As Xue Chen returned, covered in dust, it was already the hour of Hai.

“Songgao, send some food to Hostage Prince Xue.”

“Yes, this servant will go at once.”

The lights in the west room were lit, and through the window paper, the young man’s tall and straight figure could be seen. She vaguely heard Xue Chen’s polite words of thanks. He was only seventeen or eighteen, yet he had suffered a sudden turn of events, being bullied and humiliated in a foreign land. Not only had he silently grown stronger, but he had also endured what ordinary people could not.

She really knew how to pick them. He was the character she had admired most when she read the novel. Others were either love-struck fools or villains who did evil for evil’s sake. Only Xue Chen was focused on his career.

“Princess, Hostage Prince Xue seems to be injured,” Songgao said with some hesitation upon her return, relating what she had just seen.

“Injured?”

Ning Shengsheng suppressed the worry in her heart and asked with a feigned air of indifference, “Is it serious?”

“There’s a large gash on the left side of his arm, so deep you can see the bone. It looks painful just to look at it.”

On one hand, Songgao was kind-hearted and wanted to help Xue Chen. On the other hand, if she didn’t say anything and the princess found out herself, she would surely be punished.

“Then I’ll send a bottle of spir…”

【Ahem—】

Just as Ning Shengsheng was about to get up, the system coughed twice, interrupting her. 【Host, don’t make things difficult for me.】 It usually turned a blind eye to her actions, but this was a blatant violation of the rules.

“Oh…”

Knowing the system was serious, Ning Shengsheng reluctantly sat back down and said dejectedly, “I understand. You may leave.”

Songgao wanted to ask more, but seeing the princess’s sour expression, she could only lower her head and withdraw. As she left, she glanced at the west room and couldn’t help but sigh. This was as much as she could help. She hoped Hostage Prince Xue could pull through.

In the middle of the night, the surroundings were silent. Ning Shengsheng tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. The system wouldn’t let her send medicine, but surely it was okay to just go and check on Xue Chen’s condition?

No sooner said than done.

She nimbly put on her clothes and tiptoed out the door.

Mmm… the system didn’t make a sound. It seemed it was okay.

The system at this moment: … It really wanted to twitch the corner of its mouth and facepalm in anguish, but alas, it had no physical form. Why is my host so bizarre!

Ning Shengsheng tiptoed along the base of the wall to the west room and pressed her face against the window. Following the example of TV dramas, she poked a hole in the window paper with her finger and scanned the room.

The room was empty. Xue Chen wasn’t there? That guy was reckless. He was injured, what was he doing out?

Just as she was hesitating between going back to sleep and going out to find Xue Chen, she suddenly heard a “click.” The sound was particularly clear in the dead of night.

It came from the east room, where Jiang Feng was staying!

Ning Shengsheng pinched her wrist, forcing herself to calm down, and slowly walked to the window of the east room. There was already a hole in the window paper. Who poked that?

She leaned closer to look inside, her left hand pressed against her chest to prevent her heart from beating too fast and making her faint.

Oh my god! What did I just see?

Ning Shengsheng’s face turned pale. She covered her mouth with both hands, a chill crawling up her spine.

Inside the room, Xue Chen’s right hand was tightly gripping Jiang Feng’s throat. Jiang Feng’s eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Xue Chen in disbelief. The crazed look in the other’s eyes and the cruel smile on his lips made his whole body go stiff and his limbs go numb.

How could this be? How could this be? Isn’t he not even at the Earth Aperture realm yet! Why can he crush me so easily?

“Do you enjoy watching me perform?” the young man sneered, his fingers tightening. A gurgling sound came from Jiang Feng’s throat, and blood continuously trickled from his mouth.

“As it happens, I also enjoy watching performances.”

His expression suddenly turned cold, and his tone was innocent and gentle. He smiled and said, “I like to watch puppet shows.”

With a “click,” Jiang Feng’s head lolled to the side, and he stopped breathing.

The young man twisted his wrist, and threads shot out from his sleeve, automatically winding around Jiang Feng’s arms and neck. He was lifted into the air, and like a manipulated puppet, his limbs moved grotesquely with the threads, performing a puppet show.

The young man sat in the middle of the room, looking up at the performance, his fingertips tapping on the table. As if finding it boring, he brought two fingers together and pointed forward. Jiang Feng’s storage ring appeared in his palm.

Xue Chen slowly and methodically took out some spiritual medicine and casually sprinkled it on his wound, smiling the whole time, not even frowning. It was as if he had lost the sense of pain.

Outside the window, Ning Shengsheng’s legs had gone numb from squatting for so long. Forget her legs, after watching Xue Chen’s series of actions, her scalp was also numb. Can a true villain really be won over? She couldn’t help but question her life.

Having seen many dramas, she was extra careful when she snuck away, avoiding stepping on anything that might make a sound and alert the villain, who would then finish her off with a single blow.

Back in her room, she burrowed into her warm bed, and only then did the numbness in her legs subside.

On the other side, as Xue Chen pushed open the door, he glanced at the window, a probing look in his eyes. As he passed Ning Shengsheng’s room, he paused. His dark eyes were deep, and his aura was dangerous. He stood there for an unknown amount of time. Hearing the long, even breaths from inside the room, he finally turned and left, his figure disappearing into the dark mist.

…

Ning Shengsheng had nightmares all night. In her dreams, she was dismembered by Xue Chen. It was truly terrifying.

As Songgao was helping her change and wash up, Zaoni came in to report, “Your Highness, Hostage Prince Xue is outside, seeking an audience.”

“Ah, ah?”

Her breath hitched, and her throat tightened. After a long moment, she composed herself and said, “Let him in.”

“Greetings, Princess. I have found a clue about the Bone-Eating Demon. Would Your Highness like to go with me?”

Ning Shengsheng had no choice but to look at the young man. It was a rare sight; he wasn’t wearing his usual black robes, but rather a narrow-sleeved brocade robe embroidered with green bamboo. It gave him a gentle and fresh air.

Who would have thought that such a handsome young man was a bloodthirsty demon last night?

She tried hard not to look at the hand that had killed Jiang Feng and had Songgao set out breakfast. “Let’s eat first. As it happens, I also have a clue to tell you.”

“Mm.”

Xue Chen sat down at the table and noticed that half the dishes were sweets. Did she do this on purpose? A suspicion arose in his heart, and he didn’t pick up his chopsticks.

Ning Shengsheng took the first bite. “Zaoni, when you have time, gather some pastry recipes from Yongle Town. This princess loves them.”

“This servant will go at once!” Zaoni happily withdrew.

So it’s because she likes them.

Xue Chen’s brows relaxed, and he ate at a leisurely pace. Ning Shengsheng sighed in her heart. His guard is so strong. She had been enjoying a comfortable life recently, so she was full after just a few bites. She silently observed Xue Chen. When he put away his fierce aura, he actually looked quite well-behaved.

“The princess said she has a clue?”

“Oh, oh, that’s right!” She had been staring at him, and she quickly composed herself and said seriously, “Prefect Shi has been to the victim’s shop. And he was pushing a coffin that was dripping blood.”

She had never expected Ning Shengsheng to be able to find such a useful clue. A flash of surprise passed through his eyes, but his face remained calm. “A very crucial clue.”

“Really?”

Ning Shengsheng’s smile was like that of a praised child, her expression proud, her upturned nose slightly wrinkled.

It made Xue Chen think of the little rabbit he had raised as a child. It was also so…