Chapter 69: The Mask

Ever since the bloody battles began, conflicts around Blackstream City had never ceased. Most of the towns had been abandoned, and residents had fled to cities with complete fortifications. Even those places still inhabited had become gray trading zones or temporary bases for adventurers, mercenaries, and hunters.

The town that appeared before Qian Ye was now a ruin, with most of the houses burnt down. Only a few remained intact. On the roof of one such house, a crimson banner fluttered, bearing the image of a human head, half flesh and blood, half a skeletal skull, exuding an unspeakable ferocity.

Such a flag is a symbol of a state of war, usually used by large adventuring teams or mercenary legions to claim territorial sovereignty and clearly refuse any forces from approaching. Any who dare to raise such a flag in these conditions are not to be trifled with.

Seeing the half-skull banner, Qian Ye frowned, signaling with his headlights a request to approach, and slowly drove into the town square.

The journey was eerily quiet, with not even a mouse seen in the ruins, and no sentries came out to stop him. But with the sharp senses of a sniper, Qian Ye felt many wary eyes watching from the shadows. He and Nighteye got out of the car, approached the relatively intact house, and knocked on the door.

As the door opened, Song Zining stepped out. At this moment, the Seventh Young Master was dressed like an adventurer, with bullets, military knives, and guns hanging all over him, exuding a bloodthirsty and fierce aura, a stark contrast to his usual refined demeanor. Seeing Qian Ye, his first words were, “You’re late.”

Qian Ye glanced at his force compass and said, “Only five minutes.”

“Even one minute is late. Come in, everything is ready.” Song Zining waved them in, letting Qian Ye and Nighteye enter the room before closing the door securely.

Upon entering, they found themselves in a living room of moderate size. The original owner of this house must have lived comfortably, as there was a fireplace, and the furniture was neatly arranged. Both Nighteye and Qian Ye were dressed as hunters. After entering, she looked around, then pulled down her cloak hood, removed her dust mask and goggles, shook her black hair, and tied it up in a ponytail.

Song Zining stood by, quietly observing Nighteye, lost in thought. It was only after Nighteye and Qian Ye removed their cloaks that he spoke, “Is this the Princess of the Monroe?”

Hearing this, Nighteye turned to look at Song Zining, her eyes bottomless and deep.

Song Zining suddenly felt his gaze drawn into the endless depths of her eyes, feeling as if he were about to fall into an abyss. He jolted, taking a step back, and the green origin power light flickering around him dimmed, leaves falling like rain, finally breaking free from that mysterious pull.

Nighteye’s face turned pale for a moment but quickly returned to normal.

Realizing something was amiss, Qian Ye immediately stepped forward, raising Dongyue between the two, breaking the invisible connection.

Both Song Zining and Nighteye possessed abilities that were void and mysterious, and it was unclear who initiated the confrontation, but inadvertently, they had clashed.

When Song Zining looked at Nighteye again, his expression was more solemn, deliberately avoiding eye contact. Nighteye, in turn, lowered her gaze, no longer looking at him.

Song Zining gave Qian Ye a deep look and said, “Go in. Everything is prepared. I believe it will help you in your future life.”

The inner room had been modified, with a dining table converted into a workbench in the center. Several racks were placed nearby, filled with potions and surgical tools, most of which Qian Ye did not recognize.

Below the window, a comfortable high-backed chair was placed, occupied by a short, plump old man with a very ugly appearance. He sat there with his eyes closed, meditating, and moving his fingers in a mysterious rhythm.

“This is Master Lu Ju, a true master in the field of disguise and concealment. It’s our luck to have him here,” Song Zining introduced with a smile.

Hearing Song Zining’s voice, Lu Ju’s small, triangular eyes opened slightly, and he said arrogantly, “Indeed, it is your luck! If not for the special nature of this target and a favor I needed from you, do you think I would bother with you insignificant little fish?”

Although eccentricity often accompanies extraordinary talent, this master’s manner of speaking seemed designed to be unpleasant.

Qian Ye’s brow twitched, but he nodded, “Thank you, Master.”

Lu Ju snorted, swinging his legs, and said, “Is that how you show gratitude?” Hearing this, both Qian Ye and Nighteye frowned.

At this moment, Song Zining stepped forward, pulling Qian Ye behind him, and smiled, “My brother isn’t good with words, but he is a formidable fighter. He recently killed several dozen nobles of Evernight, and his killing aura is still strong. For this matter, I hope you will do your best. I will reward you handsomely.”

Lu Ju snorted again, putting on a show, and then slowly stood up. However, Qian Ye, with his keen eyesight, had already noticed that Lu Ju’s face trembled when he heard “killed several dozen nobles of Evernight.”

Lu Ju walked to Nighteye, examining her from top to bottom, and asked, “Is it her?”

“Yes,” Song Zining replied.

“Good, sit over there and don’t move.”

Nighteye complied, sitting in the chair. Lu Ju took her hand and pricked her finger with a gold needle. To his surprise, the needle failed to pierce her skin!

Startled, Lu Ju’s eyes changed. He steadied himself and switched to a thicker gold needle, the tip sharpened like a blade. This was more of a carving tool than a needle.

Qian Ye’s face changed, and he was about to speak, but Song Zining, anticipating this, held him back.

Using this tool, Lu Ju’s fingers trembled slightly from the effort, and he finally managed to pierce Nighteye’s finger, drawing a round drop of blood. He carefully dripped it into a long test tube and watched the changes with bated breath.

The test tube was originally filled with a colorless, transparent liquid. As soon as the blood was added, it spread throughout the tube. The color grew darker, eventually turning bright red, and then began to boil.

During the boiling, the blood gradually took on a golden hue, and soon the entire tube was filled with golden liquid.

Staring at the golden blood, Lu Ju trembled with excitement, repeatedly exclaiming, “Ancestor’s blood, it’s really Ancestor’s blood!”

Qian Ye was puzzled by Lu Ju’s excitement, and Song Zining whispered, “Master Lu Ju’s ancestors once had bloodline of the Blood Clan, though it has thinned out by now.”

Qian Ye understood; Lu Ju was a mixed-blood. However, with the dominant traits of the Blood Clan, the fact that his bloodline had been diluted and overtaken by the human lineage suggested that Lu Ju’s ancestors’ bloodline was not very strong. In both Evernight and the Empire, mixed-bloods were at the bottom of society.

Lu Ju poured the liquid from the test tube into a large metal bucket on the floor and then added over a dozen potions from the nearby racks. The liquid eventually turned clear and was completely destroyed.

After completing this, Lu Ju went to another basin, soaking his hands and meticulously washing them, not missing even the crevices of his nails. His expression was extremely focused, as if performing a ritual.

After a while, Lu Ju lifted his hands. Whatever he used to wash his hands, he didn’t need a towel to dry them; they dried almost instantly.

He bowed to Nighteye, saying, “Your Highness, please close your eyes. I will have to be a bit intrusive.” The master’s previous arrogance and rudeness had vanished, replaced by the respectful demeanor of a common Blood Clan member toward a superior.

Qian Ye was slightly taken aback and turned to look at Song Zining, who seemed unsurprised.

Nighteye closed her eyes as instructed, and Lu Ju’s hands moved like the wind, quickly passing over her face, his short, thick fingers deftly locating the positions of her skull.

Lu Ju retracted his hands, took out a sketchpad, and quickly drew a portrait, showing it to Nighteye, and respectfully said, “This is the new face. Is it satisfactory?”

Qian Ye also saw the portrait. The person in the picture bore a resemblance to Nighteye, but the face was completely different, unrecognizable even to Qian Ye.

With just a few strokes, Lu Ju captured the likeness and spirit of the subject, a skill that matched Song Zining’s.

Nighteye examined the portrait carefully and offered many suggestions. Lu Ju made over a dozen revisions until Nighteye finally nodded. Even in dangerous situations, women of any status would be meticulous about their appearance.

Lu Ju then explained the next steps to Nighteye and Qian Ye. It turned out that Lu Ju was going to create a living mask based on the portrait, driven by origin power, capable of surviving for years. Such a mask was far more than just lifelike.

Unless confronted by a powerful being above the rank of a god general, ordinary mystical perception and probing would not penetrate Lu Ju’s mask, mistaking it for living flesh, part of Nighteye’s body.

Only a master could create such a mask.

Qian Ye wondered where Song Zining had found Lu Ju, but he knew that engaging such a master came at a high price, often requiring special compensation.

“Your Highness, please lie on the workbench. It might hurt a bit. Do you need anesthesia?”

“No,” Nighteye replied.

Nighteye lay down on the workbench, and Lu Ju arranged hundreds of knives of various sizes, then opened a refrigerated box, carefully lifting out a thin, fleshy skin, which he placed over Nighteye’s face.

Seeing Lu Ju begin his work, Song Zining led Qian Ye to the outer room to avoid disturbing the procedure.

The two stood by the fireplace, and Song Zining handed Qian Ye a cigarette, lighting one for himself, a rare sight.

Qian Ye, rarely seeing him smoke, asked, “Something on your mind?”

“A little,” Song Zining sighed.

“Anything specific? Is it related to this?”

Song Zining gave a bitter laugh, “What else could it be? Do you really not know how much trouble you’ve caused?”

Qian Ye was silent for a moment, then said, “I know.”

“You don’t!” Song Zining shouted, then fell silent. Qian Ye didn’t speak either, just watching the burning cigarette between his fingers.

Song Zining finished his cigarette and said, “I investigated the Monroe Princess. She has some serious news attached to her. Since she bears the title of Princess, it means she has awakened the bloodline of the Blackwing King Anduva, and in the past, the Blackwing King and the Night Queen Lilith have always had a strained relationship. Additionally, it’s said that the Holy Son Edward of the Pash Clan is determined to make her his partner. Now that she’s run away with you, that Holy Son will not let it go. And the worst part is, the Night Queen is awake!”

Qian Ye sighed, “I know.”

Song Zining grabbed Qian Ye’s collar, lowering his voice and said angrily, “You know?! You know, and you still brought her here? Do you think, in a place like Evernight, you can hide from the Blood Clan’s Holy Son, or even the Night Queen? What do you plan to do, go to the heart of the Empire?”