information?"

Seeing that Li Xingluo had not actually struck, the mercenary subconsciously let out a breath of relief. He pulled something from his bosom while cold sweat poured down his face.

"You recognize this girl, right?"

When Li Xingluo saw that the portrait the mercenary had pulled from his bosom was of Xiao Yi Xian, his previously gentle gaze turned incredibly fierce in an instant.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Already terrified by Li Xingluo's aura, and with his life in Li Xingluo's hands, the mercenary had not expected a mere portrait to make Li Xingluo so furious.

The mercenary felt a chill envelop his entire body. If he had known this would happen, he would rather have died than produce the portrait; he had thought it would calm Li Xingluo down, but it had backfired.

The mercenary stammered, "O-our leader..."

"Mu She? What did he do?"

Only Li Xingluo dared to address Mu She by name; the mercenary's face turned pale instinctively.

"He captured this girl as a hostage, saying... if you don't go to the Wolf Head Mercenary Group headquarters within ten days, he will, he will..."

"He will what?"

"He will kill this girl!"

The mercenary saw Li Xingluo's rage meter rising in a straight line, his eyes filled with thick, murderous intent.

Taking advantage of the moment Li Xingluo was distracted, the mercenary scrambled to crawl away. But the next instant, a phantom image flashed by. He looked down at his body to see a bloodstain suddenly appear, and he fell, filled with resentment.

His brows twitched, and his eyes blazed with fury, like a roaring fire in the darkness, illuminating everything around him. It was a deep, bone-chilling rage.

Without a moment's hesitation, he leaped, and after a few bounds, his figure had already vanished into the forest.

Night fell. The camp of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group headquarters was brightly lit, and patrolling mercenaries moved back and forth, bustling with activity.

In the central hall, Mu She sat upright behind a desk, while Mr. Yao looked slightly uneasy.

Today was the tenth day. Would he really come? Would someone really come to the rescue for the sake of a mere acquaintance?

"Leader Mu, do you think he will come?"

"Mr. Yao, are you afraid?"

Mu She stood up and walked slowly from behind the desk. Hearing this, Mr. Yao looked slightly embarrassed.

"That's not it. It's just that if he doesn't come, does Leader Mu really intend to kill Xiao Yi Xian? She has quite a few treasures; I wonder if you might hand her over to me to deal with?"

Mu She glanced at Mr. Yao. So that was the scheme this fellow was playing; no wonder he had agreed so readily to help him control Xiao Yi Xian.

It seemed the promised reward was superfluous; seeing Mu She merely glance at him without offering a reply, Mr. Yao felt his heart skip a beat.

"Rest assured, he will come."

"You are so certain?"

"Of course, he values loyalty above all else!"

As the two exchanged words in the main hall, a thunderous "BOOM" erupted, and the main gate of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group camp was sent flying, crushing two members beneath it.

The camp descended into chaos in an instant; atop the palisade walls, a lone figure with a sword hacked and slashed wildly, and before long, not a single member of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group guarding the walls remained alive.

Mu She rushed out from the main hall, only to see Li Xingluo leaping down from the wall, sword in hand, while the remaining members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group dared not step forward.

Every time Li Xingluo took a step forward, these men would instinctively retreat a step.

Standing on the high platform in the center of the plaza, Mu She burst into laughter upon seeing that Li Xingluo had truly dared to come alone.

Hearing the laughter, Li Xingluo looked up, Mu She's silhouette imprinted in his eyes amidst the flickering candlelight.

"I never expected you would actually dare to come."

Li Xingluo's expression turned grim, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as if he held nothing around him in any regard.

A look of contempt appeared on his face, his eyes filled with disdain and scorn; this expression clearly conveyed his utter dismissal of Mu She.

"Why wouldn't I dare to come? Just because of trash like you?"

Mu She had not expected Li Xingluo to be so arrogant while surrounded by enemies, and his expression soured instantly.

"You..."

"Besides, wasn't it you who hoped I would come? What's wrong, now that I'm here, you're acting as if you didn't want me to? Let me leave you with a saying."

"What saying?"

"You want to be a whore and still have a memorial arch built for your chastity—what a grand facade you put up!"

Li Xingluo's blatant provocation and highly insulting words only served to enrage the already furious Mu She even further.