The Return of the God Level Assassin

1187  YUNYUE VS FENGHUANG (XXII)

AS Shen Ji Yun was in the middle of his dramatic performance, a soft groan suddenly pierced the room's tense atmosphere. Mrs. Winslow, who had been lying pale and still on the bed, began to stir. Her eyelids fluttered open, revealing a pair of glassy, unfocused eyes. The unexpected movement froze Shen Ji Yun mid-sentence, his usually steady demeanor momentarily faltering.

For a brief second, silence reigned, save for the faint creak of the train wheels against the tracks outside the window. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, Shen Ji Yun swiftly regained his composure. His features lighting up in what he hoped was a convincing display of excitement.

"Jane!" Shen Ji Yun exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mix of relief and emotion, perfectly in character. He leaned closer, his hand lightly brushing against hers as if to anchor her to reality. "You're awake... I was so afraid I'd lost you."

Her glassy eyes slowly focused, flickering with recognition as she turned her head slightly toward him. She opened her mouth as if to speak but hesitated, her breath shaky and uneven. "You don't need to say anything just yet," he continued, his tone gentle but filled with unspoken urgency. "You've been through so much. Just rest for now—I'll take care of everything."

Mrs. Winslow's lips parted, and a faint, broken whisper escaped. "E-Edmund... Mary... t-take care of her." Her voice wavered, frail and strained, each word trembling with effort before she fell silent, her chest rising and falling with shallow breaths. Then her eyes fluttered shut as the last word left her lips, her body going still once more. Her labored breaths softened, and it became clear she had slipped back into unconsciousness, leaving the cabin in a tense, heavy silence.

"Jane!" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Pardon me, Your Grace," the doctor said, stepping forward and carefully moving Shen Ji Yun aside. He leaned over Mrs. Winslow and checked her pulse with a quick, efficient motion. After a moment, he looked up and said, "It's alright. She's only lost consciousness again. Her pulse is weak but stable."

Mrs. Thompson and Miss Thompson, initially startled by Mrs. Winslow's sudden awakening, quickly became fraught with worry as she slipped back into unconsciousness. Luo Yan, too, was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. He hadn't anticipated Mrs. Winslow regaining consciousness, let alone entrusting Shen Ji Yun with a plea to care for her 'daughter'. Still, despite the surprise, Luo Yan couldn't deny that this development ultimately played to their advantage. So there was no reason to complain. He was just glad their assumptions had been correct—that Mrs. Winslow really was the one who had given Shen Ji Yun the note. It was a stroke of luck that he had managed to find Mrs. Winslow's first name just in time. As her 'daughter', he had access to their shared luggage and had discovered her name written on the inside cover of one of her books. If they had been wrong on either count, things could have gone south quickly. The moment Mrs. Winslow opened her eyes and failed to recognize Shen Ji Yun—or if he had called her by the wrong name—every NPC in the room would have become suspicious. Luo Yan couldn't even imagine how messy that would have been.

Shen Ji Yun appeared visibly distressed at first, his worry etched across his face. But then, as if something had suddenly dawned on him, his gaze shifted toward Luo Yan. His expression changed, and a sense of purpose replaced the earlier anxiety. Rising to his feet, he walked over to Luo Yan. Once in front of him, he knelt down, positioning himself so their eyes met.

"You're Mary, aren't you?" Shen Ji Yun said softly, his tone warm and reassuring. "I'm Uncle Edmund. Your mother must have spoken about me. Soon, I'll be your father. Let me take care of you, just as she wanted."

Luo Yan had no idea where Shen Ji Yun was pulling this script from, but he knew he had to play along. Lowering his head, he adopted a timid, hesitant demeanor. "M-Mother said we were going to meet someone at the end of this trip," he murmured, his voice wavering. "She… she said they would become part of our family. Was she talking about you, s-sir?" Of course, Luo Yan didn't say all this on a whim. He carefully considered the information they had gathered so far. Based on the note Mrs. Winslow had left in Shen Ji Yun's cabin, it was clear she had already spoken to the duke about her adopted daughter. And judging by the first thing she said when she regained consciousness, it was evident that this daughter must have some knowledge of the duke. With these details in mind, Luo Yan crafted his words carefully to fit the narrative.

This was their chance for him to finally get some freedom to investigate - something that would be nearly impossible if he remained constantly under the watchful eyes of Mrs. Thompson and Miss Thompson.

Shen Ji Yun quickly understood what he was going for. So, he responded in a way as if he was trying to cheer the both of them. "Yes, yes. I'm that person. While Jane, your mother, is in this state, do you want to stay with me?"

At this point, Luo Yan was truly thankful by their great tacit understanding. If it had been anyone other than Shen Ji Yun here, he doubted the outcome would have been as smooth.

Just as he was about to respond to Shen Ji Yun, Luo Yan suddenly felt a firm pull from behind. Before he could react, Mrs. Thompson had already positioned herself between him and Shen Ji Yun.

"Your Grace, I must protest. While your concern for Mary is appreciated, it would be highly improper for a young girl to stay in the company of a grown man, especially one with no familial ties to her. Even under these circumstances, it simply wouldn't be appropriate." Looking at the older woman's back, Luo Yan almost shouted in frustration, 'Please, I really don't need your overprotection!'