AUBTN -Chapter 37 Moon Viewing

“Jump!”

Su Hewan stared at the cliff that was only a few steps away. In her mind, all those formulas about gravitational acceleration and conservation of momentum collapsed in an instant, leaving behind only the instinct to survive.

She had no time to explain. Grabbing Yu Qing’s wrist tightly, she used all her strength to hurl herself out of the carriage!

“Ahhhh! Wanwan, have you lost your mind—?!”

Yu Qing’s shrill scream was torn apart by the howling wind.

Just as their bodies were airborne and about to crash heavily onto the rocky ground below, a dark-blue figure shot forward from behind.

At that moment, Shen Jue completely ignored the knife wound on his back. He threw his arms wide open and, with perfect precision, caught the two falling bodies in midair. The enormous momentum sent the three of them crashing violently to the ground!

“Ugh!”

Shen Jue groaned. Not only did he not let go, he forcibly twisted his body, turning his own back into a human cushion as he slammed hard against the rough ground.

The three of them tumbled together, rolling several times through grass full of thorns and scattered stones, until they finally slammed into a protruding boulder and barely came to a stop.

Behind them came a thunderous crash—the sound of the carriage and horses plunging off the cliff.

“Cough, cough…”

Su Hewan felt the world spinning. It seemed like every bone in her body was about to fall apart. Her elbows and knees burned with searing pain—she must have scraped off a large layer of skin.

But she didn’t care about the pain. She hurriedly scrambled off Shen Jue.

“Shen Jue! Are you alright?”

That impact just now had sounded far too solid. Was he made of iron?

Shen Jue’s face was as pale as paper, a thin layer of cold sweat seeping out across his temples.

The cloth tied over his face had loosened during the tumble, revealing his pale yet still sharply defined jawline.

At the back of his dark-blue robe, blood was rapidly spreading, staining the fabric a shocking dark red.

“I won’t die.” Shen Jue gritted his teeth, tearing off the face covering and stuffing it into his robe.

His voice was hoarse, strained with pain he was desperately suppressing.

Supporting himself with one hand on the ground, he tried to stand—but suddenly realized there was still a terrified Yu Qing curled up in his arms.

“Waaah… my leg… my leg… is it broken…? Am I going to need an amputation…?” Yu Qing wailed with her eyes shut, clutching Shen Jue’s clothes tightly with both hands.

“Shut up.”

The veins at Shen Jue’s temple throbbed as he barked in exasperation.

“Cry again and I’ll throw you down there.”

The shout worked better than any miracle medicine. Yu Qing instantly stopped, hiccupping in shock.

When she opened her eyes and saw that she was still alive, the tears she had been holding back instantly disappeared.

“Help me up,” Shen Jue said coldly.

Su Hewan quickly supported his arm. But before the three of them could even steady themselves, that suffocating killing intent closed in again.

Countless torches lit up in the night, illuminating the cliffside as brightly as day.

The black-clad assassins who had just been surrounding Shen Jue were no longer rushing to attack. Instead, they spread out in a fan shape and slowly advanced step by step.

Behind them lay a bottomless abyss.
Before them stood the assassins.

There was nowhere left to retreat.

Shen Jue took a deep breath and quietly stepped in front of Su Hewan and Yu Qing, shielding them behind him.

Suddenly, a round of applause sounded from behind the assassins.

The crowd parted, revealing Prince Ning standing with his hands behind his back, a sinister smile hanging on his lips.

“Wonderful. Truly wonderful.”

Prince Ning slowly approached.

His gaze swept over the miserable state of the three of them before finally settling on Shen Jue’s face, his tone carrying the teasing cruelty of a cat playing with its prey.

“I was just wondering who could possibly be so bold—daring to force their way through the city gates at a time like this, even risking their lives just to get out of the city!”

He stepped forward, his gaze sharp as a blade. “Shen Jue. As expected, it’s you.”

Su Hewan’s heart sank.

It was over. Their identities had been exposed.

If Prince Ning caught them red-handed under these circumstances, it wouldn’t just be the three of them who would die—the entire Eastern Depot would be accused of colluding with Lu Yan!

All of Shen Jue’s years of careful maneuvering would be destroyed.

The atmosphere froze to its absolute limit.

Yu Qing was so frightened she barely dared to breathe. She shrank behind Su Hewan, trembling, frantic commentary racing through her mind:【It’s over, it’s over! We’re really about to die this time! This script isn’t right! Why did the villain appear so early?!】

“Heh…”

A strangely enchanting smile appeared on Shen Jue’s pale face.

There was not the slightest trace of panic from being exposed. Instead, the smile carried a casual laziness… and even a hint of frivolity.

“Your Highness, what are you talking about? I can’t quite understand.”

Shen Jue tilted his head slightly, his gaze languid.

“I was simply in a good mood tonight, so I brought two young ladies out to admire the moon and seek a bit of amusement. Why is Your Highness making such a grand fuss, shouting about killing and fighting? Isn’t that rather spoiling the mood?”

The smile on Prince Ning’s face stiffened. Clearly, he hadn’t expected Shen Jue to keep spouting nonsense even at death’s door.

“Admire the moon?” Prince Ning sneered, his eyes sweeping disdainfully over Su Hewan and Yu Qing.

“Overseer Shen certainly has elegant tastes. But I’m curious—someone like you, who’s missing the necessary equipment, bringing two women out… what kind of fun could you possibly have?”

The words were vicious, striking directly at the sore point of a eunuch.

The men in black around them burst into low laughter.

Su Hewan’s brows knitted tightly. She was about to retort when her waist was suddenly seized.

Shen Jue’s arm clamped around her and Yu Qing like an iron vice, pulling them both into his embrace!

“Ah!” Yu Qing yelped as she slammed into Shen Jue’s solid chest, completely bewildered.

Shen Jue, however, looked perfectly composed. His hands rested brazenly at the waists of the two women, even tightening deliberately. His gaze was wild and unruly, carrying a reckless charm that made one’s heart race and cheeks flush.

“Your Highness clearly lacks experience.”

Shen Jue lowered his head slightly, his chin brushing faintly against Su Hewan’s ear, sending a shiver through her.

He lifted his eyes to meet Prince Ning’s, his voice low and magnetic.

“How does a eunuch play with women? Does Your Highness truly wish to know? Everything in this world can be turned into pleasure. Besides…”

A wicked curve appeared at the corner of his lips. His slender fingers slowly rubbed the fabric of Su Hewan’s clothing, his tone dripping with suggestive meaning.

“These two ladies are my favorites. Not only are they pretty, they’re especially well-behaved. Though my body may be incomplete, my ways of pampering women are no worse than Yours, Your Highness.”

Su Hewan: “……”

【Brother, are you really throwing away your dignity just to stay alive? If Tomato’s censors saw these lines, our novel would get locked in the dark room!】

Although she was complaining wildly in her mind, Su Hewan instantly understood his intention.

Shen Jue was deliberately provoking Prince Ning—and buying time.

By steering things toward a scandalous private affair, he was trying to blur the political purpose of tonight’s mission. Even if there was only the slimmest chance, they absolutely could not admit they were trying to rescue Lu Yan.

So Su Hewan immediately played along. She leaned into Shen Jue’s arms, putting on the act of a frightened little rabbit who nonetheless clung dependently to her patron, her voice soft and coquettish:

“Overseer… I’m so scared…”

【Ugh—I’m going to throw up myself.】

Meanwhile, Yu Qing froze for a moment before instantly switching into full dramatic mode.

After all—she was a drama major. How could she lose at a moment like this?