Brian Carter was momentarily stunned before he realized what was happening. This little lady had an incredibly arrogant tone—she was probably another direct descendant of some powerful and prestigious family. The contempt in her eyes and brows was truly unpleasant. But given the situation, it was unrealistic to expect her to be pleasant and agreeable. Brian Carter gave an awkward smile and said, “Heh, as long as you understand, miss.”

“Now you can take your claws off me!”

Brian Carter withdrew his hand with a wry smile. This girl didn’t seem as inexperienced as he had initially judged; at least, the aura she displayed in front of him was quite impressive. Eric Carter had been around the jianghu for quite some time, but he had never seen such a calm and composed young woman, especially under these circumstances.

In fact, the girl was not as at ease as Brian Carter imagined. If he had observed carefully, he would have noticed the jade bracelet on her wrist trembling slightly, and her expression was not as bright and cheerful as usual. But at the moment, he had to keep an eye on her every move while also listening intently for any sign that someone else might come to the cabin.

“You don’t need to worry. Without my permission, no one will come here for now.”

“Mm, then what about your maid Grace Clark, miss?”

“Oh?” The girl’s beautiful dark brows arched, her phoenix eyes frosty. “So you came here with a purpose, didn’t you?”

“You misunderstand, miss. I just happened to overhear your conversation below deck. I only want to borrow your boat for shelter for a day. By the morning after tomorrow, I’ll leave the boat.” Brian Carter shook his head.

“The morning after tomorrow?” The girl fixed her gaze on Brian Carter. “Are you trying to escape from Nanyang?”

Brian Carter felt a chill in his heart. This girl was sharp—he had let slip a tiny clue, and she had immediately picked up on it.

From here, it was just over a day’s journey by water to enter the territory of Xiangyang. This little lady’s ability to calculate and judge was truly extraordinary.

Seeing Brian Carter at a loss for words, the girl grew even more interested. She walked confidently over to the dressing table and sat down on the brocade stool, casually reaching for a scroll by the table. “You look quite dignified—not like a villain. But sneaking around like this, you must be carrying out some mission, right?”

“Please, miss, don’t be rash. Don’t touch that rune scroll.” Brian Carter’s gaze flickered as his hand moved to the leather pouch at his waist.

The girl stiffened, slowly turned around, withdrew her hand, and stared at him with piercing eyes, a hint of surprise in her expression. “You know magic arts? Impressive. You managed to break the spirit vine ward on my window, and you recognize a magic scroll, yet you stoop to such petty thievery. Don’t you think you’re wasting your talents?”

Brian Carter could only smile bitterly. He had underestimated this girl. With just a brief encounter, she had already deduced so much.

“Are you a Zhu clan spy?” As if something had occurred to her, the girl’s tone suddenly turned cold and severe, her phoenix eyes sharp and imposing.

“Zhu clan? Prince Liang Zhu Yun?” Brian Carter was taken aback, then shook his head frankly. “My identity is inconvenient to reveal, but I have nothing to do with the Zhu family.”

Seeing Brian Carter speak so candidly, the girl’s expression softened a bit. “Then why are you fleeing Nanyang?”

“It’s a long story, miss. We’re just strangers crossing paths. I’m only borrowing your cabin for a day. There’s no need to dig into my background, is there?” Brian Carter felt that their roles were somehow reversed. He was the one holding her life in his hands, yet she seemed to be the one pressing him.

“Is that so? If there’s an inspection from Nanyang at dawn, how should I explain?” the girl snorted lightly.

“Miss, I don’t think you need me to teach you that. Since you can come and go from Nanyang freely, I’m sure the Liu family of Nanyang will give you some leeway. With such a large boat, even if three or five more people came aboard, no one would notice.” Brian Carter’s tone grew firm.

Chapter Five: The Assassin

The girl’s delicate brows furrowed as she was about to reply, when suddenly a rough shout came from outside the window: “There’s an assassin!”

A clash of metal followed immediately. The girl’s expression changed. “You have accomplices?! What exactly are you up to?”

Brian Carter was also startled. He listened intently—sounds of fierce fighting were coming from above and below deck, shouts, curses, and the clashing of weapons filling the air.

“You misunderstand, miss. I’m alone. What’s happening outside has nothing to do with me. In the situation just now, if I’d wanted to do anything, I could have done it. There was no need for me to hide or lie.” Brian Carter spread his hands, looking innocent.

“Such a coincidence?” The girl also tilted her head to listen to the sounds outside the cabin. The fine gold-inlaid jade hairpin in her high cloud bun trembled, and the long dress draped from her fair, exposed neck down to just above her chest, the high curves faintly visible. Even in such circumstances, Brian Carter found himself a bit dazzled, his mouth dry.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from outside the window. The window lattice shattered, and a black shadow flashed inside.

The figure landed, a broadsword in his right hand catching the light. His face was covered with a black scarf, but when his eyes fell on the girl, they immediately lit up with surprise. He leapt into the air, his left hand flickering as he lunged forward.