Raising Orphans, Not Assassins
Vol. 2 - Ch. 30 - Candied Hawthorn and Throwing Darts

Zhou Yunzhou sat atop the cart, gently flicking the whip in his hand as he urged the horse forward.

All that was left was to deliver the chest to headquarters—then his task would be complete.

Everything had gone smoothly on this trip.

Except for that young lady.

Zhou Yunzhou found his thoughts drifting back to the girl disguised as a man—Miss Xi.

A faint bitter smile crept onto his face.

Falling flowers are willing, but the flowing stream is heartless.

Fated yet not destined. Most of the world’s affections are like fleeting fireworks.

Warm and passionate in the moment of meeting, the light they emit bright enough to pierce even the darkest night.

But once the fireworks exhaust all their gunpowder, all that remains is coldness and loneliness.

Zhou Yunzhou took a deep breath and tucked the image of Miss Xiyue far into the recesses of his mind.

A man will meet many who dazzle him in this life.

But some people are just passersby—not companions for the journey.

Zhou Yunzhou understood this well.

That woman, Xiyue, was just a passerby in his brief life.

To become infatuated, to fall into a one-sided love, would be an ailment no medicine could cure.

He gave the whip a gentle flick.

The horse picked up speed, the wheels creaking as the cart rolled slowly toward the Sea Whale Gang’s compound at the end of the long street.

Suddenly—

Thud…

A soft noise echoed from the roof of the cart.

Zhou Yunzhou froze for a split second.

In the next breath, his gaze sharpened.

The sword at his waist flashed from its sheath, cold light glinting off the blade.

He launched himself upward, blade in hand, striking toward the cart’s roof.

A slim figure dressed in black shifted lightly, dodging Zhou Yunzhou’s strike with ease.

Atop the cart stood a woman clad in black, a veil covering her face and concealing her features.

But her graceful figure made it clear—she was a beautiful woman.

Her gaze was icy as she glanced down at Zhou Yunzhou.

That glance sent a chill down his spine.

In that look, he sensed a killing intent as cold as death.

An assassin!

Why would the Haijing Gang attract an assassin?

The thought flashed across his mind, but there was no time to dwell.

He pushed off with his foot, soaring upward once more.

The sword in his right hand swept across, its blade catching the fiery red clouds reflected in the sky.

The sharp edge sliced through the air, letting out a crisp hum.

The woman in black gave him only a glance—cool, indifferent.

In the next instant—

Zhou Yunzhou was sent flying.

He crashed down hard from the cart roof, hitting the ground with a thud.

As he landed, several iron caltrops embedded themselves in his chest.

The sharp spikes pierced through his flesh, half-buried, while blood oozed steadily from the wounds.

In the blink of an eye, the front of his robes was stained crimson.

Clang!

The sword in Zhou Yunzhou’s hand slipped from his grip and clattered to the ground.

Clutching his chest, his body trembled, eyes wide with fear.

So fast…

He hadn’t even seen her move before he was struck down.

Second Tier!

She was a Second Tier expert!

Fighting against the pain in his chest, Zhou Yunzhou pulled a firework signal from his robe and ignited it.

Whoosh!

A sharp whistle pierced the air.

The rocket soared skyward.

A breath later—

A burst of light exploded in the sky—shaped like ocean wave crests.

At a nearby street corner, Hua Xiyue turned at the sound and looked up.

Seeing the wave-pattern fireworks, her eyes sparkled with surprise.

“Fireworks?”

“No… that’s the Haijing Gang’s signal.”

Her eyes widened slightly, interest flickering within them.

This was the Haijing Gang’s turf. Who would dare provoke them here?

“Interesting… I’ll take a look.”

Hua Xiyue quickened her pace, her steps suddenly blurring.

In an instant, her figure appeared twenty zhang ahead.

With several more flashes, she vanished into the crowd.

…

Anmin Alley.

Beside the Xiangrui Tavern.

Atop the cart, the woman in black gave Zhou Yunzhou one last cold glance.

She stomped lightly, inner energy surging through her leg.

Crack! A sharp snap rang out.

The roof of the cart split under the force of her blow.

She dropped down into the cart and reached for the chest.

The moment her hand touched it, she felt a strange vibration.

A flash of alertness passed through her mind.

Her pale fingers brushed over the surface of the chest, and she felt the faintest tremor coming from within.

Her elegant brows furrowed slightly.

It was a Tang Clan mechanism chest—inside were hidden traps and mechanical weapons. Opening it without care could trigger the defense.

She crouched and began examining it carefully.

After a quick inspection, she breathed a bit easier.

She had experience with mechanical traps—this one would take several dozen breaths to open.

Estimating the time, her brows drew tighter.

There wasn’t much time left.

Stealing something from right under the Haijing Gang’s nose was tantamount to courting death.

With that thought, she tried to lift the chest—but it barely budged.

Clearly, carrying it out wasn’t an option. There was no way the Tang Clan would ship only one piece of golden soft iron.

The woman flipped back out of the cart and landed on the driver’s seat.

She seized the horse’s bit and gave its rump a hard whip.

The cart turned sharply and bolted in the opposite direction.

She leapt back inside and resumed working to dismantle the trap mechanism.

Every second counted.

…

Haijing Gang Headquarters.

Just a few hundred meters away, in the large courtyard, dozens of bare-chested men were practicing martial arts.

The sharp whistle of the signal rocket froze them mid-movement.

One by one, they looked up toward the sky.

Not far off, several wave-patterned clouds burst open in the sky.

Seeing the signal, the burly men froze for a moment, disbelief flickering in their eyes.

This was the Haijing Gang’s territory…

Someone was sending a distress signal?

Before the men could fully react, several experts had already surged out of headquarters, rushing toward the signal’s location.

The burly men hurriedly followed, charging out of the courtyard.

…

On the street—

The cart, having reversed direction, galloped swiftly the other way.

The woman in black crouched inside the carriage, working to disable the trap box while keeping a close eye on the Haijing Gang headquarters.

The cart sped through the street, pedestrians scattering to clear the way.

Only one person didn’t move aside: a woman disguised as a man.

She stood at the roadside, watching the cart racing toward her.

Hua Xiyue squinted, suddenly recognizing the emblem on the cart and the man lying not far away on the ground.

Her delicate brows furrowed.

Though that Zhou Yunzhou was as annoying as a fly, he wasn’t a bad person—at least, he was decent and by the book.

Hua Xiyue glanced inside the carriage and saw a veiled woman dressed in black, obscuring her face.

She was busy unlocking the mechanism box.

“Injured someone and stole goods, then think you can run?”

“In broad daylight, under the open sky—you’ve just met your bad luck running into me, Hero Hua.”

Hua Xiyue scanned the surroundings, her peripheral vision catching an old man carrying candied hawthorns on his shoulder.

She reached out and plucked a stick of candied hawthorn from his bundle.

The hawthorn vendor was about to speak when he witnessed a shocking scene.

Hua Xiyue’s graceful hand flicked lightly.

One by one, the candied hawthorns skewered on the stick shot out, turning into several indistinct red streaks.

The woman in black crouched inside the carriage twitched her ears at the sound of wind rushing.

Her whole body shot into the air, spinning to counterattack.

Several black shadows flashed cold light as they burst forth.

Cling cling cling cling!

Cling cling cling cling!

A series of sharp metallic sounds rang out repeatedly.

Plop plop plop…

Several candied hawthorns fell to the ground, bouncing a few times before coming to a rest.

A keen observer would notice that each candied hawthorn had a dart stuck into it.

The woman in black landed back inside the carriage, her eyes fixed on the woman disguised as a man standing on the street.

Hua Xiyue stood at the roadside, returning the gaze.

Their eyes met, both flashing a hint of surprise.