The Forbidden Ways of the Warlock

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"I see. Thank you for telling me, Star of Destruction," the general said quietly. Xue Xinyu sighed, pushing forward. "Your men want you back. It's obvious, even if they haven't spoken the words."

The general bowed his head, lost in thought. After a long pause, he spoke again. "If you were in my place, Star of Destruction, what would you do?"

Xue Xinyu almost laughed out loud. If he were in the general's place, he'd probably die from the sheer tedium or frustration. But he had gotten good at pretending to be wise.

"I have a disciple," Xue Xinyu began, already cringing inside at how sentimental this sounded. He hated admitting just how much Liang Zhiguan meant to him. "I would go to the depths of hell to ensure his safety."

He finished, watching the general carefully for a response.

"How can someone like you be so sentimental, Star of Destruction?" the general asked, a hint of surprise in his tone.

Xue Xinyu's eye twitched. Weren't you the sentimental one here? he fumed silently. I'm just trying to keep my cool, and you're calling me out? He took a deep breath and forced on his best "wise master" expression.

"And how can a general like you find it so hard to make a decision?" Xue Xinyu countered smoothly.

"My soldiers mean everything to me. They've stood by me, even at the cost of their lives," the general replied as they rode further from the city.

"If they mean that much, then this shouldn't be a difficult choice," Xue Xinyu remarked, his voice steady but pointed.

The general hesitated. "If that's what you think," he finally said, dropping the overused "Star of Destruction" at last.

Xue Xinyu leapt off his horse, halting the procession. Extending his hand toward the general, he spoke with quiet authority. "Then let me help you fulfill the wish you've settled on."

The tension reached a breaking point as the general's trembling hand stretched toward Xue Xinyu's. Just as their fingers brushed, the air shattered with the unmistakable whistle of arrows. Xue Xinyu's instincts kicked in before his mind could fully process the danger.

With a sharp sidestep, he narrowly dodged the deadly projectiles, feeling the rush of air against his skin as they sliced past. In the chaos, his hand shot out, snatching one of the arrows mid-flight. But triumph quickly gave way to agony as searing pain ripped through his arm like molten fire.

Gasping, Xue Xinyu dropped the arrow, eyes locking onto its distinctive design. He knew that pattern all too well—it was unmistakably the kind of arrow used by Zhao Lian's harem, even by Zhao Lian himself.

How could one of those arrows have hit me here? His thoughts raced, but before he could unravel the mystery, a vice-like grip seized his throat.

The world jolted, reality warping as though it had been ripped apart. In the blink of an eye, Xue Xinyu found himself sprawled on the floor of a dimly lit chamber, one that sent a chill down his spine. This place—it was Zhao Lian's quarters from the original book.

WHAT? How in the hell is Zhao Lian here? First, I'm stuck solving the general's mess, and now the actual Zhao Lian shows up? Is this a joke?

"Xiao," came Zhao Lian's growl, dripping with rage. The sheer force of his voice reverberated through the room, amplifying the tension. His eyes, burning with fury, locked onto Xue Xinyu's, the weight of unspoken accusations hanging in the air. The raw intensity made Xue Xinyu's confusion mirror Zhao Lian's, both caught in this impossible moment.

This can't be happening.

Xue Xinyu gasped for air as Zhao Lian's hand tightened around his throat, his vision blurring at the edges. His thoughts raced—he wasn't sure if fighting back would worsen the situation or if it was his only shot at survival.