Fated | Fangs Of Fortune [ZhuYi]

Chapter 35 : Red Thread

The Demon Hunting Bureau, once still and serene had come alive again with the return of its rightful owner and his companions. In Yichen's quarters, he and Wen Xiao sat across from each other at a low wooden table on the balcony. A teapot steamed gently between them, its floral scent mingling with the cool evening air. Pei Si Jing stood leaning against the balcony railing, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the sun was beginning to dip, painting the sky in fiery hues.

"So, according to the great demon, it's Xiang Liu who kidnapped Young Miss Ai Li?" Wen Xiao asked again, her brows furrowed.

"Yes" Yichen replied, lifting his teacup to his lips with a measured calmness.

"The Xiang Liu we know? The one who left a bloody trail behind seven years ago? The snake demon who was sealed away by the Baize Goddess?" Wen Xiao pressed, disbelief etched on her face.

"Yes, that Xiang Liu" Yichen confirmed again, setting the cup down with a small sigh. "And please, stop repeating yourself, Wen Xiao. You're exhausting me."

Before Wen Xiao could respond, a familiar voice cut through the conversation. "Goddess, stop tormenting your Xiao Zhuo" Zhu Yan strolled into the room with his usual swagger, a smirk tugging at his lips.

Yichen didn't even look up. Instead, his eyes rolled skyward as he muttered under his breath, "Another nuisance"

Wen Xiao ignored the jab and pressed on. "But how? If the Baize Goddess herself sealed him, how could Xiang Liu possibly be free? That kind of seal isn't something just anyone can break. It doesn't add up."

Pei Si Jing finally spoke, her voice as steady as her gaze. "She's right. Someone would have to release him. But who? And why?" She leaned off the railing, folding her arms with a pensive frown.

"See? Pei-jiejie agrees with me" Wen Xiao teased, her mischievous smile brightening her face. Pei Si Jing nodded, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.

"Could it be..." Yichen trailed off, his gaze dropping to the teacup cradled in his hand. A shadow crossed his expression, as if the thought of someone's presence disturbed him. With a slight frown, he placed the teacup back on the table, pulling his hand away from it.

"Li Lun?" Zhu Yan finished for him, his tone cautious.

Yichen nodded. "From what I observed at Kunlun Mountain, Li Lun doesn't seem strong enough to break a seal like that. He's powerful, yes, but his energy drains quickly, almost as if something is constantly pulling at his strength. Like he was fighting a battle on two fronts."

"Uhm..." Zhu Yan cleared his throat, pulling Yichen's attention away from the teacup. Their eyes met, and Zhu Yan's gaze burned with a sharp edge, bothered by where Yichen's thoughts seemed to be wandering, "Li Lun doesn't have the power to do this—not alone. From everything we've seen, someone else is pulling the strings. Someone who's been orchestrating events long before we even formed this squad."

"Could that someone be Xiang Liu himself?" Yichen mused.

"Even if it is" Pei Si Jing interjected, turning her gaze to the blazing sunset, "we still don't know their endgame. Their goals remain a mystery and until we figure that out, we're always going to be one step behind"

Her words hung in the air, a sobering truth that silenced the group. The golden light of the evening cast long shadows across the room, the weight of the unknown pressing heavily on them all.

Breaking the tension, Yichen turned to Zhu Yan with an arched brow. "Yuan Zhou, where did you disappear to earlier?"

Zhu Yan straightened, a glint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "I was attending to a very important task" he replied with a dramatic flourish.