Chapter 209: The Frightened Retreat

“Lady Judge, we’ve already kowtowed as you demanded. From now on, our grudge is written off,” the Scorpion group’s captain shouted toward the cave.

Bu Feiyan’s voice echoed back, wary and cold. “If that’s the case, then get lost.”

“Good!”

The captain barked the order, and his men began to withdraw. Yet just before leaving, he turned his head once more, raising his voice. “Lady Judge, you must keep your word. You said it ends here—don’t go sending your master to settle the score with us afterward.”

With that final statement, the Scorpions finally retreated into the trees, their figures vanishing one by one.

Bu Feiyan stepped slowly from the shadows of the cave, her expression faintly puzzled. “My… master?”

All her skills had been honed alone, carved from her own sweat and blood. She had never had a master.

But from the captain’s tone, she could tell that what truly frightened them was not her strength, but this so-called master they believed stood behind her. That phantom figure had made them abandon a contract worth three hundred million.

And who exactly did they think this master was?

As she pondered, her gaze fell upon several photographs left behind on the dirt floor. She crouched to pick them up, and at once the truth became clear.

So the Scorpions had been hired assassins.

One of the pictures showed a pistol smashed apart, with a jagged shard of roof tile embedded deep into its steel. At that, another realization struck her. The “master” they spoke of was none other than the mysterious expert who had intervened in the alley and saved her that night.

“Senior… without even meaning to, you’ve saved my life once more.”

Her heart swelled with gratitude. She was not the sort to forget favors, and this was the second time that unknown elder had rescued her from the jaws of death. She longed to repay such kindness, yet what left her deeply regretful was that she had no idea who he was.

A soft sigh slipped past her lips. She tucked away her thoughts for now, hurried to the airport, and booked the earliest flight back to Yan Nation.

She had spent days tracing the truth, and now she knew exactly who the “scumbag” was that had harmed her Seventh Sister. For her sister’s sake, she was determined to carve a lesson into that man’s bones—so deep he would never forget. From this day forward, he would obey her sister’s every word, treating her like an empress, pampering her like a queen.

—

“Captain, we were so close to finishing the job. Why did you let the Judge go? That was three hundred million on the line!” one of the Scorpion killers muttered in protest as they made their retreat.

The captain’s face remained calm. “That woman has a master behind her. For three hundred million, it isn’t worth drawing the wrath of such a terrifying existence.” Then his lips curved in a sinister smile. “Besides, we’re not the only ones targeting her. Let’s hand this one over to Black Mamba.”

Black Mamba—another international assassin squad, ranked higher than the Scorpions, holding third place on the global list.

In their line of work, colleagues were enemies. If Black Mamba went down in flames chasing her, the Scorpions’ rank would rise without them firing another shot.

“Captain, brilliant foresight!” the men chorused, understanding dawning on their faces.

Three hundred million was an astronomical reward, enough to make countless assassin groups drool. Yet most of the small-time teams would be nothing more than cannon fodder against Judge. Only the Scorpions and Black Mamba had the strength to challenge her.

Now that the Scorpions had withdrawn, the burden fell squarely on Black Mamba’s shoulders.

And if Black Mamba succeeded, they would unleash a storm beyond imagining. Because a man who wielded fifty years of Internal Energy—a living superhuman—could easily slaughter their entire squad.

—

At dawn the next morning, Bu Feiyan returned to Yan Nation and slipped quietly into her Seventh Sister Qiu Qianwei’s mountaintop villa.

Though she had the man’s information, Qingling was vast. Hunting down one individual would take time. It would be faster to start with her sister, especially since she could tell Qiu Qianwei was already protecting the man.

And if her Seventh Sister was unaware she had come back… who knew how far things might have gone already?

The sky was just turning pale as Bu Feiyan crept into the villa. With luck, she might catch the scumbag still inside.

She had visited many times before and knew the layout well. In the living room, she was greeted with the sight of several sets of women’s clothing strewn across the sofa—skimpy, revealing styles, along with delicate silk stockings.

Her eyes narrowed. Such garments were crude and provocative, utterly unlike the elegant, dignified Seventh Sister she knew.

And yet, this was Qiu Qianwei’s private residence. These clothes could only belong to her.

“What happened to you, Seventh Sister? How did you fall so far?” Bu Feiyan’s anger smoldered as her gaze swept the floor.

More clothes were scattered about—men’s and women’s alike—leading in a trail straight toward the bedroom.

So the man really was here!

With fury burning in her chest, she stormed into the room. Her eyes scanned quickly, but only one figure was present.

Startled by the sudden intrusion, Qiu Qianwei turned pale as a sheet. But when she saw who it was, she let out a shaky breath of relief, though she still complained, “Fourth Sister, you nearly scared me to death.”

Bu Feiyan fixed her with a stern stare. “Where’s the scumbag?”

Qiu Qianwei silently thanked the heavens that a certain someone had left just minutes earlier. If he’d lingered, there would have been no avoiding a direct confrontation. She muttered, cheeks flushing, “Fourth Sister, why are you still hung up on this? I told you it was a misunderstanding. Why do you insist on causing trouble?”

Even as she spoke, she bent down to hurriedly gather the scattered condoms from the floor.

Bu Feiyan’s eyes went wide, her face burning red. “Seventh Sister! You’ve really let yourself be bewitched—how could things have gone this far already?!”

Qiu Qianwei quickly bundled everything into the trash bin, her tone calm, almost matter-of-fact. “When feelings reach a certain point, it’s only natural. You’ll understand when you find someone you truly love.”

“Humph! Even if I did, I would treat him with respect and distance. I would never sink to such shamelessness!” Bu Feiyan snapped.

Qiu Qianwei rubbed her sore, reddened knees with a faint smile. “I’m happy, Fourth Sister. You don’t need to worry about me.”

Bu Feiyan scowled. “Happy? You look more like you’re suffering.”

“You don’t understand.”

“There’s nothing in this world I don’t understand! Anyway, I’m doing this for your sake. I’ll teach that man a lesson and turn him into the perfect boyfriend you deserve.”

Seeing she could not talk sense into her younger sister, Bu Feiyan abandoned further argument. She strode out of the bedroom and headed straight for the surveillance room.

Soon, she pulled up footage from the villa’s entrance. On the screen appeared a tall, handsome young man.

Bu Feiyan drew out the photograph she had obtained from the hotel abroad. A quick comparison was enough—this was the same man, the very scumbag she had been hunting.

The timestamp showed he had left just ten minutes earlier.

Just a little more, and she would have caught him here.

Bu Feiyan sighed, a flicker of regret flashing across her face. But the feeling passed quickly.

Finding him was only a matter of time.

And once she does, she would make sure he pays.