Just as the battlefield turned into a mist of blood, with the sound of killing shaking the heavens and the whole expanse of grass stained red, in another part of the Qi County government office, there was a quiet room without a hint of movement, yet it was similarly filled with a faint scent of blood.

It came from Shang Ruyi’s tongue.

The door was tightly closed, and the windows were sealed. In the dim light, Shang Ruyi sat woodenly by the bed, looking like a puppet whose soul had been taken away. Her face was as pale as if drained of blood, and she was so numb that she could feel nothing.

The only sensation was the warm, metallic taste of blood spreading from her tongue, filling her entire mouth, and then gradually enveloping her whole being.

It was her blood.

Because she was in pain, such intense pain, yet unwilling to let out a groan, she bit her tongue.

And that pain—

Thinking of this, she slowly raised her right hand. Her slender, pale wrist bore several bruised finger marks, glaringly obvious, and even now the bones beneath hinted at a sharp pain as if about to shatter.

The person who left these finger marks was Yu Wenye.

Just now, after hearing Shang Ruyi speak those decisive words, he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her fiercely in front of him. In an instant, his eyes filled with blood, staring at her intently. The fierce expression on his face had never appeared before, not even in the most dangerous battles against the bravest generals at the brink of death.

He was like a fierce beast, ready to tear her to pieces and swallow her!

But Shang Ruyi did not back down, even though her slender wrist was nearly broken—she had no doubt he could crush her bones, especially since the day before, in front of her, he had broken the neck of a Western Turkic Samurai who was about to attack her—so perhaps now, he wanted to crush her throat even more.

Yet, she remained silent, merely watching him with the same pale face, with the same blood-red eyes.

She was not afraid.

Not because she feared no pain, no death, or had no fear.

Merely because her pain was too immense.

Losing her family, losing the brother who loved her most, had already rendered her life unbearable, and what pained her more than this was the person who brought about her brother’s loss—

It was him!

This truth was like a knife stabbing into her heart, twisting continuously.

The two stared at each other, as if confronting one another, and this was like a bloodless fight, yet one that cut into the heart, painful to the bone.

Shang Ruyi’s slender wrist was held tightly by his large hand, the wrist bones sending sharp pain as if about to break. Her tears were about to fall, yet she gritted her teeth, not letting out a sound, biting into her tongue, while staring into his eyes.

Her appearance seemed as if she was waiting for her bones to shatter, also waiting for a bond between them to completely break.

But then, Yu Wenye suddenly let her go!

His eyes still blood-red, face still pale, yet the fury seemed to have been drained from him, leaving him without a trace of fire—even at that moment, he seemed devoid of life, resembling someone utterly defeated in battle, his broad shoulders sagging.

He gave her a hollow look, then suddenly turned and walked out.

At that moment, Shang Ruyi was also somewhat perplexed, just watching him close the door firmly behind him, and only when she heard the sound of a lock clicking into place outside, did she realize something was wrong.

He had locked the door.

And she had been confined by him.

She didn’t know why Yu Wenye had done this—those words she had spoken should have been enough to infuriate him, even if he didn’t lay hands on her, least of all for someone as proud as Yu Wenye to let someone who humiliated him so easily off.

Yet Yu Wenye had said nothing to her, just left like that, and it was only through the crack in the door that she saw his back, hurried as if escaping, walking towards the courtyard gate, bump into Wo Xue, and heard him in a low, hoarse voice order, "Keep watch here, don’t let her out."

Wo Xue dared not say more, only could comply.

After that, the whole world seemed to fall into silence, time passing noiselessly, Shang Ruyi didn’t know how much time had passed, only judged by the light outside gradually brightening and then dimming again, that it was soon going to be dusk.

Once again she extended her hand, her slender fingertips trembling as they brushed the finger marks on her wrist.