Chapter 107: Soul Transmigration into Another World (1)

As nightfall descended, the front hall of the General's mansion glowed with the flickering light of candles. Inside the grand hall, aside from a set of imposing redwood armchairs, there were two men—one seated, the other standing—one at ease, the other restless. The younger man paced back and forth across the hall, unable to contain his impatience. He finally turned to the motionless figure of the slender man seated beside him and asked:

"Second Brother, is it really fine to just throw that woman into Eldest Brother's room like that?"

Their elder brother had just returned from guarding the northern frontier. The moment he arrived, he would find a woman lying at his bedside. If he didn't strangle her, he'd strangle them! The fault lay with the Emperor—why had he sent a woman out of the blue? There wasn't even a maid in the General's mansion, and suddenly, they had to deal with a woman—where were they supposed to place her?

Suo Ren didn't look up from his task, gently polishing a silver spear in his hands. With a smile, he said, "That woman was personally bestowed upon Eldest Brother by the Emperor. If she's not placed in his room, where else should she go? Your room?"

Suo Yu immediately recoiled, grumbling in disgust, "No way, I don't want her!" He despised those delicate young ladies who thought they were scholars simply because they could recite poetry. Just the thought of them turned his stomach.

Suo Ren shrugged, nonchalant. A woman in the house wasn't necessarily a bad thing—at least it would provide some amusement when there was nothing else to do.

"What's the problem?" A deep voice interrupted as a tall, imposing figure entered the room. Suo Ling, dusty and weary from travel, still wore his dark armor.

"Nothing," Suo Yu laughed awkwardly. "Eldest Brother, you're back?"

Suo Ren shot him a look. No need for such pleasantries.

"Mm." Suo Ling nodded coldly, casually removed his helmet, poured a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp.

Suo Yu glared at Suo Ren, signaling for him to tell Suo Ling about the woman in his room. Suo Ren lowered his head, pretending not to notice, even as Suo Yu's eyes grew desperate.

Suo Yu, vexed, shoved Suo Ren's shoulder with all his might. Suo Ren remained unmoved, his demeanor indifferent.

The two exchanged a silent stare, pushing and shoving. Suo Ling, clearly annoyed, finally spoke up:

"What are you two doing? Stop acting like women and just say what's on your mind."

With a scowl, Suo Yu stopped trying to avoid the topic. He spoke louder, "The woman the Emperor gave to Eldest Brother was delivered here at noon today. She's in your room now."

Suo Ling froze for a moment, his grip on the tea cup tightening, a flash of disdain crossing his sharp eyes. He spoke in a cold tone, "Find an empty room in the back courtyard and tell her to move there."

Damn it! The Emperor really did send a woman to the General's mansion. Did he think Suo Ling needed a woman? Was there any shortage of women for him?

Suo Yu stood awkwardly, clearly uncomfortable with the situation.

Suo Ren, on the other hand, simply shook his head, stifling a chuckle. "Not now, I'm afraid."

"Why?" Suo Ling looked at him, a bad premonition creeping into his chest.

Suo Ren continued to polish his spear, refusing to answer.

Suo Ling turned back to Suo Yu, who replied in a low voice, "You'll understand when you go in and see for yourself."

What's the big deal? It's just a woman, after all. Does she have three heads and six arms?

Gu Yun, trying to move her numb limbs, found that she could feel nothing. She attempted to sit up but realized that the strength in her waist and abdomen had completely vanished! What on earth is happening?

Her body was tightly bound, a large cloth covering her face. She decided to close her eyes. The last thing she remembered was seeking Qing and discovering a strange object. A flash of red light, followed by a sharp pain in her head, and then nothing—she had lost consciousness. Had she and Qing been kidnapped? Who could have done this?

She could feel the shift in her surroundings, her attire had changed. Everything around her felt strangely ominous. Her mind was a mess, but her hearing remained sharp. There seemed to be someone outside, and then the door opened. A tall silhouette stepped inside.

Suo Ling, stepping into the room, immediately saw the figure lying on the bed. The room was cloaked in darkness, and he lit a candle, its yellow light casting a glow on the woman in a fiery red wedding gown, making her stand out.

Suo Ling's face darkened—what in the world was going on? Not only had they dumped a woman on his bed, but she was also bound up like this! He threw his helmet onto the table, his mood growing increasingly irritable. He casually pulled off the cloth covering her face, expecting to see a frightened or tear-streaked face. Instead, he met a pair of eyes burning with fury.

What kind of woman has eyes like that?

Suo Ling leaned in closer to examine her. She had a delicate, youthful face, with long lashes casting faint shadows in the candlelight. Her lips were full, her nose aristocratic, and she looked so fragile that one might think she could break with a touch.

Suo Ling frowned. He hated women who were delicate and demure. Had it not been for those fiery eyes, he would not have even glanced at her.

Gu Yun, on the other hand, was scrutinizing the man before her. A solid frame stood before the bed, blocking much of the dim candlelight. He was clad in dark armor, his exposed skin a healthy bronze, exuding a rugged and unyielding aura. But what truly caught Gu Yun's attention were his sharp, hawk-like eyes. As someone who had worked in criminal investigations, anti-drug, and riot control teams, she had seen eyes more vicious, more brutal than his. But this man's gaze was more resolute, more upright.

But why was he still wearing armor?

Gu Yun had been tied up so tightly that she couldn't move, but her calm nature kept her from panicking. In a soft voice, she said, "Please untie me."

It had been a while since she spoke, and her voice was hoarse, yet she instantly realized the voice wasn't hers.

Panic struck her, but she quickly suppressed it. What was going on? Ever since that night with the golden eight-trigram disk, nothing had been right.

Suo Ling stepped forward, taking in the new injury marks on her face. He grabbed her chin and turned her head. His warm hand grazed her cheek, causing her heart to race, her breath to catch.

She tried to turn away, but his grip was like iron, forcing her to stay still. In desperation, Gu Yun bit into his wrist. She bit hard, and soon the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. But the man only frowned, showing no reaction—almost as if she were a child throwing a tantrum.

Frustrated, Gu Yun gave up on biting him.

Suo Ling coldly withdrew his hand, lowering his gaze to the deep bite marks on his wrist. His brows furrowed tighter. He asked coldly, "Are you Qing Mo?"

He remembered the Emperor had mentioned her name. It was said that the third daughter of the Qing family, Qing Mo, was gentle, sweet, and charming, but looking at this woman, he saw none of that gentleness.

Had the Emperor tricked him, or were the rumors simply false?

Gu Yun was confused, but she did not rush to deny it. Instead, she said coolly, "Untie me."

She needed her hands and feet free to understand what was happening. But Suo Ling, instead of complying, walked over to a nearby wooden rack, methodically unstrapping his armor, and hanging each piece up carefully. Not once did he spare her another glance.

"This is the General's mansion, not some random girl's boudoir. If you want to stay here, you'd better behave," he coldly added before exiting the room with effortless grace.

The room fell silent again, and Gu Yun remained bound, staring at the pure white bed curtains. What in the world was happening?

Lying rigidly on the bed, Gu Yun took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart. The room was about fifty square meters, sparsely furnished. Besides the bed, there was a redwood chair set and a low table, with a wooden rack beside the bed holding pieces of armor. The room was filled with a stark, cold atmosphere, reflecting the harsh and unyielding character of its owner.

The most striking item was a long sword hanging beside the rack. The blade, about four feet long, was a brilliant silver, with no adornments on the scabbard. The hilt was inlaid with white jade, and the entire sword exuded an air of aloofness and coldness.

Gu Yun had always had a fondness for cold weapons, and this sword was exactly to her liking. It could also help her escape.