Chapter 240: Sniper’s Gambit

The soil was damp. Morgana followed Yu Qingxue deeper into the woods, remaining vigilant at all times, ready for an enemy to spring a sudden attack from the shadows. A single bullet to a vital spot meant death. She looked up at the moon; it resembled a golden sickle. No matter what, someone was going to die today. Either them, or the assassin who had dared to strike.

“I see footprints.”

Yu Qingxue crouched down.

An M40 sniper rifle sat where it had been left. Its wielder had long since fled, leaving behind a trail of footprints, some deep, some shallow. They were made by Martin boots. The sniper rifle had a dedicated tripod and stock support, and the weapon itself had been maintained to a pristine, spotless shine. From these details, one could roughly deduce that the attacker was no amateur, but a professional killer.

And yet, he had missed his shot earlier.

“We were really lucky just now. If that guy had hit his mark, we’d be dead as doornails.”

“It’s a real shame. It would have been better if a person like you had died.” Morgana crossed her arms and spoke coldly.

She stepped forward, intending to get closer to the sniper rifle. However, Yu Qingxue immediately grabbed Morgana’s hand and stopped her in her tracks.

At the exact same moment, a violent explosion erupted near the sniper rifle. The weapon left at the scene had been rigged as a booby trap.

“I just saved your life. How dare you touch something the enemy left behind on a battlefield? Do you have a death wish?”

Morgana stared at the flames caused by the explosion, her heart still pounding with fear. The powerful blast wave had nearly sent her flying. If Yu Qingxue hadn’t pulled her back, that explosion would have been enough to blast her body into pieces, a truly gruesome sight.

“The enemy seems to be an expert. We need to be careful.” Yu Qingxue rested her chin on her hand, a cold smile touching her alluring, snow-white face.

A reckless pursuit would certainly cost them a heavy price in blood.

But Yu Qingxue was in no hurry.

The one who should be in a hurry right now was the assassin who had dared to try and kill her. The sound of police sirens was already echoing from the surroundings. Looking down from the hill, several police cars arrived in quick succession, and a helicopter had even been deployed. Its rotors created a violent noise in the sky as a searchlight swept through the forest, seeking any tiny trace or clue.

The local authorities had sent the Special Assault Team (SAT). These weren’t ordinary police officers. They wouldn’t fire a warning shot; upon spotting the attacker, they would shoot to kill.

“Even a helicopter has arrived. That means that punk’s already got a three-star wanted level. There’s absolutely no way he’s getting away.”

If the assassin had simply fled right from the start, he might have had a chance. But instead, he’d set up so many traps, wasting precious time.

Even if Yu Qingxue and Morgana didn’t lift a finger now, the attacker would inevitably be executed on the spot by the Special Assault Team. Still, Yu Qingxue intended to kill him personally. There were some things she wanted to get a clear answer about.

“Morgana, follow me. Just stay behind me and absolutely don’t run off on your own. And don’t go picking things up off the ground to eat, either.”

Truthfully, having Morgana tag along would only get in Yu Qingxue’s way. However, if she left the girl unattended, she might meet with disaster. Considering that Morgana had just tried to protect her, Yu Qingxue didn’t want her to die now.

She heard it.

It was very faint.

If one didn’t listen carefully, it might be mistaken for the wind. But Yu Qingxue was certain it was the sound of the assassin’s footsteps. She quickly ran in that direction, passing several forks in the path, her pace growing faster and faster.

This hill wasn’t actually very large. After Morgana had made the call for help, the entire perimeter had been completely sealed off.

The killer was trapped, with no hope of escape. Since death was certain either way, the assassin should quickly come to that realization, then turn around and face Yu Qingxue in a direct confrontation.

“Watch out!”

Yu Qingxue suddenly shoved Morgana hard, pushing her into a nearby thicket of bushes. From a dark spot beside them, a muzzle flashed. A bullet flew towards Yu Qingxue at high speed, a burst of automatic fire spitting out, intent on turning her into a sieve.

Yet, unbelievably, Yu Qingxue stood there completely unharmed. In her hand, a blue-glowing tachi had appeared out of thin air. She had once used this treasured blade in Bincheng to deal with a few troublesome street thugs who blocked her path.

And now, she had drawn this weapon again.

This tachi was a treasure that Eldest Miss Tsukiyuki Rio had bestowed upon her.

“Qingxue, this weapon is from the 23rd century. They say it can slice bullets apart.”

Eldest Miss Tsukiyuki Rio’s words still echoed in her ears.

Yu Qingxue had never tried to cut a bullet with a future treasured blade before. But just moments ago, she had proven through action that this truly was a weapon that could cleave bullets. Held in her hand, the tachi seemed to possess a will of its own, rapidly guiding Yu Qingxue’s wrist to slash horizontally and vertically, creating a wind wall formed from condensed cuts.

“This sword is so quick? It’s just like Yasuo.”

Yu Qingxue was somewhat surprised.

Compared to Yu Qingxue, the one who was most shocked at this moment was the assassin. He stared in disbelief at the scene before him. A tachi formed of ghostly blue light was practically like a prop straight out of Star Wars. Just what in the world was this?

Was this some kind of magic fantasy?

“What the hell is that thing…”

The sniper emerged from the darkness, trembling. His failure to kill Yu Qingxue just now meant he no longer needed to keep hiding.

Rather than continue to cower in the shadows, he might as well face death head-on, in the open. That would be far more satisfying.

“Woman, someone paid me to kill you. The deposit alone was two hundred thousand US dollars. I thought this job would be a piece of cake. I even considered retiring after finishing this contract with you, washing my hands of the trade and spending my golden years near the Alps. I never imagined I’d end up tripping over you in the end. What a shame.”

The sound of dense, approaching footsteps echoed in the distance.

The Special Assault Team was rapidly advancing towards the hill.

“I have to say, it really is a shame, bro.” Yu Qingxue casually swung the tachi in her hand. The arm of the sniper, standing five meters away, instantly disintegrated into flying ash at the mere gesture. “Care to share who sent you to kill me?”

“I may be a killer, but I have my own professional code of honor.” The agony of having both arms severed and turned to ash by the tachi made the sniper break out in a cold sweat. “Anyway, why don’t you think hard about who you’ve pissed off recently?”

“Who have I pissed off recently?”

Could it really be… was he sent by Eldest Miss Tsukiyuki Rio to eliminate her?

Yu Qingxue glared at the sniper, trying to glean any tiny clue from him.

“If you tell me who sent you, I might just spare your miserable life.”

“Fine. I’ll confess honestly. The Tsukiyuki Family sent me.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Morgana raised her hand and put a single bullet right between the sniper’s eyes.

The sniper crumpled to the ground.

Three minutes later, the Special Forces arrived at the scene. Since Yu Qingxue and Morgana were maids of Tsukiyuki Rio, the government agency didn’t subject them to much questioning.

“Qingxue, there’s no way the Eldest Miss sent him.”

“I know that, of course. If the Young Lady Tsukiyuki were to send someone, they wouldn’t be limited to just this level of skill.”

Yu Qingxue let out a cold laugh and began walking down the mountain.