Shuangxi was one of the false names Li Jue had used, and also the title by which she was most famous in both the human and demon worlds.
She had used this name to help many people, and also… to kill many people.
That black-gold bracelet was now worn on Ying An’s hand.
Li Jue had transformed it into the appearance of a bracelet.
It did not look particularly unusual, and Ying An did not know what was special about it.
Nighttime, on a certain deserted little street in Shenchuan, inside an unremarkable roadside mala tang shop.
An old light bulb hung limply from the ceiling.
Oil stains accumulated over the years layered the wooden table one after another, impossible to wipe clean no matter what.
A steaming bowl of mala tang was set on the table.
The hot, spicy red oil broth swayed, splashing a few more drops onto the table.
“Thank you, Auntie.”
The boy politely thanked the proprietress.
“No need for thanks. Eat slowly.”
The plump middle-aged woman twisted her body and returned behind the cash register.
Ying An picked up the instant noodles in the bowl and slurped a large mouthful.
The expression on his face was happy and satisfied.
“Mm, delicious. Sister, what did you order?”
“A little vegetables, two or three slices of tenderloin, and one piece of flatbread.”
“So little. Sister, you’re only eating this much?”
“If Xiao An likes it, then eat more. If it’s not enough, go get more. Sister doesn’t have much appetite.”
Li Jue actually did not really want to come to this area.
This street was located in a relatively remote part of Shenchuan.
When they came over, almost no one could be seen on the street.
The pure reason she brought Ying An here was because of Chu Jiuer’s request.
“The ‘demon criminal’ I mentioned to you before—yes, Xu E. The day before yesterday someone found traces of him. In a bit I’ll send you the location where he appeared.”
“Aiya, help out a little. If the city is a bit more peaceful, it’s good for everyone, right?”
“Look, doesn’t Xiao An fit his target selection quite well? I want you to go take a look.”
“Dangerous? How many demons in this world can threaten Lord Shuangxi? Even my dad might not be able to beat you now. Why is Sister Li so lacking in confidence?”
“Don’t worry. He might not even appear. I know there’s a roadside mala tang place there that tastes very good. Just treat it as checking out a shop.”
“I’m very busy here and don’t have much time, so I came looking for you.”
“Besides, you usually suppress your demon power, right? You’re the most skilled in this aspect. It’s not easy for him to notice.”
Li Jue had originally not wanted to bring Ying An to take risks, but after thinking about it, there was nothing particularly worth her worrying over.
All people or demons suspected of exposing the existence of demons were public enemies of the demon world, and she was no exception.
Solving that trouble as early as possible was good for everyone.
Moreover, the mala tang at this shop really did taste quite good—fresh and spicy, with fresh ingredients.
The little one was eating very happily, and she rather liked it too.
After dinner, the two of them walked on the empty and silent street.
Li Jue paid attention to the positions of the surveillance cameras around them.
There were not many cameras to be found near the entire street, and quite a few were broken.
It was indeed suitable for that kind of wanted and pursued fellow to commit crimes.
“Xiao An has been having a lot of fun these past few days, right? No homework, no worries, every day just eating, drinking, and playing.”
“Isn’t summer vacation supposed to be like this? Hehe.”
Li Jue was worried about letting him play too much.
During summer vacation the boy had large amounts of free time every day.
Whenever he had free time he sat in front of the computer.
Fortunately, aside from playing Plants vs. Zombies and watching anime, he did not do anything else.
If she found out he had gone online to learn some messy nonsense, Li Jue would not let him touch the internet for the next few years.
“But looking at Xiao An playing so comfortably makes Sister’s heart feel so uncomfortable. How about I sign you up for a tutoring class so you can study the new semester’s courses in advance?”
These words frightened Ying An.
He hurriedly waved his hands to refuse.
“No, no! I… I can play less computer every day. Don’t make me go to tutoring class.”
“Really? Then from now on Xiao An can play computer for at most three hours a day.”
“That’s too little.”
Ying An was somewhat unwilling.
“Sister, don’t reduce it so much all at once.”
Li Jue did not answer.
She directly took out her phone and made a call.
“Hello, Teacher Wang? I’d like to sign my younger brother up for your summer tutoring class. Mm, for two months…”
This completely panicked Ying An.
While reaching out to snatch Li Jue’s phone, he begged in a low and humble voice, “I was wrong, Sister. Don’t sign me up for tutoring class… I, I’ll only play three hours. I promise you.”
Li Jue moved the phone away and looked back at him, the smile on her face looking especially wicked.
“Now it’s two and a half hours. Who told you to bargain with Sister?”
“Two and a half hours? That’s still reduced all at once…”
“It’s about to become two hours. Think carefully.”
“I… can I…”
“Three.” Li Jue directly began the countdown.
Ying An was so frightened that he immediately agreed.
“Just two and a half hours. Don’t reduce it anymore. Don’t make me go to tutoring class.”
Only then did Li Jue satisfy herself by hanging up the phone.
She was too skilled at arranging Ying An in these matters.
The little one was often led around by the nose by her.
Suddenly, she sensed a thread of demon power slowly approaching.
In the nine o’clock direction, across a pitch-black little grove of trees, a man wearing a hood was sitting in that dim and dead-silent park.
He was hidden very secretly, completely undetectable by the naked eye.
A pair of blood-red eyes was staring at them from afar.
Or rather… staring at Ying An.
***
A woman… a child.
They looked completely unable to resist, without even the slightest vigilance.
Such a perfect prey instead made Xu E grow alert.
The skin all over his body was itching madly.
Foul-smelling saliva continuously secreted in his mouth cavity.
Bloodshot veins densely covered his scattered eyeballs.
His body could not stop trembling.
Recently he had been chased all over the place by various demons and had already gone many days without consuming blood essence.
This frenzied sense of hunger was almost driving Xu E mad.
Several times he had been forced to self-harm to relieve the pain for himself.
His body was densely covered with many wounds he had inflicted himself.
This was the side effect of consuming blood essence.
Methods of unorthodox paths to increase demon power often came with heavy costs.
Time passed second by second.
Xu E felt he was about to lose control of himself.
He had not discovered any traces of other people around.
It did not seem like a trap.
The boy’s skin looked fine and tender, fair and clean.
His blood would definitely be pure.
The woman was not bad either.
Although she was estimated to be over twenty, her skin was fine and tender.
The smell of her blood would not be bad.
Closer and closer…
He stood up, then slowly approached under the cover of the night and the trees.
The prey had not discovered his traces.
Xu E even felt that he was about to succeed.
Kill the woman first.
Move quickly.
One claw could slash her throat.
The child would not be able to escape.
There was no surveillance nearby, and no other figures.
No need to worry about him attracting trouble.
“Does Xiao An have anything he wants to learn? Musical instruments, public speaking, programming, dance, or something? Sister can sign you up for training classes.”
“No, no. I want to help Sister save money.”
“Save money? You make it sound so nice. Why does Sister feel you’re just being playful?”
It was now!
Xu E exerted force with both feet and suddenly shot out from the trees, swinging his sharp nails toward Li Jue’s neck.