078 The Crimson Birthmark (A Must Read ~ Please Give Five Stars ~ Please Vote ~)

Two figures plummeted together. What began as arrows flying side by side soon became a tangled embrace, inseparable in their descent. As they fell at breakneck speed, the man held her soft waist in an unyielding grip. Gradually, with fervent warmth shining in his eyes, he pushed back the layers of chill within her.

Amidst the roar of wind rushing past her ears and the feverish thrum of the heart pressed to her chest, she trembled, revealing a fragile vulnerability. The corners of her eyes tinged red, and at last, a familiar warmth blossomed through her cold reserve.

The man smiled in relief, lifted his hand, and pressed her head firmly against his heart.

“It’s him—how could it be—it's truly him!” came the tumultuous thought.

At that very moment—

Splash—

The two figures merged into one, crashing with a resounding impact. As they struck the water, the man angled his body and, deftly, pushed off a protruding rock wall with his legs. Instantly, they vaulted forward, deftly avoiding a series of jagged stones.

Beneath the water, danger lurked at every turn. Without this man at her side, Mu Qingcheng would surely have been injured—perhaps gravely, perhaps lightly, but injury was inevitable. Though the pair narrowly avoided harm, the black-clad pursuers behind them were not so fortunate.

Underwater, gravity was lost; no matter how skilled a swimmer, one still needed time to react. In the chaos, many crashed straight into the protruding rocks upon entry—

Scarlet blood blossomed, spreading and dissolving into the lake, vanishing without a trace.

Si Qingchen held the woman tightly in his arms. Even though he hadn’t removed his mask, certainty grew in his heart. The two now stood at the edge of a precipitous cliff, the man gripping the mountain’s sides and sheltering the woman in his embrace.

But after only a few seconds, the woman abruptly shoved him away and lunged forward. In her hand gleamed a sharp, compact dagger. Facing an oncoming black-clad attacker, she tore open his throat before he could react. Then, raising her foot, she kicked his body, using the momentum to leap upward toward her next target.

In an instant, a red trail—like ethereal water vapor—marked her passage, then gradually faded, erasing all evidence she had ever been there. Just as the moniker "Trace-less" implied, she left no mark behind.

In that moment, the man’s gaze remained fixed on her, and when a shadow flickered across the water’s surface, he rushed forward and pulled her back into his arms.

Almost simultaneously—

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang—

A hail of bullets descended once more, piercing the water and peppering it with tiny holes. The black-clad men had no chance to evade, exposed in the water and mercilessly riddled, their bodies shredded. Overhead, the helicopter prowled savagely, indiscriminate in its attack, firing relentlessly at any sign of life, determined to eradicate every living thing below.

On this side—

Because of the man’s sudden move, Mu Qingcheng dropped her dagger. She was gathered once more into his broad arms, her chest burning for air as her oxygen rapidly dwindled.

At that moment, a shadow appeared abruptly, blocking what little dim light remained. Before she could react, the man’s lips parted from hers.

Her chest flooded with fresh oxygen, Mu Qingcheng looked up in astonishment. She saw the gentle curve of his eyes—so achingly familiar.

“You…”

But before the words could form, a glaring white light flared behind Si Qingchen’s head. He had no chance to turn before a thunderous explosion rocked the water.

Boom—

Even beneath the surface, the shockwaves reverberated. The force slammed into the man’s back, and as he instinctively expelled his last breath, through the swirling currents and dense bubbles, he glimpsed the vivid red of a birthmark.

The next moment,

Pain overwhelmed him—

And he fell into unconsciousness.