Chapter 108: That’s the End of It. Rose.

Rose.

The keyword they had just set. Lu Zhixia stood at the door, her heart suddenly pounding faster.

She called again, but no one picked up.

Lu Zhixia scrolled through her phone, stunned that she couldn’t find anyone to turn to for help.

She knew so few people in Shen Wanqing’s circle. Out of desperation, she dialed Lin Xuan.

It took a long while for the call to connect, and when it did, Lin Xuan’s voice was hoarse. “Is this urgent?”

“I wouldn’t bother you if it wasn’t.” Lu Zhixia gave a quick rundown of the situation. There was a long silence on the other end, so she prompted, “Lin Xuan?”

“Don’t rush me. Let me think.” Lin Xuan’s breathing trembled. Lu Zhixia caught on. “Secondary Differentiation must hurt like hell, right? I’m sorry—I only called because I had no one else.”

Lin Xuan had been abroad for years and rarely kept in touch with Shen Wanqing unless absolutely necessary. After racking her brain, she said in frustration, “No good. My head’s not working right now. Try someone else first. I’ll keep thinking.”

Her breaths came heavy, so Lu Zhixia gave up and called Shen Tingyun next.

Shen Tingyun’s phone was even worse—temporarily unreachable.

Lu Zhixia could scarcely imagine it: the day Shen Wanqing truly needed to call on her own father for help, only to find his line dead. How utterly desperate she would feel.

No other choice. She called her mother.

Yan Fanghua’s response was calm. “Shen Wanqing is still a Shen in the end. Nothing too bad will happen to her.”

“She sent me the damn danger keyword!” Lu Zhixia wiped at her reddening eyes. “If you’re not going to help, forget it. I’ll find someone who will.”

Without waiting for a reply, Lu Zhixia hung up.

She forced herself to calm down and dialed Chen Chuhan. Though Chen Chuhan ribbed her a bit over words, she still asked for the details and told her to hold tight.

Meanwhile, Lu Zhixia fired off a message in their four-person group chat: Sisters, I’m at Shen Yutang’s front door right now. Shen Wanqing might be in danger. Planning to hop the wall and check it out soon. If you don’t hear from me in the group within an hour, call the cops.

She @mentioned everyone. All three replied in seconds.

Ye Lanxi: Don’t do anything rash. I’m on my way.

Guan Xiuhe: Hang on, Lin Xuan’s reaching out to some contacts.

Jiang Menglai: Me too. Don’t go in alone.

Lu Zhixia felt a swell of gratitude. In moments like these, it was friends who had your back.

The wait was pure agony, every minute and second stretching into eternity. This was supposed to be Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for families to reunite—yet the Shen Family had gone and ruined it.

Chen Chuhan came through first. She figured Shen Wanqing was still somewhere on Shen Family grounds, but the exact spot was unclear.

After casting a hexagram, she advised heading northwest from the main Shen Family compound, toward any areas thick with trees or grass.

Ye Lanxi and Jiang Menglai arrived soon after. Ye Lanxi was against going inside. “You have no idea what’s happening in there. If it’s family business, you’re trespassing.”

“Exactly,” Jiang Menglai agreed, urging patience. “Shen Wanqing’s no child. Those two words—’rose’—might be her way of saying she can’t talk right now, or even warning you off because it’s dangerous.”

Lu Zhixia couldn’t wait any longer. She’d just cursed out Shen Yutang; she feared the old man might take it out on Shen Wanqing.

On that thought, she asked Ye Lanxi, “Got Shen Yutang’s number?”

Ye Lanxi pulled it from her father. Lu Zhixia dialed.

It rang for ages before he finally picked up—without a word.

“Shen Yutang, whatever beef you have, take it out on me.” Lu Zhixia reined in her fury, her brows knitting tight. “I’m right outside the gate. Let me in.”

His voice came low and cold. “Take it out on you? And who the hell are you?”

“So she is in there. What have you done to her?” Lu Zhixia switched to speaker and hit record. “Touch a hair on her head, and I call the police.”

Shen Yutang let out a chill laugh. “Then call them right now.”

He hung up. Lu Zhixia shoved her phone in her pocket, took a few steps back for a run-up, grabbed the wall, and hauled herself over in a flash.

Several meters high, scaled by hand alone—Jiang Menglai and Ye Lanxi could only gape.

Ye Lanxi gave it a try, sprinting and kicking off, but she slid right back down. Craning her neck, she called up, “Don’t be stupid. I’ll call my dad—maybe he can pinpoint Shen Wanqing’s location.”

Jiang Menglai skipped climbing altogether, fishing a small gadget from her pocket and tossing it up. “Unlocked it for you. Just don’t use it in front of anyone.”

Perched atop the wall, Lu Zhixia surveyed the grounds: a sprawling courtyard straight out of an ancient noble estate, compound after compound—she lost track.

Having toured Shen Wanqing’s Cloud Water Manor, the Shen Family Grand Courtyard didn’t faze her much.

Getting her bearings, she dropped down and moved through the estate like a soldier in an obstacle course, vaulting and weaving with ease.

Her footfalls were feather-light. Even when Shen Family members crossed her path, she slipped away unscathed.

The hardest obstacle was the courtyard ahead. Lu Zhixia was about to jump down, but she froze at the sight of pairs of glowing green eyes peering up from the base of the wall.

They all belonged to large hunting dogs. She glanced left and right—the top of the wall was lined with jagged iron spikes. Her only option was to drop down, fight her way through, and scale the wall on the other side.

The dogs seemed even more thrilled than she was, barking ferociously at her. If Lu Zhixia lingered any longer, someone was bound to notice.

She leaped toward a nearby tree and snapped off a fairly sturdy branch.

As she pressed on with her desperate efforts, the scent of Ambergris Pheromone began to waft from her body. The distinctive aura of a top-tier Alpha gradually emanated outward. Clutching the branch tightly, she jumped down without a second thought.

The instant the hunting dogs charged, she swung the makeshift club with all her might. She was in a towering rage, her presence utterly intimidating.

The weaker dogs whimpered and held back, but the fiercer breeds—the Tibetan Mastiff, Wolf Dog, German Shepherd, and others—lunged at her with savage intensity.

The branch in Lu Zhixia’s grip felt like a legendary golden cudgel, clanging loudly against the dogs’ skulls. Howls of agony filled the air as the pack recoiled.

She bolted forward, the dogs hot on her heels. She could bat away those that closed in, but with them nipping at her, there was no chance of getting a running start to climb the wall.

They were biding their time for an opening to sink their teeth in. Lu Zhixia wouldn’t make it across before one latched onto her from behind.

Trapped in the corner against the wall, she faced a dozen snarling beasts. She drove them off a few times before spotting their leader—the Dog King.

At the center stood the alpha Tibetan Mastiff, the undisputed boss. The other dogs followed its every signal.

Lu Zhixia flew into a frenzy. Her Ambergris Pheromone thickened to the point where even the wind couldn’t disperse it. Roaring with fury, she swung her club straight at the Tibetan Mastiff.

She missed, and the beast flew into a rage of its own. It lowered its head, arched its back, while the pack tensed for the assault.

Outnumbered, Lu Zhixia swung wildly left and right—until one dog clamped down on her stick.

The others swarmed in to help, and the Tibetan Mastiff pounced. Lu Zhixia snapped, cursing under her breath as she hurled the stick aside and threw herself at it.

Its massive jaws gaped wide with bloodied fangs. She wedged her hands between them, prying with desperate strength in a brutal wrestling match.

The dog’s legs thrashed wildly. Lu Zhixia reared back her head and smashed it into the beast’s skull.

The Tibetan Mastiff let out a piercing yelp. Her own scalp went numb from the impact, pain blinding her as tears welled up. Still, she gripped its maw and hammered it downward with vicious force.

The Dog King’s agonized cries froze the other dogs in place.

Lu Zhixia lost all restraint, yanking its head and slamming it repeatedly into the ground. The Tibetan Mastiff went silent and limp.

She flung it away and rose, fists clenched, glaring at the pack with predatory menace.

No one—no dogs—dared charge.

Backing up a few steps, Lu Zhixia sprinted forward and hauled herself over the wall, racing northwest.

In a spacious, brightly lit room, Shen Yutang sat in his chair, his secretary frozen in stunned silence behind him.

A young Alpha had actually beaten the master’s prized hunting dogs senseless—especially the lead Tibetan Mastiff, a beast that could chase killers for dozens of miles across the Frontier and drag them down without mercy.

Shen Yutang remained silent, so the secretary held his tongue.

After a long moment, the Tibetan Mastiff shook its head and staggered to its feet.

“Send someone to check on the dogs,” Shen Yutang ordered with a furrowed brow, switching off the monitor. The secretary rushed out to relay the command. One of the men muttered quietly, “The dogs were howling in such misery—why didn’t the master send anyone sooner?”

The secretary had no idea what was going through Shen Yutang’s mind. If he wasn’t distressed over his beloved dogs being knocked out, why bother checking on them? But if he was, why let Lu Zhixia charge right through?

At last, Lu Zhixia reached an isolated courtyard nestled in a thicket of trees.

She was parched and spent, her heart thundering as if it might burst from her chest.

Her head pounded like it was splitting open. Damn, that dog’s skull was like iron. Rubbing her temple, Lu Zhixia caught her breath after all the running, leaping, and scaling—finally vaulting inside the wall.

A dim light flickered from the second floor, curtains drawn tight. She paused below to recover.

Quickly scrolling through her phone, she saw Chen Chuhan had sent more precise intel: dangers lined the path, but once past them, she should be in the clear.

Panting heavily, Lu Zhixia wondered if she’d made it.

Ye Lanxi messaged: Father’s in a meeting; fifteen minutes until it ends. Hang in there.

Lin Xuan chimed in: The Shen Family rules are ironclad. There’s a Punishment Courtyard in the back for anyone who breaks them.

The courtyard was eerily pristine—nothing but grass, and the glass panes looked unusually thick.

After a brief rest, Lu Zhixia’s legs felt rubbery. She still couldn’t be sure Shen Wanqing was inside.

The door was locked, of course. Scanning the area, the only nearby option was a single tree.

She climbed it, eyeing the roof above—too far for a comfortable jump. After a moment’s calculation, she gritted her teeth and leaped.

Momentum carried her body into a roll. She nearly plummeted but snagged the eaves at the last second.

Dangling precariously, she swung for what felt like ages before mustering the strength to pull herself onto the roof.

Lu Zhixia had a bold idea. She pried off a glazed roof tile, only to find another layer beneath it. She cursed under her breath.

She turned toward the chimney instead. It was wide enough, and with her slender frame, she didn’t hesitate to jump right in. The protruding bricks inside gave her footholds as she climbed down slowly. Just before she reached the bottom, her foot slipped, and she landed hard on her butt.

Luckily, it wasn’t chimney season yet, so the flue only carried the faint scent of burned wood. She sprawled on the ground and crawled onward until light appeared ahead.

The dust in the duct billowed around her, stinging her eyes and filling her nose. Sweat poured down her face.

She wiped her brow, but her eyes were full of grit, burning so badly she nearly cried out.

Gritting her teeth through the pain, Lu Zhixia squinted with one eye and crawled toward the light. It led to a fireplace.

She poked her head out. The empty room held only books, a chair, and a desk.

Clink, clink—the sound of chains drew closer. Lu Zhixia followed it with her gaze.

Their eyes met. One pair gleamed red with sorrow; the other was caked in grime, tears carving clean tracks down her filthy cheeks.

Lu Zhixia crawled out, rubbed her eyes, and choked out, “Damn it, Shen Yutang—how could he do this to you!”

Shen Wanqing’s tears, held back for so long, finally fell. She opened her arms.

The moment Lu Zhixia threw herself into that embrace, she pulled back, ducking her head. “I’m filthy.”

Shen Wanqing held her tight. “You idiot. Didn’t I tell you it was dangerous? I told you to stay away.”

As they clung to each other, the door on the second floor creaked open. Shen Yutang stood in the doorway, hands clasped behind his back.

Lu Zhixia had reached her limit. She released Shen Wanqing, wiped her tears, her eyes blazing red with fury. “You old bastard—I won’t let you get away with this!”

Exhausted as she was from her ordeal, Lu Zhixia hadn’t expected an old man to have so much vigor.

It took only a few blows before Shen Yutang pinned her to the floor. Shen Wanqing’s voice trembled with restraint. “Grandfather, I hope you’ll keep your word. Please let her go.”

Shen Yutang pressed down on Lu Zhixia, his voice deep. “You want to save her?”

“You old coot! How can you imprison your own granddaughter? Have you no humanity left?” Lu Zhixia spat at him.

Shen Yutang ignored her venom and asked again, “Do you want to save her?”

“Yes! Even if I die tonight, I’ll take her out of here!” Lu Zhixia’s veins bulged as she bared her teeth.

With a sudden shove, Shen Yutang released her. She staggered to her feet. He turned away, hands behind his back. “I’ll give you a way out.” He faced them again. “You insulted your elder first, then trespassed into the Shen Family grounds. By our family rules, you’d face severe punishment. But for Wanqing’s sake, if you leave now, you’ll avoid more trouble. Kneel, apologize to me, and I’ll let bygones be bygones. You can take her with you today.”

“Grandfather!” Shen Wanqing cried sharply. “Don’t push your luck!”

“Will you kneel?” Shen Yutang asked, still facing away. “This is your one chance.”

Shen Wanqing’s eyes burned red as she stared at Lu Zhixia, her own veins taut, her voice strained. “Go.”

Lu Zhixia didn’t budge. Shen Wanqing shouted at her, “Go!”

Dragging her chains, Shen Wanqing approached and shoved her. “I said go! Didn’t you hear me?”

“Will you keep your word?” Lu Zhixia’s bloodshot eyes looked ready to bleed.

“Of course.”

“If you go back on it, you won’t leave this house tonight either.” As she spoke, Lu Zhixia walked to the door and flung it open.

Shen Wanqing was furious beyond words, her teeth gritted as her voice shook. “Lu Zhixia, get out of here now.”

Lu Zhixia sniffled, took two steps back, and slowly bent her knees.

Shen Wanqing broke into hysterical sobs. “If you kneel, never come find me again!”

Lu Zhixia’s body stiffened. She shot Shen Wanqing a red-eyed glance, her deep-seated rage and hatred impossible to hide.

The instant she dropped to her knees with a thud, Shen Yutang sidestepped her, yanked open the door, and tossed a key over from the threshold, frowning. “Go.”

Lu Zhixia scrambled for the key. As she unlocked the chains, a tear splashed onto her hair. She felt it.

She rose and reached for Shen Wanqing’s hand—but Shen Wanqing pulled away. Her tear-streaked eyes brimmed with heartbreak and disappointment, her tone colder than ever before. “Lu Zhixia, it’s over.”

Shen Wanqing descended the stairs with heavy steps. Lu Zhixia stood alone in place. She’d survived all the terror along the way, but this final rejection broke her—she wept like a child.