I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

In small mountain villages, you can't just let anyone touch your wrist, let alone wear a bracelet.

But she didn't want to hide, didn't want to shrink back, and didn't want Gu Yan to think she was being pretentious.

She stood there, letting Gu Yan hold her wrist and let his breath fall on her skin.

Let his fingers slide over and over her wrist, letting that tingling sensation spread throughout her body.

Gu Yan finally threaded the rope through, tightened it, and tied a knot.

His fingers paused on her wrist, feeling her pulse still pounding.

"Okay, it's on."

Fu Wanqing withdrew her hand and looked down at the red string on her wrist.

The jade beads gleamed softly under the streetlights, warm and white, like tiny moons.

Her eyes were bright, still misty, but the corners of her mouth were already curved into a smile.

The curve wasn't large, but it felt genuine; it wasn't the kind of happiness that was faked.

"Thank you, Gu Yan."

Her voice was soft, trembling slightly, but her tone was sincere.

"You don't need to thank me, I'm the one who should thank you."

Gu Yan shook her head, turned around and walked forward, taking large strides.

"Let's go back, it's too late."

Fu Wanqing followed, looking down at the red string on her wrist, her fingers gently touching the jade bead.

The blush on her face hadn't completely faded, but she looked much more relaxed than before.

It felt like a burden had been lifted, or like finding an anchor point.

The two hadn't walked far when a row of black cars appeared ahead, their headlights all on, illuminating the entire street.

A small golden flagpole stood at the front of the car, with the Great Xia national flag hanging on it, fluttering in the night wind.

Next to each vehicle stood two law enforcement officers in black uniforms, their backs ramrod straight and their eyes fixed straight ahead.

The convoy was huge, stretching as far as the eye could see, with at least a dozen vehicles, like a long black dragon lying across the street.

Gu Yan recognized the person standing next to the lead car; he was the director of the Jinghai Security Bureau, with two gold stars on his shoulders.

Next to the director was the head of the Special Operations Division, a major general with a row of medals hanging on his chest, gleaming under the car lights.

Next to him was the chief guard of the Grand Secretary's residence, with a sword hanging at his waist, the patterns on the scabbard simple yet exquisite.

Next up is the city hall's security chief and the head of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau's Kyoto branch.

Any one of these people could be a force to be reckoned with in Beijing.

They're all standing in the street now, lined up in a row, as if waiting for someone.

Gu Yan's lips twitched. This was quite a grand affair; anyone who didn't know better would think a foreign head of state had arrived.

When the bureau chief saw Gu Yan come out, he rushed over to greet her, his expression a mixture of respect and excitement.

He walked up to Gu Yan, stood at attention, and saluted. His movements were so perfect, like something out of a textbook, that it was clear he had practiced.

"Master Gu, we have heard about what happened tonight. Thank you for your hard work."

His voice was loud and clear, but his tone carried an undisguised excitement.

"That girl's strength is astonishing. When we sensed it from afar, everyone broke out in a cold sweat."

"The fact that a powerhouse of that level appeared in Jinghai without our noticing is our dereliction of duty and negligence."

"Fortunately, Master Gu was there, and fortunately, she knew Master Gu; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

He paused, then wiped the sweat from his forehead, whether from the heat or from fear, he couldn't tell.

"Based on our assessment, that girl's strength is at least A-level, and possibly even S-level."

"Moreover, her superpower is very special. The oppressive feeling of that phantom is something even us old guys can't withstand."

"You could count the number of people in the entire Jinghai who could match her on one hand."

Gu Yan's lips twitched again. She thought to herself, if you knew that she was just a second personality and that her true self hadn't fully awakened to the later stages, I wonder what kind of expression you would have.

"She's my friend, she won't do anything wrong, you can rest assured."

His voice was calm, as if he were talking about something very ordinary, but he was cursing inwardly.

Shen Youwei's strength was revealed too early; in the original novel, this happened in the middle to later part of the story.

According to the original book's timeline, it would take at least several more years before the Empire noticed them.

Now, all the experts in Jinghai know that there is an S-level or higher powerhouse strolling around the streets.

What should she do next? Will the empire target her? Will those powerful families make a move on her?

He sighed. He couldn't care less about anything else; he couldn't even control Shen Youwei's affairs.

The bureau chief nodded hurriedly, his expression becoming even more respectful, and he bowed even lower.

"Yes, yes, yes, we are completely at ease with Master Gu's friends."

He paused, then took an envelope out of his pocket and handed it over with both hands, as if presenting a treasure.

"This is a small token of our appreciation from above, to thank Master Gu for his contributions to the Empire. Please accept it."

"Your deeds have been reported, and the Grand Secretary personally approved them, saying that you are a pillar of the Great Xia."

Gu Yan looked at the envelope, a thick stack of letters, and knew what was inside without even opening it.

He reached out and took it, stuffing it into his pocket with a natural motion, as if he were receiving an ordinary flyer.

"Please thank the higher-ups for me, and tell them that Gu Yan will remember it."

The bureau chief saluted again, turned around and waved to the convoy, making a big, exaggerated gesture.

"Clear the way and escort Master Gu back to his residence. Everyone, be alert!"

More than a dozen cars started up at the same time, their engines producing a deep, powerful sound, like a pack of wild beasts about to run, or like muffled thunder rolling across the ground.

Gu Yan and Fu Wanqing got into the middle car. The back was spacious, and the leather seats were so soft that you could sink right in.

With the car door closed, most of the outside noise was blocked out, leaving only the low hum of the engine.

The convoy started slowly, with guard cars in front and behind, sandwiching Gu Yan's car in the middle, as if protecting something precious.

The police lights weren't on, but the scene was even more frightening than if they were; the entire street had been cleared out.

Passersby quickly made way for him, wondering which important person was out late at night, and stood on the roadside craning their necks to see.

Gu Yan leaned back in her seat, watching the streetlights and neon lights rushing past the window.

The streetlights receded one by one, like fast-forwarded shots in a movie, blurring into streaks of light.

He was thinking about Shen Youwei's strength, that aura, that phantom, that oppressive feeling that made people unable to move.

According to the original novel, Shen Youwei's full strength will not be revealed until at least the middle of the story.

At that time, she was already a force that could make the entire capital city tremble; she was a true female demon.

But the story is only at this stage, not even in the middle, and her strength has already been revealed so much.

He rubbed his temples; his head was starting to hurt again. This plot was getting more and more absurd.

Fu Wanqing sat next to him, looking down at the red string on her wrist. The jade beads gleamed softly in the dim light of the car.

Her fingers gently caressed the bead, as if touching some precious treasure, or as if confirming that it was still there.

The blush on her face hadn't completely faded, but the curve of her lips was much wider than before.