Chapter 105 – When the Roses Bloom (23)
◎ On Children ◎
When Zhang Wanyao woke up again, the room was pitch black.
Marie curled up at her feet, hands behind her grinding ropes against the table corner. However, the ropes were specially made, rendering her actions meaningless.
“Marie, where are we?” Zhang Wanyao asked softly.
Upon hearing her voice, Marie immediately leaned closer. “Ayao, you’re finally awake. Miao Lun brought us to his estate.”
Zhang Wanyao propped herself up, looking out of the window. Beneath the bleak moonlight, her lips were as pale as snow. “No, this isn’t Miao Lun’s estate.”
She had once accompanied Miao Lun to his estate, a luxurious mansion situated in Mu City, in a quiet and affluent area. Lights there never ceased, but at this moment, outside was shrouded in thin mist, desolate with no signs of life, only Miao Lun’s private soldiers on edge, resembling more a suburban villa area.
Zhang Wanyao hadn’t been here before, but Miao Lun owned numerous properties, beyond her complete knowledge.
“What? But before we left, Miao Lun clearly said we were going back to his estate…” Marie muttered in confusion, then smacked her forehead suddenly. “Oh no, that means the message I sent to Marsha was also false. The reinforcements she sought must have gone to the wrong place!”
Marie’s voice lowered in concern as she glanced at Zhang Wanyao. “Ayao, you look really pale. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” Zhang Wanyao shook her head. “Can you still contact your sister?”
“Yes, she came with us.”
“I want to know what’s happening in the Reunification Palace,” Zhang Wanyao said.
“I’ll ask her right away.” Marie activated her powers and communicated with Martha underground.
Nai Wen was dead, Nai Kang had three puppets, and the last one was Miao Lun. Only by killing Miao Lun could Song Ke have a chance to take down Nai Kang.
Zhang Wanyao’s misty eyes narrowed slightly; Miao Lun probably knew he was a puppet long ago.
As she approached Miao Lun, although this person was initially reckless, he didn’t live as cautiously before. However, gradually, there were more and more private soldiers around Miao Lun. In the end, they never left him no matter what he did. Moreover, he was secretly gathering various rare awakeners, such as Hasa who excelled in data tracking, Sang Bo who could turn into black mud, and Hu Chao and Godanwei, who were always close bodyguards.
When did Miao Lun realize Nai Kang’s manipulations on him? It’s unclear. But his mind was extremely deep, quietly enduring it all, seemingly bargaining with Nai Kang on one hand and seeking opportunities to break free from the constraints on the other. Miao Lun obviously wanted to transfer the puppet elsewhere, but the causality awakener had died, and other high-level causality awakeners were even rarer to find. Thus, Miao Lun’s plan had to be temporarily shelved.
Lately, Miao Lun’s gaze toward her had been increasingly peculiar. Clearly, he had sent someone to follow her, harboring suspicions, yet he wasn’t in a rush to deal with her. Perhaps, Miao Lun’s retention of her wasn’t due to favor but rather as preparation to serve as a vessel. However, before he could implement this plan, Nai Kang fell into multiple assassination crises.
While Zhang Wanyao and Marie were whispering, a girl’s cry suddenly came from outside the room. Godanwei dragged them all out. The number of private soldiers Miao Lun brought wasn’t substantial; a large part had been dispatched to his estate to divert attention. However, those who remained were the elite.
Shortly after, Godanwei kicked open their door. “The master requests your presence. Will you go by yourselves, or shall I escort you?”
Marie fearfully bit her lip, while Zhang Wanyao replied calmly, “We’ll go by ourselves.”
Including Zhang Wanyao, six girls were taken to a spacious bedroom, where they were startled by the gruesome scene. Hu Chao held an extremely thin blade, slicing at a person’s face. The individual’s skin showed no inch of relief, tortured to the point of unrecognizability, whimpering in agony.
Miao Lun sat in front, spreading his legs apart. “I’ll ask you again, what is that old man’s plan?”
The secretary sent by Nai Kang couldn’t endure the torture, pleading, “General, the old man has submitted an urgent asylum request. The Alliance will pick him up tonight. Please, I’ve told you everything I know. Please spare me.”
Miao Lun stared at him in silence.
Hu Chao murmured, “His answers from seven times are consistent, General. There are few cuts left. Should we continue?”
In other words, this person hadn’t lied.
Miao Lun raised a finger. Hu Chao swiftly struck, giving him a swift end, terminating the secretary’s life.
Having obtained the desired answers, Miao Lun stood up with suppressed anger, pacing back and forth in the room. He violently kicked over a chair, cursing furiously, “Old man, damn that old man!”
“Take the person away.”
Servants entered quietly and dragged away the lifeless body of the secretary.
Miao Lun suddenly turned around, panting heavily as he pressed down on Godanwei’s shoulder with force. “I don’t care what it takes. Tonight, guard the door for me, no flies allowed in. Understand?”
Godanwei knelt down on one knee following his pressure, bowing his head. “Godanwei swears to guard the master with his life.”
Miao Lun nodded in satisfaction. “Go.”
Once Godanwei left, Miao Lun’s grim expression remained unchanged. He seemed like a desperate trapped beast, grabbing the whip on the table and venting his frustration, causing varying degrees of harm to the girls in the room. Hearing their painful sounds, Miao Lun suddenly reached for one girl’s head, pressing it forcefully onto the still-congealing blood and flesh, casting a hefty shadow.
The girl’s screams were agonizing, causing Hu Chao’s eardrums to twitch. Subconsciously, he glanced up and met Miao Lun’s ferocious gaze. His body shook, stepping back two paces, hiding behind the screen. From there, he could clearly see Miao Lun’s silhouette but didn’t have to directly witness those cruel scenes.
After a while, Miao Lun stopped, the girl covered in blood, barely clinging to life, slipping into unconsciousness.
Miao Lun turned his gaze toward Marie, coldly commanding, “Come here.”
Terrified, Marie retreated, but Miao Lun impatiently whipped the air, lashing around her neck and forcefully dragging her closer. Marie resisted, kicking and punching, but Miao Lun’s grip tightened. Her breath became labored, her eyes rolling back, and her struggles grew feeble.
Zhang Wanyao rushed over, attempting to pry Miao Lun’s hand away. Irritated, Miao Lun kicked out, a resounding “thud” as Zhang Wanyao’s back collided with the iron bed frame, blinding her vision for several seconds.
Miao Lun relaxed, a bloodied grin forming. “Why the rush? Your turn is coming soon.”
Good things are always saved for a slow, enjoyable end.
Hu Chao, hearing the commotion inside, peeked beyond the screen. He saw Zhang Wanyao lying almost lifeless on the ground, while Marie’s eyes were shut tight, a ring of marks around her neck, her hand under the table spasming.
Hu Chao recoiled. At this moment, he especially missed the deceased Sang Bo. If not for having no choice, he truly didn’t want to engage in this filthy work.
There’s no more time.
Zhang Wanyao endured the intense pain, forcing herself to calm down. She had to do something.
As long as Miao Lun died, Nai Kang would lose his final protection. Her abilities were limited; she couldn’t personally kill Nai Kang. But she could expedite his demise, giving him a push toward death.
From Miao Lun’s perspective, it seemed inevitable that Nai Kang had a trick up his sleeve. Miao Lun’s purpose in hiding was clear: as long as they could endure tonight, both Nai Kang and Miao Lun could continue to live unharmed.
“There’s no time, no time.”
Zhang Wanyao crawled forward slowly. Miao Lun, dissatisfied with the whip, tossed it aside and instead used both hands to grip Marie’s neck.
Zhang Wanyao’s trembling fingertips reached the tip of the whip. With sudden and astonishing strength from her slender body, she gritted her teeth, swiftly and skillfully entwining the whip around Miao Lun’s neck, creating a tight knot and pulling it backward—
Miao Lun tensed all over, eyes bulging, reflexively groping at his own neck, trying to undo the knot. However, Zhang Wanyao, having practiced the same action countless times, tied the knot in an extremely intricate manner. It was impossible to loosen it quickly. Miao Lun, frustrated and desperate, made gasping sounds in his throat. His left hand reached back to try and grab the whip’s end while his right hand, freed, slapped Zhang Wanyao’s face and seized her hair, pulling upward.
Zhang Wanyao resisted with all her might, refusing to release the whip.
Yet, the energy a strong and healthy man could muster in a life-or-death struggle far surpassed that of a weak and injured woman. Amid Miao Lun’s vigorous struggle, Zhang Wanyao’s fingertips bled, her strength steadily draining.
Marie awoke from suffocation, witnessing the scene before her. She opened her mouth, silently calling out, “A Yao…”
Tears streaming down her face, she desperately clawed at Miao Lun’s arm, her fingernails deeply embedded in his flesh. She lowered her head and, like a wild beast, bit and gnawed, forcibly pulling Miao Lun’s hand away from Zhang Wanyao’s hair.
Hu Chao heard the commotion and, peering through a screen, saw Miao Lun slightly tilting his head, hands pressing down on Ma Rui, trembling uncontrollably. Hu Chao instantly made a connection, glanced once, then silently lowered his head again.
Miao Lun’s face had already turned blue and purple, and Zhang Wanyao was on the verge of giving up, her strength drained. The tip of the whip slid forward a few inches—
At that moment, a hand covered in scars came in and, adding to her force, tightened the whip together!
It was another girl from the room, just pushed into the pool of blood by Miao Lun. Her appearance was immensely tragic, but her eyes were filled with resolute determination.
In the silent confrontation, a third hand covered in, followed by a fourth, a fifth…
These girls from the Rose Army, stripped and vulnerable, seen as toys by Miao Lun, chose to resist with their lives. They made no sound, either staggering forward or crawling, tightly gripping the whip with unwavering determination.
They only had one thought: Miao Lun must die.
Miao Lun, on the brink of breaking free, suffered another blow. His eyes glazed over with a deathly pallor, his brain rapidly starved of oxygen, the blood in his neck artery ready to burst. Miao Lun’s struggle grew stronger, finally managing to knock over a teacup with great effort.
The sudden sound of shattered porcelain startled Hu Chao, who vigilantly raised his head, only to look towards the door.
Faint sounds of a scuffle emanated from the darkness, sporadic flashes of supernatural light. Hu Chao furrowed his brow slightly. What was Godanwei up to? He couldn’t even handle something as simple as guarding the door. They might as well switch roles, let him watch over Miao Lun…
Wait!
Hu Chao suddenly realized he hadn’t heard Miao Lun’s voice for several minutes, and even the cries of those girls had disappeared. He was drenched in cold sweat, pushing the screen down to rush forward.
A sharp talisman suddenly pierced through the back of Hu Chao’s head.
Zhang Ci and Irene rushed in with a group of people, everyone shocked by the scene before them.
The girls, battered and bruised, held onto the whip in various poses, while its other end was wrapped around Miao Lun’s neck. He lay stiff, barely clinging to his last breath.
“Ayao!!” Fang Zhixu dropped his triangular dagger and rushed over, picking up Zhang Wanyao from the ground.
Zhang Ci grabbed Miao Lun, the Seven Star Sword piercing his head accurately. Miao Lun had no strength left to resist.
After confirming his death, Zhang Ci sent a message to Zhuang Qingyan’s side.
Miao Lun’s body was dragged away, Marie fell from the table, landing on the ground, coughing violently.
Zhang Ci paused, removed his robe, turned away, and covered her body full of wounds.
Lin Youyou and Irene also took out clean coats and distributed them to the other girls.
The Shaye awakeners at the scene fell silent. These girls were heroes. Perhaps Miao Lun, even in death, wouldn’t have imagined that his glamorous life would end with being strangled by the very Rose Army he had “nurtured.”
Fang Zhixu anxiously checked Zhang Wanyao’s limbs, urgently asking, “Ayao, you’re hurt? Let me treat you.”
Zhang Wanyao gently placed her hand on his, “Why are you in such a mess?”
Fang Zhixu wasn’t much better off than her. His face was stained with blood, and his hair was tangled.
Zhang Wanyao smiled tenderly, “How many times have I told you? Clothes are hard to clean.”
Fang Zhixu hadn’t heard her nagging for a long time. His heart felt sour and bitter, “I’ll clean them. I’ll do it.”
“Ayao, Nai Wen is dead. I killed him with my own hands. Nai Kang, Nai Kang is about to die too. None of them will escape.”
“I finally, finally avenged Tiantian,” Fang Zhixu said, choking up.
“I know,” Zhang Wanyao said softly, “You’ve worked hard during this time.”
Fang Zhixu shook his head quickly, “I haven’t. It was all my fault before. I couldn’t handle things, I always made you angry. When things settle here, can we leave Mu City? Go back to Tongwan, or wherever you want to go?”
“No, just go back to Tongwan. I want to go home,” Zhang Wanyao said softly.
The phrase “go home” filled Fang Zhixun’s eyes with tears. Clumsily, he reached out to hold Zhang Wanyao, but she stopped him again.
Fang Zhixu looked up in confusion.
“There’s something I need to figure out how to tell you.”
Zhang Wanyao took Fang Zhixu’s hand and placed it on her abdomen. Fang Zhixu released his awakened energy, then his face froze.
—Zhang Wanyao’s spleen was shattered.
Not only the spleen but other organs also suffered rapid deterioration due to massive blood loss and external pressure. Although she had no visible wounds on the surface, her body was riddled with injuries. Miao Lun’s kick at the private residence was unusually vicious, and Zhang Wanyao, despite enduring for a while, couldn’t hold on any longer after repeated heavy blows.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m an A-level healer, I can save you!”
Fang Zhixu’s speech was incoherent, his hands trembling incessantly. He desperately released his awakened energy, channeling it into Zhang Wanyao’s body.
However, Zhang Wanyao was just an ordinary person, her constitution hadn’t undergone any enhancement, and the absorption of awakened energy was exceptionally slow. Fang Zhixu’s voice trembled, “Ayao, don’t be afraid. I’m a doctor, I’ll perform surgery on you, let’s do it now!”
Zhang Wanyao held Fang Zhixu’s hand, stopping his futile efforts. There was no more time, she knew.
“Before, what I said was all out of anger. Axu, you’re not just a good father but also a very, very good husband.”
“It’s just regrettable that I can’t accompany you any further. Don’t be sad; I’ve never regretted what I did.”
She cupped Fang Zhixu’s face, crying, “This time, don’t fall apart. Promise me to live well, can you do that?”
Fang Zhixu cried as he shook his head, “I can’t, I can’t, Ayao. I’m worthless. I can’t save Tiantian, I can’t even save you.”
“You’re not worthless; you’re the best doctor in the world.”
“Promise me.” Zhang Wanyao stubbornly stared at him, insisting on an answer.
Fang Zhixu, in immense pain, nodded tearfully, “I promise you.”
“Promise me what?”
“…To live well.”
“Nai Kang is dead,” Zhang Ci suddenly spoke, “Song Ke killed Nai Kang. Nai Kang is already dead.”
“Dead? That’s good; he got what he deserved,” Zhang Wanyao’s voice grew fainter. “Axu, I seem to see Tiantian.”
This dream was a long-awaited beautiful one. Tiantian wasn’t crying anymore; instead, she was saying something, her dimple showing, and she smiled sweetly.
Zhang Wanyao hurried forward, finally hearing clearly. It turned out she was calling, “Mommy!”
…
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
…
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
