Chapter 18 Escape and an Unexpected Reunion
Chapter 18: Escape and an Unexpected Reunion?
Just as Vivian was marveling, Bai Li’s engraving knife was flying, and soon he had made something resembling a key.
“You probably didn’t know I could make master keys, did you?” When the dark guard took him around the castle that day, he had already memorized the layout and drawn up the plans.
He had secretly made the key to the drawbridge leading outside, and Vivian hadn’t even noticed.
Bai Li knew that staying like this would probably drain him completely, and their stances were fundamentally different. Escaping back to the Empire was much better than being some prince here. Who knew how this white-haired demon would torture him next.
Vivian stared at the shattered brick, lost in thought. No wonder when Rose Hall ambushed the chaotic Frost Moon Knights, they still suffered about one-to-one casualties.
“You just want to use my technology, but sorry, I’ll soon be saying goodbye.”
Then he quickly carved out a gun stock. With these operations, a simple firearm was completed. Though “firearm” was a term he had coined.
“Hmm, seems you do have some skills.” Vivian bent down, affectionately patting Bai Li’s head.
“How many times have I told you, don’t touch me with your dirty hands.” He removed his goggles, gathered his tools, and after cleaning the workbench, turned around.
“Don’t be so tsundere, what’s wrong? I haven’t bullied you.”
Bai Li couldn’t be bothered with Vivian’s nonsense. He knew vampires were always full of energy. If he could escape to outside the castle, he could use teleportation to escape in one step.
“The key is to find a way to distract Vivian and those omnipresent dark guards.” The dark guards should be easy to handle; Bai Li’s disguise could fool them.
…
Days dragged on like this, with Vivian showing no signs of becoming busy, and Therese had vanished like she’d evaporated.
At her request, he was now learning so-called noble etiquette in his room. This couldn’t be criticized; it was truly a maze of formalities.
Only in the deep of night did he have a brief hour of rest. He had already planned his escape route, with the master key and map in hand.
After Wensa returned from Mist City, he was the one managing Rose Hall’s affairs, acting as if he were the hall master.
“Vivian, you’re being such a hands-off boss, exploiting me to this extent?” he complained with a bitter smile. “Since when does a queen not handle affairs?”
Vivian felt a bit guilty, as what Wensa said was indeed true.
“Uh, Wensa, thank you for your hard work.” She looked at the clock on the wall; it was already one in the morning. “Let’s go to the council hall now.”
“Finally remembered! If you don’t take care of some proper business, Duke Dakuf next door will think something’s happened to you.”
For once, Vivian left the place, and for the moment, she truly forgot about Bai Li. The accumulated affairs of this period were too much for Wensa to handle alone.
“Regarding the embodiment of elegance, one must start with cultivated language, Your Highness…”
He couldn’t absorb a single word of the court teacher’s lengthy sermon. Since Vivian wasn’t watching him, wasn’t this a good opportunity?
Bai Li slightly activated his skill, and a layer of frost gradually covered the old professor’s feet.
“Your Highness, what are you—” Before he could finish, Bai Li had already frozen him into an ice sculpture. His mouth agape, frozen at that moment, as if there were still many unfinished words to say.
“Finally shut up, you old thing.” Bai Li quietly opened the door, followed his planned route, jumped out the window, and evaded sentries by hiding in the forest below.
The footbridge ahead had dark guards. He flashed to the treetop, and below were the familiar spears.
After circling around, he had to climb and quickly cross over the dome. Under the moonlight, Bai Li’s fleeing figure appeared somewhat disheveled.
He took out the pistol he had prepared earlier, which had been in his toolbox—fortunately, Vivian hadn’t recognized it—aimed at the dark guard by the drawbridge, and fired. The guard silently fell to the ground, asleep.
“Good thing there were a few tranquilizer bullets left, otherwise it would have been troublesome.” Bai Li turned the master key, and with the creaking sound of the drawbridge, the path to freedom lay ahead.
The loud noise alerted Vivian and Wensa in the council hall, and both immediately looked in that direction.
“You really dare to run?” Vivian’s voice turned cold, her pupils glowing red. She immediately broke through the window and flew towards the drawbridge.
“Damn it, hurry up and activate, teleportation array…” Bai Li chanted the spell, an ice-blue magic array rising beneath his feet. As he happened to look up, he saw a red light rapidly rushing towards him in the distance.
“Damn, she’s caught up. Need to be faster…” Bai Li frantically channeled the magic in his body. Outside the teleportation array, Vivian had him completely suppressed, her scythe about to strike down.
In the critical moment, Bai Li hurriedly input coordinates. Only a streak of blue light flashed. Vivian’s strike missed, leaving a terrifying gash on the drawbridge.
…
“That was close, luckily that white demon was a step too slow.” Bai Li wiped his sweat. The coordinates were at the northern coastline of the Empire.
This wasn’t far from the Day Fortress, although the fortress had been recaptured, the Frost Moon Knight Bai Li would probably only exist in history books now.
He walked slowly, looking at his reflection in the water—completely unrecognizable.
In the moonlight, a white-robed girl in the distance gazed at the sparkling sea. Waves washed over her feet as she waited, watching for someone’s return.
Following the footprints on the beach, Bai Li looked up and saw that familiar person in front of him.
“Lan? What’s she doing here?” Bai Li shook his head. “Nevermind, now’s not the time to see her. First, I need to find a place to hide for a while. Who knows how the Empire has changed after being away so long.”
At the other end of the coastline was a forest. This godforsaken place was over a hundred kilometers from the nearest city. And in this border region, who knew if Vivian would come after him?
That strike of hers wasn’t holding back at all. If teleportation hadn’t been quick enough, that leg would have been crippled by that blow.
Following the coastline northward would lead to Rose Hall and the Sea of the Dead. The cold seawater froze upon contact with him.
At some point, the distant girl had appeared behind him. She caressed his cheek, and somehow, the way she touched him felt strange.
“Little brother, how did you end up here?” Lan’s voice was enchanting, startling Bai Li.
“Uh, I… I…” For the moment, he couldn’t find an excuse to fob off Lan. He was still wearing an elaborate shirt, though it had been torn in many places during his escape.
“It’s alright, Sister Lan will take you home.” She took Bai Li’s hand, walking step by step towards the distance.
…
“Sister Vivian, where’s Brother Prince Bai?” As soon as Therese returned, she bounced around eagerly asking.
“Uh, Prince Brother Bai seems to have gotten lost and wandered to the coastline. Now let’s go bring him back together.” Vivian said with a forced smile, while crushing the teacup in her hand.
“Hey, don’t be angry, Sister Vivian. Therese will go with you.”
Vivian nodded and left for the coastline with Therese. After all, tracking one’s own bloodline aura wasn’t difficult, and with Bai Li’s limited energy, he couldn’t teleport very far.
“Therese, don’t worry, I can feel he’s at the coastline heading towards the Empire. I don’t know what those people might do to him, so we need to move quickly.”
Vivian’s expression was serious, and Therese could see she was truly angry.
“Seems I really need to put a chain on him. Didn’t expect him to run so fast.” She gritted her teeth, refusing to allow what belonged to her to leave.
…