HBWMA -Chapter 394 Wings of Protection

After finishing her provocation, Jiang Huashan immediately scrambled up from the ground and slipped away in a flash, hiding into Langyuan.

“Damn it! Missed again?! What the hell is this freak? Why is she so hard to kill?!”

A dark current flickered through Xia Xingchen’s eyes. “Go to the opposite shore.”

The three of them quickly crossed the wooden bridge and reached the other side of the lake.

Xia Xingchen’s expression turned cold as he scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, his gaze fixed.

In the grass where Jiang Huashan had just been lying, there was a pool of pink-tinged blood. The rainwater had washed the stain, dragging it all the way to the courtyard wall and corridor.

The sniper stepped forward to inspect it. “Did we hit her?”

If this had been before, he wouldn’t have doubted himself—but this girl was just too strange.

Xia Xingchen followed the trail of grass and examined it once around. “No bullet.”

If it had been a blank shot, there would definitely be traces left behind. So it seemed that the shot had hit.

The man carrying a rifle stared at the blood trail with a strange expression. “What the hell is this girl?”

That amount of blood meant a serious injury—but her reaction earlier didn’t look like someone who had been shot at all.

Xia Xingchen thought for a moment, then turned to the sniper. “Old Du, next time don’t aim for vital spots. Shoot her legs.”

The sniper wiped his scope with a grim look. “Fine. I get it now—this girl is basically a walking demon.”

“Pain…”

Jiang Huashan crouched in a corner of a small courtyard, baring her teeth as she checked the wound on her shoulder.

In truth, she hadn’t been as calm and powerful as she pretended earlier. When the bullet pierced her arm, she had almost gone numb from shock. Fortunately, it hadn’t hit anything vital. The bleeding stopped after a while—but for some reason, her entire left arm had now gone completely numb, as if it were useless.

Rainwater dripped from the eaves, washing away the blood on the ground. Jiang Huashan looked up at the night sky expressionlessly.

She wondered how Shen Guiling was doing. Anyway, things on her side were not good at all.

It used to be that no attack could hit her—but now she had actually been shot. Could it be that some unknown deviation had occurred, causing her “protagonist aura effect” to fail?

At this rate, those assassins would catch up soon. Without the protection of the “script power,” next time she wouldn’t be so lucky.

Tap, tap, tap—

Suddenly, rapid footsteps mixed with the heavy rain.

Jiang Huashan immediately went on alert and crouched behind a water vat.

A black shadow flashed across the courtyard and rushed into the main house.

She recognized him instantly—one of the three assassins. Based on her analysis, this one and the one she had tangled with underwater were vanguards. The one she had bitten earlier was the leader, and there was still a sniper providing long-range support.

In other words, the other two were likely still nearby.

Clutching her shoulder, Jiang Huashan slowly retreated along the wall toward the courtyard exit. Her arm was injured now, and her underwater advantage was gone. She needed to find a way to divert attention and shift the danger elsewhere.

Suddenly, an idea struck her.

Wasn’t there a ready-made target right in front of her?

Central Building

After discussing their strategy, Zhou Yanheng and his group left the courtyard together.

The sky was filled with thunder and lightning, dark clouds churning like the end of the world.

Gu Yuzhu followed closely behind Zhou Yanheng, glancing back nervously from time to time. “Brother A-A-heng… are you sure there are no assassins nearby? I… I’m a little scared. I feel like someone’s watching me.”

Outside the central building, there were no lights. Occasionally, lightning illuminated the scene, making everything look eerie and unsettling.

Guan He frowned and hugged his arms. “At a time like this, stop being so damn paranoid.”

Zhou Yanheng looked ahead with a cold expression. “Can we reach the cinema from here?”

The scout nodded quickly. “This path is closer. The corridor bridge is too exposed—we’d be easy targets there.”

“Ah!!!”

Suddenly, Gu Yuzhu let out a piercing scream.

“S-Someone touched my face!!!”

The other three immediately froze and, without hesitation, raised their guns and aimed at her.

Boom—

Thunder roared as purple lightning streaked across the sky like a dragon, illuminating everything.

And then—

A beautiful face slowly emerged from behind Gu Yuzhu’s shoulder.

“Going out so late… what kind of bad things are you planning? Take me with you~”

“G-Ghost!! Ghost!!!”

Guan He panicked, thinking he had really seen a female ghost, and almost pulled the trigger with his eyes shut.

Zhou Yanheng frowned and raised a hand to stop him. “Look clearly before you scream.”

Gu Yuzhu was no better off. She nearly fainted from fright. “Help! Save me! Something is on my back!”

Only after being interrupted did Guan He realize something was off. His face twisted in anger. “Damn it! Jiang Huashan, are you insane?!”

“…Jiang Huashan?” Gu Yuzhu froze, then slowly turned her head.

Jiang Huashan smiled and waved. “Hi~”

Gu Yuzhu finally exhaled in relief—then immediately exploded.

“Jiang Huashan, are you sick?! Do you know I almost died from shock?!”

Jiang Huashan ignored her completely, instead studying Zhou Yanheng and Guan He. “In this heavy rain… what kind of bad things are you planning?”

Guan He glanced at Zhou Yanheng.

Zhou Yanheng met Jiang Huashan’s gaze and smiled faintly. “I was about to ask you the same thing. Why are you here? Didn’t the Shen family lock you up properly?”

Jiang Huashan asked directly, “You’re going to the cinema?”

Zhou Yanheng replied, “Did something happen on the Shen side?”

“You’re using that stupid pig as bait to lure people out of the secret room, aren’t you?”

“….”

Zhou Yanheng remained expressionless. Guan He, however, paused slightly.

Gu Yuzhu exploded again. “Who are you calling a stupid pig?!”

Jiang Huashan glanced at her lazily. “At least you know it refers to you. Not hopeless.”

“…”

Just as Gu Yuzhu was about to argue again, she suddenly looked at Zhou Yanheng. “A-Heng, what does she mean?”

Zhou Yanheng didn’t answer. His gaze swept over Jiang Huashan—disheveled hair, bare feet, and a large patch of blood on her shoulder. She clearly didn’t look like someone being carefully protected.

“Where were you? Why are you in such a mess? Where are your brothers?”

But truthfully, he still preferred seeing a wild, untamed flower.

Jiang Huashan replied, “Them? They’ll be done cleaning up over there soon.”

Guan He’s expression turned serious. Zhou Yanheng, however, remained calm.

“So I still have time to finish my preparations?”

Jiang Huashan shook her head. “You have time to run for your life.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she crouched down.

Bang—

A bullet flew over her head and struck the corridor pillar.

“Aaaaaah!!!” Gu Yuzhu screamed and scrambled in panic.

Zhou Yanheng and Guan He reacted instantly, jumping into the corridor for cover.

Gu Yuzhu, however, had completely lost her ability to think—she just screamed and froze.

Jiang Huashan looked around briefly, then grabbed Gu Yuzhu’s arm and dragged her into the covered walkway behind the door.

“Noisy and reckless, shut up if you don’t want to die.”

Gu Yuzhu panicked completely. Like grasping a lifeline, she grabbed tightly onto Jiang Huashan’s injured hand.

“Please… please don’t leave me behind. I don’t want to die. Take me with you.”

Jiang Huashan sucked in a sharp breath from the pain and forcefully pulled Gu Yuzhu’s hand away.

“Don’t follow me. Their target isn’t you. I’ll hold off Zhou Yanheng later—find an empty room and hide. Wait for rescue.”

But Gu Yuzhu was already swallowed by fear. She didn’t believe Jiang Huashan’s kindness at all. She only thought Jiang Huashan was trying to cling to Zhou Yanheng to save herself, so she snapped angrily.

“No way! Brother A-Heng was supposed to protect me! What right do you have to take Brother A-Heng away from me?”

Jiang Huashan’s face turned cold.

“Gu Yuzhu, listen carefully. Zhou Yanheng is not a good person. He’s tricking you into the safe room not to save you, but to use you to lure everyone out. If you follow him and something goes wrong, you’ll become the scapegoat.”

“You’re all alright?”

As they spoke, Zhou Yanheng and Guan He had already walked around from under the corridor into the courtyard gate.

“Miss Gu, given the situation, we may need another plan.”

The two of them had actually heard Jiang Huashan’s words from a few steps away, but Zhou Yanheng showed no flaw at all—still the elegant demeanor of a noble young master.

“Brother A-Heng!” Gu Yuzhu completely lost her composure and broke free from Jiang Huashan, rushing toward Zhou Yanheng.

Zhou Yanheng calmly raised his arm and blocked her.

Gu Yuzhu immediately clung onto his arm instead.

“Brother A-Heng, the safe room is the only safe place now. If we’re fast enough, they might not catch up.”

Zhou Yanheng frowned. “That might not be appropriate.”

Gu Yuzhu panicked, afraid he would refuse. “Brother A-Heng, let’s try it, please.”

Zhou Yanheng glanced at Jiang Huashan, the corner of his lips curling slightly.

“Then we’ll go with your idea for now.”

Gu Yuzhu relaxed slightly, then suddenly thought of something and pointed at Jiang Huashan.

“Brother A-Heng, she was badmouthing you just now. Don’t bring her with us.”

Jiang Huashan let out a cold laugh.

“Why are you laughing?”

Gu Yuzhu hadn’t actually intended to completely leave Jiang Huashan behind—she was just angry that Jiang Huashan had refused to bring her along earlier. Now she wanted to get even. But seeing Jiang Huashan not only unrepentant but still mocking her, she really lost her temper.

Jiang Huashan said coolly, “I’m laughing that the Gu family matriarch is considered one of the top heroic women of the port city elite families, yet she raised someone like you—a spineless thing.”

With Gu Yuzhu’s earlier words, even if Zhou Yanheng destroyed everyone in the secret room tonight, the Gu family would still take the blame.

“You’re the spineless one! You cheap thing!” Gu Yuzhu, furious beyond reason, raised her hand to strike.

Zhou Yanheng grabbed her wrist.

“Enough. If this continues, none of us will survive.”

Gu Yuzhu was still unwilling, but afraid of angering Zhou Yanheng at this critical moment and losing his protection, she hesitated and finally lowered her hand. To get closer to him again, she forced a smile.

“Brother A-Heng, you should just call me A-Zhu like before. ‘Miss Gu’ sounds too distant.”

Zhou Yanheng’s gaze cooled slightly. He turned to the man beside him.

“How do we go now?”

The man pointed toward the courtyard behind them.

“We can go around from the bamboo pavilion area.”

Zhou Yanheng signaled to Guan He with his eyes. Guan He understood and pulled Gu Yuzhu to lead the way.

Jiang Huashan, leaning against the wall, was just about to stand when a hand suddenly appeared in front of her.

Originally, she had intended to use Zhou Yanheng as cover, but if that endangered others, that wasn’t her intention.

“I’m not going to become a sinner.”

She slapped the hand away.

Zhou Yanheng immediately grabbed her wrist and pulled her in front of him.

“Now it’s not up to you. We’re already on the same boat.”

Jiang Huashan: “……”

—

The rain gradually broke into droplets. The storm was beginning to settle.

On the tower, Xia Xingshen stared gloomily at the fading lightning in the sky.

Old Du caught rainwater in his hand. “The rain is stopping.”

Xia Xingshen said nothing, only lowered his head to look at the bite mark on his thumb. After a moment of thought, he patted Old Du on the shoulder.

“Stay here and watch. I’m going with Old Gu to catch them.”

Jiang Huashan already knew too much. If she survived tonight, their boss would be in trouble.

—

At the same time, Jiang Huashan’s group also noticed the change in weather.

“It’s about to stop raining. We—” Guan He turned back excitedly, but froze.

Zhou Yanheng wasn’t even looking at him.

He and Jiang Huashan were walking side by side under the corridor, their hands seemingly “interlocked” as they moved forward.

If the situation weren’t so tense, Guan He might have thought they were a couple strolling through a garden.

Zhou Yanheng’s gaze was too unusual. Guan He had never seen him look at anyone like that before.

Gu Yuzhu’s expression darkened. “Jiang Huashan is really shameless.”

Guan He raised a brow and glanced at her.

“She’s just relying on her pretty face, pretending to be weak to gain A-Heng’s sympathy.”

Guan He didn’t respond, only smiled faintly.

He knew Zhou Yanheng too well. Even if the man sometimes used tricks for amusement, he would never lower himself to accommodate anyone.

Yet now, he didn’t even mind Jiang Huashan’s temper, and instead brought her along.

This is… he’s found someone?

No—Guan He immediately denied the thought. People like them… how could they have hearts? And without a heart, what “love” was there to speak of?

Gu Yuzhu, seeing him ignore her, angrily ran toward Zhou Yanheng again.

“Brother A-Heng, I’m still scared. I want to stay with you.”

Suddenly—

“Bang—bang—bang—”

Before they could react, two black figures burst out in front of them.

Men carrying assault rifles opened fire wildly into the courtyard. Guan He’s eyelid twitched. Without hesitation, he grabbed a nearby man and used him as a shield.

Zhou Yanheng instinctively pulled Jiang Huashan in front of him as a shield.

Their eyes met for a split second—and then he suddenly realized something and pushed her away.

“A-Heng! A-Heng!” Gu Yuzhu screamed, hugging his waist. “Save me!”

Jiang Huashan rolled on the ground and immediately got up to run.

Zhou Yanheng tried to chase her, but Gu Yuzhu was clinging to him, slowing him down. Irritated, he pulled out his gun and shot her hand.

“Ah!!!!”

Gu Yuzhu collapsed, screaming.

He kicked her away and ran after Jiang Huashan again.

But just as he exited the courtyard—

Bang! Bang!

Gunshots rang out again.

He looked up—

Bullets flew past. Jiang Huashan’s legs exploded in blood as she collapsed to her knees.

At the same moment, Xia Xingshen stepped out from the shadows, aiming directly at her heart.

“Bang—”

“Shanshan!”

At that moment, a figure leapt out and threw herself in front of Jiang Huashan.

Xia Xingshen’s gaze trembled.

Her again.

The bullet hit Fu Sui’er’s right arm, blood splattering everywhere.

Fu Sui’er gritted her teeth and hugged Jiang Huashan tightly.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll share my luck with you.”

Bai Mi rushed into the courtyard and froze at the sight.

Amidst the pool of blood, the girl was holding the person she wanted to protect, standing against the sky. Thunder roared behind her like a backdrop.

It was as if she had grown a pair of giant angel wings.