"What kind of dicine is this?"
"Painkiller."
"Are there any side effects?"
"You'll die the first ti you take it, after that, no more."
In the deepest, dirtiest cell of Xuanzhu County's Patrol Execution Guard underground prison, a middle-aged man lying like boneless mud on the ground stared at the small brown pill. His lips trembled: "Can anyone in my family survive?"
"Upon investigation, except for seven children under the age of ten with no criminal record, the rest will have to face the public trial." Mu Qingi, arms crossed, looked down at him: "Those who must die will die, those who must live will eventually survive."
"We won't spare any criminal needing judgnt for the sake of making a deal with you, nor will we threaten your family... This pill is the reward for you handing over the Lan family's craft."
"If you're willing, I'll call soone to take notes and prepare a good al for you; if you're unwilling, just take it—unless you want to live for a few days longer and face the public trial."
Upon hearing the term 'public trial,' the prisoner trembled slightly.
He laboriously turned his head, his gaze passing over Mu Qingi, looking at the one who shouldn't be in such a filthy jail cell, blooming like a white lotus: "Sea Cape Gate, can you guarantee that the Lan family lineage won't be extinguished?"
Huyan Siluo nodded, whispering, "I promise."
The prisoner reached for the pill, scrutinizing it for several minutes, during which nobody spoke in the cell until Mu Qingi began to grow impatient. He then spoke an address: "The century-old Lan family craftsmanship is all recorded in the secret to of that basent. There are many special terms in the to, just show it to the craftsn. If there's anything unclear... ask the remaining, alive, over-thirty Lan family mbers."
With that, he eagerly swallowed the pill.
Mu Qingi lightly snapped her fingers, and a divine ray pierced through the prisoner's head, causing him to lose consciousness before even feeling the pain.
She turned to et Huyan Siluo's surprised gaze, shrugged: "We don't have poison that kills instantly; had it been this handy, we would've used it long ago. But he took the pill and died quickly, the experience was great, no bad reviews, isn't this effect similar? Plus, I delivered the service personally."
Huyan Siluo laughed a peal of laughter, taking Mu Qingi's hand, softly saying, "Thank you for accompanying ."
"Ah, what's there to be modest between sisters, this is nothing." Mu Qingi proudly patted her chest and added: "Moreover, you've just seen too little; such matters are trivial, I'll take you in a couple of days to see Minghong torturing prisoners, or witness executions at the shooting range, that'll train your courage..."
Huyan Siluo's face turned grim: "Uncle Lan... he was a friend of my father's when he was young, often visited our ho, and even customized a small car for to drive around the yard..."
Mu Qingi paused, awkwardly scratched her head: "Should I leave him a whole corpse?"
"I don't an to bla you; his fate is deserved." Huyan Siluo rubbed her reddened eyes, mustered a smile and said: "Though I've never seen the second-in-command torture prisoners or witnessed executions at the shooting range, I haven't missed a single one of the public trials these days."
"To die so peacefully is a great rcy to Uncle Lan. He understood this, so he didn't even eat the last al, just swallowed the pill directly."
"To live despicably and shalessly, yet die with peace, would be too unfair to those whom they stepped on all their lives."
Huyan Siluo whispered, "In fact, I should share the sa fate..."
"Don't be silly!" Mu Qingi slapped Huyan Siluo's bottom, Huyan Siluo uttered a cry in surprise. "You're different from every pore-excreting filthy blood capitalist. You're just like us, a partner of justice."
"The night you chose to lie to Mr. Tie to protect us, I knew you were my sister by different parents!" Mu Qingi grinned: "Don't think of yourself as kin to those people, what's that saying, 'untainted despite the mud'! They're rotten, doesn't an you are!"
"But from birth, I've eaten gourt als, dressed in silk and satin, always attended by servants, basked in prosperity."
"While I drove the small car Uncle Lan gave around the yard, outside, hundreds or thousands of children my age struggled to survive, including you, Qingi."
"While you wandered holess, I slept in a warm, comfortable bed, with my mother reading stories."
"When the second-in-command killed your brother personally, my father and brother celebrated my birthday, the gift-bringers broke my doorstep."
"While you trained hard in Combat Technique, sweat and toil every day, I held tea parties with other girls my age, discussing what dress looks good, what jewelry's pretty."
Huyan Siluo spoke these words smoothly, clearly having pondered them countless tis through sleepless nights:
"I used to take all this for granted because it was my parents' love. But if their love was built on sin, what I enjoyed was built on your suffering, what difference is there between and them?"
"Qingi, your hands are much rougher than mine, for I've never labored. If my father at least stabilized Xuanzhu County, then I am a useless leech, having leave none of the past prosperity, yet now shalessly accept your protection—"
Swish!
Mu Qingi embraced Huyan Siluo, hearing her breath whisper to her ear, the slight itch on her ear instantly halting all further words of Huyan Siluo.
"No one is born with the original sin, no one can choose their birth."
"Those devastating emotions, though unnecessary, I understand them. At a certain point in life, one begins to loathe that weak self."
Huyan Siluo wrapped her arms around Mu Qingi's waist, lowered her head to lean on her shoulder, whispering, "Qingi, did you ever hate yourself too?"
"Of course I did." Mu Qingi said: "The first ti I hated myself was when Minghong ca ho covered in blood and told our eldest brother was dead, I beat him up terribly."
"Actually, I really wanted him to give a good scolding. If I hadn't been so young back then, if my combat technique had been stronger, if I had gone with them... maybe things could have been salvaged."
"It's just that Ming Hong was really too weak, not even fighting back. I almost killed him by accident."
"And the second ti I hated myself... was that night, watching him from afar through the ruins of the Sea Cape Gate, telling us to 'protect Yin Yi Yin'."
"The loathing towards oneself always stems from one's own incompetence."
"Every ti you dislike yourself, it's a sign of growing up."
Mu Qingi pressed Huyan Siluo's shoulder, gazing into her eyes, "Congratulations, you've also beco a dirty adult."
"But..."
"If you truly feel guilty, then work diligently to contribute to the rebirth of Xuanzhu County," Mu Qingi said with a smile. "And don't be embarrassed by these feelings. Compared to those who need to go through public trials, it's precisely this guilt born out of your moral compass that makes White Night willing to trust you."
"Only those who have cried into their pillows," she gently wiped away the tears at the corner of Huyan Siluo's eyes, "can learn what gentleness ans."
"If you're really so guilty that you want to make so ands... then I'll collect a little interest!"
"Ah? Qing i don't make trouble!"
Mu Qingi spun Huyan Siluo around a few tis, burying her head in Siluo's embrace and nuzzling as she giggled foolishly, "Siluo, hugging you is so comfortable—— such a good body, no idea which beast it will end up with in the future—— might as well let enjoy it first!"
"Stop it, put down, put down!" Huyan Siluo shouted in embarrassed annoyance, "We're almost at the door!"
Mu Qingi set Huyan Siluo down and carefully smoothed out the wrinkles on her chest, saying with a serious face:
"Be sure to mind your deanor at Wang Hai Palace. If people outside see you coming out of prison looking disheveled, it might blow everyone's minds. Then by tomorrow, rumors will spread all over Xuanzhu County, and the day after, 'special features' about you will flood the newspaper's submission inbox. Don't add to my workload..."
Huyan Siluo glared at Mu Qingi with an annoyed expression, but Mu Qingi just looked back with a silly smile, until Huyan Siluo couldn't help but burst into laughter herself.
"Thank you."
"Ah, what's with the politeness between sisters! Sister, stride forward, keep moving, don't turn back~"
Mu Qingi suddenly rembered sothing and chuckled, "By the way, what do you think of Ming Hong?"
"The second in command?" Huyan Siluo was taken aback, "He is a very good, very serious, very mature man, Xuanzhu County needs him."
Mu Qingi blinked, "Really, really? Do you need him?"
Huyan Siluo's eyes fluttered, she lightly humd, tilted her head thinking for a mont, then whispered, "I already have soone I like."
"Ah~" Mu Qingi sighed, "Er Gouzi, Er Gouzi, it's not that I'm not helping you, I'm really doing my best~"
Huyan Siluo covered her mouth laughing, "But it seems the second in command also likes soone, right? I've seen him with Wen Hong, the dical Officer..."
"Well, I did ask Sister Wen about that. But her answer was quite..." Mu Qingi paused for a while before finally coming up with a word, "…interesting."
"What did she say?"
"I asked her what she thought of Ming Hong and she said, just regard him as a dog that cos when called and goes when waved off."
Huyan Siluo blinked, "Oh..."
"Then she told , dogs are actually very good, they can guard the house, scare people outside, love to lick people on the bed, and can be neutered if disobedient... I really can't figure out how she thinks."
"...It is quite interesting."
"Wait a minute!" Mu Qingi suddenly fixed her gaze on Huyan Siluo, "Who's the person you like? Could it be the one who's gone missing?"
Huyan Siluo shook her head, "No."
"That's good," Mu Qingi sighed in relief, suddenly uttering a nonsensical line, "I can't be a pillow for two people..."
Then she looked at Huyan Siluo with curiosity again, "Then who is it that you like?"
"Not telling you."
"Is he the handso, good-looking, with a sweet smile type?"
"Hmm~" Huyan Siluo tilted her head thinking, "She's quite the narcissistic type."
"The person you like is so strange!" Mu Qingi frowned, comnting.
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