Chapter 11
Fu Xia had never found Xie Rin to be so reliable.
She clawed at Pei Wang’s arm, casting a desperate, pleading look at Xie Rin. Whether they argued or fought, she didn’t care—just get her out of here before a passerby saw the scene!
Xie Rin’s steps faltered.
First, he glanced at the corpse on the ground, his gaze shifting away without a flicker of emotion, before meeting Pei Wang’s eyes.
Did Pei Wang kill this person to please Fu Xia?
…Unlikely. It’s more like retaliation for someone touching his private property within his territory.
Xie Rin quickly defined the behavior. The desires of vampires were mostly universal. The appetite for blood could, on rare occasions, trigger deeper emotions: a need for control, a desire to protect, a sense of possession… and a longing to become one with the object of desire.
Having tasted a delicious human, it was only natural to want to claim them, especially since she was the key to inheriting the Progenitor’s power. So, killing a human who had harmed his property was perfectly in line with Pei Wang’s code of conduct.
At that thought, Xie Rin spoke slowly. “Was it necessary to make such a scene?”
Pei Wang replied flatly, “I just crushed an ant.”
Fu Xia: “…”
Please don’t say such terrifying things while you’re holding me!
“Now that you’re done crushing it, give me back my roommate,” Xie Rin said. “The night belongs to me.”
The moment he finished speaking, a cold light flashed in the air. Fu Xia felt herself being lifted and then gently tossed in Xie Rin’s direction. A young man wearing a fox mask leaped down from above and engaged Pei Wang in combat.
Fu Xia: “…”
Who is this now? Where did he come from?
Xie Rin easily caught Fu Xia, his eyes curving into a smile. “That’s my bodyguard.”
Fu Xia gave him a strange look. He has a bodyguard at school? Are these two guys part of some underground organization?
“Alright, sweetie,” Xie Rin said. “Leave this to him. Let’s go back.”
Fu Xia’s emotions had stabilized, but her legs were still shaking, and she couldn’t stand steadily. She leaned on Xie Rin’s arm, planning to use him for support as she slowly made her way back. But Xie Rin clearly enjoyed the feeling of being relied upon. He bent down and effortlessly swept her up into his arms.
“…If you get tired, you can put me down,” Fu Xia said.
Xie Rin looked slender, but he likely exercised regularly. His physique was well-defined, and her weight was nothing to him. He walked with a steady gait, and Fu Xia barely felt a jolt.
Peering over his shoulder, she saw that the fox-masked bodyguard was only distracting Pei Wang, not engaging him head-on.
…Strange, why does he look a little familiar?
Her gaze shifted downward, and she noticed the corpse on the ground had been kicked to the side. Though he was a young master who had been admired by many, he was now treated like a piece of trash blocking the road.
She couldn’t help but think, Isn’t this just a case of a villain getting his just deserts?
After the initial panic subsided, Fu Xia calmed down completely. She pulled her gaze back, wrapped her arms around Xie Rin’s neck, and began to think about what to do. If the boy’s family came looking for her, should she claim ignorance or rat out Pei Wang?
As she considered this, she realized she had already developed a good tolerance for dead bodies. Her adaptability was truly impressive. According to the law of the jungle that the upper class seemed to follow, they probably wouldn’t be able to hold Pei Wang accountable. In the end, they would likely take their anger out on her or someone else. Fu Xia needed to find a way to prevent that.
But what she couldn’t figure out was why Pei Wang had reacted that way earlier. That was even more terrifying than him killing someone.
Fu Xia couldn’t help but wonder, Could Chen Wang’s instincts have been right? Could I actually seduce Pei Wang?
…But I haven’t even done anything yet?
All the way back, Fu Xia contemplated the possibility of Pei Wang being utterly smitten with her.
Xie Rin soon carried her back to the dorm. When he placed her on the bed, his face wasn’t flushed, and his breathing wasn’t even disturbed. The once-chaotic room had been cleaned up, and the ruined dresses had been replaced with new ones.
Xie Rin sat down on the edge of the bed. “Are you feeling a little better now, sweetie?”
Fu Xia nodded.
Xie Rin stared into her eyes. “…I thought you’d be so scared you’d cry.”
She had, in fact, been on the verge of tears.
Fu Xia pressed her lips together. “What happened to the person Pei Wang killed the other day?”
There had been no news around campus, and no parents had come to cause a scene. Perhaps Xie Rin knew something.
Xie Rin’s eyes curved. “Are you worried someone will come after you, sweetie?”
The young man tilted his head. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her down into the bed. Then, he tucked the covers around her, bent down, and pressed his forehead against hers in a comforting gesture.
“To us, that guy was just an insignificant nobody… Don’t worry, Pei Wang can handle something like this…”
“And even if he’s a useless oaf and they do come after you… I won’t let them touch you, sweetie.”
His voice grew softer, gradually taking on a strange, hypnotic tone.
“Come… sweetie. Look into my eyes.”
Fu Xia instinctively met his gaze. The lights were off, and the cold moonlight streamed in. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but she thought she saw a blood-red color blooming in the center of his eyes.
“Go to sleep now, sweetie.”
He stroked her cheek, his voice gentle. “Tonight… don’t you cry, okay?”
…
Fu Xia was walking on campus. The sun was scorching, making her feel uncomfortable. She needed to get to the archery hall up ahead. She pushed open the doors and saw the students inside preparing for class.
At that moment, she realized she was dreaming, because the student who had died was standing in the crowd, laughing and chatting with the people around him.
But she didn’t see Xie Rin. Perhaps the boy’s death had had such a profound impact on her that he was the clearest figure in her dream, while the presence of other, less important people was diminished.
She went along with the dream, reaching for a bow on the table. Just as she was about to grab it, an arrow struck her forehead.
“Tsk, how did a scholarship student get into Archery Tag?”
“Having class with someone who stinks of poverty is so degrading.”
“It’s perfect, isn’t it? We have a moving target to practice on.”
There was no pain in the dream, but her suppressed emotions surged upward.
…These damn rich kids.
A soft voice whispered in her ear. “So cruel. Don’t you want to kill him?”
This is a dream. Kill them all—all those arrogant people who look down on you.
It’s okay, the voice coaxed. Everything you do here will be forgiven.
No sooner said than done.
Fu Xia drew the bow, her eyes fixed on the boy’s head.
Thwip.
The arrow pierced his temple. Blood exploded like a firework, splattering everywhere. Fu Xia calmly and deliberately wiped the blood from her hand. Before her, the boy who had been so smug just moments ago stared with wide, terrified, disbelieving eyes before toppling to the ground with a thud.
Fu Xia noticed her hands weren’t shaking. Perhaps because it was a dream and she had a safety net, she felt no fear.
—Having power really makes a difference.
The other students in the hall began to scream. Some tried to run, but the doors had been locked at some point. Fu Xia watched it all with cold detachment. In the face of death, these rich kids were just as pitiful as anyone else.
She suddenly felt a hand supporting her elbow. Someone was standing behind her. Her back was pressed against his chest, their bodies practically embracing. An icy chill emanated from him. He helped her draw the bow, aiming precisely at the fleeing students.
One, two, all of them.
The archery hall became a living hell.
When she came to her senses, no one was left in the hall but her and the person behind her. The blood from the bodies pooled together, flowing toward her feet. She looked down and saw her own reflection in the pool of blood… and Pei Wang behind her.
Her heart gave a heavy thud, her body reacting with instinctual fear.
The next second, her vision went black.
Then, she heard the sound of running water.
The light in the restroom was still broken. Under the flickering, dim yellow light, Fu Xia saw a person kneeling before her.
Pei Wang’s hands were tied behind his back, and he was forced into a kneeling position with his legs apart. He had been doused with water, and his white uniform clung to his body, slightly transparent. The muscles in his thighs were tense from the position, and following the line of his pants upward, one could see a tantalizingly suggestive view.
…And she was stepping on him, applying light pressure with her foot.
Fu Xia: “…”
One moment she was being led by him on a killing spree, and the next, this. She couldn’t process it. This must be because of the new skills I learned from Chen Wang tonight, right? That’s why I’m having this dream?
Her movements paused. The Pei Wang before her lifted his eyes to look at her.
But… since it’s a dream…
Fu Xia began to rationalize. Then having a little fun should be fine, right? Just think of it as practice.
She quickly convinced herself.
So, she placed a hand on the edge of the sink for support. The knowledge she had gained in the club now came in handy. Fu Xia applied even more pressure than before, showing almost no mercy.
—It’s a dream, so it’s not like I can actually break him.
Pei Wang’s black hair was disheveled, and his long, thick eyelashes cast small shadows on his eyelids. Perhaps because he was rarely stimulated in this way, his eyes were slightly unfocused. With his hands bound behind him, he seemed unable to move, forced to surrender the rhythm to her.
Water dripped from his body, mixing with the sound from the faucet.
Just as his breathing grew heavier and he was about to reach a certain threshold, Fu Xia took a step back. She saw him almost uncontrollably shuffle forward a little on his knees.
Fu Xia suddenly understood Chen Wang’s hobby.
…Seeing a chosen one like Pei Wang kneeling before her, his actions almost entirely under her control. Even knowing it was a dream, a secret thrill bloomed within her.
She was so pleased she could have wagged a tail. “Beg me, and I’ll give it to you,” Fu Xia said smugly.
“…Fu Xia.”
He lifted his gaze, his green eyes locking onto her face. The ropes binding his hands had broken at some point. He reached out, grabbed her ankle, and pressed down.
With a muffled grunt, she heard his voice. “Nightmares and wet dreams… is it always my face?”