Chapter 303 - Failed Mission (??)

The orange glow of the sky casted by the setting sun was a reminder for the farmers to stop plowing the soil, a call for the children to come running back home, the time for tourists to pick a restaurant for dinner, and also the designated schedule for the students of TIHS to return to the rest house.

In the deserted outskirts of the town, in a dilapidated wooden farmhouse, a group of men entered the house, went straight to the second floor, bowed to the boy and the girl standing inside, and picked up the bloody and crippled men at their feet. A few men brought the dying men downstairs while some remained inside the room.

They began to clean up the mess and traces inside. They even tried to fix the shattered window and door.

The boy and the girl stood at the side, watching them quietly. Linfeng knew that his Young Miss needed some time and did not urge her to leave. After giving instructions to the men for a short while, he patiently waited by her side, accompanying her.

"Young Miss, these are my men," Linfeng introduced. "The Xiong family didn't know about this incident, I haven't notified them. But if you wish to let them know, we can contact my father." 

Xiong Zhi tightened the large and warm jacket wrapped around her. She shook her head. 

"No need. If this order truly came from the Xiong family, then I already have an idea just who among them was totally black inside to order this. I will not let them go unscathed... Right now... Let them think they succeeded for the meantime. Until the time comes... No, I will make that time comes sooner..." Xiong Zhi coldly whispered in a hoarse voice. A hint of cold hatred appeared in her eyes. Her face was pale and her lips were bloodless.

She was finally able to recover after venting all her pent up hatred and anger at the two men. She was slowly returning to her composed self.

Let them be complacent for now so that they will not immediately act up and cause more trouble for her at this moment. The moment they realize that something was wrong, then it would be too late for them to act. 

She initially planned to wait and gather more evidences against the evil pair of father and daughter before abolishing them. But who would have thought that she did not need to wait for long? They already offered themselves up to her with their own hands.

"What will happen to those two men?" Xiong Zhi asked faintly.

"They will be tortured, until they tell us everything. But whether they spill the beans or not, they will still be tortured to death. As you said, they must suffer humiliation a hundred times worse," Linfeng said.

Xiong Zhi kept quiet.

"Young Miss, those people's usual jobs are evil. Humiliating women or kidnapping innocents, those were just a small tip of the iceberg that they do for money. This is their retribution. They deserve it," Linfeng added, in case Xiong Zhi hesitated.

There really was no need for him to worry. Xiong Zhi, out of all people, wanted them to suffer the most.

"Um, I know..." she whispered hoarsely. She lifted her eyes to look at the concerned eyes of the boy beside her. "Linfeng... thank you for rescuing me."

'Thank you for coming in time.'

It mattered so much. She was able to calm down so fast after the incident precisely because of the relief that Linfeng came. She felt as if the time and space of her two lives were miraculously aligned and coincided, and the Linfeng who broke through the doors shone down like a bright light, saving her from hell. 

She felt her shoulders feel much lighter. She felt as if the nightmare was not so scary anymore. As long as Linfeng was beside her.

Of course, her hatred towards her enemies were not lightened the slightest bit. 

Gazing at her pale face, Linfeng felt his heart constrict in distress for her. He caressed her head gently while guilt was reflected in his eyes.

"I am sorry, Young Miss. I... I didn't protect you well. I was too complacent and let this happen to you." 

No more. Not anymore. 

"I will not make this mistake again," he somberly swore with his heart. "You don't deserve any of this."

Then, as if to seal a ritual, he held her hand, bowed his head, and kissed the back of her hand with pious devotion. He ignored his men's presence bustling around to clean up the room, who were shocked as they secretly watched the boy and the girl.

He did not care. He almost lost her.

Just at the thought that his treasured Zhi'er whom he could not wait to hold in the palm of his hands was suffering, the guilt, blame, and distress was eating at Linfeng's heart. 

Xiong Zhi, albeit still feeling weak, pulled out a smile to reassure him that she did not blame him at all. She reached out and touched his face. "It's alright, Linfeng... you came. Everything is over now. What matters is that you found me." 

Linfeng's heart melted into a puddle. His Young Miss needed comfort the most, yet she still worried about him and went to comfort him.

If it was another master, he would have already been punished and demoted because of his carelessness. Yet his Young Miss did not blame him. The guilt in his heart rose once more. What luck did he have that his Young Miss chose to love him so unconditionally?

Even if he felt guilty and blamed himself, he must not let his Young Miss worry about him anymore. This was something he must keep inside him to remind himself never to be so careless again.

His Young Miss needed his comfort much more.

Linfeng was about to open his mouth to soothe his Zhi'er with sweet confessions when his phone suddenly rang.

"Linfeng? Is everything alright?" A hushed, worried voice came from the phone. "Your Young Miss's friends are starting to worry now because you guys are not here yet. Did the team clean everything up?" 

Jang Shin knew what happened. He was the one who sent over the men to the farmhouse for cleanup. At this moment, he was busy covering up for Linfeng's and Xiong Zhi's joint absence.

"Yes, my men are already leaving," Linfeng answered as he watched his men put the two men into an inconspicuous van from the window. The men bowed to him. Linfeng just nodded and gesture for them to leave first.

"Thank goodness. Nothing happened to her right?"

"Yes. I got there in time. If I was a little late, I—" he was unable to finish as he suddenly felt a soft touch on his free hand. Xiong Zhi's eyes stared up at him. Those silent eyes were telling him that it was alright, that he got her safely. 

Again. He really needed to get hold of himself.

Linfeng smiled reassuringly at her.

Just as he badly wished that this incident would not leave a scar on his Young Miss, Xiong Zhi likewise did not want this situation to leave a scar on him.

This was an accident they both did not expect. It was entirely the mastermind's fault, not theirs.

"Linfeng? Do you want me to get the two of you now? The bus is about to leave, it is past six already. If I don't tell them that both of you are on your way, they might come and get you."

"Wait." Linfeng turned to Xiong Zhi.

"Young miss, are you ready to go?" 

Xiong Zhi was about to nod when she suddenly remembered something. 

She stiffened.

She looked outside. When she saw the dark orange glow in the sky and the shade of purple creeping over the horizon, she froze.

...Damn it.