Volume One, Chapter 44: The Enchanting Demon
Sure enough…
The old man in the yellow robe wiped the sweat from his forehead, unable to keep himself from breathing a sigh of relief. As he looked toward Lin Yu, his eyes were filled with wariness.
He had heard about what happened rather late, and being merely a simple merchant, he naturally could not offer much help.
“Aqi, are you heading out?” Ever since he had been injured, he had been recuperating at home. At his request, Aqi had moved back in as well, yet he still rarely stayed home each day. He truly could not bear to see her so constantly busy.
A leaf was blown over by the wind and struck the blade of the Tai’a Sword, splitting cleanly in two. The blood scattered beneath Li Xuanzang’s feet had dried into a vivid crimson, bright as flowers.
“His Majesty said he was going to attend to state affairs. Perhaps I could go and see what he is doing later. If he is indeed handling official business, I can wait a little longer before asking him to come over?” Xiangling replied hesitantly. She remembered that His Majesty had said he was going to deal with state affairs when he left.
“This servant deserves death—this servant is useless. I could not even carry out Her Majesty’s simple instruction—” As the eunuch spoke, he began striking his own face. Beating himself was still better than being put to death.
“What is that?” Yun Qing was the first to react. It seemed to be inside the Emperor’s mind, and the situation appeared far from promising.
“General, should you ever need anything from Mu Ge, please give your orders. By His Majesty and Her Majesty’s command, Mu Ge shall do everything in her power to serve you.” Mu Ge stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
Ever since they had emerged, that unpleasant aura they had sensed upon entering the sealed barrier had grown even stronger. Even Huang, despite circulating his inner energy, could still perceive it with perfect clarity. According to Bodu’s explanation, this was the unique domain aura of the Gudu Demon Abyss, far more intense than the inherent aura of the inner territories of the Demon Realm.
Nor were the two of them the only ones struggling now. An Yalun was suffering as well. Ever since learning the truth, his heart had been tormented without respite.
After thinking for a long while, Artoria finally voiced the question. She knew that her bargain with this man was no different from making a pact with the devil, yet she could not stop herself from trying. She was truly exhausted.
On a large ship, several middle-aged members of the Baga tribe stood craning their necks in anticipation, but the reports from the front line continued to announce the annihilation of the entire army.
His words carried the force of turning guest into host, as though his deliberate failure had truly been an act of far-sighted and painstaking wisdom, while the directors questioning him had all become shortsighted fools.
From a distance, the land vehicle had only just reached the avenue where the repair shop stood when Bao Bei spotted the electronic markers of the Public Security Bureau’s cordon still remaining on the ground. The security forces had already withdrawn, but there were still very few pedestrians. Bao Bei and the others drove up to the repair shop, only to find the main gate tightly shut.
Hammerhead was Fifth Master’s most capable enforcer. He had been prosecuted and imprisoned several times, but Fifth Master had always gone to great lengths to get him released. Impulsive and quick-tempered, he was suspected of having minor psychological problems, yet he remained utterly loyal to Fifth Master.
Seeing this, Fang Dajun suggested that they go across the street and look around together. He had never really explored the neighborhood before, and as soon as he said this, he was met with an enthusiastic response.
Yet, for some inexplicable reason, an arrogant conviction rose within him. As a transmigrator, he knew the upheavals of the next thirty years. He did not seek to change the world, only to live a life of wealth and privilege. A human life lasted no more than a hundred years—why submit to so many constraints? He had no blood relation to them in the first place, so what harm could there be in lying together?
Still groggy, Faber climbed down from the swaying hammock and pulled on an army greatcoat he had grabbed from somewhere. Working in the darkness, he expertly folded the hammock away, wrapped the coarse canvas with rope seven times, and placed it in the hammock net along the ship’s deck railing.