Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 211 - One Hundred Sixty-Seven: Knife

Chapter 211: Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Seven: Knife

The pavilion was silent and still.

Xu Yuan was about to help the other person up, but suddenly realized that the body of this "scholar" before him was trembling imperceptibly.

After a moment of silence, Xu Yuan narrowed his eyes and looked at Yuan Hao, who was bowing with a salute, and dismissed the thought of helping him up.

He must have been smiling,

working hard to manage his expression, to keep his abnormality from frightening Xu Yuan.

Indeed, a madman will always be a madman.

No matter how warm and refined they appear on the surface, they can’t hide their excitement when it’s triggered.

Xu Yuan glanced over his shoulder at the koi swimming in the pond and casually said,

"Don’t get too happy too soon. Not many people continue to fight to the death with a knife to their throat."

"This, Yuan knows well."

Yuan Hao finally composed his expression, stood up, and stared at Xu Yuan’s back, "But there’s always hope."

Xu Yuan gave him a sideways glance, his look peculiar,

"Does killing truly excite you?"

Yuan Hao’s eyes drooped slightly, his handsome face carrying a clear smile,

"Does the Third Young Master not find the image of blood splattering beautiful?

"Those warm, fresh blood, those desperate expressions, Third Young Master, think about that wonderful feeling. Excitement is not..."

"Enough."

Xu Yuan cut off Yuan Hao and looked away.

He understood.

There was no reason; Yuan Hao was a complete madman.

Just like in Cang Yuan, except there he was just a 2.5D pixel figure, and now he’s a real madman.

His obsession with killing was like that of artists obsessed with tunes and paintings.

He had no interest in discussing this kind of insight with the other party right now.

On hearing this, Yuan Hao immediately shut up, but his eyes showed a hint of desolation.

Xu Yuan turned around, looked at him, and spoke deliberately,

"Don’t make any moves because of your hobbies."

Yuan Hao’s eyes narrowed, and he spread his hands,

"Rest assured, Third Young Master."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow,

"So, you followed my father because he could give you what you wanted?"

"..."

On hearing this, Yuan Hao looked up, and the image of that figure unconsciously surfaced in his mind.

The damp, dark cell,

the calm gaze from above,

the precious sword thrown before him,

and that sentence,

"Become my blade, and I will give you what you desire."

"..."

A moment of distraction, Yuan Hao smiled and answered ambiguously,

"Back then, killing captives affected the campaign against the rebellion. By law, I should have been executed, but the Prime Minister saved me."

"Oh? Is that so..."

Xu Yuan murmured, but soon his gaze towards Yuan Hao carried a trace of faintly detectable pity.

He gained merit on the battlefield at the age of sixteen or seventeen, destined to be ennobled and appointed a minister in later days.

But now, even if his future contributions were great, Xu Yinhè would never let him live to see the day of reward.

Even if everything went smoothly,

Yuan Hao would die on the eve of victory.

The one who acted might be an enemy or one of his own.

Seeing Xu Yuan’s gaze for a moment, Yuan Hao smiled broadly,

"Third Young Master, no need to look at me like that, the killer must always be killed, how could someone like me end well?"

"......"

Xu Yuan was silent for a short while, his gaze earnest,

"You do see it clearly."

"It’s just my nature," Yuan Hao.

Xu Yuan chuckled softly,

"Alright, if you can, give me a detailed report on the Myriad Manifestation Sect."

Having said that, he walked straight out of the pavilion.

"Of course."

Yuan Hao readily agreed, paused, and then suddenly called out to Xu Yuan,

"Third Young Master, please wait a moment."

Xu Yuan paused in his steps, turning to look back.

Yuan Hao took out a box from the Sumeru Ring, which was used for storing military supplies, and threw it over.

Xu Yuan caught it with his hand.

Half a foot long, with a metallic texture, it looked like a high-end item.

He asked softly,

"What is this?"

Yuan Hao shrugged his shoulders:

"The Black Scale Guards asked me to give this to you. It seems to be a new human skin mask manufactured by the Geometry Institute. They want you and the Fourth Lady to wear this for the negotiation."

"...."

Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment, "Wear this? Is this my father’s idea?"

Yuan Hao thought for a moment, then nodded:

"It should be, after all, the Black Scale Guards are not qualified to manage such matters."

Standing still and pondering for a while, Xu Yuan nodded slightly:

"Alright, I understand."

Yuan Hao bowed from a distance:

"Third Young Master, I won’t see you out."

Xu Yuan waved his hand, put the box into the Sumeru Ring, and left the courtyard without looking back.

"....."

Watching the courtyard door close, Yuan Hao’s eyes lingered in that direction for a few breaths, sitting back down in his chair in silence. He reached to fill his cup with wine, but found it empty. He laughed softly, and then glanced in the direction of the Imperial Capital...

The firelight flickered, the dungeon was dark and quiet.

"Give me what I want?"

The shackles piercing through the bones of the imprisoned cultivator, Yuan Hao, who was slumped on the floor, looked at the middle-aged man whose face was hidden in the shadows and chuckled,

"Prime Minister, do you know what I want?"

"Murder, mass murder," the answer came in a low, unrippled voice.

Yuan Hao stared at the other’s indifferent gaze:

"Knowing that I’m a madman, you dare to use me?"

"You have never killed civilians." Xu Yinhè.

"Haha....."

Yuan Hao laughed twice with irony:

"Xu Yinhè, I don’t kill civilians because massacring them massively would alert those above me, not because of any compassion."

"I know," Xu Yinhè was unfazed by his laughter, "at least you know fear."

Yuan Hao’s eyes sharpened, his fists clenched slightly:

"Fear? You think I am someone who fears death? Prime Minister, what I worry about is not being able to kill more in the future."

"It’s all the same."

"......"

Silence.

Yuan Hao took a deep breath and asked:

"Then why should I trust you?"

Xu Yinhè’s eyes were as still as an ancient well:

"A knife is made to kill."

"Kill who?" Yuan Hao’s voice was somewhat hoarse, "Just killing one or two people is no fun."

Xu Yinhè calmly looked at him, uttering two words:

"Sects."

"What?"

Yuan Hao was stunned for a moment, with a look of surprise unconsciously appearing in his eyes.

Xu Yinhè did not repeat what he had just said, but continued to stare at him with that profound gaze.

For a time, only the flickering firelight filled the gloomy dungeon.

After a long stare,

Yuan Hao’s heartbeat gradually quickened. He looked at the man opposite him and finally cracked a smile:

"Xu Yinhè, you are a madman, crazier than I am. The most I’ve had under me die is ten thousand, but those you want to kill are far more than ten million!"

Xu Yinhè ignored his words, simply staring at his young face and asked,

"So, what is your answer?"

"...."

"...."

Gathering his thoughts,

Withdrawing his gaze from the direction of the Imperial Capital, Yuan Hao took a long knife out of the Sumeru Ring on his own accord, caressing the blade while whispering softly,

"I hope this knife lasts a little longer and doesn’t break too soon...."