KUNLUN – The Little Lotus

Chapter Seven

Without another thought, Lianhua made her way toward the woods behind the house. A narrow footpath revealed itself beneath the pale twilight, winding between ancient trees that seemed to disappear into the lingering darkness. Calmly, she stepped onto the trail and followed it deeper into the forest.

Carefully, Lianhua placed one foot in front of the other as she followed the narrow forest trail. She had no intention of using a flashlight. No one needed to know she was wandering through the woods before sunrise. Nowadays, very few people still gathered medicinal herbs, and if fortune smiled upon her this morning, she certainly wasn't going to share that fortune with anyone else. Before long she discovered several valuable medicinal plants growing among the underbrush—Cape leadwort, Indian milkweed, Zoysia japonica, and thick-stemmed water hyacinth. Soon afterward she found honeysuckle as well, and before she knew it, the pouch at her waist was nearly full. Some of the rarer plants she carefully wrapped around the roots with a damp cloth instead of harvesting completely. Those she intended to replant later inside the glasshouse on her rooftop. The rich scent of freshly turned earth mixed with the clean fragrance of cut medicinal herbs, filling the cool morning air. Lianhua was thoroughly satisfied. She slowly looked around for more when another scent suddenly reached her nose. Copper. Blood. Instantly her expression became serious. Without hesitation, she concealed the pouch filled with herbs beneath a dense bush before reaching into one of the side pockets of her backpack. She pulled out a pair of wireless earpieces and immediately slipped them into her ears. A familiar voice sounded almost at once. "Listening, Boss." Lianhua lowered her voice to a whisper. "Stay on comms. I smell blood. Source not yet confirmed. Alert the team. Track my position, but have everyone remain on standby for now." "Copy." Without another word she silently changed direction, following the faint metallic scent drifting through the forest.

Several hundred meters later she finally spotted a figure sitting motionless against the trunk of a large tree. Remaining concealed by the surrounding bushes, she carefully studied the area first. No movement. No visible attackers. Quietly she reported, "Target located. Male. Injured. No hostiles in sight." Only then did she circle around the tree, approaching the injured man from the opposite side. Judging by his breathing alone, she quickly realized he was unconscious. "Victim unconscious. Beginning emergency treatment." She reached for his wrist to check his pulse. The instant her fingers touched his skin, her eyes narrowed. "Victim poisoned." Without wasting another second, she retrieved several acupuncture needles from her backpack. Her first priority was preventing the man from moving unexpectedly if he regained consciousness. Her hands moved with calm precision, inserting several needles into key pressure points. Almost immediately after the final needle was placed, the man's eyes flew open. Lianhua kept her voice calm and barely above a whisper. "Where is the wound?" The man simply stared at her without saying a word. Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound sliced through the silent forest. Without even turning her head, Lianhua's hand shot through the air and caught a tiny throwing dagger between two fingers. Never taking her eyes off the injured man, she quietly asked, "Friend... or foe?" At the same time, she lifted the tiny blade slightly so he could see it. The man's eyes widened in shock. "Fei—" He never finished the word. Several more whistling sounds tore through the forest at the same time. "Under attack. Team, move in... immediately!" Lianhua's voice remained calm, but the instant the words left her lips, she transformed into a weapon. Her small figure shot through the forest with astonishing speed, racing toward the whistling projectiles. One after another, the throwing knives vanished into her hands as though they had flown there of their own accord. Without slowing down, she sent each blade hurtling back toward its original owner. Several dull thuds echoed through the trees, followed by the heavy sound of bodies collapsing onto the forest floor. Moments later, sharp whistles answered from every direction. Shadow-like figures dressed entirely in black emerged from the darkness, surrounding the clearing with practiced precision. Lianhua didn't even glance at them. "Secure the area," she ordered. "Neutralize every remaining attacker. Restrain the survivors and bring them in for interrogation. Another team will locate this man's comrades," she continued, gesturing toward the injured soldier leaning against the tree. "Get them to a hospital immediately. I'll stabilize him first. Once I'm finished, transport him as well." Every man acknowledged the order with a single nod before disappearing into the forest. Lianhua touched her earpiece once more. "Team has arrived. Hostiles contained. Reserve several rooms at the nearest hospital." "Copy." Without another word, she knelt beside the injured man and finally searched for the source of the blood she had smelled. She quickly located two wounds—one in his shoulder and another near his hip. Working with calm efficiency, she cleaned both injuries before closing them and applying fresh bandages. Only then did she retrieve her silver acupuncture needles. One after another, they disappeared into the man's body as she forced the poison toward the puncture sites until dark, contaminated blood began seeping from the wounds. Satisfied, she removed the needles, pinched the man's nose shut, and waited. Instinctively, he opened his mouth to breathe. Without the slightest hesitation, Lianhua shoved several pills inside before immediately pouring water after them. The poor man nearly choked as she released him. She paid absolutely no attention to his coughing. All that mattered was making sure the medicine reached his stomach. Several members of her team watched the familiar scene unfold, each of them struggling to suppress a smile. Every single one of them had experienced exactly the same treatment at least once. None of them had ever been asked for permission. Lianhua lived by one simple philosophy: It was better to ask for forgiveness afterward than waste precious time asking for permission. If she decided someone needed medicine, then they received medicine. Discussion was unnecessary. In her eyes, explaining every ingredient and every effect to someone who knew nothing about medicine accomplished nothing except wasting valuable seconds. Most patients inevitably demanded explanations because they had never seen remedies capable of producing such miraculous results. Lianhua never argued. She simply treated them first. Questions could wait until they were alive. It was one of the many reasons why everyone who served under her trusted her without hesitation. They might complain afterward, but while she was working, they obeyed without question. A few minutes later she finished securing the final bandage before calmly rising to her feet. "Ready for transport." Without sparing the rescued soldier another glance, she turned toward one of the men standing nearby. "Interrogation?" The man immediately stepped forward. "Identification completed.”