Holding the script, I want to give up.

"Oh dear, how can I see Sister Liu?"

Shangguan Zitong lay on the bed, idly flipping through the storybook in her hand. She couldn't concentrate on reading it at all, and could only scratch her head in frustration, watching the commotion in the palace with a blank stare, trying to get Liu Yunwan and the others to leave the palace on their own to create a legendary chance encounter.

We can only wait.

The system leisurely tapped a wooden fish in the space.

"I'll wait three more days at most. If that doesn't work, I'll just force my way in. Anyway, my lightness skill should still be up to par."

She felt that her lightness skill was quite good.

As long as no one else finds out, it's fine.

On the first day, Shangguan Zitong found everything in the city new and exciting, and enjoyed exploring it immensely.

The next day, there was still no sign of death in the palace, so she could only continue shopping.

On the third day, she furtively peered out of the palace gates, waiting for an opportunity to fly in; she had grown tired of strolling around.

With the night dark and the wind high, it was the perfect time to commit a crime against the wind. Shangguan Zitong changed into a set of night clothes and scaled the palace walls.

Please give me Sister Liu's exact location.

Shangguan Zitong lightly touched the roof tiles with her toes, following the navigation to Liu Yunwan's location. She wasn't in a hurry to go down and meet her, but instead chose to lift a few tiles, hold her breath, and crouch down to observe the situation inside the house.

She feared that instead of two people embracing and weeping with joy, she would be facing a third person with swords drawn. Sure enough, there were two people and a child in the room, the child lying in a cradle. The two on the bed were whispering to each other, preparing to fall asleep in each other's arms.

"I'm not going to be lying here all night, am I?"

"Why are you always stuck together like this!"

"I refuse to believe you'll just stand there with empty eyes and do nothing."

Shangguan Zitong stared at the two of them, three speechless black lines appearing above her head.

There are children nearby. Stop making dangerous remarks.

"I was just venting, they probably won't."

She had barely finished speaking when she saw the two of them lost in a passionate kiss. Mu Rongyi's hands were restlessly tugging at Liu Yunwan's clothes, her skirt slowly loosening; and Liu Yunwan was doing the same, slightly panting as she tugged at his clothes...

"Damn, my eyes are dirty now, I'm definitely going to get a sty."

Shangguan Zitong, her face slightly flushed, silently covered the tile. Listening to the woman's blushing breaths rising and falling, she decided she would never again climb over walls to peek at what others were doing. What if they were doing something unspeakable? Wouldn't she become the vandal?

She rose and flew to the rooftop to look at the stars, planning to descend from the sky after they finished and talk to them. However, she was spotted by a shadow guard who shot several hidden daggers at her, which she nimbly dodged.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

Seeing her exceptional skill, the shadow guard drew his sword and forced her into a space between other houses. She had nothing to defend herself; she didn't know where Huangfu Hongxi had hidden the dagger. Close combat was extremely difficult for her, and she quickly found herself at a disadvantage. With the shadow guard holding a knife to her neck, she had no choice but to surrender.

"Spare your life!"

"My name is Shangguan... Damn it, I can't say my name!"

"Anyway, I'm not a bad person."

"I am a friend of your Crown Princess."

"They resorted to this desperate measure because they had no token of their trust."

Shangguan Zitong looked at him and sincerely explained that his name had died long ago, and no one would believe that he was still alive. If word got out, he would be regarded as a monster or someone who had been possessed.

"Whatever your purpose, you have to come with me."

The shadow guard ignored her explanations, tied her up, and took her to a dark dungeon to be severely tortured.

......

Inside the dark dungeon.

"Considering you are a delicate young girl, if you are willing to tell the truth, these instruments of torture will not be used on you."

"If you don't confess or lie, then we'll have to torture you."

The shadow guard tied her to a wooden stake and slowly approached her with a red-hot branding iron in his hand.

"If I said I was Shangguan Zitong, would you believe me?"

Hearing the horrifying screams from inside the house, she felt their methods were too cruel.

"If you don't believe me, that person is long dead. You're making this up. If you don't tell the truth, don't blame me for being impolite."

The shadow guard brought the branding iron closer to her face.

"Damn it, that branding iron is way too close! Ahri, save me!"

Sorry, I've been sealed away by something strange.

We can't get out for now, just hang in there a little longer.

"You really do mess things up at crucial moments."

Shangguan Zitong wanted to cry but had no tears.

"Boss, we couldn't get any information out of him. He was a tough guy. He's already passed away."

"How come there's such a beautiful girl here? What crime did she commit?"

Another shadow guard emerged from the depths of the dungeon, reported to the shadow guard leader, and glanced at Shangguan Zitong.

“A person of unknown origin, who even falsely claimed to be the Crown Princess’s deceased friend.”

"Don't be fooled by her appearance."

The shadow guard captain then embedded the branding iron directly into the flesh of her wrist.

"Damn it, I'm telling the truth."

Shangguan Zitong cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face. The veins on her hands bulged, and her branded wrists trembled.

"Why don't you tell the truth? It seems that the branding iron is just a tickle to you."

"You really are a well-trained and skilled assassin!"

The shadow guard leader sighed and switched to a bone whip with barbs.

"Damn it, I'll remember you. If I get out of here alive, I'll definitely tell Sister Liu on you."

Shangguan Zitong didn't care about anything else anymore. No matter what she said, he wouldn't listen. She might as well shut up after saying that and see his reaction.

"I hope you survive."

The shadow guard's long whip lashed across her calf. The flesh on her calf instantly tore open, staining the fabric, and blood gushed out. The pain caused her to faint.

"Boss, she's fainted. Why don't we postpone the interrogation until tomorrow? Or should we report to the Crown Prince?"

"What if she managed to escape from Beiji by using a clever trick?"

"Look at her fingers, they look like they've never done any housework, and they're so delicate and smooth, they don't look like a well-trained killer."

Another shadow guard offered a rational analysis.

"Are you stupid? You don't believe everything she says!"

"Even if she is, so what? Just kill her first, then bury her secretly, without letting the Crown Prince find out."

"Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back; they've already been captured."

"Go fetch a bucket of water and splash it on her to wake her up, then let the female shadow guard continue to torture her."

The shadow guard captain dropped his whip, sat on the prison chair, and rubbed his hands.

"Yes, I'll go right away."

Another shadow guard quickly brought a bucket of water and a female shadow guard.

"Her hands are too beautiful, let's just ruin them."

The shadow guard leader smiled meaningfully.

"Yes."

The female shadow guard poured a bucket of water on her; she had already lost consciousness and did not wake up.

"What should I do?"

The female shadow guard, seeing that she was still unconscious, was unsure whether she should torture her.

"It won't have much of an impact. Just continue the torture until she can't move her hands and feet."

The head of the shadow guards tapped the crushed peanuts in the bowl on the table as he watched the female shadow guard carry out the execution.

"Yes."

The woman showed off a cloth bag containing various kinds of silver needles. She took out the finer needles and inserted them one by one into her fingernails and flesh. It is said that the ten fingers are connected to the heart, and Shangguan Zitong was awakened by the excruciating pain.

"You...cannot distinguish right from wrong."

Having never endured such extreme torture before, she trembled as she finished speaking before fainting again.

"Do you want to continue?"

The female shadow guard wondered what crime this person had committed that would warrant the personal interrogation of the shadow guard chief.

"Continue, the feet haven't been used yet!"

The shadow guard narrowed his eyes, watching the blood dripping from Shangguan Zitong's fingers.

The female shadow guard had no choice but to take off Shangguan Zitong's shoes, insert silver needles into each of her toes, and then pull them out.

"That's not enough, it's still too light. Pull out her fingernails and toenails."

The shadow guard, fearing she might not survive the night, spoke harshly to the female shadow guard.

"This... I'm afraid it's not a good idea."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is unaware of this person's existence. My lord, what is your purpose in doing this?"

The female shadow guard asked doubtfully.

"Why all this nonsense? Just do what I tell you to do."

Of course, it was his inner unease that was at play.

"Yes."

The female bodyguard had no choice but to find tools and start pulling out her fingernails.

"Sir, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Another shadow guard sensed something was wrong and decided to report to the Crown Prince.

"Wait, you stay here and watch with us, don't go anywhere."

The shadow guard seemed to have seen through his thoughts and forcibly kept him there.

"Yes."

The other shadow guard had no choice but to give up. After all, one more wronged person wouldn't make a difference.

"Ahhh!"

The screams of agony as her fingernails were ripped out echoed through the dark cell. Shangguan Zitong had never experienced pain so profound. At this moment, she felt that it would be better to let her die quickly than to torture her like this! Her tears had long since dried up, and her voice was hoarse from howling.

After the female shadow guard finished pulling out her fingernails, she started pulling out her toenails.

......