I Snatched the Male Lead’s "Cool Novel" Script - Chapter 12

Yan Yu ultimately managed to escape Yin Beiqing’s clutches alive, though she felt that during that walk side-by-side, the other woman had the urge to reach out and strangle her every single second.

At first, she couldn’t figure out how Yin Beiqing knew she was looking for Soul-Gathering Grass. Upon returning to her room and seeing the little meatball rolling around on the floor holding its head, a sudden realization dawned on her.

“Panpan, come here.” Yan Yu handed the buns she had brought back to the two little creatures. “I have something to ask you.”

Guipan gripped a bun and ate it in one bite, its mouth stuffed full. “What is it?”

“When you were picking fruit earlier, did you run into the Mean Big Sister?”

“How did you know!” Guipan’s eyes widened. “The Mean Big Sister even told me not to tell you.”

“Did she say anything to you?”

“Yes! She was so mean, she even pulled my ears!” Guipan’s tone was indignant. “She asked me what I was taking those for, so I told her it was for my Master to eat.”

Yan Yu felt the answer was already obvious, so she pressed further. “And then?”

“Then she asked me why I had to give you those, so I told her.” Guipan rubbed its ears. “Was I not supposed to tell her? Even though that sister is mean, she doesn’t feel like a bad person.”

As a beast soul, it possessed sharp intuition; it spoke exactly what it felt in the moment.

“It’s fine. If you told her, you told her.” Yan Yu patted its head and pushed the entire plate of buns over. “Eat up.”

So, Yin Beiqing had learned from Guipan that she needed Lotus Bead petals and Soul-Gathering Grass as medicinal primers, and thus went to the back mountains specifically to pick them for her?

The moment this incredible thought popped up, Yan Yu shook her head to strike it out.

Impossible. That was absolutely not Yin Beiqing’s personality.

Or could it be… she wanted to nurse her back to health and fatten her up before striking?

That didn’t seem right either. Yin Beiqing was the type to be decisive in killing; if she could kill immediately, she wouldn’t wait a minute longer.

Then why?

Yan Yu spent the entire night pondering this. She slowly ground the two herbs into powder, mixed them with hot water, and swallowed the medicine. After lying in bed, she kept thinking until the early hours of the morning before finally giving in to sleep.

The next day, before dawn, two maids knocked on Yan Yu’s door.

One carried a basin of clear water, while the other carried a tray with a set of light white clothes.

Lu Jia was startled, curling itself into a ball and shielding itself with its scales. Guipan, however, was bold, jumping off the bed and circling the two maids.

“Please rise and wash up, Miss Yan.”

Yan Yu replied with a “good” and sat up. With just that simple movement, she felt the difference in herself.

Her limp limbs felt full of strength. Her feet hitting the floor no longer felt like treading on bottomless cotton. She walked two quick laps around the room, then stopped to cover her heart and feel the rhythm.

Though her breathing was still not perfectly smooth, her heartbeat was noticeably more powerful. It seemed the formula in the pharmacopeia was indeed effective. If she continued taking it, her constitution would surely improve significantly.

Yan Yu went behind the screen to change, washed up with the water in the basin, and followed the two maids outside.

“May I ask where we are going?” She had been woken up before sunrise.

“The Valley Lord specifically ordered that an induction ceremony be held for you today. Everything is ready in the Grand Hall, just waiting for you.”

Induction Ceremony?

Yan Yu searched her mind for a while before digging out relevant information from a dusty corner of her memory.

Langdie Valley did have such a rule. Every newcomer entering the valley had to undergo an assessment in front of everyone. This process was called the Induction Ceremony. However, the specific rules weren’t mentioned in the original book because Langdie Valley only accepted women, and the male lead had no eligibility to take the test.

“Wait, sisters!” Someone suddenly called out from behind. It was another maid.

Yan Yu looked over and saw blue auspicious cloud shoulder pads on her uniform.

The hierarchy in Langdie Valley was divided into three ranks. The lowest were the Third-Class maids, who wore yellow waistbands and mostly handled guarding, laundry, and cooking. Second-Class maids wore auspicious cloud shoulder pads and could serve closely. Above them were the Five Little Guardians and the two High Protectors—those seven each possessed a silver hairpin.

“What’s the matter?” The maid on Yan Yu’s left stopped.

“You’re going to the hall, right? Take this blanket for me.” She handed over a thick pile of white animal fur blankets. “I have to go back in a bit; I won’t have time to go there.”

“Is this a new one?”

“Isn’t it? The Valley Lord ordered two to be thrown away just the other day because they were ruined. we spent ages rummaging through the warehouse just to find enough snow fox pelts to rush a new one, and there’s only this one.” Her expression was troubled. “These fox pelts aren’t easy to buy. If there’s a next time, I’ll probably have to go up the mountain to catch a live one to kill.”

“Cough, cough…” Yan Yu covered her mouth and coughed lightly.

Why did she suspect this maid was saying this on purpose for her to hear?

“Alright, I won’t take up any more of your time. Hurry and take the Goddess to the assessment.”

“Goodbye.”

The Grand Hall was indeed packed with people—spectators, sleepy-eyed onlookers, and those looking bored while playing with their fingers. A crowd of white-clad maids stood at the back, while seven chairs were placed at the very front, clearly reserved for specific people.

Yin Beiqing was rarely dressed in martial attire today—her sleeves and pant legs were cinched, and her long hair was tied up high. She was facing away from Yan Yu, speaking to the seated Ruan Yuemian.

In the span of two sentences, Yan Yu saw Ruan Yuemian impatiently purse her lips three times.

“Your Little Goddess is here,” Ruan Yuemian interrupted the person who seemed excessively excited today.

“Oh?” Yin Beiqing turned around. Only then did Yan Yu see that she had even changed her mask, seemingly to match today’s outfit embroidered with gold thread.

“Then let’s begin.” She raised her hands and clapped. Several maids immediately stepped out.

Yan Yu saw the ropes they were holding and immediately had a bad premonition.

“What are you doing?”

the lead maid came forward to grab her hand. “It is just the induction ceremony. Please cooperate with us, Miss Yan.”

Cooperate? Even if you’re going to kill me, you should at least tell me if it’s drowning or execution by a thousand cuts.

“Don’t touch me.”

Though she looked fragile enough to be blown away by the wind, there was a genuine sense of authority when she pulled a long face and snapped coldly.

the maid hesitated and looked back at Yin Beiqing, who immediately stood up and walked toward them.

“The Goddess is precious; let me do it,” she said with a smile.

The more Yan Yu looked at that smile, the less she liked it. Whenever this madwoman was about to cause trouble, she liked to smile in that strange way.

“What exactly do you want to do?” Yan Yu grew wary.

Yin Beiqing noticed the small movements of her hands and leaned her lips close to Yan Yu’s ear. “I don’t care if you’re troublesome in private, but there are so many people watching today.”

The whisper sounded like the soft murmur of lovers, but Yan Yu only heard the warning within.

“Or are you afraid?” Yin Beiqing chuckled, her warm breath hitting the side of Yan Yu’s neck. “How could I ever bear to hurt you?”

Yan Yu gritted her teeth and stopped her attempt to form a hand seal.

Since Yin Beiqing had already given her the contract mark of Langdie Valley, she at least wouldn’t joke with her life. At worst, she would suffer some physical pain.

“Give me your hand.”

Yan Yu handed her hand over reluctantly. Yin Beiqing caught those slender wrists—so thin she could easily hold both in one hand—and tied them together with a hemp rope the thickness of a finger. Then, holding one end of the rope, she led her forward.

Yan Yu trotted to keep up, but when she looked ahead, she saw a massive wooden spinning wheel had been erected at some point. It was painted with several concentric circles, with a red dot at the center.

It was clearly a target.

By the time Yan Yu realized what they were planning, Yin Beiqing had already pressed her against it with a sweep of her hand. The iron clasps on the wheel immediately snapped onto her limbs and waist.

Her body was instantly pulled into an “X” shape, like a fish on a cutting board, left to the mercy of others.

A maid handed over a Crossbow.

The crossbow was half as tall as a person and looked incredibly heavy, but Yin Beiqing held it with both hands and pulled it to full draw with ease.

The metal arrowhead reflected the light, pointing straight at Yan Yu.

The prey on the wooden target was so terrified her blood seemed to flow backward, but the archer with tied-up hair lazily curled her lips. To Yan Yu, the smile in those silver eyes was somewhat cruel.

“Don’t be afraid.”

Comfort from an executioner, no matter how gentle, provided no relief whatsoever.