Forgotten Legend of the Bloodied Flower

"True enough..." Nan Luo sighed.

He was a bit surprised when he saw the name list that Feng Ao Kuai showed to him. There was a familiar name there, but that person was included in the missing list.

Well, he didn't really care about her, so Nan Luo didn't ask for more information.

"Do you really want to follow this case? It might take a long time for them to gather the missing dolls and also unravel the real organization behind." Feng Ao Kuai arched his eyebrows and looked at Nan Luo.

"No. I'm just asking."

"Oh."

"Why do you sound as if you don't believe me?"

Feng Ao Kuai rolled his eyes. "I'm going first. We'll stay here for a long time and participate in the next battles against Zhang Xu Kingdoms."

"Ok." Nan Luo watched as Feng Ao Kuai and Feng Ao Si left. They were only tasked to take care of the case together. Now that it was done, they would return to their original mission and position in this frontline.

He turned to look at Nan Hua, who was staring back at him. The corner of his lips formed a bitter smile. "It's time to leave, right?"

"Yeah." Nan Hua nodded.

"Can't you stay a bit longer?"

"No."

Nan Luo pursed his lips but he didn't persuade Nan Hua to stay anymore. He knew that it was important for Nan Hua to go and do whatever she wanted to do. It was just that he didn't really want to separate from his twin sister for a long period of time.

"How long will you go?"

"I don't know."

Nan Hua knew that she will stay with Yu Jin for some time. But afterwards, she might not stay with her new older sister forever. There were still other things that she wanted to do aside from participating in the military and performed action as a commander.

Well, not exactly a commander in the military as she would lead the soldiers she borrowed from Yu Jin.

She herself didn't know where she would go in the future.

Nan Luo sighed. "In that case, I hope that you'll be fine. Also, happy early birthday. I don't think we'll be able to celebrate our birthday together again this year."

"Mhm."

Their birthday was in early winter. Last year, Nan Hua was busy settling the matter of Dark Moon Organization during her birthday while Nan Luo was still busy doing his mission from the military. The two of them naturally couldn't celebrate their birthday together.

This year, Nan Hua would be going to a different frontline from Nan Luo, so they wouldn't be able to celebrate it together.

"Happy early birthday too for you, Luo."

Nan Luo smiled faintly. "You would've already grown up in a month or so time. Time passed too fast."

Right, women were considered an adult when they were 15 years old. Now that Nan Hua would reach the stipulated age, she would already be considered as an adult. Though, she would need to do her hairpin ceremony first to be fully acknowledged by others.

That was just the tradition for noble ladies.

The two of them looked at each other for some time before Nan Hua turned around and left. It was time for her to go.

On the other hand, Nan Luo watched as Nan Hua left and sighed.

He really really wanted to be the one to stay and protect his little sister forever.

But his sister also had her own wings that she would spread when it was time for her to shine. He didn't have any right to stop her from achieving whatever goal she had or whatever she wanted to do.

"I hope you'll always be safe." Nan Luo then lowered his eyes and muttered softly, "Hua'er."

After that, Nan Luo turned around and headed to his position.

...

<Somewhere in the forest>

*drap* *drap* *drap*

*pant* *pant* *pant*

'I have to get away...'

In the middle of the forest, a young woman was running with all of the strength she had. Her clothes were ragged, her face was dirty with mud, yet she kept on running as fast as she possibly could.

If Nan Luo and the others were here, they would definitely recognize her as their half sister, Nan Xin.

One of the few people who were reported missing from the dolls' list.

Bang!

*cough* *cough* *cough*

Nan Xin laid on the ground, feeling searing pain from deep within her chest. She didn't know what kind of medicine those people gave to her, but she was forced to drink every single one of them without exception.

It was painful.

It was suffocating.

Yet, she couldn't resist. From the moment she agreed to their request and followed their demand, it had cut off any path of retreat for her.

There was no one she could ask for help.

She didn't have any family members who were willing to do anything for her anymore.

Her mother's maternal family was already implicated.

Her father's family was completely indifferent to her and didn't even want to take care of her.

Her mother was dead.

Her half brother was not in the position to help.

Even if she asked, neither one of them would willingly extend a hand to help.

Where could she go?

She couldn't do anything, she couldn't go anywhere, and all that she could do was to follow the arrangement from these people. No matter how much she felt disgusted, felt humiliated, felt anger, sadness, and all, there was nothing that she could do.

Only today did something change.

They sent most of the guards away and Nan Xin seized the chance to run. She didn't want to stay there any longer and possibly be killed. Living in such a brutal place made Nan Xin felt so horrible.

She had seen countless times when her friends were killed one by one on whim by that man.

She's scared.

She just wanted to live...

But not a life like this.