Lust, like Vengeance, Demands Red 127 How to Keep Despair at Bay?

Five seconds later, Hilda emerged from the ground and stood in the middle of the carriage.

"How fast can you move on the ethereal state?" Zhi Rui asked with wide eyes. The carriage was in movement, that meant Hilda went underneath it in some way and then came up.

"It's more of a 'flow' rather than moving. I don't know If it works in another way, but I just move my body as usual and traverse through things." Hilda said

"OH." Zhi Rui nodded absent-mindedly.

The yellow eyes stared intensely at the distracted Zhi Rui.

"That title of being one of the big tribes. That's just a diversion you know. you shouldn't think about it too much." hesitating Hilfa spoke.

Zhi Rui stared coldly at Hilda "I can tolerate your worry, but I cannot stand being taken as stupid. I know full well why they did that. It's both, a way to justify my relationship with the siblings and a way to diminish my authority by making me accept a public benefit from the enemy I criticized from the beginning."

Hilda frowned. "So you know it' a facade, and there's still danger lurking and waiting for the right moment, yet you come inside the carriage where your vigilance is heavily restricted?"

Zhi Rui laughed. "I came here knowing they wouldn't attack me now since they just gave me the title. I decided to think about what can I do with it. When I win these people the title would still be valid.
I won't have to be sneak to start a true war since I became one of the leaders, even though only in name."

"You're counting on the people, to go follow your will and go to war for you," Hilda said.

Zhi Rui smiled and nodded.

Hilda frowned deeply.

"I remember the day you took Zhun Xuying out of that execution, the people were ready to stone and burn her to death. But the instant you, a higher authority appeared, they thanked God that she was saved. And prayed for her future well being. I myself saw your eye of mockery looking through the crowd. And now you're relying on their will?"

Her words were sharp and on point.

Zhi Rui just looked at her in the eyes.

She stood up and stood face to face with Hilda, their nose almost touching.

"Again, you treat me as a fool, even worst a fool that forgot her own self principles."

"I know they'll act on my will because I've been working on that motion since I came from that jungle. In the last week, they had been brewing rage and indignation for their leaders. I'm not relying on faith. Now, Hilda, you can have doubts, but treat me as a fool again and I'll punish you."

"But people are fickle and change their mind to whatever stronger stimuli," Hilda said.

"I didn't teach Sandworm and Blue-amethyst just o I could fuck them. There's a reason why they are the head leading of the coalition of tribes through the desert.." Again Zhi Rui justified.

Hilda's eyes showed clearly she wanted to object somehow, make Zhi Rui more alert. But the words simply didn't come to her mind.

Before she could think of something, Zhi Rui waved her hand. "If you're too worried, keep a lookout anywhere near me."

Hilda sighed, "Assasins are the easiest to deal with. I"m worried about an inescapable trap."

"They have too much to lose by publicly killing me. It doesn't make sense to do that." Zhi Rui answered.

Hilda shook her head, she jumped up through the ceiling, and Zhi Rui couldn't see her anymore.

Leaning back Zhi Rui pondered with a grape on the lips.

although she acted confident and full of reason, she knew herself something was wrong, enemies that think they have a lot to lose, rarely make the first move and they wouldn't show this amount of confidence.

If it was only the two tribe leaders, Zhi Rui could pin it in incompetence, but they are being controlled by someone, and that someone, killed their old leaders that were all of the fourth levels. Those people are powerful and cautious, and Zhi Rui wanted to wrest the authority away from them.

Zhi Rui bit her nails, She thought about the three elite in the second level. that was escorting her carriage, she assumed they were just some kind of diversion. To provoke a reaction out of her. But what if they are spying? what if they'll be the ones to make a signal to any attackers?

Zh Rui put herself in the enemies place and planned against herself but he still couldn't understand how they were going to act.

She followed Hilda's tip and stood o the driver seat of the carriage again.

The sky was already darkening.

Zhi Rui soon discovered she had wasted too much time thinking, and now they were already sighting the lit torches on the neutral city's gate.

Her inner energy circulated fast iid her body, her eyes stared forward, the sensory spell wasn't the best but with Zhi Rui's density and strength, it covered forty meters around easily.

Except for the tribes that were anxious for the sibling's ritual, everybody else went on full alert.

With taut nerves, the carriage led, the distance shortened slowly. Every ten meters felt like ten years passed.

No sign of enemies, or irregularities. Not even the wind changed directions.
Finally, they arrived.

Tranquility throughout the city entrance, the guard merely opened the gates to let them through. No questions asked.

Zhi Rui raised the ropes to signal the lizards pulling the carriage. But she stopped midair.

Han Lee looked at her puzzled

'They didn't attack when we were on the way, That only means whatever was going to happen would happen inside the neutral city.'

Zhi Rui put the rope down gently and stood in place. Thinking.

But the place is a sacred ground where no fighting is allowed much less bloodshed. Even if they were completely incompetent, they would know better then to break their own rule in front of thousands of their own people. that means they are waiting for me to initiate it an excuse... But why would I do that? How can they make me do that?' Zhi Rui thought.

She was thinking about how to proceed when she felt Sandworm and Blue-amethyst entering her area of sense. She noticed something peculiar that she didn't mind before. but it didn't make sense now.

In the last three days, their feelings were always steady. Even now, facing the possibility of a threat the cautious Sandworm is calm as a plank.

And Blue-amethyst who's usually hot-headed just walked beside him without any word. Zhi Rui looked at her side at the puzzled Han Lee.
While focusing on the siblings standing on the top of the carriage.

They were calm just like sandworm and Blue-amethyst.

At the time and circumstances, everybody was feeling calm, They outer appearance showed light nervousness Bu Zhi Rui felt their true state.

She didn't know why or how. and she didn't have time to guess their objective. Even if they had gotten sandworm, Blue-amethyst and the siblings on their cause, it made no difference as Zhi Rui still had Hilda and Han Lee. She couldn't feel his emotions but he was a confirmed heir of the neutral party. with them b she half a chance of sneaking inside tha place.

And the most critical of all, she has the siblings as slaves. While she keeps them alive. there's no reason to risk their lives.

Confident on her resources Zhi Rui she waved the rope down, startling the animals into entering the city.

The place was filled with people. they were forming a circle with the library as the focus. The tribe leaders were having a drink atop fire-heart' carriage when they saw Zhi Rui arriving.

They stood up at once and laughed."Finally little sister! for a second I thought you got lost!"

"HAHa, elder brother jokes. I just had to solve some personal issues" Zhi Rui said.

Fire-heart laughed, Silver nodded gently.

"Good let it start then," Zhi Rui said.

Fire-heat laughed, "as per little sister wishes," He said and got up. with a fist on his chest and a solemn expression he looked up at the siblings

"Your Highnesses, it's time."

Zhi Rui' world slowed down, the sibling slowly walked toward the library. It was a seemingly small old place. But the sibling carried themselves with the utmost respect

Zhi Rui Let her eyes dart around trying to catch a glimpse of any possible issue. While concentrating on the brand inside the sibling's head.

Zhi Rui guarded her side while Han Lee covered the other.
Hilda had her dagger at hands inside the carriage.

The sibling was a step away from the library. Zhi Rui's hair was standing on an end. But she focused the world around her. When suddenly her mind went blank and she focused on the library. Her eyes quivered.

The siblings were gone inside, and the slave mark that should always be present no matter the distance suddenly disappeared.

Zhi Rui had no connection with it.

Fire-heart looked at her face and knew the plan had worked. He looked at silver on to of the other carriage. the man couldn't hold off the sardonic smirk on his face.

Zhi Rui looked at Han Lee and saw his worry. confirminf her gut feeling.
They knew about the pocket dimension inside the library now he has no power over the siblings and they could kill her without any consequence for the siblings.

Zhi Rui saw in low motion as Fire-hearts lips move to start her execution.

There were at least three more levels three people there, Zhi Rui could feel it. alone she wouldn't be able to cape, and Hilda couldn't help her without compromising her own.

"For the crime of-" Fire-heart's voice ranged foggy on her mind.

Zhi Rui looked at Han Lee beside her, he had a surprised face his objective aligned with her she knew he was willing to help in the name of the future.

he acted and approached him opened her mouth, but no word came out. she remembered his information about the sand stele. He said she only needed to enter the library and go down and see the stele, in no moment he mentioned a pocket dimension, in no moment he said that the people who entered would have their connection to the world broken.

A chill went up to her spine, the reason for the sibling's Sandworm and Blue-amethyst's unusual steady calm, the reason for the two leaders to be so confident.

Her gut feeling.

Hilda's uneasiness.

Everything was because of him. He was the wolf in sheep clothing, planting seeds here and there. Under her own nose.

Time completely froze. She forced her mind worked on a lightning speed as she circulated her energy inside the brain. Obvious signs of self-damage showed on her face.

She clenched her teeth in disgust. And instantly jumped off to run away. while still in midair Her air was pulled back, like rag doll she felt the wind rapidly pass and saw the scenery change from a night sky to the sandy desert.

]Thud.

Smashed on the ground. Se coughed some blood and cleaned the sandy stuck on her face.

She got up gasping for air. Looking at the assailant.

Han Lee stood grinning at her, he cleaned some of Zhi Rui's hair that stuck on his palm when he grabbed and threw her.

The people she was part of was now encircling her. She looked at tribes that followed her here. Sandworm and Blue-amethyst looked at her while snickering and the simple poor warrior behind them was laughing and pointing fingers at her.

SHe saw a group of elite level two mounted warriors made a circle formation around her.

with two level threes with black armor looking thirstily at her. Waiting for any kind of resistance.

Finally, Zhi Rui' eyes lay on the leader's carriages.

She finally saw it and her eye widened. much like the lust robes a woman wearing a green robe and with orange eyes was staring down at her with pity.

She wasn't a barbarian but still stood there.

'It's them' Zhi Rui thought 'The one controlling the barbarian lands.'

Zhi Rui took a deep breath, two level threes five-meter distance from her.

there's also the level fourth Han Lee who was snickering.

The strange woman... and Zhi Rui remembered Silver saying there are two more levels three's ready to protect them.

Zhi Rui looked up at the night sky while her enemies encroached on her.

"I can't scape"

Chapter end