Chapter 271; Known Truth (1/2)

A sense of melancholy crept into Jun Huang's heart. She'd been busy playing mind games for revenge. She'd forgotten what she should have remembered. She felt a little lost as she recalled her past. It felt like a lifetime ago.

She smiled bitterly. The guard keeping to her side frowned and looked around, but didn't find anything unusual. He hesitated if he should ask her what was wrong. However, Nan Xun had reminded him not to be too nosy.

Noticing the guard's hesitation, Jun Huang stopped to look at him and asked with an eyebrow raised, “What is it?”

“The gentleman seems unhappy,” said the guard. “Are you tired? The prince has said the gentleman needs all the rest you can get. We've been out on a walk for a while. If you're tired, we'll go back.”

Jun Huang lowered her eyes and nodded, turning around to leave. A boy came out of nowhere and threw himself into her arms, knocking her backward. She winced when her back hit the chilly wall and looked down at him. What was going on?

“Master wants to see you,” said the boy before the guards could drive him away. He pulled back and stood two steps away from Jun Huang with a friendly smile.

She considered the young boy and got a good look at his face. Her master must have gotten her message.

She motioned at the shadow guards to rea.s.sure them that she was fine. She asked the boy a few questions and found out that he was indeed sent by her master. They made their way through a winding alleyway and reached an isolated house.

The boy went up to knock on the door. After hearing a cough, he opened the door and led Jun Huang inside. The guards knew she'd like her privacy. They stayed outside politely.

Oleg Cragfiend, Jun Huang's master, sat by the table with an impa.s.sive expression. Jun Huang went up to him and bowed. He quickly helped her up and gave her a once-over. “You've lost quite a lot of weight since you left,” he said with a sigh.

“This disciple is fine. Master doesn't need to worry.” Jun Huang spoke softly, her usually cold eyes warming up. She'd been perturbed when Oleg Cragfiend first tried the myriad of poisons on her, but she realized later that he'd been trying to cure her. She'd sworn to pay him back for saving her once she recovered.

“Does master know where the blood lotus is?” Jun Huang asked without ceremony. She knew her master disliked small talk. This had always been the way they interacted. They weren't cold to each other, but they didn't exactly have heart-to-heart conversations either. Besides, she didn't have a lot of time left.

“The emperor of Southern Mu must have told you only members of the imperial family are privy to the whereabout of the lotus. We'll need one of them to point you to the right direction. I only know about this because I've once saved one of their princes.”

Jun Huang frowned. She knew it wouldn't be easy to get the lotus, but this was troublesome. She wondered what she should do next.

Her sickly look bothered Oleg Cragfiend. He'd heard about what Jun Huang had been doing in Northern Qi. She shouldn't be overworking herself in her condition, but she didn't care enough about her health and ended up putting her life on the line.

He took her wrist and felt her pulse, jerking her out of her thoughts. She looked at her master, then at her own wrist. In the end, she opted not to say anything.

“What have you done to yourself?” Oleg Cragfiend said harshly, his expression dark. “No wonder you need the blood lotus. You'd have been able to live for some time simply by suppressing the poison, but now it's threatening your life. I know you want revenge, but your careless disregard of your own body is troubling.”

Jun Huang knew he was worried for her. Her lips curved into a smile and her eyes softened. Oleg Cragfiend huffed and turned away from her.

A series of knocks interrupted Jun Huang. She glanced at her master before getting the door.

“Gentleman Feng, the emperor of Southern Mu sent a representative,” said her personal guard.

Jun Huang nodded without a word. She'd sent a message to Nan Jihan as well just in case, but now it seemed she would need his help.