You bastard!

Hong Shi pushed open the door to her modest room, the wooden frame creaking softly.

The familiar scent of sandalwood greeted her, a calming fragrance she'd chosen to mask the otherwise musty atmosphere of the Holy Land quarters.

She stepped in, closing the door behind her with a quiet click.

Her usually composed face bore a slight frown as she walked toward the small desk in the corner.

Sitting on the simple chair, she let out a heavy sigh, her posture relaxing momentarily.

Reaching into her storage ring, she retrieved a jade bottle and poured a single, glossy healing pill into her palm.

"Haa…" Hong Shi muttered as she tossed the pill into her mouth, as she felt the medicine dissolve and a soothing warmth spread through her body.

Her gaze swept across the room—sparse and neatly kept.

A bed with crisp sheets, a small cabinet, and a couple of scrolls lying neatly on the desk.