Heavens' Laughter-Chapter 129: Moaning

"Please, make use of the extra bed," the 1st Princess said, her voice gentle but firm as she gestured toward a modest cot tucked into the corner of the tent.

She moved gracefully to her own bed, the weariness of the day weighing on her shoulders. Sitting down, she let out a soft sigh, her fingers brushing the fabric of her blanket.

Feng Shen inclined his head respectfully. "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness," he replied.

He made his way toward the bed.

The little girl trailed behind him, her small hands gripping the edge of the bed as she climbed up with a quiet huff.

She curled up near the tent wall, her movements sluggish and uncoordinated from exhaustion.

The little girl’s small frame seemed to sink into the soft bedding as her eyes fluttered shut.

She let out a faint, contented sigh, her full stomach and the warmth of the tent finally lulling her into a peaceful sleep.

Feng Shen eased himself onto the bed beside her, pulling the thin blanket over both of them.

Lying on his back, he stared at the ceiling of the tent, his eyes wide open and sharp despite the dim light.

Shadows were across the walls, faint outlines of the guards stationed outside shifting as they kept watch.

Inside, the silence was only broken by the faint rustle of fabric and the little girl’s soft, steady breathing.

Then, a tentative voice pierced the quiet.

"Um… I have a question, if I may ask…" The 1st Princess’s words were barely above a whisper.

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She lay in her bed, her face partially hidden beneath the covers. Her eyes were half-lidded, her tone hesitant, as though she feared crossing a line or inviting an answer she wasn’t ready to hear.

Feng Shen turned his head slightly in her direction but didn’t sit up. "Hmm?" he murmured, letting out a long yawn. His voice was casual, as if the question didn’t hold any weight:

"Go ahead and ask."

The Princess hesitated for a moment, her fingers clutching the edge of her blanket. Finally, she turned to face the tent wall, deliberately avoiding looking at him.

Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke, the words heavy with an emotion she was trying to suppress:

"Would… would you ever leave your daughter alone in this world?"

A small smile tugged at the corners of Feng Shen’s lips as he shook his head gently.

He understood what the 1st Princess was trying to convey, even if her words had been carefully veiled.

"Of course not," Feng Shen said, his voice low but resolute. "My daughter is my world."

The 1st Princess remained silent, though her face betrayed her inner turmoil. A shadow of sadness flickered across her expression, and her breath hitched slightly as a single tear threatened to escape.

She wiped at her dry eye quickly, almost as if denying herself the luxury of tears. Swallowing hard, she fought to suppress a sniffle.

"I see…" The 1st Princess murmured after a moment, her voice barely audible. "You’re a really good father."

Feng Shen chuckled softly, his gaze briefly flickering to her before returning to the tent’s ceiling. "You flatter me," he replied simply.

Suddenly, his sharp eyes caught the faint movements of shadows outside the tent.

The shapes of the guards stationed nearby began to falter, each silhouette staggering unnaturally before being replaced by larger figures.

’It seems we have some company…’ Feng Shen thought.

Slowly, he sat up from the bed. With care, he pulled the covers snugly over the little girl, tucking her in as if shielding her.

The 1st Princess watched him, her brow furrowing. "What are you doing?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

The personal guard inside the tent, her hand already resting on the hilt of her dagger, narrowed her eyes at him. "What’s going on?" she demanded, her tone suspicious.

Feng Shen straightened, his piercing gaze locking onto the guard. With a slight nod, he pointed past her, toward the tent entrance. "It seems your time is up."

"What are you talking about—" the guard began to snap, her voice taut with irritation.

Before she could finish, the entrance of the tent flapped open violently, a cold gust sweeping through.

In the blink of an eye, a shadowed figure slipped inside, blade gleaming like silver under the faint moonlight.

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The personal guard barely had time to react before her neck was slashed cleanly, a spray of crimson painting the air as her body crumpled to the ground.

The 1st Princess gasped, horror freezing her in place as her wide eyes darted toward the father. "What… what’s happening?!" she stammered.

"Well…" Feng Shen didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he took a step forward, his posture calm.

His golden eyes glinted at the man who now stood at the tent’s entrance, blade raised and ready for another strike.

"It seems we have guests," Feng Shen finally said. "And they didn’t bother knocking."

Silence…

Seconds later…

"Wang Yibo sends his regards," the man sneered, his voice low and venomous.

Before anyone could react, he vanished from where he stood, reappearing in a blur of shadowed movement behind Feng Shen.

A wicked grin spread across his face as he raised his blade high, ready to strike.

Feng Shen, however, simply shook his head in disappointment. "Shadow Step? At its lowest level?" he muttered under his breath, his tone laced with disdain. "What trash."

The man’s grin faltered as he swung his blade in a clean arc toward the throat, expecting a spray of blood to follow.

But instead, the blade stopped cold, meeting resistance as though striking an impenetrable wall.

Feng Shen’s skin remained untouched.

"What?!" the man gasped, his voice tinged with disbelief. He staggered back, his eyes wide as he stared at his blade.

Before the man could process what had just happened, Feng Shen moved.

With lightning speed, his hand shot out, clamping around the man’s neck like a vice.

Effortlessly, Feng Shen lifted the struggling man into the air.

"It seems my little charade is over," he said, his voice calm yet laced with an unsettling amusement. "I was enjoying myself, playing the part of a helpless father… I even considered making a few friends."

Feng Shen’s expression twisted into a mockery of sadness as his grip tightened, causing the man to choke and claw at his hand:

"But you just had to ruin it. You couldn’t even let me savor the moment before revealing my true self."

"W-Wait—" the man wheezed, his face contorting in panic as his hands flailed desperately.

Crunch!

The sound of bones shattering echoed through the tent as Feng Shen crushed the man’s throat with a single squeeze.

The man’s body went limp, his lifeless eyes staring into the void as Feng Shen let him drop to the ground unceremoniously.

"No!" The 1st Princess’s voice broke the heavy silence. She scrambled to her feet, her expression a mix of fear and desperation. "Wait! Please don’t kill him!" Her plea came too late.

The man’s body lay motionless, blood pooling beneath it.

The 1st Princess backed up against the tent wall, her breathing shallow and her hands trembling.

Feng Shen turned to her, his gaze cold, but his lips curved into a faint, mocking smile. He took a deliberate step toward her.

"Wait!" the 1st Princess cried, her voice cracking. "I thought… I thought you were a good man!"

Feng Shen chuckled softly, his head tilting slightly. "A good man?" he repeated, his tone almost playful:

"You’re far too trusting, Princess."

Feng Shen crouched slightly, bringing his face level with hers as she pressed herself harder against the wall, her eyes wide with terror:

"And it seems your kindness will be the death of you…"

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"What’s taking so long?" Wang Yibo muttered under his breath, his voice laced with irritation as he tapped his foot impatiently.

His eyes narrowed toward the 1st Princess’s tent, frustration mounting.

Just as Wang Yibo was about to send someone to check, his attention was caught by movement.

A small figure darted out of the tent entrance, draped in a blanket that flapped behind her like a ghostly shroud.

The little girl’s tiny frame moved fast, her bare feet barely making a sound against the dirt as she ran off.

"Huh?" Wang Yibo froze for a moment, caught off guard. His brow furrowed in confusion:

"Didn’t I explicitly tell that fool to kill them both? What kind of assassin lets a child live? Has he gone soft?"

Annoyance gave way to anger as Wang Yibo started walking toward the 1st Princess’s tent.

"I swear, if he’s decided to grow a conscience now of all times…" he muttered, clenching his fists.

But just as Wang Yibo reached the edge of the tent, a sound stopped him in his tracks. He staggered, his legs began wobbling beneath him as his vision swam.

He felt like coughing up blood.

What Wang Yibo heard?

Moaning.