The night has come and the palace became a very quiet place. Most of the servants have gone to rest while there are only several guards who went to patrol.
Inside the Emperor's bedroom, Jin Qiu, who the servants thought spending a night with the Emperor, is now getting ready to go to Jin House to do the assassination. He wears an all black clothes and tied up his hair. If he's allowed, he would like to cut his hair, but that idea got rejected by the Emperor, so he have no choice but to let it be.
And then lastly, the gun. An old looking gun that work quite well. How much he wished that he would have a rifle for this kind of thing.
"You sure you don't want me to come along?" Ren Zhengsheng, who leaned to the wall and crossing his arms, asked.
Jin Qiu slipped the gun inside his clothes. "Then what will you do if you got found out? It won't be that different from my idea of destroying Jin Family." He replied. "You're the one who said that we should keep Jin Family a little longer in order to lure Chen Lihua out."
"Then you need to make sure that you won't forget the deal we have. When you're done, you need to come back here, because I will-"
"I know! I know! There's no need to say it out loud. It's embarrassing."
Ren Zhengsheng actually wants to tease more, but he figured that he should stop now.
Jin Qiu walked to the window and climbed on it. It's been so long since the last time he needs to sneak around like this to kill someone. His hand has been dirtied by so much blood. All his victims might be a bad person, but it doesn't change the fact that he choose to kill them rather than giving them to the police.
After taking a deep breath, Jin Qiu jumps out of the window and disappeared in the night's darkness.
"Xiang Ru."
Xiang Ru stepped out from behind the wall and bowed his head to the Emperor. "At your command, Your Majesty."
"Follow him and make sure to help him if something goes wrong." Ren Zhengsheng ordered. "No one allowed touching him but me." He continued. "You know what will happen if you fail."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
❖
Thanks to the spiritual power, Jin Qiu can move through the town faster and easier. Well…he can jump from one roof to another roof with ease, without making many sounds.
When he finally reached Jin House, he paused for a moment and checked the surrounding. Everything is exactly like what Ren Zhensheng told him. The position of the guards, the position of the door that would lead him to the main bedroom. He just needs to sneak inside and kill the disgusting old man.
He jumps down from the roof and treated the path that Ren Zhengsheng told him, avoiding all the guards in watch and silently stepped into the main bedroom, the room where Jin Xiang should be sleeping.
His hand reached to the back, grabbing the gun he brought but stopped when a cold steel pressed to his neck. "You must have a lot of life to dare to come here to assassinate the head of Jin Family." Said the familiar voice. "Who sent you here?"
"It's me, Huifang."
Hearing Jin Qiu's voice, the woman looked surprised.
Her hands trembling when she saw the man turned around and looked at her. It is indeed Jin Qiu, but she can't seem to understand about why Jin Qiu would do something like this.
"Qiu-"
Jin Qiu pushed her against the wall while covering her mouth. He doesn't know whether Jin Xiang will wake up or not because of their conversation. He can't afford to fail.
Duan Huifang has the ability to stop him, but she was just shaking her head when the man pointed his gun to the bed. A woman who marries a man like Jin Xiang will have no happiness in the future. At least.. Jin Qiu wants to give her the freedom she deserves.
"Qiu er!!" Duan Huifang moved Jin Qiu's hand away from her mouth and shouted, though her shout drowned in the sounds of gunshot that ringing throughout the manor. Her eyes looked to the bed, where the head of Jin Family sleeping, no, dying now. Something embedded on the man's head as the blood pooled under his head. She looks horrified. "What are you doing, Qiu er? Why did you kill him? Even if he's like that, he's still your fat-" She stopped talking when a dagger stabbed to her shoulder. And it seems like the dagger has been covered with something as she could feel all the strength leaving her body. "Qiu..er.."
Did Jin Qiu felt guilty? No. His gaze filled with determination even as he stepped back from Duan Huifang. That dagger was to protect her. If she left the room unscathed while Jin Xiang dead, everyone will think that Duan Huifang helped the assassin. That was why he used that dagger. A dagger covered with drugs that will put Duan Huifang to sleep.
As Duan Huifang fell to her knees, Jin Qiu could hear the sounds of footsteps coming closer to the room. "You're the only witness in this, Huifang, and I believe you won't side with that jerk." Said the man with a soft smile on his face. He walked to the window and opened it. A strong cold wind of the night blowing into the room.
"Qiu..er..."
Duan Huifang losing her consciousness and fell to the floor. The guards who came into the room looked really shocked to find the defeated Vice Commander and the dead Master.
"Inform the palace immediately and find the first young master right away! Master Jin has been assassinated!" Shout one of the guards who checked on Jin Xiang's condition.
❖
Using the same way as when he went to Jin House, Jin Qiu was making his way back to the palace. He killed Jin Xiang and protecting Duan Huifang like what he wants to do.
But on the way back, he saw a young girl surrounded by some men. He can just ignore her and pretend like nothing happen, like it's none of his business, but then, his gaze met with the girl and he can't really ignore that. He ended up approaching the group.
"Stop resisting and come with-! Ouch!" One of the men touched his head that got hit by the stone thrown by Jin Qiu. He turned around angrily. "Who dares to throw that stone to me?!" He shouted, but when he saw Jin Qiu, a smirk formed on his face. "Assassin? This is the first time I met an assassin who cares about his surrounding."
"You're so noisy…"
"What did you say?! You must have a death wish! Beat him, but don't harm his face! We can sell him!" The man ordered his friends and soon, the group attacking Jin Qiu. But considering Jin Qiu's original fighting ability and the spiritual power that the body possessed, Jin Qiu managed to defeat all those bandits without any problem.
"T-thank you…" said the girl as she approaching Jin Qiu.
"I didn't do anything, so there's no need to thank me." Jin Qiu replied.
The girl continued to walk towards Jin Qiu and finally, grabbed the man's hand. "You are not someone who comes from this world."
Surprised, Jin Qiu pulled his hand away from the girl, but even so, the girl continued to stare at Jin Qiu. "Your soul crossing the world and lost in this world." She continued. "There's a way for you to go back home, but I can't give you the information here. I need you to follow me to my place." The girl turned around and started to walk. Stopping only to check if Jin Qiu will follow her or not.
❖
Ren Zhengsheng tapped his fingers on the table while reading the report that Song Yun brought to his room. The advisor knew about what Jin Qiu will do tonight, since he will be the one who need to clean up all the mess and making sure that everything will still going normal like before.
"Considering his ability, he should be back by now, right, Song Yun?" Ren Zhengsheng lowered the report and looked at the man standing in front of him, something that Song Yun always do whenever there's an urgent report that he need to review.
"The current Jin Qiu is a bit unexpected after all."
True. The current Jin Qiu is different from before. The way he thinks and the choice he made all different from the original Jin Qiu. Though that was what made Ren Zhengsheng got interested with Jin Qiu.
Ren Zhengsheng was about to lean back when Xiang Ru stepped into the room. The man was ordered to follow Jin Qiu and making sure that nothing will happen to Jin Qiu, so he wondered what the man want to do by coming back alone.
Xiang Ru placed a black jade on the table. A familiar jade belonged to Chen Lihua. "While I was following Jin Qiu, I was attacked by someone who has quite good martial arts. We fought for a while before she left and dropped this jade. And by that time, I've already lost Jin Qiu. That's why I came here to give you this, Your Majesty."
"I know where the First Concubine is." Said a voice from outside the window. And since he hear no answer, the man stepped into the room.
The three man present in the room just looking at Xiao Changming without making much response. Xiao Changming is Meng Chen's right hand man as well as an assassin who went around killing under Meng Chen's order. They knew that Xiao Changming is not a stupid person who will go into enemy's territory, so they can only guess that the man has a good reason for his action.
"I received information from my subordinate that the First Concubine has been spotted at the prostitution district." Xiao Changming started again. That place has been quite famous for their slave and he got a feeling that Jin Qiu got involved with something dangerous there. "I consider him as my friend, that's why I came here despite the risk. To tell you that he might be in real danger now."
"And why would Qiu er go to that kind of place?"
"Information. I'm sure the people there have a lot of information, because that's what I do before too. I went there to look for some information. I'm sure you know what I mean, right, Emperor? You know what kind of information that the First Concubine would be looking for at that place." Xiang Changming replied.
Ren Zhengsheng didn't say anything, but he knows about it. "I will take this as you're being Qiu er's friend and trust you." He finally said before he got up from his seat. "Song Yun, go call for Zhiqiang and tell him to prepare 50 guards to follow me."
❖
"So, where exactly are you taking me?" Jin Qiu finally asked since it's been a while since they entered the area that filled with colorful lamp and sweet scent of perfume. There are a lot of beautiful girl standing at the balcony, waving to him. And there are some at the street trying to seduce him. A prostitution district is what Jin Qiu recognizes the place as.
"Just a little bit more. Look, right up there."
Soon after, they passed by two huge guards wearing full armor and holding spear. There's something disturbing him as he followed the girl. A girl who seemed to know his circumstance and said she knew the way for him to go home. That's the only reason he's here despite his intuition that keep warning him about the danger.
They entered the largest building within the area and again, it's very bright and colorful. He doesn't think that the girl is someone who worked in prostitution house, but who knows? Things might be different here.
The girl took Jin Qiu to one of the room that looked quite small. "Sorry that my room is not as beautiful as the other room."
"I don't really care about something like this. More importantly, how did you know that I came from another world? You said you know the way for me to go back to my own world?"
But the girl just looked at Jin Qiu with a smile. She moved to brew some tea, serving it to Jin Qiu. "There's no need to rush, Sir. I will tell you about everything that I know."
Jin Qiu looked at the tea for a moment. He's quite cautious when it comes to drink from other people. He met this girl by chance and chooses to help her. No one knows he would do the assassination tonight so there's no one who would target him. Hesitantly, he reached for the cup of tea and taking a sip of it as the girl started to explain about everything that she knew.
Apparently, the area she's living right now is known as the Crossing District. The founder was someone who came from another world. He build a strong district that sell all kind of different foods that never been known in this world. But after the founder passed away, no one inherits his skill and the district slowly became a prostitution district, especially after the Imperial Family murdered by the current Emperor.
While listening to the girl's stories, Jin Qiu was having his own thought. A district build based on the knowledge of someone who came from another world and as the Emperor, Ren Zhengsheng would surely know about it, then why did the man didn't tell him anything about this?
"A long time ago, my parents told me that there are some ways to send people back to their own world." She looked down and played with her fingers. "It was something that written in the book that left by the founder. That's why if you really want to go back, then maybe you can find a way in that book."
"And where is this book that you're talking about?"
"It's being kept by the leader of this palace." She revealed. "But I can help you. I just need you to accompany me there since you look strong."
Jin Qiu seemed to be thinking for a moment. He should be coming back to the palace and finished the deal with Ren Zhengsheng, but now he's in this unknown district, looking for information about a way to go back home. Will it be fine if he continue? It should be fine. He can sleep with Ren Zhengsheng when he finished this.
He stood up from his seat. "Then we should go there right away. I can't waste my time more than this."
"Please follow me."
From the small and shabby room, the two started to walk to another area of the large building.
No matter where he look, Jin Qiu could only see people who's staring at them. No, maybe him, like some kind of prey.
Though before long, the girl stopped in front a large door.
She told Jin Qiu to wait for a moment while she talked with the guards. Jin Qiu doesn't know what she said to the large man, but for several times, the man looking at Jin Qiu and talked with the girl again.
After a while, the girl nodded her head and Jin Qiu walked towards her. He doesn't even know what she talked about with the big guy, but they're allowed to get inside. To his surprise, the inside looked even more luxurious than the outside. Not as luxurious as the room inside the palace, but it's still not normal for a single room in the middle of prostitution place.
"Hello there. I've been waiting for you." A man stepped out from behind the door that seems to lead to the bathroom. A well dressed, slender guy. He smiles so widely that his eyes pinch almost shut.
Jin Qiu just stared at the man though. He was wondering if this man is the leader of this place and chooses to look at the girl. But when he was about to look at the man again, he could feel an electricity runs through his body and it forced him to gasp for some immediate air. He was overwhelmed by dizziness and fall to his knees. "Wha..what...I,ugh..." Dizziness overwhelms him as he hears his heartbeat pounding in his ears. His body heat rises rapidly. He gripped at his chest as he looked up at the girl. There's definitely something wrong with his body. "What..did you do...to me?" His reasoning is steadily being pulled away from him, and even speaking is difficult, but he gathered all his strength to ask that question.
But the girl didn't say anything. She was just staring expressionlessly at Jin Qiu, where the man struggled on the floor.
Suddenly the girl looked at the well dressed man. "Chief, this is the First Concubine that Princess Chen told you about before."
"Hmm... I thought she was just lying when she said the First Concubine is a very wild person. Who would have expected that he fit my type very well?"
"Of course... The princess will never lie to those who choose to be her ally." The girl continued. "Well, you should enjoy yourself."
"W..wait...Ugh..."
"How unexpected for you to still be able to keep your conciousness after taking that strong poison." The girl commented.
Jin Qiu tried so hard to control his breathing. "What is this...? Tell me...!"
The girl was walking towards the door, but turn to look at Jin Qiu when the man asked to her. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm someone who worked for Princess Chen Lihua. She told me everything I need to know about you, who came to this world through a strange mean."
Jin Qiu looked dumbfounded. He can't believe about what he just heard when the girl leaned down towards him.
"Chen Lihua...that bitch..."
"This man here has wanted a feisty male slave. I was having trouble finding one and almost gave up; I thought I would just get some random village boy to present to him. But then the princess told me about you, I knew right away that you would be perfect."
Jin Qiu cursed inside his mind. He should be more careful since things are different now. He felt stupid to fall for something like this, but now it's really hard to even get angry. He's still too naïve to think that a coincidence truly exist.
Now, all he can feel is regret on how easily he got misled. He has been working as a mafia, doing all kind of bad things, but he's still falling for this kind of cheap trick. He feels embarrassed with himself. He wondered what Ren Zhengsheng would think if the man know about this. "Can I ask...one question?"
"Go ahead."
"Why are..you doing this...at such a young age?"
"I do what I have to do in order to survive. As someone who was once in my position, I'm sure you will understand."
"Well...yes, I understand since I was once in your position...But you choose to follow...the wrong person..."
The girl smiled, but Jin Qiu didn't say anything more. She straightens herself up and turns away from Jin Qiu. "I will apologize though." She mutters before hurrying out of the room.
The door slams shut and Jin Qiu was left in a tense silence. He can hear his own desperate panting even though he tried to control his breath as best as he can.
He doesn't have the strength to flee, but he still tried to stand up anyway.
"You must be in pain, so why don't you just stay down for now?" The man still has a smile plastered on his face as he walks closer to Jin Qiu.
"Ah.. No, thank you...." Jin Qiu has no plan to stay here any longer. He stumbling towards the door and was about to open it when strength is drained from his body. His consciousness is fading.
"Do you want to drink?" Asked the man, but then he corrected him. "But I guess after what she did to you, you wouldn't want to drink something from a stranger anymore.
He guessed that if the girl did give him something, then it would be mixed in the drink. The problem was that he didn't see when the girl did something like that. He has been watching her, but still failed to notice it.
"Well..I can assure you that when I'm done with you, you will never want to leave this place." Said the man, just as if that would make Jin Qiu feel better. "Your name is Jin Qiu, right? The famous beautiful commander of Jin Troop who married to the Emperor and became the First Concubine."
Jin Qiu's head grows fuzzier as the man keeping up this one sided conversation. He can see the man is moving closer to him.
"You have a really nice body, don't you? Even from this position, I think that you are very beautiful. I can see that all those training to become a commander gave you a different kind of beauty."
"Fucking...noisy..." Jin Qiu grumbled. Though it's too late to call anyone. He can't escape. He's in no shape to do something like that. But even so, he still wants to do something with the little strength left in his body.
The man's hand slides over Jin Qiu's waist.
Just from that touch, Jin Qiu's hips jerk forward, beyond his control. Wobbling on his feet, he wants to push the man's hand away. "Stop touching me...!"
"Haha. So cute. You can't even stand up straight." The man grabbed Jin Qiu tightly and pulled Jin Qiu roughly towards him.
Jin Qiu have no control over his legs, and just as he was about to fall over, the man grabbed him tightly around his waist. The man pulled them closer together, facing each other.
"St...stop...! I told you...to not touch me...!" Jin Qiu stretch out his hand, trying to push the man away.
He doesn't know if it's because the man is stronger than him or if he has been completely weakened, but either way, the man doesn't budge. "D-don't touch...!"
The man isn't even touching Jin Qiu below the waist yet, but his body is reacting intensely just to being stroked. His breath is quickening. Everything feels disgusting that it made Jin Qiu want to puke.
Jin Qiu shakes his head, trying to think of some way out. If he could just escape the effect of that drug inside his body. If he could just calm down a little. If he could just halt his rampaging body.
"No...! Please stop...!" No. Jin Qiu doesn't want this man to touch him. So, so...he would be a hundred times happier to have Ren Zhengsheng touching him.
"Look at you... You're completely worked up. Poor thing." The man nuzzles his hair into Jin Qiu's hair as if Jin Qiu wants the man close to him. His hand rubbed over Jin Qiu's waist, where his arms are still twined around Jin Qiu.
A chill runs through Jin Qiu's entire body and he's covered in goose bumps. He can't stand this man. As much as he think that and want to hit the man away from him, he can't even lift his hand.
The man feels him up roughly and his skin tingles painfully. Ren Zhengsheng's touch was so much better and yet he got excited from this man's touch.
"You don't like this, huh? I suppose that makes sense. Being touched this well by a total stranger must be uncomfortable. I was once a slave, so I kind of understand on how to make someone feel good when they're under the influence of drugs. You will be the first noble that I will make losing mind. I will make you my obedient pet."
The man's hand at Jin Qiu's spine moved lower. He squeezed the meat of Jin Qiu's behind, like an eagle sinking its talons into its prey.
"What are you...!" Jin Qiu's clothes being torn apart.
"Ah...Jin Qiu... I'm going to open you up for me."
Jin Qiu try to bring his hand to hit the man as hard as he can, but he only have the power to grab to the man's chest. If Ren Zhensheng saw him like this, the man would definitely hate him. He's supposed to be strong, but he can't get himself out of this mess. He's filled with anger at the thought. "N-no... I'll kill you... Let me..go...!"
"Oh..that's nice. You're really worked up."
The man doesn't care about Jin Qiu's threat and just kneads at the cheek of Jin Qiu's behind. He rubs relentlessly between them. "Ah...ah..no..." When the man touched at the most sensitive part of Jin Qiu's body, Jin Qiu's hips rock forward against his will. "Please..." Without thinking, he stretches his hand out into nothingness.
'Help me, Zhengsheng.'
Hot breath falls from Jin Qiu's wet lips as they hang open. He shouldn't have come to a place like this so recklessly. And without he realize, tears form at the corners of his eyes.
He feels like dying. His eyelids flutter shut.
"Qiu er!!"
The tense atmosphere of the room is suddenly shattered. The door flies open.
❖❖❖