What did he want most?
Hearing the question, Xue Zhao began thinking seriously.
As his thoughts wandered, the dreamscape slowly changed around them.
The grass grew denser and greener.
The vegetation surrounding them thickened until it nearly enclosed them entirely.
Above, brilliant sunlight poured down.
It was safe.
It was warm.
There were no terrifying insects lurking nearby.
Once, this had been the thing Xue Zhao desired most.
But after arriving here, he had acquired a new identity.
Xiu Jixin continued holding him.
His gaze remained lowered toward the wound on Xue Zhao’s finger.
The silent attention felt like an unspoken prompt.
Xue Zhao instinctively hid his fingertip.
Then he remembered why he had been injured in the first place.
His mood immediately sank.
Sensing the change, Xiu Jixin asked softly,
“What are you upset about?”
Xue Zhao remained silent.
Tears gradually gathered in his eyes.
With the system’s help, his missions had progressed relatively smoothly.
Aunt Huai treated him kindly as well.
Yet he was still afraid.
Afraid of other demons.
Afraid of having his identity exposed.
Because he was simply too weak.
Every time he created a tool or talisman, it required an enormous amount of effort and time.
And he had never once been truly full.
The highest his life value had ever reached was only seven points.
He was constantly exhausted.
Constantly hungry.
Always enduring.
Under the influence of Demon Grass, emotions hidden deep within the heart became amplified.
The more Xue Zhao thought about everything, the more wronged and miserable he felt.
Yet he could not explain those feelings.
His identity was special.
No one could be allowed to know the truth.
Even in his current dazed state, some instinctive part of him still understood that he had to keep the secret hidden.
Xiu Jixin waited patiently.
His fingers gently brushed the corner of Xue Zhao’s reddened eye.
Xue Zhao looked up at him.
For a moment, his thoughts grew muddled again.
Ever since completing the poisoning mission, neither Aunt Huai nor the system had allowed him to leave the house.
Aunt Huai wanted him to rest properly.
The system worried that he might become infected as well.
Three entire days.
He had stayed home for three full days.
And by now, he was starving once more.
Maybe…
Maybe he could eat just a little first.
Right now, what he wanted most was food.
Xue Zhao sniffled softly.
His mood eased somewhat.
The tips of his ears flushed red.
He moved closer until he was pressed against Xiu Jixin’s chest.
Then he rubbed his cheek lightly against the man’s palm.
Recalling the night he had been sick, he remembered that Xiu Jixin’s affection had increased by two points because…
But this seemed to be a dream.
And Xiu Jixin had just said he wasn’t real.
If he wasn’t real…
Could affection still increase?
Could he still obtain food?
Xue Zhao thought seriously about the problem.
Then suddenly leaned forward and bit down on Xiu Jixin’s fingertip.
The next second, however, Xiu Jixin caught his chin and forced him to release it.
The restraint wasn’t painful.
Still, Xue Zhao squirmed unhappily.
A deeper shadow appeared in Xiu Jixin’s eyes.
Maintaining his patience, he asked,
“Why are you biting me?”
During an earlier dream, Xue Zhao had once asked whether he could have a bite.
Xue Zhao froze.
His hazy thoughts drifted aimlessly.
Why?
Because he was…
A succubus.
As a succubus, he depended on food.
Guided by Xiu Jixin’s questioning, the realization surfaced clearly within his mind.
And there were many ways to obtain food.
The dream magnified his desires as well.
He was incredibly hungry.
Simple physical contact such as hugging provided far too little nourishment.
If he wanted more…
There was a method.
At least, he vaguely knew there was.
He had simply never attempted it before.
His true form was a mimosa plant.
He had never liked being touched.
The system had never explained those matters either.
In its opinion, maintaining enough affection points to sustain his life value was already sufficient.
As a result, Xue Zhao had never thought deeply about it.
But now, looking at Xiu Jixin’s face illuminated by sunlight…
And imagining certain possibilities…
His face immediately flushed scarlet.
Panicked, he pushed Xiu Jixin away.
He felt embarrassed.
Nervous.
Flustered.
The confusion only made him even less capable of acting on those thoughts.
The warmth vanished from Xiu Jixin’s embrace.
He lifted his eyes toward him, appearing faintly surprised.
Because of Xue Zhao’s resistance, cracks began appearing throughout the dreamscape.
The illusion was starting to collapse.
His consciousness was about to awaken.
Xue Zhao’s expression gradually turned dazed and unfocused.
The surrounding grass faded away.
The sunlight dissolved into nothingness.
Even his memory of the place began growing indistinct.
Just before fully waking, he saw Xiu Jixin lean closer.
The man pinched his cheek and said something.
But the words never reached him.
When Xue Zhao finally regained awareness, the dream had already ended.
Looking around, he discovered that he was still inside the room at the clinic.
And Xiu Jixin was standing directly before him.
“All right.”
Xiu Jixin paused briefly before continuing.
“You may serve as a temporary assistant.”
Xue Zhao blinked in surprise.
Then delight immediately flooded his face.
“Really?”
Seeing his obvious happiness, Xiu Jixin’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“The final numbers still need to be confirmed. Once the appointments are official, someone will come notify you.”
[Mission Completed!]
Even after returning home, Xue Zhao remained excited.
He had never expected things to proceed so smoothly.
Logically speaking, he was an outsider who had only recently entered the town.
He barely knew most of the residents.
He was hardly an ideal candidate.
The system asked,
“What exactly did you dream about this time?”
It was equally shocked.
The moment it realized Xue Zhao had once again fallen victim to Demon Grass, it had nearly crashed from panic.
This time, the Demon Grass had come directly from Xiu Jixin himself.
Its potency was on an entirely different level.
The system had been terrified that Xue Zhao would accidentally expose his identity within the dream.
It waited nervously the entire time.
And then watched Xiu Jixin’s affection increase by another three points.
Xue Zhao tried hard to remember.
“I forgot…”
he admitted blankly.
He genuinely could not recall the contents of the dream.
The only thing he knew for certain was that Xiu Jixin had been there.
Even the final words Xiu Jixin had spoken to him had vanished from memory.
“Are you sure you didn’t expose yourself?” the system asked anxiously. “I was worried sick…”
“Probably not,” Xue Zhao muttered softly.
“His affection increased.”
Another three points.
His affection had officially entered the next stage.
70 , Affection Taking Root.
No matter what happened, affection points never lied.
And “Affection Taking Root” certainly sounded more serious than merely “Quite Favorable.”
That should mean he liked him even more… right?
Unfortunately, not long after leaving the dream, Xiu Jixin had been called away.
He had not remained in the room for very long.
Xue Zhao sat curled up in a chair, hugging his knees.
The tail wrapped around his arm slipped from beneath his sleeve.
He licked his dry lips and gently stroked the restless tip of his tail.
The system sighed.
“Well, anyway, the mission’s complete. That’s what matters.”
“Once you enter the church, new missions are definitely going to appear.”
“Just remember one thing.”
“Be careful.”
Xue Zhao nodded absentmindedly.
“Mm.”
But his thoughts were already elsewhere.
That night, someone from the church came to deliver two sets of assistant robes for Xue Zhao.
The robes were similar to those worn by the priests, though the sleeves and collar were slightly different.
“If they don’t fit properly, you can give them back to us for alterations,” the assistant said. “Your official appointment begins the day after tomorrow.”
Xue Zhao had been placed in the last group scheduled to enter the church. His duties would be assigned afterward. Since Aunt Huai’s home was not particularly close to the church, he also had the option of moving into the courtyard residence outside the church grounds.
The system commented:
“The church works pretty fast.”
After a brief pause, it added:
“How about not moving there for now? Just stay here.”
“But what if there’s an urgent task?” Xue Zhao lowered his head and looked through the clothes.
The system relented.
“Fine. That’s true.”
On the contrary, Aunt Huai strongly supported the idea of him moving into the church.
After all, he had been attacked by a demon before and later suffered from a serious fever. Both times, the church had helped him.
In her eyes, Xue Zhao had lost his memories, possessed a weak constitution and was vulnerable. Staying within the church would undoubtedly be safer.
“If you remember anything,” Aunt Huai said gently, “make sure to tell the priest and if you’re willing… it wouldn’t be a bad thing to stay here permanently.”
Xue Zhao remembered nothing about his past.
The forest where he had been discovered wasn’t far from the town, yet no one had come looking for him all this time.
Under such circumstances, it was highly likely that he no longer had any family left.
Aunt Huai felt a pang of sympathy, though she kept those thoughts to herself.
Knowing he would be moving away the day after tomorrow, Xue Zhao felt somewhat reluctant to leave her.
He nodded.
“Mm.”
The new robes were carefully placed inside the wardrobe.
After trying them on once, he found that they fit reasonably well.
Before going to bed, the system sent its usual messages, reminding him to stay cautious in his daily activities.
Getting into the church was a major breakthrough for their mission.
But at the same time, the risk of exposure would certainly increase.
Xue Zhao switched off the lamp in his room and stared at the dark curtains hanging before the window.
“Mm.”
The system immediately sensed his distracted mood and developed a vague sense of foreboding.
“Host, what are you thinking about?”
“N-Nothing…” Xue Zhao stammered. “I’m going to sleep.”
In truth, he had been thinking about something else.
Once he entered the church, he would have far more opportunities to see Xiu Jixin.
He had already made up his mind.
He was going to seduce him.
The only reason he had delayed was because the other demon had been captured afterward and then he himself had fallen ill, causing everything to be postponed.
The system kept telling him to take things slowly.
Xue Zhao didn’t really understand what that meant.
Anyway…
Xiu Jixin’s affection level had already reached seventy.
Curled beneath the blanket, Xue Zhao rolled onto his side and gently touched his own cheek.
It felt a little warm.
For some reason, he thought again of the dream he had experienced after being poisoned that day.
Yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember what had happened within it.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town.
Near the church, the door to the well house stood open.
Xiu Jixin stood alone before the well.
At first glance, the well cover appeared perfectly normal.
Yet a faint aura seeped out from within.
Several splashing sounds echoed upward as water stirred below.
After a long moment, traces of a rune slowly emerged from the surface of the well cover.
The mark gradually rose into the air.
A demon’s sigil.
The magical power contained within the sigil was extremely potent.
It was also the very source of the mysterious illness that had spread among the townspeople.
As the aura drifting from it grew increasingly intense, Xiu Jixin lowered his gaze.
The sigil had been drawn…
With blood.
,
The next morning, an assistant delivered the organized reports to Xiu Jixin’s desk.
After hesitating for quite some time, he finally couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Father, that young man who was discovered near the altar… he’s been selected as a temporary assistant as well. Could there be…”
Many people chose not to say it aloud.
But Xue Zhao was still an outsider.
No one knew his true identity or background.
There was a possibility that he had directly encountered demons before.
Suspicion could not be completely ruled out.
Xiu Jixin accepted the documents.
“There is no need to worry. I have entered his dream.”
“The Demon Grass?” the assistant asked.
His expression visibly relaxed.
“Then I was overthinking things.”
If Xiu Jixin had personally examined him, there was little reason for concern.
Besides, even without the recent outbreak of illness, the church had already been planning to recruit additional assistants.
The elderly priest who was gravely ill required constant care.
The clinic was becoming increasingly busy.
And evil creatures still lurked within the shadows.
The assistant sighed heavily.
“There’s still no clue regarding the demon we discovered at the altar.”
The demon captured with the black cat’s assistance several days ago had merely been an ordinary Possession Demon.
It lacked the ability to construct the altar or burn down the warehouse.
The sudden illness affecting the townspeople was further proof that another demon remained hidden within the town, waiting for an opportunity to act.
And when dealing with demons, identifying their type was often the most important first step.
Xiu Jixin casually flipped through the documents.
His gaze settled upon Xue Zhao’s name.
“There’s no rush,” he said quietly.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
Statistically speaking, coffee would be appreciated.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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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?