Chapter 131: A Stab to the Heart, Members of the Mo School

Shen Qianmo turned her head away, breaking free from the touch of his fingers. She shifted toward the corner of the bed and frowned at He Liancheng. "General He, you are drunk. Please leave."

She had thought he wanted to get rid of the child in her womb, or perhaps use her as leverage against Meng Yuanheng. How did the conversation suddenly shift to her chastity? Even if she were to lose her virtue and be cast aside by Meng Yuanheng, what benefit would that bring him? It ran completely contrary to his original intent.

Shen Qianmo was filled with bewilderment, leading her to conclude that He Liancheng was severely intoxicated and his judgment clouded.

However, as if wounded by her indifferent, aloof expression and the look of disgust and resistance in her eyes, He Liancheng’s handsome face darkened. He reached out a long arm, effortlessly pulling the bound and huddled Shen Qianmo toward him. He wrapped one arm around her petite frame, used his other hand to pin the back of her head, and, without waiting for her to react, silenced her with an uncompromising kiss.

*Drunk?* He smiled bitterly to himself. How he wished he could be drunk, but no matter how many cups of strong spirits he poured down his throat, the bitterness, jealousy, and insatiable craving for her in his heart did not diminish in the slightest.

He Liancheng’s kiss was much like the man himself: wild, domineering, decisive, and resolute. The waves of alcohol radiating from his breath only made Shen Qianmo’s heart tremble.

Rarely flustered, she panicked for a moment, opened her mouth, and bit down hard on his lips. Simultaneously, her hands—bound behind her back—began to move rapidly. She had to untie her restraints as quickly as possible. At this moment, she had a sinking feeling that He Liancheng’s intention to ruin her chastity was genuine. Therefore, she could not sit and wait for her doom.

She tasted a salty, metallic tang of blood in her mouth; she must have bitten through his lip.

With a sharp intake of breath, He Liancheng pulled away in pain. He raised his hand to wipe the blood from his lips, his faintly crimson eyes staring unblinkingly at her. He then curled his lips into a seductive smirk, lending his handsome features a look of wicked, untamed arrogance.

"Shen Qianmo, you are afraid." His low, soft chuckle carried the satisfaction of a long-held wish being fulfilled.

He had clearly seen a flash of panic in her eyes just now, and the discovery put him in an excellent mood. So, this woman was capable of fear after all.

Shen Qianmo silently adjusted her breathing, forcing herself to calm down. Even with her top-tier observation and deduction skills, she could not fathom He Liancheng’s true intentions. Yet, his unreasonable behavior and teasing tone infuriated her, causing a layer of frost to settle over her usually serene expression.

"General He, do you have any idea what you are doing? If I lose my chastity, I lose my value as a pawn. There is no benefit in it for you."

"And so what?" He Liancheng scoffed. "If a discarded pawn is obedient enough, I wouldn't mind keeping it."

Perhaps he had long since stopped viewing her as a pawn, using it only as an excuse to keep her by his side forever.

"General He is truly naive," Shen Qianmo said coldly. "Do you honestly think I, Shen Qianmo, would willingly act as an obedient pawn for you to humiliate and manipulate? If word spreads one day that the Princess of Xuan died pregnant in the mansion of the General of Northern Di, do you think Meng Yuanheng will let you off? When the Prince of Xuan’s estate declares war on Northern Di, how will you explain yourself to the King of Northern Di?"

"You... are you so willing to die just to preserve your chastity for Meng Yuanheng?" Upon hearing her words, He Liancheng’s expression darkened instantly. Was this woman truly so deeply in love with Meng Yuanheng?

The flames of jealousy in his heart burned ever higher. He lunged forward, using his strength to pin Shen Qianmo onto the bed. His tall frame loomed over her, and his dangerous, aggressive masculine presence instantly enveloped her completely.

"Shen Qianmo, I would like to see if you are truly as chaste and virtuous as you claim." Under the dual influence of jealousy and alcohol, He Liancheng’s eyes were verging on madness. At this moment, his heart and mind were consumed by a single thought: he would possess this woman. No matter how deep her hatred for him, he would keep her by his side.

His warm, masculine breath lingered against the skin of her neck. He Liancheng’s long fingers gently traced her face before moving to her throat. The scorching heat of his fingertips sent Shen Qianmo into a panic, yet her body remained firmly restrained, unable to move.

The soft touch and faint fragrance acted like a catalyst, completely unleashing the suppression and desire he had harbored for days. His fingers tugged at her collar. With a sharp "rip," the fabric tore, revealing the fair skin of her neck and her prominent collarbones.

Seeing this, He Liancheng lost his remaining reason. His eyes darkened, and he leaned down to kiss her exposed collarbone.

"Ugh."

A muffled grunt escaped He Liancheng’s lips.

A sudden, sharp pain struck his chest. He instinctively looked down. A slender, fair hand was clutching a gleaming gold hairpin, its tip clearly buried deep within his chest. Bright red blood began to gush from the wound, staining his moon-white robes a shocking crimson.

"Shen Qianmo, you..." He Liancheng grabbed her hand, staring at her in disbelief. He knew the ropes couldn't hold this woman, but he never expected her to have a weapon hidden on her, nor that she would plunge it into his heart without the slightest hesitation.

"I hope this pin helps you sober up, General He." With her hands free, Shen Qianmo moved with newfound agility. She broke free from his grip and retreated to the side, meeting his gaze steadily.

She waited. This gold hairpin was something she had pulled from Lou Xinyue’s hair in the dungeon of the He mansion. She had kept it on her ever since, soaking it daily in a paralyzing toxin specifically for self-defense.

As expected, it wasn't long before the sharpness in He Liancheng’s eyes faded. His tall body collapsed powerlessly onto the bed. Clinging to his last shred of consciousness, he muttered almost unconsciously, "Shen Qianmo... do you hate me that much?"

But Shen Qianmo was in no mood to investigate the source of the bone-deep pain in his eyes before he lost consciousness. She nimbly untied the ropes on her ankles, straightened her clothes, and slipped off the bed with light movements.

Her collar had been torn by He Liancheng, so she frowned and threw on an outer robe. Just then, her keen ears picked up faint, unusual sounds from outside. The next instant, the window was kicked open, and a swift, agile dark figure leaped inside. Clad in night-traveling gear and a black mask, their identity was impossible to discern.

Shen Qianmo’s heart skipped a beat. Who was this?

After seeing the unconscious He Liancheng on the bed, the figure in black let out a soft "Eh," then spoke in a low voice to Shen Qianmo, who sat on the edge of the bed, filled with wariness: "Brother Xie, it’s me."

The voice was so familiar that Shen Qianmo recognized it instantly.

"Baili Xiao? Why are you here?" Shouldn't this guy be in the He mansion’s dungeon? Why was he appearing here, dressed in night gear and acting so mysterious?

At that moment, another dark figure appeared at the window. This one did not enter the room but sat gracefully on the window ledge, urging impatiently, "Hurry up."

The night gear outlined a slender, graceful figure. Although the tone was rigid, the voice was clear and melodious. Despite being masked, it was obvious this individual was a young woman.

Shen Qianmo was momentarily stunned. Where did these two come from?

"Brother Xie, I don't have time to explain. If you want to escape the He mansion, follow us now." Baili Xiao pulled her up, his voice filled with urgent impatience.

"Who exactly are you people? Why should I trust you?" Although she had spent time with Baili Xiao, he now appeared as mysterious as the woman in black. As the saying went, one must always be on guard; she didn't want to escape a tiger’s den only to enter a wolf’s lair.

"Oh, Brother Xie, I can't explain it in a few words! Just trust us, we will get you out of the He mansion safely..."

As Baili Xiao continued to prattle on, the patience of the woman on the window ledge seemed to evaporate. She flashed to his side, and before Shen Qianmo could even see her move, she had torn a piece of fabric from Baili Xiao’s right sleeve.

"Show her." The two words were crisp and decisive, leaving no room for argument.

"Senior Sister Qinglan, you are so rough." Baili Xiao made a bitter face and glared at her, but upon meeting her cold, lifeless eyes, he gave in. Resigned, he offered his arm to Shen Qianmo and said, "Brother Xie, once you see the tattoo on my arm, you will understand my identity."

By the dim candlelight, Shen Qianmo looked at the tattoo on Baili Xiao’s fair arm, and her eyes widened in surprise.

On his arm was a small, dark blue character. It was a character all too familiar to her—the same one engraved on the face of the Mo Order that Mo Hanshan held so dear.

It was the traditional character for "Mo."