There’s No Way My Maid Is a Villain

Chapter 47 : Roadblock

Roadblock

"There's no one here."

Standing beneath the ruins, shen Baixue murmured to herself.

"What was their purpose in blowing up this building?"

Lingxian asked.

"To lure the tiger from its mountain..."

Shui Cangxuan answered.

After a brief pause, Lingxian finally realized.

"Hurry back to the imperial palace!"

Lingxian quickly left the scene, speeding towards the palace.

"What could possibly be inside the palace that would drive them to risk so much?"

Shen Baixue asked.

"I can't figure it out. I really have no idea what their goal is,"

Lingxian replied.

"In any case, let's go back first. I have a bad feeling about this,"

Shui Cangxuan said worriedly.

........................

"Father."

Yi-er knelt on one knee.

"Mm, I'm mostly aware of what's happening outside."

The steady voice of Wanhua Zhankong did not betray a hint of panic.

"Do you know who the attackers are? Or which faction they belong to?"

"No, but their numbers don't seem large, though each one is extraordinary."

"Is that so? Our Wanhua nation has weathered thousands of wars, large and small. Are we supposed to fear a few petty thieves?"

Wanhua Zhankong's tone brimmed with the authority of a king.

"I'll go unlock the sealing barrier. You, go fetch Xing Sha for me. I'd like to see just which insignificant extras dare disturb the peace of the Imperial Capital."

"Yes!"

From start to finish, Wanhua Zhankong never allowed Yi-er to rise.

........................

"You really made quite a mess."

Zhixi appeared from around a corner, looking at the now-collapsed palace with genuine amazement.

With a "bang", a few pieces of rubble were blasted away.

Aili stood up from the ruins.

"Is this a last burst of strength before death? Just what can make him struggle like this?"

Aili couldn't understand Tetzas's actions—wouldn't it be easier for the weak to just wait for death?

"This palace is scarily huge, with several buildings alone. If we search one by one, we might never have to leave,"

Zhixi waved her hand dismissively.

"No worries. I've already located the Empress, more or less. Come with me."

"Yeah, yeah."

Zhixi helplessly followed in Aili's footsteps.

The two of them walked down the corridor. No one stood in their way anymore.

And so, they arrived at another palace.

"Are you sure it's here?"

Zhixi eyed the palace before her. It was probably the most inconspicuous place in the entire palace complex. Why would the wife of a king live somewhere like this?

"I'm sure. I have memories of this place."

A short dagger appeared in Aili's hand again as she stepped forward.

"That heavy smell of blood."

Zhixi commented.

"Seems like there's someone ahead who's just like you."

"I think I know who it is,"

Aili said.

"Here, take this."

Aili tossed a teleportation scroll to Zhixi.

"Is this thing even useful?"

Zhixi asked, knowing well that the royal barrier was no simple thing.

"That depends on what you're capable of."

Leaving behind a reply Zhixi couldn't understand, Aili continued on.

Arriving at a flight of steps, she saw the Emperor of Wanhua: Wanhua Zhankong. Next to him stood his wife: Wanhua Qiongmu, the head of the imperial intelligence network: Xing Sha, and her assistant: Jin Xue.

In the center sat the activation array for the barrier, a crystal orb revolving atop it.

Aili knew, this assassination attempt had failed, and she also knew why.

She looked at the elf woman with brown hair, sitting on the steps and toying with a dagger.

If it was her, she could certainly guess Aili's goal for this operation.

Both of them were the same kind of people, yet they walked different paths.

Jin Xue adjusted her glasses. She remembered Xing Sha once saying, if possible, she didn't want to become enemies with Aili.

"We're surrounded, so what now, surrender?"

Zhixi joked.

"If you feel like it."

"Do you think I feel like it?"

"You really are boring."

"There's only one person I respect."

Aili moved forward, blade pointed directly at Qiongmu, her killing intent utterly unconcealed.

"You!"

As emperor, Wanhua Zhankong naturally could not tolerate such insolence.

Aili's actions made him feel profoundly insulted.

Just as he was about to order them to attack, qiongmu stopped him.

"Wait, Your Majesty, before we begin, I have something I wish to ask."

"What do you want to ask?"

Qiongmu's gaze turned to Aili.

"Assassin, why are you targeting me?"

"Your existence affects someone."

"Who?"

"Well, you've been affecting her for a long time now."

"Even though killing you won't change anything..."

"But."

"I like it."

Aili never really answered Qiongmu's question, merely murmuring to herself.

In the face of this, qiongmu did not become angry, but sighed.

"It's Yinhua, isn't it? Based on Xing Sha's reports, I think I understand a little."

"So what?"

"You were the beggar Yinhua rescued back then, right?"

Aili's brows furrowed.

"I judge people well. Even though you changed your appearance, I still recognized you."

"Back then, you were just as steeped in blood as you are now."

"I knew you were dangerous, but since it was Yinhua's request, I kept you. It was the first time that child had ever pleaded with me."

"Yinhua is dead. You're here to avenge her, aren't you?"

There was a hint of pain in Qiongmu's voice.

"No, mother. She's still alive."

With hurried footsteps echoing, Lingxian arrived with Shen Baixue and Shui Cangxuan, stepping into everyone's view.

Lingxian, gasping for breath, said, "Things might be more complicated than we think. But Yinhua isn't dead. I'll explain later."

Then she turned to Aili once again.

"Even a dog knows how to guard its house. We kindly took you in, and now you've turned on us, leaving us battered. Is this how good deeds are repaid?"

"What are you yelling for? You weren't the one who took me in, nor were any of you,"

Aili retorted mockingly.

"Hmph!"

Wanhua Zhankong slammed the armrest.

"It seems you still don't understand your current predicament."

"Oh? What predicament are we in now? Care to enlighten me?"

Zhixi finished her words and disappeared.

"To capture the bandits, capture the king first."

In the next instant, Zhixi appeared right in front of Wanhua Zhankong and aimed a heavy punch at him.

"If I could be captured that easily, would I still be called king?"

Shui Cangxuan blocked in front of Wanhua Zhankong, catching Zhixi's punch.

"I really hate you, Shui Cangxuan!"

"I think you'd better worry about yourself first."

"It looks like you got separated from the group."

"We've got her."

In the blink of an eye, shen Baixue and Xing Sha appeared at Zhixi's front and back. Though Xing Sha's strength was short of a Sage's, her precise assassination techniques caught Zhixi off guard.

"Splurt!"

A long sword and a dagger stabbed through Zhixi's heart and throat from front and back in perfect synchrony.

Both extracted their weapons forcefully. Blood gushed from Zhixi's mouth as she slowly collapsed to the ground, staining a wide area crimson.

"I've faced plenty of opponents with powerful regenerative abilities—even those who thought themselves immortal. But someone surviving with a pierced heart, now that I have yet to see."

Shen Baixue flicked the blood from her blade and pointed at Aili: "You just watch your friend die? Some nerve."

"She insisted on courting death. What could I do?"

Aili shrugged.

"Now it's just you left—three against one. You have no chance."

Shui Cangxuan said.

"Yeah, guess I should look for a way to escape."

"The entire palace, even the whole Imperial Palace, is covered by our national barrier. You have nowhere to run,"

Wanhua Zhankong remarked.

"How will I know unless I try?"

Aili's hands glinted with silver threads. With a powerful tug, the palace ceiling collapsed above their heads.