A dull, faint knocking sound suddenly came from beneath Lin Xia's seat!
The sound wasn't loud, but in the silent carriage it was exceptionally clear, instantly shattering the lazy atmosphere.
Lin Xia's eyes snapped open, sharp as an eagle's. All traces of drowsiness vanished.
Every muscle in his body tensed instantly. The Phoenix Divine Flame and stellar energy roared silently within him, while his spiritual power swept through the entire carriage like the most precise radar.
Larvitar also jerked its head up, its crimson eyes widening as it perked up its ears and let out a low warning growl.
"Larvitar!"
It wasn't the sound of the wheels, nor the wind, nor anything Larvitar had done.
The sound was coming from beneath his seat!
Alarm bells rang loudly in Lin Xia's mind.
Was it a test from Dai Tianxing?
An assassination attempt by one of the Zhu Clan's internal factions?
Or perhaps, some desperate thief coveting the treasures he had obtained?
He sprang to his feet in a flash, moving with lightning speed. With a light tap of his toes, he silently retreated to the innermost corner of the carriage, putting distance between himself and the suspicious seat.
Larvitar immediately adjusted its position as well, placing its small body slightly in front of Lin Xia and assuming a combat stance.
The atmosphere inside the carriage instantly froze.
Only the monotonous sound of the wheels rolling along the road remained, accompanied by the continuous knocking that was becoming increasingly urgent.
Lin Xia took a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm.
No matter what, he had to find out what was hidden underneath.
His right hand clenched slightly as Soul Power gathered in his palm. A white-gold Phoenix Divine Flame remained concealed, ready to erupt at any moment. His left hand was infused with tremendous strength, prepared to lift the seat board instantly.
"Larvitar, stay alert!"
Lin Xia's voice was cold and sharp.
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar responded with a low growl, its crimson eyes locked firmly onto the target.
The next moment, a sharp gleam flashed through Lin Xia's eyes.
His left hand shot forward, fingers hooking onto the edge of the heavy leather-covered seat board like iron claws.
"Up!"
With a low shout, he forcefully lifted the heavy seat board.
Whoosh!
The wooden panel rose, bringing with it a stale gust carrying the scent of leather and wood, revealing the dark and cramped storage compartment beneath.
The instant the board opened, the Soul Power throughout Lin Xia's body was on the verge of erupting. The Phoenix Divine Flame flickered in his palm, and Larvitar was poised to strike.
However, the poisoned needles, hidden blades, toxic mist, or vicious assassin he had expected never appeared.
Instead, illuminated by the afternoon sunlight streaming through the carriage window, Lin Xia clearly saw a small figure curled up inside the cramped compartment.
Her black hair was slightly disheveled from being squeezed into the narrow space, several strands sticking to her sweat-damp forehead.
A delicate but somewhat pale face, clearly affected by the long confinement, slowly lifted.
Those distinctive black eyes, deep as an icy abyss, stared directly at him without blinking.
There was no panic in them.
Instead, they held an indescribable determination, along with a trace of nervousness that was difficult to notice.
Zhu Zhuqing.
Lin Xia froze completely.
The Soul Power he had gathered vanished instantly like air escaping a punctured balloon, and the faint glow of the Phoenix Divine Flame faded away.
The vigilance, coldness, and even the trace of killing intent on his face were replaced by overwhelming shock and disbelief.
"Zhu... Zhuqing?"
For perhaps the first time in a very long while, Lin Xia actually stuttered.
He even wondered whether the events in Star Luo City had caused him to hallucinate, or if he had somehow fallen victim to an illusion-type Soul Skill.
"How are you here? How did you get under the seat?!"
This was insane!
A young lady of the Hell Civet Clan had actually hidden beneath the seat of a royal carriage leaving Star Luo City like a stowaway?!
To Lin Xia, this felt even more absurd than being ambushed by a Title Douluo.
Zhu Zhuqing seemed uncomfortable from the cramped space and lack of air.
She shifted her body with difficulty, trying to crawl out.
Instinctively, Lin Xia reached out a hand to help her.
Her hand was cold and slightly damp with sweat.
Using his support, she awkwardly crawled out of the narrow compartment.
The carriage wasn't tall enough for her to stand fully upright, forcing her to bend slightly at the waist as she stood before Lin Xia, breathing lightly while straightening her wrinkled black outfit.
Her cheeks were tinged with an unnatural flush from the lack of oxygen and nervousness.
Yet her eyes were exceptionally bright.
They stared directly at Lin Xia as though they wanted to see through to his very soul.
She didn't answer his questions immediately.
Instead, she tilted her head up slightly and revealed an extremely rare smile.
There was a hint of vulnerability in it.
A hint of staking everything on a single gamble.
Appearing on her usually cold and expressionless face, the impact of that smile was especially powerful.
Then, in her clear, cool voice, carrying a faint tremor that was almost impossible to detect, she spoke slowly and distinctly:
"Brother Lin Xia you won't abandon me, will you?"
The words were like a stone cast into a tranquil lake, creating enormous ripples within Lin Xia's heart.
Abandon her?
When applied to Zhu Zhuqing at this moment, that word carried a weight that was almost suffocating.
Looking at the stubborn yet resolute girl before him, countless thoughts flashed through Lin Xia's mind in an instant.
Her situation, the fate imposed by her family, Zhu Zhan's inner conflict, the struggle between Dai Mubai and Dai Weisi.
Lin Xia frowned deeply, his voice becoming serious and low.
"I don't have any objections toward you, and I understand your situation. But Zhuqing, have you thought about the consequences?"
"Will your father, Clan Leader Zhu Zhan, really allow you to leave just like this? You're a direct descendant of the Hell Civet Clan, a future bride who may be tied to the Star Luo Imperial Family!"
"If you run away with me now, how long do you think that can last? Within a few days, the Zhu Clan's shadow guards or even the Imperial Family's forces, will come after us like sharks smelling blood!"
"We won't be able to get very far at all! When that happens, what will you do? And how am I supposed to deal with it?"
His words fell like a cold rain, attempting to extinguish the seemingly fragile flame burning in the girl's eyes.
He had to make her understand the cruelty of reality.
This was no childish game.
It involved a marriage alliance between two of the empire's greatest clans and the iron laws of the Star Luo Empire itself.
However, contrary to Lin Xia's expectations, the smile on Zhu Zhuqing's face did not disappear.
Instead, it became even more apparent.
Within her deep black eyes shone a look of understanding, as though she had already seen through everything.
There wasn't the slightest emotional fluctuation in her expression, as though the pursuers and accusations Lin Xia had predicted had long since been included in her calculations.
Zhu Zhuqing even took a small step forward, shortening the distance between them.
Tilting her face upward, she spoke in a calm tone that was almost eerily composed.
"My father gave his consent."
"What?!"
Lin Xia's pupils contracted sharply.
For a moment, he thought he had misheard.
Zhu Zhan gave his consent?
That clan leader who had struggled in agony at the lakeside pavilion yet still chosen to uphold the rules?
That father who had claimed he could sacrifice his own daughter for the sake of the clan's interests?
"It's true."
Zhu Zhuqing's voice remained calm, yet carried unquestionable certainty.
"It was the night before you left Star Luo City."
"My sister Zhu Zhuyun came to see me."
"Zhu Zhuyun?"
Lin Xia's heart stirred.
He recalled Zhu Zhuyun's heavy words.
"I'm truly envious."
At that moment, Lin Xia instantly understood something.
---
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