Chapter 33: The Killer's Choice of Life and Death
Unknown World
Thunder roared and freezing rain fell, growing heavier by the minute. The rain didn't disperse the smoke in the sky, but instead made the area even darker. In a jungle in the territory of Qi State, a woman named Jingni was surrounded by a dozen assassins from the Netherworld organization.
She wore a slim, purple-and-white striped metal combat suit and held her Jingni Sword. Despite being pregnant, she was unphased by the rain beating on her face and stared straight ahead with an expressionless look.
"Why?" she asked.
"As an assassin, you should know why." On the opposite side stood a killer from her own organization. He wore a red ghost mask, and the sword in his hand was no ordinary weapon. Although not as good as Jingni, one of the 8 Swords of King Yue, it was still a sharp blade. Only a first-rank Netherworld assassin could wield it.
"I have completed my mission," Jingni tried to argue for maternity leave, but this was the result of her request. If possible, she didn't want to escape from Netherworld, the largest killer organization in the 7 countries that would hunt down traitors to the death.
"Then you can start your next mission." The ghost-faced killer raised his head slightly, trying to test Jingni's resolve on the brink of death. His red ghost mask conveyed an icy coldness and terror, and his voice was low and indifferent, devoid of emotion, just like the sword in his hand, a symbol of Netherworld's killing power.
Thunder roared and silver lightning flashed across the sky. The rain grew heavier and colder, but it couldn't extinguish the anger and murderous intent in Jingni's heart. She was a pregnant assassin who had been denied maternity leave. It was clear what she would do.
As a mother, even if she had once been a killer, maternal love would compel her to do anything for her child, even if it meant betrayal. At that moment, she finally made up her mind.
"So, I have no choice, is that it?" Jingni spoke, her face still expressionless, her eyes now icy cold.
The Ghost-Face Killer, who seemed to have a death wish, continued to provoke her. "This has been your destiny since the day you were born, and it will only end when you die."
"To achieve our goal, we will fight to the death?" Jingni raised her head and closed her eyes in pain, letting the cold rain hit her face. She no longer cared. At that moment, she finally made up her mind.
"Yes!" The Ghost-Face Killer sneered, as if certain that Jingni would never dare to betray Netherworld.
Jingni did not reply. The scene fell silent. Only the thunder and the increasingly heavy, icy rain could be heard. Suddenly, Jingni opened her eyes, a flash of murderous intent within them. Just as she was about to act, an abrupt voice rang out. "No, she still has a choice."
"That is killing intent!" Everyone, including Jingni, was shocked. As killers, they were familiar with killing intent, but they had never felt such a strong, almost tangible, and suffocating aura before. Everyone's eyes were drawn to a tall man in a black robe and hood who walked out of the darkness behind the Ghost-Face Killer.
The moment the man appeared, the world seemed to be stained with blood. The air became even colder, and the rain turned into ice chips. But the man himself gave off a burning aura. The rain and ice turned to steam before they could even get close to him.
"Who are you? Don't interfere with Netherworld's business. Step aside if you know what's good for you," the Ghost-Face Killer said, turning around suddenly. He could see that the black-robed man was not to be trifled with. The most important thing was to capture Jingni, and it was not wise to provoke another powerful enemy.
The man in the black robe did not answer. He simply looked at Jingni quietly. 5 dazzling halos of yellow, purple, and black rose from beneath his feet. The fourth Soul ring lit up, and a thumb-sized red energy sword appeared out of nowhere in his right hand. Dozens of powerful red lights shot from his fingers, filling the jungle. At the same time, the screams of the Netherworld assassins, including the Ghost-Face Killer, echoed through the jungle.
"Ah!"
The red light faded. The Netherworld assassins had vanished. The rain also stopped, and the jungle within a hundred-meter radius was scorched black. Only Jingni, with her swollen belly, remained, watching the black-robed man with a vigilant expression.
Qin Xuan looked around with satisfaction and nodded to himself. After his fourth Soul ring was upgraded to 10,000 years, the Everbright Sword Array was much more powerful. Not only did its attack power and range increase significantly, but it could also be cast instantly.
Additionally, the sword formation could be softened to trap enemies, or it could be used with a passive ability to forcibly stun opponents. The specific level of opponents that could be stunned and the duration of the stun remained to be tested.
"Why did you help me?" Jingni asked, her expression still blank and her voice devoid of emotion. She held her Jingni Sword tightly, her thumb pushing the sword guard to reveal a hint of the blade. It was clear she was ready to fight if their conversation went poorly.
The man in front of her, who exuded an intense killing aura, was most likely a killer himself. A mother is fierce, and even if she couldn't win, she would fight for a chance of survival for her unborn child and ensure that the child did not repeat her mistakes.
"Your body is extremely weak," Qin Xuan answered indirectly, his voice indifferent. "If you attack me now, not to mention whether you could kill me, your body might not be able to handle it. You could go into premature labor. Even if you don't care for yourself, you should care for the baby in your belly."
Hearing this, Jingni's bright black eyes fell to her abdomen. She slowly released her thumb from the sword guard, and the blade returned to the scabbard with a hum.
Qin Xuan continued, "A person is a person because she has feelings. As a mother, you are willing to fight against Netherworld for your child, which shows you are not an emotionless killer. I admire that. And as I said, besides continuing to be a killer and living on the run until you die, you have another choice."
"What do I need to pay?" Jingni asked in a deep voice. She knew there was no such thing as a free lunch.
"Be my woman."
Jingni's heart was currently focused on her unborn child, so talking about love was unrealistic. It was better to be straightforward. In the original novel, for her daughter's sake, she was willing to marry the ugly Tian Meng. Why not Qin Xuan? As expected, Jingni agreed, but she had a condition. "Fine. But you can't touch the baby in my belly."
"Don't worry. I may not be a good person, but I am responsible to my family," Qin Xuan replied, casually throwing the Jingni recruitment card to her.
"What is this?" Jingni asked, frowning as she looked at the golden card with her portrait and simplified Chinese characters she had never seen before.
Qin Xuan explained, "You can think of it as a contract. Drop a single drop of your blood on it, and Netherworld will never be able to touch you or the fetus in your belly again. The price is that you will become my woman. Of course, I won't force you to do anything; you just need to fulfill your duties as a wife."
Qin Xuan did not mention the rest of the contract's terms. After signing, Jingni's life and death would be in his hands. If she ever harbored the idea of betraying him, she would instantly become paralyzed, and he could kill her without a moment's hesitation.
"I understand." Jingni took a deep breath, scratched her fingertip with her nail, and let a drop of blood fall onto the card. For the sake of her child, she had no other choice. It was better to take a gamble than to live a life of hiding and constant danger.
The moment the blood touched the card, both felt a connection. Jingni felt that if she ever thought about harming Qin Xuan, something terrible would happen to her.
Qin Xuan then let down his guard, took off his hood, and revealed his true face. "Very good, Jingni. You've made the right choice. I believe you won't regret it in the future. You've been out in the rain and are very weak now. If this continues, the fetus will be in danger. Take this Pregnancy-Preserving Medicine; it will replenish the energy the fetus needs."
Qin Xuan gritted his teeth, seeing his remaining Emotional Value of just over 40,000. He spent 10,000 Emotional Points to buy a top-grade Pregnancy-Preserving Medicine. He then took out a fur coat, worth thousands of gold coins, and put it on her.