The little creature locked eyes with its target.
The next moment, a figure lunged at Shu Chen, fangs bared only to freeze in place just before sinking into skin, then topple straight onto the bed.
Shu Chen poked the long, coiled-up creature that was playing dead. “You’ve got some nerve, daring to bite me.”
The long creature curled itself up even tighter.
Shu Chen flicked a finger at it. “Get off. You’re not allowed on my bed.”
The creature dropped to the floor and stayed perfectly still. Satisfied, Shu Chen lay back down.
After a while, the person on the bed opened his eyes, cast a cleaning spell on himself and the bed once more, and casually threatened the long creature on the floor, “Don’t you dare run. If you do, I’ll catch you and soak you in wine.”
The long creature, which had just stretched itself out, went plop lying perfectly straight on the ground, not daring to move a muscle.
After enjoying a few hours of undisturbed quiet, Shu Chen got up and said amiably to the creature on the floor, “Go wash yourself clean.”
The long creature, now possessing a sliver of intelligence, trembled at the words. Its tiny brain, with limited capacity, recalled that last night, this giant beast that had become sentient seemed to have mentioned soaking it in wine.
Shu Chen nudged the trembling little thing with his foot. “Keep dawdling and I’ll use you for wine.”
The long creature: It said it again!
Cowed by the giant beast’s tyranny, no matter how terrified it was, it had no choice but to obediently find water and wash itself clean.
Once it had washed and dried itself off, Shu Chen brought it outside only to be told that the young lord had gone out on urgent business, and the prince was bedridden and unwell.
A maid lowered her head and relayed Lin Jin’s message: “An envoy has arrived from the imperial capital, so the young lord had no choice but to receive him. Please consider this money compensation for the inadequate hospitality.”
“If the immortal master finds it dull, you’re welcome to explore the city all expenses will be covered by the prince’s estate.”
Shu Chen stroked the long creature coiled around his wrist like an ornament. After a moment, he replied, “Thank you for relaying the message.”
The maid raised her head, caught a glimpse of the object in Shu Chen’s hand, and the faint flush on her face instantly drained away, turning deathly pale. Her speech became halting. “N-no need to thank me.”
“Does the immortal master have any other instructions?”
Shu Chen: “No.”
The maid lowered her head. “Then we’ll take our leave. Please make yourself at home, immortal master.”
With that, she didn’t linger a single moment leaving swiftly and decisively.
Shu Chen lifted the long creature’s little head. “You scared them.”
The long creature: I’m about to be scared to death too.
Qin Yu’an had been gone since last night and still hadn’t returned, so Shu Chen had to search for the demon hiding in the prince’s estate on his own.
But the demonic aura that had been so obvious last night was now nowhere to be found.
He raised his wrist, lifting the long creature’s head to make it meet his gaze. “Tell me, where is your master hiding?”
The long creature didn’t know, and even if it did, it couldn’t speak.
In the end, Shu Chen had to find a secluded spot suitable for shady dealings on his own.
From a distance, he caught the scent of blood. Drawing closer, he could hear the sounds of fighting.
Shu Chen covered the long creature’s head on his wrist and crept closer quietly. Just as he reached a spot where he could see clearly, he witnessed Xiao Nian kick up a dagger that had fallen from someone unknown, and without a moment’s hesitation, slice off the head of the man before him.
From Shu Chen’s angle, he could clearly see the killing intent still lingering in Xiao Nian’s eyes. But only for an instant the next moment, Xiao Nian lowered his head, lost in thought.
Shu Chen stood still in place until Xiao Nian had stowed the severed head into his storage pouch and was about to proceed with the next step. Only then did he appear silently behind the man. Just as the bloodthirsty male lead was about to make a move, Shu Chen wrapped his arms around him from behind in a half-embrace to restrain him, while reaching out to take the dagger from Xiao Nian’s hand. Leaning over Xiao Nian’s shoulder, he asked in a tone feigning ignorance: “Killed someone?”
Xiao Nian clenched his fists and sneered, “Isn’t that obvious?”
Shu Chen: “Why? You don’t seem like the type to vent your anger through killing.”
Xiao Nian took a long breath, broke free of Shu Chen’s restraint, and said with hostility in his voice, “Then you’ve misjudged me. I’m exactly that kind of person.”
He stepped onto the body separated from its head. “Not only did I kill him I want to kill everyone in this estate. What are you going to do about it?”
Half of Xiao Nian’s arm was soaked in blood, and Shu Chen had gotten quite a bit on himself when he took the dagger from his hand now sticky and unpleasant.
Shu Chen glanced at the storage pouch on him. “What you’re doing is wrong.”
Xiao Nian let out a dismissive “Hah.”
Standing face to face, Shu Chen could clearly see the mockery in the other’s eyes gone was that clean, unrestrained look from before. It made him feel somewhat uncomfortable.
Shu Chen tossed the dagger onto the corpse. The thing under Xiao Nian’s foot instantly transformed into a thick, headless serpent body, and Xiao Nian stepped away from it with disgust.
“Do you know how the common folk speak of Prince Kang and everyone in his estate? Do you know how much trouble will follow if you draw your sword and slaughter everyone here?”
Xiao Nian turned his head away, stubbornly insisting, “None of your business.”
Indeed, it wasn’t something anyone needed to worry about after all, Shu Chen had just reviewed the original book, and there was no mention of the male lead being affected by this incident. But…
Shu Chen repeated himself, “I still think what you’re doing is wrong.”
Xiao Nian’s patience was wearing thin, and he was about to speak when Shu Chen continued, “People can’t help but consider their future reputation even those who only live a hundred years know this.” He gestured toward the location of the prince’s mansion.
Xiao Nian: “I already said.”
Shu Chen: “We should do good deeds without leaving a name, and kill without drawing blood.”
Xiao Nian looked at him with an expression that was hard to describe, but Shu Chen immediately added, “I’m joking.”
Shu Chen could feel that Xiao Nian’s hostility toward him had dissipated considerably.
“I’m heading back to the prince’s mansion. Are you coming?”
Xiao Nian turned and walked away. “No.”
“Wait, you’re going back to the mansion? What are you going there for? Why are you here?”
Shu Chen: “Come back with me and you’ll find out.”
He stepped forward and slapped a hand on Xiao Nian’s shoulder, annoyed to find that he was considerably shorter than the male lead. “Don’t worry, even though they paid me a large sum, I’m still your master. Between us, we’re closer, so I won’t expose your murder.”
“What kind of master are you?” Xiao Nian tried to brush Shu Chen’s hand away, but his fingertips touched cold, hard scales.
“What is this?”
“Damn, you’re wearing that kind of venomous thing on your hand!”
Xiao Nian took two steps back, putting three meters between them.
The long strip was gratified finally, someone understood it.
Shu Chen: “It’s fine. The little thing froze the moment it saw me pretty well-behaved.”
“See, when I reached out, it obediently crawled onto my hand. Clearly, it wants to follow me.”
Shu Chen extended his hand, showing Xiao Nian the long strip that had crawled into his palm and was trying its best to curl up.
Xiao Nian recalled someone’s original form, then looked at the absurdly well-behaved venomous snake: Keep bragging. It’s clearly scared stiff.
Xiao Nian: “Fine, I’ll go back with you.”
Shu Chen waved his hand, and all traces on the ground vanished except for the headless snake.
“I don’t keep dirty things here. You put it away it might be useful later.” Shu Chen pointed at the snake corpse on the ground.
Xiao Nian was reluctant. “Why me? I don’t keep dirty things either.”
Shu Chen: “You’ve already stored a head. What’s one more body?”
Xiao Nian was speechless: So you saw everything after all, didn’t you?
Still, Xiao Nian picked up the snake from the ground and stuffed it into his storage pouch.
On the way back, Xiao Nian remarked, “Haven’t seen you in a while. You look a lot more agreeable today.”
Shu Chen glanced at the person beside him from the corner of his eye: Could it be that I look more agreeable because I’m shorter?
He needed to think of a way this wouldn’t do.