Behind the Mask - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Trapped
In the forest, the cold wind howled. Following a shrill scream, dark red blood stained the snow-covered ground, then froze in the bitter cold.
A single sword strike to the throat. The man lying on the ground was no longer breathing. His eyes were wide open, his stiffened face twisted and ferocious.
In the wind and snow, the woman standing with a sword was slender and young, but her strikes were incomparably ruthless. Her face was mostly hidden by a mask, her expression unclear, but the corner of her mouth revealed a hint of calm.
The last bit of trouble was dealt with faster than Chu Ye had expected. She thought it would take five moves, but in the end, it only took three. Her swordsmanship seemed to have improved again.
Chu Ye sheathed her longsword and turned to the person behind her. "No one will be chasing us for now." She thought the other woman must be terrified. How could a young lady from a great, noble family bear to witness such a scene?
Bai Ning was silent for a long time. She had indeed never seen such a scene. The air was still thick with the smell of blood, which wafted over with the wind, making one want to retch.
At that moment, the wind and snow grew stronger, a vast expanse of white pressing in on them.
Chu Ye looked around and realized they were in even bigger trouble. After fleeing through the deep mountains for a night, they were now completely unable to tell which way to go in the heavy snow.
Bai Ning choked on the cold wind and broke into a violent fit of coughing.
Seeing that they couldn't travel in this weather, Chu Ye thought it better to find a place to take shelter first and figure things out later. Second Miss Bai had always been frail and certainly couldn't withstand such exposure to the wind.
"Let's find a place to hide for a bit. This snow won't stop anytime soon."
Bai Ning nodded.
Chu Ye couldn't find the path. This place was called the Linked Ring Mountains; there were no main roads, only small trails that twisted and turned like a maze. Even hunters who frequented the mountains could easily get lost and had to leave markers along the way. But after the heavy snow, the paths were now all blocked, to say nothing of any markers leading down the mountain.
After walking for a while, they found a stone cave. It was a stroke of luck; inside the cave was some dry straw and firewood, likely a temporary shelter for hunters.
Chu Ye arranged a pile of firewood and started a fire with the flint she carried. Sparks crackled, and a wave of warmth rose within the small cave.
The two of them sat around the fire, neither speaking. Chu Ye stared at the dancing flames, occasionally stealing a glance at Bai Ning. She must be terrified.
Abducted by assassins, nearly losing her life, and then witnessing a bloody murder with her own eyes—anyone would be terrified after experiencing so much in a single day.
Chu Ye poked the fire with a small branch, making the flames burn brighter. She remained silent. She was just a guard; her job was to protect the person she was meant to protect, and nothing more.
"Take the money, do the job. Don't get too friendly with the client. It'll save you a lot of trouble." That's what Elder Sister and Big Brother often told her.
Bai Ning's body had warmed up considerably. Her gaze fell on the face of the girl before her. In the firelight, the mask didn't seem so cold and sinister.
As an outstanding guard, Chu Ye was naturally vigilant and noticed Bai Ning staring at her. She pretended not to know, keeping her head down. She was only good at protecting people, not at interacting with them.
"You're bleeding," Bai Ning said softly, staring at the back of Chu Ye's hand.
"Hm?" Chu Ye came back to her senses and saw the bloodstain on the back of her hand. She immediately explained, "It's not my blood. I got it on me by accident. Those men couldn't hurt me."
The emphasis was on the last sentence. A hint of pride was subtly revealed in Chu Ye's words.
The brief exchange somewhat eased the bloody, heavy atmosphere from before. Bai Ning took out a handkerchief and offered it to her.
Chu Ye froze for a moment. The embroidery on the white handkerchief was exquisite. She felt embarrassed to take it. "I'll get it dirty."
Bai Ning smiled faintly. "It's alright."
Chu Ye glanced at her smile, then quickly lowered her head again. By then, the handkerchief had been pressed into her palm. She had no choice but to take it and wipe the blood from her hand.
"What's your name?" Bai Ning began to make conversation with the masked woman.
"Chu Ye."
"Chu Ye..." Bai Ning gazed at her, repeating the name softly.
Chu Ye unintentionally met her gaze. She was beautiful, with a pale complexion and a body as graceful as a willow in the spring breeze. No wonder people in Jingzhou all said that the Second Miss of the Bai family was a "Sick Beauty Xi Shi."
"It's a lovely name."
It was the first time Chu Ye had been praised so gently, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond. She turned her head to glance outside the cave and murmured, "Once the snow stops, we'll go down the mountain."
Bai Ning: "Mm."
The sky gradually darkened, but the wind and snow showed no sign of stopping.
Chu Ye furrowed her brow. Searching for a path in the dark was definitely not a wise choice. It seemed they would have to spend the night in the cave.
"We can't leave today." Chu Ye silently gathered some dry straw, piling it together. She said to Bai Ning, "Try to get some sleep. We'll go down the mountain tomorrow."
Bai Ning looked at the corner, which was only big enough for one person to sleep. "You rest. I don't want to sleep."
"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Chu Ye said, thinking she was afraid. "Get a night's sleep, and you'll have the strength to travel tomorrow."
After so much had happened, Bai Ning thought she wouldn't be able to sleep at all. But exhausted in both body and mind, and with the warmth from the bonfire, she leaned against the stone wall and fell into a deep sleep.
Chu Ye kept watch by her side, listening to the sound of the wind, and did not sleep all night.
The situation was terrible, because a blizzard had started during the night. She had only ever seen a snowstorm like this in Xizhou, where it would last for many days. If that happened here, they would be in trouble.
Chu Ye could only hope the blizzard would pass quickly.
However, things did not go as she wished.
The blizzard continued, growing more and more intense. They were holed up in the cave, unable to move a single step.
It was already the third day.
Although Chu Ye was reluctant to admit it, they were well and truly trapped.
The firewood in the cave was about to run out, yet the mountains grew colder by the day. The bone-chilling cold made the air feel even more bleak and desolate.
Chu Ye pondered what to do. They hadn't eaten in days; their lips had become chapped, and their faces were haggard. If they remained trapped any longer, it would be hard to hold on.
"Are we never going to get off this mountain?" Bai Ning asked.
Chu Ye knew very well what being unable to get down the mountain meant. She stubbornly pressed her lips together. "We can. Just wait a little longer. Someone will come looking for us."
She said it without any confidence. Having grown up on the snowy plains of Xizhou, she knew that no one would venture up the mountain in such terrible weather. Even if Big Brother wanted to bring people to search for them, the paths were blocked, making it difficult to find anyone on the mountain.
The heavy snow continued to fall without end. The world had lost all other colors, leaving only a vast whiteness that seemed as if it would silently swallow a person whole, leaving not a single trace behind.
Inside the cave, the less-than-vigorous flames could no longer fend off the brutal cold.
Extreme cold makes the mind sluggish, and the thoughts that occasionally flashed through her head were as bleak as the weather.
Chu Ye's mind began to wander.
If this continued, they would starve to death, or freeze to death... Would she never be able to return to Xizhou? Would she never see Elder Sister and the others again?
She had saved many people and experienced many perilous situations, but she had never felt so helpless and uneasy.
Bai Ning started coughing, breaking the silence.
The sound of coughing pulled Chu Ye's thoughts back to reality. She saw Bai Ning's face, which had grown even paler and more bloodless. After a moment's thought, she took off her own outer coat. "Put this on. It will get colder at night."
Bai Ning looked at her thin frame. "Aren't you cold?"
"I grew up in Xizhou. I'm not afraid of the cold," Chu Ye replied, her expression unchanged.
Bai Ning had no intention of accepting this kindness and shook her head in refusal.
Another fit of coughing.
Chu Ye grew anxious. "I've been paid."
Bai Ning didn't quite understand this abrupt reply and looked at her with a frown.
Chu Ye emphasized seriously, "I was paid a lot of money, so I must protect you well."
Bai Ning coughed again, then chuckled at the phrase "I was paid a lot of money." But at a time like this, her laughter was merely finding joy in bitterness.
Even if I freeze to death, she can't. That's the principle. Without another word, Chu Ye draped the coat over Bai Ning and wrapped it tightly around her.
"You won't be able to take it."
"I can take it," Chu Ye answered sullenly, looking as if she would never admit defeat.
Night fell again, and the wind was biting. The waiting made time stretch on. The darkness outside the cave entrance was deep and boundless, giving the illusion that dawn would never come.
As if she could no longer feel any warmth in her body, Chu Ye hugged her arms and curled up.
Although Bai Ning's eyes were closed, she wasn't asleep. Because of the cold, because of the unknown, this small cave had become their entire world. Perhaps they would be trapped here forever, with a woman she had never met before.
She opened her eyes and saw Chu Ye's curled-up silhouette, clearly trembling nonstop.
"Come here." Bai Ning's voice was also trembling from the cold.
Hearing her, Chu Ye looked at Bai Ning.
"Hurry up and put the coat on."
"I'm not cold," Chu Ye said through gritted teeth.
Bai Ning was exasperated. She said weakly, "Since you've been paid, doesn't that mean you have to listen to me?"
Chu Ye: "But..."
Bai Ning just asked, "Doesn't it?"
Chu Ye thought for a moment, then answered truthfully, "Yes."
"Then come here."
Chu Ye moved closer to her.
Bai Ning shifted her body, making a little more space in the cramped corner. The spot padded with dry straw was slightly warmer.
Chu Ye hesitated.
Bai Ning said no more, simply taking her hand and pulling her over with all her strength.
Chu Ye also sat down on the straw. Being close together was indeed better. This was how small animals in the mountains kept warm during heavy snow— She stopped that thought. It was too inappropriate to compare the gentle and beautiful Second Miss Bai to a small animal.
Bai Ning knew she wouldn't put the coat back on, so she wrapped the outer robe around both of them, commanding in a tone that didn't sound like a command, "I'm cold. Come closer."
The cold night magnified the small bit of warmth. A gentle, fragrant warmth enveloped her, and Chu Ye's body went stiff. This... she wasn't good at this either.
The two of them lay on the pile of straw, huddling together in the not-so-warm corner. Fighting against the wind and snow, against time, and against themselves.
Under the torment of the severe cold, they almost lost their sense of time. She didn't know how long had passed. Chu Ye's hand brushed against Bai Ning's, which was as cold as ice. She glanced at Bai Ning's face, and, as if afraid of something, she wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled the other woman into her embrace. Even though she wasn't good at it.
At that, Bai Ning hugged her back.
They couldn't care about anything else. Driven by an instinctual desire for survival and warmth, they clung to each other, holding on tighter and tighter, locking the heat between their bodies.
"Is that better?" Bai Ning asked.
"Mhm." Chu Ye was still a little awkward, but she was worried about Bai Ning's condition, so she tried her best to hold her tightly, warming her as much as she could.
In this utterly terrible situation, the embrace brought an inexplicable sense of security.
"Is winter in Xizhou this cold?" Bai Ning asked, her voice trembling.
"Yes. The winters in Xizhou are especially cold, but the snowy plains there are beautiful. Endlessly beautiful." As soon as she spoke of her homeland, Chu Ye's voice changed.
They held each other tightly, occasionally exchanging a few words to make the night less difficult to endure.
After a long silence, Bai Ning said calmly, "If the snow doesn't stop tomorrow, go down the mountain by yourself. Don't worry about me." Without her as a burden, getting down the mountain should be no problem for someone with Chu Ye's skills.
"Impossible," Chu Ye refused flatly. She vowed, "I will bring you back to the Bai Manor alive. That is my mission."
Bai Ning looked at her earnest expression and was at a loss for words. She had never met someone so straightforward. Was she not even afraid of death?
Chu Ye's gaze also fell on the other woman's face, so close to her own. Before, she had always seen her from a distance, never this close—how could a woman be so beautiful? It was a different kind of beauty from the women of Xizhou. Her features were like a painting, her nose and lips delicate, her gentleness like water.
Bai Ning asked in a small voice, "Can you not take off the mask?" In all these days, she had never seen her remove it.
"I can't," Chu Ye answered out of habit, then added as an explanation, "I have a scar on my face. I'm ugly. It would scare people."
Bai Ning was silent for a moment. She stared at the pair of eyes beneath the mask—they were clean and clear, yet somewhat evasive. She told Chu Ye, "I'm not afraid."
Chu Ye pressed her lips together.
Seeing her reluctance, Bai Ning didn't press the matter.
Chu Ye breathed a sigh of relief. It was rare to meet such an understanding client.
Embracing each other, their bodies gradually warmed. Perhaps they could make it through the night.
Having not rested for days, Chu Ye was finding it hard to hold on. Being held like this, she felt a rare sense of comfort and actually dozed off.
"Chu Ye," Bai Ning called to her.
But Chu Ye's head had drooped, and she was leaning against Bai Ning's shoulder.
Bai Ning felt that her palm was still warm and finally let her sleep. She had watched over her for two nights without closing her eyes; of course she was tired.
Bai Ning let her lean on her shoulder. After a while, she heard the person in her arms murmuring something softly.
"Mmm..." Chu Ye's brow was furrowed, her eyes shut tight. "...Elder Sister, I'm scared... I'm scared..."
Bai Ning faintly heard her say "scared." A woman like this could actually feel fear?
Chu Ye was half-conscious. She burrowed deeper into Bai Ning's embrace, clinging to her as if she were a life-saving straw.
Bai Ning found it hard to believe that the person now nestled in her arms, behaving so meekly, was the same ruthless young woman from a few days ago who didn't even blink when she killed.
"I'm scared—" Chu Ye murmured softly, over and over, her body trembling slightly.
Bai Ning hesitated, then slowly raised a hand and tentatively stroked her head. She whispered soothingly in her ear, "Don't be afraid."
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