A Good-for-Nothing

302. Dreams and Reality

Translator: Dragon Rider

It was no exaggeration to say that the tension in the apartment was rapidly reaching flashpoint, but it was completely unilateral, for the couple of puppet-like intruders gave no particular reaction to their reappearance, but He Zheng was different. It was impossible for him not to get angry when these filthy, evil creatures had intruded into his home. He snorted and wielded Shadow, intending to make his move.

However, before his sword could hit any of the puppets, they suddenly sank to the ground and lay there like a bunch of useless components, as though their vital essence had been drained without warning.

“I didn’t even touch them!” He Zheng looked over his shoulder at Li Zong.

“They just fell down for no reason!”

Li Zong, unable to tell what had happened to the intruders, furrowed his brows. “These guys look a little weird.”

He Zheng was momentarily surprised and then subconsciously raised his foot to kick those puppets. Originally Li Zong had not sensed any danger, but suddenly, through his dragon eyes, he saw black gas erupting from the puppets’ faces and with that he flung out an arm to pull He Zheng. “Watch out!”

But it was still a little too late. The black gas had already come into contact with He Zheng’s toe and instantly snaked its way up his leg. He Zheng, blindsided, let out a muffled groan. Those puppets lying on the ground were sent rolling over by his kick, revealing the springs inside their bodies.

They were not human but puppets.

Phoenix Flames spewed from Li Zong’s palm and quickly burned the black gas on the other puppets, but the puppets themselves remained unscarred, which astonished He Zheng.

He had not bargained on Li Zong pulling him and was taken aback. Seeing that Li Zong looked worried, he hurriedly said, “I’m okay.”

Their eyes met in mid-air. At the sight of Li Zong’s golden eyes, He Zheng felt his heart give a lurch and a chill go down his back. As though subconsciously trying to avoid Li Zong’s eyes, he averted his face and broke the eye contact, holding back the words on his lips at the same time.

Li Zong, staring unblinkingly at He Zheng, asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah.” He Zheng pressed his lips together, looking away from Li Zong. Not looking Li Zong in the eye made him feel much more comfortable. He relaxed again and his tone returned to normal. “Who do you think sent these puppets here?” he asked.

“A Marionette Master, I guess. There used to be an independent, active sect in Shen City. It’s said that they could operate marionettes with threads of spiritual energy and have the puppets do what they want from thousands of miles away.”

“A Marionette Master?” This was He Zheng’s first time hearing this name and he found it somewhat strange. “Why did these things show up in our home?”

He Zheng gave it some thought and asked, “Do you think it’s possible that those people from the Neon Kingdom are behind this? That Nakayi guy was capable of controlling paper-cut men, wasn’t he? Is this their doing as well?”

He Zheng still had not completely forgotten the matter of the Neon Kingdom.

Li Zong shook his head. “That’s not very likely.”

Those people from the Neon Kingdom had enough on their hands. Besides, after what had happened in the exorcism championship, they did not dare get involved in anything concerning the Republic of Hua.

Li Zong gave He Zheng’s hand a little squeeze. Compared with what He Zheng was thinking, Li Zong was more worried about the black gas that had erupted from one of the puppets’ mouth and touched He Zheng. It concerned him that something might happen to He Zheng.

His eyes fell upon He Zheng’s smooth forehead where the golden containment markings were restraining the Demonic Eye. At this time, the Demonic Eye appeared very quiet, as though it were not a terrifying Demonic Eye but just a faint pattern on He Zheng’s brow.

However, this made Li Zong feel a little uneasy.

The current situation was too uneventful.

Ever since the Demon King had been Sealed, everything had been beneath some eccentric semblance of normality, as though something else was going to happen. Had the Demon King really been Sealed by them so easily? Or was something unexpected was going to occur soon?

Li Zong was deep in thought and his eyes rested on He Zheng’s face despite himself. The closer he was to Li Zong’s golden eyes, the more uncomfortable He Zheng felt. He Zheng mistakenly believed that it was because he had been on the run for a whole day and was tired. He did not connect the Demonic Eye with Li Zong’s eyes.

He looked away from Li Zong’s eyes and, predictably, felt much better.

“I’ve been on the run for a whole day. I’m taking a shower to wash off the dust,” said He Zheng.

Li Zong nodded. He Zheng ran into the bathroom, as though fleeing from something. Li Zong did not notice He Zheng’s uncharacteristic behavior and went to make He Zheng dinner.

It was something after nine o’clock in the evening when the two of them got everything done. It was time to sleep.

Their new, larger bed was more comfortable than the old one. He Zheng could not help but roll on it. Before long, Li Zong, having showered, walked inside, his hair still steaming, but he was not as lazy as He Zheng who could not even be bothered to dry his hair. However, with his forelock wet, Li Zong looked several years younger than he did when his hair was dry.

Their pajamas were of the same color. It had been quite some time since the last time they had enjoyed themselves, so He Zheng was turned on at the sight of Li Zong, put his arms around Li Zong’s neck and kissed him fiercely. Before long Li Zong was aroused as well and they ended up making out. He Zheng groaned weakly and begged Li Zong to stop. The one who had started it had had his fill, but Li Zong did not show the slightest inclination to stop. It was after eleven o’clock that they finally finished.

Li Zong and He Zheng took another bath before going to sleep.

Unsurprisingly, it was easier to get to sleep after expending his enormous energy. He Zheng fell asleep the moment he lay down. By the lamplight, Li Zong looked at He Zheng’s sleeping face. His golden eyes quietly rested on He Zheng’s smooth forehead once again. There were several markings on it, which looked mysterious and dangerous.

The Demonic Eye, restricted by the containment enchantment, appeared completely dormant. Li Zong gave He Zheng’s face a little squeeze. He Zheng grunted and asked him not to disturb his sleep. Looking at his annoyed face, Li Zong smiled, pulled He Zheng closer to him and soon drifted off as well.

Li Zong had a dream. It had been in his last incarnation that he had had a dream. This was no exaggeration. Unlike those people who had dreams all night when asleep, he always slept very well and his cerebral cortex was fairly inactive at night.

It was not every day that he had a dream, but this dream was not all about pleasant things. In the dream he was with He Zheng, but the location was a little weird. They were on a desolate hill.

He Zheng, holding Li Zong’s hand, suggested they go climbing. Li Zong quietly observed the hill and found that it was none other than Mount Xiangshan.

Next to him He Zheng was still pestering him. “I heard there’s a demon-binding magic circle beneath Mount Xiangshan, that the Demon King’s restrained in there. The magic circle you guys deployed according to Zhang Daoling’s manuscript must be pretty powerful. My curiosity’s piqued. I’d like to go and take a look.”

There was a faint smile in Li Zong’s eyes. Seen carefully, the smile actually did not reach the depths of his eyes. He quipped, “You never take this kind of stuff seriously at ordinary times. It strikes me you’re only so diligent when in my dream.”

He Zheng archly stuck his tongue out and said, “I just thought of it.”

He suddenly leaned closer to Li Zong, uncomprehendingly maintaining a short distance. Looking at Li Zong with a shadow of a smile, He Zheng gently put his hand against Li Zong’s handsome face and asked in an almost bewitching voice, “Li Zong, do you love me?”

“I do.”

“Will you do anything for me?”

Li Zong smiled a doting smile as usual, patted He Zheng’s shoulder and said, “You got into trouble again and want me to clean up your mess?”

He Zheng’s hand moved to Li Zong’s heart, as though feeling his robust heartbeat. On hearing these words, He Zheng lightly hit Li Zong’s chest and, feigning annoyance, said, “Do you think making trouble is the only thing I’m capable of?”

Before he finished his sentence, the affection in his eyes was replaced by coldness and with that He Zheng, using his hand as a blade, stabbed it squarely at Li Zong’s heart.

Li Zong sidestepped He Zheng’s blow in a flash. As He Zheng saw this, the corners of his mouth slightly curved upwards. In a barely audible voice, he asked, “Didn’t you say you love me? Why did you dodge?”

Then he added quite simperingly, “Come over here, Li Zong. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Li Zong’s looks remained unchanged, but his expression was very uncharacteristic.

Li Zong, now a short way off, looked coldly at He Zheng and asked, “Who are you?”

He Zheng chuckled, “I’m He Zheng. You don’t recognize me? If you don’t, draw Firelight and kill me.”

He lazily drew his finger swiftly across his forehead. His tone was so casual as though he were talking about the weather.

He Zheng cast Li Zong a sidelong glance, the sappy air about him virtually terrifying.

But also because of this, Li Zong immediately came to understand that this man in front of him, though having He Zheng’s appearance, did not have He Zheng’s soul. Li Zong had got his dragon eyes back and was capable of seeing through any concealment. The man standing opposite him was indeed He Zheng, but not completely.

That person, wildly cocky, closed in on Li Zong step by step. “Kill me. You have a thousand methods to kill me. It’s very simple, Supt. Li. Surely you don’t need me to teach you how to do it?”

“Demon King,” said Li Zong icily, staring at the approaching He Zheng whose mien was very uncharacteristic.

The man having He Zheng’s looks suddenly burst into laughter.

“It never occurred to me you’d see it through so quick. You spoiled all the fun.” The Demon King’s movements were languid, aristocratic and seemed very natural when he used He Zheng’s body to make them.

“I thought you’d be amazed to see me. I didn’t bargain on you being so calm,” added the Demon King, looking at Li Zong through He Zheng’s eyes. Surprisingly, there was an affectionate air about him. Of course, it had nothing to do with love. It contained only a cruel sense of purpose that preceded murder.

Li Zong’s countenance remained totally unchanged. He always knew that there was no way they had successfully Sealed the Demon King just like that. What was happening did not strike him as surprising at all.

Still, was this a dream or the reality?

The Demon King, as though capable of reading Li Zong’s mind, chuckled, “A dream or the reality? Give it a try and find out.”

Even if this was a dream, Li Zong would never allow himself to be put at a disadvantage. “Leave He Zheng’s body.”

“That’s not going to happen,” said the Demon King, who now had something secure to rely on. “Come to think of it, I owe you thanks. If He Zheng had not touched the demonic Qi earlier today, what’s inside him would not have awakened so soon. Last night I opened the Seal again and it cost all the energy that I painstakingly accumulated in the past few days.”

“It was you who broke the magic circles?!”

“Astonishing, isn’t it?”

“No,” said Li Zong, drawing his sword, Firelight, as the look in his eyes turned cold.

“Since you’re unwilling to come out, I’ll make you,” Li Zong added.