Chapter 21: An Unwanted Encounter and a Lingering Question

Beyond the impending arrival of the cadre, the remainder of the meeting proved utterly mundane.

Aiqi, the monster tamer, spoke of assigning tasks for the upcoming period, yet offered nothing noteworthy.

Aside from the monsters already burdened with their own missions, the remaining attendees, after much deliberation, were still left to their own devices.

Mo Qiu, on the verge of succumbing to drowsiness, found herself unable to suppress a yawn.

A certain gaze felt like a sword poised at her throat.

Even if she feigned blindness, the unease in her heart would not abate.

“Alright, this concludes today’s meeting. You are dismissed.”

Having uttered these words, Aiqi, the monster tamer, dissolved into a swirling mass of black mist and vanished.

‘To think it was the quickest to flee,’ Mo Qiu mused inwardly, ‘Was it perhaps rushing off to clock out?’

The others, too, began to depart in succession.

Some monsters sought out acquaintances directly, chatting as they made their exit.

“Haven’t seen you active lately. Have you been slacking off?”

“Nonsense! I’m practically starving.”

“You know the Demon Hunter Guild has been keeping a close watch recently; it’s best not to act rashly.”

“Eh?”

“Look at Fite; he was greedy for a small advantage, and ended up ambushed by demon hunters right on the main street. He died a truly miserable death.”

“True enough. I certainly don’t fancy getting dozens of holes punched through me.”

As they conversed, they moved into the corridor leading out of the black palace.

A ‘door’ to the outside world materialized out of thin air, and their figures vanished into the black hole-like portal.

Within the conference room, only two individuals now remained: Mo Qiu and Saluk.

Saluk meticulously examined his sharp claws, which were caked with grime.

Meanwhile, Mo Qiu raised her hand, conjured a small mirror, and leisurely began to tidy her hair.

In the desolate conference room, the young woman pursed her lips, whistling a lighthearted tune, seemingly oblivious to Saluk’s continued presence.

After a moment, she rose swiftly and exited the conference room.

Beyond the conference room lay a long corridor leading to the exit.

Her steps were unhurried, as if she were merely out for a leisurely stroll.

“Hey!”

As she had anticipated, Saluk’s voice indeed rang out from behind her.

Mo Qiu turned, beholding his towering, mountain-like figure.

The shadow he cast enveloped her entirely.

“Big Brother Saluk, is there something you need?”

“Don’t try to get chummy with me.”

Saluk advanced as he spoke, prompting Mo Qiu to retreat until her back pressed against the wall.

Bang!

A hammer-like fist slammed into the wall beside her, sending cracks radiating from the impact point.

Dust showered down, settling on the young woman’s black evening gown.

Even with her back pressed firmly against the wall, she found it impossible to create distance between herself and Saluk.

She had to crane her neck upwards just to meet the gaze of the stooping Saluk.

‘I initially thought this fellow was quite unsightly, but upon closer inspection,’ she mused, ‘he’s absolutely hideous!’

He was said to have a lion’s face, yet no ordinary lion possessed such protruding fangs, which remained visible even when his mouth was closed.

His face was already peculiar enough, but it was further marred by two ugly scars etched right down the center.

“You don’t actually believe that cozying up to Aiqi will lead to a swift rise through the ranks, do you?”

As Saluk spoke, his putrid breath assailed Mo Qiu’s face, forcing her to instinctively hold her breath.

“Let me tell you, I’ve seen countless humans like you, dreaming such foolish daydreams.”

“You join us because there’s profit to be made, but your fates are always one of two outcomes. Do you know what they are?”

Mo Qiu, her face adorned with a lively yet polite smile, tilted her head and replied, “I don’t know, Big Brother Saluk. Please enlighten me.”

“Hmph!”

Saluk’s palm pressed harder against the wall, causing the cracks to widen further, almost reaching the ceiling.

“The first outcome is to die in service to the Emperor, remaining a mere minion for your entire life.”

Mo Qiu nodded slightly, appearing to listen with utmost seriousness.

“The second outcome is to find no profit, or to have your courage utterly shattered, betraying the Imperial Organization, and then dying on the run.”

As he spoke, he extended a finger from his other hand and pointed it directly at the young woman’s nose.

“Which do you think you’ll be?”

“Neither, of course.”

Mo Qiu answered almost without a moment’s hesitation, momentarily stunning Saluk.

“I won’t betray the Emperor, nor will I remain a minion for life.”

“Big Brother Saluk, aren’t you also unwilling to merely be a basic member?”

“What?”

“Someone as diligent as you must surely be entrusted with an important mission, correct?” Mo Qiu continued.

“Another person means another source of strength. Why not consider me and let me contribute my efforts to you?”

“How much do you know?” Saluk’s brows furrowed.

“How much of what?”

The young woman’s eyes widened, her expression one of profound surprise.

“Do you mean you don’t have a mission?”

“Then I’ve misunderstood you, and I sincerely apologize.”

She pressed her palms together, charmingly sticking out her tongue.

“If you ever need any help, please don’t hesitate to come to me. I’m always ready to lend a hand.”

Saluk fell into a prolonged silence, his gaze towards her now filled with wariness.

Mo Qiu maintained her squinting smile, using it to mask her accelerating heartbeat.

“Slick talk is a trait of you humans. Don’t imagine for a second that it will win me over; I am not Aiqi.”

Saluk’s tone deepened considerably.

“Someone like you should be kneeling before us.”

He raised his fist, his knuckles cracking audibly as he tensed.

‘It seems this won’t work after all, will it?’

‘Mo Qiu had underestimated the depth of his loathing for humans; mere glib words would be insufficient to deal with him.’

‘If I want to extract information about the Mysterious Person, it appears I’ll have to resort to other methods.’

‘Besides, the Imperial Organization shouldn’t have rules against infighting, and Aiqi isn’t here.’

‘The distance is too close; he’s likely skilled in close-quarters combat, which puts me at a significant disadvantage.’

‘If a fight truly breaks out, I’ll need to create distance, and that won’t come without a cost…’

‘That fist could probably break a few bones if it landed.’

‘No matter. It’s not the first time I’ve encountered such a situation.’

‘Even when extending courtesy first, one inevitably runs into those who disregard martial ethics.’

Mo Qiu’s smile gradually faded, and a chill began to seep into her starlit eyes.

Just as the atmosphere teetered on the brink of freezing, a voice simultaneously cut through their tension.

“Hey, hey! You two, stop it at once!”

“Aiqi?”

Mo Qiu and Saluk turned their heads in unison, indeed spotting the miniature black goat frantically flying towards them.

Upon seeing this, Saluk lowered his fist and voluntarily stepped back.

The mirror dagger Mo Qiu had concealed behind her also vanished without a sound.

“I knew you two would cause trouble! You’re both colleagues loyal to the Emperor; there’s no infighting allowed on my watch.”

“No, no, Big Brother Saluk was simply sharing his work experience with me. Our relationship is excellent.”

“Do you take me for a fool?”

“So you’re not foolish after all,” Mo Qiu exclaimed, covering her mouth with a look of utter surprise.

“Speaking of which, Aiqi, your timing in returning is impeccable.”

‘Has it been observing from the shadows all along?’ Mo Qiu’s outward smile belied her serious inner thoughts.

“No, Xinleit informed me that the atmosphere between you two felt off, so I rushed back.”

“I see.”

After Aiqi’s intervention, Saluk ceased his provocations.

He shot Mo Qiu a glare before heading towards the exit.

From behind him, the young woman’s farewell echoed, prompting him to halt.

He turned, pointed at her, and snarled menacingly:

“Stop your theatrics, you ugly wretch! Someone like you wouldn’t be wanted even if you were thrown onto the streets.”

The words, once heard, instantly froze Mo Qiu’s smile.

She remained rigid in her spot even after Saluk’s figure had vanished.

“Don’t pay it any mind. He was just speaking carelessly.”

“Aiqi, I have a question for you,” Mo Qiu’s tone laced with hesitation.

“Am I truly that ugly?”

“…You’re actually alright.” Aiqi paused, then added, “He truly was just speaking carelessly; don’t take it to heart.”

“Of course.”

A pleasant curve graced Mo Qiu’s lips, yet a flicker of gloom passed through her eyes.

‘So, by monster aesthetics, I’m not considered beautiful?’

‘Just “alright”?’

As she had told Aiqi, no matter how Saluk disparaged her appearance, Mo Qiu would not take it to heart.

Moreover, this was merely an appraisal of her disguised form.

However, this also sparked another question in her mind: if Bai Chen had been the one to utter those words, the implications would be far more significant.

She had always been confident in the new body she had crafted for herself.

Yet, some things, no matter how many times one gazes into a mirror, simply cannot reveal the underlying flaw.