Chapter 13: The Protector’s Secret

It was unbelievable; she never imagined her benefactor was truly a lecher.

She had truly misjudged him!

Ying’s romantic fantasies about Zhang Liang shattered at the sight of the woman before her, leaving her chest feeling as though it were stuffed with something foul and sickening.

“Wait!” Ji Suyuan exclaimed, one hand steadying her bath towel while the other urgently clasped Ying’s wrist.

“You’ve misunderstood,” she added in a rush.

To Ji Suyuan, scenes of catching illicit affairs were nothing new, having witnessed them countless times.

Instinctively, she surmised that Ying was there to expose one.

As Ying turned, Ji Suyuan caught a glimpse of her face beneath the thin veil.

Even as a woman, Ji Suyuan was nearly captivated by her beauty.

‘No wonder the master had not laid a hand on that girl; she was evidently already taken.’

After the events of last night, Ji Suyuan was even more convinced that Zhang Liang was a man of profound and unwavering devotion.

Such men were a rarity, and if this misunderstanding led to their bitter parting, Zhang Liang would surely descend into becoming a scoundrel.

Many of Ji Suyuan’s clients had met similar fates, their hearts broken by breakups triggered by mere suspicion and tests.

Being caught in the act of infidelity was like a sacred magic, capable of obliterating a relationship with a single cast.

While an increase in wealthy clients was certainly beneficial, Ji Suyuan could not bear to witness such a good man fall into ruin.

A thorough explanation was absolutely necessary.

Words alone were often hollow; only seeing was believing.

With that thought, Ji Suyuan untied the bath towel wrapped around her, fully revealing her voluptuous, fair, jade-like body to Ying and the others.

“W-w-what are you doing?!” Ying stammered, her face flushing crimson all the way to her ears.

She quickly spun around, unable to fathom that such an shameless woman could exist.

Even the usually icy Lin Na widened her eyes slightly in surprise at the audacious display, mindful that a man was also present.

“Oh my, it seems the little sister doesn’t quite understand,” Ji Suyuan purred.

“This elder gentleman, however, surely grasps my meaning, does he not?”

Sebas certainly understood.

If such an act had occurred, there would undoubtedly be marks on her body, yet she bore not even a single hickey.

“May I take a look inside the room?” Sebas inquired, quite astonished.

He had distinctly heard a woman’s moans last night, yet there were no traces.

“Of course,” Ji Suyuan replied.

“But please be quiet; the master is sleeping very soundly.”

Upon entering the room, Sebas saw Zhang Liang sleeping beside a wooden table, still clutching his sword.

His gaze then shifted to the bed, where a blonde girl lay soundly asleep, so thoroughly wrapped in a blanket that only her head was visible.

“Mom, can you untie my waistband? I want to eat a little more… hehe,” the girl mumbled in her sleep.

****

The air in the room was fresh, and the bed neatly made.

As the hotel manager, Sebas knew precisely what this signified.

Nothing untoward had happened here.

Yesterday, this girl had been threatened by a wealthy man.

It was clear that Grandmaster Zhang, fearing she might try to escape only to be threatened again, had wrapped her up and kept her close for protection.

His act of sleeping with his sword drawn, facing the door, was ample proof; he had been on guard against potential threats.

He had clearly misunderstood the situation.

Sebas felt deeply ashamed for making a guest live in such apprehension.

Returning to the corridor, Sebas presented his observations and deductions to Ying.

His overly imaginative explanation utterly bewildered Ji Suyuan, yet he spoke so logically that he painted Zhang Liang as an exceptionally benevolent and farsighted hero.

If the girl hadn’t wrapped herself in the blanket, Ji Suyuan might have actually believed Sebas’s tall tale.

However, Ji Suyuan chose not to expose him, instead nodding and murmuring her agreement.

Meanwhile, Ying’s expression visibly brightened, and she even listened with great delight.

****

“Whoa!” Zhang Liang cried out, his eyes snapping open.

He relaxed upon realizing he was still in the presidential suite.

He had just woken from a nightmare.

In the dream, he was being hunted by a peak-level Demon Beast, and he had startled awake just as it lunged at him with its deadly claws.

Demon Beasts, much like humans, were categorized into five ranks: Demon Beast, Demon Fiend, Demon Venerable, Demon King, and Demon God.

Each rank further comprised three stages: mid-stage, high-stage, and peak-stage.

A peak-stage Demon Fiend possessed strength equivalent to a peak-stage Spirit Domain cultivator.

With Zhang Liang’s current power, slaying a peak-stage Demon Fiend was precisely that—slaying a peak-stage Demon Fiend.

This was no mere empty platitude.

Back when Zhang Liang was a Sword Demon Venerable, peak-stage Demon Fiends were merely units of measurement for him.

One slice, one kill—like a game of “match-three”.

Defeating a peak-stage Demon Fiend yielded a [High-grade Complete Demonic Core], which could be crafted into equipment or refined into elixirs to enhance cultivation.

Even if his storage was brimming with Demonic Cores, Zhang Liang would still cut down every Demon Fiend he encountered.

The reason was singular: Zhang Liang held grudges.

In his weaker days, he had nearly perished beneath the claws of a peak-stage Demon Fiend, and he had carried that memory ever since.

Zhang Liang glanced at the magic calendar in the presidential suite, then fell into a brief contemplation.

He recalled that the day he had nearly fallen to the Demon Fiend’s claws in his previous life was tomorrow.

Then, he had been in a forest; now, he was in a city.

What if a peak-stage Demon Fiend appeared in the city?

It could easily wipe out an entire district.

Moreover, this was the Tenidi Empire; even if a Demon Beast appeared in the city without causing casualties and was swiftly dealt with, it would still be a monumental scandal.

Zhang Liang had heard no such “good news” in his previous life, leading him to conclude that he would not encounter it.

‘However…’

‘Had he slept too deeply last night…?’

‘His surroundings had clearly undergone significant changes…’

At this moment, Zhang Liang sensed something was amiss.

He scanned the presidential suite, momentarily disregarding Heng Naixin, who was still drooling, and Ji Suyuan’s whereabouts.

Yet, Zhang Liang could feel several people standing behind the closed door, one of whom was an Imperial Domain expert.

He could also faintly discern hushed whispers.

While an ordinary person might not notice, Zhang Liang, a former e-sports professional, had masterfully honed his ability to pinpoint locations by sound.

Imperial Domain experts were not common sights; only a thousand individuals among billions had ever ascended to the Imperial Domain.

The presidential suite was located at the very pinnacle of the Zeus Hotel, and it was the sole room on that floor.

Zhang Liang concluded that those approaching meant no good!

He fixed a wary gaze upon the door, his hand resting on his sword hilt, injecting his sword intent into it.

Yesterday, while Heng Naixin and Ji Suyuan were bathing, Zhang Liang had set up a sword intent barrier on the door.

This door could only be opened from the inside.

If anyone attempted to open it with a key, the sword would vibrate.

If an assault was launched, the wooden table would crash through the window, allowing Zhang Liang to escape by jumping out.

To further enhance his chances of escape, Zhang Liang had even used the curtains as a decoy, leading others to mistakenly believe a person was wrapped within them.

****

“Sebas! Why did you close the door?!” Ying complained in a hushed tone, fearful of disturbing Zhang Liang inside.

“Closing doors casually… it’s a habit… my apologies,” Sebas replied, glancing towards the magic elevator.

“How about we go for breakfast first?” he continued in a low voice.

“Sister Ji Suyuan isn’t wearing any clothes!” Ying pointed out, looking at Ji Suyuan beside her and shaking her head.

“This could harm your chastity.”

“I don’t mind, actually,” Ji Suyuan said, tilting her head and blinking her eyes playfully.

Ying: “Huh?”

Lin Na: “Huh?”

Sebas: “Huh?”

Even the usually composed Lin Na was startled by such bold words, turning to Ji Suyuan with a look of utter astonishment.

“My figure and beauty are my very livelihood,” Ji Suyuan declared, lifting her bath towel and spinning in a circle.

“They are also my trademark.”

This declaration left everyone utterly dumbfounded.

Ying, in particular, found her entire worldview upended.

She often encountered the phrase “the myriad aspects of life” in books.

However, she had never truly understood it, as her own life was exceedingly monotonous, with every task pre-arranged and daily routines endlessly repeated.

Boredom, dullness, and tedium were Ying’s sole perceptions of life.

Hence, the exploits of Zhang Liang and Lin Na shone so brightly in her eyes.

Even in Ji Suyuan, who engaged in actions Ying wouldn’t dare to contemplate, she could still perceive a glimmer of brilliance.

Ying felt a profound sense of strangeness, and just as she was about to ask a question, Lin Na cautiously reached out, pulling Ying and the others behind her.

Lin Na assumed a combat stance, gripping her sword hilt, and whispered, “Stand back, all of you; there’s killing intent inside.”