The Cannon Fodder Also Has a Will to Survive [Rebirth] - Chapter 18

Han Zhong had caused a significant commotion at Delan Hall, but when Lin Jingyuan failed to react, his suspicions were confirmed. He quietly led his men back to where he had found the secondary pair of “newlyweds” and slowly approached the exterior of their sleeping quarters.

A barrier shimmered before the door. Just as Han Zhong prepared to tear a small opening through the seal, the doors were violently flung open from the inside. Unable to dodge in time, Han Zhong collided directly with the person emerging.

Inside, Lin Jingyuan had attempted to break An Jiu’s seal. However, the seal was a signature technique of Si Xuanye; without the specific key, Lin Jingyuan could only use brute force. When he tried to shatter the seal, Si Xuanye’s lingering power and that strange internal energy within An Jiu resisted simultaneously. The three conflicting spiritual forces began a violent struggle within An Jiu’s body. As a mere mortal, An Jiu couldn’t withstand the trauma and immediately fell into a deep, unconscious state.

Lin Jingyuan was forced to retract his power abruptly. Coupled with the fact that he had recently emerged from his Heart Demon Realm, this backlash of spiritual energy caused him internal injuries as well. But he ignored his own condition, focusing entirely on protecting An Jiu’s heart meridians. There was a Spiritual Spring within the Demonic Palace, and Lin Jingyuan intended to take the boy there immediately.

By the time his demonic energy blasted the doors open, he had already dropped his disguise. Meeting Han Zhong at the entrance, his expression showed no surprise; in fact, he didn’t even grant the man a second glance.

Seeing the silver-haired man in the dark red robes, Han Zhong’s eyes twitched. It was one thing to suspect the truth, but quite another to see it confirmed. Who would have guessed that the moody, enigmatic Demonic Emperor was secretly coveting a minor disciple from a righteous sect one who hadn’t even reached the Foundation Building stage and had even resorted to deception to trick him into a marriage contract?

After finishing his internal grumbling, Han Zhong finally looked at An Jiu, who was being held in a bridal carry. The boy in the Emperor’s arms was bloodless, his only color being the vivid red of the blood staining his lips. His eyes were tightly shut and his brow furrowed, as if even in sleep, he could not escape the pain.

Han Zhong felt a sudden pang of pity for An Jiu. When he spoke, his voice carried a hint of genuine tension. “How did he end up like this?”

Lin Jingyuan ignored him and strode past. Han Zhong sent a message to his fellow disciples and quickly followed. An Jiu was, after all, a disciple of the Wan-Yan Sword Sect with a very special spiritual root; since Han Zhong had encountered him, he had to intervene.

By the time Lin Jingyuan placed An Jiu into the Spiritual Spring, his inner violence was reaching its breaking point. He realized that due to An Jiu’s unique condition, he was powerless to help.

In other words: save for Si Xuanye himself, no one could rescue An Jiu.

Lin Jingyuan looked down at the boy sleeping in the spring, his expression turning increasingly indifferent. If I can’t save him, then so be it, he thought. He wasn’t a good person, nor did he have a penchant for helping others. An Jiu was merely an interesting pet; he wasn’t that special. It was better for the boy to die now, while their bond was still shallow.

Yet, Lin Jingyuan felt a hollow, dull ache in his heart. Only half an hour ago, he had promised the boy he wouldn’t let him die. The boy had been so moved that he grabbed Lin Jingyuan’s hand, his eyes unable to hide his raw emotions. He trusted him, felt grateful toward him, and was willing to place his life in the Emperor’s hands.

When Han Zhong burst in, Lin Jingyuan’s emotions had leveled out. He realized that he had already made his decision before opening the palace doors, which was why he hadn’t attacked Han Zhong on sight. Han Zhong, for his part, had followed because he realized the Emperor had no intention of fighting. He was curious as to why the notoriously tyrannical Demonic Emperor was acting so peacefully today.

Both men were sharp. After a brief silent exchange, they chose to speak candidly.

“Let’s talk outside.”

No one knew what agreement Lin Jingyuan and Han Zhong reached. Han Zhong didn’t even tell An Yunge that Lin Jingyuan had created a clone to hold a secret wedding ceremony with An Jiu. An Yunge only knew that after that night, Lin Jingyuan had agreed to let them take An Jiu away.

Though his goal was achieved, An Yunge found it strange. He sought out Lin Jingyuan privately to ask, “Jingyuan, you seem very concerned about my younger brother?”

At that moment, Lin Jingyuan was standing under a jujube tree in the garden, holding a red date. He was facing the palace where An Jiu was currently staying. An Yunge claimed he had come to bid farewell, but the moment he asked the question, Lin Jingyuan felt offended.

The Emperor turned his head. His tone was flat, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness. “An Yunge, have I been too lenient with you?”

This was the first time since their meeting that Lin Jingyuan had used the formal ‘Ben-Zuo’ (This Sovereign) to refer to himself. An Yunge’s smile faltered. He realized then that there wasn’t actually a deep bond between him and Lin Jingyuan.

Back when they first met in the Demonic Abyss Forest, An Yunge had slain several evil cultivators before encountering the demon-cloaked Lin Jingyuan. An Yunge remembered a rumor he had heard: that the Demonic Emperor preferred men. He didn’t fully believe it, but to save his life, he had subtly flirted with the man. In Lin Jingyuan’s eyes, An Yunge appeared to be a charming yet oblivious youth, stubbornly relying on his own strength to escape the forest for revenge. It happened to hit Lin Jingyuan’s specific interests.

Given that Lin Jingyuan was the type to fabricate an identity to trick An Jiu, it wasn’t hard to see the malice in his character. When he first met An Yunge, his plan was to befriend him, wait until An Yunge viewed him as a “bosom friend,” and then seize him by force. He had imagined how wonderful the “noble, moon-like gentleman’s” expression would be when he realized he had been betrayed by his closest friend.

However, he had simply walked into An Yunge’s own trap. Both were hiding their true selves, each with their own schemes. Now, without the shared life-and-death trials of the original “Heart Demon” plot, An Yunge held no more significance to Lin Jingyuan than An Jiu’s status as a “Heavenly Spirit Root” had originally held.

Lin Jingyuan smirked at the “noble gentleman” before him. “He is merely a plaything.”

An Yunge’s heart tightened for reasons he couldn’t explain. Before he could speak, Lin Jingyuan turned and strode away. An Yunge looked down at the red date Lin Jingyuan had dropped on the ground and whispered softly, “He was talking about An Jiu, wasn’t he?”

An Yunge narrowed his eyes and crushed the red date under his heel.

An Jiu woke up the following day. Upon opening his eyes, he was met with his Junior Uncle’s smiling face. Stunned, An Jiu asked, “What are you smiling at?”

Han Zhong’s smile didn’t waver. He scanned An Jiu from head to toe before saying, “Nephew An, I was the one who changed your clothes last night. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Then… thank you, Junior Uncle?” An Jiu didn’t understand why he brought it up. He figured that as an elder, Han Zhong must feel it was beneath his dignity to help a junior change.

“…” Han Zhong hadn’t expected that answer. “Is there something wrong with your brain?”

The boy seemed utterly heartless. An Jiu was annoyed, but he only dared to glare at Han Zhong. After a long silence, he muttered, “Why is Junior Uncle here?”

“Waiting for you to get up,” Han Zhong replied. “Hurry along, pack your things. We’re going home.”

An Jiu froze. “Waiting for me? Going back?”

“Yes. Your ‘husband’ doesn’t want you anymore, so you have to come back with us, don’t you?” Han Zhong didn’t elaborate, but An Jiu understood without Lin Jingyuan’s consent, Han Zhong couldn’t have taken him. So, it was true.

An Jiu followed Han Zhong to see Lin Jingyuan with a look of utter dejection. Lin Jingyuan had returned to his usual attire, his face hidden behind a bronze mask that left only his heterochromatic eyes visible. To send the boy away was to break his word, and he didn’t want to perform this “villainous” act using his other identity.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your hospitality. We shall take our leave,” Han Zhong said politely. Though the two men appeared to be conversing, their attention was fixed on An Jiu. Han Zhong was curious about the boy’s reaction, while Lin Jingyuan simply couldn’t help himself An Jiu was looking at him pitifully, as if he were heartbroken to leave.

Lin Jingyuan felt a tug at his heart. An Jiu really was no different from a clingy kitten. Unable to resist, he called the boy aside for a private word.

An Jiu followed him eagerly, hoping he could stay, but Lin Jingyuan simply turned and pressed a finger to the boy’s forehead. “I have left a strand of my Divine Sense within you. If you are ever in need, you may call my name in your mind”

An Jiu didn’t realize that this was far more significant than the talisman Lin Jingyuan had given An Yunge. It was a literal promise: As long as you need me, I will come to your side. An Yunge’s talisman only contained a single attack and Lin Jingyuan’s appearance was optional.

But An Jiu missed the nuance, sinking into the disappointment of his failed hope. “Your Majesty, I don’t want to go back. Please, let me stay.”

“I’ll be obedient. Please don’t throw me away,” An Jiu pleaded, his voice carrying a hint of a sob. Even if he wanted to leave the Demonic Realm for freedom, it wasn’t supposed to be by being dragged back to the Wan-Yan Sword Sect.

But he knew he was worthless to Lin Jingyuan. His only purpose was to serve as An Yunge’s “medicine.” Seeing Lin Jingyuan’s silence, An Jiu recalled his previous attempts at self-preservation and assumed the Emperor was simply sending him back to fulfill his “function.”

“I, I overstepped” An Jiu said dejectedly.

Lin Jingyuan had intended to remain cold and detached, reminding himself he wasn’t ‘Lin’ right now, but seeing the boy’s state, he couldn’t help but reach out and gently pat his head. “Go back. Let Si Xuanye heal you. When you are well, call me, and I will come to take you away.”

An Jiu ignored the comforting gesture, focusing only on the words. His lip curled. “Master won’t heal me. You don’t know, he’s the one who did this to me.”

Lin Jingyuan paused. “He will heal you. I’ve had Han Zhong pass a message to him.”

An Jiu finally noticed that Lin Jingyuan’s attitude was strange, was this really the Great Demon he knew? He shot the Emperor a suspicious look before being hurried away by Han Zhong.

To Lin Jingyuan, An Jiu’s frequent backward glances as he walked away were a sign of deep, aching reluctance to leave his side. The Emperor closed his eyes and thought: It’s not that I don’t want you. It’s to save you.