Residence Of Monsters Volume 1 Chapter 9

Originally posted on RBKTR Translations. 
Author: Lan Qi Zuo Ren (藍旗左衽).
Translated by: Yujuan

Six o'clock sharp in the evening. Zephaniah Academy, boys' dormitory.

Bai Li Rui punctually arrived at the dormitory, not even a few seconds late. He hadn’t planned to come back this early, but for some reason, there was something in his mind that urged and reminded him to arrive at the dorm room on time.

Bai Li Rui opened the door to see Byriel sitting in his seat with his legs crossed, flipping through his notebook.

"Good evening." Byriel didn't leave his seat even as he saw who had come as if he had already known that he would come. "Your collection is pretty meaningful. Even though you have such a strong desire for the opposite s.e.x, there isn't anything too heavy in your cabinets and hard drive. There are just purely romantic works of literature and art in them. You're unexpectedly innocent despite being able to attract that many succubi. Hehehe…"

"I don't have a girlfriend. Looking at those kinds of things will only make me feel empty and sad. It's just like watching videos of food while you're hungry, it's no different from hurting yourself." Bai Li Rui explained moodily, then changed the subject, "Point is, how did you get in here?"

Byriel shrugged, putting the notebook down, "Maybe the door wasn't locked."

"The room was locked just now." Bai Li Rui broke through the excuse, "You're lying."

"I'm not lying, I just said that maybe the door wasn't locked. I didn't say that I came through the door." Byriel laughed, "You're much smarter than I expected."

Bai Li Rui stared at Byriel, his gaze sweeping towards the window behind his back.

The window was currently tightly closed, and only the little ventilator above was open. But looking at its height and size, and a normal person couldn't possibly enter through it.

In that instant, Bai Li Rui felt scared. At the same time, his mind became clear, as if something had covered his head before this and had now been taken off.

"There's something I find very weird…" Bai Li Rui supported his head, feeling as if his thoughts were becoming clearer, "I don't know why I never thought of it before this. You don't live in the dorms, but you can simply attend the dorm activities without anyone asking you where you came from; you didn't attend cla.s.s a few times, but n.o.body calls you during roll call, and everybody accepts it as if it's natural…"

As his thoughts became gradually clearer, his dread also gradually increased.

"Mm, it appears to be so." Aiyaya, even the basic illusion curses were starting to wear away. It looked like his situation was starting to look bad.

He might die. Hehehe…

"Who… are you?" Bai Li Rui watched Byriel guardedly.

"I'm Byriel." He stood up, "His Highness the Twelfth Prince's first official, as well as the prince's direct legion's Third General."

"What are you saying… chuunibyou?" Bai Li Rui's attention was caught by the s.h.i.+ning object on his desk. A fine antique mirror-box was enveloped in mixed rays of purple and yellow, almost as if it was embedded in a s.h.i.+ning crystal.

"W-what is that?" He was intimidated by the unnatural sight.

"Do you like the gift that I gave to you? The jewels on them are real, you know." Byriel took up the mirror-box, opening it, "Prince Shuekan gave it to me. You've taken good care of it. Hehehe…"

"You didn't give this to me, I found it on that day we went to that abandoned hospital!"

"Oh, didn't you ever wonder why you were the only to see such a beautiful object, in such a conspicuous place?"

Bai Li Rui was speechless, glaring at Byriel, carefully speaking, "…What are you planning to do?"

"I just want to invite you to accompany me somewhere." Byriel smilingly neared Bai Li Rui, "Don't worry, it's just for a while. Based on the fact that I gave you a present, help me with something, alright? Student Li Rui."

Bai Li Rui did not answer, quickly backing away towards the door, planning on running.

Just before he was a step away from the doorway, it felt as if he was bound by invisible rope, unable to move. His hand was extended towards the door by just two meters, but he couldn't move forward anymore.

Bai Li Rui stared blankly. He had never gone through this before, both his eyes widened in astonishment and alarm. He wanted to cry for help, but he couldn't make a sound.

"Be more cooperative, you're the crucial part of my plan you know." Byriel smiled, "Don't struggle, it's pointless. It's because you keep on doing pointless things that the girls don't like you."

Shut up! Bai Li Rui rebuked in his heart.

The tightly-shut door suddenly opened.

Byriel froze. Had the spell lost its effect?

Behind the door was Feng Ping Lan who held two large bags of snacks. Feng Ping Lan saw the situation in the room, also frozen in his spot.

What kind of situation was this? Why was Byriel here? Why was Li Rui frozen before the door?

No matter how slow he was, he could see the dread in Bai Li Rui's face. What had happened?

Byriel asked first, "Why didn't you go watch the movie?" His voice carried some suspicion and helplessness.

"Because there's no meaning in watching it alone." Feng Ping Lan replied blankly, "I returned the ticket and bought a lot of snacks, I was going to share it with you guys tomorrow…" He mumbled this, stupidly taking out a gla.s.s bottle that was filled with star-shaped granulated sugar, "T-this Star Candy is for Byriel…"

Byriel looked at the jar of candy in his hands, then glancing at Feng Ping Lan, twisting his mouth in a deeply bitter smile, "You, are really a troublesome guy."

Why were there so many people like this around him? It made him unable to do stuff properly, it even made him feel a bit grieved about his own despicableness…

Ah, it was so very irritating.

Byriel flicked his finger, and Bai Li Rui who was fixed to his spot lost consciousness, his entire body falling backward. Byriel accepted the unconscious Bai Li Rui in his arms.

"Byriel, what are you doing—"

"I'll be borrowing this for a while, I'll return it soon." Byriel's face revealed a bit of agony, "I wasn't going to let you see this, hehe…"

The golden mist appeared, enveloping the two them.

"Byriel!"

The mist disappeared, leaving Feng Ping Lan alone in the room.

What to do, what to do? What had happened?

He'd call for help first!

Feng Ping Lan opened the window, whistling, and Simo's bird immediately flew through the window.

"Byriel took Bai Li Rui away, he seems a bit weird. I think he's going to do something bad! Come here quickly! Please!"

The bluish-green bird flapped its wings to leave, vanis.h.i.+ng in the air.

After Simo received the message, she nervously told Conglong and the others. When Morris heard of this, he immediately indicated that he wanted to go along.

"Why are you coming along?" Conglong frowned.

"There's a rare chance to teach that smelly worm a lesson, how could I miss it." Morris made a fist, looking as if he was ready to beat up someone.

After five minutes, Simo, Conglong, and Morris arrived at Feng Ping Lan's room.

"What's the situation?" Conglong spoke.

Feng Ping Lan hurriedly told them of what he had seen earlier. The three demons' expressions became serious.

"Could it be that the reason why Ci Mu was moving around the school compound a few days ago was due to him?" Conglong muttered seriously, "Could Byriel possibly… be betraying us, could he be in the Third Prince's faction?"

Simo shook her head hard.

"If it's true, why does he want to take Li Rui away? Does the Third Prince like young men who are unlucky with girls?"

"Of course not!" Conglong reb.u.t.ted Feng Ping Lan's laughable words. "But you have a point there…"

"Why waste your time guessing, we should just beat him up until he spits out the truth." Morris spoke impatiently, "Do we have any way of knowing his location?"

"He put up a spell to hide his tracks, we can't trace him." Conglong was distressed.

Feng Ping Lan suddenly got an idea. "Conglong, can you track where your scales are?"

"Yeah, I can."

"One of the scales you gave me is on Li Rui!"

Conglong froze, "…You're quite useful sometimes." He closed his eyes, searching for the location of the scale. In the next moment, a little fluctuation came from the southeast.

Conglong opened his eyes, pointing, "He's heading that way."

"Let's go, hurry and chase after him!"

The southeast city area, the residence halfway up the mountain.

After Simo and the others had left, Dongya went up the staircase and arrived on the third floor.

He walked towards Quetzal's room, opening it. The empty room still had n.o.body in it, and the opened window let in the splendor of the remnants of dusk, creating a deep and concentrated shadow on the ground.

"You're here, aren't you?" Dongya spoke to the room.

The silence continued for two seconds. The dark shadow by the corner of the wall slowly rose to reveal a pitch-black figure. Quetzal stepped forward, standing before Dongya.

"You should have heard the message Simo's bird brought. Byriel's seems to have acted, and he even involved a human…"

Quetzal did not speak.

Indeed. He knew of everything that happened in the house. In actuality, ever since b.u.mping into Feng Ping Lan in that evening on Friday, he had always been recuperating in the house. He was just deliberately hiding in his own shadows.

He had been silently secluding himself, observing.

He had known that Byriel had been purposely going out and hiding his tracks in the past few days, and had very obviously put on a Concealment Spell to hide the traces of the spells he had been casting. His actions were definitely suspicious, but he hadn't had any interest in investigating it.

Rather than trust, it was more that he hadn't cared at all. Although they were comrades, it was just that Byriel's existence was dispensable to him. The reason why he observed Byriel was because Byriel was Prince Shuekan's subordinate, that he gave Prince Shuekan his all, so he was willing to observe.

As if he was keeping guard of another's possession, and that possession did not mean anything to him at all.

Other than Byriel, he was also watching Feng Ping Lan.

He had observed Feng Ping Lan's interactions with the others, and he had seen Feng Ping Lan peeking into his room every time he pa.s.sed it as if he was making sure of his existence.

He was perplexed. He didn't know what kind of mentality the human was using to approach them.

To use them? No, from what he had seen, Feng Ping Lan was the one being used.

To curry favor? No, if he wanted to win their favor, his att.i.tude should be more sly, and not to act stupid to the point of angering others.

"…Who knows what Byriel's planning to do. If we let him act simply like this, it won't be good if we summon the Demon Slayers." Dongya realized that Quetzal was thinking deeply, sighing, "Quetzal? What do you think?"

Quetzal lifted his face, frowning in deep thought. He didn't say his train of thought and guesses out loud, just spitting out two words, "We move."

Dongya smiled slightly, following behind Quetzal, reciting the spell for his soaring wind.

"…An absolutely rebellious and reckless guy…" Quetzal couldn't help but mutter.

"You are too, Quetzal." Dongya smiled lightly, the silvery-white light changing into a cyclone and surrounding him, "All of us are immoral beasts that Prince Shuekan picked up after all."

When Dongya and Quetzal arrived at Feng Ping Lan's room, there was n.o.body around even though the lights were on.

Quetzal seized up the room, his pupils turning into slits. He could see that Byriel had cast spells all over the room.

He hadn't even been able to wipe off the lowest levels of spells. This guy wasn't going to last any longer…

Quetzal's gaze swept towards Bai Li Rui's desk, looking at that mirror-box that shone with a resplendent pearly light. There was a powerful spell surrounding the mirror-box that was even hidden quite well.

"Where did this mirror come from?"

"I don't know, it should be the human's belonging." Dongya took up the mirror box, unable to see any peculiarities. "Is there anything wrong with it?"

"There is a bewitching curse on it. It's wafting off an aura that'll attract demons." Quetzal accepted the mirror-box, extending a hand to brush off the screen on top of it, revealing the complicated spell circling the box's surroundings that was running stably, "Byriel cast it."

"What exactly could he be planning? Is it to lure Ci Mu in?" Dongya was astonished, "Is he planning on betraying Prince Shuekan?"

"I have no intention of learning his motives…" Quetzal coldly spat out these words, putting the mirror-box back in place, turning around.

"Where are you going? Quetzal?"

"To do what I'm meant to do."

"You don't care about Byriel anymore? What about Conglong, Simo and Morris?" Dongya asked, "And… Feng Ping Lan."

"No matter what Byriel plans to do, he won't be able to last through tonight with that broken body he currently has. There’s nothing to fear about." Quetzal spoke in authority, "As for the others, if they get in the way of our means of returning, I will discard them and throw them away."

With that, the shadows on the ground suddenly shot up, engulfing Quetzal. In the next moment, he had vanished.

Byriel carried the unconscious Bai Li Rui, on one hand flying while casting a spell to turn himself into the withered old man.

"Cough cough…" He coughed heavily, moving forwards strenuously.

Until he felt the wetness coming from his lapel, he hadn't realized that his chest had been soaked red. The skin on his chest was starting to crumble and rot, slowly starting to spread to its surroundings.

"This is really annoying…" Byriel gave a wry smile. "Hold on for a bit, I don't want to end it right here…"

After flying for a while, the abandoned hospital that was located in the city area appeared in sight. Byriel brought Bai Li Rui into it from the back entrance.

The hospital was pitch black, a malicious gaze as well as whispers coming from the darkness.

Briel walked towards the lounge of the hospital, "Ci Mu-dàrén, I have arrived."

After a moment of silence, the shadow of the giant eyeball slowly appeared in the lounge, stopping mid-air to look superciliously at Byriel.

"This is the Summoner that I was talking about." Byriel placed Bai Li Rui on to the ground, "He was the reason why the demons' presence have been diminis.h.i.+ng in the past few days. He was also the one who destroyed all the s.e.xual demons. If you still remember, this guy was the one who disguised as one of the students for the test of courage, but it was just to examine this place. He was planning on wiping out all the lower-level demons in one go tonight, as well as hunt for the demons mid-level and above. This might become very unfavorable to you…"

Ci Mu stared at the unconscious Bai Li Rui, full of suspicion.

"If you do not believe me, you can inspect him. There are traces of spells on his body, as well as a powerful demon aura." Byriel said, having planned in advance.

He was lying. There was no way he was going to hand Bai Li Rui to Ci Mu just like that, because even he wouldn't believe that he was a Summoner if he were to hand such a normal human to him. Other than a bewitching curse, there was also a soul-linking boundary on the mirror that he had given Bai Li Rui. The boundary would bind the spell on the mirror onto Bai Li Rui, which would construct traces of Bai Li Rui having cast a spell, as well as hide the tracks of the bewitching spell left behind on his body.

This was the most complicated part of the plan, which was the reason why all his remaining strength had been sucked away.

Ci Mu's pupil enlarged, attentively giving Bai Li Rui a once over. Indeed, there was some faint evidence of a spell being cast as well as a demon's aura.

But Ci Mu's expression didn't seem very happy.

"What do you think? Ci Mu-dàrén." Byriel said humbly. "I have already completed your request, and I'd like to have a look at the Crystal of Insight, just for a while… No, just a look would be fine, Ci Mu-dàrén, I beg you."

The moment that Ci Mu took out the Crystal of Insight, he planned to use all his strength to give it a critical hit.

He did not think of how much strength he would have left after launching the attack, nor of whether he would live or not.

But after waiting for a long while, Ci Mu did not move, the large eyeball filled with amus.e.m.e.nt.

Maliciously, it had revealed a smile because a prey had fallen into its trap.

Byriel immediately realized that something was not right, but did not make a move.

"Dàrén, are you planning on breaking the promise?" Aiyaya… things were going to get troublesome soon.

"Did you think it was going to believe you so easily?" Egotistical and irritating laughter sounded from the darkness.

A tall figure jumped down from the staircase behind Ci Mu, breaking the ceramic tiles on the floor. The shadowy figure slowly stood up, his height about three meters tall, the blackish-purple flesh spread twisted and intertwined tendons and blood vessels, a red mane tied up on his head that extended to the tailbone. Although he had a human-like exterior, two tusks were sticking out of his lower jaw, curling upwards; his bell-like eyes were yellow and pupiless.

Byriel recognized him. It was one of the Third Prince's lieutenants, Mang Nao, a despicable and brutal insignificant weakling. The reason he would remember his name was purely because of Mang Nao's horrible reputation, and the fact that he had the delusions of relying on Prince Shuekan.

"How embarra.s.sing." Byriel did not pretend anymore, "I had thought that my disguise and whereabouts were concealed pretty perfectly."

"It was because it was too perfect, that it raised our suspicions on you. You covered up your aura and your tracks so perfectly that even Ci Mu was unable to trace you. You couldn't possibly be a lower-level demon to be able to do this sort of thing." Mang Nao looked at the withered old man in front of him irreverently, "However, I didn't think your physical body would be so weak. Are you really the rumored Byriel?"

Byriel knitted his eyebrows, "I'm astonished that you can say something like that…" He bent, both arms flinging to the sides, a thousand needles shooting out everywhere from behind him. A succession of groans and blood-curdling screeches sounded out from the darkness. "Because with your current status, you are not fit to call my name."

His hands scooped up the unconscious Bai Li Rui, moving backwards.

"Attack! Attack!" Mang Nao bellowed violently, a group of demon soldiers appearing from the shadows, "Knock him down, and the position of colonel will be mine! We will be rewarded greatly by the Third Prince!"

The blood vessels and nerves on Ci Mu's body transformed into a net and pointy awls, shooting towards Byriel's position.

Byriel avoided the stabs one by one and leaped away from the b.l.o.o.d.y net just in time.

"Is running away the only thing you can do?" Mang Nao's laughter sounded suddenly.

Byriel turned around to see a set of furry claws swinging towards him. He could avoid it, but Bai Li Rui would get hit in the process. He would undoubtedly die.

Aiyaya, it looked like he had no other choice.

Byriel gritted his teeth, intending to take the blow.

But right before the sharp claws could hit him, it was struck by something else, decreasing its power by quite a lot. Byriel backed a few steps, using a hand to put some pressure on the arm that had been pierced by the sharp claws.

Turning his head, he saw Morris standing beside him, looking at his haggard appearance with satisfaction.

"Serves you right, you smelly worm." Morris was very pleased to see the insufferably arrogant Byriel so miserably beaten. "I'll settle things with you later!" He then turned around, launching an attack at Mang Nao.

Simo and Conglong charged towards the demon soldiers in the hospital, blocking the enemy soldiers off.

"Byriel!" Feng Ping Lan ran hurriedly towards Byriel, lowering his head to look at Bai Li Rui in his chest, realizing that Bai Li Rui's clothes were now soaked with dark red blood, "L-Li Rui, is he… dead?"

"He's fine." Byriel snapped, sliding Bai Li Rui towards him. He then leaned weakly against the wall, "He's just asleep."

"T-then, whose blood is that?"

Byriel hooked his lip, smiling mischievously, "It's mine. Heh…"

The festering in his chest spread even more, and with the wound on his arm added in, he could feel his life force seeping away bit by bit.

"Then… are you alright?" Feng Ping Lan looked at Byriel in concern.

Byriel knitted his eyebrows, not answering Feng Ping Lan's question. He asked instead, "How did you know that we were here?"

Still worrying about him at this point in time…

It was really annoying you know, this kind of warm and touching act…

"I gave Li Rui Conglong's scale. He kept it on him."

Byriel let out a self-deprecating laugh, "I actually made such an amateur mistake, hehe… cough!" He'd actually not sensed Conglong's scale and had even put a Non-tracking Curse up. It had been an unnecessary move for him.

"It's not a mistake!" Feng Ping Lan refuted greatly, "Its good, it's the reason why we could come over to help you!"

Byriel knitted his eyebrows, "Help me?" Not to cut him down? Just how stupid was this human…

Simo's halberd struck the ground heavily, shaking with powerful sound waves. A whole squad was blasted until their ears bled, cras.h.i.+ng into the walls. The sound waves. .h.i.t the wall, leaving behind a giant cavity that caved out.

Conglong's columns of water crashed about the building, toppling a few people before breaking an entire gla.s.s surface.

As for Morris, he had knocked down several pillars in the process of battling against Mang Nao.

The entire abandoned hospital was seriously wrecked in that short period of time, huge noises sounding out from it.

This group of morons, this wasn't the underworld…

Byriel bit back the pain, loudly warning the three people in battle, "Put up a boundary! Or else it'll attract the humans!"

"Shut up, you traitor!" Morris bellowed.

Simo hurriedly pounded her halberd, creating a sound barrier to cut of the noise; Conglong summoned a wall of water to envelop the entire hospital building from the outside, the water creating an illusion to cover up for the damages caused from the battle earlier.

It was all silent outside the hospital. The outside world couldn't see the destruction and the light of spells created in the battle.

Creating a boundary sapped a lot of Simo and Conglong's power, and the strength of their attacks decreased greatly. The demon soldiers attacked repeatedly, almost injuring them a few times.

After battling against Mang Nao for a few minutes, Morris and the others who had had the upper hand felt their power and strength decline, and Mang Nao took the lead instead.

Morris was too late to defend himself after launching a wave of attacks, forcibly struck by Mang Nao's punch, and his entire body crashed into the wall behind him.

Morris clenched his teeth and did not concede defeat, growling, "You b.a.s.t.a.r.d…"

"You feel so weak. I didn't know that the Twelfth Prince's subordinates were absolute trash." Mang Nao cackled, "No wonder the Twelfth Prince was reduced to this state! Hahaha!"

Morris tried to make a counterattack but found that he couldn't summon his strength. His exhaustion was bearing down on his shoulders, making it hard to move.

"Who says!" Feng Ping Lan refused to accept this, shouting at Morris, "Morris, bind a contract with me! Beat him up!"

Morris stared blankly at him.

"Hurry up! Quickly!" Feng Ping Lan raised his hand, "I want to see you win!" And then he speedily recited the chant for the contract.

Mang Nao realized that something was amiss, switching his target to Feng Ping Lan.

"Don't be reckless! You're just a human!" Morris gritted his teeth, putting all his strength into rus.h.i.+ng towards Mang Nao, pus.h.i.+ng him away before he could get to Feng Ping Lan, "I don't need you to tell me this sort of thing!"

"—I serve use to you, you serve use to me." It was right at this time that Feng Ping Lan finished reciting the incantation.

Morris revolved his body, extending his hand to give Feng Ping Lan's raised palm a high five. "Contract established!'

The moment they high fived, Morris felt as if a hole in his soul had been filled up and his strength and demonic power stopped leaking out, starting to store up again.

Morris violently flung his fist against Mang Nao's second wave of attacks, forcing him to retreat bit by bit.

A white ray of light flashed into the hospital. The demonic soldiers that were swept by the light were all as if they had been cut by a sharp blade, fractured and critically injured.

The white light moved to Feng Ping Lan's side. After it swayed for a moment, the light dispersed to reveal Dongya in the middle.

"It's very dangerous here. You shouldn't have come." Dongya spoke gently to Feng Ping Lan, then turning towards Byriel to inquire solemnly, "You did something you shouldn't have done."

"Mmhm." Byriel sat on the floor in a decrepit state, his back to the wall, returning a frivolous smile.

Simo retreated from the battle, pleading with Dongya, "Please, save Byriel…"

"But—"

"Please!" Feng Ping Lan started to beseech as well, "Byriel was protecting Li Rui, he didn't let Li Rui get injured, he didn't plan on harming anyone!"

"But—"

Dongya looked at Ping Lan, sighing helplessly. He glanced towards Byriel, "I'm just giving you a chance to explain yourself by saving you. If you're found guilty, you'll still receive punishment."

He muttered a spell, the pattern on his arm emerging with a soft light, coming off Dongya's skin to cover Byriel's heart.

After a while, Dongya's expression became exhausted, the light from the pattern dimming. But Byriel's situation did not change.

"Sorry." Dongya panted, "I can't do anything with this kind of injury…"

Feng Ping Lan let out a worried cry, kneeling beside Byriel to look at Byriel's weak state.

"Byriel…"

"Don't look at me like that, hehehe…" Byriel smiled weakly, squeezing a few words from his hoa.r.s.e throat, "Did you know, I was originally going to hand you over to Ci Mu."

On the first day that the seal had been broken, he had discovered that Ci Mu was using this abandoned hospital as a temporary base. He was originally going to fabricate excuses and lure Feng Ping Lan into the hospital to make direct contact with Ci Mu.

After realizing that a human could see a mid-level demon that Ci Mu was, it would definitely develop an interest in Feng Ping Lan and capture him to interrogate him on his background.

This way, he could sneak up on Ci Mu in its inattention, stealing the Crystal of Insight away from it.

On the night of the test of courage, he was actually investigating nearby. Because the students had hastily crashed in, Ci Mu temporarily retreated and left the hospital. He suddenly realized that he could possibly use one of the students in the crowd as bait. Feng Ping Lan was too stupid, and there was a chance of him confessing. He had found Bai Li Rui in the crowd, and joined in halfway through to trick Bai Li Rui into keeping the enchanted mirror-box.

"Actually, I was originally going to rescue him out of there after getting the information I wanted. Hehehe…"

Morris who was in battle overheard this, making use of every second and every inch to rebuke, "Stop lying!"

"Byriel's not lying." Feng Ping Lan said seriously, "I believe him."

Byriel burst into laughter once again, "You're really stupid. Even I wasn't able to believe myself anymore, heh…"

"I believe that you have your reasons. You just explained your plan, but you didn't talk about your motive, Byriel."

"That's not important anymore…"

"No way! This kind of Byriel isn't cool at all, your fans will be heartbroken if they see you like this." Feng Ping Lan raised his spirits, saying hearteningly, "Let bind a contract! Byriel!"

Byriel knitted his eyebrows, "Why?"

"I'll be sad if you die."

"Why?"

"If you bind a contract with me, you'll be able to find your prince, won't you? Also…" Feng Ping Lan took up Byriel's hand, "I want to become friends with you. Even if that's temporary."

Byriel froze, bursting into laughter, laughing while coughing up blood. He then gripped Feng Ping Lan's hand instead, not a trace of laughter on his face.

"You'll regret it."

Feng Ping Lan cracked a smile, "We'll see." He muttered the incantation, "…Contract established."

Byriel coughed heavily, leaning against the wall. His entire body still looked utterly dilapidated.

"Are you alright?"

"I won't die yet… heh…"

On the battlefield, the demon soldiers kept on appearing endlessly to no end. The soldiers that appeared weren't made of lower levels either, there were also a few first and second lieutenant-cla.s.s demons.

With the difference in numbers, as well as the strength that had still not yet restored, Simo, Conglong and Morris' battle had come to a stalemate, and it was getting more and more disadvantageous for them.

"I'll leave this to you." Dongya said to Feng Ping Lan, "I'll go a.s.sist them."

"Wait a minute."

Dongya turned back to see Feng Ping Lan extending a hand towards him, just as he had to Byriel earlier.

"…May I?" Feng Ping Lan threw out this simple phrase, but Dongya understood immediately.

Dongya smiled lightly, "It is my honor." He then bent, respectfully taking Feng Ping Lan's fingers and placing a light kiss on them.

As the incantation finished, the contract was completed.

Dongya's figure was like a ray of white lightning, gracefully traveling back and forth between the demon soldiers, both hands holding a crescent-shaped silver battle-ax each, cutting through the enemies one by one. He swept towards Ci Mu who was floating in the air.

Dongya leaped into the air, both hands raised, about to slice Ci Mu into two halves.

Byriel who was lying by the side yelled out to stop him, "Don't kill it! Or else we won't be able to get the Crystal of Insight!"

Dongya immediately restrained himself, at the same time figuring out Byriel's intentions. "So was this the reason for all your plans?" He backed to the side, taking advantage of an opening to question.

"Possibly."

"Why didn't you discuss it with us?"

"I've always done the dirty work by myself." Byriel perked up a proud smile, "I'm more experienced in this than you guys, hehe…"

"Byriel is acting so cold, you just didn't want to involve the others, did you. Hahaha!" Feng Ping Lan elbowed Byriel twice, just like a middle-aged woman teasing a young man, laughing secretly.

Byriel did not answer. It wasn't that he was silently agreeing, it was just that the two elbows that Feng Ping Lan had given him had hit him right into his wounds, and it was so painful that he couldn't answer.

The attacks that Morris and the others launched were to disperse the demon soldiers as well as. .h.i.t Ci Mu and Mang Nao, and they could only defeat Ci Mu while it was intact, so the entire process of battling them was pretty hard to get through.

The five demons who faced the crowd of soldiers were littered with wounds, and they were slowly forced to retreat and at last backed into a corner.

"Is the capability of the Twelfth Prince's six great generals?" Mang Nao laughed maliciously, "His plan of recycling trash must have failed, Discarded Citizens have nothing on the n.o.ble Families when compared together. You're all exiled trash after all— ah!"

Before he could finish speaking, a cl.u.s.ter of golden needles shot towards his face. Although it was only a flesh wound, the mouth p.r.i.c.ked full of sharp needles was temporarily unable to speak.

Conglong, Simo, Morris and Dongya guarded in front of Feng Ping Lan. The four of them turned their heads, only to see Byriel's hand still in mid-air after launching his attack, weakly coughing while laughing. "Most unfortunately, the ones who do not know of their own worth in being used are you guys…" Halfway through saying this, he panted to the point of being unable to breathe.

"Injured people stay quiet." Morris rebuked angrily.

While he reprimanded, if Byriel hadn't interfered, he would have also rushed out to tear Mang Nao's mouth off.

Feng Ping Lan observed the situation, asking quietly, "Um, if we bind a contract one more time, can we make your strength double?"

"There's no such thing, you idiot!" Conglong cut down Feng Ping Lan's delusions.

"Then…" Feng Ping Lan lowered his voice, suggesting secretively, "How about I create a chance for you guys to leave while that warthog gets distracted…" He raised a hand to point towards a certain corner of the hospital, crying out in alarm, "Ah! Look over there! What's that! Wow!"

The whole area was dead silent. n.o.body turned their heads.

Conglong and the others' expressions stiffened, they became very awkward.

"They're not easy to fool…" Feng Ping Lan once again lowered his voice to whisper to the others, "I thought that warthogs were incredibly stupid."

"I can hear you!" Mang Nao bellowed violently.

Feng Ping Lan grabbed his head embarra.s.sedly, his gaze moving elsewhere where an unnatural shadow caught his attention, and he could help but cry out, "Ah!"

"Do you think that I'll fall for the same stupid trick!" Mang Nao became indignant.

At that moment, the shadows on the ground suddenly transformed into a tide, rising like waves of a storm to surround the demon soldiers.

The quiet, powerful and all-around sneak attack caught the demons unprepared. Other than the cla.s.ses lieutenant and above, the others were all annihilated.

After the shadow wave settled, a black figure spiraled up from the center of the floor.

Quetzal appeared fearlessly.

The ice-cold purple eyes surveyed the remaining enemy demons, speaking majestically, "…Those who sully Prince Shuekan's name, die."

"You— you're Quetzal!" Mang Nao recognized who had come, his voice quaking.

Clapclapclapclapclapclapclap! A whole chain of loud applause rang out.

The crowd turned towards the sound, only to see Feng Ping Lan applauding excitedly.

So cool!

Quetzal looked back, glancing at Feng Ping Lan coldly.

Feng Ping Lan was being protected behind the four demons, an unconscious Bai Li Rui lying before him, a weak and powerless Byriel lying behind him like a rag.

He could see that his five comrades had all contracted with Feng Ping Lan. Although he had already foreseen this happening, he was still astonished nonetheless.

After he left, he had gone to the school compound to examine it once more, but there hadn't been anything unusual there, nor were there any demons. He hadn't been in the mood to investigate any further, because he was ineffably twitchy and unable to keep calm.

When he arrived at the residence, it had been empty. He was used to the darkness and silence, used to being alone; but at that moment, he felt that this kind of silence, this kind of loneliness, made him feel jittery.

In the two days that Feng Ping Lan had resided here, the house had been incredibly noisy. His surroundings had never been this noisy before.

He was very unaccustomed to it.

He observed Feng Ping Lan, observed the demons that interacted with Feng Ping Lan.

He was astonished to see this kind of att.i.tude, this kind of expression that his comrades had, especially when they were facing a human.

After knowing each other for hundreds of years, this was the first time he was seeing this kind of reaction from them.

The demons had always used pure reverence and awe to face Prince Shuekan, treating him as G.o.d; when faced with Quetzal, their att.i.tudes were full of reluctant compliance and compromise, as if they were facing a particularly harsh judge.

And he had never seen the kind of att.i.tude they used with Feng Ping Lan. It was not an att.i.tude they used with their subordinates, not how they treated a superior, not how they would treat a monarch, nor was it how they would treat a relative.

He had become slightly interested in this human.

What made him even more perplexed and annoyed was, somewhere deeply secluded within himself, distinctly, it had given rise to a somewhat…

"Did you arrive late on purpose?" Although he was incredibly weak, Byriel couldn't change his bad habit of ridiculing people.

Quetzal glanced at Byriel chillingly, not about to spew idle chatter.

"…All of you are Prince Shuekan's sword and s.h.i.+eld, do not forget your purpose." Quetzal spoke coldly, "You need to be prepared, right until Prince Shuekan's return, so that you can serve him at all times."

This was one of the reasons why he had decided to turn back at last.

"Why didn't anybody report to me! Where is the sentinel?" Mang Nao demanded loudly. There were only seven first lieutenants and three captains on the scene. They would definitely need reinforcements to face the legendary War Ghost Quetzal. "Go summon the eight squads waiting outside!"

There were still eight squads left? Conglong and the others showed an uneasy expression.

"They will not come." Quetzal spoke apathetically, drawing two swords from his side, "Let's finish this quickly."

Quetzal's imposing demeanor intimidated the demon soldiers, causing them to unconsciously take a step back.

Mang Nao realized that the situation was getting worse, about to call upon a retreat. But as his gaze swept towards Conglong and the others who had been forced into a corner, he had a sudden realization.

If the other generals were weakened to this state, Quetzal's strength must be reduced as well.

After all, with this sort of strength, he would use up a lot of power fighting eight squads and four captains, and he could have even suffered a few injuries. He could have just hidden it very well…

Mang Nao roared loudly, "Do not fear! We attack together! If even Morris and Dongya can be forced into a corner, how can Quetzal be any better?! There's nothing to be scared of!"

After hearing this, the seven lieutenants gained confidence. They then corresponded with Mang Nao and Ci Mu's attacks, launching their attacks at Quetzal without any gaps between them.

Dongya and the other hurried to a.s.sist, providing a.s.sistance with strenuous effort, trying their best to block the attacks thrown at Quetzal.

Facing the attacks that were powerful as well as frequent, it was incredibly laborious for Dongya and the others to defend with all their might. Even Quetzal's movements were gradually becoming heavier, almost getting hit by them a few times.

"How can this be…" Feng Ping Lan observed the battles worriedly.

"His situation isn't any better than mine, after fighting those demons without the protection of a contract…" Byriel said hoa.r.s.ely, paralyzed by the side.

"Really?" But Quetzal did not look injured, his expression incredibly calm.

"Don't be fooled by his appearance. That pretentious guy can conceal better than I, heh…"

"Then what do we do?"

"Help him replenish his strength. His choice of food is quite… special." Byriel spoke hesitantly.

"Okay, then I know what to do!" Feng Ping Lan suddenly stood up, randomly grabbing a piece of broken gla.s.s from the ground, "Byriel, I'll leave you to look after Li Rui!" And then, with that shard of gla.s.s in hand, he rushed into the frenzied battlefield.

"What the heck are you doing!" Realizing Feng Ping Lan's movements, Conglong left the battle frantically, creating a water barrier so that Feng Ping Lan wouldn't be hit in the crossfire.

"Quetzal!" Feng Ping Lan sprinted madly while raising the piece of gla.s.s shard, slas.h.i.+ng his palm open.

Fresh blood flowed down from his palm. It felt really painful, but Feng Ping Lan couldn't care less about it at the moment, raising his bleeding hand up.

Quetzal could smell that concentrated scent of blood without turning his head, both of his eyes glinting a demonic light.

Ah, this fragrance…

It made him thirst, fill him with ecstasy…

Mang Nao and the others became aware of Feng Ping Lan's intentions, promptly changing their target into Feng Ping Lan, breaking through Conglong's barrier.

"Idiot! Run!" Conglong shouted, "Help me s.h.i.+eld him!"

Just as the demon soldiers targeted Feng Ping Lan, their blades about to cut him down, a cross-shaped sword suddenly blocked against the weapons. The double swords drew a semicircle, putting deep injuries into the demon soldiers.

Quetzal turned back, looking down on Feng Ping Lan, "You…"

Feng Ping Lan glanced up at Quetzal, laughing foolishly twice. He placed his injured hand towards him, urging, "Hurry hurry!"

Quetzal gazed at that bleeding palm. The wound wasn't deep, but it had slashed through the entire palm. The lifted hand was trembling due to the pain.

Quetzal grabbed Feng Ping Lan's hand, warning chillingly, "Do. Not. Command. Me…" With that, he used his tongue to lick at the bleeding hand.

Quetzal couldn't help but make a satisfied groan at that delightful taste that overflowed his tongue.

This guy, was undoubtedly stupid.

But his blood, was undoubtedly delicious.

He quietly drank the blood on Feng Ping Lan's palm, almost lapping up every drop of blood flowing out.

"That dirty and lowly Discarded clan!" Noticing that Quetzal was drinking blood, Mang Nao frowned disgustedly and bellowed angrily.

Quetzal turned a deaf ear on him.

Mang Nao became agitatedly infuriated, reorganizing his soldiers again to attack Quetzal who was distracted with drinking.

"Quetzal! Be careful!" Feng Ping Lan warned hurriedly.

"…Noisy…" Quetzal was intoxicated in his fresh blood, humphing boredly before lifting his right hand without even raising his head, a symbol circulating in the palm of his hand.

The very moment the crowd of demons tried to attack, violent thunder broke down through the sky, lightning piercing through the entire hospital towards every demon that Quetzal deemed an enemy.

In an instant, Mang Nao and the others were electrocuted by the powerful lightning, dying before they could even scream.

The charred bodies of the demons fell to the floor, unmoving.

Seeing Quetzal exterminate those demons in one attack, Dongya and the others froze in their positions, not being able to react.

Just too terrifying…

This was their Field Marshal.

The terror-inducing War Ghost, Quetzal.

Quetzal did not mind the result of his battle, drinking the blood on Feng Ping Lan's palm as before. He finally raised his head after a moment pa.s.sed.

He looked coldly at Feng Ping Lan, staying silent. Feng Ping Lan returned a stupid smile.

"You're so awesome, Quetzal." Feng Ping Lan looked at the enemy demons scattered on the floor, unable to stop himself from praising. He wanted to applaud, but the wound on his hand was so painful that he couldn't touch it.

"It's over…" Dongya panted, smiling slightly, "The danger's gone."

"Ci Mu knows our ident.i.ties. Will there be any others lying in wait for us? Could they have already reported to their superiors?" Conglong became concerned.

"They won't." Byriel negated Conglong's guess, "Ci Mu wanted to claim the credit all for itself, so it didn't find any strong a.s.sistants. It didn't want anyone to steal its glory."

"Even so, if such a large group of soldiers disappears, the Third Prince will notice eventually even if n.o.body else divulges him," Dongya spoke. "We need to hide our tracks. And the best way to hide our tracks is to bind a contract with a human, which will make our disguise even more perfect and integrate us into human society." He looked at Quetzal, hinting subtly.

Quetzal was silent for a long while.

He glanced towards his five comrades, who were using expectant yet uneasy expressions to look at him, waiting for him to make his decision.

Quetzal sighed lightly in his heart, his face not revealing too many emotions, indifferent and apathetic as usual. And then, he turned his head to face Feng Ping Lan.

"Hehehe." Feng Ping Lan laughed foolishly on reflex.

Quetzal stared at Feng Ping Lan, speaking coldly.

"For this to happen is my own mistake. I estimated the circ.u.mstances badly." Quetzal stepped forwards, and then, he knelt on one knee in front of Feng Ping Lan.

Feng Ping Lan widened his eyes, bewildered. The other demons were also disbelieving.

"We'll conclude a treaty, human. At this time and place, I need your a.s.sistance. At the same time, I will uphold my utmost capabilities to a.s.sist you." Quetzal looked at Feng Ping Lan, speaking sincerely.

"Mmmm! Okay! No problem!" Feng Ping Lan nodded his head hard excitedly, then grabbing his head in embarra.s.sment. He extended his uninjured hand, sticking out his pinky, "So, do we pinky swear? Or—"

Quetzal did not extend his little finger, directly grabbing onto Feng Ping Lan's injured hand.

The solid and wide palm gripped Feng Ping Lan's hand tightly at the hollow of the palm. "Pledge the lines of the vow, human."

Feng Ping Lan smiled stupidly. Due to his excitement, he stammered through his lines, stuttering a few times before being finished with reciting it.

The sixth demon bound his soul with his.

"Say farewell to your tranquil life." Quetzal released Feng Ping Lan's hand, "Contract established."

Feng Ping Lan opened up his palm, realizing that his wound was now gone.

Quetzal turned around, walking towards Ci Mu's corpse, so Feng Ping Lan did not realize that there was an extra addition of a slash wound on Quetzal's palm, which was bleeding profusely.

Byriel's needles were sticking out of Ci Mu's expansive body, the deep green eyeball looking as if it had sprouted golden fur.

The golden needles entered Ci Mu's body, and then, the dark carca.s.s started to crumble and disintegrate, turning into little pieces of mud-like rotten flesh to spill onto the floor.

Conglong summoned water to wash away the decaying mud away, and a piece of pillow-sized and almond-shaped gray crystal was revealed underneath it all.

Byriel picked up the Crystal of Insight, extending a hand to lightly brush the top of it.

Various colors slowly appeared on the glossy surface of the Crystal of Insight, and the image of a street appeared.

Byriel chanted a spell, focusing the location on this small town, and then setting the place to the residence they had been sealed in.

The time frame started to rewind back a few years to everything that Ci Mu had seen, ones that had fallen into its vision and even images that it hadn't been aware of.

But Ci Mu hadn't pa.s.sed through the place they had been sealed in twelve years ago, so it didn't have a memory of that night. There was no information nor any anomalies in other years.

Then, the image changed to the night six days before— the night the seal broke.

A shadowy figure that was carrying big and small bags of snacks and his luggage rode unstably up the hills away from the city area on his bicycle.

"Hey! It's me!" Feng Ping Lan pointed excitedly at the screen, "I'm in the shot!"

"Be quiet!"

Byriel started to recite the spell once more, and the image pa.s.sed through the roof of the house. As it went into the residence, they could clearly see what had happened on that night.

Feng Ping Lan avoided the demons' obstructions one by one, arriving at the hall and using his own blood to break the seal, at last lying down to sleep.

From after the seal was broken till the six demons were able to move the next day at dawn, there weren't any movements in the house, nor were there any clues to Prince Shuekan's whereabouts.

"Aiyaya…" Byriel bitterly laughed at himself mockingly, "Ending up empty-handed after working so hard at it, this is just too humiliating, heh…."

"Wait." Quetzal suddenly spoke, pointing at the corner of the Crystal of Insight, "Rewind back to that corner."

The image rewound back to when the seal had been just broken.

"Here." Quetzal pointed at the scene. Outside the window of where they had been sealed was a small blurry figure.

With the picture enlarged, it looked like a raven, but it was incredibly blurry in the darkness. They were only able to discern its rough silhouette, with two heterochromatic eyes of black and red.

"Is it one of Prince Shuekan's envoys?"

"No." Quetzal refuted, "It should be one of the Demon Slayer's subordinates…"

Good then. It seemed that that sacrifices spent this time around hadn’t been for nothing.

A raven with heterochromatic eyes… He'd remember that.

Along with their exhausted bodies, the six demons cleaned up their mess in the hospital to return to its original state.

They then cast spells to hide their ident.i.ties, traveling through the night to send Feng Ping Lan and Bai Li Rui back to their dorm room.

The disturbance then came to an end. The diverging road was set back on the right path and everything returned to normal, returned to the former days that were quiet and tedious as well as peaceful.

"He'll wake up soon." Dongya placed Bai Li Rui into his bed, "He'll also forget everything that happened tonight."

"Mm, alright!"

"Until we meet again."

Watching the demons' leaving backs, Feng Ping Lan did not feel like he was unable to let go of them. Because he knew that he would meet them again soon.

That night, Feng Ping Lan was excited to the point of being unable to sleep. He couldn't wait until school opened the next day, couldn't wait to see Conglong, Simo, Byriel in cla.s.s tomorrow. He was also curious about what kind of ident.i.ties Dongya, Morris and Quetzal would use to appear.

He was just too happy!

TL Notes

I'm following the military rankings, so here's the order (from lowest to highest): Second lieutenant > First lieutenant > Captain >> Colonel >> General > Field Marshal (General of the Army)