[TCFO] Arc 3 — Chapter 118

The Vicious Princess Wants to Reverse Fate (12)

"Permanent pain-free, my ass! Are you kidding me... I was almost strangled to death!" Zhou Min gasped for breath, leaning on the ground, and kept calling out in her mind.

"Cough, well, this suffocation isn't painful. Besides, the pain-free potion doesn't completely mask or eliminate all your sensory awareness. It only numbs the pain caused by cold weapons..." The explanation was somewhat vague.

But Zhou Min sensed something wasn't right, as if she had been fooled by false advertising!

However, she caught onto a keyword!

Cold weapons!

Once the suffocating feeling in her chest subsided, a sinister tone echoed in Zhou Min's mind. "If I didn't mishear just now, did I hear something about cold weapons?"

"Heh, heh." A nervous chuckle.

"You don't mean what I think, do you?" Zhou Min's voice suddenly became low and solemn as she asked.

"Well, I just realised there's soup simmering on the stove at home. I should go check it out..." A hasty excuse, and the person hastily made their escape. Zhou Min's eyes twitched at the reason she heard. Simmering soup...

-Bring me a pot. I feel like simmering someone in it...

While Zhou Min and the person exchanged words, the only sound in the cave was the crackling of burning branches. The fire illuminated their faces, casting a silent and serene atmosphere.

Zhou Min felt a sense of unease in her heart, hugging her legs tightly as she curled up alone in that small corner.

Zhou Min's gaze occasionally drifted towards Shangguan Qi, carrying a sense of vigilance but more so a hidden longing, affection, and complexity that couldn't be concealed.

Shangguan Qi lowered his head slightly, his eyes shimmering with a faint glimmer, reflecting the firelight on his pale face. Already injured at the cliff's edge, he suffered even more after falling off the cliff. He had barely made it to Zhou Min's side but was shocked by the wounds on her right hand, which seemed to bear the marks of a wolf's bite.

In truth, he had known three years ago that it wasn't Yin Mei who rescued him from the wolf pack. Firstly, Yin Mei had no martial arts skills, and at the time of the wolf pack's siege, they didn't stop attacking just because he had fainted. On the contrary, before losing consciousness, he thought his life would end. But when he woke up, he found himself in a cave, and his wounds had been carefully treated.

Secondly, when he thanked Yin Mei, she said that when she saw him, his wounds had already been roughly treated by someone else, and she was merely adding a finishing touch.

Thirdly, he remembered hearing a girl constantly talking to him in a gentle, anxious, worried voice while in a daze. Her voice was soothing and filled with a hint of contented happiness. She encouraged him and made promises, saying she would never let him die.

Therefore, he was well aware that it wasn't Yin Mei who saved him from the jaws of the wolves. He had once wanted to find the person who rescued him, but so many things happened afterwards that he gradually forgot. However, when he saw the wound on Zhou Min's wrist again, for some unknown reason, Shangguan Qi suddenly felt that she was likely the one who had saved him.

But because of this realisation, his heart became even more complicated. Hundreds of people in the Valley of Divine Physicians, including his master's life, were all slaughtered by people sent by Zhou Min. How could he let go of such hatred?

Shangguan Qi felt increasingly restless when he thought about his disabled right hand. Zhou Min had been observing his changes closely, and when she saw his sudden and unpredictable change in expression, she couldn't help but shiver. She was scared!

The feeling that Shangguan Qi wanted to kill her was so apparent. The sensation of imminent death was still vivid in her memory, making it difficult to forget. Yet, here she was, trying to find a way to deal with the person who wanted to kill her. Zhou Min wished she could relieve herself first!

The cave remained silent for a long time, and the stillness was so intense that one could hear a pin drop.

However, it wasn't sustainable to stay in this eerie atmosphere. Zhou Min turned her head and glanced at Shangguan Qi, leaning against the cave wall. After silence and careful consideration, she mustered up the strength from her left hand and slowly stood up. She walked to a spot not far from him and stopped.

She lowered her gaze, and her eyes fell upon his scar-covered body. "Shangguan Qi?" she tentatively called out.

But there was no response from him.

He seemed extremely uncomfortable, with a slight curl at the corner of his mouth and a furrowed brow. The jade crown on his head had already shed numerous strands of hair, hanging loosely on his shoulders. He looked dishevelled yet captivating, and his eyelids, as thin as cicada wings, were tightly shut. His lips were dry and had peeled, lacking any trace of colour.

After a while, she swallowed and ensured the current Shangguan Qi had no attacking power. Only then did she dare to raise her hand and cautiously move closer to him.

However, just as Zhou Min's hand was about to touch him, he suddenly opened his eyes. His black and unwavering gaze stared straight at her with a calm and chilling intensity focused on her face.

Somehow, Zhou Min felt a slight tremor in her body and held her breath, her entire being on high alert. It seemed that if Shangguan Qi dared to make a move, she would bolt. She couldn't let the male lead lay a hand on her. Ridiculous...

Just when she thought Shangguan Qi was about to do something, he averted his gaze, showing no interest in acknowledging her presence.

Before Zhou Min could grasp the meaning behind Shangguan Qi's words, she suddenly heard him say calmly, "Stay away from me, or I'll kill you!"

However, when Shangguan Qi uttered those words, she no longer sensed his killing intent. Although she didn't understand why Shangguan Qi's aura had instantly changed, she did not doubt that compared to someone who wanted to kill her at a particular moment; she would prefer someone who remained cold and indifferent towards her.

Perhaps it was Shangguan Qi's change in attitude that slightly emboldened Zhou Min. She paused momentarily and cautiously said, "Even if you want to kill me, you should get better first... Don't die..." If you die, I'm done for!

Zhou Min muttered, but she dared only think about the rest of her sentence. After all, she was the one who fell with him, not the female lead. If the male lead rejected her approach, how could she treat his injuries? Whether she treated him or not, even if the male lead had a massive stroke of luck, she would still end up being played by him. And if the male lead were gone, she would be miserable!

Zhou Min's last three words were spoken quietly, but somehow Shangguan Qi heard them. He paused for a moment with his index finger, which held the silver needle, then opened his eyes and glanced at her without uttering a word.