Black-Clad Ambush and Midroad Abduction

The conservatory was warm and inviting, the atmosphere beautiful. Flowers, candlelight, fine wine, and gourmet dishes—romance was in the air everywhere. If there had been a little soft music, it would have been perfect.

In her modern life, Serena Feng had dined in places like sky gardens before, so sitting here in the conservatory, having a candlelit dinner with Lance Quinn, she felt perfectly at ease. It was Lance who seemed uncomfortable—he hadn’t expected Vincent Su to make the conservatory so dreamy, and now, sitting here, he felt as if his intentions were being broadcast for all to see.

He just wanted to share a good meal with Serena, so that when she thought of the conservatory, her first memory would be dining there with him—not with Adrian Dongling.

Vincent Su’s efforts had the intended effect, but it was a bit much—Lance felt awkward, but thankfully, with his mask on, he could still act like nothing was wrong, no matter how uneasy he felt.

"Serve the food." Lance pressed the bell on the table.

This bell was a new addition to the conservatory; to avoid disturbing guests, there were no servants inside. Only when the bell rang would the staff come up to serve.

"Young Master, Miss." A strange attendant walked up, stopping just outside the conservatory, speaking respectfully.

Serena glanced at him and knew right away—he wasn’t one of her people, but Lance’s. Lance really was treating the One Room Inn as his own property now.

Serena didn’t mind. To her, the inn was just a way to make money and support herself. She had no talent for business and no ambition to become a commercial tycoon—she was satisfied as long as she earned some silver every month.

"Serve the food." Lance said simply, shifting slightly to hide his embarrassment.

"It's morning. I should be heading back," Serena Feng said with a yawn, rising to her feet.

"This meal was genuinely enjoyable," Lance Quinn said, standing up as well, clearly intending to see Serena off.

"I feel the same. Honestly, though, if it had been a regular dinner at a normal hour, I’d have been even happier," Serena admitted sincerely.

Tonight, she’d already taken a huge risk—if there’s a next time, she honestly couldn’t guarantee Nolan wouldn’t beat her to death.

"My apologies—I forgot how inconvenient it is for a young woman to go out so late," Lance said, though his tone held no real regret; he knew perfectly well what Serena faced at night.

"It’s not really about convenience," Serena replied, turning back to flash Lance a mock-scared smile. "It’s that my man would be furious—you know how petty he is. He’d never be happy with me going out at this hour." Lance burst out laughing. "Are you actually afraid of him?"

Serena shook her head, smiling. "It’s not fear—it’s respect. If he ever snuck out to meet another woman at midnight, I’d be angry too. It’s not about trust; it just wouldn’t sit right with me."

Lance didn’t know whether to laugh or sigh. After a pause, he asked, "If that’s how you feel, why did you still come? You know, if you’d refused, I wouldn’t have blamed you."

"I need my own space too. Besides, I promised you—I’m not about to go back on my word." Lance hadn’t said it, but Serena understood: tracking down those who assassinated the Night City Lord wasn’t easy, and killing them was even harder.

Many people died that night, but almost no one knew what Lance had actually done.

"You’re pretty contradictory." As they spoke, the two of them reached the stairs and began to descend, one after the other.

"Not at all. That’s just how two people get along—constant adjustments and compromise. I believe Nolan and I will find our balance: he’ll set aside his pride to accept my flaws, and I’ll yield for him when I need to." Relationships are all about give and take; she had her principles, but she wasn’t so stubborn she’d never back down.

Her carriage and Feng Manor servants were already waiting outside. Lance couldn’t say much more, nor could he see her out, so he simply stood inside and offered, "I wish you both happiness."

"Thank you. I will be happy," Serena replied graciously, flashing a brilliant smile into the shadows.

She said "I will be happy"—not "we will be happy." Serena herself didn’t notice, but Lance did. Maybe, deep down, she didn’t really believe Nolan could give her a lifetime of happiness.

[End of this section. Please click Next Page to continue reading!]

Lance stood motionless until the sound of the carriage faded. Only then did he sigh and turn to the shadows. "What happened tonight?"

A thin, black-clad figure emerged from the darkness. "Reporting to the master: a group of unknown experts tried to get in, but they’ve already been captured."

The entire hundred-li radius around the conservatory had been cleared; every nearby resident was under surveillance by hidden masters. Anyone wanting to break in would have to get through layer after layer of security first.

A single meal with Serena Feng and Lance Quinn consumed immense manpower and resources. But none of it was wasted—without such thorough arrangements, there’s no way they could have eaten in peace, undisturbed.

Normally, Lance would inspect the prisoners himself. But tonight...

"Leave it to Vincent Su," Lance said, dropping the order before leaving.

He had no choice—Vincent’s prediction had come true. After so long in the conservatory, Lance’s allergy had already started to flare up.

Dining with Serena came at a high price—Lance figured he’d be stuck indoors for days. And Serena paid dearly too: barely a hundred meters outside the conservatory’s safe zone, she ran into an ambush.

Seven black-clad men lined up like wooden stakes, blocking Serena’s only route. As her carriage entered their line of sight, one of them called out, "Serena Feng."

With a sharp jerk, the driver pulled the reins, keeping a safe distance from the seven men. Serena’s two maid-bodyguards immediately jumped down, shielding her carriage. "Who are you people?" they demanded.

"Who we are doesn’t matter. What matters is whether the person inside is Serena Feng." The same black-clad man spoke again, his sword pointing straight at the horse’s head. The animal, sensing his killing intent, fell silent, not daring to make a sound.

"I am Serena Feng. Who’s looking for me?" Sitting in the carriage wasn’t safe; Serena lifted the curtain and stepped down, ready to approach, but her bodyguards tried to block her. "Miss, it’s dangerous!"

"It’s fine. If they wanted to kill me, they’d have done it already." Serena brushed past her guards and moved to the center, facing off against the seven black-clad men.

The scent of blood clung heavily to them. Serena kept more than five steps away—a distance within her shooting range, but not so close that she could be cut down instantly.

"You’ve got guts. No wonder you survived that fire in Easestream City," the leader sneered, baring white teeth and bloodshot eyes—a sight that sent a chill straight to the bone.

"So the one who bribed the Easestream City prefect to burn me alive was your... master?" Serena kept one hand hidden behind her back, the other pointing at the leader, pausing before she finished.

"That’s right." The man nodded, a flash of pride in his eyes.

"So how should I address you?" Serena’s hand, hidden behind her back, quietly brushed the grip of her pistol.

"You can call me the Black Viper."

"Alright, Black Viper. What do you want from me?" Serena’s voice was steady.

"Your life." Black Viper’s words were cold and final.

Serena didn’t flinch. "If you want my life, you’ll have to come and get it."

Black Viper smiled, but didn’t move. "You’re not afraid of dying?"

"I am," Serena replied, "but I’m not afraid of you."

The two sides squared off. A tense silence fell. Suddenly, Black Viper’s sword flashed—a signal. The other six men lunged at Serena.

Serena’s two bodyguards fought desperately, but the seven attackers were too strong. In the blink of an eye, both guards were struck down.

Serena drew her pistol and fired three shots in a row. Two attackers fell instantly; the last bullet grazed Black Viper’s cheek.

Black Viper’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t attack. He signaled again. The remaining men charged at Serena.

Serena dodged swiftly, but a sword nicked her arm. Blood seeped out, staining her sleeve.

"Not bad," Black Viper said, watching Serena’s every move. "But you won’t get away tonight."

Serena didn’t reply. She kept her eyes on Black Viper, searching for a chance to strike.

Suddenly, a carriage thundered down the road—it was the reinforcements from Feng Manor.

Black Viper cursed. "Retreat!"

The remaining attackers disappeared into the night, leaving Serena wounded but alive.

Serena staggered, clutching her arm, but managed to climb back into her carriage. The reinforcements rushed to her side.