Little Pink Starfish

Lunatic

“Doctor Qi, I’m heading to the market today to pick up a few things,” said Hua Rongyue.

“Go ahead, bring back something for me while you’re at it,” Doctor Qi replied without even looking up.

And just like that, Hua Rongyue left Baicao Hall alone with ease.

The sky was still bright. She intended to take this opportunity to visit Tianyi Tower’s local contact point, gather some intel, and be back before long.

The place wasn’t exactly nearby, but Hua Rongyue had one major advantage—her light-foot skills. While ordinary folks would barely have time to browse the market, she could make a round trip and still shop without breaking a sweat.

Tianyi Tower’s reception points were always disguised as normal inns or teahouses—places that were open to the public, even bustling with business. Ordinary people would never suspect a thing; only those versed in the ways of the jianghu knew better.

One needed a trained eye to spot the telltale signs. Tianyi Tower had a recognizable symbol: two circles, one hollow, one solid, placed diagonally like yin-yang fish on a bagua. This symbol, hidden in a corner of the establishment, marked the place.

It represented the pieces—black and white. Every assassin in Tianyi Tower possessed one, differing in color and material depending on their role and rank.

—Yi Linglong’s piece was made of jet-black jade.

This time, Hua Rongyue didn’t linger. After a quick stroll through the market, she emerged with a bamboo hat. At some point, she’d also swapped out her clothes. She chose an inn not far away, where she had previously spotted that subtle twin-circle symbol on the stairs while drinking tea. She’d remembered it—and today, it came in handy.

She didn’t ask anything sensitive, only inquired about the general state of affairs in Jiangnan and focused on the recent jobs taken by the major escort agencies. She wrapped her questions into a note, rolled it with a jade token, and tucked it into a corner of the inn before stepping back outside to wander a bit.

When she returned, the jade token and note were gone. In their place was a new slip of paper. She pocketed it without pause and left.

Everything had gone smoothly. Surprisingly, Hua Rongyue felt quite calm—despite this being her first time appearing at a Tianyi Tower post as a “client.” She had expected to feel at least some emotional turbulence. But… nothing.

As she rounded the inn’s corner, she passed a teahouse. Just as she walked by, her vision suddenly blurred, and fleeting, fragmented images flashed through her mind.

Before she could make sense of them, a woman in a red blouse drifted past her—light-footed, like a floating red cloud.

At first, Hua Rongyue didn’t react. She continued walking calmly, only to suddenly glance back mid-step.

The woman was very pretty—bright and charming, with large round eyes and a smile that gave her a perpetually cheerful air. She wore vivid red lip rouge and had a warm, approachable expression.

Passersby often turned to look at her. She had that kind of presence—sweet and harmless, like a young lady sneaking out to explore the world for the first time. Watching her curiously admire everything on the street, many couldn’t help but smile.

…But Hua Rongyue suddenly recognized the fragments she’d just seen.

Her pupils shrank sharply as she yanked the brim of her bamboo hat down to cover her face. Her mind went blank, like someone had smashed her over the head with a hammer. Chaos. Panic.

No. No. No no no—

Please don’t let it be her…

Still walking steadily, Hua Rongyue continued down the street, turning a corner before she dared glance back.

Just one glance—and her heart started pounding like mad.

That woman was slowly disappearing into another alleyway.

How could life be this ironic?

Hua Rongyue’s breath quickened. She forced herself to calm down. Fine. She’s gone now… pretend you didn’t see anything.

With that, she hurried back to Baicao Hall.

By the time she returned, she had already changed back into her original outfit. Inside, people were brewing medicine. As always, the place was saturated with the scent of herbs. Many were coming down with colds lately, so Doctor Qi had been especially busy. Hua Rongyue handed him the items he requested, then headed straight for the back courtyard.

“Hey, Rongyue, where you off to?” Doctor Qi asked.

“Going to check on the herbs.”

She answered quickly and rushed out. Her heart still echoed: Why her? Why her?!

Just a few days ago, she’d told herself that she absolutely must not run into that woman—and now here she was. The more you try to avoid something, the more it comes straight for you.

Hua Rongyue forced herself to push aside thoughts of that woman for the moment. After confirming she was alone, she took out the note and read it.

Finished reading, she pressed the slip of paper between two fingers and, with a flick, it disintegrated into dust.

Surprisingly, the intel helped her calm down. According to the message, she truly had been caught in the crossfire this time…

Apparently, the higher-ups didn’t actually think Yi Linglong had come to Jiangnan. The local escort agency had indeed taken a few suspicious jobs recently, but they were unrelated to her. In truth, the current unrest was more about needing a scapegoat—and an explanation for the chaos.

Hence, the rumor of Yi Linglong appearing in Jiangnan was born.

Unfortunately, it had also stirred up those who were already obsessed with her. Hua Rongyue sighed—Jiangnan was unlikely to quiet down anytime soon. She’d chosen this scenic, peaceful place specifically to retire, yet her retirement had barely begun and already it was a battlefield.

And then there was that woman from earlier on the street…

Hua Rongyue was certain she had been drawn by the rumors of Yi Linglong. Based on memory, this was about the time she began her search. In the original timeline, she’d track Yi Linglong down in six months—and from that moment on, Yi Linglong’s life would spiral into nightmare.

Because that woman—Lin Qiya—had one obsession: turning the people she loved into people like her.

—Yes, she was also part of the “mad” crowd. But among them, even her name struck fear.

She was a notorious Assimilator.

Lin Qiya’s background was a complete mystery. But what she loved to do was seek out people she found intriguing and forcibly turn them into berserkers like herself.

In a twisted way, she and Jiang Lianhuan were similar. But their brand of madness was… different.

Lin Qiya was terrifyingly powerful. Even before Yi Linglong had gone mad, she couldn’t defeat her. That raised a strange contradiction: the world might look down on the berserk, but some of the strongest fighters were exactly that.

At her current strength, Lin Qiya was basically a living cheat code. Even among the crazed, she was top-tier. In the early days, Yi Linglong was crushed by her; it wasn’t until Yi Linglong went mad herself that she gradually surpassed her. Later, Yi Linglong reached a level of madness and power that was unmatched—but by then, Lin Qiya had vanished without a trace.

As things stood now, the only way to deal with Lin Qiya was through sheer numbers. In terms of raw strength, even someone like Yan Sheng would likely lose to her without a doubt.

And don’t be fooled by Lin Qiya’s lovely appearance—she practiced hard internal energy techniques. Her palm strikes were legendary. People who died by her hand were often found flattened… think mosquitoes or cockroaches smashed into walls.

She was definitely here to find Yi Linglong.

Because, according to memory, she was the one who forced Yi Linglong down that path.

It happened right after the former Tower Master died and a power struggle erupted within Tianyi Tower. Yi Linglong, a strong contender for the seat, was sent on a mission—only to be ambushed and captured by Lin Qiya.

She was thrown into a dungeon for seven days and nights of torture—with one goal: to drive her insane.

Yes, in the jianghu, the term for “going berserk” was simply “going mad.”

—It was one of the darkest chapters in Yi Linglong’s life.

Hua Rongyue hated that memory most of all. Just watching it unfold in her mind brought suffocating dread.

Lin Qiya’s method was crude yet effective. True to her nature, she believed: If I want you to go mad, I’ll just make you go mad. And she used every method available to break someone mentally.

It worked almost every time. Why? Because martial artists often relied on internal force. Prolonged physical and psychological torture caused energy imbalances. Once internal energy spiraled out of control… madness followed. Whether your mind broke or not, your body would.

That was how Yi Linglong’s descent began.

So why would someone like her suddenly find me?! Hua Rongyue groaned inwardly. No way. Not in this lifetime!

In her past life, Yi Linglong had clearly been ambushed to fall into Lin Qiya’s hands. But in this life, Hua Rongyue had no intention of climbing any Tower ladders. Which meant… only one explanation.

Yi Linglong’s recent notoriety had attracted Lin Qiya.

All Lin Qiya needed to become interested in someone was to want to turn them into her own kind.

Great. Just great… Somehow, the fabricated rumor that Yi Linglong was in Jiangnan had ended up luring the worst person imaginable.

Hua Rongyue felt both a headache and a chill down her spine.

She did not want to go mad in this lifetime.

Even Yi Linglong lost to her in the beginning—so what chance did she, who hadn’t even fully synced with this body, have? If she were discovered… she might not last long at all.

I have to hang on.

Just as that thought crossed her mind, a laugh suddenly echoed through the empty courtyard.

Low and indistinct. Not even clearly male or female.

Hua Rongyue jumped and spun around—but there was no one there. The sound seemed to come from behind her… or maybe from inside her head.

It took her a moment to realize—

It was her own voice.

The courtyard was empty. Only the branches outside swayed gently in the wind.

Hua Rongyue stared ahead, still unsure if the pressure had finally driven her to hallucinations.