Chapter Ninety-One: The Crimson Moon’s Night Raid of Bloodshed

A soft sound of footsteps came from behind.

“If you don’t have a place to stay, why not come to my house?”

Qi turned around. Before him stood a noble young lady with golden shoulder-length hair, wearing a gray-blue long dress and elegant boots. She was smiling warmly now, looking at him with wide, bright eyes.

“How could I impose? Besides, I’ve only just arrived in the imperial capital, and I don’t have much money on me,” Qi said with a faint smile.

“If you had money, you wouldn’t be sitting alone on a bridge in such a daze, would you?” The blonde girl smiled, narrowing her eyes.

“Lady Aria is just that kind-hearted. She can’t bear to ignore people in difficulty like you, so please accept her offer.” The escort who had driven the carriage climbed down and said, “What will you do? Want to come to my house?”

“Then I’m truly grateful. This is help when I need it most,” Qi said, scratching his head a little awkwardly.

“Then it’s settled,” the blonde lady said happily.

After walking for a while, this same benevolent young lady went out of her way again and invited a homeless boy by the roadside to return home with them.

The boy and Qi got into the carriage, then followed her to a grand estate with many castle-like buildings of a Western style. Inside the manor, the two boys met the blonde lady’s parents. Her father was a kind-looking middle-aged man. Years of comfort and privilege had made him somewhat overweight, which only made him seem more good-natured.

Her mother, meanwhile, was a blonde woman with a warm, friendly smile, watching the two of them with a pleasant expression.

“Oh, Aria has brought people home again—and two today,” the kindly father said with a smile.

“We’re already used to it. How many is this now?” the blonde woman teased her daughter with a grin.

“Mother,” the young lady called out in a spoiled, affectionate tone.

“This time, we are truly very grateful to you for taking us in. Otherwise, I would have had to sleep on the streets,” the boy said, bowing slightly in thanks. Qi followed suit with a slight bow.

Looking at the warm, friendly family, the boy showed an expression of grateful relief.

“Don’t stand there. Sit down. Since you’re guests brought back by Aria, there’s no need to be so reserved,” the middle-aged man said with a smile.

“Indeed. From what I understand, you both left your villages to make your mark in the army, and then save your hometowns?” The middle-aged man took a sip of black tea and asked after hearing the nearly identical stories of the boy and Qi.

“Yes.” The boy, who had introduced himself as Tatsumi, sat upright and proper, while Qi merely nodded lightly.

“However, the empire is currently surrounded on three sides by foreign tribes. You may be sent to the borders to fight them.”

“I’m already prepared for that.”

“Is that so? Admirable spirit indeed. That’s the sort of resolve young people should have,” the middle-aged man praised with a smile. Qi, meanwhile, was simply ignored.

“Are Tatsumi and Qi both traveling to the imperial capital alone?” Aria asked curiously.

“Yes, I came alone,” Qi said with a nod.

“No, the three of us left the village together, but we were attacked by bandits during the night and got separated. They’re both quite strong, so I’m not worried about them, but one of them is terribly hopeless at directions. I wonder whether he’ll be able to find his way to the imperial capital,” Tatsumi said worriedly.

“In that case, I’ll ask my friends in the army to help keep an eye out, and at the same time I’ll see if I can find Tatsumi’s two companions,” the middle-aged man said kindly.

“Really? Thank you so much!” Tatsumi exclaimed, jumping up in surprise and bowing deeply.

“Thank you,” Qi said, making sure he existed.

“Aria’s intuition is very sharp. I think you’ll meet those two very soon,” Aria said with a smile, offering comfort.

“Lady Aria...” Tatsumi smiled, deeply moved.

Qi also smiled and glanced at Aria.

Since it was already late, Qi and Tatsumi were arranged to stay in a luxurious room. Through the glass, they looked out at the night scene. Tatsumi smiled and sighed, “We’re really lucky, aren’t we? In the end we met Aria’s family, and they were kind enough to help us. Wouldn’t you say so?”

“Heh, yes. Lady Aria is very beautiful. Tatsumi, do you like her?” Qi teased the innocent young man he had just met.

“W-what are you saying? Lady Aria is such a kind person, and so noble too. She could never possibly take a liking to someone like me. I’m just worried about my two companions now. I only hope they can both arrive safely in the imperial capital.”

Qi smiled and shook his head. “Let’s sleep. Who knows whether we’ll be able to find them tomorrow?”

“Mm. I hope we can find them tomorrow. Then all four of us can enlist together, and make something of ourselves together,” Tatsumi said with a bright smile.

Qi gave a faint sigh, closed his eyes, and began to cultivate.

The next day, Lady Aria got up early and wanted to take the two of them out shopping. Qi declined on the grounds that he was not feeling well, and Tatsumi was dragged off with her. Qi, meanwhile, wandered around the heavily guarded castle. Some areas were politely off-limits, and he did not press the matter.

In the end, he borrowed the library and spent the entire day buried in books.

That evening, when Tatsumi returned, he complained that Qi had been disloyal. Qi only smiled, though his smile was bright and oddly satisfied, as if he had achieved some hidden purpose.

Not long after lying down, Tatsumi suddenly sat up. “There’s killing intent, Qi. Let’s go outside and take a look. During the day, I saw that the empire’s current band of assassins is running wild, specifically targeting wealthy nobles for murder, arson, and robbery. Could they have set their sights on this household as prey?”

Qi smiled and patted Tatsumi on the shoulder. “Let’s go have a look.”

“Yeah.”

The two stepped outside, and the scene beyond the window drew their gaze at once.

For some reason, the moon in the sky had turned into a blood-red moon, foreshadowing this night of slaughter. Beneath that crimson moon, five figures stood suspended in the air.

On the far left was a twin-tailed girl holding a spear. A little to the right was a long-haired girl with red eyes and a long sword in hand. In the center stood a tall figure clad in full armor, carrying a long weapon on his back nearly as tall as himself. Behind him was a green-haired youth, his hands pressed downward as if gripping something. Only upon closer look did it become clear that these five were not standing in midair at all, but on interwoven strands of metal wire, the source of which was the green-haired youth’s downward-pressed hand.

The last was a fierce mature woman, with golden beast-like pupils and claws, wild hair, and a wild style of dress.

Tatsumi had seen these people on the capital’s wanted list. “Night Raid. An assassin group that strikes nobles under cover of darkness. Damn it, what should we do? Should we go help?”

Qi glanced at the three guards rushing over. “Let’s watch the situation first,” he said with interest.