Chapter 11 Assassins
From the day that those three women entered the cold palace gave a bit of color to the life of Li An. She would always listen to them talk about things while watching them in the shadows.
Seeing that those three were having a hard time feeding themselves, she decided to help them with their food.
The first time that she saw them cooking some herbs, Li An almost bawled laughing. If not for hiding herself, she would have laughed so hard. But seeing their reaction to the bitter taste of the plant they cooked made her feel amused.
She began to ration their food once a day. Starting from fruits to edible ferns and wild vegetables. She dared not give them meat as it would make those three more fearful than they already are.
When she first gave them some fruits, the three huddled together in fear while looking at the large amount of fruits on the table.
Misha was the first one to decide to sacrifice herself to test it out for poison.
After ascertaining that there were none, the three ate with a grateful attitude.
From then on, they would always kowtow to the door as they received their food ration from their unknown benefactor.
Li An would just show a contented look on her face as she had ascertained that those three women were good women, unlike the ones she heard them talking about living in the palace.
With Seedee's help, she has determined that those three are truly good people.
And so, this routine of helping the three while listening to their stories continued until the 5th day.
5 days later…
Five days have passed since Concubine Su and her two maids have entered the cold palace. These five days, they were living peacefully in the cold palace and had already begun planting some edible crops on a barren ground near the main building of the cold palace which Misha and Alu turned into a garden.
They have decided that they would not only rely on their benefactor but on themselves so that they would be able to live in this forsaken place.
And so their peaceful lives began not knowing of the danger that was coming their way.
Since they had entered the cold palace, a woman wearing a hood entered an inn.
She walked towards a particular man and sat on the opposite chair.
The man looks like a ruffian with his hair all over his face.
But in this place, no one dares to talk to him.
The woman takes out a small pouch. As the pouch touches the table, it produces a tinkling sound which attracts the man's attention.
The man was about to take a sip of his ale when his eyes landed on the pouch and then on the lady.
He frowned while slowly lowering the mug to the table.
"What is your request…" he asked in a deep and mysterious tone.
"I want you to get rid of an eyesore…" the woman said calmly while handing the man two animal skin sheets.
The man takes the animal skin sheet and reads the contents inside.
After reading, he frowned for a bit but did not say anything else as if thinking deeply. After a while, he gestured for the woman to hand him the pouch.
After looking at and weighing the pouch, a satisfied smile appears on his face showing his yellowish teeth.
"It will be done tonight…" he said with confidence.
The woman nodded her head and quickly left the inn.
…
Midnight in the cold palace bamboo forest area
A bamboo with the very tip cut off swayed left and right while a single foot stood on it. The foot is owned by a small little girl of 5 while her body moves along with the swaying of the bamboo.
It was as if she was part of the bamboo as it swayed back and forth through the wind.
This is one of Li An's practice methods to control her body movement and blend with nature and her surroundings.
Her breathing was calm and the natural energy in the air traveled through her body nourishing her cells and bones.
She has already reached such a level that she can control the hardness and softness of her skin. Plus the natural energy has given her body a feel of nature that she could somewhat unconsciously converse with her surroundings.
That is the reason why she could mask her presence as if she is one with the things around her.
As she practices and continuously absorbs the natural elements around her, she suddenly picks up strange noises coming from the direction of the edge of the bamboo forest.
That direction was towards the tall walls leading to the outside world.
Li An was once curious about what was outside of that place, but Seedee dissuades her from going out.
She was just a kid and if she was discovered then she would suffer greatly from the machinations and evil intentions of the people outside. Seedee would always tell her that it was not time yet to go outside.
But it seems that intruders have come to her territory.
And like an animal, Li An's protective nature was aroused as she glared at the direction of the intruders.
"There are… 5 of them…" she muttered as she watched the direction where the faint sound was coming from.
"They seem to be people who are used to sneaking…" she muttered with a frown.
"Be careful…" Seedee suddenly said as it noticed that Li An was about to move.
It knew that the little girl was curious and wanted to see the people who just invaded her home.
But then it suddenly thought that it would be a good experience for her to finally face humans for once in a fight.
With Seedee's senses, it could see that the 5 people are not ordinary people. They should be warriors with skills in assassination.
If Li An could experience this encounter, it knew that the wisdom such an encounter would bring to itself and the little girl would be tremendous.
With expectant eyes, it suddenly flew out of Li An's body and floated beside her.
Li An's figure flashes from atop the bamboo tree and lands on the ground. A slight smile perked on her cute little lips.
…
In the heart of a tranquil bamboo forest, where the emerald stalks swayed gently in the wind, a peaceful night shattered as five cloaked figures emerged from the shadows. Their black clothes blended seamlessly with the darkness of the underbrush, creating an eerie ambiance. Unbeknownst to them, their unlikeliest adversary awaited — Li An, who showed fierceness and determination while looking at the intruders.
She stood her ground, fists clenched, her small form radiating surprising strength. With her black hair tied back and her sharp eyes aflame with courage, she had trained tirelessly under the watchful gaze of her friend Seedee, mastering the art of combat even at such a tender age.
The assassins encircled her, their sinister laughter echoing through the sea of bamboo. "What do we have here? A lost little girl?" sneered the leader, a man with a scar slashing down his cheek.
Though the 5 assassins were surprised by the presence of a child, they did not put down their guards. They did not know who this child was and why she was in this place, but they did not care. All they need to do tonight is to kill people and those that stand in their way.
Li An's heart raced, but she stood tall, unfazed by the menacing figures looming over her.
With a swift motion, the lead assassin lunged. Li An's reflexes kicked in. She sidestepped gracefully, her tiny foot striking out in a well-practiced kick that connected with the man's knee. He grunted, stumbling but quickly regained his footing, his eyes now filled with unexpected respect.
"Not just a girl, it seems," he growled, signaling his companions. They advanced in unison, but Li An was ready. She twirled like a leaf caught in a whirlwind, her small stature granting her the agility to evade their attacks. A flurry of fists and feet flew through the air, bamboo leaves rustling in the chaos.
The second assassin attempted to grab her from behind. Li An ducked low, performing a swift roll to the side. She sprang to her feet, launching herself toward him, landing a forceful punch to his gut. He doubled over, gasping for breath as she swiftly pivoted to face the others, her eyes focused and fierce.
Minutes turned into what felt like an eternity as the remaining assassins attacked in waves. Each one was met with Li An's determination and skill, but the odds were daunting. Fatigue began to creep in as the fight pressed on, yet her spirit remained unyielding.
The fourth assassin slipped past her defenses, catching her by surprise. He lunged, grabbing her arm, attempting to pull her towards him. In an instant, Li An remembered her training with Seedee in the void dimension. With a quick twist of her wrist, she broke free, spinning around to deliver an elbow to his jaw, sending him crashing into a bamboo stalk with a resounding crack.
One remained — the scarred leader, seething with rage and disbelief. "You're tougher than you look, little girl," he snarled, his voice low and menacing. He launched at her with ferocious intensity, fists flying in a blur. Li An blocked and dodged, her heart pounding like a drum as she responded with a calculated counterattack.
The battle intensified each strike a testament to her willpower. With one final burst of energy, Li An feigned left, then rolled to the right, emerging behind him. In one fluid motion, she took a deep breath, gathering every ounce of strength, and delivered a decisive kick to the back of his knees. He collapsed, a look of shocked defeat on his face.
Breathing heavily, Li An stood amidst the fallen foes, her small figure silhouetted against the green backdrop of the bamboo forest. Though exhausted and battered, her spirit shone brighter than ever. She had fought fiercely, demonstrating that courage and strength know no age. Today, the forest bore witness to the victory of an indomitable girl, who had single-handedly sent five assassins flying into the shadows.