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As long as it's heavy enough to break your blade and smash your head in!

Oh, no. I planned a much better death for you. I wanted to stuff this warehouse full of explosives, and when the Catastrophe arrived, to give your lives as an offering to Yumen!

Of course, mine would be in there too.

So that was your plan?

Why would I have taken the initiative to seek your cooperation otherwise?!

I don't see why we should have such enmity between us.

Maybe it was how you somehow managed to sneak into Yumen, somehow disguised yourselves as martial artists to gain the trust of the guards, and then somehow caused chaos all over the city, turning Yumen into what it is right now!

My memory's not that bad yet!

The day you first showed up in the city, I recognized you right away.

I've waited twenty years for you to come!

Such a pity that with just a little accident, everything was lost...

Lucky I still have this hammer of mine!

The warehouse is dimly lit, and the glass blade in Lin Yühsia's hand turns more and more transparent.

The Shanhaizhong seem fearful of her exquisite Originium Arts, and instead of swarming her, they coordinate and slowly begin to encircle her.

(For such a group to hide in the city for so long and stay undiscovered...)

(Their fighting style doesn't seem to come from any common school or military, and yet they're fierce and unrelenting, but also disciplined and highly organized... where exactly did they come from?)

(If only I had Ch'en's sword here to better deal with them...)

(What am I daydreaming for...? My top priority is to break out of here and bring the data with me.)

Hey, let me help!

What are you still doing here?

I got the Qis out and heard a fight over this way. Sure enough, it was this bunch again.

Your friends...

They're fine.

The Messenger and the escorts are all fine—Meng Tieyi had them locked up, but didn't harm a single one of them.

Don't look at me like that, you haven't been forgiven yet. After we clean up these guys, I'll settle the score with you.

Then it's best you start thinking how to survive this, they won't be easy to deal with.

You don't need to remind me.

Yaoye?

You're not allowed to call me that!

Sounds like you know.

Distracted?

Shut up.

Why should I shut—

I wasn't talking to you.

Anyway, I'm glad you're alright.

I will make my apologies after defeating my foe with my own hands.

Heh.

Why do you sound so relieved, speaking to me?

Because no one actually lost their lives, because everything is still in your hands?

If you had always planned a fake death for the Messenger team, why did you ask me to put the Qis on the job?

Everyone in the city holds you in the highest regard, and you play games with their lives!

To be honest, it's not like I've never wavered...

But when you showed up at my door so enthusiastically, saying you wanted to open the first modern logistics company in Yumen and told me not to consider your father, Zheng Qingyue's reputation...

Oh, how I miss the times when we were young!

The force of each blade on him increases, as does the ferocity of the girl screaming at him.

Meng Tieyi stops talking, grits his teeth, and swings his hammer.

I remember you telling me that you were a well-known figure in Yumen for all the right and wrong reasons.

In your day, you trained with the Grandmaster to kill your enemies, and quick to exact revenge. In order to exact justice for the people who were robbed, you chased the bandits for more than a hundred li out in the desert and destroyed their stronghold.

You know exactly how many streets, shops, and tents there are in the city. You know every part of Yan that your sworn-brothers in the army hail from.

But right now, do you even care about Yumen anymore?!

You're way more pedantic and muddled than my father who refuses to let go of his old ways!

Times change, and so will we!

Escorts will turn into logistics companies, and the Sword Forge will turn into a regular workshop. No one can stop this, and you shouldn't even try.

No matter how much you hate, how much resentment you hold in your heart, you have no right to test Yumen with a Catastrophe just to see if it can hold a candle to its old days!

How dare you?!

Are you even worthy of this city?!

Meng! Are you even worthy of yourself?!

Du Yaoye, watch out!

Huh?

Meng Tieyi has never once looked back.

A duel between masters does not tolerate even the slightest distraction, let alone an enigmatic like this woman.

He isn't sure if he fully comprehends exactly what little Du Yaoye has been scolding him over, only that it is loud and muddled with a lot of emotion.

But he hears Lin Yühsia's warning loud and clear, and turns his head on reflex.

Meng Tieyi throws the hammer in his hand, knocking away the enemies enclosing onto Du Yaoye's back.

At the same time, a long and narrow blade cuts his spine open.

Uncle Meng—!

Xingyu Logistics... is a good idea...

But I, won't get to see the seeds sprout myself...

Have you never considered... the jianghu you speak of is still here, just in a different form?

The rest of you are next.

The woman steps over the body lying on the ground.

Blood drips down the extremely long blade.

She's coming.

I can see that.

Since escorting the Messengers was a trap, that means Xingyu Logistics has yet to really open.

I'm not sure if you be willing to accept my request to deliver something?

Right now?

This box holds the true Catastrophe data that must be handed over to the Lord Exorcist. Take my token with you, and he will let you in.

And then what?

Then you start hoping that it's not too late.

Don't give me that, you'll have me run off while you stay and play the hero?

You should know very well, I'm not that good of a person.

But someone has to get the data out.

This woman is so unfathomably powerful, she even killed Meng Tieyi.

With my Arts, I might be able to hold them back and create a quick opening for you.

What about you?

Who knows.

What are you talking about?!

If you think you can hold them back for me, then we'll switch roles.

I'm sorry, for lying to you about your friends.

You're not the only one who has lied to me. When I was yelling at Meng Tieyi earlier, that was all for you, too.

Right, I forgot to tell you this. Honestly, I think it is impressive for someone to travel so far and work so hard to make her living.

Now's not the time for—

Remember this. If you don't make it out, Yumen won't make it through the Catastrophe either.

This is a tall order, but Xingyu Logistics accepts.

Close your eyes.

Lin Yühsia shakes her hands, and the glass shards fall to the ground, instantly turning to quicksand.

Streams of fine sand flow from the corners and ceiling, quickly converging as one.

Still feel like putting up a—

The sand rises.