‘Sigh, will I die like this?’ Seated on the railing at a great height, Zhen’er sighed, flailing her legs carelessly, knowing she would be left here to die of hunger.
“You didn’t fall; that’s surprising,” said an amused voice beside her. Zhen’er recognized it as the same man who had left her here, so it didn’t surprise her.
“Young Master, it’s already getting dark. Can I go home?” Zhen’er asked, looking up at the man who seemed to emit a warm glow, though her eyes couldn’t identify its source or neither see the setting Gaia’s light but due to being free here, she had counted the time.
“Yes, it’s time for you to go home,” Ryuk said, glancing at the setting sun and the town below, which was marred with bloodstains and scattered limbs from dead beasts and humans.
The beasts lying around were the same ones that had bitten the merchants and humans, now scattered lifeless due to the effects of poisonous herbs that stimulated but also killed them.
“R-really?” Zhen’er asked, surprised by his response. She quickly turned toward him, a smile blooming on her face as she tried to stand.
“Kyaaa~!” She slipped and fell from the height.
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“So, you finally fell, huh?” Ryuk mused, glancing at Zhen’er, who walked beside him with her face turned away, holding onto a piece of his clothing to guide her.
“I am ashamed of myself,” Zhen’er admitted, averting her gaze, embarrassed by her fall when she tried to stand.
‘Did you analyze the seal?’ Ryuk inquired inwardly, looking ahead towards the outskirts of the town.
[Host, it seems the seal is inborn.]
‘Inborn? Does that mean it wasn’t caused by someone?’ Ryuk felt slightly confused, considering how a seal that could take away one’s senses could be inborn and not inflicted by someone.
His confusion stemmed from the system’s information that this woman could potentially awaken as a heroine if a counterpart like himself awakened and committed evil. But seeing her with such an inborn seal made it suspicious that she was favored by heaven in the first place.
“Young Master, do we cross the town’s main gate?” Zhen’er inquired, feeling the cooler breeze from the nearby dense trees, reminding her that they had left the town’s center, filled with wooden houses.
“Yes, where is your house?” Ryuk asked, noticing her familiarity with the path despite being blind, which suggested her daily habit of living in this place and dispelled his suspicion that she wasn’t a native.
“It’s in the west direction, 260 steps away from here,” she adjusted his clothes before moving forward, counting her steps. She confirmed she was heading west by the warmth remaining from Gaia’s setting light.
“So how long have you been living here?” he inquired about the time period she had been here since birth, trying to gauge her family background, origin, and other details.
“I only remember things after the age of 5,” she replied with a defeated smile, recalling the day she regained consciousness amidst the rubble and stench, the world dark around her. She could speak the native language but had no memories or sight—it was hell for her.
‘…’ Ryuk thought her words suspicious yet somehow believable. If she only remembered things from the age of 5, did that mean she survived alone in this hellish place with blind eyes at such a young age?
Given that she was born sealed and had no memories of her birth, Ryuk concluded: Zhen Xiang must have belonged to a family that abandoned her upon discovering her sealed state, which would eventually lead to her death.
At least, that’s what Ryuk inferred from the situation. It was also true that if one considered the potential luck she had, there was a chance her family could find her again once she recovered.
‘It will be hassle-free then,’ Ryuk came to this conclusion. It was clear that if her seals were healed and she recovered herself, there were chances that the family who abandoned her would search for her again and take her with them.
‘Analyze her seals,’ Ryuk commanded, not having a bit of sympathy for this girl but knowing that it would be his own fault if something happened to her due to the absence of a guardian.
He simply didn’t want to be responsible for any misfortune that might befall this woman.
“Who is this Zhen’er?”
Suddenly, a voice caused the women to flinch and Ryuk to halt, looking in the direction where a bulky man was approaching.
“Leave our way, Tai Hen,” Zhen’er firmly challenged the man who was once again trying to block her path.
“Come on, you will eventually marry me, aren’t we a couple?” Tai Hen smirked, his eyes looking towards the woman whose face was average but body appeared ravishing.
It was as if he was looking at a woman fallen from heaven — perky bust, proper curves sculpted from her waist to neck, and finally those curvy hips, prompting him to feel aroused just by imagining how it would feel to ravage her—?!!
“Kughh! Who are you?” Suddenly, he was gripped by his neck with a force that seemed capable of breaking it at any moment, his eyes instantly turning red as he looked in the direction of a black-masked man whose amber eyes met his, sending a visible chill down his body as he was slowly lifted in the air.
“Arggghh—L-e-ave me!” He trembled, saliva dripping from his mouth, hands clutching the unshakeable wrist, not understanding such enormous force, which even appeared stronger than Liu Wei, who normally protected this woman.
“What happened, young master? Let him go, he’ll die,” Zhen’er suddenly heard a voice that sounded like a pig’s cry, trying to stretch her hands to decide if the young master beside her would definitely be angry at the man for coming in their path
“Hey, if you ever look at her with those eyes, your death will be simply inhumane,” Ryuk ignored the woman’s words, focusing on the man in front of him whose muscular hands were clutching Ryuk’s wrist, trying to shake off the grip around his neck without any help.
Ryuk wanted to restore Zhen Xiang’s sight just because of someone like this guy.
Given the fact that she hadn’t awakened as a heroine, it was clear her fate would be gruesome — possibly even rape.
“Arrghh!! Please, mercy!” Tai hen tried to plead for mercy, his eyes turning towards the woman who was trying to stop the black-robed man. Feeling the pain slowly numbing his mind, Tai Hen pleaded, “Zhen’er, please.”
“Shut up!” Zhen’er cut him off directly, already aware of his intentions towards her. She recalled several times Liu Wei had to intervene whenever this guy tried to stop her path.
But right now, she wanted to prevent the young master, aware that this man was the son of the town’s mayor.
She couldn’t imagine the consequences she would face if the young master beside her killed this guy here. Being a permanent resident of this place, it would complicate matters for her.
“You… you…” Tai Hen couldn’t believe that the woman who appeared to save him by trying to stop that man from breaking his neck had just shouted at him. ‘Bitch, let me survive this!’
“You’re not surviving,” Ryuk firmly stated, seeing through the intentions in those eyes glaring at the woman. His grip tightened before suddenly loosening, causing Tai Hen’s body to fall to the ground.
Thud
“Haah, haah, I-I am alive,” Tai Hen clasped his neck, feeling his breath still caught. Trembling, he lifted his tear-filled eyes, struck by the killing intent emanating from the man standing before him.
The man wore a black robe with orange stripes and a masked face, his two deadly amber eyes fixed on Tai Hen’s very soul, as he declared, “You will not lift your gaze at her again, nor approach her without her consent.”
“Huh?” Zhen’er’s heart raced upon hearing the words, realizing that Tai hen was effectively being declared her bodyguard. This made her even more anxious, akin to entrusting a bowl of milk to a cat.
“T-this? I promise, I will keep her saf—ARRGGHHHHHH!” Tai Hen attempted to express sudden relief, his intent to seek revenge for this humiliation clear as he glanced towards the woman with lust, but he was instantly struck by soul-wrenching pain.
The pain surpassed all limits before it had even begun, causing his heartbeat to strain, his brain bombarded by agony, and finally, an unbearable sensation overwhelmed him.
“Let’s move. I also need to visit the auction house after we stop by your home,” Ryuk said, pulling Zhen’er along. Her hand still clenched his cloth, she followed him, her ears ringing from Tai Hen’s cries.
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“Young master, it should be here,” Zhen’er said as they arrived at a distance. She noticed the sound of a water stream emanating from a small waterwheel near a pond. A small wooden house, seemingly constructed from forest woods and leaves, was visible.
“It’s a really beautiful place,” Ryuk observed, taking in the nearby pond filled with lotus flowers and the calming sound of the waterwheel. He then noticed the finely cut timber of the wooden house and inquired, “How did you build this house?”
“It was abandoned by my mother, a kind woman who adopted me at the age of six,” Zhen’er explained, revealing the backstory of the woman who was only one who showed her mercy but was devastated after learning that her husband had betrayed the demon queen of that time, under whom he worked outside the Jade Dominion due to his demon race. He ran away with his two daughters.
The woman protected Zhen’er until her death from the clutches of a few men who desired Zhen’er’s body and wanted to force themselves upon her.
Realizing that nightfall was approaching, Ryuk suggested, “Let’s move inside,” and headed towards the house.
Both Ryuk and Zhen’er bowed their heads slightly as they entered, accustomed to the low door frame.
“Young Master, please don’t kill me,” Zhen’er pleaded, clutching her dress. She remembered how her adoptive mother had suffered and died due to Zhen’er’s beauty but had made her promise to continue living. She come this far in her life even with this blind eyes and wanted to live.
But today, she knew that her fate was sealed at the hands of this man who would kill her after deflowering her.
Normally, Liu Wei would have protected her, but today, she knew she was alone. She nervously began untying the ribbon holding her flowered pink robe together from behind.
“What are you doing?” Ryuk noticed her actions and narrowed his eyes, understanding her mental state. “Don’t do that. There’s no reason for you to undress—”
DING!
[Target veins identified for removing the seal – Aurum, Luminis Arbor, Vox Rivulus, Nebula Tactus, Somnii Sapor. (suggested to apply on bare body)]
‘….’ Ryuk heard the system’s prompt and glanced at Zhen’er, who had frozen with her robe halfway undone, her lips trembling with anxiety. Feeling slightly awkward but knowing they would likely never meet again, he commanded, “Keep undressing, no need to stop.”
