Chapter Text
Gong Shangjue tried to remember the path he had seen the man walking—a narrow, half-forgotten trail where thorny bushes were growing wild. Still, the way was passable, and he pushed through until the soft hush of water reached his ears. The path led him to a river, gleaming like a silver liquid beneath the moonlight. And there, in the middle of its icy flow, was the man he sought. Submerged to the shoulders, he held his stillness with an eerie grace, only his head above water, long black hair drifting behind him like dark silk. For a long moment, he did not move. Then, slowly, he rose. Water slid down his body, clinging to the thin undergarment plastered against his skin. His side profile was clean, elegant, almost unreal. With his eyes closed and his face tilted slightly toward the moon, his pale skin glowed with a faint light, making him appear less like a man and more like a spirit. Gong Shangjue’s eyes travelled from the omega’s face down to his shoulder and to his waist, where he saw a bluish bruise.
-- 
The omega stayed still for a few seconds before slowly turning to his right, directly toward Gong Shangjue.
The alpha blinked. In that stolen heartbeat, the world blurred into motion: the beautiful omega was suddenly upon him, sword flashing like a bolt. Caught off guard, the alpha fumbled with his sword, his right hand clumsily tried to grab his sword while his left hand flailed in the air. Then slender but strong fingers closed around his left wrist with a tight grip before throwing the alpha’s body high in the air. Gong Shangjue’s breath fled his lungs in a stunned gasp as his entire body arced upward before crashing down with a bone-shaking thud.
Before he could even utter a word, a heel pinned his sword arm, grinding mercilessly into the tendons of his right wrist until his fingers quivered around the hilt. A sharp knee drove into his chest, locking him in place, caging him more effectively than chains. And then—cold steel kissed the vulnerable skin of his throat, so close that in a single flick, it could cut his artery.
Their eyes met, a pair of startled ones and a pair of furious ones. His thin undergarment clung to his wet skin, giving Gong Shangjue a clear view of his beautiful chest, flat stomach and slim waist.
“I can explain. It’s not what you think.” He hurriedly spoke.
“Classic excuse.” His voice was deep and calm. Sharp, dangerous eyes bored into his own.
“Young Master, I’m looking for you because I need your help. I didn’t know that you were bathing. I’m deeply sorry. I need your help.” The alpha’s tone was firm but with a hint of desperation in it to gain sympathy as he stared into the man’s eyes. After a long silence, the omega withdrew his word and Gong Shangjue took the opportunity to sit up. He didn’t immediately grab his fallen sword or even glance at it. The omega turned around, heading to where his clothes were folded neatly on a large stone.
Gong Shangjue used the pause to slide his sword back into its sheath. When Zhuo Yixuan glanced up, clothing gathered in his hands, Gong Shangjue exhaled a quiet, weary huff. He turned away to give the omega space. For a brief moment, neither of them spoke; the only sound was the soft rustling of fabric behind him, filling the stillness between them.
“Young Master,” the same deep voice called him, and when he turned around, the omega had his golden robes back. His hair had been pulled back into a simple ponytail. Gong Shangjue cupped his hand in front of his chest and bowed deeply.
“Gong Shangjue,” He introduced himself.
“Zhuo Yixuan.” The omega gazed at his face silently, head tilted to the side slightly.
"Have we met before?"
“Yes.” Gong Shangjue gave him a small, amused smile and hummed. “There was a poor broken bed in a brothel in Hóng Wù Town that could testify to our meeting.”
It took Zhuo Yixuan a few seconds before colours exploded on his beautiful pale skin when the memory of their scandalous meeting finally kicked in. Zhuo Yixuan uncomfortably cleared his throat and looked away. “Um, I apologised. I-I was hunting a demon and unexpectedly, he could create a portal, so-“
“I understand.”
"My man reported that he had paid the damage."
"Indeed. Thank you for that."
“Is that what you want to talk about?” The omega asked with uncertainty, eyebrows raised. Gong Shangjue let out a chuckle and shook his head, his eyes twinkling slightly. For some reason, the alpha found this man rather funny. Maybe it was the abrupt change from a deity creature to a dangerous one, then to a flustered one, just in a very short time.
“Young Master Zhuo, I need your help capturing a spy.” The alpha begins. “Our spy is from the River sect. I don’t know whether you’ve heard about it before, but they specialise in spying and killing. We have been searching for this person for six months without any results.”
“Six months?”
“Yes. The task wasn’t given to me before, unfortunately. I was only given this task three weeks ago,” Gong Shangjue quickly explained. Why? He didn’t know. Maybe because of his pride. The task of hunting the spy was given to Gong Huanyu and his men because he was the one who discovered Lin Ye. The Sword Wielder thought it would be a good task to prove his ability. However, despite his brilliance in martial arts, tracking wasn’t his strongest suit. Gong Shangjue couldn’t imagine the man entering a brothel and pretending to be a client. Unable to wait any longer, the highest order of the Gong Family ordered Gong Shangjue to replace him. “-and I found him yesterday night. I almost captured him before the demon threw you into the room, giving him a chance to escape. This spy, despite being a master in disguise, is still very young and has very limited experience in dealing with demons, just like me. I think that it is desperation that drove him to Hóng Wù Town and this forest. Young Master Zhuo, if you help me, I’ll help you catch the demon you’re hunting.”
“How do you know he is inexperienced in dealing with demons?”
“I come from a martial arts family, Young Master Zhuo. We deal with assassins, spies and such for a living. We know how they operate. Just like us, spy sects tend to avoid working in the east, very close to the wilderness. Their missions are their lives and dealing with demons which possess unexpected power is just too much risk and sometimes beyond our abilities. That’s why we prefer to do our business in the west and avoid the east. I myself have fought two demons in my entire life during missions that were too close to the east. They weren’t powerful demons, but they gave me enough insight into just how dangerous they are for the untrained people like us.”
“Young Master Gong Shangjue, I find your proposal quite amusing. I can see why you need my help catching the spy who is running to demon-filled territory, but I cannot see why I need your help catching the demon I’m pursuing. As you said yourself, you’re also inexperienced, having only fought two weak demons in your entire life, and untrained. What makes you useful to me?”
Gong Shangjue felt his eyebrows twitch. No matter how fair the question was, Gong Shangjue’s pride was wounded. He was always seen as the most capable person in the entire Gong Family. His reputation as one of the most sought-after alphas after the First Young Master Gong Huanyu had given him tremendous pride. Yet, this omega called him useless?
“Besides my help as payment, I can assist you when you or your men are injured. My family has the best healer; therefore, I have the best medicine you can find. I’m willing to share it with you and your troop since your opponent might be more dangerous than mine.”
“And why do you think I need help in medicine?”
“Because if you brought any, then the bruise on your waist should have healed already.” He answered with a smirk. His smirk widened when the omega froze for a moment, narrowing his lovely eyes at him. Yes, he did see that ugly bruise on the gleaming snow skin under the moonlight. “If you don’t care about your injury, at least you should think about your men. You are hunting a demon, aren’t you? I assume the demon is very slimy if you and your men cannot capture it yet. Young Master Zhuo, I may not have the greatest experience in capturing a demon like you, but I assure you that when it comes to the martial arts department, I’m much more skilled than your men. I can help you more than your men in fighting a dangerous enemy.”
Inwardly, Gong Shangjue wished the discussion would just end and that the omega standing before him would finally give him an answer. He had been talking in circles, repeating the same arguments. His patience thinned with every passing moment; too much depended on this mission—his family’s safety, their hidden secrets, everything.
Zhuo Yixuan remained silent. He simply blinked, observing Gong Shangjue with a calm, unreadable focus. When he finally parted his lips, it was only to pose a single, measured question. “Are you?”
“Hm?”
“Are you really stronger than my men?”
Ging Shangjue smirked. “You will see if you agree.”
Zhuo Yixuan sighed. His jaw clenched slightly as he turned away from the alpha. His eyes stared at the moon; nothing came out of his mouth. Gong Shangjue’s eyes didn’t leave his face, anxiously hoping for a positive response.
“Young Master Gong Shangjue, the demon we’re hunting is indeed a dangerous one. He has killed people, consumed them and played with them. He had killed five families in Tiandu and if he isn’t captured soon, the victims will increase. The reason he is very hard to capture is because of his ability to create a portal. Its power is limited, but a portal is a portal. He teleported our medic, who is keeping almost all our supplies somewhere far away from here; that’s why we are so low on medicine. His other ability is creating illusions, taunting people with whatever he wants.” The omega turned to Young Master Gong and stared into his eyes deeply. “Are you sure you can handle it? Just by looking at your clothes, your face, and your eyes, you have seen many things. What if the demon manages to dig what you are afraid of the most?”
“I’m not afraid of anything.”
“Young Master Gong, you wouldn’t know what you’re truly afraid of until you face it.”
“Then I’ll face it and conquer it.”
Their eyes locked, assessing each other. They were strangers after all, without any history of allegiance to trust each other. Unfamiliar names and unfamiliar faces, this risked more problems than solutions if they both weren’t true to each other. What if one side turned out to be a dangerous villain of society? What if whoever they caught turned out to be on the good side? Did it mean that they were colluding with evil?
But, because they were strangers, they weren’t each other's weakness. They came and left. No need to explain. No need to tell everything.
“Fine.” Zhuo Yixuan finally answered. “I’ll wait for you and your men tomorrow morning.” The omega turned to his right, and when the alpha followed his gaze, a visible fire was among the trees. That was where Zhuo Yixuan and his men camped tonight.
“Thank you, Young Master Zhuo.” Gong Shangjue then took a small jar from his sash and held it out for the omega. "For your bruise."
Zhuo Yixuan hesitated for a moment before his long fingers reached out and took the jar into his smaller hand. Gong Shangjue bowed and left. He resisted a temptation to turn around as his feet moved fast to his own camp. Tomorrow, he and his men would have an entirely new experience of fighting demons.
--
The next morning, after they had their breakfast, Gong Shangjue led his men to Zhuo Yixuan’s camp. Zhuo Yixuan’s men were six, including Zhuo Yixuan himself. Combined with his men, there were twelve men in the group: one omega, two betas and nine alphas.
Zhuo Yixuan’s men looked at them silently, half curiosity, half suspicion, but they didn’t ask any questions when the omega announced that they would be their team. Their goal for a moment was to catch a spy alive for Gong Shangjue’s group. In return, they would help with medicine and see the slimy demon they were hunting. Gong Shangjue’s men, on the other hand, looked at the group with visible interest that almost made him smack their head. Well, their attention was solely on one omega wearing bright gold attire among the dark-robed men, commanding a group of demon hunters. This was probably their first time seeing an omega commander.
Gong Shangjue and Zhuo Yizuan walked side by side, as their men blended behind them. The two groups were blending well, whispering to each other. The alpha could catch some words: spy, demon, Tiandu, commander, alpha, omega, strict, special and some more. He guessed they were talking about them. Zhuo Yixuan didn’t seem to mind, walking and looking straight to the path in front of them. Once in a while, an amused smile graced his pink lips as he glanced at Gong Shangjue, mostly when some weird discussions among their men reached their ears. The alpha shook his head. He didn’t know their men, usually strict, obedience and discipline, were actually gossipers. Maybe it was just human nature to talk about other people. Even Gong Yuanzhi, for all the cool façade he wanted to show in front of other Gong family members, would talk his ear off when they were together. Sometimes, Gong Shangjue wondered where his Didi, who spent most of his time inside his clinic, could gather the information. Now, seeing and hearing his men gossiping, he finally got his answers.
They walked through the forest for hours, tracking the ground and the possibility that someone had passed the dark path in front of them. The forest, according to Zhuo Yixuan, was jinxed, which meant that there were demons here. Their inhuman aura clashed with humans’, causing whoever entered the forest to have their brain muffled. That was why they walked in never never-ending circle. The omega theories that whoever demon jinxed this forest could be just for their own protection from other demons. After all, some demons loved eating other demons or humans.
They did walk in circles for a while, until Zhuo Yixuan pulled out a stone and gripped it tight in his hand. Gong Shangjue and the men gasped as cold wind hit their faces. The forest looked brighter and free of thick mist, clearing their vision and minds.
“You should have done that from the beginning,” the alpha said, glaring at the omega a little. Zhuo Yixuan looked at him sheepishly, muttering an apology for forgetting that he had the stone in his pouch. What a weird demon hunter!
The sun was almost set when they heard a frantic sound of someone running toward them caught everyone's attention. Swords drawn and eyes focused on the direction. Zhuo Yixuan looked at his sword and spoke, “Human.”
It might be their luck when it turned out that the one running toward them was Lin Ye, the river spy Gong Shangjue was hunting. The young man’s handsome face was pale, his clothes were torn and there were some deep gashes on his shoulder. When he saw them, there was a relief in his eyes which confused Gong Shangjue. What happened?
“Lin Ye.” Gong Shangjue growled, warning the spy.
“Watch out,” Zhuo Yixuan whispered loud enough for them to hear as the sword in his hand glowed bright blue. “Demon.”
Before anyone could move, a silver thread wrapped around Lin Ye’s leg, dragging him away from the troop. The spy let out a scream as he was dangling in the air. Then, a beautiful woman swung down from thick white silvery threads.
“Welcome to my nest, gentlemen.” The woman smirked, blood red lips grinning wide.
“Nest?”
The group looked around and finally noticed a silver web among the dense trees. Pairs of eyes were watching them, looking so excited. Sounds of their chelicerae were deafening and their long legs peeked beneath the dark trunks.
“Spider-guniang, we’re here to capture that man. Do you mind returning him to us? We promise to leave after that." Zhuo Yixuan asked politely, glowing sword in his hand. The woman’s eyes fell to the sword for a moment before returning to the demon hunter.
“Oh, it's Zhuo Daren!” The spider demon had a wicked smile on her face as if she was finally recognising who stood before her. Gong Shangjue raised his eyebrows as he glanced at the omega. The demon put her face on his chin, long nails full on display. “What an honour to have Zhuo Daren visit my humble nest. He’s so pretty that I’m very impatient to tear his limbs one by one. They say your blood is special. I wonder why.”
Disturbing clicking sounds gained the group’s attention and when they lifted their gaze, they froze. Massive spiders—each one easily twice the size of a grown man—were crawling down the tree trunks toward them. Above, the spider demon let out a delighted, ringing laugh as she drank in the fear flickering in the men’s eyes.
“Thank you for coming willingly. My babies haven’t had their meat yet. Poor them that the sun almost sets.”
Babies? These monstrous creatures were her babies?
The groups immediately split into two formations, swords ready in their hands. Gong Shangjue noticed the fear in his men’s eyes hardened into determination. ‘Good, nothing to worry about.’ Gong Shangjue exchanged a look with Zhuo Yixuan just as the latter lifted his blade before his face. The weapon flared with brilliant light, powerful spiritual energy pulsing from it.
The demon raised her hands and with snarling clicks, the baby spiders launched themselves from the trees and shadows, charging at full speed. Gong Shangjue leapt upward, sword raised high, and brought it down in a clean strike that cut through the nearest spider. The forest erupted with high-pitched, piercing shrieks as the battle began.
-- 
He glanced at his men—fear still etched on their faces, yet their movements were steady and precise. Two hunters drove their swords into one massive spider, then jumped effortlessly onto another, plunging their blades straight into its head. Not further away from them, he spotted two jade fighters working together alongside Zhuo Yixuan’s squad, weaving around the spiders with rapid, disorienting movements before delivering precise blows.
A sudden flash of white caught Gong Shangjue’s attention. He turned and found himself staring directly into a set of enormous fangs lunging toward him. Before he could react, a streak of blue light shot past him, swift as lightning. It struck the spider’s skull, splitting it in two. Gong Shangjue stepped back quickly to avoid the foul liquid that burst from the creature’s head.
His eyes landed on Zhuo Yixuan again. The man dispatched another spider with ease, his glowing blue sword reflecting the bright sunlight in blinding flashes. Each swing sent waves of spiritual force across the clearing, weakening the monsters before steel even touched their flesh. It was the first time Gong Shangjue had seen such a weapon, and he couldn’t help wondering what kind of sword it was.
A sudden scream reached his ear. One demon hunter had been trapped in sticky webbing, and two spiders were racing toward him. Gong Shangjue launched himself into the air. Mimicking the tactics he’d watched his men use, he landed atop one spider’s back and drove his blade straight through its skull. As the creature thrashed beneath him, the second spider crawled forward, legs raised to strike. Gong Shangjue moved quickly; his sword flashed, severing its limbs before slicing open its abdomen. He rushed to free the trapped hunter and helped him to his feet. The shaken man managed a breathless thank you, and Gong Shangjue gave a short nod before turning back toward the fray.
-- 
Seeing her babies were killed, in seconds, the beautiful woman transformed into a giant spider. Her true form was different from her babies, though, with thick skin and two claws at the front. Her numerous eyes were wide and red, scanning the fight angrily as one by one her babies fell to the ground. Furious, she shot a web to the nearest person and dragged him to her nest.
Gong Shangjue watched in horror as one of his men, Wei Liang, was dragged further into the dark forest. The man’s face was full of fear as he raised his hands toward his young master, desperately asking for help. Gong Shangjue burst into the clearing just in time to see Wei Liang had been hunting, dangling helplessly in a vast, silvery web, the strands shimmering like cold moonlight. Besides him was Yen Li, trashing around in a thick web from his neck to his legs. Looming above them was the spider demon—her swollen body glistening, her many eyes blinking out of sync, her smile stretched too wide, too human to be anything but nightmarish. She coiled her legs, preparing to sink her fangs into the spy’s throat, forcing Gong Shangjue’s hand; he needed the man alive.
The Second Young Master Gong threw his sword toward the spider; it landed perfectly at the centre of her head. Shrieking in both pain and anger, the spider fell backwards, shaking the sword from her head. The alpha didn’t waste more time. Pulling out his long dagger, he sliced the web around the spy. The spy fell to the ground and used the opportunity to run away. Next, Gong Shangjue leapt to Wei Liang, freeing him from the web as best as he could. Once Wei Lang was free, he kicked him off the web, sending him to his men, who were ready to catch their mate. Unfortunately, with all his struggles to help Wei Lang, he slipped and fell into a thicker web below him, effectively trapping the alpha.
“Shit!” He cursed when he saw that the spider moved forward, his sword still stuck in his head. It seemed that his sword only caused minimal damage to her. The demon’s laughter rattled the trees as she skittered down toward him, claws scraping, numerous red eyes gleaming. He began struggling violently, but the silk only tightened. Then, a sudden flash and Zhuo Yixuan appeared beside him, slicing through the strands as if they were mist. He wrapped an arm around Gong Shangjue’s waist, seized a taut line of web, and swung them both downward.
The demon lunged after them. Gong Shangjue twisted in midair, gripping Zhuo Yixuan by the waist and lifting him effortlessly. Landing on the hard ground, the alpha took out several daggers and threw them in the spider’s eyes, blinding some of them. The spider’s front legs raised so high, claws ready to snap. Gong Shangjue clenched his jaw and grabbed Zhuo Yixuan’s wrist, lifting him effortlessly into the air. Understanding instantly, Zhuo Yixuan raised his glowing sword. The blade blazed like a falling star as it pierced the demon’s skull. Her scream tore through the forest before her massive body crashed to the ground.
The demon hunters and jade armies fell to the ground once they realised that the fight was over. The adrenaline had left their bodies and exhaustion had swept over.
“Young Master, are you alright?” Fei Nu asked, fumbling with the medicine bag.
“I’m fine.” The young master’s eyes fell to his men. Understanding the silent question, Fei Nu immediately spoke.
“Three are injured. Mild, only. I think we’re more injured mentally than physically.” Fei Nu turned to one of his fellow jade men. “Wei Liang, are you alright?”
“Oh, that was scary. I was almost eaten.” Wei Liang sobbed unashamedly. The rest of Gong Shangjue’s men, both injured and uninjured, patted his shoulders, laughing as they did so.
Gong Shangjue looked at his men. Their first encounter and fight with a demon was traumatising but full of learning. He then glanced at the demon hunting troop, who were smiling amusedly at the group. His gaze moved to Zhuo Yixuan, who was examining one of his men’s bleeding arms with care. The alpha walked toward the enormous corpse, pulling out his sword and daggers. Grimacing at the sticky liquid, they took a handkerchief and wiped it off. He threw it to the ground when he finished.
“Let’s find a clearing near the river to treat the injuries.” Gong Shangjue said, eyes gesturing to the giant spider corpse. Zhuo Yixuan grimaced and nodded.
When they finally found a small clearing near a river, the jade men unpacked their medicine bag and soon the smell of strong herbs filled their sensitive noses. Gong Shangjue and Zhuo Yuxian watched as their men worked together, cleaning, pouring medicine and bandaging each other as if they were long-time friends. Some were preparing tents, fire and a light dinner while sharing stories. Once in a while, there would be a chuckle and even laughter.
Gong Shangjue sat on a huge stone by the riverbank, his gaze lost in the distance. He didn’t know how long he sat before a familiar hint of lavender drifted to him. Young Master Zhuo Yixuan sat down in front of him and handed him a jar of wine. Gong Shangjue merely stared at it, motionless, until Zhuo Yixuan laughed softly and nudged it into his hand.
“It’s just light plump wine. You cannot get drunk even if you drink thirty cups of it.” He said with a smile. Gong Shangjue sniffed the wine before taking a small sip. It was sweeter than the wine he usually drank and wasn’t strong at all. At most, it was just giving him a taste of drinking a wine without actually drinking real wine. Zhuo Yixuan turned his attention from him to the quiet camp behind them. One jade man and one demon hunter were patrolling leisurely around the camp. “How are your men?”
“Traumatised, but judging how well they sleep, then they are fine. Hopefully, they learn something from fighting their first demon.”
“Thankfully, the first demon they fought was just a weak spider demon. Terrifying, yes, but not that dangerous.” When Gong Shangjue stared at him in disbelief, Zhuo Yixuan grinned.
“What? That demon could only transform into her true form. Young Master Gong, you really need to toughen up if you still want to help me. If you think that spider demon was dangerous, wait until you encounter stronger demons, or even a Great Demon. They possess powers you’ll think impossible.”
“Great Demons. They must be the most powerful of all and on top of your hunting list.” The alpha was eager to absorb the new information.
Unexpectedly, Zhuo Yixuan laughed at that. “The most powerful, yes, on top of my hunting list, no. What do you think we are?”
“Demon hunting troop.”
“We are only hunting demons who have committed crimes in the human world. Just like humans, not all demons are bad. Great Demons are our top concern because of their unimaginable power. As long as they don’t hurt humans, we have no right to hunt them down.”
“Have you met a Great Demon before?”
“I actually know a Great Demon. He is still young in demon age, but his power is unparalleled that even he is terrified of himself, afraid that he will lose control one day. He cried himself asking for help in front of our door.”
“What did you do to him?”
“My father brought him to learn under the tutelage of the Qing Geng, the Baize Goddess. She was currently training her protégé, so my father hoped that she could help us when he lost control; if he lost control. Unexpectedly, the young Great Demon managed to make friends. The feeling of belonging to a certain group of equally special people suppresses the wildness inside him. It goes well.” Then Zhuo Yixuan suddenly rolled his eyes as a memory flashed in his brain. “Too well in my opinion. He is completely wrapped around a young dragon’s little fingers.” An amused smile followed the statement. Whatever the memory was, it had to be a good one.
The two fell into a comfortable silence, sharing a jar of wine. Despite being in the middle of a jinxed forest, Gong Shangjue had never felt this peace before. Maybe because in this unfamiliar place, he wasn’t fighting an assassin or spy sect that had its people hiding and observing them from afar. With a small troop of capable demon hunters, he didn’t need to bear the burden of being alert on his shoulder alone.
"Lin Ye is running to the north. Where does it lead to?” He asked, staring at where the spy had gone.
If we don’t come across his body along the way, it means he managed to escape. The nearest town to the north is Rìluò Town,” Zhuo Yixuan mused. “Are you certain we’ll find him there?”
“Just like my men, he was traumatised by the demon and this forest. He’ll try to find the human population. Since he ran away in panic and was injured, he’ll most likely disguise himself as a visitor rather than a local.” Gong Shangjue shifted his body to face the omega fully. Zhuo Yixuan raised a questioning eyebrow at him, and he tilted his head slightly. Gong Shangjue let out a rare smile that graced his lips. “So?"
“Hm?”
“Have I convinced you that I’m better than your men?” He asked, tone rather playful. Zhuo Yixuan grinned widely, pearly teeth were visible, his eyes ceased into crescent moons, and a chuckle escaped from his lips. Gong Shangjue found himself unable to avert his eyes from him.
“Better than my men? I don’t know, but I think Young Master Gong Shangjue finally proved that he could be useful indeed.” The omega said, smiling as he took the jar from the alpha’s hands and drank the rest of it. Zhuo Yixuan then stood up and walked away, heading toward his tent.
‘Turn around,’ His mind called as his eyes didn’t leave the retreating figure. Gong Shangjue sighed in disappointment when the omega disappeared into the tent.
--
The Jue Residence, Gong Family
Xiao Wan giggled with her best friend in the whole Jue Household, Xi Xi, as they were heading to the kitchen after sending Young Master Zhuo a pot of pear soup. The beautiful omega was not feeling well that morning, sending Young Master Gong Shangjue into a panic mode and asking for a healer immediately. The healer said it was just a light cold, and a day's rest with warm food and drink would solve it. Young Master Zhuo then whined, they suspected it was because of the fever, and said that he was missing his baby brother so much. ‘A-Chen’ was the name of Young Master Zhuo’s brother, and he was the same age as Young Master Gong Yuanzhi. Hoping to cheer him up, the cooks decided to prepare a pot of pear soup, which was according to Young Master Gong Shangjue, was Young Master A-Chen’s favourite food. His sad face brightened slightly when Young Master Gong Yuanzhi entered his room rudely without knocking and put down a medium-sized box on the table. Young Master Zhuo Yixuan stared at the teenager for a moment before he stood up and pinched Young Master Gong Yuanzhi’s chubby cheeks. He even kneaded them together, making the poor teen look like a fish.
“I miss A-Chen so much.” Young Master Zhuo sniffled without stopping his torture against the cheeks. Young Master Gong Yuanzhi, of course, let out a string of inappropriate words directed toward Young Master Zhuo. The words were mostly dumb, annoying, and cruel. But hey, they were inappropriate! Young Master Zhuo wasn’t dumb, annoying or cruel at all. Both maids were offended on his behalf, even though they understood that the harsh tone was only a cover for the youngest Young Master’s concern. Strangely, despite his protest, Young Master Gong Yuanzhi neither slapped the hands torturing his chubby cheeks nor tried to shove the other man away. Did this mean he had accepted Young Master Zhuo? If it had been anyone else, Xiao Wan was certain they would already have fallen victim to his poison.
On the way to the kitchen, they encountered Young Lady Yun Meishan and Young Lady Shangguang Qian. What business did the two of them have wandering so close to the Jue household? It had to be that hopeless bride's idea.
“Good evening.” They bowed slightly.
“Where were you?” Young Lady Yun Meishan, the Sword Wielder’s bride, asked, glancing at the empty trays in their hands.
Xi Xi glanced at Xiao Wan before answering. “We were from Jue Furen’s room, delivering a pot of soup.”
The two brides looked surprised when they heard the title, but they recovered quickly, smiles on their beautiful faces, when they realised who the two young maids were referring to. “Young Master Zhuo is fond of soup? I don’t know anyone who practices martial arts who loves soup. As far as I know, they prefer either plant-based or meat-based food depending on their training.” Young Lady Yun Meishan commented.
‘So what? It’s none of your business!’ Xiao Wan screamed in her mind. She had to give her credit for saying that in a neutral tone, no accusation or vile motive behind it. Xiao Wan thought that it was because she had a secure position as the future Yu-Furen, unlike the Young Lady beside her.
“I’m sorry, but don’t you think you’re being disrespectful by calling Young Master Zhuo, Jue-Furen? His test hasn’t been done yet; therefore, his status is still a bride, just like me.” Young Lady Shangguang Qian said, looking unpleased despite the polite smile on her face.
‘See! See! Disrespectful? To whom? Her?' Xiao Wan narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced at Xi Xi, who bit her bottom lip, too afraid to talk back to the bride. Putting on her own polite smile, the maid lowered her head.
“Forgive these servants, we are only parroting what Young Master Gong Shangjue had called Young Master Zhuo.” Xiao Wan said before she bowed and nudged Xi Xi to follow her. As they passed the brides, she and Xixi shared a smile when Young Lady Shangguang Qian’s face darkened.
With a happier mood, the two young maids headed to the kitchen. As usual, when the clock almost hit midnight, they gathered together at the corner of the kitchen with their gossip squad. Some cooks handed trays of cookies and late dinners for some jade guards and servants, waiting for Fei Nu to continue his story. The shy and reluctant Fei Nu had transformed into a confident storyteller after the attention he got the previous night. Now, as the main source of the love story, he even added gestures, hyperbolic expressions and dramatic pauses. They knew that it probably was not as dramatic as that, but they understood that there was only a small portion of information Fei Nu could share with them, so they cherished every little detail they got. Let the story be as dramatic as it could, it was more entertaining that way.
“Maybe the people of Tiandu are special.” Yang Chang said after swallowing a spoonful of rice. “They live near the wilderness, right? So their ability to adapt and survive is just above the average people who don’t have demons in their territories. That includes high-sense as well, since Fei Nu said that Young Master Zhuo seems to always know when a demon appears.”
“That’s so incredible. You should see how he fights. He moved like he was dancing in the air with flowing golden robes and long hair. He had this sword that glows bright blue in the dark. Demons were afraid at the sight of him and the sword.”
“Ohhh…”
“Yeah, and I swear-“ Fei Nu raised three fingers. “that every time Young Master Zhuo killed a beast, Young Master Gong Shangjue was standing there with a mesmerised face.”
“Ahhh…”
“There was one time when Young Master Zhuo Yixuan rescued Young Master Gong Shangjue from a spider demon. It was terrifying with her legs and eyes. Young Master Gong Shangjue was trapped in the web and Young Master Zhuo wrapped his arm around his waist, while the other swung his glowing blade, cutting the web and swinging down gracefully.” Fei Nu playfully wrapped his left hand around a nearby maid, which earned him a light smack on the head, raised his hand and made a slashing movement.
“Ooohhhhh!!!!”
"Then, then, Young Master Gong Shangjue noticed that the spider demon hadn’t done. He grabbed Young Master Zhuo Yixuan's slim waist with his strong arms and lifted him. Young Master Zhuo stabbed the evil spider demon in her head, killing her instantly." Fei Nu twirled the giggling maid and lifted her a little, while she made a stabbing gesture with the long cooking chopstick.
"Yeeaahhh!" the crowd cheered, clapping wildly.
Seeing the excitement, Xiao Wan couldn't wait to share her own story. She made a waving gesture to the crowd, and they immediately got their attention. “Oh, you wouldn’t believe what just happened when Xi Xi and I returned from Young Master Zhuo’s room this evening.” Xiao Wan excitedly bounced in her seat. Everyone leaned forward excitedly. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth, “We met Lady Shangguang Qian-“
“Aiishh, we don’t want to hear about her.” One maid whined, slapping Xiao Wan’s shoulder. Instantly, the cheerful atmosphere disappeared as the crowd hummed in agreement, disappointed with the start of the information. Beside her, Xi Xi just laughed and did not even try to help. Xiao Wan pouted. How dare she! She was supposed to be her best friend!
“Yeah, she’s bad news, bad news.”
“Right?! She always wanders around the Jue Household suspiciously.” A jade guard added. “We caught her in some places in the middle of the night several times. If I didn't know she was a noble lady, I'd think that she was a spy!”
The head cook slammed her hand on the table, surprising everyone. Her eyes darkened with annoyance as she pursed her lips. “She even used the kitchen to cook breakfast when Young Master Zhuo was here. She flaunted her knowledge of how Young Master Gong Shangjue eats plant-based meals, not the meat-based ones he was currently cooking. Young Master Zhuo shut her up, saying that Young Master Gong Shangjue had left the household for an important task since the night before and that the food was for Young Master Yuanzhi. Ha! You should see her face. Who does she think he is? He is Young Master Gong Shangjue's chosen one, of course, he knew him better than her.”
“Listen to me first!” She whined, tugging at the maid’s sleeve. After she finished her story, everyone looked at her with various expressions. Some looked proud, which she returned with her own proud grin. Some looked like she was crazy, while the rest looked worried.
“Xiao Wan, what if you get into trouble for lying?”
She scoffed. “So what? Let her complain about it and have Young Master Gong Shangjue summoned in front of the elders. What do you think will happen? Young Master Gong Shangjue apologises and says that he will punish me, OR he will just smile and confirm that indeed he calls Young Master Zhuo Jue-Furen because that is what he is. Which one?” Xiao Wan challenged. She crossed her arms in front of her breasts and raised an eyebrow, challenging the whole crowd to answer.
“Now that you put it like that-” Yang Chang scratched his head, looking so amused at the teenagers. As someone who had known Gong Shangjue since he was just a mere baby, the answer was obvious. Even if the young master was indeed summoned because of Young Lady Shangguang Qian’s complaint, it was rather useless.
Everyone in the entire Gong Family knew who was wearing the Jue Household's signature chain jewellery in their hair right now.