Chapter 99: The January Organization (Special Release)

Liu Ling’er did not dodge—far from it! Instead, as Chu Sheng rushed toward her, Liu Ling’er’s entire body tensed. She raised her fists and legs, launching a flurry of attacks: a kick to the groin, a jab at the eyes, and a strike for the throat. Crude though the moves might have been, their effectiveness was undeniable. Chu Sheng had never expected Liu Ling’er to actually stop him, yet now, faced with this seemingly unremarkable girl’s relentless assault, he found himself flustered and struggling to parry her blows.

When Liu Ling’er’s final move, backed by her inner strength, failed to lock his throat, it instead tore away a large piece of his clothing with a loud rip. The person he’d thought was a pushover had suddenly turned into an unyielding adversary. Chu Sheng was now thoroughly frustrated—just as they say, “When a dragon is stranded in shallow waters, even shrimps dare to mock it; when a tiger falls from the mountain, dogs take their turn; a phoenix without feathers isn’t even as good as a chicken!” Such words perfectly described his plight. No longer daring to linger, Chu Sheng seized an opening and fled like a stray dog.

Had Liu Ling’er truly given chase, she would certainly have caught up to him. Yet to do so would be to reveal her mastery of peerless lightness skills, a taxing and unrewarding endeavor she had no intention of undertaking.

Moments later, Tie Wula and the others managed to stand, and Chu Meier waved them off with a gesture. She then beckoned Liu Ling’er over. Liu Ling’er glanced regretfully at the soiled breakfast on the ground. Seeing the Empress Dowager calling her, she hurried over and supported the older woman’s hand. “Mother, I’m afraid we won’t be having breakfast today.”

“It’s of no consequence,” the Empress Dowager replied, waving her hand. She scrutinized Liu Ling’er closely. “Ling’er, be honest with me. Do you know martial arts?”

Oh no—she must have noticed something when I confronted Chu Sheng, Liu Ling’er fretted. But this was no time to admit to anything. “Mother, I am but a woman—how could I possibly have the skills of our household’s guards? If I truly knew martial arts, I would have chased down that assassin and captured him myself.”

Chu Meier was half convinced, half doubtful. “If that’s so, then how did you manage to block Chu Sheng at the outset? The moves you used just now…”

“You worry too much, Mother. When I was young, I was a mischievous child. My father wanted to teach me martial arts, but I never learned well, so he gave up. Still, I picked up a few self-defense techniques. When that assassin charged at me, I reacted instinctively with the moves I remembered. To my surprise, they actually worked!” Liu Ling’er’s answer was delivered with perfect composure, giving nothing away.

Chu Meier considered this and found it reasonable. After all, Liu Ling’er was the daughter of General Liu Rufeng, the nation’s pillar—knowing a few moves for self-defense seemed only natural. Perhaps she was just being overly suspicious.

Once back in her room, Liu Ling’er checked that she was alone before locking the door and securing the windows. Then, from her sleeve, she drew out a bundle and spread its contents in her palm: a scrap of cloth, a handkerchief, and a crumpled piece of paper.

These items had been torn from Chu Sheng during her final throat-locking maneuver. The piece of white cloth was unremarkable, while the handkerchief, though somewhat worn, had been washed spotlessly clean. In one corner, the character “Qian” was embroidered.

Liu Ling’er surmised this handkerchief was a keepsake from Chu Sheng’s beloved—why else would he carry it so carefully, refusing to part with it even as it grew old? She set the handkerchief aside, thinking that if she ever met Chu Sheng again and it was truly important to him, he might just ask for it back.

Turning to the third item, Liu Ling’er smoothed out the paper. There were only a few words: “Kill Chu Meier.” The signature at the bottom read, “First day of the first month—Order of the True Leader.”

Upon seeing those words, Liu Ling’er’s heart skipped a beat. The “First day of the first month” referred to the First Branch of the January Organization. Could it be that Chu Sheng’s attempt on Chu Meier’s life was connected to this group? Or was Chu Sheng himself one of their assassins?

Liu Ling’er knew the January Organization had ties to her own fate. When she married into the Prince of Virtue’s manor, they had tried to assassinate her. Later, she learned that the legacy she inherited from the Heavenly Law Faction was, in fact, the natural nemesis of the January Organization.

However, the Heavenly Law Master’s Command had vanished for years, and the faction’s recent inactivity had allowed the January Organization’s reputation to grow unchecked.

Meanwhile, after escaping the Prince of Virtue’s manor, Chu Sheng dared not rest. Clutching his chest, he fled several miles before finally collapsing against the base of a tree. Looking down, he saw his chest bruised and wounded, the skin darkening with pooled blood.

Suddenly, the image of seemingly harmless Liu Ling’er, clutching a fried dough stick, flashed through his mind. He never expected he’d misjudge her so badly—who would have thought that girl was a top-tier martial artist?

Leaning against the roots, Chu Sheng endured wave after wave of pain. Liu Ling’er had not gone easy on him; her final blow had driven her inner strength deep into his body, leaving his vital energy in chaos and threatening to send him into madness if left unchecked.

A grimace flickered across his face as he fumbled for a vial, poured out a pill, and swallowed it. After a round of focused meditation, he spat out a mouthful of clotted blood. The pain in his chest eased considerably, and color slowly returned to his face.