Chapter 68: Yellow Raincoat

A pitch-black sedan sped out of the Rain Alley Housing Complex, racing through the downpour.

“What’s wrong?” Deng Yuxiang glanced at Lu Ran in the passenger seat as she drove.

Lu Ran’s expression was grave, lost in deep thought.

“Nothing.” Lu Ran snapped back to himself, brushing damp hair from his forehead.

“Nothing?” Deng Yuxiang laughed. “You look like you lost your soul—remembered to bring your sword, but forgot your raincoat?”

Lu Ran felt awkward.

Just moments ago at home, Xiang Xianyang’s words had shaken him to his core.

He’d been lost in thought ever since, even forgetting how he got into the car.

“Don’t worry,” Deng Yuxiang said, her voice unusually soft. “I’ve got you.”

Lu Ran stared at her in surprise—the domineering heiress.

They’d known each other for over a month; this was the first time he’d heard Daimengyan speak so gently.

Deng Yuxiang: “July fifteenth is unusual, but you really don’t need to feel so much pressure.

If I can’t protect you, then you deserve to die.”

Lu Ran: “Huh?”

Deng Yuxiang shrugged. “At least you wouldn’t die unfairly.”

Lu Ran: “.”

I just praised you for being gentle, and this is all you’ve got?

Lu Ran had seen Daimengyan’s brand of comfort many times before.

But every time, Deng Yuxiang managed to say something even more shocking.

“You,” Lu Ran sighed inwardly, adding silently: Always coming up with something new.

“What’s wrong with me?” Deng Yuxiang glanced at him.

“You’re beautiful,” Lu Ran turned to look out the window, watching the rain-soaked streets blur past.

The weather forecast said rain would continue for the next few days.

Tonight, on the fifteenth, he doubted he’d see the moon at all.

The luxury sedan sped on, soon reaching a desolate area and entering the Wu Lie River Housing Complex.

As the car came to a stop, Deng Yuxiang said, “I’ve a spare raincoat in the trunk. Wait—I’ll get it for you.”

Before he could respond, she opened the door and stepped out.

Lu Ran was genuinely bewildered.

Did Daimengyan change her personality?

Has she become too nice?

“Click.”

The passenger door suddenly swung open—Deng Yuxiang held up a yellow raincoat. “Put it on.”

“Thank you,” Lu Ran reached out to take the yellow raincoat, a thought flashing through his mind.

Is Daimengyan… myself?

Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang were similar in height, and the raincoat was loose-fitting—he slipped into it easily.

As Lu Ran stepped out of the car, Deng Yuxiang suddenly reached out and adjusted his collar.

Such a tender gesture made Lu Ran deeply uncomfortable.

Deng Yuxiang frowned, displeased. “What’s that expression for?”

“Sis,” Lu Ran felt numb. “Don’t do this. It makes me feel like I won’t see tomorrow’s sun.

Just go back to being yourself—I can’t take it.”

Deng Yuxiang laughed and shot him a glare, then lightly tapped the brim of the raincoat’s hood. “Enough nonsense.”

Lu Ran exhaled deeply.

Ah, that’s better~

“Follow me!” Deng Yuxiang turned and walked away.

Lu Ran grabbed the Xiaguang Blade from the back seat and hurried after her.

They reached the central residential building in the complex and climbed to the rooftop.

On the dilapidated rooftop, all three teammates were present—but the mysterious team leader, Ge Bin, was still nowhere to be seen.

“Report!” Deng Yuxiang called out loudly.

Sun Zheng looked at the two “little yellow figures,” pointing toward the stairwell. “Grab your gear. In thirty minutes, we’ll patrol the district again.”

“Yes!”

“Yes.” Lu Ran and Deng Yuxiang turned back toward the stairwell, picking up earpieces and headlamps from a broken wooden table.

Behind the table, leaning against the corner, lay a massive zhanma dao.

That was Deng Yuxiang’s weapon—its surface looked like ordinary steel, but Lu Ran knew it was made of extremely expensive Tianchen steel!

The blade was astonishingly long—its hilt alone measured seventy to eighty centimeters.

The blade itself approached two meters in length!

At that length, the blade didn’t appear wide—only slender and elongated.

It was double-edged, resembling both a sword and a dao, like an ancient cavalry weapon, yet Deng Yuxiang wielded it as a foot soldier’s weapon.

“Interested?” Deng Yuxiang, having finished equipping herself, noticed Lu Ran’s gaze.

Lu Ran nodded silently.

Today’s Deng Yuxiang was unusually indulgent: “Take it. Go play on the rooftop.”

“What’s its name?” Lu Ran didn’t hesitate—he stepped forward and gripped the divine blade with both hands.

“Zhan Ye.”

“So violent?” Lu Ran lifted his hand and gently traced the cold edge.

Others name their blades “Slayer of Demons” or “Demon-Cutter”—but you? You cut night itself?

Though Zhan Ye had been wiped clean, Lu Ran faintly smelled a trace of blood.

He wondered how many lives it had taken in Deng Yuxiang’s hands.

“Violent?” Deng Yuxiang said casually.

“Of course—wait?” Lu Ran’s fingertip trembled, and he quickly pulled his hand back.

Seeing this, Deng Yuxiang’s lips curled into a faint smile.

“This Zhan Ye blade,” Lu Ran’s eyes lit up as he turned to Deng Yuxiang, “it has a spirit?”

Just now, as his fingertip brushed the blade’s edge, he’d clearly sensed a surge of killing intent.

That dangerous sensation made his temples throb!

“Zhan Ye and I are both one step away.”

As she spoke, Deng Yuxiang’s smile faded, replaced by quiet frustration.

She was at the fifth level of He Jing—just one step from what mortals called “Great Power.”

Her Zhan Ye blade was also one step from becoming sentient.

Yet this goal, seemingly within reach, had eluded both woman and blade for a long time.

“Let’s cut tonight, and maybe we’ll break through!” Lu Ran offered.

Deng Yuxiang said nothing, offering no reply.

Lu Ran suddenly reached out and tapped the blade’s edge lightly.

“Ding~” A clear chime rang out.

Lu Ran looked at the silent woman: “You heard it—Zhan Ye agrees.”

“Heh.” Deng Yuxiang chuckled softly. “Who taught you this childish trick?”

Daimengyan was gracious enough not’t call it self-deception.

“Life.”

The two-word reply left Deng Yuxiang stunned.

Lu Ran, meanwhile, hugged Zhan Ye and walked toward the rooftop.

The truer answer: a childhood spent living alone.

On the rooftop, the Wei brothers, seeing Lu Ran carrying the great blade, felt a flicker of anticipation.

But as Lu Ran began swinging it, their expressions turned strange.

He’s flailing wildly!

How could Lu Ran possibly have experience with such a heavy weapon?

He felt head-heavy and unsteady, struggling with every motion.

Lu Ran now truly understood how terrifying Deng Yuxiang’s strength was!

In the end, Deng Yuxiang rescued him, reclaiming Zhan Ye.

Not because she was stingy—mainly because she feared Zhan Ye might get upset.

Deng Yuxiang never expected Lu Ran, who always amazed her, to suddenly fumble and perform such an abstract, clumsy sword dance.

His feet stumbled, his body twisted awkwardly—he looked like a lame man harvesting jujubes.

Watching him, Deng Yuxiang grew furious—she wanted to kick his good leg hard.

The daylight hours slipped away slowly.

Lu Ran followed the Moonwatchers squad, patrolling methodically through the district, round after round.

Until night fell, Rain Alley City sank into utter silence.

Lu Ran stood at the empty intersection, beneath a streetlamp.

The dim yellow light suited the color of his raincoat well.

Before him,

the streetside held a few shops: an auto repair shop, a hardware store, a supermarket with locked doors, and a pharmacy with its sign lit up.

Behind the shops stood rows of residential buildings; looking up, one could see warm lights glowing in household windows.

Behind him,

there were long-abandoned wastelands and dark, silent abandoned residential complexes.

The intersection was indeed illuminated by streetlamps.

But the figure standing in the rain seemed to stand on the dividing line between light and darkness.

The rain,

grew heavier.

As if foretelling something.

(End of Chapter)