You're not falling for me, are you

Yun Wu noticed Jiang Huihui gripping her dagger, while the other hand clenched into a fist, swinging toward Jiang Huihui.

Jiang Huihui raised her own fist in response.

Boom!

Their forces collided in an instant.

The ground beneath them cracked, fissures spreading into the distance.

Jiang Huihui’s body shuddered, releasing the dagger as she was sent flying backward.

"Little sister, considering you’re quite the beauty, I’d hate to kill you. But if you stand in my way again, you’ll die too!"

As Yun Wu spoke, faint green light flickered across the back of her hand.

Jiang Huihui’s eyes widened in shock.

Divine Ability Realm!

"If I capture you, I’ll be just one step away from becoming captain!"

Jiang Huihui’s excitement surged as she launched another attack at Yun Wu.

"Ah, it seems I’ll have to be ruthless after all."

Yun Wu narrowed her eyes, abandoning restraint and unleashing a lethal strike.

Boom!

Their energies clashed once more.

Jiang Huihui’s body was flung uncontrollably through the air.

Xu Mu, witnessing this, immediately rushed forward and caught Jiang Huihui from behind.

It seemed Jiang Huihui, at the peak of Gang Qi, couldn’t handle this. He’d have to step in himself.

"Run! Leave her to me!"

Jiang Huihui broke free from Xu Mu’s arms, her eyes still blazing with excitement.

No sooner had she spoken than blood spilled from her lips, her chewing gum dropping to the ground.

"You’re bleeding!" Xu Mu exclaimed.

"I need to bleed to get serious!"

As she spoke, a faint crimson mist began to seep from her body.

Whoosh!

The ground beneath Jiang Huihui shattered as she lunged at Yun Wu again.

Yun Wu’s expression twisted in disbelief at her speed. "This technique… Earth-grade? No—could it be Heaven-grade?"

Boom!

Another collision of power.

Jiang Huihui’s blood-qi surged like a tidal wave, forcing Yun Wu—a Divine Ability cultivator—back two steps.

Jiang Huihui entered a frenzied state, attacking relentlessly with blinding speed.

Yun Wu watched her exhilarated gaze, and a glint of admiration flickered in her own eyes.

This girl… has style!

As an assassin, her target wasn’t this woman.

Besides, Jiang Huihui was beautiful—Yun Wu felt no urge to kill her. Instead, she considered recruiting her.

She retreated swiftly, hurling two steel spikes at Xu Mu before turning to flee.

Jiang Huihui swiped her hand, her released qi deflecting the spikes, and gave chase without hesitation.

In the blink of an eye, both vanished from Xu Mu’s sight.

"That Jiang Huihui… she’s no ordinary background."

Xu Mu shook his head. After all, her grandfather had close ties to the formidable Wei Jingzhi.

Her strength was nothing to scoff at.

His gaze then fell on a backpack Yun Wu had left behind. He walked over and opened it.

Inside were mostly weapons—daggers, short blades, steel spikes, throwing stars.

And a rope woven from Ghost Vine Silk.

"This rope is a treasure."

Xu Mu opened his storage space and tucked it inside.

The rest of the weapons? He tossed them into the river.

Returning to the roadside, he sat on his electric scooter and pulled out his phone to make a call.

After a few rings, Chen Cai answered. "Young Master Xu, with all the trending topics today, I assume that’s your handiwork?"

"Never mind that. Feng Kang and Feng Ruili have gone into hiding. You need to return to the Feng family and take charge immediately."

Xu Mu spoke to Chen Cai.

"But right now... if I show up, I’ll definitely be taken in for questioning, won’t I? My son has already been taken away."

Chen Cai’s voice came through the phone.

"So what if you’re taken in? With your cunning, you shouldn’t be afraid of that. It’s not like you were the one who did those illegal things."

A faint smile appeared on Xu Mu’s face.

"Does Young Master Xu have any strategies?" Chen Cai asked.

"Go find Feng Yue. She’s one of my people. She should be able to give you a few good methods."

Xu Mu then asked into the phone, "Do you have her number?"

"I do!"

Chen Cai let out a deep sigh. She never expected things to escalate like this.

But now, she had no choice but to follow Xu Mu’s instructions—it was the only way to save her life.

...

Xu Mu looked into the distance as Jiang Huihui approached, her face smeared with dirt.

There were traces of blood on her cheeks, and her clothes were torn in several places.

"Huihui, are you okay?"

Xu Mu rode over on his electric scooter.

"I’m fine, but she got away."

Jiang Huihui shook her head lightly. "Seems like I’m really not cut out to be a captain. The opportunity was right in front of me, and I still couldn’t seize it."

"Being able to fight above your level is already impressive."

Seeing Jiang Huihui’s dejected expression, Xu Mu smiled reassuringly. "Let’s head back."

"Alright."

Jiang Huihui sat on the back seat, but this time, she didn’t deliberately keep her distance from Xu Mu.

Instead, she pressed her grimy cheek against his back.

This defeat had truly shaken her.

Xu Mu wasn’t worried at all. After all, Yun Wu would come looking for him again.

She might even reappear any moment now.

If Jiang Huihui couldn’t handle it, then he’d just have to step in himself.

According to the original plot, Yun Wu wasn’t a bad person.

Her organization didn’t target those who stood for justice.

Killing her would be a shame—Xu Mu needed to think of another way.

Suddenly, a smile crossed his face.

Got it.

Jiang Huihui remained pressed against Xu Mu’s back the entire time, silent, not even chewing her usual bubblegum or mints.

Xu Mu stopped the scooter and suddenly called out, "Huihui!"

"What is it?"

Jiang Huihui jolted, snapping out of her thoughts.

"What exactly is our relationship now?"

Xu Mu asked abruptly.

Jiang Huihui thought for a moment before answering, "We’re friends, I guess."

She didn’t dislike Xu Mu. In fact, he was nothing like the rumors made him out to be.

"Just friends? That’s not enough." Xu Mu shook his head.

"What do you mean?"

"If we were good friends, I’d want to give you a gift."

Xu Mu said calmly.

"What gift?"

Jiang Huihui pressed.

"A Qi Sea Pill."

Xu Mu pulled out a blue pill from his pocket. "Your current level is strong, but this pill still has a high chance of helping you break through."

Instead of showing a favorability meter above her head, Jiang Huihui’s expression turned wary as she jumped off the scooter.

"Xu Mu! Something’s off about you!"

"What’s wrong with me?"

Xu Mu tucked the pill away again.

"Earlier, you said I could fight above my level. How do you know about my cultivation stage?"

Jiang Huihui stared at him intently. "And you just casually pulled out a seventh-grade pill. Who are you?"

"Who am I? Just a guy who met an old master. He said I had ‘astonishingly gifted bones,’ taught me a few tricks, and gave me some pills."

Xu Mu shrugged.

"Why would you give something so valuable to me?"

Jiang Huihui's expression turned serious. She swallowed hard before finally blurting out, "You're not... into me, are you?"

As she spoke, black text floated above her head.

[Affection Points +20]

"Huh?"

Xu Mu was utterly confused.

"My standards are high, you know. The man I'm with... has to treat me well."

Jiang Huihui averted her gaze and muttered under her breath.