Black Greed

THIRTY FOUR

"HuaiSang, why?"

When Wei MeiLan's memories returned, she also saw something that totally surprised her.

"Sister Mei, w-what do you mean?" Nie HuaiSang flipped the fan on and hid half of his face from her. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Wei MeiLan took a deep breathe before speaking again. "Why must you do this? You don't trust me?"

"Sister Mei..."

"Elder brother has hopes for you before that incident occurred," Wei MeiLan saw how Nie MingJue doted on his half-brother despite of him forcing the latter to practice their family weapon. "He doesn't want to leave this huge burden to you if that didn't happened. And I know you know what I'm talking about."

After the Lan brothers left her room, she asked Lan YuXia to bring Nie HuaiSang to her and erected a silent barrier.

"If you're going to deny this, my brother you want to summon will become wary once he put up the clues altogether."

Nie HuaiSang looked at Wei MeiLan in shock. "In few years, it will happen. I would prefer less casualties, and clear everything. HuaiSang, you're my brother's friend. He would be loyal to his friend until death in order to help."

"Sister Mei," Nie HuaiSang's looked sullen. "I would prefer to let a wicked person die while trying to atone their sins than you guys sacrifice yourself. Look what happened to you, to Wei Ying! My brother is gone, our parents, your brother, my friend. And I don't want you to die too! I would prefer to concocta plan to reveal everything in light, I want justice."

"HuaiSang," Wei MeiLan stood up and went to him to pat his head. "I won't die, alright? I won't promise you that, but I can assure you. I can't afford to die yet. Not yet. So please, please tell me, why? I won't stop you if that will ease up your mind, I just want to know. And I promise that no one will know of this. Alright?"

Nie HuaiSang hesitated at first before he told the truth. He has suspicions but he cannot do it by himself.

"Is that why you need my brother's help?"

He nodded. "Then, you won't stop me?"

"As much as I hate someone dying, and that young soul... I guess it's fated. I can't prevent deaths," She sighed. "As long as you assist my brother, all us fine for me. Keep safe."

"Sister Mei..."

"My idiot brother and his partner can help you, the only thing left for me is to convince your second brother not to fall into a trap." She pinched Nie HuaiSang's cheeks.

"Now, move along. Tell my people that I will fix the border in two days so that if they want to return, they can do so. Will that be fine?"

Nie HuaiSang nodded. "Ok, sister Mei. Thank you!"

He saluted and left the room as she put down the barrier.

Jiang WanYin came in with Jin GuangYao and Jin Ling. The young boy ran towards her with worry in his face. "Aunt Mei, are you alright?"

"Silly child," She tapped the cheek of Jin Ling. "Your aunt won't die from that. Are you studying well there?"

"I'm doing good, Aunt, but..."

Jin Ling didn't continue what he wants to say. So Wei MeiLan had a guess of what is it. "Ok, stay here for a week. Would you like that?"

Jin Ling looked at Jin GuangYao who's smiling at them. "A'Ling, you don't need permission as long as you tell us if you want to go here."

Jin Ling turned back to Wei MeiLan and smiled. "Aunt Mei, I'll stay here for a week!"

"Ok, look for A'Xia, she'll help you fix your old room."

Jin Ling ran out of the room, holding his father's sword.

Jin GuangYao smiled. "I heard you fainted after the fight, are you sure you're fine?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe my body is telling me to snap out of it already that's why that happened. Do you want to discuss something from me?" Wei MeiLan asked curiously.

"Jin Ling asked me to bring him here when we hear the news of your collapse. I knew that day when you came to talk to Second Brother that you are not well, but you insisted to talk. Who would've thought you'll be ambushed?"

"We weren't ambushed."

Jin GuangYao was confused at her statement. "Pardon?"

"They've been there; after their first invasion, they didn't left. I managed to kill the half of them before Lan Huan found me on that state. The remaining half didn't left and hid under the rubbles of the valley." She leaned at her pillow comfortably.

"They got an order that if they failed to kill and obtain, remain until they finish the mission."

Jiang WanYin frowned. "Why are they chasing that item?"

"It's like how Jin GuangShan chased after the yin metal that my brother is taking care of: important and powerful. Any ambitious person would want that, of course. They will try to covet that item and will disregard misfortune it will cost to others."

"Is that why you want to give it to Hanguang-Jun?"

"He chase for someone, not for something. He's a good keeper. He would prefer solitude and isolation like me if the person he loves isn't next to him until eternity, that's why I asked Elder Lan. But they refused so I need a backup plan."

"Which is to be the bait?" Jiang WanYin sarcastically said.

"No. I know that they will chase me whether I have the item with me or not. I have been their target all along."

Jin GuangYao and Jiang WanYin were both shocked. "What?"

"If my brother is well-known for being a demonic cultivator, I'm well-known for being a spoil sport bitch for them. I automatically hunts for everything that will cause imbalance to the cultivation world. Of course, that comes as night hunts that I give or do by myself. And for these past years, I've been chipping them off bit by bit."

Both males were speechless with her choice of words and her antics. "Did you, just, told us, that you do something that no one is aware of?"

"It doesn't matter," Wei MeiLan waved her hand to dismiss that thought. "My next work is to finish this before he comes back."