They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 308: Almost Broke My Ribs

Karen twisted her body and jumped, pushing off a wall to the side and launching herself sideways through a half open metal gate beside the alley. She landed hard, rolled twice, then got back on her feet with a grunt.

“Almost broke my ribs,” she hissed, but did not stop.

Now inside what looked like a local bakery’s backyard, she spotted a delivery cart, a wooden pushcart, loaded with bread and covered with a massive white cloth. The delivery boy was struggling to push it out the back gate.

Karen rushed to him. “Please,” she whispered urgently, “hide me under that cloth, now. They’re chasing me, and I’m not a thief or anything, I swear.”

The boy blinked, startled, then looked past her and saw the group of men coming down the alley. Something in Karen’s desperate eyes convinced him.

Without a word, he yanked the edge of the cloth and helped her slide under the bread pile, then casually continued pushing the cart through the front gate and onto the street.

Moments later, the guards stormed into the yard.

“Where did she go?” one barked.

The delivery boy stopped pushing and blinked at them innocently. “Who?”

“A girl, short hair, yellow dress, ran through here!”

He scratched his head. “Really? Okay. Would you like to buy some bread?”

“What do you mean, would i like to– Are you dumb?!” One of the guards barked

The rest searched the area quickly, suspicious, but there was nothing to find. Just a sweaty bread boy and a heavy cart.

the guards slapped the

Karen held her breath, sweat dripping down her face as she listened to their voices fade away. Her heart thudded wildly against her ribs, every

wheeled

come out now,” he

sat up, gasping for air. “Thank you. I owe

important for those men to

just laughed shakily. “You

deliberate. He kept his breathing under control, something he

glance over his shoulder to check, yes, they were still on him. The dark uniforms of the palace guards weren’t hard to spot, even in

by rank.

away, disobeying a king’s unspoken command… even if he returned, even if they succeeded in

thought, biting down the panic rising in his chest. Maybe I’m no

as the fear of disgrace loomed in his mind, something steadier

pedestrians, ignoring their confused gasps. This was no longer just about loyalty. It was about conviction, about choosing what was right, even if it came with a

Without hesitating, John darted into

is better than

sweat coated his brow, but he didn’t stop. Keep going. Just a little

the pressure was building. The guards were

packed market, and right, toward what looked like a quiet

into the market, I’ll

He swerved right.

entered a narrow lane filled with crates, delivery carts, and a few confused workers. One man nearly

sacks of flour or rice. Without thinking, John changed his pace, suddenly slowing to a walk, then slipping between the crates,

himself with it. The dust made him want to