Chapter 1: The Assassin's Rebirth
The rain was relentless that night, slicing through the cold air like silver daggers. In the narrow alleys of the capital, under the shadow of a flickering lantern, she stood, her crimson robes blending into the blood pooling beneath her feet.
The last breath of her target fogged the air like a delicate cloud before vanishing into nothingness.
"Another one." Her voice was barely a whisper, but it carried the weight of death. They called her **Crimson Veil**—the assassin who never missed. The one who could disappear into the mist before her prey even realized they were doomed.
But tonight felt different.
As Mei Hua wiped the blade clean, a sharp whistle sliced through the rain. She froze, instinctively flicking her wrist, sending a poisoned needle into the darkness. A muffled grunt confirmed the hit.
Yet, she knew.
She had walked into a trap.
"*You should have known I would be the only one who could stop you, Mei Hua.*"
The voice was painfully familiar. It pierced through her chest sharper than any sword. She slowly turned.
There he stood. **Li Zhen.** Her mentor. Her only friend. The man who had trained her, raised her, who once whispered that she was his only family in this cruel world.
Now, his sword was drawn. It pointed at her heart.
Her mind reeled. "Why?"
He smiled, but it wasn't the warmth she once knew. "Because you were never meant to outlive your usefulness. You were my most perfect weapon, Mei Hua. But every weapon, no matter how sharp, becomes a threat once it starts thinking."
Lightning cracked above them, illuminating the betrayal etched on his face.
For the first time in years, Mei Hua felt something burn beneath her calm surface—not fear, but heartbreak.
She laughed, bitter and broken. "So you'll kill me like the others?"
"No," Li Zhen said softly. "You'll do it yourself."
Before she could react, the ground beneath her feet shook violently. A circle of light erupted from the old stone under the temple ruins where they stood. Ancient symbols flared, blinding her vision.
"Wha—?"
The world spun. Her vision blurred. Pain ripped through her chest as if invisible chains were pulling her soul apart. She screamed, but no sound came out.
And then—
Darkness.
She awoke to birdsong.
Soft light filtered through thin silk curtains. The scent of jasmine floated in the air. Mei Hua gasped, her heart pounding, hands clawing at her chest—intact. Smooth. Untouched.
Where was the blood?
Where was Li Zhen?
Where was the betrayal?
Her fingers touched her face. Younger. Softer.
A faint knock came from the door. "Miss Lian? Are you awake?"
Lian?
The door slid open, and a young servant girl peeked inside with wide, innocent eyes. "Miss Lian, breakfast is ready."
Mei Hua opened her mouth, but no words came.
This wasn't her world.
She turned to the bronze mirror beside the bed. The reflection staring back was hers—but not.
The same face, but softer. The sharpness of years spent killing, the emptiness in her eyes—it was all gone. She looked… innocent. Fragile. Almost like a sheltered noble girl.
And then it hit her.
The wuxia novel. The one the doctor in the institution had given her to read—the story she had dismissed as childish fantasy while locked away after the war ended.
Was she inside it?
Her sharp assassin mind tried to process everything logically, but even she couldn't deny it—she had woken up inside **the world of the novel.**
Later that morning, as she was escorted to the garden, her confusion deepened.
Peach blossoms danced in the breeze. Elegant pavilions glistened under the morning sun. Servants bustled about, respectful and careful around her. Everyone addressed her as **Miss Mei Lian** — the only daughter of the powerful Mei family, known for their wealth and scholarly reputation.
And yet, in the novel, Mei Lian was nothing but a fragile side character, destined to die young from sickness, never affecting the plot.
Was this truly her fate now?
"Miss Lian," a soft, melodic voice interrupted her thoughts.
She turned—and froze.
Standing under the cherry tree was **him.**
He was tall, regal, dressed in rich sapphire silk embroidered with golden cranes. His long black hair shimmered in the sunlight. But it was his eyes that struck her most: sharp like daggers, yet holding an unexpected softness.
**Prince Rui.**
In the novel, Prince Rui was the cold, ruthless second prince—feared on the battlefield but distant in matters of the heart. Untouchable. Dangerous. Alone.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, the world seemed to still. The birdsong faded. The breeze quieted.
He studied her intently. "You've been unwell for many days. I'm relieved to see you walking."
Mei Hua—or rather, Mei Lian—searched his gaze, her instincts still wired for danger. But what she saw unsettled her: not hostility, but curiosity. Concern.
"I… I am well, Your Highness." Her voice trembled slightly. She hadn't spoken with such softness in years.
He stepped closer. "Are you truly? You collapsed so suddenly last week. The physicians were most concerned."
She stared at him. She had no memory of any illness. Only betrayal. Only blood.
Prince Rui tilted his head slightly, observing her. "Your eyes seem different today."
Her breath caught. Was he suspecting something?
"Do they?" she whispered.
"Less afraid. More… alive."
Their gazes locked again, and something unspoken passed between them.
Before either could speak further, a shrill voice cut through the air.
"Your Highness!"
A young noblewoman in bright crimson robes stormed toward them, her eyes flashing with barely concealed rage. Lady Jin—the Prince's rumored future wife.
She glanced at Mei Lian with thinly veiled contempt. "Miss Mei, surely you know it's inappropriate for an unmarried young lady to be alone with His Highness."
Prince Rui's face hardened. "Lady Jin, you are being presumptuous."
"But—"
"I chose to visit Miss Mei. She is under my protection as promised to the Mei family."
Mei Hua blinked. Protection? In the novel, Prince Rui had no attachment to Mei Lian. This deviation was dangerous.
Lady Jin forced a smile, bowing stiffly. "Of course, Your Highness."
As she walked away, Prince Rui turned back to Mei Lian. "Be cautious, Miss Mei. Not all smiles in the palace are kind."
Her assassin instincts whispered the same warning. But what unsettled her most wasn't Lady Jin's venom—it was the strange warmth she felt in the Prince's gaze.
Warmth she had never known.
That night, under the pale moon, Mei Hua sat alone on the veranda, trying to steady her breathing.
Why was she here?
Was this her punishment?
Her second chance?
Or another trap?
"*Live the life you want this time.*"
The words echoed in her mind. The last words she heard before the light swallowed her.
Could she really?
Her hand subconsciously reached for the hairpin in her hair—a thin, sharp, deadly instrument. Her old habits never left. She could defend herself if needed.
But as the wind carried the soft fragrance of peach blossoms, and the distant sound of the Prince's flute filled the air, something inside her chest stirred.
For the first time in years, Mei Hua—once Crimson Veil—felt an unfamiliar tremor deep inside her heart.
Hope.
To be continued.....