Chapter 305: Qiao Ying: "I and Blood shadow..." Qin Hanyu: "I carry you"
Chapter 305
Moon Shadow stared intently into Qiao Ying's eyes.
Though they were two distinctly different pairs of eyes, their gazes were identical, even the aura around their bodies was the same.
It was too bizarre. Aside from her looks and height proving she wasn't Blood Shadow's clone, everything else was telling Moon Shadow she was!
Moon Shadow's words exploded in Qin Hanyue's mind.
He looked at Qiao Ying in disbelief.
A killer cultivated by Blood Shadow? A gene replicated copy of Blood Shadow?
Yet Qiao Ying simply said, "I agreed to cooperate with you?"
Moon Shadow: "Although my abilities don't compare with yours, I'm definitely outstanding within Dark Shadow. You'd also be hard pressed to find a better guide who understands Dark Shadow more than I do."
He believed he had great value.
"Any sensible person wouldn't reject me, unless you're completely confident you can manage without me. In that case pretend I never appeared."
"I'd be very grateful if you could get rid of Dark Shadow."
Qiao Ying looked at him. The two gazed at each other through the rain curtain. Her voice was drowned out by the sound of rain, "Me and Blood Shadow..."
Both Moon Shadow and Qin Hanyue stared intently at her.
Just when tensions were high, they were met with Qiao Ying's line: "You'll never know." Even Qin Hanyue didn't know yet, so what was Moon Shadow? Did she want him to confess everything to her? Whether she chose to cooperate or not was up to her.
Qiao Ying didn't take him seriously at all.
The fact that Moon Shadow sought her out meant he would be at the mercy of her decision.
A moon Shadow who chose to defect had no other choice but to work with her to deal with JOKER.
Unless he was willing to live like a sewer rat hiding in the darkness for the rest of his life. That was if he could even hide from them.
If found, the consequences were unthinkable.
Moon Shadow only felt that Qiao Ying was arrogantly overconfident. But she did easily kill the Ace of Spades and King of Hearts, so she had the ability to back it up.
This made Moon Shadow feel even more familiar with her.
And Qiao Ying's arrogance didn't stop there. Moon Shadow heard her say, "I'll contact you when I have use for you."
Moon Shadow: "......"
Qiao Ying: "I remember you having a good relationship with Flowing Shadow."
Moon Shadow looked at her in surprise, "Blood Shadow told you?"
Qiao Ying: "Don't keep wondering about my relationship with her."
After gazing at her for a while, Moon Shadow said, "I'll go find him."
Moon Shadow immediately left to look for Flowing Shadow. More allies meant better odds. That was on the premise he could successfully get Flowing Shadow to defect.
Soon, Moon Shadow's figure disappeared into the streets.
Qiao Ying retracted her gaze. "Let's go."
Qin Hanyue looked at her. His mind was filled with thousands of thoughts, yet he didn't ask anything. Qiao Ying also didn't give him a chance.
He put his arm around her and they continued walking towards the hotel.
After not even walking for a while, Qiao Ying stopped again.
Qin Hanyue's nerves, which had just relaxed, tensed up again.
"What's wrong?" He looked warily all around.
Yet Qiao Ying simply said, "Don't want to walk, dirty."
She looked ahead at the road. The heavy rain had drenched the ground, which was actually quite clean without any rubbish or puddles in sight.
It was only a seven to eight minute walk from here to the hotel.
Qin Hanyue said, "I'll give you a piggyback ride."
He half-squatted in front of Qiao Ying, while tilting the umbrella towards the back, making sure Qiao Ying stayed under it the whole time. Currently half-squatting, most of the umbrella coverage was for Qiao Ying behind him.
Qiao Ying said, "Give me the umbrella."
Qin Hanyue said, "It's fine, I can manage."
Qiao Ying got on his back.
Qin Hanyue carried her up. One hand held the umbrella, the other arm wrapped around to support her back as he headed towards the hotel with her piggybacking.
Qiao Ying's legs dangled at his sides and she rested her arms comfortably over his shoulders, feeling the chill emanating from him the moment she leaned against his back——he had given her his coat.
Qin Hanyue absorbed Qiao Ying's warmth through their intimate contact. This kind of closeness was very comforting to his heart, especially since she was the one who initiated it.
When Qin Hanyue offered to piggyback Qiao Ying earlier, she didn't say anything and naturally just offered to hold the umbrella. Qin Hanyue knew that meant she just wanted him to give her a piggyback ride. Fortunately he wasn't silly enough to suggest taking a cab instead.
Just then, he heard Qiao Ying's voice right next to his ear, "That man is Dark Shadow's assassin, called Moon Shadow."
Qin Hanyue asked, "He betrayed Dark Shadow?"
Qiao Ying said, "Mm."
Qin Hanyue slightly turned his head, "Can he be trusted? Dark Shadow excels in cunning schemes and disguises. What if it's a trap?" Could Blood Shadow's death...have hidden circumstances? Otherwise how could there be talk of avenging her?
Qiao Ying's tone was light, as if chatting about what to eat for dinner that night. "He's doomed if he stays in Dark Shadow."
Qin Hanyue didn't understand, "Why?"
Qiao Ying said, "Dark Shadow has mastered cloning technology. The castle in the desert I had Cheng Jinyan blow up, that was where they cultivated the clones."
Qin Hanyue was shocked, "Clones?"
As the meaning of that word sank in, he asked, "So Dark Shadow's leader plans to clone all of the organization's assassins? Then kill the originals?"
Qiao Ying said, "Clones are easier to control than the originals right."
Following that train of thought, Qin Hanyue asked, "Why do they keep saying you have ties with Blood Shadow? Just now, that Moon Shadow said you're...a replicated copy of Blood Shadow's genes? Why did he say that?" Did Blood Shadow's death...have extenuating circumstances? Otherwise how could there be talk of avenging her?
As if discussing what to eat for dinner, Qiao Ying casually said, "Because I resemble Blood Shadow."
Qin Hanyue asked, "Where's the resemblance?"
Resting on his shoulder, Qiao Ying looked at him.
She seemed to detect unease and panic inside him.
Sensing it, Qin Hanyue looked back at her again, nearly touching cheeks. Seeing Qiao Ying remain silent, Qin Hanyue controlled his thoughts. His tone was very good: "It's fine if you don't want to talk about it."
Qiao Ying told him, "I'm a real living person, what are you afraid of."
All unease inside Qin Hanyue instantly disappeared with her words. "Mm."
Things suddenly became clear to him.
It wasn't important who she was.
Qiao Ying said, "I'm hungry, hurry up."
Qin Hanyue lifted her more securely onto his back. "Alright."
The two returned to their hotel for a meal before leaving again.
It had poured rain nonstop for several days now with no signs of letting up.
Having just found a new place to stay, they moved from one end of town to the other. After spending two nights at the hotel, they came out for some fresh air.
It had just stopped raining and the ground was still wet.
After walking for a while, Qiao Ying slowed to a stop.
Finally standing still, she said to Qin Hanyue, "I want grapes."
Qin Hanyue replied, "We passed a fruit shop on the street just now, want to go over now?"
Qiao Ying said, "You go."
Qin Hanyue asked, "Not going together?"
Qiao Ying lazily said, "Lazy."
Qin Hanyue offered, "I can piggyback you."
Qiao Ying insisted, "You go."
Qin Hanyue looked at her. Her complexion seemed normal. "Go? Alright, wait here. I'll be right back."
Qiao Ying said, "Mm."
Hearing her agreement, only then did Qin Hanyue hurry off. His figure swiftly faded into the distance.
The moment Qin Hanyue left, so did Qiao Ying.
Having just arrived, Qiao Ying didn't know the area well. She headed towards the more secluded spots until reaching an isolated corner.
Qiao Ying said, "Come out now."
A person emerged, skinny figure, sharp features, devoid of any human emotion in his eyes.
It wasn't Xiao Yi, nor was it Feng Ying.
It was the Feng Ying clone who shouldn't exist.