Chapter 228: Chapter 228: Sacrifice the Female Supporting Character, Boundless Power

A tall, dark figure lurked indistinctly in the treetops.

Cold, indifferent eyes watched the two figures as they receded into the distance.

The original plan was for Kong Yu to lure Zhou Junlin to the Genosa River, where the assassination would take place.

Since the area was at the convergence of the Three Kingdoms, the blame could easily be shifted to Nanchen, Wu Qi, or even the Fengming Gang.

But now, with Song Lianhe by Zhou Junlin’s side, things were no longer so simple.

If anything happened to Zhou Junlin, she would be inextricably implicated.

She had been away from Ling’an City for so long that it had yet to be determined whether she had been “abducted” or had “defected.”

If Zhou Junlin met with an accident, Emperor Cheng Xiao would undoubtedly unleash his fury. While he couldn’t openly move against Sui Bei, sacrificing a nobody like Song Lianhe would be child’s play.

A grey-black falcon circled freely overhead.

A few crows in the once-quiet treetops were suddenly disturbed, letting out harsh caws as they flapped their wings and flew off.

When the wind died and the trees fell silent, the dark figure was gone.

—

As Song Lianhe followed the man in front of her, her mind kept turning over a single question.

’Why was Zhou Junlin so insistent on bringing me along?’

Now, she thought she was starting to understand.

’If this is a trap, then I’m the hostage.’

Song Lianhe snorted in disdain and rolled her eyes at his back. ’Just what you’d expect from the male protagonist. The man is unbelievably conniving!’

Zhou Junlin turned back. Seeing her slow down, he assumed she was tired and offered some comfort. “Once we’re completely out of the Sui Ning region, someone will be there to meet us. We’ll have a carriage then. Just bear with it a little longer.”

“Oh.”

Song Lianhe scanned her surroundings incessantly. ’Once we’re outside Sui Ning City’s borders, Zhong Shimin should make his move, right?’

’When that happens, I’ll seize the chance and bolt!’

“What are you thinking about?”

At some point, Zhou Junlin had slowed his pace to match hers.

Song Lianhe looked up, her gaze meeting his inherently cold eyes. But as he looked at her, she saw a flicker of tenderness stirring in their depths.

She froze, suddenly aware of a restless stirring within her.

’It feels like an instinctual attraction and desire for the opposite sex…’

’No, that’s not right!’

’How could I suddenly develop feelings like this?’

’As a self-aware person who transmigrated into this book, I’ve never liked the look of Zhou Junlin. I know perfectly well that the tragic end of the female supporting character was all his doing.’

’So what’s with this feeling, this… fluttering in my heart?’

’Could it be…’

’…the original owner’s?’

’The original owner’s feelings for Zhou Junlin were an extreme case of “the deeper the love, the deeper the hate.” That emotion is practically carved into this body’s bones.’

’So, the moment Zhou Junlin shows even a sliver of kindness and affection, the original owner’s “programming” kicks in.’

’In other words, “loving him became an instinct.”’

’Like hell!’

Song Lianhe was thoroughly disgusted.

’Talk about forgetting the pain once the wound has healed! Did the original owner not die properly or what? How could loving him become an instinct?’

’No wonder the supporting female characters never get a seat at the table. With this kind of obsessive, love-struck brain that stays loyal “unto death,” would it be fair to anyone if she *wasn’t* used as a sacrifice?’

Zhou Junlin watched her intently, taking in every shift in her expression. He saw her go from stunned to vexed, and he certainly didn’t miss the flash of wonder in her eyes…

Zhou Junlin understood. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips, one that held a secret pleasure.

’It seems she really does love me deeply,’ he thought. ’Even with a different face, she’s still attracted to me without even realizing who I am.’

“What are you thinking about?” he asked again.

“I’m a little hungry.” Song Lianhe didn’t feel like talking to him, so she just made up an excuse. Her intuition was screaming that this man was incredibly dangerous!

Hearing this, his brow furrowed slightly. “That was my oversight.”

’A woman’s stamina can’t compare to a man’s,’ he mused. ’Especially now that I understand her heart, my image of her has become far more delicate, someone who needs to be looked after at all times.’

’He’d even forgotten that Song Xilan was supposed to be the delicate flower in his eyes who needed protecting, not this wild and vulgar Song Lianhe he had once scorned.’

He hadn’t prepared any food before they set out, so when Song Lianhe said she was hungry, he glanced around. “Wait here for a moment.”

As he spoke, his figure flashed, and with a burst of Qinggong, he leaped into the air.

The moment she saw him leave, Song Lianhe didn’t hesitate for a second. She bolted in the opposite direction!

’This isn’t just about me getting implicated anymore! If I’m discovered to be involved in this, my grandfather and grandmother will be dragged into it! And the Medical Clinic, and even the Cui Mansion! And Zhong Shimin, who’s helping me… he acted out of loyalty, helping me without a second thought, and now I’ve dragged him into this mess!’

’If anything happens to Zhong Shimin, then the Prince Si Mansion will be held accountable, too!!’

’And then, Old Man Luo and… Zhou Cangyan.’

’AHHH! What have I done?!’

The more Song Lianhe thought about it, the more terrified she became. She abruptly stopped running and just paced in circles, completely lost.

’Looks like I really don’t have the talent for this whole villainy thing. I should have come up with a foolproof plan first!’

’No, no, no… if the male protagonist could be killed off that easily, would he even be the protagonist?’

’I was being too naive!’

She stopped dead in her tracks. ’Is there still time to stop this?’

She smacked herself hard on the head, hissing in pain before quickly rubbing the sore spot.

’Sigh… What a pathetic, useless coward I am…’

A branch behind her rustled suddenly, making Song Lianhe jump. She spun around violently.

“CAW! CAW! CAW—”

A few crows, apparently disturbed, flapped their wings and flew off.

Song Lianhe clutched her chest and breathed a sigh of relief as she turned back around. ’I guess you really can’t do bad things with a clear conscience…’

“Ah— Mmph!”

A shadow suddenly loomed before her, like a specter in the dead of night, blotting out the bright moonlight overhead.

Before Song Lianhe could scream, a hand clamped over her mouth.

“It’s me.”

The man’s deep, languid voice whispered close to her ear, “Your husband.”

Song Lianhe stood frozen for a long moment before snapping back to reality. She yanked his hand down and looked up at him. His pale eyes reflected her own shocked and bewildered expression.

“Zhou Cangyan?!”

Her stunned gaze landed on his face. The moonlight backlit his figure, creating a play of scattered light and sparse shadows. To her, this man was like a ghost, appearing from nowhere—mysterious, yet strangely reassuring.

He lowered his gaze, the corners of his lips hinting at a suppressed delight.

It was a secret, hidden affection—both greedy and restrained.

Dressed in long, dark robes, the handsome, charmingly roguish yet aloof young master gazed at her fixedly. An emotion swirled faintly in his amber eyes.

“You… Why are you back?” Realization dawned on her a moment later, and she grabbed his hand, pulling him along. “We have to get out of here! Don’t let Zhou Junlin see you!”

The man followed her, glancing down at where her hand held his. Her fingers were long and fair, her skin delicate. Her hand was soft. ’And,’ he knew, ’so was the rest of her.’

’A woman like her should be cherished and pampered, not lost in this desolate wilderness.’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep