Before the word "three" could leave Lin Xinmei's lips, the hand that was holding my mother's instantly turned to nothing but white bone.
Upon closer inspection, you could see tiny centipedes clinging to her bones.
The centipedes swiftly devoured the flesh and then set about gnawing on the bones.
"Huff...huff...huff...huff..." The pressure on my mom's neck suddenly vanished, and she finally caught her breath, taking deep gulps of fresh air.
On her fair and slender neck, you could clearly see harsh purple bruises.
She collapsed to the ground, trembling arms barely supporting her to maintain the last bit of balance as large beads of sweat dripped down from her drenched body.
"Older sister, it is my fault for not protecting you, it's all my fault. If I hadn't been distracted, how could someone else have taken you hostage?" Zhang Che helped my mom up as quickly as possible, hugging her tightly in his arms.
Fully alert, he didn't allow any more danger to come a step closer.
My mom weakly leaned against Zhang Che's embrace, lifting her gaze to look at me before letting it fall again, "It's... it's not your fault... it's just that I... am too weak..."
"All of us have been practicing the Mysterious Art since we were kids. How could you be a match for Lin Xinmei, having only learned for a short time? She has been immersed in the Forbidden Woman's Technique for years along with that woman in the attic. I will personally teach you the Mysterious Art from now on, and you are not to decline!" Zhang Che held my mom even more tightly.
My mom helplessly patted Zhang Che's back a few times and let out a faint word, "Okay."
Lin Xinmei, suffering the backlash of the Gu Poison, had blood streaming from the corners of her eyes, her pupils dilated as she stared in disbelief at her hand that had lost all flesh and bone in an instant, "Why... why is this happening... What's wrong with my hand? Su Wan, what have you done to me?"
"I haven't done anything, just activated the gu in your body." I looked down, too lazy to even glance at Lin Xinmei, and earnestly tied two strips around Yu Longting's wrist to replenish his Spiritual Power.
The strips couldn't heal the wounds, they could only replenish the spent Spiritual Power.
My mind was in turmoil; I just wanted to take Yu Longting back to rest.
Lin Xinmei's body swayed and finally, unable to hold herself up, she collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood, "Impossible... How can I... have Gu Poison in me... You clearly removed the Gu Poison from me..."
"Didn't you just witness Lin Gang performing a Gu Removal? It requires the Mother Gu to enter the body. When I said that you had been treated for the gu, you believed it? Naive!" I finished tying the strips and finally lifted my head, staring darkly at Lin Xinmei, "The insider who gave Lin Gang Xintang's finger was you, right? You thought you played the innocent flower well, but in reality, it was riddled with mistakes. I, I have never trusted you, not even once."
There were too many questionable points about Lin Xinmei. She practically had no solid evidence to prove her innocence.
All attempts to clear her name were nothing more than her own uncorroborated assertions. Of course, I couldn't just take her word for it.
Toward Lin Xinmei, I had always been reserved, always on guard.
Time proved my decision was right.
If I hadn't been wary of Lin Xinmei from the beginning, both Yu Longting and I would have fallen into an inescapable abyss today.
Lin Xinmei, tormented by the Gu Insects, was covered in bloodstreaks. Her eyes bulging, she spiraled into madness, "You... you never trusted me... Su Wan, you're so despicable, so shameless... You've tricked me... it turns out, it was you who have been acting all along."