We left Chongping City by noon the second day.

  Once past the gates, Lian and Hua led their horses at the front. I staggered behind with the luggage, head foggy, one hand pressed over my left ear as I grumbled:

  “Does the Blood Lotus Cult have no humanitarian rules? Middle of winter and you make me wash a dozen pieces of clothing in one go, then sit by the bonfire all night to dry them, and you didn’t even give me a single basin of hot water—this is your idea of hospitality?”

  Hua snorted, not even looking back.

  “You still dare complain? Last night you drank like some broken-hearted ghost about to throw himself into a lake. First you muttered curses at the ‘Sister’—I even don’t know you have a sister, anyway, whatever that means—then you grabbed Lian by the collar and wailed ‘don’t leave me,’ nearly dragging him straight into the fire. If not for my quick hands—”

  “That was the system… I… I only wanted him to sit down and rest!” I muttered. “The fire circle was too high, I slipped a little, so the force was… slightly strong.”

  Ahead, Lian suddenly stopped, turned his head, and gave me a calm, unreadable look. But his voice left no room for negotiation:

  “I punished you last night. No need for further excuses. If there is a next time, you alone will wash every Protector’s robe in the cult for one full night.”

  A chill crawled up my spine.

  “No, no, please— I only just learned those robes are deerhide mixed with gold thread! It takes thirteen rounds of water to clean one piece and I’m not even allowed to wring it dry!”

  “You remember quite well,” Lian said lightly, the corner of his lips lifting in what absolutely counted as a cold, murderous smile.

  I shut up immediately, hugging the bundle tighter.

  But my mind kept circling back to last night.

  They never lectured me about slipping away from the team.

  They simply made me gather everyone’s luggage, fetch water, build the fire, wash clothes, dry them, and keep the flames going till dawn.

  When the sky had barely lightened, Hua pulled on the freshly dried robe with elegant ease. Without even blinking, he said:

  “Not bad. As expected—people without discipline are the most suitable for doing disciplined work.”

  I yawned hard and glared.

  “Can you not be this vicious?”

  “No,” Hua answered, leisurely leading his horse.

  I was speechless and slung the remaining packs over my shoulder.

  “What kind of upbringing is that…” I muttered, but a knot of unease tugged inside me.

  Hua had been unnervingly alert since last night, gaze drifting toward the forest whenever he thought I wasn’t looking.

  Lian was his usual cold self, yet he kept me within three paces at all times.

  That alone was terrifying.

  Lian normally acted like, “If you die, the world gets quieter.”

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  But now he was practically guarding me.

  Sure enough—

  By early afternoon, as soon as we crossed a mountain pass, the forest fell eerily silent. No birds, no wind, even the fallen leaves beneath our feet felt like they were holding their breath.

  “Back,” Lian murmured. His sleeve flicked, and all his presence folded inward.

  “They’re here,” Hua said, short blade already drawn. “West Altar.”

  “West… Altar?” I blinked, mental files scrambling desperately.

  The system chimed in with its usual half-dead cheerfulness:

  The Blood Lotus Cult is divided into four altars—East, South, West, and North. Each has its own lord, outwardly subordinate to the Cult Master yet internally riddled with tangled rivalries and shadow currents.

  “West Altar was purged not long ago,” Lian said, voice smooth. “Some remnants escaped. They’ve finally come knocking.”

  No sooner had he spoken than several shadows burst from the trees, blades cutting through the air with killing intent.

  Hua met the charge head-on. Steel clashed, blood sprayed, and a scream collapsed into the dirt. He didn’t even blink, only shifted aside from a blade and said coldly:

  “Petty tricks. You dare block me?”

  I was just about to applaud when a black figure dropped from the treetops, sword aimed straight at Lian’s heart.

  My brain exploded.

  ——No way. Not this scene AGAIN.

  The memory returned greasy as reheated pork:

  Last time on the cliff, I’d shouted “Lian, watch your back!”

  Did he thank me?

  No, he spun, flicked his sleeve, and I went off the cliff.

  I bounced off eighteen branches, cracked my skull, sprained a leg, and nearly died on arrival.

  Lesson learned.

  I immediately dove under the horse’s belly in a perfect sliding tackle, clamped the reins between my teeth, and whispered, “Brother Horse, save me. I’ll treat you to grass later.”

  Above me, swords clanged, blood splattered, the forest shook.

  Below, I trembled like damp laundry and decided whether to hide, faint, or run.

  Suddenly—

  Brilliance struck me.

  With the battlefield chaos, blind spots everywhere, thick forest to slip into…

  Why not just… sneak away?

  “Brilliant idea,” I praised myself, patting my own head. “This time, no heroic nonsense.”

  I crawled out from under the horse, waving enthusiastically toward the fight while inching backward.

  “You got this! Beautiful strike! Wonderful swordwork! Lian, you look AMAZING!”

  The more I retreated, the thinner my voice got.

  “You all… fight slowly… I’ll… step out… first…”

  I tiptoed away like a chicken-thief escaping nighttime patrol.

  Unfortunately, even traitors had excellent eyesight these days.

  A voice shouted, “That one hopping like a chick—stop him!”

  “HELP!” I shrieked, nearly tripping into a ditch.

  Just then—Pia!—a silver folding fan sliced through the air and blocked the blade aimed at me.

  Hua again.

  His face was winter-cold, like he’d already accepted this part of his job description.

  “Who said you can touch him?”

  Before I could thank him, another attacker lunged from the trees, curved blade swinging.

  A gust of wind tore past my ear.

  Blood blossomed.

  The man collapsed with a hole through his chest.

  ——Lian.

  He didn’t even look at me, his robe drifting like cold moonlight.

  “All of you—stay away from what belongs to me.”

  I: ……

  Half touched, half terrified, I resumed backing away—silently chanting run run run run run.

  Finally reaching the forest edge, I gritted my teeth, turned, and—

  Just as I took one step into the woods—

  SWOOSH.

  Shadows burst up around me in a perfect coordinated formation, like they’d rehearsed for a palace parade.

  Me: “???”

  The leader wore a half-copper mask, voice gravelly:

  “Take him.”

  “W-wait—who’s taking who? Do I know you?!”

  Before I could finish, someone bagged me like a potato and hauled me off.

  Inside the sack, I kicked and yelled:

  “You’ve got the wrong guy! I don’t know anything! I don’t even know which direction the Blood Lotus Altars face! I only memorized ‘east, south, west, north’ yesterday and now you give me NEW enemies?! Who did I offend?!”

  The system chimed in, voice cheerful in a hateful way:

  【Notice: ‘Non-Voluntary Movement’ side quest triggered. Current protagonist status: abducted, conscious, intelligence unstable.】

  I rolled my eyes and gave up completely.

  “…Why are there traitors every year, but this year they’re especially enthusiastic?”