Chapter Nine: Conclusion

Hmm? Suddenly sensing something, Xiao Xiao looked up.

A silver-gray demon landed silently, its high-held head radiating innate arrogance. Even though it was battered and bruised, it still... carried an unbearably cocky air.

Xiao Xiao felt a mix of amusement and caution.

Earlier, he had been dazzled by the fierce battle between demons he saw for the first time; then he had been tortured by pain, barely recovering when this eared rat simply appeared right before him so boldly.

Had it... finished the fight?

Xiao Xiao’s briefly relaxed body tensed again. With a glance from the corner of his eye, he searched for the "bee’s" figure but saw nothing.

Had it fled? Or... been eaten?

His gaze lingered curiously on the eared rat's belly, which seemed unchanged from before.

Heh. A sudden chill ran through him as a gust of wind whistled past his ear like a released arrow—“shhh”—the sound cutting through tree trunks.

Xiao Xiao withdrew his somewhat audacious stare. Wasn’t it often written in books that demons who devour other demons could gain strength?

At this moment, he truly wished this demon fed on demons, so it wouldn’t prey on humans.

Though utterly weak, his nerves screamed danger, danger. Overwhelmed by this acute sense of crisis, Xiao Xiao clenched his hands tightly on the ground, leaning slightly forward, unwaveringly fixing his gaze on the slowly approaching eared rat.

Yet, the rat stopped three steps away.

It did not come closer.

Its crimson eyes, still bearing the ferocity and savagery from the earlier fight, now looked at him with a hint of scrutiny and contempt.

Though knowing it was a demon and couldn’t be judged by human norms, this almost human expression on a rabbit-like face was indescribably strange.

Moreover, this demon was despising him, wasn’t it? Right? Right!

Xiao Xiao no longer knew what expression to wear.

...

The earlier earth-shattering battle was now replaced by silence.

Moonlight like frost shed its pale hue, revealing a touch of clarity.

The eared rat’s silver-gray fur, flowing like exquisite silk, shimmered with gentle radiance.

It looked so soft.

But Xiao Xiao knew too well how hard it truly was.

Those lashes of its tail earlier had been painfully sharp.

...

Hmm?

Gone... vanished?!

Just as inexplicably as it appeared, it left silently.

Right before his eyes... it disappeared.

Xiao Xiao’s back slackened. Heavy breaths echoed crisply in the quiet forest.

Was it... finally over?

Thank goodness!

Xiao Xiao felt like crying.

Had this gone on any longer, he would have been doomed.

So unfair!

...

“Third Brother!” Zhao Luzheng called out loudly.

Earlier, after he and the others failed to find their direction, they gradually regrouped and headed toward Xiao Xiao’s side. Along the way, they found a fainted girl and decided the eldest brother would take her to the school clinic, the second brother would return to inform the others that the missing girls were found, and Zhao Luzheng would come to find Third Brother.

...

“Yo.” Xiao Xiao wanted to stand but was too weak. He forced a casual expression and greeted them naturally, though his sweat-soaked hair, pale face, and tired eyes betrayed his frailty.

Zhao Luzheng, initially at a distance and under the dim light of the grove, noticed nothing amiss and joked, “Still ‘yo’? Third Brother, do you already know we found them? Or are you already out of commission so quickly?”

Xiao Xiao leaned against a tree, his lower body bathed in moonlight, upper body veiled in shadow. Branches crisscrossed above, with a few dead leaves scattered. The moonlight was haunting, casting mottled shadows that carried a certain poetic aura.

As Zhao Luzheng approached and prepared to tease more, he suddenly stopped, noticing Xiao Xiao’s face had turned even paler, with a faint bluish tinge beneath the moonlight. Alarmed, he exclaimed, “Third Brother, what’s wrong with you?”

“Cough, it’s nothing,” Xiao Xiao said, rubbing his nose with a helpless smile. “Just a bit weak. Give me a hand.”

“That’s ‘nothing’?” Zhao Luzheng hurried forward to support him. “How did you get like this? Come on, we should head to the clinic quickly. Maybe we’ll run into Eldest Brother.”

“Third Brother, are you really okay? What happened?”

“Hey, Third Brother, did you get possessed or something?”

...

Faced with Zhao Luzheng’s endless questions, Xiao Xiao’s throat was dry, and his voice barely came out. He didn’t know how to respond and wisely chose silence.

Tonight, he was utterly exhausted, with no energy left to say anything.

All he wanted now was to collapse onto a soft bed and sleep soundly.

...

Everything else could wait until he woke up.

...

The next afternoon, Xiao Xiao finally awoke.

At that time, he was alone in the dormitory, still a little dazed from just waking.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening came, followed closely by the loud voice of Eldest Brother.

“Third Brother, you’re finally awake! How’s your body? Any discomfort?”

“Xiaoxiao, I was so worried about you,” Zhuge Yun said teasingly, pretending to climb onto Xiao Xiao’s bed to give a loving hug, only to be stopped by Eldest Brother grabbing his collar, foiling his “schemes.”

Everyone rolled their eyes at Zhuge Yun.

“Third Brother, hungry? We brought you some food,” Zhao Luzheng offered helpfully.

Xiao Xiao was indeed hungry, having missed both breakfast and lunch.

After quickly freshening up, he ate while asking about the aftermath of last night’s events.

There was nothing particularly special.

The girl who entered the grove was fine, of course he knew that.

But he had been late. Like the others initially, although the girl had no external injuries, she was severely shaken, constantly mumbling in her sleep, and still resting in the clinic.

Speaking of which, Xiao Xiao was puzzled. Judging from yesterday, that “bee” really intended to harm people. If so, why did only one victim suffer serious injuries while the others, except the one he saved, were only frightened?

Though frightened badly.

Xiao Xiao was somewhat confused.

Never mind, it was all over now. No point in dwelling.

Soon, Xiao Xiao happily dismissed his doubts.

As for his roommates’ questions about his weakness yesterday, he deflected with jokes and banter.

However, he was still curious and casually asked if they noticed anything unusual while searching for the girls last night.

After all, the fight between those two demons had been intense; surely they had heard or seen something?

But obviously, none of them detected anything unusual. They didn’t take any noises seriously, thinking it was just thunder or aftershocks.

Xiao Xiao said no more, feeling a mixture of relief and something else in his heart.

...

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