Chapter 326: Pleading For Forgiveness (1/2)

Before anyone could react, Nan Xun kicked the man away and deftly kept everyone else from getting close. They came to the realization that this mission wouldn't be a simple one.

Nan Xun clearly had the upper hand, but Jun Huang couldn't stop herself from worrying for him. A mere spectator might find the battle thrilling. Jun Huang, however, noticed only how close the blades were to Nan Xun. Soon, her hair was drenched with sweat.

Suddenly, there was rustling behind her. She whirled around and saw a pair of dark, focused eyes. She tried to run, but the man easily caught her by her wrist and pulled her close, putting a dagger to her throat to stop her from struggling.

“Halt, or she dies,” the man croaked, his grating voice echoed in the woods.

Nan Xun couldn't keep his calm when he saw the dagger threatening to cut her throat. He tightened his grip around his sword and held his breath, his eyes fixed on her.

Jun Huang frowned, her expression unreadable. Nan Xun hesitated. He didn't want her to get hurt. His concerns stopped him from making a move.

Noting his hesitation, the men decided to catch Nan Xun alive. Nan Xun, meanwhile, had made up his mind to drop his weapon in exchange for Jun Huang's safety.

Jun Huang was overwhelmed by waves of memories. Dark alleyways, cries of the dying, the woods at night. The images blurred together in her head. The wind was deafening by her ears.

She remembered something. She had once been caught as a hostage against Nan Xun. She couldn't stop thinking about the way Nan Xun had looked at her then.

She opened her eyes. Nan Xun backed away from his enemies, weighed down by his concern for her. The attackers advanced and kept close to him.

Jun Huang took a deep breath to calm herself. She could tell the man holding her hostage was focusing on Nan Xun as well. She gritted her teeth and bit the man's hand hard. The man dropped the dagger in pain. She stomped on his foot and pulled away.

The man quickly recovered and drew his long sword to attack Jun Huang, grounding his teeth together. Jun Huang bent backward, dodging the slash by a hair. Before the man could make another attack, she rolled away and picked up the dagger from the ground.

Seeing that Jun Huang had gotten away, Nan Xun made quick work of the a.s.sa.s.sins circling around him and rushed to Jun Huang.

The man wielded a long sword, while Jun Huang only had a dagger. If they fought, it was clear who the winner would be.

Seeing that Nan Xun had come this way, the man slashed at Jun Huang again. She blocked the blade with her dagger, but it was too small to be effective. It flew out of her hand, cutting off a strand of her hair.

Nan Xun got close enough to throw his sword just in time, the blade burying into the man's chest. The man widened his eyes and collapsed to the ground.

Jun Huang dropped to her knees like all the fight had left her suddenly. She took a deep breath,wiping off the sweat covering her forehead.

Nan Xun helped her up and, before Jun Huang could speak, snapped, “You're too reckless! If I'd been a little slower, you'd have died!”

Jun Huang knew how much danger she'd been in, but his words. .h.i.t her where she was most tender. She didn't want to be his burden, didn't want him to get hurt because of her. And yet he dismissed her attempt so easily.

Her eyes stung. She averted her gaze. Nan Xun didn't know why she was angry. They had had their fair share of arguments before, but Jun Huang rarely treated him so coldly. In panic, he stepped to face her and grabbed her shoulders. “I… didn't mean to snap at you. I just don't want you to get hurt.”

Jun Huang refused to say anything or even looked at him. The moon shone on her face and made her look even colder. It scared Nan Xun in ways he couldn't explain. It was as if she'd disappear if he didn't catch her.

Nan Xun stepped to her front again and said, “I apologize. It's all my fault.”