"Ugh...!" Yinou groaned, stumbling back to her feet. Her legs felt like jelly, and the throbbing in her chest was a reminder of the arrow that had pierced her. She scrambled to her knees, tearing a strip of her tunic and hastily wrapping it around the wound.
"Damn it... Damn it all!" she hissed, her voice strained. She'd almost lost herself there, she almost killed her brother. The thought sent a fresh wave of nausea through her, a bitter taste on her tongue.
Gasping for breath, she threw her head back, staring at the sky. A dark red aura pulsed around her, a menacing halo that seemed to mock her with its ominous glow. It was a tangible manifestation of the terror that gnawed at her, a constant reminder of her descent into madness.
"I don't know where I am. Help me," she whispered, summoning a butterfly messenger with a desperate flick of her wrist. The creature, a flicker of hope against the encroaching darkness, fluttered away, carrying her plea.
The arrowhead, protruding from her chest, throbbed in rhythm to her ragged breaths. She bit her lip, ignoring the searing pain as she ripped it free. The world swam with crimson, her vision blurring as she fought against the rising tide of black.
A warm hand closed around the back of her head, gently nudging her chin up. "Hey, look at me. Breathe," a voice, familiar and comforting, cut through the chaos.
Yinou's eyes met Su Ning's, full of sorrow and a quiet anger that matched her own. His touch kept her steady, pulling her back to the present. Slowly, with each breath, the world came into focus, and the panic began to fade.
"What's with the look?" she asked, her voice a trembling whisper.
His features hardened, the sadness in his eyes twisting into something bleak and unyielding. "Xiao Li's dead."
The words were a punch to the gut. Yinou stood frozen, unable to process the information. She stared at him, the reality of his words slowly sinking in.
He turned away, a flicker of a smile touching his lips, hollow and cold. "Let's go."
Yinou, still reeling from the shock, simply nodded. Su Ning offered his arm, his grip firm as he carried her through the tangle of trees. Together, they walked back in Dongying.
Silence hung heavy over the Dongying camp, thick with the weight of loss. White cloths covered countless bodies ...stark reminders of the battle's brutal toll. Yinuo's heart ached, the camp's grief echoing her own. In the distance, she spotted Susu, her figure standing like a quiet beacon of comfort amid the desolation.
Susu rushed to her, her arms engulfing Yinuo in a tight embrace. Tears streamed down her face, her voice choked with emotion. "I couldn't bear the feeling of losing you again and again," she whispered, her words laced with a raw vulnerability that pierced Yinuo's heart.
Yinuo winced as Susu's touch grazed her arrow wound, a sharp pang of pain reminding her of the battle's aftermath. "Oh god, you're bleeding!" Susu exclaimed, her voice filled with concern.
Li Yang stepped forward, her face etched with worry. "Come, let's dress your wounds." The three girls made their way into a nearby tent, the silence broken only by the rustle of their garments. Li Yang and Susu began tending to Yinuo's injuries.
Outside the tent, Su Ning watched, his gaze reflecting the environment. Bai Lin approached, his voice hushed. "Mrs. Xiao is outside, she requested an audience."
Su Ning, brows furrowed, turned to face Mrs. Xiao, sorrow etched upon her face, bowed deeply. "General Su Ning," she began, her voice trembling with emotion. "My husband, Xiao Li, he is gone. I am so unfortunate. I have nowhere to go, no one to care for me. Please, General, offer me your shelter."
Su Ning, moved by Mrs. Xiao's plight, agreed without hesitation, though his mind churned with unease. "Of course, Mrs. Xiao. You're welcome here. I've lost a good friend… it's only right that I look after you now that he's gone. I'll also see what I can do to get you into Dongying."
Though their alliance was still new, the bond he shared with Xiao Li ran deep. They weren't just allies...they had been comrades in arms, brothers in spirit. Xiao Li had trusted him, even given him the means to fight. And now, with Xiao Li gone, Su Ning felt the weight of that trust pressing on him. He had to protect what remained of Xiao Li's world, Mrs. Xiao. But it was more than just obligation...it was guilt. Guilt that he hadn't been able to save Xiao Li.
But there was something else eating at him. The soldiers in the camp, their whispered hate for Yinou—he could hear it in every conversation, see it in their eyes. And yet, he couldn't bring himself to join them in their condemnation. She was as much a victim as any of them, tangled in a situation she never asked for. His grief for Xiao Li was real, but the more he saw of Yinou, the more he wondered if he was blaming her simply because it was easier than facing the painful reality: her survival had come at a great cost, but she was also a victim of her brother's ruthless actions, just like everyone else.
The grief of the camp was palpable, every face drawn with loss, every corner steeped in sorrow. And in the midst of it all, Yinou stood alone. She bore the burden of blame from everyone, but Su Ning knew, deep down, that this wasn't just about her. It was about everyone who had lost something. And yet, as much as his heart ached for her, part of him still resented the fact that she had become a symbol of that loss.
He wanted to help her. He wanted to protect Mrs. Xiao, to give her a life worth living. But in doing so, he couldn't escape the nagging feeling that by offering aid, he was somehow complicit in letting them all continue in this broken world.
That night, Mrs. Xiao, carried a newborn baby, its tiny face full of innocence. A flicker of disgust crossed her face as she gazed upon the child. With a swift, decisive movement, she carried the infant to the edge of the dark forest and laid it down, leaving it to the mercy of the night.
Later, Susu confided in Yinuo and Li Yang. Xiao Li, he spoke before he passed, she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He said something about 'my wife, my child?' It's unclear, but he said something like that," Susu told.
A chill of suspicion ran down their spines. Had Xiao Li been a father? Was Mrs. Xiao carrying his child? The question echoed in the silent night.
The following morning, they confided in Su Ning. Susu's suspicions were now clear, a knot of unease tightening in her gut. Su Ning, his suspicions sparked, confronted Mrs. Xiao.
Mrs. Xiao, he began, his voice firm, Tell me the truth. Were you with child? Did you have a baby?
Mrs. Xiao, her face a mask of innocence, shook her head. I am not pregnant. I carry no child, General."
There was a brief silence, as everyone looked at Mrs. Xiao.
"I loved Zhang Li!" Mrs. Xiao's voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. "Now that he's gone, you're pressing accusations on me! You don't want me here, do you? Just tell me!"
General Su Ning, his face etched with concern, placed a calming hand on her arm. "Please, calm down, Mrs. Xiao. I will prove your innocence."
Mrs. Xiao, still sniffling, nodded dramatically, her eyes wide and glistening with unshed tears. She then, in a move that seemed entirely unnecessary, flung her arms around Su Ning, burying her face in his chest.
Yinou, in a corner, raised her eyebrow. Susu, her lips pressed into a thin line, exchanged a look with Li Yang. Susu, unable to contain her amusement, rolled her eyes.
"I still can't believe you would accuse me of having a child!" Mrs. Xiao's voice was muffled against Su Ning's tunic. "As if I even carry a child with me! Even if I did, what would be the shame? It'll be mine and Xiao Li's offspring...You saw, General, you haven't seen me with a child, have you? It's because I don't have one! Never did!"
Su Ning patted her back with visible awkwardness, his eyes drifting to the corner where Yinou, wearing a look of sheer exasperation, had withdrawn deeper into the shadows.
To quell the growing suspicions, they summoned the camp physician. He examined Mrs. Xiao with a calm, unreadable expression. After a tense silence, his verdict was clear and final: she was not pregnant.
Although the physicians confirmation offered a measure of relief, Susu remained unconvinced. The sight of Mrs. Xiao's gaze, cold and calculating lingered in her mind.