Chapter 30
“So it was you.”
Xue Changyi smiled faintly, a tired smile. “No wonder Second Brother, even though he hadn’t forgotten the past and recognized me, refused to say anything, as if hiding something. So…”
He looked at Dong Lan. “He was protecting you.”
“No…” Dong Lan covered his ears. “Don’t say anymore! But I… I had no choice…”
His eyes were filled with panic. “Someone had to be sacrificed for this experiment. Second Brother… he didn’t understand. If this plan fails, more people will die, so many more! Even… even you, Little Ten! I couldn’t just watch you die!”
“I…” The panic subsided, replaced by a steely resolve in his eyes. “Little Ten, don’t blame me, I had no choice. And I did this with the Central Office’s approval. Even if you found out, you don’t have the authority to stop me!”
Wu Mu frowned deeply.
Dong Lan immediately said, “Wu Mu, don’t you like Xue Changyi? If you like him, you should want him to live, right?”
Wu Mu frowned again, but remained silent, unable to refute the argument.
Dong Lan was right. He liked Xue Changyi, and he wanted him to live.
Sensing Wu Mu’s hesitation, Dong Lan, who had been his adoptive father for so long, knew his nature well. He pressed on, “The students at the academy are the most powerful life forms in millennia. If we can extract their potential, we might find a way to fight against the encroaching death! Then—not only will Little Ten survive, but all other living beings, including you… including you, Wu Mu! You won’t have to face your fate, you can live a long life!”
Dong Lan spread his arms slightly. “We are gods! Our lifespans shouldn’t be limited to a mere hundred years! If I complete this experiment, everything will be alright. Wu Mu… my good son, help me, help your father, please?”
He almost forgot to add, “Do it for Xue Changyi.”
Wu Mu looked at Xue Changyi, his gaze wavering, but he still didn’t speak.
Xue Changyi sighed softly. “Old Seven, you did the right thing.”
“Little Ten?” Dong Lan’s face lit up with excitement. “You… you finally understand?”
“But,” Xue Changyi’s tone changed, “even if you succeed, even if humanity is saved from the encroaching death, and everyone is grateful to you… you were wrong to do this in secret, deceiving everyone, even… sacrificing Second Brother.”
Dong Lan opened his mouth, but despite his eloquence, despite being the Seventh Yama King, despite being the former Director General, he couldn’t refute Xue Changyi’s words.
Xue Changyi continued, “The students of the academy have the right to know the truth. Go and explain it to them… As for me, I’ll resign as their homeroom teacher tomorrow.”
“Little Ten! Little Ten!” Dong Lan grabbed Xue Changyi’s hand. “You can’t leave! Death is approaching, we don’t have much time left, I need your help to complete the experiment!”
Xue Changyi shook his head. “If the experiment is completed, will Second Brother come back?”
Dong Lan froze, slowly releasing Xue Changyi’s hand, his arms falling limply to his sides, a sense of defeat washing over him.
Xue Changyi smiled bitterly. “Second Brother won’t come back. But he still protected you, refusing to say anything.”
With that, he turned and left.
Thump!
Dong Lan’s legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, drained of all strength, like a lifeless puppet.
“Second Brother… Second Brother…” he whimpered.
Xue Changyi, hearing his cries, walked away, his black umbrella held high, disappearing into the darkness of Jixia Academy.
The soft sound of footsteps followed him. It was Wu Mu.
Wu Mu kept a distance, his gaze fixed on Xue Changyi. Even with his back turned, Xue Changyi could feel the intensity of Wu Mu’s stare, the warmth of the sun almost burning through him.
Xue Changyi stopped, turning to face Wu Mu.
Wu Mu stopped as well, still several steps away.
Xue Changyi walked back to him, reaching out to touch the wound on his face.
“Careful!” Wu Mu quickly stepped back. “You’ll get hurt.”
Xue Changyi hadn’t depleted his energy, and touching Wu Mu now would only cause burns. Wu Mu didn’t want to hurt him.
Xue Changyi, his hand still outstretched, said, “You’re injured.”
There was a wound on Wu Mu’s face, a burn from the electrified bars, still bleeding slightly, surrounded by scorch marks. It looked out of place on his handsome face.
Wu Mu said indifferently, “It’s nothing, just a small injury.”
Xue Changyi said, “Let me heal it.”
Wu Mu’s cold eyes showed a flicker of surprise. He shook his head. “Healing magic consumes a lot of energy, there’s no need.”
Xue Changyi chuckled softly. “Precisely because it consumes a lot of energy, after I heal you, you can touch me.”
Gulp—
Wu Mu swallowed hard. Xue Changyi’s words were so suggestive that he couldn’t tell if it was his imagination or a side effect of the electrocution.
While he was still dazed, Xue Changyi’s pale hand glowed with a faint, ethereal light, gently touching Wu Mu’s injured cheek and arm. The light pulsed, and the wounds quickly healed.
“Mm…” Xue Changyi moaned softly, his already pale face turning even whiter, his body swaying.
“Xue Changyi!” Wu Mu caught him, preventing him from falling. “Are you alright?”
“And you called it a small injury?” Xue Changyi gasped, catching his breath. “Healing it took so much out of me.”
Wu Mu’s “small injury” had been an understatement. The electrical burns were severe, like being struck by lightning. Anyone else would have been reduced to ashes.
Wu Mu, like a child caught in a lie, said guiltily, “I’m sorry, I… lied.”
Xue Changyi asked, “Didn’t you say you would never lie to me?”
“I…” Wu Mu’s cold eyes flickered with anxiety. “It was the first time I lied to you, really… I won’t do it again.”
“Hehe…” Xue Changyi chuckled, amused. Probably only he could make the young Director General of the Supervisory Department apologize so earnestly.
Xue Changyi’s eyes flickered, an unfamiliar impulse rising within him, a feeling he had never experienced before.
Despite his aloof nature, he never denied himself what he wanted. While Wu Mu was apologizing, he leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips.
“You…?” Wu Mu’s eyes widened in surprise, his cold demeanor melting away.
His black eyes reminded Xue Changyi of the little crow from long ago, so similar.
Xue Changyi whispered, “That’s your reward.”
He kissed Wu Mu again.
Wu Mu’s surprise turned to a deep, complex emotion, his eyes like swirling depths, as he pulled Xue Changyi closer, returning the kiss, taking the lead.
Xue Changyi, having just expended his energy, needed to recharge, and the kiss, the intimacy, the feeling of their lips moving against each other, sent shivers through him, a sense of satisfaction that made him both content and greedy.
Xue Changyi gasped, leaning against Wu Mu’s chest, his voice soft. “Have you… been with anyone before?”
“Of course not,” Wu Mu replied immediately.
Xue Changyi said, “Then why are you such a good kisser?”
Wu Mu’s cold eyes softened with a hint of amusement, but he quickly averted his gaze, a flicker of shyness in his expression.
“I…”
Xue Changyi chuckled. “Don’t lie, lying is bad.”
Wu Mu hesitated, then admitted, “I’ve imagined it many times.”
He had almost forgotten. Wu Mu was his biggest fan, a devoted admirer, with all that merchandise and collectibles. So he had practiced in his mind countless times. No wonder he was such a good kisser.
Xue Changyi raised an eyebrow, looking at Wu Mu’s serious expression, and couldn’t resist teasing him. “What else… have you imagined?”
Wu Mu’s face turned even redder…
Xue Changyi rested for the night, recovering quickly thanks to Wu Mu’s “support,” waking up refreshed and energized.
“Boss!”
As he opened the door to Room 444, Leopard Tail and Fish Gills were waiting outside.
Leopard Tail said, “Boss, we still haven’t found the Thousand Demon Eyes, should I…”
Xue Changyi shook his head. “No need to look for them anymore.”
“Huh?” Leopard Tail was confused. “Why not? Did you find them? Who stole them? Which bastard dared to steal the Thousand… Ow! Fish Gills, why did you hit me…”
Fish Gills sighed. “Boss said no need to look, why so many questions?”
Leopard Tail rubbed the back of his head, feeling wronged. “Then Boss, let’s go to class together?”
Xue Changyi was silent for a moment. “Today… I’m resigning as the substitute homeroom teacher.”
“What?!” Leopard Tail was shocked.
Fish Gills narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t a man of many words and didn’t like to ask why. He simply said, “We’ll support your decision, Boss. In that case, I’ll resign too.”
Leopard Tail quickly added, “Me too, me too!”
Xue Changyi smiled faintly. “Thank you.”
“Boss!” Leopard Tail’s eyes widened. “Fish Gills, look, Boss is smiling! He looks so good!”
Xue Changyi rarely smiled, after all, who could imagine the Yama King smiling cheerfully?
Thump—
The door to Room 444 opened again, almost hitting Leopard Tail in the face.
Wu Mu stepped out, his voice cold. “You’re blocking the door.”
Leopard Tail: “…” I think he just glared at me! Supervisory Department people are so annoying!
Wu Mu walked out, looking displeased. He had overheard Leopard Tail complimenting Xue Changyi’s looks. Of course Xue Changyi was good-looking, he was the person Wu Mu liked.
But Wu Mu refused to share!
“Hehe…” Xue Changyi, now understanding Wu Mu’s feelings, found him easy to read. His jealousy was written all over his face.
Xue Changyi said, “Teacher Wu, shall we go to the classroom together?”
Wu Mu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously, his expression still slightly reserved. “Okay.”
Leopard Tail was shocked. “Huh? Boss? Why are you walking with someone from the Supervisory Department?”
He whispered, “This is bad luck, I’m going to have a terrible day.”
Wu Mu: “…”
