Evil Spirit - chapter 2

Chapter 2

Suddenly, the pleasure boat beside them lurched violently, giving Li Jiaojiao, who was blushing from her own daydreams, a fright that sent a shiver through her.

The scene before her overloaded her mind again.

Just a moment ago, Shen Yunshu had been all shyness and blushes. Now, his face was deathly pale as Duan Qinglian lifted him from the deck by the neck.

What the hell?!

Li Jiaojiao stared at Duan Qinglian in shock. That wrist was as slender as a willow twig, looking utterly delicate and fragile-how could he strangle someone so effortlessly, without so much as a blush or a gasp?

The conclusion she’d just reached seemed to crumble once more. It seemed not only could he do it, he might even be exceptionally good at it.

No, no!

Li Jiaojiao shook her head hard.

Why was he strangling someone?!

What happened to the passionate affection from just moments ago?

Shen Yunshu couldn’t believe it either. The man who had been gentle as water with him just a second ago now had his hands around his throat.

Still, there was one thing to be glad about-he’d brought plenty of guards.

Six guards, who had been following closely behind the Shen Family Boat in a small vessel, suddenly leapt onto the pleasure boat.

As the boat rocked, they sized up the man before them.

His figure was slender, his waist seemingly boneless, his face sickly and frail-just a pretty boy, really, with a slightly better-than-average face.

The contempt was written all over the faces of the six men. They drew their swords in unison and slashed toward Duan Qinglian.

The sky was gloomy, with not a hint of sunlight, but the blades still gleamed coldly. Even though the swords were not aimed at her, Li Jiaojiao’s heart pounded uncontrollably.

She wasn’t alone. The Noble Ladies out on the lake were thrown into chaos as well, shrieking at the top of their lungs.

They all thought Duan Qinglian was doomed.

“Splash-”

A huge spray of water erupted, and the shrieks on the lake only grew louder.

The lake was no longer clear and calm. Faint red ripples of blood bloomed outward, spreading beneath the pleasure boat.

The one who fell wasn’t that frail pretty boy, but one of the six guards.

Duan Qinglian released his grip on Shen Yunshu’s neck, letting him fall. He narrowed his eyes slightly, the upturned corners forming a beautiful arc.

“How about we play a game?”

His voice was still as soft as falling rain, with a childlike excitement and anticipation at the prospect of a new game.

“Try to stay alive as long as you can. If I enjoy myself enough, maybe I won’t kill you.”

“But my Sword Line is very sharp, so be careful.”

His lips curled in a crescent-moon smile. From beneath his sleeve, a strand of silver thread that functioned like a blade was twisted around his fingertips, thick blood dripping from it.

In just a few blinks, Li Jiaojiao witnessed all six burly men die before her eyes, each death quick and brutal. She couldn’t even see how their lives ended-one corpse after another disappeared into the lake, leaving only beads of blood seeping from the silver thread at Duan Qinglian’s fingertips.

He sighed, as if he’d just finished a dull game.

“Sorry, I almost forgot about you.” Duan Qinglian bent down, smiling brightly at Shen Yunshu’s terrified eyes. “Let’s continue.”

[Warning! Host must stop the male supporting character’s actions. If Shen Yunshu dies, the plot cannot proceed, and the mission will be deemed a failure.]

The System’s voice snapped Li Jiaojiao out of her shock, dragging a thread of clarity back into her mind.

“Wait! Wasn’t my task just to build up the male supporting character? Do I also have to push the main plot?!”

“And how is this just a twisted personality? Isn’t he just a lunatic?!”

Li Jiaojiao was flustered. There were so many points to complain about, she didn’t even know where to begin.

[Yes, Host. If you do not advance the plot, the mission cannot proceed.]

…Thank you so much!

Li Jiaojiao gnashed her teeth. This System really treated her like a scapegoat.

Complaints aside, seeing Shen Yunshu on the verge of being strangled to death, she couldn’t care about anything else. She shouted to the boatman on her boat, “Quick! Take me over to the Shen Family Boat!”

“What? You can’t go, it’s too dangerous!” Xiao Fu’s face turned pale at Li Jiaojiao’s words. “Let the guards handle the rescue!”

Li Jiaojiao glanced helplessly at the sides of the lake. Where were the guards? All of them had been scared off by Duan Qinglian, turning their boats and fleeing.
“Quick! If we don’t go over, Miss Shen is going to die!”

“No, no!” Xiao Fu clung desperately to Li Jiaojiao’s arm, shaking her head furiously.

The boatman at the prow gripped his oar, hesitating, unsure.

Watching as Shen Yunshu’s face turned from red to white, then from white to purple, Li Jiaojiao grew so anxious she stomped her foot. If this young lady really got strangled to death by a madman, she could forget about completing her task and returning home for the rest of her life.

In a fit of panic, she shouted at the boatman: “If you don’t set off right now, I’ll have my father chop you up when I get back!”

That yell did the trick-the boatman immediately began rowing.

Fortunately, her own boat wasn’t far from the Shen Family’s. But Shen Yunshu was almost out of time; afraid she wouldn’t make it, Li Jiaojiao didn’t wait to get any closer. Gathering up her elaborate skirts, she stepped onto the edge of the boat and leaped forward.

With her sudden lunge, the Shen Family’s boat rocked violently.

Li Jiaojiao felt a sharp pain in her forehead, and aside from the ache, a faint, cold scent filled her nose. When she looked up, a face dotted with blood entered her view.

She was done for!

After this collision, two pieces of news, one good and one bad, presented themselves to Li Jiaojiao.

The good news was that thanks to her headbutt, the madman let go of the nearly suffocated Shen Yunshu. The bad news was that she landed in the madman’s arms.

She was numb.

Li Jiaojiao ran through every way she could think of to beg for mercy at record speed, and in the end, managed a stiff smile at the corners of her mouth. “H-hi there.”

At such close range, she could feel his heated breath and the pounding of his chest.

She was pressed against his chest, her arms around his waist.

Now Li Jiaojiao’s whole body grew even stiffer.

But Duan Qinglian didn’t seem to mind; in fact, he let her cling to him. His long, narrow eyes curved into crescent moons as he bent down, his reddened, soft lips brushing her ear. “Hello there.”

The warm breath he exhaled through those vivid red lips caressed every inch of Li Jiaojiao’s ear, the burning, tingling sensation making her shudder involuntarily.

She abruptly broke free, putting several steps between herself and Duan Qinglian, causing the boat to sway once more.

Li Jiaojiao swallowed, eyeing the man before her, who was brimming with laughter.

Uh… at least he’s a rather polite madman.

As the boat rocked, Duan Qinglian carefully studied the girl.

His fingers beneath his sleeve gently pinched, savoring the memory of her hair slipping through his fingers when she was in his arms. The strands were soft-just like her delicately rising and falling throat as she breathed-so tender that it seemed he could snap them with the slightest effort.

At the thought, a strange excitement flickered again in Duan Qinglian’s eyes.

Li Jiaojiao, frightened by the heat in his gaze, shuddered again, regretting deeply ever being deceived by this handsome face.

He was definitely an extremely dangerous madman!

And she hadn’t even done anything-so how had she triggered his excitement?

“Are you afraid of me?”

His voice was soft and distant, his rain-dampened lashes lowered, appearing utterly gentle.

“N-no, not at all!” Li Jiaojiao shook her head repeatedly, not daring to defy him in the least.

But her acting was far too clumsy-her heart clearly contradicted her words, and Duan Qinglian saw right through her.

He smiled, carefully observing the trembling girl.

Round almond eyes, soft hair, a sly glint in her gaze, curled up and trembling in one spot-at first glance, she looked familiar.

Duan Qinglian sifted through his hazy memories, images of cats of all colors appearing before him.

The same round eyes, the same soft fur, the same cunning look. And just like those cats, even after seeing his bloodstained hands, she still dared to come near.

He’d lingered in many cities and seen countless stray cats. For animals with such keen noses, the scent of blood on him usually drove them away-but cats were the exception. For food, they’d come and fawn over him, and once they got what they wanted, they’d vanish without a trace.

Very similar indeed.

The motion of rubbing the Sword Line beneath his sleeve grew heavier, his chest itching as if ants crawled over it.

This girl really was fascinating-would killing her be more interesting than killing anyone else?