Chapter 599: Qian Ying’s Past (Part 1)
Chapter 599: Chapter 599: Qian Ying’s Past (Part 1)
Seeing that she couldn’t get any more information out of the man with the neatly trimmed mustache, Su Qing took out a pill and stuffed it into his mouth. This was the same kind of pill she had given Brother Liu and his group. Within one or two months, anyone who took it would gradually weaken and die. Even a forensic examination would find nothing amiss; it would be ruled a natural death.
Su Qing had no intention of letting a single one of the culprits get away. But when she thought about the power of Shengchuan Gong and Ye Yue Taidou, she hesitated. The Stone Pillars and cloth dolls on Putai Mountain were not yet destroyed. She worried that if she startled them, they might have some other trick up their sleeves, which would be a huge problem. Therefore, her first priority was to go to Putai Mountain and destroy their setup.
And so, Su Qing quietly left the hotel and headed for Putai Mountain under the cover of darkness.
For Su Qing, dealing with the Stone Pillars and cloth dolls on Putai Mountain was simple. She was worried that destroying the runes on the pillars and the talismans inside the dolls would alert Shengchuan Gong and Ye Yue Taidou. So, she planned to dig up all the Stone Pillars and dolls one by one and store them in her dimensional space for now. She could deal with them later. After all, her space was massive now, more than large enough to hold all of them.
Amidst the mountain forest, Su Qing was the absolute master of all plant life. With the plants aiding her, digging was effortless. In just over half an hour, she had already unearthed nearly two-thirds of the marked Stone Pillars and cloth dolls.
However, to Su Qing’s surprise, the woman named Qian Ying had also entered the mountain. She was alone, and her target seemed to be... her!
Since the woman was clearly targeting her, Su Qing saw no reason to hide. In fact, she was rather curious about what this woman wanted.
"Are you surprised to see me?" Upon seeing Su Qing, Qian Ying smiled faintly, leaning against a large tree and looking Su Qing up and down. "The one who snuck into the valley before, that was you, wasn’t it? And the disappearance of those eight patrolmen—that was your handiwork too, I presume."
"So, you came looking for me today to settle the score?" Su Qing’s fingers twitched. All around them, the tips of the vines silently rose, turning to point toward Qian Ying.
"No," Qian Ying replied, still smiling faintly. "To be precise, I’m here to help you. I mean you no harm. If I did, I wouldn’t have told you about the plan on Putai Mountain back in the valley. It’s just a pity I don’t know where those people plan to set up their formation in Hua Country. Otherwise, I would have told you that as well."
With that, Qian Ying studied Su Qing, smiled again, and said, "Let me guess... you’re from Hua Country, aren’t you?"
Su Qing didn’t speak, her gaze still fixed warily on Qian Ying.
Qian Ying gave a self-deprecating laugh. "I know. I’m from Japan, and you people from Hua Country hate us. It’s a deep-seated, historical feud. Any person from Hua Country with a bit of spirit will never forget what Japan did in Hua Country back then, nor will they let go of that hatred. I understand that perfectly. So, I also understand why you don’t trust me."
"Since you know, then you should also know there’s nothing for us to talk about." Su Qing didn’t deny it. With a raise of her hand, a long blade formed of branches and leaves materialized in her grasp.
"The Wood Spirit!" Qian Ying’s eyes widened at the sight. "The legendary Wood Spirit!"
Qian Ying stared at Su Qing in astonishment. It took a long moment before she said with feeling, "To think you’ve awakened the legendary Wood Spirit."
Su Qing’s expression flickered, but she remained silent, the long blade in her hand still pointed directly at Qian Ying.
Qian Ying remained unhurried, smiling as she spoke to Su Qing. "Believe it or not, I mean you no harm. In fact, just like you, I’m filled with hatred for Japan. If I could, I would rather not be Japanese."
"Don’t bother with your sweet talk. It’s useless," Su Qing said coldly. She didn’t know this Qian Ying at all, so of course she wouldn’t let her guard down.
"I’m not trying to trick you. I’m just stating the facts," Qian Ying said, looking at Su Qing. "To be honest with you, there is a deep-seated hatred between Japan and me—a blood feud that can never be resolved in this lifetime. On the other hand, the people of Hua Country have shown me life-saving kindness. So, even though I am Japanese, my heart is with Hua Country. I won’t attack you. If you’re willing, could you listen to my story?"
Qian Ying’s gaze was sincere as she looked at Su Qing. "If you still refuse to spare me after hearing my story, then I am willing to die by your hand. Consider it me repaying my life to the people of Hua Country. I know you won’t spare the Ye Yue Family and the Shengchuan Family. If you deal with them, I’ll consider my own revenge complete."
Su Qing narrowed her eyes, studying Qian Ying. She could sense that the woman’s attitude was indeed sincere. So, she said, "Fine. Talk."
"Thank you." Qian Ying nodded at Su Qing, then turned her head to look in the direction of Hua Country and slowly began to speak.
"My grandfather was a very famous doctor in Japan. His medical skills were excellent. He ran a private clinic in our small hometown, and he cured a great many patients. Because of this, his fame grew and grew. People from the town came to see him, and soon, people from other places started making special trips to seek his treatment."
"But in the end, my grandfather’s fame was his undoing." Qian Ying’s expression turned pained. "That year, I had just been born. I was my parents’ first child. My birth filled our home with joy and laughter. My grandfather and my parents were full of hope, dreaming of a wonderful future with more and more children. If not for what happened, perhaps I really would have had a little brother or sister."
Su Qing pursed her lips. She could feel Qian Ying’s sorrow and rage.
Qian Ying took a deep breath and continued, "Just one month after I was born, some people suddenly broke into my home. They said they were there to ask my grandfather to see a patient, but he never returned. From that day on, my grandfather never came back to our little hometown. My parents were frantic. They asked around everywhere, but they couldn’t find any news of him. After those people took him, it was as if he had vanished from the face of the earth. No one knew where he had been taken."
"And then what?" Su Qing asked lightly.
"Later, about half a year passed." Qian Ying took another deep breath. "More people came to our door. Without a word, they shoved my parents and me into a car and drove us away. Then, my parents and I were taken to Hua Country. It was there that my parents saw my grandfather again."