Return to the Ruins After her successful assassination in Kyoto, Su Jin did not linger for long. As tension tightened within the court, she had to leave quickly to avoid unnecessary trouble. However, before departing from Kyoto, she decided to visit the ruins that once belonged to the Ye family—the place that had now become nothing more than ashes, a home she could never return to.
Under the pale moonlight, Su Jin stood before the remnants of the Ye family's mansion. The once towering red walls had now collapsed, and the once bustling courtyards were overgrown with weeds, shrouded in a deathly silence. This was once her home, the origin of countless happy memories, now turned into the source of her quest for vengeance.
She stepped into the courtyard, almost able to see the smiling faces of her family, her father's stern teachings, her mother's gentle smile, and her brothers' playful banter. These scenes flashed before her eyes like fleeting illusions, only to be swept away by the wind. Su Jin crouched down, picking up a broken piece of the family crest, gripping it tightly in her hand. In that moment, her eyes revealed a deep pain and hatred.
"I won't let your deaths be in vain," she whispered, as if making a promise to her departed loved ones. She stood up, cast one last look at the once-glorious mansion, and turned to leave, her figure solitary and resolute under the moonlight.
Testing the Waters in the Shadows After leaving Kyoto, Su Jin returned to a hidden refuge—a remote mountain temple. This was where she and the Prince met regularly, and also a temporary safe haven where Su Jin could avoid the court's pursuit. She needed time to sort through the information she had gathered and to plan their next move with the Prince.
The Prince stood on the stone steps outside the temple, gazing thoughtfully at the distant mountains. When he saw Su Jin return, he said nothing, merely nodding and motioning for her to follow. They entered the temple to discuss their next actions.
"The ministers in the court are starting to distrust each other," the Prince said, handing a new report to Su Jin. "Some of them have already begun attacking one another, which gives us an opportunity."
Su Jin took the report and examined it carefully. The ministers, in their struggle for power, were secretly sabotaging each other, and their alliances had become fragile. At this moment, an external force could further destabilize the court's power structure. Su Jin smirked, knowing that their greed and stupidity were aiding her quest for revenge.
"We need to incite their infighting, make them destroy each other," Su Jin analyzed calmly. "But doing so could also draw more attention to us, putting us at greater risk."
The Prince nodded silently. He knew Su Jin was right. While the chaos within the court was advantageous to them, it also meant that danger was drawing nearer. But revenge was a dangerous game; there was no turning back, only the path forward.
Allies and Betrayal As the plan progressed, the relationship between Su Jin and the Prince grew increasingly complex. On the surface, they were allies in a shared revenge, but the wariness between them never disappeared. Su Jin knew the Prince had his own ambitions, and she couldn't fully trust this man entangled in power struggles.
During one mission, Su Jin was tracked by court spies and found herself in a perilous situation. With her sharp instincts and remarkable skills, she barely escaped, though not without leaving behind some clues. When she returned to the mountain temple, she found the Prince in conversation with a stranger—a richly dressed official whose status was clearly important.
When the Prince noticed Su Jin's return, he quickly ended the conversation and saw the official out. Su Jin's gaze held a trace of suspicion. Sensing her unease, the Prince casually explained, "This is an official from the court willing to defect. He can provide us with internal information."
Su Jin did not respond immediately, calmly observing the Prince. She knew such alliances were fragile, possibly hiding deeper schemes and dangers. But for now, she needed the information to further her revenge, so she chose to accept it—for the time being.
The Price of Betrayal As the days passed, Su Jin's operations became more frequent, and the chaos within the court more evident. However, Su Jin gradually noticed that the so-called "defected official" seemed to know her movements all too well. On several occasions, the Prince had received information ahead of time, an anomaly that triggered her suspicions.
During one secret mission, Su Jin walked into an ambush set by elite court soldiers and barely escaped with her life, suffering several injuries. Upon returning to her hideout, Su Jin could no longer suppress her doubts and confronted the Prince, "Was it him who betrayed us?"
The Prince did not answer directly, only pausing briefly before replying, "He has his own interests. It's possible he sold us out." Su Jin's anger flared as she clenched her dagger, realizing she had been drawn into an even more dangerous web.
Determined to confirm her suspicions, Su Jin investigated the official in secret. She discovered that not only had he revealed their plans to the court, but he had also used their relationship to amass a fortune. Su Jin laughed coldly, realizing she had been used again, and the hatred in her heart boiled over.
She decided to deal with the traitor herself. On a moonless, wind-swept night, Su Jin infiltrated the official's mansion. Without hesitation, she drove her dagger into his chest. The official's eyes widened in terror as he muttered pleas for mercy. Su Jin simply watched coldly, her voice icy, "Those who betray me will meet the same fate."
Struggle and Resolve After killing the traitor, Su Jin's relationship with the Prince became even more strained. She began to realize that her path to vengeance had grown far more complex, and she was now entangled in a much larger power struggle. She had to remain constantly vigilant, even against the Prince, who had seemed to share her goals.
Su Jin gradually understood that there was no turning back on this path she had chosen. Each step was drenched in blood and danger, and the only person she could truly rely on was herself. In a late-night conversation with the Prince, Su Jin asked bluntly, "Are we allies or are you just using me?"
The Prince smiled slightly, a flicker of complex emotion passing through his eyes. "Perhaps it's a bit of both. You know, on this path, there is no pure friendship, only interests and goals. But for now, our goals are aligned."
Su Jin nodded, accepting the reality. Her quest for revenge wouldn't stop for trust or betrayal. Everything she did was to fulfill her original vow—to avenge her family and make those responsible pay. As she wiped the blood from her dagger, her resolve grew stronger than ever.