𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐒𝐇𝐔 ๑ xiao [✓]

第二十四章

500 years before the Archon War

Ling, as the king's concubine, soon the coming Queen, was allowed by the palace guards to roam around the kingdom. Unfortunately for the guards, the concubine was sly and sneaked out of the palace carriages.

Running through the forest she was stopped by a man with blueberry green hair with a white cloth engraved with a moon covering his face. "What is a rich person like you doing in this place?"

Before Ling could reply, they heard the neigh of the horses of the Mileliths. Alatus pulled the girl on the hideout of the rogues.

"Run away royal, you shall know where you're going," Alatus said before giving a piece of bread to the woman. "Eat that, I heard your stomach growl."

With embarrassment, Ling ate the bread. Then she said, "My name is Ling, a concubine of King Qing"

"Alatus"

"That's it?"

"You have nothing else to know." Alatus raised an eyebrow and removed his mask. Ling almost had her bread fallen from her hand for she had seen the most handsome man she's ever met.

and suddenly.... she fell in love, for the first time in her life.

2020 years after Rex Lapis Died

You woke up from that weird dream, seeing Xiao with another woman named Ling. She's someone you cannot recognize at all. You haven't seen such beauty all your life. Whoever she is, there's only one answer. She is an important person in Xiao's life.

'Maybe she's the one tying Xiao in this world.' You thought. You kept on thinking about the possibility of who she might be 'Maybe she is Xiao's lover?'

You groaned and smacked your pillow. "What if she is? I don't care... right? NOOOO, what is she is?"

"What is she's what?" The door opened revealing Albedo with soup and water on his hands. "Who are you talking about?"

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did." Albedo put down the soup and water on the table side. "Well, no time for chit-chats, at least eat this, you suddenly passed out, Xinqiu, Bosacius, Chongyun, and I are discussing something, and it involves Minlin, and its hidden treasures."

"Quite an adventure." You said while drinking the soup Albedo provided. "Clearly. Well, it's more likely Ms. Hu Tao and Chongyun's jobs because they involve spirits. They're going there with Bosacius, are you up for it?"

"Well, I'm not quite sure. I actually-"

"She has a job to do." You were cut off with the voice of your boss. A sudden, Xiao was by the dorm frame wearing a puff long-sleeved v-it polo with a pair of brown slacks and Doc Martens.

"Albedo, I'll take care of her." Xiao stood up and walked near both of them. Even if Albedo wondered how the hell Xiao suddenly appeared, he didn't care and just shook his head as he knew how mysterious Xiao was and he had hints that the guy may be an adepti.

Albedo smiled and put his hand on Xiao's shoulder patting it. Both men looked at each other with a small smile and nodded before Albedo left the both of you.

"Well, what's your manager gonna do again?" You raised your eyebrows before drinking the water after you finished your soup.

"Go on an adventure with your friends."

"I can't believe it! (Y/N), you're here with Mr. Xiao again!" Chongyun exclaimed excitedly. You chuckled, "Well, he wants to." You replied hiding the fact that you're there to bring a spirit to the hotel.

Xiao has been quiet the whole time and he's either just looking straight ahead or at Bosacius. You noticed that there was something wrong, but shrugged it off you were afraid that he'd chop your head off.

The group stopped in the middle of Minlin where a Ruin Tablet stands. The tablet was so covered that no one could read it and only the phrase 'none but Alatus and I remain', some people tried to clean it, however, no one succeeded. It was rumoured that 2000 years ago, a traveler from faraway land had access to this and found a treasure that comes with it. 

"None, but Alatus and I remain..." You whispered. Bosacius stood in front of all of you. "This is the place that I've been telling. People said they discovered a dangerous energy that surrounds this place."

"I could feel that energy, however, I cannot comprehend it. It seems so difficult to reach for it is so strong." Hu Tao said. Chongyun nodded, "Neither do I. The spirit must be difficult to exorcise." 

You looked down as you also felt it, a very strong energy telling all of you to leave. "The energy... It must be the spirit of a very strong human being or more so, an "adepti" or whatever the legends say." Bosacius nodded then raised his eyebrows, "I cannot feel anything, nor see what's wrong with this. I think I just need to bring us here for the reference of our new book since I need a close observation of how exorcism works."

Xiao sighed and spoke up, "Exorcism cannot take the spirit of whoever this stone tablet belongs to. Now, all of you leave, as you have no business here."

"What do you mean?" Hu Tao asked. "I understand Mr. Xiao, we'll be going." Chongyun pulled Hu Tao before they ran off. Bosacius looked at the two figures running away before going nearer to Xiao. "Why did you tell them off? I need it for my book.", Bosacius said.

You noticed Xiao was acting differently, this place must mean something and you're going to find it out. 'Oh, dreams please tell me.' You said in your head. Xiao forwarded away from Bosacius, "I told you to go now, didn't I?"

"But-"

"No buts", you said. "Xiao, if you need anything, I'll be one call away." Xiao turned his head sideways with his back still facing you and his hands in his pocket. He nodded at you with a straight face. You nodded back and patted Bosacius' bicep. "Let's go Bosacius, you can just research about it."

Xiao rolled his eyes and faced the stone tablet again. 

"Does she like big biceps?"

A/N: Damn two updates.