The Cost of a Mistake

Chapter 39: The Cost of a Mistake

The temple was no longer silent.

Steel flashed in the dim light. Shadows shifted, feet scuffed against the stone floor.

Lan Yue stood behind the circle of assassins, her gaze steady.

"You should have let me kill him, Ye Xian," she murmured.

Ye Xian exhaled slowly. "And you should have known better than to walk into a fight you can't control."

Zhao Fengyun sighed. "Ladies, I'd love to sit and watch this play out, but I'd prefer not to die tonight."

Ye Xian ignored him.

She had twelve enemies in front of her.

And one she couldn't call an enemy yet.

Lan Yue had been desperate before.

Now—she was dangerous.

And that made all the difference.

A Battle Against Numbers

The first assassin moved.

Ye Xian reacted instantly, twisting away as a blade slashed toward her ribs.

She countered with a sharp kick, sending her attacker stumbling backward.

But another came.

And another.

One-on-one, they weren't a threat.

But twelve?

Even she had limits.

Zhao Fengyun had already drawn his sword, moving through the chaos with that same frustrating ease.

"You brought too many," he called to Lan Yue. "It's almost insulting."

Lan Yue didn't respond.

She just watched.

Because this wasn't about winning the fight.

It was about seeing who would survive it.

A Test of Will

Ye Xian caught an assassin's wrist, twisting sharply until she heard the satisfying snap of bone.

The man crumpled, but two more took his place.

Her breathing remained steady, her mind calculating.

These weren't Hidden Order assassins.

Their movements were rougher, their discipline lacking.

Mercenaries.

Lan Yue had bought herself an army—but she hadn't earned one.

Which meant this wasn't an execution.

This was a gamble.

And she wasn't sure if she would win.

The First to Fall

A blade came dangerously close to her shoulder.

She twisted away—but not fast enough.

The edge of the sword bit into her skin, sharp, cold.

Not deep.

Not fatal.

But it was a warning.

She was losing ground.

And Zhao Fengyun—he was barely lifting a finger.

"Fight harder, Ye Xian," he murmured. "I'd hate to have to avenge you."

Ye Xian exhaled sharply.

She wasn't going to die here.

And neither was he.

The Turning Point

She moved before the next attack could come.

A needle slipped from her sleeve, striking an assassin in the throat.

His body froze instantly—paralyzed.

Another turned toward her—too slow.

Ye Xian struck his temple, knocking him unconscious.

Two down.

Ten left.

Zhao Fengyun finally sighed and moved.

And when he moved—he became a different kind of monster.

A sword cut through the air.

A flash of steel.

And in three precise strokes—three assassins fell.

He wasn't just fast.

He was terrifyingly efficient.

Ye Xian had known he was dangerous.

She just hadn't realized how much.

The Choice That Shouldn't Be Made

Lan Yue watched from the sidelines, her fingers twitching slightly.

Her expression didn't change.

But Ye Xian saw it.

Hesitation.

She had expected Ye Xian to lose.

She had expected Zhao Fengyun to fall.

And now—she didn't know what to do.

Ye Xian exhaled slowly.

"If you want to end this, now's the time," she murmured.

Lan Yue's eyes flashed. "Do you think I'm afraid of you?"

"No," Ye Xian said quietly. "I think you're afraid of the truth."

A silence stretched.

Then—Lan Yue stepped back.

And just like that—her mercenaries followed.

The Battle That Wasn't Finished

Ye Xian didn't lower her stance.

She waited.

Because Lan Yue wasn't running.

She was retreating.

And that meant—this wasn't over.

Lan Yue's voice was calm, controlled.

"You made your choice today, Ye Xian."

A pause.

Then—her gaze darkened.

"One day, you'll regret it."

She turned and vanished into the night.

And just like that—she was gone.

Leaving only the bodies behind.

A Debt Unpaid

Ye Xian exhaled, rolling her shoulder where the blade had grazed her.

Zhao Fengyun sheathed his sword, looking vaguely disappointed.

"Well," he murmured. "That was fun."

Ye Xian ignored him.

Instead, she turned toward the nearest assassin still breathing.

Ye Xian crouched down, pressing a knee against the wounded assassin's chest.

"You worked for Lan Yue," she murmured. "But she isn't trained in this."

Her gaze sharpened.

"So tell me—who helped her?"

The man's jaw clenched.

Then—he exhaled shakily.

"I don't know her name," he whispered. "Only that she's been looking for revenge for years."

Ye Xian's fingers twitched slightly.

Because now—this wasn't just about Lan Yue.

Someone else was guiding her.

And that meant—Lan Yue wasn't fighting alone.

The Beginning of the End

Ye Xian stood, her gaze unreadable.

Zhao Fengyun tilted his head. "What did he say?"

Ye Xian exhaled. "Enough."

Zhao Fengyun chuckled. "You sound troubled."

Ye Xian turned to him.

"This isn't over, Zhao Fengyun."

Zhao Fengyun smiled faintly. "Of course not."

A pause.

Then—his eyes gleamed in the fading moonlight.

"But don't you see, Ye Xian?"

"It's only just beginning."

And somehow—she knew he was right.

End of Chapter 39