A series of clicking sounds jolted Lucille Xing awake from her sleep. She struggled to sit up, feeling as if someone was knocking on the window. Instantly alert, she grabbed the pair of Bone Swords beside her pillow and stared at the window, then got out of bed and walked over.
"Who is it?"
The window was still rattling, as if something was pecking at it. Lucille Xing gave a helpless smile.
"Xiaoxiao, what are you doing up in the middle of the night?"
Sure enough, the chirping of the Ninefeather Bird came from outside. As soon as she opened the window, a blast of cold wind rushed in. Lucille hadn't even had time to complain before the relaxed look on her face disappeared.
"What happened to your foot?"
Outside, the Ninefeather Bird had only one foot left—the other had been broken. It flapped its wings, screeching sharply.
"What happened?"
Lucille immediately sensed something was wrong. She hurried out of the room and ran over to check the Ninefeather Bird's foot. Its right foot was broken and now hung in midair. The Ninefeather Bird flapped its wings and took off, screeching.
"Why isn't there even a single soldier?"
Lucille ran for a long time; the entire palace seemed to be asleep. She saw no one. Under the bright night sky, Lucille spotted the Ninefeather Bird circling near Yuna Ji's residence.
Lucille immediately sped up, running faster. As she rounded a corner, she suddenly cried out—she'd tripped over something and fell to the ground. The thing she kicked also let out a startled cry.
"Who is it? That hurts."
Lucille was about to draw her Bone Blade, but stopped immediately—it was Phoenix Yu.
"Why are you lying on the ground? Aren't you cold?"
Phoenix Yu looked utterly miserable as he gazed at Lucille.
"They've been fighting for ages. Why are you only here now? Do you think I want to be here? It's the thing on my back, I can't get up. Help me up first—I need to go to the bathroom."
Lucille couldn't make sense of Phoenix Yu's rambling. She sighed, but as she walked over, she suddenly stopped. A piercing chill radiated from Phoenix Yu's back. She grabbed him, only to find he was incredibly heavy. It took all her strength to pull him up.
Phoenix Yu, gasping for breath, leaned against the wall and pointed to the entrance of Yuna Ji's residence not far away.
"Hurry up, things are bad. The guy who killed Ji Yuan is going after Yuna Ji now. Can you help me to the bathroom door first, I..."
Phoenix Yu blinked. Lucille was already running, drawing her twin blades.
"I don't know what you are, but soon you're going to regret it."
Phoenix Yu gave a smug smile, leaning against the wall and slowly moving forward.
"Brother, I don't really get it. Everything's so confusing, and now I'm risking my life for someone else."
Lily Mao gripped her staff with both hands, one eye half-closed. Blood dripped steadily from her forehead, seeping into her eye. She stood trembling in front of Lucille.
"Ah, I don't get it either, Xiao Li. But if we don't fight, everyone will die."
In the courtyard, bodies lay scattered everywhere. Joseph Qiao stared blankly, barely alive, while Sebastian Zhao had already fainted. Leonard Lei slumped against the wall, his face swollen and completely unable to move.
"Let go of your hand."
Mason Mao shouted. Wraithshade sneered, raising one hand, while Lona Long floated in midair, struggling as if someone were choking her.
"Xiao Xing, don't go over there."