Moonlit Hearts

Chapiter 44: The Stranger in the Mist

Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate it ! 

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Wangji stayed silent, his expression carved from stone.

"Speak plainly," he said, his voice sharp and unyielding. "What do you want?"

The figure tilted his head, as though the question amused him. "What I want is irrelevant. The real question is whether you want to survive the night. I can ensure that... if you let me."

Wen Ning took a step forward, his stance protective, his voice low. "How do we know you're not leading us into a trap?"

The figure's lips curved into a faint, humorless smile. "You don't. But those soldiers rounding the corner?" He gestured toward the dimly lit corridor behind them. "They'll kill you without hesitation. You can decide how to spend your next thirty seconds."

The unmistakable clatter of boots against stone grew louder, pressing against the edge of indecision. Wangji's jaw tightened.

"Clear the path," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The figure's smile deepened, revealing a glint of something wild in his eyes. "As you wish."

In a single, fluid motion, he unsheathed his weapon. It shimmered unnaturally as if the moonlight bent itself around the blade. Wangji's gaze flickered to it, his sharp mind analyzing, but its form remained elusive, cloaked in a veil of illusion.

"A spell," Wangji murmured, the thought barely audible over the growing tension.

There was no time to dwell. The soldiers surged into view, weapons raised. The figure moved before anyone else could react, a blur of precision and lethality.

His blade struck with impossible speed, ruthlessly cutting through the first wave of attackers. Sparks lit the air as steel clashed against steel. Every movement of the figure was purposeful, unrelenting, as though the blade was an extension of his will.

Wen Ning shifted uneasily at the spectacle, his fingers curling into fists, but Wangji focused on Wei Ying. Cradling him closer, he turned to Wen Ning. "We move. Now."

Wen Ning nodded, his steps falling in line as they slipped past the chaos. The sound of battle raged behind them, but Wangji never glanced back. His attention was fixed on Wei Ying's shallow, uneven breaths and the unyielding path ahead.

They burst into the open air, the stars above offering little solace against the weight pressing down on them. But just as they reached the clearing's edge, the figure emerged from the shadows again, their presence unnervingly calm.

Wangji froze mid-step. His mind raced. He had left him behind in the corridor, locked in combat with the reinforcements. How had he gotten here so quickly?

The figure's cloak hung in tatters, dark stains streaking their hands. Whether it was his own blood or someone else's was impossible to tell. He exuded an eerie composure, his breaths steady despite the carnage they'd just unleashed.

"Not bad," the figure remarked, his tone almost conversational, as if he hadn't just fought through a corridor of armed soldiers. "They're skilled fighters." His blade slid back into its scabbard with a faint hum, the sound unsettling in its finality. "But this isn't over. They'll send more."

Wangji's grip on Bichen remained steady, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Who are you?" he demanded, his voice sharp and unwavering. "How did you catch up so fast?"

The figure's lips curved into a cryptic smile, his eyes glinting with something unreadable. "Someone who just saved your life," he replied smoothly. "You'll find out the rest soon enough. For now, let's move. Your little friend there doesn't have time to waste."