Races: Online

Answers would have to come at a later time and chanced meetings would be missed. Even though Han Jing initially planned to drop by the PC Cafe and hang out there with the owner/receptionist—now he was actually going out of the city and travelling elsewhere with the Wood Elf.

Initially hesitant to board on a 'snake beast wrought of metal and smoke'—Faeran was now inside of the bullet train to leave Han Jing's city and head into a nearby province close to the sea. It wasn't so often that a rural place would have an amusement park close to a beach, but with the Autumn Festival, there was a time for it.

"I was not aware that you had made plans to meet with our charming mermaid, you sneaky, sneaky human."

"You could quit with the teasing, Faeran. I'm only doing this because the flower business is nearly over and so I'm off to start with a pearl business." Han Jing's gaze was outside the windows. He had to make an excuse and some reason on why he was allowed to sell pearls? "This is a strictly professional meeting."

"And yet you're planning to meet at a harbor, and then you had plans to take her to one of these amusement places and theme parks—something you've never offered when I was at the park."

"Well, I was busy running around and delivering flowers."

If it hadn't been for his [ Lesser Endurance ] then he wouldn't have been able to run around the city to deliver—but Han Jing still didn't get the chance to talk with Mou Gu about the guy wiping his memory. But he'd do it when he was back.

"Hmph, if I hadn't told you that I was leaving then you wouldn't have invited me, huh?"

"That's not the only reason, dear friend of mine."

Faeran tilted his head. "What's the other reason?"

"I've never actually met a Mermaid before, so if I ever get hypnotized or allured—if she tries to drag me into the ocean, then there's you to stop me. That's my plan." Han Jing grinned lightly. "You're not only here because you're a friend, but because you're my safety assurance. Seriously, I couldn't just go meeting strangers on a whim, can I?"

Even if they were on the same server as him—it spoke nothing.

A good example was the Demon Lord beating him to a pulp, and he still hadn't actually understood how his location was found out. Was it the Demon Lord detecting Faeran or something else? The man seated across the private cabin wouldn't speak about it.

The Wood Elf slapped a hand over his face. "Should I offer my praises for you being so forward and clear with your intentions to make me some form of shield? They say that the strong should protect the weak, but now I feel like this is just you taking advantage of me. What an unfair kind of relationship dynamic!"

Faeran could pulverize him or make vines twist out of his guts if the Wood Elf wanted to… what the heck was fair about that? Han Jing cleared his throat. "Well, it's better that you get to know what you're in for than get into a situation blindly—but you're not going to leave, right? Even for an Elf, I don't think jumping out of a high-speed and transit train is a good idea."

A huff escaped from the Wood Elf and he waved away the thought. "Why should I? I even invited Jilanya."

"Okay… wait, what? Hold on there a second—" Han Jing threw a look at the Wood Elf and frowned. "You did what?" People wouldn't normally just invite people into gatherings without permission—and yet this guy was far from normal, wasn't it?

This was a fault of his again, wasn't it?

"Jilanya should be here around the next half an hour or so. It's easy enough for them to find the coordinates." the Wood Elf grinned.

"When we first met, you wanted an Alliance to spite them—but now you're inviting them to events like this." Han Jing rubbed his chin and gave the other person a look. "Something is clearly not adding up. Are you guys enemies or frenemies?"

"Demons are an honourable race."

"... You're joking, right?"

The Wood Elf shook his head. "While it is true that a vast majority of them have learned how to absorb the negative energies that you humans and other life forms emit, and that they even create contracts where terms can make you sell your Soul to them—they could have chosen to just attack and kill all the humans, you know? Or perhaps enslave all of you and create this earth a living hell."

"First off—if we're like some electricity to them, it makes little sense to cut off the source. The way you've explained is that they're parasites feeding on us human hosts."

"Parasites, huh?"

"Symbiotic? Honestly, I think they're the only ones benefiting." Han Jing sighed. "Second of all, the reasons you pointed about them not turning this world into a living hell can probably be linked to the fact that there are powerful people amongst us humans. We have cultivators and I know some. I won't be surprised if in another continent, there are Exorcists, Shamans and other kinds of people that protect the earth… and don't forget about the other Races too! You think they'd stand if demons conquered the world and turned it into fire and brimstone?"

The lights in the train flickered.

The train stopped.

One moment was brightness, then there was darkness. A suppressive aura formed beside him and a barked laugh escaped from the being beside him. "Fire and brimstone? My—your imagination is quite lacking, human. Without your people, we could make this earth into a paradise and I'm sure that the other Races are more receptive to the idea than they let themselves let on. Now tell me who are the real demons—ahem, parasites of this world of yours? Is it really me or yourself?"