The Legendary Female Strategist

Chapter 23 - The Truth Behind Her Mask

A/N: Warning! This chapter contains explicit material that may not be suited for young readers.

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The night was pitch black as Feng Yao walked down the city streets. When she reached the corner, she abruptly changed direction and headed down a familiar street.

Everything looked the same as usual; a few darkened shops and buildings, the occasional stray animal hiding in the corners, and the sight of the uneven muddy road greeted her eyes.

She glanced over towards a small, abandoned shack on the side. It had used to be such an easy building to spot, but now it had been overtaken by weeds and wild flora that made it blend into the background. The few stray vines climbing over the windows and walls made the house look almost untouched since the last time she'd been here.

Almost.

Her eyes flickered over towards a hidden stump within the tall grass. Feng Yao briefly paused before making her way to it. The small tree she was so used to seeing in front of the old man's clinic had already been chopped down. Most likely, it had been taken by trespassers who had stolen it for firewood.

I wonder what that old man would say if he saw how his clinic looked like now. Was it really worth it leaving behind this small illusion of happiness to enter the merciless world of politics once again?

There was a strange sort of sadness hidden behind her masked expression.

Was it worth it, old man? Did you really hate me that much?

A memory flashed in her mind.

Stumbling from hunger and exhaustion, the legs of the little girl finally gave way. She collapsed into the middle of the street as the burning sun laughed at her. Her lungs ached and her heart was pumping wildly as her body tried to stay alive. But it was almost as though she was already past the point of saving.

Not even one of the passing citizens of the city spared her a glance as they all pretended not to notice the dying child laying at the edge of the street. They knew that it was better to not be involved in such trouble.

She could feel her eyelids getting heavier and heavier as she felt sleep begin to overcome her. The logical part of her brain warned her that if she gave in, she'd never wake up again.

But there was nothing keeping her in this world. She had no family. No friends. No one to remember. And no one to remember her. What was even the point of living?

Just as she was about to finally let go of her consciousness, a child's voice suddenly called out as they touched her shoulder filling her with unfamiliar warmth.

"Hey! Are you okay!?"

At that moment, the wind suddenly picked up and blew a cold gust of air across Feng Yao's skin. It was as thought it was whispering a secret that only she could hear.

Her memory from earlier was forgotten as she tilted her head up to look at the stars that somehow seemed dimmer than usual. But perhaps this could work in her favor.

A wry smile came across her lips as she bent down towards the tree stump and began to dig in the dirt exactly at a right angle to its base.

Her hands soon became stained dark with dirt almost the same color as if her hands were to be stained with blood. But still, she continued to search in the dirt until she finally felt something. Feeling the object buried deep in the ground, she quickly began to clear away the dirt around it before pulling it out.

It was a small black box about the size of a quarter of her palm. With its size, no wonder no one had been able to find it before.

There were no engravings, ornaments, or any other indication of what could be inside. It really looked just like a simple and insignificant black box. When Feng Yao lifted it up to the moonlight, she couldn't even spot the crack for opening it up. But seeing this, she only gave a dry chuckle.