Master of Masters 73

Chapter 73: Cigarette and Tongue

The hot tears soaked the half-dried bloodstains on his cheeks, mixing into a turbid liquid and dripping down.

The fox cupped his hands and caught the falling tears. The deep red turbid liquid pooled in his palms, the heat of the tears searing his skin, and also his heart.

“Master…” The fox called out to him softly, trying to pull him back from his sobs. He felt that his Master was about to shatter, but he didn’t know what to use to piece him back together.

He Yue no longer had the strength to pick up the whip. As he had thought before, all his strength had been used to vent, and the pent-up frustration had burst out, leaving him feeling both relieved and empty.

If his reason were still intact, he might be thinking now, who burned his art exhibition, what was their purpose, and how should he get revenge. But he wasn’t a soulless robot, and the overwhelming grief made it impossible for him to think. When he closed his eyes, the dazzling firelight still appeared before him, leaving him in a daze.

He dragged his body towards the door, struggled to open the studio door, and walked out alone.

The studio was quiet. Knasch curled his fingers, holding his Master’s tears, and the blood that had splattered on his Master’s cheeks, in his fist.

Hatred flared up like a spark. His Master rarely argued with other insects, and the only one he could remember was that slutty insect, Oried.

A murderous intent filled his eyes, his azure eyes turning cold and ruthless. The deep red blood flowed from his palm, down his wrist, forming a gruesome trail on his already healed arm.

His Master should be in the spotlight, painting leisurely, holding the grandest art exhibition.

He wanted that slutty insect’s life.

At any cost.

He Yue didn’t return to his bedroom, but went to the small open-air balcony for some fresh air.

The night breeze was cool, gradually blowing away the heat from his body. The sweat evaporated, leaving him feeling chilly, and he couldn’t help but shiver.

He held a lit stick of calming incense between his fingers, its shape like an extra-long cigarette, its scent crisp and long-lasting, gradually calming him down from his frenzy.

He didn’t like cigarettes. Not just because the smell wasn’t pleasant, but because he hated addiction and losing control. Being addicted to something, unable to stop, being trapped in a quagmire of emotions, unable to escape.

He disliked all of these, even feared them.

But today, he had made an exception.

Driven by anger and grief, he had inflicted pain with the intention to harm, completely violating a trainer’s principles.

But it felt so good, so addictive.

He Yue stared at the shortening incense stick in his hand. He felt he might change his usual style, become prone to anger and lose control, gradually moving away from rational restraint.

If the insect before him hadn’t been Knasch, he might have lost control and strangled him.

At this moment, he was enjoying the evening breeze, his long hair, scattered behind him, swaying rhythmically, still exuding an elegant, static beauty, yet with an added touch of pitiful brokenness.

A soft, thin blanket was draped over his shoulders.

“It’s cold at night, be careful not to catch a cold, Master.” Knasch hugged him from behind, his arms tightening around his waist, his chest pressed against his back.

The fox’s tail, specially soaked in water and wrung out, was damp at the tip. The tail gently brushed against He Yue’s face, wiping away the smudges, like a soft, damp towel.

He Yue didn’t stop him. The fur tickled him, and he closed his eyes, his eyelashes fluttering.

His delicate, pale skin was without a single blemish, the tail wiping away all the tear stains and smudges, leaving his cheeks clean.

As if the tear stains and bloodstains had never been there.

“If I were you, I would have been so scared I would have run away from here overnight.” He Yue stared at the shortening incense, his eyes unfocused.

The fox released his tail and hugged his waist tightly from behind.

“I won’t leave, I’m Master’s fox.”

“You were about to suffocate and pass out, why didn’t you call my name?”

The fox also stared at the incense in He Yue’s hand, the scent of the incense and the faint floral scent of his pheromones lingering in his nose.

“The fox can’t die, the fox can do anything for Master.”

The other half of the sentence was “even if I die in Master’s hands, it doesn’t matter,” but Knasch didn’t say it out loud.

He Yue didn’t reply, staring at the burning incense, his body, chilled by the night wind, warmed by the full, warm embrace.

The incense burned down to his fingers, the burning heat reaching his skin. He flinched from the heat, shaking the ashes into the night wind.

He turned around, the almost-burnt-out incense stick between his fingers, and pulled away from the embrace.

His gaze was fixed on the ground, not meeting Knasch’s.

“There’s no ashtray here.” He Yue held the incense stick, which was about to burn his fingers, and stated the fact calmly.

He didn’t look up, so his clever fox knelt at his feet, ensuring his Master’s downcast gaze could see him.

“The fox will be your ashtray, Master.”

His hands, which had caught the tears, were raised high, above his head, to receive the incense stick from He Yue. The hot ashes fell into his palm, his raised hands gradually becoming sore and trembling.

Knasch held this position without moving, his eyes fixed on the falling ashes, waiting for his Master’s move.

“I don’t want you to use your hands.”

The incense stick was burning brightly, no visible flame, but a bright red ember. It was very close to He Yue’s skin, and if he waited any longer, it would surely burn his hand.

Knasch lowered his hands, incredibly anxious.

He couldn’t let his Master get hurt, he had to protect him.

“You said you could do anything for me, fox, what are you going to use to show your sincerity?”

The fox’s mind raced. His Master’s red and swollen eyes from crying, his bright eyes shimmering with unshed sorrow, everything about him made his heart ache.

He grabbed He Yue’s wrist, his scarlet tongue extending, and pressed it against the burning red ember.

The burning ember hissed as it touched his saliva. Knasch pulled his Master’s hand towards his tongue, pressing the cigarette butt firmly against his fragile tongue.

A blister formed on his tongue, and the cigarette butt was completely extinguished. Knasch released He Yue’s hand, braced himself on the ground, and cried from the pain, tears and snot streaming down his face. Through his blurry vision, he could only see his Master’s feet, and he bowed even lower, his lips brushing against He Yue’s shoe, a fleeting touch.

The burn on his tongue slowly healed, and Knasch gradually stopped feeling the pain.

He Yue knelt down and grabbed the white fox’s ears, pulling him up from the ground and into his arms.

“Lunatic…” He gently ruffled the fleshy fox ears and cursed softly.

He was met with an embrace around his waist, and the passionate, direct words, “The mad fox also loves you.”

His special ability made the wound heal quickly, not affecting his speech. The fox affectionately nuzzled He Yue’s cheek, gently stroking his back.

“Master, don’t worry, the fox will take care of everything, will investigate the accident, and give Master a satisfactory answer.”

He Yue held the fox, unable to see the ruthless expression on his face as he spoke his comforting words.

“Don’t be rash, little fox.” He Yue patted the fox’s head.

Knasch didn’t reply, only saying, “I won’t cause any trouble for Master.”

At night, the fox washed his tail until it was clean, blew it dry until it was warm and fluffy, and tucked it into He Yue’s arms.

It was very late, and He Yue, lying in bed, was too tired to open his eyes. The fluffy fox tail was comfortable to hold, and drowsiness quickly enveloped him.

His words were slurred in his sleepy state, and he asked, “Fox, is Wien back yet?”

Wien was still at the police station, arguing with the person in charge from Yiai Group, and hadn’t been able to leave yet.

The fox placed He Yue’s head on his arm, his chest against his tail, and tucked him in.

“Master, don’t worry, Wien will be back when he’s done.”

“…”

He Yue’s breathing was steady, and he hadn’t even heard the last sentence.

Knasch, holding He Yue, turned his optical device to silent, ensuring no sound would be made, and began to type furiously.

[Fox: Is the situation alright?]

[Wien: Not very optimistic… the deposit won’t be refunded, Arnis paid the fine and the emergency fee, there are very few paintings left on the first floor, and…] The other party’s status bar was constantly showing “typing.”

[Fox: …Are you going to leave me hanging?]

[Wien: The police are likely to rule it an accident.]

All reason vanished, and anger was instantly ignited. If He Yue hadn’t been in the fox’s arms, with his temper, he would have grabbed a gun and stormed into Oried’s house.

「Fox: We all heard the final countdown of the bomb! How could the fire start out of nowhere! This is a setup! That slutty insect Oried!! It was him, right?! Is there any evidence that it was him?」

He tried to avoid making any major movements while furiously typing on his optical device.

Knasch could only think of Oried, the only insect his Master had ever angered.

「Wien: No evidence, but this police station is indeed under his direct jurisdiction. The officer in charge took the communication, and his attitude changed after he came back, hoping we would treat this as an accident.」

「Fox: ??」

「Wien: In any case, he’s definitely not innocent.」

When an insect was extremely angry, they would really laugh out loud. The fox curled his lips into a sinister smile and replied, 「Then he can just wait to die.」

If any other insect had said this, it might have been an empty threat, but Knasch was different. He was an assassin, with more than one insect’s life on his hands.

If He Yue hadn’t stopped him, he would have cut off that slutty insect’s head with a lightsaber at the club that day. He regretted not having a bloodbath at the club, if he had, his Master would never have suffered like this.

The art exhibition would have ended perfectly, and his Master’s words would have been well preserved.

In his heart, Oried was already a dead insect.

There were many righteous paths. They could catch the arsonist and send him to the gallows. But Oried had blocked this path of light, so he, a fox seeking revenge with no way out, could only choose the darkest way to avenge his Master.

The fox held He Yue, quietly placing a light kiss on his forehead, his embrace tightening, his mind replaying countless possible or impossible ways for Oried to die.

He Yue was a bit dazed seeing the luxurious mecha parked at the courtyard gate.

He had been moping in the studio for a while, wanting to investigate the fire, but Wien and Knasch had taken over all the work; wanting to paint, but unable to calm down.

“Master, I’d like to have a word with you in person.”

Arnis, standing beside the luxurious mecha, was wearing a formal, understated suit, a stark contrast to the flamboyant mecha with its iridescent sheen.

(Why would he think I like this ugly mecha?)

[Hmm… a custom-made luxury mecha, limited to five in the entire insect race?]

(…Alright.)

He Yue wasn’t in the mood for anything now. “What do we have to talk about?” “For example, the five auctioned paintings?”

He Yue knew that Arnis had paid the fine for the fire, and also that the high-priced auctioned paintings were essentially lent to him for the exhibition.

Unbeknownst to him, he owed Arnis a lot of money.

“…Alright, where to?”

Arnis gentlemanly opened the passenger door for him and leaned against the mecha, replying, “To my manor. I’d like to exchange all the money from before for a day of your time, Master.” His tone was business-like and official, and his suit made He Yue feel like he was in a contract negotiation.

This huge sum of money was nothing to Arnis, he could spend it with a wave of his hand. A day’s time was also nothing to He Yue, he would just be moping in the studio anyway.

He Yue extended his hand, his polite gesture also like a business negotiation.

“Deal.”

He Yue got into the mecha and, through the glass, saw Arnis waving at Wien and Knasch, who had their backs to him.

Rarely, neither Wien nor Knasch showed any dissatisfaction or jealousy.

As the engine started, He Yue asked, “Did you discuss this with them?” Arnis didn’t deny it. “Everyone is very worried about you, Master.” So they had colluded.

The high-end mecha flew along the skyway, its speed fast yet stable, the noise minimal. He Yue looked out the window, seeing the high-tech city, the tall buildings, and the bustling crowd below.

The crowd was small, like ants, far away from them.

He Yue had been so immersed in the art exhibition that he hadn’t had a chance to relax and see this other world. The relaxed mood made him feel a little better, his tense nerves easing.

Beside him, the famous President Arnis, dressed in a carefully selected suit, was calmly acting as He Yue’s driver. His daily schedule was tight, and he never had to drive himself, so his driving was a bit rusty.

“When was the last time the president drove someone?” He Yue rested his chin on his hand and looked at Arnis, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly.

“It’s been so long I can’t remember.”

He Yue chuckled happily and teased, “Then I’m truly honored, Mr. President.”

Even in the insect world, few insects were addressed as “Mr. President.” He Yue’s upbeat tone was an unconcealed flirtation, with a hint of sarcasm, which made Arnis chuckle.

He replied politely, “It’s my honor to be your driver, Master.”

Their back-and-forth conversation was flawless, each with their own thoughts, no different from a business pleasantry. He Yue looked at his reflection in the glass window, feeling like he was also wearing a restrictive suit.

The manor was vast, a sea of green, a paradise compared to the insect city. Full grapes hung from neat trellises, and a few female insects with bamboo baskets were picking the fruit with scissors.

He Yue, just getting out of the mecha, was stunned, the fresh air filled with the smell of money.

“Welcome to my manor, Master.”

He Yue nodded and pointed to the plump grapes. “What are those for?”

“For making wine.” Arnis led the way, passing through the dense trellises. “Just a small hobby.” The more casually he spoke, the more He Yue felt he was showing off.

Even if it was an unconscious show of wealth.

The villa in the manor was equally luxurious, much like the medieval aristocratic castles He Yue remembered.

A pure black cat darted out and came to He Yue’s feet. The cat’s fur was pure black, and if it were in the dark, only its light orange eyes would be visible.

It circled his feet a few times, its round eyes blinking in confusion.

“Black Sugar, come here.” Arnis clapped his hands, and the little cat, called Black Sugar, immediately ran to his feet and jumped into his arms.

“What a good little cat.”

A certain senior fur enthusiast couldn’t walk away from the fluffy black ball and reached out to stroke its soft fur.

Arnis very naturally lifted Black Sugar. “Master, hold him, he’s very gentle.”

The pure black ball fell into He Yue’s arms, as familiar as if He Yue were its owner. Its fluffy paws rested on his chest, its fluffy tail swaying back and forth.

It wasn’t afraid of strangers at all.

He Yue ruffled Black Sugar’s head, or buried his hand in its soft fur, and Black Sugar didn’t resist, instead lying comfortably in his arms, purring.

“How did you get such a good cat?” He Yue asked casually, enjoying petting the cat.

Where he couldn’t see, Arnis’s eyes darkened. He leaned closer to He Yue, his fingers gently ruffling the cat’s head, his broad chest pressing against He Yue’s shoulder.

He Yue was so engrossed in petting the cat that he didn’t notice his approach.

“I met a black cat at a market, and a bunch of other animals were surrounding him, there were little dogs, foxes,” he paused, “and hamsters, pet snakes, turtles…”

“I bought him for a high price and spoiled him.”

He gently stroked the little cat, his eyes lost in thought.

“At first, he was very cold, wouldn’t let me touch him, wouldn’t let me hold him. Later, I was very, very good to him, gave him the best of everything, let him play freely in the manor. Finally, one day, he started to respond to me, and became my little cat.”

Arnis came back to his senses, his tone meaningful.

“He’s my black cat, and mine alone.”

His possessiveness was unconcealed. He Yue looked at him, puzzled, and muttered, “I’m just petting him, I’m not trying to steal him from you.”

Black Sugar, in his arms, let out a soft “meow,” shifted to a more comfortable position, yawned, and closed his eyes.

Arnis stroked the sleeping Black Sugar and changed the subject with a smile. “Master has a good affinity with animals, he likes you very much.”

The sleeping little cat had no defenses, not even reacting when He Yue ruffled his soft paws, not at all like the cold cat Arnis had described.

The top floor of the villa was an open-air observation deck with a wide view, overlooking the entire manor. A thin gauze canopy by the glass railing blocked some of the sunlight, preventing the tables and chairs below from being exposed to the sun.

The sun-drenched beanbag chairs were filled with warm cotton, and when he lay down, his entire body sank into them, enveloped by the scent of the sun.

He Yue lay on the beanbag chair, a glass of decanted wine beside him, a small black cat purring on his lap.

Everything seemed to have been “carefully planned,” just waiting for He Yue to arrive and enjoy the day.

The famous President Arnis sat beside He Yue, pouring him wine, or massaging his arm with his permission. He had clearly paid a hefty price for this opportunity, but the one actually enjoying it was He Yue.

“You’re a very pathetic sponsor.”

Arnis smiled calmly. “If I don’t serve my business partner well, how can we discuss the next deal?”

The merchant’s shrewdness was evident. All his efforts were clearly priced, based on profit, and all his relationships were used as stepping stones.

He Yue once again questioned the value of the 62%, but the answer was still affirmative.

He extended his hand to Arnis. “What deal do you want to discuss with me?”

Arnis took out a prepared contract from somewhere and placed it in He Yue’s hand at the right moment.

“I want Master to continue holding art exhibitions, in the name of Yiai Group.”

He Yue’s pupils constricted, thinking he had heard wrong.

“I know Master might not want to hold an art exhibition because of this incident, or, a non-profit art exhibition is a net loss, and Master might not continue to hold them.”

These were all difficult problems for He Yue, and he couldn’t understand why this shrewd merchant would do this.

There were no free lunches in the business world.

This should have been a joyous occasion for He Yue, but he looked at Arnis warily, not replying.

Arnis’s expression was calm, his long experience at the negotiation table allowing him to remain composed in the face of He Yue’s attitude. He seemed to have anticipated He Yue’s suspicion and said calmly:

“An art exhibition is an important way to promote Yiai Group’s art business. We can gain more attention and profit, and as you know, due to Oried’s influence, this part of Yiai Group’s business has been losing money for years.”

“For you, all the expenses of the art exhibition will be covered by Yiai Group, you don’t have to bear any costs. This will still be a non-profit art exhibition, you don’t have to apply to Oried. As for the profit…”

Arnis flipped the contract to the corresponding page. “Your art exhibition can drive Yiai Group’s business, and the board of directors has agreed to give you a 20% share of the profit from Yiai Group’s art business. If Master is not satisfied with this ratio, I can negotiate with the board of directors again.”

His olive branch was very tempting.

“Master, it’s a win-win situation, isn’t it?”

He Yue looked around this comfortable place, which was not at all like a negotiation table, and recalled everything Arnis had done for him.

“Just for this contract, do you need to do so much? You should have come to me from the beginning, there was no need to go through all the trouble of buying the paintings at a high price. Your leverage was sufficient, I might not have refused.”

The unexpected question made a flicker of awkwardness appear in Arnis’s eyes.

He flipped the contract to the appendix with the board of directors’ resolution.

“Master, the date of the board of directors’ resolution is yesterday afternoon.”

These few sentences were not in his prepared speech.

“At first, I just wanted to help you hold an art exhibition.”