X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the ServerSu Mian awoke, startled by a nightmare.
Scarlet eyes, sharp fangs, and dark crimson liquid endlessly gushing forth flashed repeatedly in her dream. There was also Shen Zhixia’s face, a chilling blend of numbness, revulsion, and emptiness.
She ran through a narrow, dim alley. The ground beneath her feet was slick and sticky, indistinguishable as water or blood. Behind her, heavy, relentless footsteps and suppressed gasps echoed, following her like a shadow.
She glanced back, seeing Shen Zhixia bare her teeth at her, blood dripping from them, yet her eyes were filled with profound sorrow.
*Gasp!*
Su Mian shot upright in bed, her chest heaving violently. Her forehead was beaded with cold sweat, and the back of her pajamas was soaked.
The room was utterly dark, save for a faint glow seeping through the curtain gap—the perpetual, restless light of the city.
Her heart hammered wildly in her chest, a deafening drumbeat that made her eardrums throb.
It was a dream.
Yet, the residual terror of the dream felt so real it almost suffocated her.
The door silently creaked open, and the hallway light silhouetted Xiao Moyuan’s tall figure.
He had clearly been attentive to her movements, approaching the bed with barely a sound before sitting down beside her.
“Had a nightmare?”
His voice, in the darkness, sounded exceptionally steady.
Su Mian couldn’t speak, merely nodding, her body still subtly trembling.
The next second, she was enveloped in a warm, solid embrace.
The crisp scent of cedar on Xiao Moyuan’s clothes and the warmth of his living body instantly dispelled the chilling desolation the nightmare had brought.
Like a drowning person clutching at driftwood, she hugged him back tightly, burying her face in his shoulder, greedily inhaling the scent that brought her such peace.
Xiao Moyuan remained silent, simply patting her back gently, his movements soft and rhythmic.
After a long while, Su Mian’s frantic heartbeat and trembling gradually subsided.
“I… I keep dreaming…”
She spoke in a muffled voice, her tone hoarse from sleep and laced with lingering fright.
“I know.”
Xiao Moyuan interrupted her, his hand stroking her sweat-dampened hair. “It’s normal to feel such an impact after directly facing a scene like that for the first time.”
“Remember,” he continued, “those are the consequences of Shen Zhixia’s choices, not your nightmare.”
His words remained calm, even somewhat cold, yet they precisely illuminated the truth.
Yes, that was Shen Zhixia’s world, the brutal and direct law of blood servant survival. Su Mian was merely an accidental witness who stumbled in.
“But I still feel terrible,” Su Mian whispered, a slight nasal quality to her voice. “‘I can’t help it… I keep thinking about how she used to be, whether she’s suffering now, I keep thinking… what if…'”
“There are no ‘what ifs,'” Xiao Moyuan cut off her hypothetical once more, his tone brooking no argument. “Do not indulge in meaningless imagination and sympathy; in this world, they are fatal weaknesses.”
“Shen Zhixia has already embarked on her path. Whether the road ahead leads to an abyss or destruction, that is her burden to bear. What you must do now is see reality clearly, then decide how to take your next step.”
He pulled back slightly, gazing into her eyes in the dim light. Even though she couldn’t see his expression clearly, the intensity of his focus still reached her.
“It’s normal for you to worry about her; it proves you haven’t been completely assimilated by this cruel world. That is your strength.”
He then shifted his tone. “But your sympathy and concern must have clear boundaries and bottom lines.”
“First, it must not put yourself in danger. Second, it must not interfere with our primary objective of dealing with Xia. Third, you must not—driven by emotion—force a ‘rescue,’ understand?”
***
Chapter 21: An Uncontrollable Kiss
Su Mian sniffled. Under his calm, almost stringent analysis, her chaotic thoughts gradually straightened out.
She nodded. “I understand. I’ll… try to adjust.”
“It’s not about trying; you must do it.”
Xiao Moyuan’s tone softened slightly. “I will help you. But the prerequisite is that you must have that determination yourself.”
“Mm.”
Su Mian’s answer was firmer this time.
She leaned back into his embrace, feeling his steady heartbeat as her turbulent emotions gradually settled. The fear brought by the nightmare slowly receded, replaced by a heavy exhaustion and a sense of uncertainty about the future.
“Sleep.”
Xiao Moyuan gently laid her back on the pillow, tucking in the covers. “It’s almost dawn. There’s a lot to do tomorrow.”
He didn’t leave immediately, instead sitting by the bed for a moment until he heard Su Mian’s breathing become even and deep again. Only then did he quietly rise and close the door behind him.
For the rest of the night, Su Mian was not troubled by nightmares, though her sleep remained light.
She woke at the first hint of dawn, her head feeling a little heavy, but her spirits were much better than the previous night.
Stepping out of her room, the apartment was filled with the aroma of coffee.
Xiao Moyuan was already up, dressed in simple loungewear, standing at the kitchen counter preparing breakfast. The morning light streamed through the window, outlining his sharp profile.
This ordinary scene inexplicably dispelled the lingering gloom of the previous night, bringing a sense of calm to Su Mian’s heart.
“Morning.”
Xiao Moyuan looked back at her. “Go wash up. After breakfast, we need to discuss a few things.”
His tone had returned to its usual calm composure, as if the person who had offered comfort and an embrace last night was merely an illusion. But Su Mian knew it wasn’t; that unspoken support had silently integrated into the fabric of their daily lives.
Breakfast consisted of simple oatmeal and fried eggs, along with sliced fruit. Xiao Moyuan cleared the dishes, brewed two cups of tea, and gestured for Su Mian to sit in the living room.
“Regarding last night’s events, and Shen Zhixia and Xia,” Xiao Moyuan began directly, pushing a thin document, which looked like some kind of report, towards Su Mian. “The Crimson Mist has synchronized some intelligence. Combined with my previous observations and last night’s situation, there are a few points we need to clarify.”
Su Mian sat up straight, listening intently.
“First, Shen Zhixia’s confirmed condition.”
“The Demon Exorcism Department’s monitoring division, through special channels, has captured abnormal energy fluctuation data from her recently.
This confirms that the primal blood originating from Xia within her has significantly weakened in activity and is extremely unstable.”
“This means she is indeed in a state of severe power instability, possibly even continuous decline.”
“Frequent low-level hunts are her means of maintaining existence, but they also exacerbate the conflict between her soul and her bloodline instincts. Simply put, she is being tormented by both hunger and rejection.”
Su Mian clenched her fingers.
“Second, Xia’s movements.”
Xiao Moyuan pointed to a line on the report.
“While we haven’t directly located his lair, based on Shen Zhixia’s activity patterns, energy residue analysis, and several missing person cases in other urban areas with clear bloodline signatures, we can broadly delineate his possible activity range: the abandoned areas of the old industrial district in the north of the city, and the adjacent, poorly managed old dock warehouse district.”
“That area has complex terrain, high population mobility, and chaotic spiritual energy fields, making it an ideal hiding place.”
“Are we going there to find him?” Su Mian asked.
“No, for now, we hold our position.”
Xiao Moyuan shook his head.
“Xia is extremely cunning and possesses powerful perception. Rashly entering his potential territory will easily startle him, or even lead us into a trap.
We still need more information, especially about what other forces he commands, and the specific form of whatever he left on Shen Zhixia.”
He looked at Su Mian, his gaze serious. “This brings me to the third point, and currently the most difficult one: the possibility and risks of us contacting Shen Zhixia.”
Su Mian’s heart tightened.
“Last night, Shen Zhixia likely didn’t detect us, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe,” Xiao Moyuan said slowly.
“Xia must have left a contingency on her. Directly contacting Shen Zhixia, attempting to awaken or help her, carries extremely high risks.”
“On one hand, Xia might immediately detect it, leading to our plan being exposed. On the other hand, Shen Zhixia’s own mental state is a huge unknown.”
“After prolonged control, torment, and trampling of her dignity, how much of her self still remains?”
“Does she feel hatred towards Xia, fear, or has she developed a twisted dependence and Stockholm Syndrome?”
“If we appear rashly, might she instead see us as a threat, or even betray us to Xia?”
Each question he posed felt like a cold stone dropped into Su Mian’s heart, stirring heavy echoes. She realized that her previous thoughts of ‘wanting to help her’ had indeed been too naive and idealistic.
“Then… we do nothing?” Su Mian’s voice was a little dry.
“Of course not.”
A sharp glint flickered in Xiao Moyuan’s eyes. “Waiting, observing, and gathering intelligence are actions in themselves.”
“Moreover, we need an opportune moment—a chance for Shen Zhixia to have a brief interaction with us in a relatively safe situation where she might reveal her true intentions.”
“This opportunity cannot be one we actively create; it must happen ‘naturally,’ ideally minimizing Xia’s suspicions.”
He paused, his long fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the sofa. “I’m wondering, besides punishment and subjugation, does Xia have other motives for forcing Shen Zhixia into such inefficient and easily exposed hunts?”
“For example… a test? Or perhaps he wants to attract or confirm something through Shen Zhixia?”
Su Mian followed his train of thought. “Attract? Confirm?”
“What does he want to confirm? Our reactions? Or the movements of the Demon Exorcism Department?”
“Both are possible,” Xiao Moyuan mused. “Xia is an old fox; he won’t do anything meaningless.”
“Shen Zhixia is now like a wounded bait deliberately released.”
“We are observing her, but how do we know Xia isn’t using her to observe the reactions of those who might still have ‘old feelings’ for her, or who are paying attention? Like… you.”
Su Mian was startled.
“Of course, this is just speculation. After all, your bloodline is somewhat special.”
Xiao Moyuan changed the subject. “But we must be prepared. So, for the foreseeable future, your daily life must be as ‘normal’ as possible, even more normal than before.”
“Attend classes on time, maintain appropriate interactions with classmates, occasionally go out with Lu Yang and others, continue practicing your demonic energy control but don’t show any abnormalities…
In short, act like a regular transfer student truly integrated into university life.”
“I will have Hong Luan arrange personnel to ensure your safety from the shadows, while also monitoring Shen Zhixia’s movements and Xia’s possible activity areas.”
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Su Mian. “Can you do that? This requires you to have enough patience and acting skills. Can you do that?”
Su Mian met his gaze and nodded vigorously. Despite her continued worry for Shen Zhixia, she knew that Xiao Moyuan’s arrangement was the most rational and safest choice available.
Reckless kindness would not only fail to save anyone but might also harm both herself and others.
“I can do it,” she stated firmly.
“Very good.”
A hint of approval flickered in Xiao Moyuan’s eyes. “Also, regarding your cultivation. After last night’s stimulation and this period of accumulation, the demonic energy within you seems to have undergone a slight refinement and growth.”
“This is a good thing, but it also means you need more precise control. Starting this afternoon, I will adjust your training content, focusing on strengthening your ability to remain hidden and defend yourself under pressure.”
Over the next few days, life truly seemed to return to a kind of ‘normalcy’.
Su Mian diligently attended classes as Xiao Moyuan requested. Although her thoughts inevitably drifted to Shen Zhixia and the dark matters, she strove to maintain a calm exterior.
She even proactively invited Lu Yang and two other compatible classmates to study together at the library, ate meals in the cafeteria, and chatted about courses, club activities, and campus gossip.
Lu Yang seemed to have fully adapted to his symbiotic state with Chen Wan, brimming with energy. Occasionally, he would touch his chest and grin foolishly, completely unbothered by Su Mian’s teasing, merely saying mysteriously, “You wouldn’t understand.”
Chen Wan was still in a deep sleep, recovering, and hadn’t manifested, but Lu Yang said he could feel her presence becoming more stable, occasionally sending extremely faint, warm emotions.
Xiao Moyuan, meanwhile, seemed even busier.
During the day, he still went to school, but Su Mian could sense that he was often handling encrypted communications or reviewing large amounts of data.
In the evenings, after returning home, their training regimen indeed became more rigorous. Xiao Moyuan would simulate various sudden situations and spiritual energy interferences, training Su Mian on how to quickly conceal her demonic energy, construct basic defenses, and use the environment to hide herself when panicked, exhausted, or even injured.
The training was grueling; sometimes Su Mian was so tired she was almost collapsed, her tail and ears uncontrollably appearing. Yet, Xiao Moyuan never softened. He would only calmly point out her shortcomings, then demand she try again.
Only after the training concluded would he show a touch of gentleness, helping her regulate her chaotic demonic energy or offering a cup of warm water.
Su Mian didn’t complain; she knew all of this was necessary. This world would not become gentle because of her fear or sympathy.
During this period, Hong Luan sent two brief messages via encrypted channels.
One confirmed recent abnormal energy shielding phenomena at a certain abandoned factory in the old industrial district.
Another reported that Shen Zhixia had conducted another hunt. The target was a frivolous male, a frequent nightclub patron, and the location was in another remote area. The process was similar to before, and afterward, there were also signs of suspected surveillance.
The report described Shen Zhixia’s state as “continuously deteriorating, with intense emotional fluctuations but increased superficial control.”
Each time Su Mian received such news, her heart would sink, but she had also learned to quickly suppress these emotions and focus on what needed to be done. Xiao Moyuan was right; she had to establish clear boundaries.
Until one evening, a week later.
Su Mian had just left the library, preparing to meet Lu Yang for dinner, when her phone vibrated. It was a text message from an unknown number, extremely brief, containing only three words:
[Be careful of him]
The sender was unnamed.
Su Mian’s heart leaped, and she instinctively looked around.
The campus was bustling with people, the setting sun casting a golden edge on everything, yet nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
She stared at the three words, her fingertips cold.
‘Be careful of him’—who was ‘him’? Xiao Moyuan? Lu Yang? Or… someone else altogether?
…
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, Did Mr. Villain Cross Into the Wrong Book? is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : Did Mr. Villain Cross Into the Wrong Book?
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂