Yin Yue clutched her stomach and rolled over, gagging and coughing while crying. She couldn't believe what she saw, it shook Yin Yue to her very core.
Her training swirled around in her head while images of that very dead body played over and over in her eyes, Yin Yue was having a breakdown.
Training was merciless, the kids couldn't see the outdoors for years, orders were burned into their minds since day 1. Every muscle trained to perfect, the signature martial art of the Lan Tian clan taught till there was nothing to learn. It was painful and exhausting, both mentally and physically, the only thing that kept Yin Yue going was the thought of seeing Zhang Jian again...
Although Yin Yue was smart and mature for her age, she just couldn't understand and handle seeing her only friend murder a man, and then walk it off.
After a few minutes of quiet crying, Yin Yue realized how embarrassing she look and cleaned herself up. This is how it usually is with mental breakdowns.
First came worry, now came even more worry. "What is going to happen to
"If he stays in the village they will eventually find the body, if he leaves..." Yin Yue ran towards the Zhang residence, looking back, the dead body of Zhang Qian fading away from view.
"...The Blue Swans will definitely be sent out to search for him.." Yin Yue scaled the wall to the residence with ease and jumped onto the roof, she kept her ear to the tiles as she listened for which room Zhang Jian was in.
The sun has set, leaving the greyish blue sky to show itself. Rather than go home and meet her family, Yin Yue was at a boys house trying to help him get away with murder without him knowing she was even there.
"I killed him, I killed Father." Was the first thing that Yin Yue eavesdropped on, "I-I understand. I wont tell anyone." was an older female voice, most likely his mother, that followed shortly after, "Why? When I have just murdered my father in cold blood?"
Yin Yue was trying to understand the situation, 'Jianzi's' motive and plan. "Because I care more about my son than that pig." the motherly voice spoke softly, it seems like they were having a heartfelt conversation.
"Jianzi never said much about his parents, I know he didn't like them but..." Yin Yue muttered to herself. The conversation continued and she got a general idea of Zhang Jian's plan of action. His mother advised him to go to Qingyun, the capital of Qinglong.
"So that's where he's going."
She returned home as to not arouse any suspicion. Yin Yue's parents gave her a scolding for staying out late and she made up an excuse.
By evening of the next day, the entire village somehow found out about the dead body. This worried Yin Yue greatly. She was then ordered to join the Blue Swans finally, after all the training, this was it.
And yet, she could only think about Zhang Jian, whether or not he would escape in time. After a few days the Blue Swans would receive their first mission "Track down and capture Zhang Jian. If he does not comply, kill him."
Of course, Yin Yue had way more of an advantage than her peers in the Blue Swans. She located the two brothers within a few days of the order coming out, just in time too. Zhang Jian and Zhang Feng were leaving for Lianhua, which was considerably further from Qingyun and the Lan Tian clan.
Yin Yue figured she could abandon the mission and go AWOL from there.
"I don't think I've enjoyed a single day in my life since my parents forced me into becoming a Blue Swan. Maybe one day I can properly reunite with Jianzi and rant about life by the trees one more time, maybe he'll cut his hair, maybe I could be a better friend and ask him about his bruises.."
Yin Yue was in her uniform, a bag with her contained a few Yin and a change of clothes. Zhang Jian and his brother were obviously headed for Yunhua academy, there's going to be that S Grade attending this year. "There's no way Jianzi is not gunning for the S Grades location as of right now."
But Yin Yue did not have the money to attend that school, so how was she going to get in?
Remember kids, when society offers you no way out of a miserable and abusive situation, always turn to violence!
Yin Yue noticed that the path to Lianhua from Qingyun was littered with bands of bandits and thieves, nothing Zhang Jian cant handle- the guy is a monster when it comes to beating mortals, or anyone in general- but its free money for Yin Yue.
One by one, she isolated and knocked out each and every one of them. Even though Yin Yue was just barely above Mortal, her training as a Blue Swan created a gap in power so immense, it couldn't be considered a fight in the slightest.
By the time she entered the school gates, Yin Yue had over 300 Yin.
unfortunately for her, she forgot to account for the fact that Zhang Jian was F Grade and wouldn't be accepted into any school at all, making all that effort go down the drain.
"HE WASNT HERE THE ENTIRE TIME???!!!" She screamed in her mind, Yin Yue would have to reunite with Zhang Jian another day.
well at least she escaped from the Lan Tian clan, she can warn his brother to prepare for the other Blue Swans and focus on living life like every other kid.
funny how on her first day at Yunhua, while classes have not begun, Zhang Jian has made waves across the country as "the man who heroically saved Ling Tianshu the S Grade".
And while she was looking for the bulletin board in the girls dormitories, she somehow got lost and ended up meeting Zhang Feng by a bulletin board. He was engrossed by the article, as if he was in disbelief.
In the soft moonlight, Zhang Feng reminded Yin Yue of Zhang Jian very much, except for the long flowing hair that Zhang Feng had. He had the exact same deep brooding expression, how he spoke little but when he did speak he meant everything that he said, it reminded Yin Yue of Zhang Jian very deeply.
"Its the little things about people that interest me, how they stand still, how they walk. Do they use all four of their fingers while holding a cup? Stuff like that intrigues me, for Jianzi, it was 'how did he move such a heavy cow? and how did nobody catch him in the act?" Ill never forget that day.." Yin Yue felt in her heart as she sheepishly walked back to her dorm.
"Jianzi, you must be busy, you might have even forgotten that I exist. But I will never forget you, one day, one day I will see you again and explain everything. I promise." Yin Yue determined herself with a smile.