Three Lives of Fortune - Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Before I could even ask how he ended up taking Lu Tingsheng as his Adoptive Father, I saw one of my lackeys running toward me in a blind panic.

“Boss, this is bad!” the boy cried, terrified. “Government troops are here to wipe us out!”

I snapped at him, “What nonsense are you talking? Old Qin pays the government plenty of silver every year!”

“But they’re already at our front gates!” the boy wailed.

A terrible premonition suddenly gripped me. I turned to Jiang Jingyan, forcing myself to stay calm. “Your Adoptive Father wouldn’t get here this fast, would he?”

He looked up at me. “In my opinion, it is possible.”

What rotten luck!

How did I end up kidnapping this jinx?

Unfortunately, since he was the son of a former comrade-in-arms, I couldn’t bring myself to give him a beating to vent my frustration. Instead, I grabbed him and dragged him to the front of the stronghold.

My plan was to return him in exchange for some temporary peace.

But to my surprise, I didn’t even have the standing to negotiate with Lu Tingsheng.

Hundreds of people from the stronghold had already been rounded up. Even my father and mother were being held at swordpoint.

Alarmed, I scanned the crowd for Lu Tingsheng.

Actually, I didn’t even have to look. I spotted him instantly, sitting atop a horse clad in black armor.

He was surrounded by such a murderous aura that for a moment, I almost didn’t recognize him.

He had changed so much.

I quickly snapped back to my senses and pulled Jiang Jingyan forward, pressing a dagger against his throat. “If you don’t want him dead, release everyone in my stronghold!”

Jiang Jingyan played along perfectly, shouting, “Adoptive Father, save me! Adoptive Father, save me!”

Lu Tingsheng looked over at the sound of his voice. The moment our eyes met, I – rare as it was – actually stuttered.

What a joke!

Ha! Could I, the great female war goddess, really be intimidated by a single look from him?

I cleared my throat and was about to speak when he cut me off.

“Come here.”

His voice was slightly raspy and devoid of emotion.

I blinked, then glanced at Jiang Jingyan beside me and understood.

He was talking to him.

I, a whole living person, had been completely ignored.

Well, with my short fuse, I immediately pressed the dagger forward.

The blade nicked Jiang Jingyan’s skin, making him scream in terror.

Let’s see if Lu Tingsheng dares to ignore me now.

Just as I was about to speak, the sound of wind whistling past my ear reached me. I instinctively tilted my head.

A sharp arrow flew right past my face.

If I had been even a second slower, there would be a hole in my head.

I broke into a cold sweat. This Lu Tingsheng was even more ruthless than I used to be!

Lu Tingsheng spared me a fleeting glance. “Your reactions aren’t bad.”

My parents were terrified as well, shouting, “Huanyan, are you alright?”

I saw Lu Tingsheng’s expression shift. The look he directed at me was now filled with scrutiny.

It made sense. Hearing the name of an old friend – especially one he had personally caused the death of – he was bound to feel at least a little guilty.