The carriage rattled along the uneven road.
Gradually, the forest behind them disappeared from sight.
Traveling at night was dangerous.
Everyone remained alert to their surroundings and every available lantern had been adjusted to its brightest setting.
Xue Zhao had been arranged in the last carriage together with several townspeople.
The woman who had comforted him earlier was also there.
She gently placed a round lamp into his arms.
Its outer shell was made of paper.
A soft glow shone from within, carrying a faint warmth that seeped into his hands.
“We’re not bad people,” the woman said with a sigh.
“There have been those monsters everywhere lately.”
“Just come back with us for now.”
“We’ll help you.”
Holding the paper lantern against his chest, Xue Zhao nodded lightly.
“…Mm.”
It was the first and only, word he had spoken since being discovered.
The townswoman’s expression softened.
Her eyes were filled with sympathy and concern as she looked at him.
[Character Favorability Has Changed]
The system was extremely pleased.
“Very good, very good.”
As long as this stage of the plan proceeded smoothly, infiltrating the town would already count as progress.
Even if future missions failed, they would at least leave with something to show for the trip.
Xue Zhao’s attention, however, remained on the notification he had just seen.
He quietly asked,
“Does that mean they like me?”
The woman sitting beside him had a gentle and comforting presence.
It was the unique warmth possessed by older human women.
[System]: We still can’t view the exact favorability values.
[System]: Given the current situation, there’s a high chance it increased.
[System]: However, it’s also possible that it decreased.
[System]: Never let your guard down.
[System]: There are plenty of humans who are completely different on the inside than they appear on the outside.
Xue Zhao fell silent.
Slowly, he touched the tail wrapped around his left arm.
Then he carefully pushed it farther beneath his sleeve and adjusted the cuff to make sure it remained hidden.
About half an hour later, the group finally arrived at the town.
It was already around eight-thirty in the evening.
The entire town was brightly illuminated.
Many people could be seen moving about, busy with various tasks.
As soon as they spotted the returning expedition, residents hurried forward to greet them and ask about the situation.
“The altar has already been destroyed,” one of the assistants explained.
“But we arrived too late.”
“We never saw the demon responsible.”
None of this had anything to do with Xue Zhao.
He didn’t even leave the carriage.
Instead, he was brought directly to a small two-story house.
The townswoman introduced herself as Aunt Huai.
She informed him that this was her home and that there happened to be a vacant room available.
He could stay there temporarily.
Her son had left town several years ago to gain experience elsewhere.
As a result, she now lived alone.
Leading Xue Zhao inside, Aunt Huai quickly tidied up the room.
She found clean clothes that suited him and showed him how to use the hot water system in the bathroom.
By the time Xue Zhao finished bathing and emerged from the washroom, a tray of food and a cup of water had already been placed on the desk inside the room.
Aunt Huai was nowhere to be seen.
She had likely returned to her own bedroom.
Xue Zhao carefully closed the door behind him and locked it.
After thinking for a moment, he dragged over a chair and wedged it firmly against the entrance.
Only after finishing all of this did he begin examining his surroundings.
Curiously, he wandered around the room.
He touched the wardrobe.
Examined the table lamp.
Then he picked up one of the pastries from the tray and sniffed it before taking a cautious bite.
He was both exhausted and hungry.
The pastry tasted surprisingly good.
He quickly finished the entire piece.
The hunger in his stomach eased somewhat.
Yet another kind of emptiness and fatigue still lingered within his body.
[System]: Food like that can only barely fill your stomach.
[System]: You’re a succubus.
[System]: You need to use your abilities to obtain real nourishment.
A soft click sounded.
A new panel appeared before Xue Zhao.
[Advanced Skill]: Soul Capture
The system began explaining.
The basic skill, Drain, was the primary method through which Xue Zhao could obtain nourishment.
The higher a target’s favorability toward him, the greater the success rate of Drain.
Xue Zhao opened the Basic Skill description.
The explanation read:
“Capable of converting a target’s vitality, bodily fluids, essence, blood and related energies into nourishment.”
[System]: Even ordinary physical contact can replenish your energy.
[System]: The amount gained is simply much smaller.
[System]: Since we can’t currently see favorability values, I suggest not acting recklessly.
[System]: If you’re hungry, endure it for now.
[System]: Once you’ve completed three missions, I’ll help you select suitable targets.
While reading the system’s messages, Xue Zhao finished three more pastries and drank all the water in the cup.
Then he climbed into the soft bed.
Pulling the blanket over himself, he instinctively curled into a ball.
A yawn escaped his lips.
“…Mm.”
The room’s lights remained on.
Before long, he had already fallen into a deep sleep.
Sometime during the night, a dark shadow landed silently on the windowsill.
Through a narrow gap in the curtains, the black cat observed the sleeping Xue Zhao for several moments.
Then it turned around and departed.
The following morning, Xue Zhao woke up at around ten o’clock.
Aunt Huai appeared to have gone out.
On the tea table in the living room sat a set of brand-new toiletries.
Beside them was breakfast, kept warm over charcoal.
After washing up and eating a little, Xue Zhao wandered to the window.
Carefully, he pulled back one corner of the curtain and peeked outside through the glass.
He hadn’t paid much attention when they arrived last night.
Now, in the daylight, he could clearly see the damage.
Several apartment buildings across the street had suffered varying degrees of destruction.
Residents were busy carrying out repairs.
[System]: That’s the result of yesterday’s ritual altar.
The concentrated demonic energy had originally been drawn toward the town.
Its true destination had been the church.
Fortunately, it was forcibly diverted midway.
As a result, only a small number of people had been injured.
From the townspeople’s perspective, they knew nothing about Holy Relics or demon politics.
They only knew that strange incidents had become increasingly frequent.
Signs of demonic activity appeared regularly.
The peaceful life they once enjoyed had been disrupted.
Fortunately, with the church’s guidance and protection, the town had managed to remain relatively safe.
Xue Zhao watched quietly for a while.
Then he noticed a somewhat familiar figure.
His gaze immediately followed.
A moment later, he hurried back into his room and switched to a different window to continue spying.
Across the street, Xiu Jixin and one of the church assistants had entered a medical clinic.
From Xue Zhao’s angle, he could see them perfectly.
Quite a few people had already gathered outside.
Some had come to purchase medicine or seek treatment.
Others were waiting specifically for Xiu Jixin.
Since the recent demon attacks, ordinary residents were no longer allowed to enter the church freely.
After the old priest became bedridden, Xiu Jixin’s workload increased dramatically.
Most of the time, residents could only seek his help when he personally appeared in public.
[System]: He’s an important character.
[System]: His true strength is currently unknown.
Holding one corner of the curtain, Xue Zhao revealed only half of his face from behind it.
Compared to the previous night, Xiu Jixin appeared much gentler in daylight.
His interactions with the townspeople were patient and attentive.
Unable to help himself, Xue Zhao asked,
“Among the humans here… is he the most handsome?”
He had not been transformed for very long.
As a plant spirit, he could easily distinguish every leaf he encountered.
Humans, however, all seemed somewhat vague and difficult to differentiate.
[System]: He’s alright.
Suddenly, the tail wrapped around his arm stirred restlessly.
Xue Zhao frowned slightly and lowered his head.
The system immediately noticed the subtle change.
Its vigilance rose at once.
A succubus’s abilities were influenced by favorability.
However, succubi could also choose prey according to their own preferences.
More importantly, Xue Zhao’s health was currently low.
He was weak and hungry.
If he became too starved, the backlash from his succubus instincts might cause him to act irrationally.
Pulling back his sleeve, Xue Zhao examined the tail.
Separated from his body, it resembled a black bracelet tightly wrapped around his skin.
It was slender and elegant.
At the very tip was a tiny triangular point.
Still guided entirely by instinct, he reached out and gently stroked it in reassurance.
[System]: You’d better stay away from that priest.
[System]: You’re far too weak.
[System]: If he catches you, you’re definitely going to suffer.
Those words instantly filled Xue Zhao with fear.
He no longer dared continue spying.
Obediently, he retreated deeper into the room and sat down on a chair.
Downstairs, one of the townspeople stood nervously before Xiu Jixin.
“Our child knows he was wrong.”
“He’s copied the scriptures ten times already.”
“And he’s eaten only vegetarian meals these past few days.”
“Do you think… could you possibly release him now?”
“When he truly repents from the bottom of his heart, the seal on his room will break on its own.”
Xiu Jixin’s voice was low and gentle.
Yet his words carried an authority that could not be challenged.
“His temperament is far too impatient.”
“If he cannot endure even this degree of tempering, how will he preserve his mind when a demon appears?”
Then he delivered his verdict.
“Have him copy the scriptures fifty more times.”
The resident could only nod helplessly.
“Y-Yes.”
“Thank you, Father.”
After the man left, Xiu Jixin casually raised his eyes.
His gaze swept briefly toward the window of the room where Xue Zhao was hiding.
At noon, Aunt Huai finally returned home.
She prepared a meal for Xue Zhao herself.
During lunch, she cautiously began probing for information.
“Have you remembered anything at all?”
Xue Zhao shook his head to every question.
Whenever Aunt Huai asked him something, he either remained silent or looked back at her with slightly confused eyes.
In the end, she could only give up.
“It’s alright,” she said gently. “Just stay here and rest for now. This afternoon, I’ll take you around the neighborhood.”
After lunch, Xue Zhao followed Aunt Huai outside.
As they passed the medical clinic, he noticed that Xiu Jixin was no longer there.
Aunt Huai spent the afternoon helping him become familiar with the surrounding area.
Many people lived along this street, making it fairly lively and noisy during the daytime.
Only the large vegetable garden behind the row of buildings was noticeably quieter.
The garden had been carefully maintained.
Rows of vegetables grew neatly from the rich soil.
As sunlight spread warmly across the earth, Xue Zhao unconsciously slowed his pace and glanced over several more times.
No new missions had appeared yet.
Having only recently arrived, he also couldn’t conveniently do anything suspicious.
Aunt Huai repeatedly told him to settle down and rest.
The system agreed.
For now, all he could do was wait patiently for an opportunity.
By noon on the third day, Xue Zhao sat by the window, absentmindedly stroking his tail through his sleeve while occasionally looking outside.
Aunt Huai wasn’t home.
Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, he finally stood up and quietly slipped downstairs.
Before long, he had wandered all the way to the vegetable garden behind the building.
The garden was empty.
No one else was nearby.
Carefully pushing open the gate, Xue Zhao tiptoed inside.
He looked around in every direction before selecting a suitable spot near the edge of the garden.
Then he sat down.
Warm afternoon sunlight poured over him.
Hugging his knees, he leaned comfortably against a nearby stack of dried hay and closed his eyes.
Although his current identity was that of a succubus, his true essence was still that of a plant spirit.
He naturally loved the scent of soil.
And sunlight.
The warmth soaking into the earth.
The gentle breeze carrying traces of growing things.
All of it felt comforting.
Xue Zhao basked in the sun.
Just as he was beginning to drift toward sleep, he heard a faint rustling sound.
[System]: It’s that cat.
A soft series of noises came from the top of the haystack.
Xue Zhao immediately opened his eyes.
The black cat stood atop the pile of hay, tilting its head as it looked down at him.
In broad daylight, its golden vertical pupils appeared somewhat darker.
Its gaze carefully scrutinized the young man before it.
Xue Zhao instinctively held his breath.
Slowly, he sat up.
Then he began inching backward little by little, attempting to put more distance between himself and the cat.
The black cat clearly noticed his nervousness.
Stretching out one front paw, it lowered its body as if preparing to pounce.
Xue Zhao immediately shrank back in alarm.
His beautiful eyes widened into perfect circles.
The black cat stared at him.
Then it pretended to pounce again.
Xue Zhao shrank back once more.
“Meow!”
As though it had discovered something entertaining, the black cat leapt down from the haystack.
Deliberately approaching Xue Zhao, it reached out a paw and began batting at him.
[System]: Don’t be afraid.
[System]: I don’t think it intends to hurt you.
The black cat was a spirit cat.
If Xue Zhao appeared excessively frightened, it might arouse suspicion.
Unfortunately, he had never interacted with a creature like this before.
Feeling nervous was unavoidable.
Since he couldn’t escape anyway, he simply hugged his knees tighter and buried his face.
Pretending to be dead seemed like the safest option.
A long while passed.
The black cat eventually stopped pawing at his clothes.
It sounded as though it had left.
Only then did Xue Zhao cautiously raise his head.
Unfortunately, that was exactly what the cat had been waiting for.
The black cat immediately spun around and charged back.
With a nimble leap, it landed directly on Xue Zhao’s knees.
“Meow!”
The triumphant sound seemed almost smug.
The sharp claws and gleaming golden eyes were suddenly far too close.
Xue Zhao froze completely.
He didn’t dare move.
He barely dared breathe.
The black cat lowered itself and leaned even closer.
Its nose twitched repeatedly as it carefully sniffed his scent.
A trace of confusion lingered in its eyes.
And curiosity.
It sniffed him for quite a while.
Then, without warning, it leaned forward and licked the side of his face.
[Character Favorability Has Changed]
Xue Zhao stared in disbelief.
Slowly, color spread across his cheeks.
Whether from fear or embarrassment, even he wasn’t sure.
After holding it in for several seconds, he finally spoke.
“…Go away!”
He tried to sound fierce.
Unfortunately, his voice carried very little intimidation.
The black cat remained completely unconcerned.
In fact, it seemed interested in licking him again.
At the same moment, inside the church on the opposite side of town,
Xiu Jixin opened his eyes.
A faint flash of gold passed through them.
His brows knitted together slightly.
“Yingjie.”
The moment his voice fell, the black cat froze.
Its golden eyes brightened.
Shaking its head, it looked behind itself before glancing once more at Xue Zhao.
The cat was clearly unwilling.
However, it had no choice.
Reluctantly abandoning the idea of continuing its game with Xue Zhao, it turned around and sprang over the garden wall.
Within seconds, it disappeared from sight.
Its movements were agile and swift.
It bounded across rooftops and climbed between buildings with remarkable speed.
Before long, it had returned to the church and found Xiu Jixin.
Xiu Jixin gave no further instructions.
He merely glanced toward the cat.
There was a hint of warning in his gaze.
The black cat stared back coldly.
Its expression looked distinctly impatient.
Then it turned around and walked away.
Meanwhile, Xue Zhao also left the vegetable garden and returned to his room.
Covering the side of his face, he still looked somewhat aggrieved.
“Was it trying to bite me…?”
[System]: I don’t think so.
[System]: Honestly, it looked like it liked you quite a bit.
Then another notification suddenly appeared.
[System]: The mission has refreshed!
[A New Main Quest Has Been Issued!]
[Mission Details]: Locate and destroy the silver salt used to capture demons.
[Mission Reward]: Villain Points +10
The system immediately became excited.
“Finally!”
“We can start doing some villainous things!”
Xue Zhao wiped his face with his sleeve.
Though nervous, he nodded seriously.
“Mm!”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ you know what to do
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · [Mission Identity]: SuccubusChapter 2 · Let him copy the scriptures fifty more timesChapter 3 · Can I seduce him?Chapter 4 · Can I have a bite?Chapter 5 · I wasn’t full at allChapter 6 · This is its original formChapter 7 · Xue Zhao slowly licked it againChapter 8 · If something is discoveredChapter 9 · Because he is… a succubusChapter 10 · Are you trying to seduce me?Chapter 11 · That’s right, a cage to lock up the devilChapter 12 · Can I keep you company for a while?Chapter 13 · Only one kiss a dayChapter 14 · Uncomfortable?Chapter 15 · Day of RepentanceChapter 16 · It’s the last bit left, silver halideChapter 17 · Current Form: SuccubusChapter 18 · This is your… original form?Chapter 19 · What would you like to eat?Chapter 20 · I’ll show you my tail… okay?Chapter 21 · The premise is that he didn’t lieChapter 22 · It has a light, pleasant fragranceChapter 23 · Demons typically have a limited dietChapter 24 · Don’t touch me…Chapter 25 · MaturityChapter 26 · Touch What?Chapter 27 · I never imaginedChapter 28 · “I’ll feed you until you’re fullChapter 29 · You’d better keep having this kind of luckChapter 30 · Anyway, I’ve already touched it onceChapter 31 · Like a kitten begging for extra food.Chapter 32 · [Skill “Charm” in effect]Chapter 33 · [You have entered the “Mature Stage”]Chapter 34 · He wanted Xiu Jixin to feed him….Chapter 35 · You’re trying to seduce me againChapter 36 · He seems… even more off now.Chapter 37 · Xue Zhao blushedChapter 38 · The fallen Holy SpiritChapter 39 · [Health points have reached maximum]Chapter 40 · [Corruption Value]: 63%Chapter 41 · Besides seducing me, what else can you do?Chapter 42 · Can we take the NPC with us?Chapter 43 · Horror Comics: The Murder DollChapter 44 · [Task Details]: Find a new owner for your itemsChapter 45 · The skill “Entering Dreams”Chapter 46 · The thought of making him cryChapter 47 · With a rather wicked interest.Chapter 48 · I’ll buy you new clothes, little bunnyChapter 49 · I should say, thank you, MasterChapter 50 · Do toy bunnies go into heat?