Late at night, several of them barged into the chamber of an unmarried young lady and even dismantled her bed. Such a scene would make anyone suspect they had ill intentions.
Chu'he looked up at Fang Songhe.
Ninth also raised his gaze toward Fang Songhe.
Fang Songhe wore a complicated expression, forcing himself to step forward with an apologetic explanation. "We were pursuing a suspicious individual and ended up in the Second Miss Zhao’s room. Due to... an unforeseen incident, things turned out this way. I will compensate for all damages caused to the Zhao residence."
Chu'he felt a pang of guilt—after all, Fang Songhe wasn’t the one who had "wrecked the place." Silently pressing the banknotes hidden in her pouch, she took a small step forward.
But she could only manage one step before freezing in place.
Chu'he glanced at Ninth, her expression questioning what this meant.
Ninth lowered his lashes, blinking lazily.
His grip on her remained unyielding, refusing to let go.
Clearly, Ninth had no concept of conscience.
Song Tingxue naturally refused any compensation. Instead, he seized the key point in Fang Songhe’s words and asked with concern, "Is the suspicious person you were pursuing connected to Shuxing’s disappearance?"
"That possibility cannot be ruled out."
Song Tingxue’s expression turned grave. "If that’s the case, then this person infiltrated the manor—first abducting Shuxing, and now returning. What could be his motive?"
Fang Songhe shook his head. "I can’t fathom it, but..."
He weighed his words carefully before continuing, "Based on the investigation conducted with Ninth and Chu'he, it’s likely that the Second Miss is already in grave danger."
Song Tingxue’s expression faltered, replaced by deep sorrow. "When Shuxing disappeared, I had a bad premonition. None of us wanted to consider the worst, but whether alive or dead, we must find her. Even if the situation is dire, we won’t give up searching."
Having roamed the martial world for years, Fang Songhe had dealt with many cases of malevolent spirits harming people. Most victims’ families reacted like Song Tingxue—clinging to hope while bracing for the worst.
Song Tingxue declared, "Since Fang Daxia says the suspect is still in the manor, I’ll order an immediate search."
No sooner had he spoken than a scream pierced the night’s silence.
Song Tingxue’s face paled. "Rongyue!"
In the next instant, he vanished into the darkness, moving with lightning speed.
Fang Songhe didn’t hesitate, chasing after him.
Chu'he gasped in awe. "Everyone can fly—how incredible!"
Suddenly, an arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground. She was swept into a bridal carry, startling her into clinging tightly to the person holding her as she shrieked.
"Ninth!"
"You’re noisy."
Under the moonlight, the wind howled past them.
The young man’s striking features were bathed in silver light, his long white hair dancing in the wind. The faint jingle of silver bells accompanied the shimmering glow around him, blurring the line between the beauty of the moon and the beauty of the person.
Perhaps it was her first experience with such an unscientific mode of travel, but Chu'he clung nervously to Ninth’s neck, pressing close to him as she stared at the scenery below, falling into an odd silence.
Ninth glanced down at her dark, tousled head before lifting his gaze again to the moonlit landscape ahead.
The commotion was centered in the main courtyard.
The manor’s guards had surrounded a disheveled man at the center, but none dared act recklessly—he held Zhao Rongyue hostage.
A maid stood trembling, her face ashen. She had been delivering medicine to Zhao Rongyue when she stumbled upon the intruder, prompting her terrified scream that alerted the others.
Song Tingxue arrived in haste, his expression darkening at the sight of his wife in peril. "What do you want? Release my wife, and I’ll grant any demand."
"D-don’t come closer!"
The unkempt man tightened his grip on Zhao Rongyue’s throat, making her gasp in pain.
Already frail, Zhao Rongyue looked even more fragile in the grasp of the towering, dangerous man—like a brittle leaf on the verge of snapping.
Song Tingxue halted immediately, his voice strained. "Don’t hurt her!"
The kidnapper loosened his grip slightly, allowing Zhao Rongyue to breathe again. But she clutched her chest, her breaths ragged as her condition worsened. If not for the man’s iron grip, she would have collapsed.
Song Tingxue pleaded urgently, "Rongyue suffers from a heart condition—she needs her medicine daily. You’re only using her as leverage to escape. If she dies, you lose your bargaining chip!"
The kidnapper’s mental state was clearly unstable. He stood frozen for a moment before rasping out,
"Throw... the medicine here."
Unseen by the kidnapper, Fang Songhe was silently closing in from behind, searching for an opening to rescue Zhao Rongyue and strike a fatal blow.
Song Tingxue took the bowl of medicine from the maid. His gaze flickered downward as he said coldly, "Catch."
Infused with inner energy, the bowl flew smoothly toward the kidnapper—only to shatter upon contact, its shards slicing deep into his hand.
A fragment grazed Zhao Rongyue’s cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood.
The kidnapper reacted instinctively, raising an arm to shield his throat just in time to block Song Tingxue’s palm strike.
Though he managed to deflect the attack, the force still sent him stumbling back three steps, blood spilling from his lips. Yet his other hand never loosened its hold on Zhao Rongyue.
"You... treacherous!"
Fang Songhe was taken aback. He had planned to strike from behind while Song Tingxue distracted the kidnapper, but Song Tingxue had acted prematurely—perhaps too consumed by desperation to notice Fang Songhe lying in wait.
Zhao Rongyue, her face deathly pale, locked eyes with Song Tingxue for a fleeting moment.
Song Tingxue’s voice was icy. "You dared invade my home and take my wife hostage. You deserve death."
The kidnapper retaliated by pressing a shard against Zhao Rongyue’s neck, breaking the skin as blood welled up.
Just as Song Tingxue seemed ready to charge forward recklessly, Chu'he—who had just landed—shouted, "Master Song! Are you trying to get Miss Zhao killed?"
Song Tingxue froze.
Seizing the opportunity, the kidnapper hauled Zhao Rongyue over his shoulder and vanished into the night with a few swift leaps.
Fang Songhe called out, "I’ll pursue him!"
He dashed off first, with Song Tingxue and the guards close behind.
Chu'he turned back and grabbed Ninth's hand, "Ninth, let's hurry and follow them to see what's happening!"
Ninth yawned, folding his arms as he leaned against the tree, barely bothering to lift his eyelids. With a lazy drawl, he replied, "What's there to see? They'll come back soon enough when they can't catch up."
