After Crossing Over, I Marked the Empress

On the racetrack of life and death, every millisecond could become the final countdown for all participants.

Shen Han wasn’t sure if she could make it in time for this last-ditch rescue.

In that instant, she suddenly felt as if an invisible giant hand hovered over the Free Federation, immensely powerful, seemingly able to stir up winds and clouds.

Only now did she begin to understand why even a royal family like Gu Junwan’s could be maneuvered into today’s situation by someone’s machinations.

The ‘puppet master’ hiding behind the scenes was indeed both powerful and fierce.

So, would this assassin before her be willing to die by her hand just to complete his mission at all costs?

Or was his attack on Gu Yuwei meant to force her into sacrificing herself with a “checkmate” move?

In a flash, countless fragments of information flitted through Shen Han’s mind.

But her gaze, the essence of her entire being, remained firmly locked on the assassin.

They reached Gu Yuwei’s vicinity almost simultaneously.

At that moment, Red Fox’s right foot stomped heavily on the ground. The wood at the stage’s edge creaked under the strain, but his body used the force to stop in place.

Twisting his waist and hips, he concentrated all his power into one punch.

As the punch flew, even the air compressed, producing a faint explosive sound.

His true target was Shen Han!

The instant he threw his punch, Shen Han had already leapt up, light as a swallow.

She knew he could dodge her ranged attacks, so this time, she planned to use a throat choke from close-quarters combat!

At the dim edge of the theater stage, a burst of flame suddenly bloomed.

At first just a point of light, like a weary night worker lighting a match after overtime.

But then, the fierce fire blazed like the sun, illuminating the entire stage as bright as day!

Since escaping the inferno at the Ancient Medical Reservation last time, Red Fox feared this kind of raging fire most.

Those leaping flames seemed able to illuminate all darkness, burning away all filth and impurity.

Shen Han pressed one palm against his arm, still extended from the missed punch, while her flame-wreathed palm shot towards his eyes.

Eyes are one of the body’s most vulnerable organs.

Even the most well-trained, iron-blooded killers who could take a bullet without flinching couldn’t remain unmoved in the face of oncoming flames.

In the instant Red Fox closed his eyes and turned his head, Shen Han had already changed her attack. She leapt behind him, wrapping her wrist and forearm around his throat.

Her other arm pressed forcefully against the back of his head, beginning to strangle!

During the struggle, they fell from the stage edge to the ground.

Red Fox’s throat couldn’t make a sound. He could only repeatedly elbow backwards.

But soon, his limbs began to convulse, his pupils dilating.

Shen Han’s back ached from the stones on the ground, and sharp pain radiated from her waist and abdomen, possibly internal bleeding.

But she didn’t dare relax her stranglehold even slightly. Even after he stopped struggling, she maintained the choke for quite a while longer.

This enemy was too terrifying; she had to be cautious.

Only after confirming the man before her was truly dead did Shen Han finally release her arms.

She felt utterly drained, lying on the ground unable to get up for a long time.

Gu Yuwei trembled as she climbed down from the stage, crouching beside Shen Han and pushing her arm.

“How are you? Are you alright?”

“Not dead yet.” Shen Han struggled to sit up, turning her head to spit out blood, her voice weak, “Let’s go quickly. We can’t stay here.”

Still shaken, Gu Yuwei nodded vigorously at whatever she said.

Recalling her two brushes with death tonight, she felt both frightened and distressed. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to fall.

Seeing Gu Yuwei’s bare feet, Shen Han removed the assassin’s shoes and placed them before her.

Seeing that face so similar to Tang Yucai’s covered in tears, her heart softened, and she quickly comforted her.

“Don’t cry. Whatever position you sit in, besides enjoying the glory it brings, you must also bear the risks it entails.”

“Think about your sister. A year ago, how terribly you hunted her. If not for luck, she might have lost her life in that border forest!”

Gu Yuwei sniffled, her voice muffled: “I didn’t order her killed then. I just wanted her captured. I don’t know how it turned out like that later.”

Seeing she had put on the shoes, Shen Han led her out of the theater.

As they walked, she couldn’t help asking: “Most of the Empress’s previous guard team died in battle. If you only wanted to capture her, how did it turn into a fight to the death?”

“I’m not sure. Everyone’s emotions were very tense during the chaos. I don’t know who fired first. Some guard team members were shot, and then the situation spiraled out of control.”

Hearing Gu Yuwei’s response, Shen Han pondered while feeling a twinge of annoyance.

This sister lacked ability yet always dreamed of the core power circle.

If she were that behind-the-scenes puppet master, she’d also like such a pawn.

But who could be behind that coup?

One person? Or an organization? The former Empress had investigated for so long, yet there seemed to be no progress.

Also, were those behind tonight’s assassination attempt the same as those behind the scenes?

One supported Gu Yuwei’s rise to power, while the other tried to kill her. It seemed contradictory.

But thinking from a profit perspective, like ‘profiting from national crisis’, it could make sense.

With these jumbled thoughts, Shen Han and Gu Yuwei returned to where they had encountered the assassin.

After carefully examining Ning Xi’s injuries, Shen Han finally breathed a great sigh of relief.

The stab wound to the shoulder blade was deep, but with timely treatment, it shouldn’t be a major problem.

The back of her head was cut by the rock, but not bleeding much.

As Shen Han crouched to check her comrade’s wounds, Gu Yuwei had already run to check both vehicles.

All tires had been punctured, rendering them undriveable.

They had no choice but to carry Ning Xi to the back seat of the SUV they had arrived in.

Though the interior was riddled with bullet holes and shattered glass, after some cleaning it was still better than lying outside.

After waiting about 15 minutes, two armed helicopters arrived above the theater.

The massive rotor blades thundered deafeningly, stirring up the night wind and rustling the grass below.

Shen Han left the SUV and stood in the beam of light cast from above, allowing them to confirm her identity.

These were army group helicopters, likely sent by Gu Junwan.

After brief communication, the three boarded the helicopter to return.

As for the bodies in the theater, the overturned vehicle by the roadside ditch, the escaped mercenaries, and the evidence they left behind, other personnel would arrive to handle the aftermath.

The terrorist attack in this remote border area not only terrified local residents all night, but also kept the entire staff of the Federation’s Second Television Station up almost until dawn.

Especially the reporting team in the area. Though terrified themselves, they still did their best to present the facts of what happened here.

Before them, some messy rumors had already appeared online.

Starting with one image, the content was all made up.

There were all sorts of claims.

The most outrageous was an anonymous user who started a thread on a military forum, claiming this was a long-planned mutual assassination attempt by the two current heads of state.

They used a lengthy passage to analyze the personalities and actual power held by Gu Junwan and Gu Yuwei.

The conclusion left their prediction: After dawn breaks, only one head of state would survive.

Of course, all sensitive words in the anonymous post were replaced with symbols or letters.

It avoided the management system’s search, but didn’t prevent readers from understanding the meaning.

Soon after, the Federation’s Second Television Station released its first news report.

[Verified: The sudden attack was launched by foreign mercenaries. The Northern Commander fell into an enemy ambush after dispatching her security forces to fight a fire. The Empress has sent rescue teams to the incident site.]

[The farmers’ market fire is now under control. The Second Television Station will continue to follow up on subsequent developments.]

Authorized to report, the Second Television Station released some on-site images and video interviews.

Though details of the battle weren’t disclosed, it still branded those false online rumors as “fabrications”.

On this sleepless night, countless citizens had been glued to their screens since midnight, waiting for updates.

After receiving permission, the Second Television Station gained partial live broadcast rights.

Equipment was set up in the outer plaza of the command camp. Through the lens, people could see the Empress’s orderly rescue dispatch and first-hand information cleared for public release.

At 5:45 AM.

The soldiers and officers who had been busy all night finally got a temporary respite.

Gu Yuwei didn’t return to the Empress’s camp with Shen Han.

Halfway back, she was intercepted and taken away by her core troops who had arrived belatedly.

Shen Han continued back with Ning Xi.

Midway, Ning Xi woke up.

Her wounds had received basic treatment, her forehead wrapped in gauze. When she first opened her eyes, she was still a bit dazed.

Only after seeing Shen Han sitting beside her and realizing her surroundings did she speak apologetically: “Boss, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help at the critical moment. How’s the commander? Is she alright?”

Shen Han looked pale. She had been leaning back in her seat resting with closed eyes, but hearing Ning Xi, she immediately turned slightly and said, “Don’t worry, she’s fine.”

Seeing her comrade still looking guilty, she thought for a moment, then said in a low voice: “Though, in the final battle, I accidentally made her knock out a front tooth. I wonder if she’ll hold a grudge when she thinks back on this later.”

“This is bad. Out of her family of four, I’ve hit two. When I formally meet the parents, do you think I’ll be chased out?”

Ning Xi knew her boss was trying to distract her, so she didn’t continue the previous topic.

She smiled slightly and said: “A lost tooth can be replaced, but not a lost life.”

As she spoke, Ning Xi carefully examined her boss’s face.

The helicopter cabin wasn’t brightly lit, but from Ning Xi’s reclining angle, she could still see Shen Han’s complexion was off.

The hair by her temples was somewhat damp, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

“Boss, what’s wrong? Are you injured?”

Shen Han nodded, her tone not particularly grave.

“He punched my waist and abdomen a few times. The bones are fine, but it really hurts. Probably some subcutaneous bleeding.”

Ning Xi thought: That doesn’t look like just subcutaneous bleeding.

But the cabin lacked proper medical facilities. All she could do was keep quiet to avoid making her talk more.

When Ning Xi had silently counted to the 10th minute, the armed helicopter finally began to descend.