Sword Empress's POV
Crash!
My sword cleaved through the wall, sending debris scattering across the floor. In that fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of something darting out of the house.
"There you are!" I shouted.
With a swift swing, I knocked out the impostor and bolted outside, my eyes locked on the fleeing figure.
A Heavenly Rat (Tian Shu)? A black one, no less—a creature that belonged in the depths of caves, not soaring through the open air in a desperate escape.
My mind raced. Now that I think about it, back in Anhui…
I'd seen one before, hadn't I? That time near the lake, in broad daylight, its presence had struck me as odd. I'd hurled my sword at it, but dismissed it as some quirk of nature and let it slip from my mind. Seeing another now, though, I couldn't chalk it up to coincidence.
There had to be a connection to the Blood Cult. I didn't know how, but I'd wager my blade on it.
Dash!
