Chapter 196: Zhao Mingyue is a Yandere?
The streets were deserted and silent, with hardly any lights on in the houses beside them. Suddenly, a somewhat wild, sweet laughter shattered this calm, leaving Li Tianan, who was walking behind, momentarily dumbfounded.
What happened to this girl, Zhao Mingyue? Why was she laughing so gleefully and loudly?
Was she deliberately talking to Bai Yu, and hit on something funny?
“Uh, Mingyue,” Li Tianan couldn’t help but step forward after Zhao Mingyue finished her fit of giggles, “We’re almost there. I’ll go ahead to check; maybe my old friends are already waiting for me.”
Zhao Mingyue, still unable to stop smiling, nodded gently at Li Tianan’s words, “Sure thing, Store Manager! You go ahead; I’ll follow right behind.”
“Alright then.”
Li Tianan quickened his pace and headed down the street towards the youth apartment.
He set aside thoughts of Zhao Mingyue for now; An Tianhe was probably getting impatient. Jumping into action without a plan would only complicate things.
This time, it didn’t seem like just An Tianhe and the others were involved; there were likely others as well.
On the surface, they all seemed to be there for the Evil Spirit, but behind the scenes, things could get a bit messy.
To him, the Ghost Gate was more of a nuisance, but for people like An Tianhe, it was crucial. The jurisdiction directly impacted how much they could profit and their social standing.
Watching Li Tianan’s hurried figure, Zhao Mingyue spread her hands.
Why did Li Tianan insist on walking when he could drive?
Probably because his license was revoked for drunk driving a while back.
“Hey, Yu-chan, say something! Don’t be shy!”
“I get it; you like traditional styles, right? Next time we go shopping, let’s buy you more outfits in that style. How does that sound?”
“Honestly, I like traditional styles too, but my wallet has always been too empty to afford them. These clothes are so expensive! If I buy cheap ones, they lack quality; it’s better to just skip it.”
Zhao Mingyue felt like she had uncovered a treasure trove; she tacitly assumed Bai Yu was just being jealous, or why else would she insist on only wearing that outfit at home?
Honestly, her reaction wasn’t that surprising.
For Bai Yu to say such a thing, considering her usual behavior, was genuinely shocking.
—
“Three minutes left. If Li Tianan doesn’t show up, we’re going in without him.”
An Tianhe was impatient. It was already 8:47 PM—more than ten minutes past their agreed meeting time. The host, Li Tianan, was still missing. Who was he showing off for?
“Understood.” Xia Feihang nodded, and Lin Zhou a bit further away also agreed with a grunt.
Just as they were about to wrap things up and head upstairs, they heard Li Tianan’s voice around the corner.
“Sorry, everyone! I got my license suspended for drunk driving a few days ago, so I had no choice but to walk here.” Li Tianan came strutting in with a wooden box in hand, waving at the group, “I’m getting old; after a few injuries, my stamina isn’t what it used to be. I apologize, really!”
“Li Tianan, are you even capable?” Zhou Li spat out some betel nut onto the ground. Acting all high and mighty, he showed zero respect for Li Tianan, “If your body can’t handle it anymore, it’s time to retire. You’re just an old relic keeping an eye on such a big Ghost Gate—watch out or you might end up paying with your life.”
“Zhou Li!” An Tianhe pretended to chide him, then turned to look at Li Tianan.
“Enough crosstalk; let’s discuss the Evil Spirit situation.”
“There’s quite the crowd here; let’s not end up fighting amongst ourselves when the Evil Spirit is caught.”
An Tianhe’s voice dripped with sarcasm. In his forties, he resembled an old fox spirit, with shifty eyes that screamed “not a good guy.”
“There really are more people than I expected; I didn’t think my territory was so popular. We haven’t even hit the holidays yet, and look at all these old friends!” Li Tianan emphasized the last three words while glancing at Xia Feihang and then Lin Zhou, his eyes half-squinting.
He hadn’t spread the word, so it was clear someone was targeting him on purpose.
“Xia, good to see you.”
“Hmph.” Xia Feihang coldly scoffed, showing no interest in Li Tianan.
“Lin, how’s your master doing?” Li Tianan inquired without a care.
“Doing alright.”
“Got it.” Li Tianan stood across from the three of them, each representing a different faction.
“I know you guys are eager, but don’t rush things.” Li Tianan set the box down and stretched a little, “You all know about this Evil Spirit; there’s no need for me to repeat it. Since you’re here, you must have some intel already.”
“And my apprentice hasn’t arrived yet; is it alright to wait for her?”
His words instantly drew sneers from An Tianhe and the others.
“Look at that, the apprentice has more clout than the master.”
“Isn’t your apprentice just an inexperienced little girl? This task isn’t child’s play; I advise you to send her back before she gets hurt.”
Li Tianan wasn’t ruffled, “Whether she lives or dies is my business. Just remember she’s my apprentice; that should be enough.”
Zhou Li still wanted to make some snarky remark to insult Li Tianan, but before he could, a soft, ethereal voice drifted in from around the corner, “Master… this is the place you mentioned, right? You walked too fast!”
The sound was like flowing water, and even Zhou Li had to admit it was pleasant to hear. It didn’t carry the sultry allure of a mature woman; instead, it was filled with youthful innocence and energy.
It was his first time to instantly think that just by the sound, this person had to be a beauty.
Everyone’s gaze turned in unison to see a graceful white fox head, its snowy fur flowing like silk and shimmering as if it was woven from stars and mist.
A dark golden talisman on its forehead had lines extending down its neck, resembling brilliant golden patterns that enhanced its already noble aura, making it seem even more sacred and elegant.
Its eyes were narrow and bright, not at all dull like a typical beast’s, but instead radiating with clarity and brilliance, entirely devoid of the cunning of foxes or the seduction of fox spirits.
As the fox strutted into view with an arrogant gait, its massive frame somehow didn’t spoil the elegant silhouette of its long body.
But no one was focused on the graceful fox right now; all attention was on the slender girl sitting calm and poised on its back.
For a moment, it felt like a celestial maiden had descended to earth. Otherwise, how could anyone emanate such an untainted aura, distinctly separate from the mundane, with a delicate frame that seemed frail?
That instant impression left Zhou Li and the other men—who were accustomed to earthly beauties—dazed, and any impure thoughts seemed to vanish as if those thoughts were sacrilege against the girl.
Comparing past conquests to this girl, they felt like scrap metal—there was no contest.
Of course, that thought was only fleeting.
Soon, uncontrollable dark desires crept up from the depths of their souls, consuming their minds at lightning speed.
There was no more thought of sacrilege, only a primal urge to embrace the girl’s slender frame, to know her deeply, getting lost in her from the outside in.
To seize her body fiercely, to watch her sob, like a helpless lamb.
“Ahem.” Li Tianan coughed, pulling Zhou Li and the others back to reality.
This fox was no pushover!
Li Tianan could see the faint white mist surrounding Bai Shuang’er. It was this mist that had elevated Zhao Mingyue’s striking looks to a whole new level, leaving Zhou Li and the others, who frequented the company of female ghosts, utterly spellbound.
No wonder—constantly playing around with female ghosts had drained their spirits, inflating their desires while they thought they were doing just fine.
In comparison, Lin Zhou and Xia Feihang were far more normal.
Though they were also shocked, they didn’t have that same hungrily staring, inappropriate gaze as Zhou Li and the others.
Bai Shuang’er ignored Li Tianan’s glare.
Why should she not enhance Zhao Mingyue’s charm?
It wouldn’t affect anything, after all.
With such a captivating little leader, what was wrong with a little extra attention?
Zhao Mingyue felt puzzled under the intense stares. The bare, unfiltered gazes made her extremely uncomfortable.
Nobody looked at her like this back when she was just walking down the street.
The Moon Fox, with an air of pride and confidence, walked up to Li Tianan and slightly bowed down, letting Zhao Mingyue dismount.
The swagger she displayed while strutting down the street now transformed into sheer elegance—two totally different foxes.
Li Tianan sighed, though without making it obvious.
Sometimes these creatures could be too clever for their own good.
“Master.” Zhao Mingyue stood next to Li Tianan, still holding that enchanting charm.
“Ahem, this is Zhao Mingyue, my apprentice. She’s here for some hands-on experience, just tagging along to learn from you all.”
Feeling mentally drained, Li Tianan still spoke up.
“Sorry for making you all wait. Let’s go upstairs.”
“Old Li, you’re right. Young folks should get a good workout. But make sure to choose suitable challenges; our mission isn’t easy, so it’s perfect for Xiaoyue to learn from us.”
An Tianhe’s gaze remained fixed on Zhao Mingyue, and his tone had done a complete 180 degree turn.
With such a pretty apprentice, why didn’t he mention it earlier? Forget waiting ten more minutes; waiting an hour was no biggie. He was set on this friend.
“Old Li, should we introduce ourselves or something?”
“What’s there to introduce? This is a one-time thing; she won’t be doing much except observing.” Li Tianan felt a wave of disgust at An Tianhe’s gaze and couldn’t be bothered to say more. He turned towards the youth apartment.
Zhao Mingyue remained still, locking gazes with An Tianhe and the others.
She felt a natural aversion but wore a seemingly sweet smile that felt just a tad off, enough for Xia Feihang and Lin Zhou to notice.
Zhao Mingyue was smiling like a blooming flower, while their spines tingled.
Feeling uneasy, their pupils constricted in sync.
A sudden, strong sense of unease enveloped them, drenching their backs in cold sweat without them even realizing.
After all, they had been Gatekeepers for years, encountering countless horrors, and had honed their instincts for danger.
And it was precisely that honed intuition screaming at them to escape this divine-looking girl who felt like an angel descended from the sky.
In that instant, it felt as if they were standing with a kn*fe to their throats, certain that their heads would roll any second.
But no, that feeling disappeared faster than it came; the girl was still just a girl, the fox was still just a fox, nothing had changed—her smile still sweet and charming.
Had that chilling moment been an illusion?
Their cold sweat was certainly no lie.
Xia Feihang hesitated, adjusting his rimless glasses, then cast a furtive glance at An Tianhe and the others, noticing them still shamelessly ogling Zhao Mingyue with unfiltered eyes. He took a deep breath and hurried to keep pace with Li Tianan.
Everything was happening so fast, so suddenly. Like a trivial moment flashing by in a video clip, it was almost inconsequential.
Because of that, he couldn’t fathom the nature of the existence that could inspire such fear in them.
As he brushed past Zhao Mingyue, he heard her voice and instinctively paused.
She was obviously a monster; she was clearly starting to find An Tianhe and the others annoying, yet she still smiled.
“我叫Zhao Mingyue，还是李天安的徒弟。”
“I’ve only been learning from my master for half a year, so I don’t know any really impressive skills yet. I haven’t even learned the basics, so I hope everyone here can guide me!”
“Of course, no problem! I’m An Tianhe. By seniority, that makes me your ‘uncle’, so just call me ‘Uncle An’. Later, you can watch me show off my skills, learn well!” An Tianhe, blissfully unaware, grinned, “If there’s anything you don’t get, leave me your contact info! I can teach you anytime!”
“Thank you, Uncle An!”
Zhao Mingyue was smiling, not because she was amused that An Tianhe was making his own d*ath sentence, but rather…
“Bai Yu, Yu-chan, look at all this food!”
“They must have red clothes on them!”
“What great people! Just doing a task, and they feel the need to bring gifts—now I feel embarrassed!”
“Let’s finish everything later, how does that sound?”
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