WangXian Forever 3

Chapter 72 Offering

Wei Ying did not like the casualness of the way the man was speaking to XiChen. There was definitely something happening, of which they had no idea, or else why was he so cocky, so sure of himself? None of this made sense.

Any criminal, once caught, would not be so relaxed as to come before those who wished to punish him with such ease. So he was doubly on edge.

"Don't trust him," he whispered to Lan Zhan.

"Mn." Lan Zhan agreed, not taking his eyes off the stranger.

"Why not?" The man seemed to have hearing sharper than Wei Ying. He spread his arms out. "I am but an open book. I have nothing to hide." He stared, all of his attention on Wei Ying.

Lan Zhan moved forward, obstructing his view.

"What do you wish to know of me? Ask away, ask me anything!" He demanded, coming closer.

"Stop." Lan Zhan said, coldly. Bichen was vibrating in his hand.

The stranger laughed again. His laughter had the opposite reaction, because Wei Ying was supremely uncomfortable. He saw the same effect on others, especially Jiang Cheng, who threw him an annoyed look.

"Why are you scared? I do not own a sword, nor do I possess any concealed weapon. And much as you don't believe me, I have no wish to harm you." When he saw his words were having little to no effect, he sighed dramatically. "Do you not think that here, I should be the frightened one? The one unsure of the outcome?" He tutted, shaking his head, watching them all the while. "You come to my home in the middle of the night, through no provocation on my part, attack my people and kidnap my children; let me ask you, who is the hostile ones here?" He smiled, turning his attention back to XiChen. "I really think you should do me the honour of a little trust, don't you?"

"Trust?" XiChen almost spat the word out in contempt. This man was no stranger to talking, turning any situation to his advantage. Like someone else he used to trust. He could taste bile in his throat, hating this conversation.

The stranger was attuned to his discomfort, watching him keenly.

"Yes, trust. A small word, yet so important, wouldn't you agree?" Amusement danced along his speech.

Wei Ying got the distinct feeling he was playing with them through this verbal sparring. What could be the reason? Was he buying himself precious time to do something else, or was there another reason? But he did not dare to draw the attention of him again. He could feel a strange sort of malevolence sitting beneath the surface, just waiting to be exposed. He wanted to watch him, because even the cleverest man could slip up; they just had to bide their time.

"Perhaps, and I may be wrong for pointing this out, but I get the feeling you were betrayed in the past? No? Forgive me if I am making assumptions." He pounced, poisonous words spewing from his mouth like a volcano.

It had the desired effect.

"You know nothing about me!" Thundered XiChen, losing control for the first time.

"Don't let him mess with your head!" Jiang Cheng whispered, urgently. "He's trying to rile you up."

"I have a question!" Wei Ying found himself speaking, without thinking it through. But he had been unable to watch his brother in bond suffer, especially because of a man like this.

Jiang Cheng grinned at him, gratefully. He was reminded of another Wei Ying, when asked to recite the Wen indoctrination, had gone in front of everyone present and performed stretching exercises, and then managed to recall at least a hundred of the Lan clan rules instead. He hoped whatever his brother was going to do, it would not incite this man further. He rubbed XiChen's arm discreetly, trying to comfort the trembling man. No doubt, Wei Ying would hold this over his head soon. Probably come up with something unreasonable to compensate.