Lance Quinn was so frustrated he could cough up blood. Did he look like someone who got injured every other day? Did coming to see Serena Feng always mean he was hurt?
"If you're not hurt, why are you here? Lance Quinn, if you've got nothing important, stop bothering me. I don't have time to play with you." Serena Feng immediately turned cold, refusing him bluntly.
Lance Quinn was a man of the jianghu, unconcerned with conventions, and Serena herself wasn't bound by the usual rules for women. But that didn't mean Lance could disrespect her or act inappropriately.
Most importantly, she had no other feelings for Lance Quinn.
A flash of disappointment flickered in Lance Quinn's eyes, but he quickly hid it and said expressionlessly, "Serena Feng, I saved your life once. You owe me a favor."
"You want to settle that favor? Fine. I remember you wanted me to save someone—who is it?" Serena Feng understood he was talking about when he helped her on the way to the Royal Country Villa.
Talking business made Serena Feng's expression soften a little.
As long as Lance Quinn didn't pull any strange stunts, she'd be fine with it.
Lance Quinn shook his head. "I don't want you to save anyone. I want to borrow something from you."
Moonlight spilled over his silver mask, shrouding Lance Quinn in a cold glow that seemed to push them apart.
"Borrow what?" Serena Feng secretly breathed a sigh of relief—this was easier than saving someone.
"The weapon you used to kill at the Royal Country Villa. Lend it to me."
"What?" Serena Feng's eyes widened and she stepped back until she hit the wall, finally regaining her senses. "You—you saw?"
She hadn't noticed anyone hiding in the shadows that day.
Serena Feng was deeply annoyed.
Lance Quinn nodded.
"Who else? Besides you, is anyone else around me watching?" Serena Feng put her hand behind her back, quietly activating her Smart Med‑Pack to summon the Glock 19 pistol.
Kill him. Kill the man who knows her secret.
Lance Quinn, don't blame me. I don't want to kill you—you're the one who forced my hand. I'm just protecting myself.
The pistol silently dropped into Serena Feng's hand.
It was a subtle movement, but Lance Quinn didn't miss it. Just as Serena Feng was about to disengage the safety, Lance sneered, strode forward, and pinned her between the wall and himself.
He moved so fast that Serena Feng couldn't react in time.
"Serena Feng, don't play tricks with me." A murderous aura radiated from Lance Quinn.
"Despicable." Serena Feng couldn't move, glaring at Lance Quinn as she quietly put the pistol away.
This man was trouble—best not to provoke him.
"If you didn't hide it, no one but me would know." Lance braced his left hand against the wall, his right gripping Serena's waist.
"Let go." Serena Feng sensed danger, ducked low, and struck out, her elbow aiming for Lance's ribs.
"Fierce, but unfortunately today you ran into me." Lance Quinn lifted his right foot, knocking Serena's hand back.
Thud... Serena Feng slammed back into the wall, but Lance Quinn pressed in relentlessly, targeting the hand she had wedged between them.
No—my hands.
Serena's face went pale, eyes full of terror. She tried to pull her hands back, but it was too late...
She didn't dare call out—she knew if she did, Evan Zhou, William Wang Jinling, and General Warren Yu would come running, and then it wouldn't be just her who died.
"I'll let you off this time." At the last second, Lance Quinn changed direction and slammed into the wall behind Serena.
Thud... Serena was sure Lance's leg was bruised.
Serena Feng couldn't believe it—he'd actually spared her. She was about to thank him when she realized she was still pinned, trapped between Lance and the wall with nowhere to escape.
"Serena Feng, don't try any more tricks. Next time, you won't be so lucky."
His hot breath washed over her, full of masculine arrogance and wildness. For some reason, Serena felt that scent was strangely familiar.
But Lance Quinn didn't give her time to think, snatching the pistol from her hand.
"How does this thing work?" Lance wasn't ashamed to ask, fiddling with it twice before giving up and pressing the gun to Serena's forehead.
"Don't mess around." Being held at gunpoint was a truly awful feeling.
"Teach me how to use it." Lance Quinn showed no sign of feeling anything was wrong.
Serena Feng looked up at the gun pressed to her forehead and finally gave in: "Put it away first."
She was terrified the gun might go off and kill her. That would be a tragic end.
"Teach me how to use it." Lance Quinn refused to compromise.
Serena shook her head without hesitation: "I can't teach you. If you want someone dead, I'll do it for you—call it repaying your life-saving favor."
She couldn't hand the pistol over to Lance Quinn, much less teach him how to use it. The gun was her ultimate self-defense; if Lance learned to use it, would he ever give it back?
She believed Lance Quinn was an honorable man, but she couldn't risk it—better to take her chances.
"You? Naive." Lance Quinn rejected her offer without a second thought.
The place he was heading was far too dangerous—no need for Serena Feng to risk herself.
Serena Feng breathed a sigh of relief. She knew this man meant no harm, so she let go of her intent to kill him. She raised her hand, gripped the barrel, and moved the gun aside.
Being held at gunpoint was terrifying. Serena always felt her life was hanging by a thread.
"Don't underestimate me. Even if you learn how to use it, you won't be proficient right away. You should be in a hurry—take me with you, I'll keep your secret."
As she spoke, Serena Feng's right hand darted out, snatching the gun from Lance Quinn. "Lance Quinn, we're both people with secrets. Now that we know each other's, neither of us has to worry about betrayal."
"Your hands are quick." Lance Quinn wasn't angry—in fact, he admired her.
Hands like hers might be perfect for killing.
"Just average—third best in Eastlyn." Serena Feng waved the gun. "Lance Quinn, how many people are you planning to kill tonight?"
She mentally calculated whether she had enough bullets.
"You're really invested?"
"I'm buying your help—if you do this for me, you keep my secret." It was a simple exchange of interests.
That's just how things were between her and Lance Quinn.
"You think I can be bought?" Lance Quinn sneered.
He thought Serena Feng had grown less naive, but she was still just as naive as ever.
"No, but you won't betray my secret. Otherwise, you wouldn't have waited until today. If I do this for you, it repays my debt for your help." Earlier, she'd panicked and considered killing him to silence him.
Kill Lance Quinn?
Not that she had the ability—and even if she did, Vincent Su would never let her get away with it.
"You're clever." That was Lance Quinn's evaluation of Serena Feng.
Serena Feng gave a bitter smile. "Not clever—if I wasn't, how could a lone girl like me survive? Lance Quinn, I don't want to know what you're up to. Just tell me: how many people do you need me to kill?"
If it was charging through an army, she'd give up and teach Lance Quinn how to use the gun—just pretend it never existed, since he'd only get to use it once anyway.
"Ten. I want you to kill ten martial arts experts." This time, Lance Quinn was straightforward.
Maybe he should trust this woman, like Vincent Su did.
Ten people—she wasn't afraid.
"No problem. You cover me, and I'll make sure not a single one escapes."
"Serena Feng, talk is cheap." Lance Quinn knew the weapon's power, but seeing her so relaxed, he still doubted her.
"I'll prove it to you. Lance Quinn, hurry up—if we don't go now, it'll be daylight. A dark, windy night is the best time for killing." Serena wasn't bloodthirsty, but daylight would make things inconvenient.
"If you die, don't blame me." Lance Quinn had never met a woman so unafraid of death.
"I won't. Just make sure to bury me—I don't want my corpse left out in the wild." Now that they shared a secret, the distance between them shrank.
At least, Serena Feng wasn't as hostile to Lance Quinn as before.
Most importantly, Lance Quinn was too strong—better to be friends than enemies.
"If you're so eager to die, let's go." Lance Quinn rubbed Serena Feng's waist, used his light-footwork, and took off into the night.
Serena Feng was prepared, but when she "flew" into the air, she was startled—almost screamed, clutching Lance Quinn's clothes tightly.
Wow, light-footwork really was amazing, so useful.
Wind rushed past her ears—Serena Feng felt like she was flying. Even her nerves about the upcoming killings eased a bit.
Lance Quinn looked down and saw Serena Feng's faint smile. He muttered to himself, "Strange woman."
They quickly left the city. Lance Quinn whistled, and a glossy black stallion ran out of the woods.
"Only one horse—we'll have to ride together."
"Fine." Out in the wild, you had to make do. Besides, Lance Quinn wasn't asking—just telling her.
Superb light-footwork meant Lance Quinn didn't need stirrups. Holding Serena Feng, he leapt onto the horse with ease—looking incredibly cool.
Too bad no one was there to cheer.
Serena Feng hadn't settled in before Lance Quinn spurred the horse into a wild gallop.
Clearly, he was in a hurry—he was rushing to save someone.
Serena Feng felt as if her dinner and wine were about to be jostled right out of her—her stomach churned miserably, and she was in no shape for a fight.
"Lance Quinn, slow down and let me sit properly. I'm really uncomfortable like this."
"Woman, you're such trouble." Lance Quinn grumbled, but slowed the pace and steadied Serena Feng in his arms to keep her from bouncing around.
Once she was finally settled, Serena Feng let out a sigh of relief.
The night wind was chilling—Serena Feng instinctively curled up in Lance Quinn's embrace.
Instead of pushing her away, Lance Quinn adjusted to keep her warmer and more stable.
If Vincent Su saw this, he'd be floored.
Ninth Uncle, didn't you hate women?
Ninth Uncle, didn't you dislike being close to anyone?
Just what kind of person was Serena Feng, to make you break your own rules for her again and again—even showing her sides nobody else had ever seen...