Chapter 235: Echoes of a Past Long Gone (Picture of Felina Included!)

Chapter 235: Echoes of a Past Long Gone (Picture of Felina Included!)

“This marks the end of Xun’s full report regarding the expedition to Nolan City.” Kneeling on one knee in a bedchamber with her head slightly lowered, Xun maintained her usual solemn expression. “Xun failed to complete the tasks assigned to her. Instead, she had let the opportunity slip through her grasp and made the situation worse. She respectfully requests the Second Miss to impose a fitting punishment for her shortcomings.”

“Mhm, let’s set aside the rest for now... Xun, you seem to be avoiding my eyes. Are you really that unwilling to see me?” Seated at the edge of the bed with her purple hair flowing downwards, a girl clad in pajamas was hugging a rabbit doll as she lazily let out a yawn.

“Xun is too ashamed to meet the Second Miss, having failed to finish the task she had entrusted to her.”

“Oh, in that case, I command you to lift your head and look at me.” The girl spoke in an indolent and powerless voice as if she had just roused up from her slumber, yet her words left no room for doubt.

Xun obeyed the command; She lifted her head and her gaze gradually met that of her lady — Tina Leforno.

The lethargic appearance she had before was gone, replaced by a sparkling radiance in her eyes that inexplicably compelled Xun to look away.

“So, you’re telling me that on your trip to Nolan City, not only was the Jade Tablet lost, the city was also taken over by the Asiatic Cats?” Tina’s eyes were tinged with a hint of questioning.

“Yes.” Xun spoke in a deferential tone.

“...Pfft.” The corners of Tina’s mouth twitched slightly as she failed to contain her laughter, which rang out melodiously like a silver bell.

“Hey, little Xun, would you accept that kind of excuse from someone else?” Tina crossed her bare feet, playfully examining the tight-lipped Xun, who refused to elaborate on her previous statement.

“If you’re trying to deceive me, you should at least draft up a plan, figure out my thought process and use some time to make one up. Your current explanation, well... It almost feels as if you’re insulting my intelligence. Do you hold my cognitive abilities in such low regard??” Tina swayed her legs as her eyes took on the narrow form of a cat’s.

“...”

“I couldn’t be any more clear about little Xun’s efficiency in handling tasks. You’re not like those good-for-nothings that are indecisive and drag their feet around. Plus, this task was undoubtedly in your favor, and victory was clearly within your reach1. Even someone incompetent would find it hard to mess it up. Little Xun, your deceit needs work... So, what really happened? I won’t hold it against you if you tell the truth, you know.”

“...I respectfully request Second Miss to punish me.” Xun lowered her head and remained silent.

“Judging by your expression, you don’t intend to tell me, do you?” A faint cold smile crept onto the corners of Tina’s mouth.

“Xun has already shared everything she knows with the Second Miss.”

“Hmph, how impressive.” Tina coldly smiled. “What exactly happened that gave you the gall to keep it from me, your Mistress?”

“...” Xun continued to remain silent.

“If that’s the case, I can’t keep you here.” Tina heaved a sigh.

There was no point holding onto a servant who was incapable of following her orders to the letter.

That said, Tina was highly curious. As someone who knew Xun’s nature well, she wondered what could have led a girl like her to choose punishment over disclosing even the smallest detail about the incident.

“Hey, Xun, come over here.” Tina waved her hands.

Without hesitation, Xun rose to her feet and approached her.

She had realized long before making this decision that she would not be able to escape the calamity looming over her.

“Bend over.”

Under Tina’s meaningful gaze, she bent her body downwards like an obedient puppy.

Tina then moved a strand of Xun’s long hair under her nose, closed her eyes and gave it a sniff.

Despite her confusion, Xun did not utter a sound and let Tina sniff all over her body.

In the process, she glimpsed a faint hint of nostalgia fleeting across Tina’s mouth, which brought a touch of puzzlement to her eyes. However, before she could even be confused, the latter had opened her eyes.

“Go back and have a good rest.” Tina smoothened the strand of hair she was holding onto and smilingly stroked Xun’s head.

“??”

Xun was so bewildered with her behavior that she was on the verge of drawing a large question mark on her face.

‘What’s the meaning of this?? Wasn’t she supposed to punish me for my wrongdoings?’

Like a tantalizing morsel being snatched away by a swooping bird, she had allowed Nolan City — a prize almost within her reach— to slip away from her. On top of that, she had schemed to deceive her superior and keep her subordinates in the dark. With such transgressions in mind, even decapitation would not be too extreme a punishment.

So why did she let her off the hook that easily?

“Oh? Is Little Xun not leaving in hopes of joining me for an afternoon nap??” Tina acted as if she could not understand the puzzlement in Xun’s gaze and licked her lips in a naughty manner.

“...My apologies for the interruption, Second Miss. Xun is taking her leave now.” Without further hesitation, Xun bid Tina goodbye and exited the sleeping chambers, her mind filled with confusion and bewilderment.

“Lala~ Hmm~, hmm~” Humming a cheerful tune, Tina watched Xun depart. She then dragged the mattress over herself and nestled herself underneath it.

“Is this gift for... Ke’er? Did you choose it... specifically for me?” Ke’er mumbled, repeating his words in a daze.

“Mhm.” Ji Bai nodded.

“Thank you for the gift, Mr. Ji Bai. Ke’er— Ke’er will definitely take good care of it~~”

“...” Ji Bai slightly froze.

In his mind, the girl before him with her tail swaying to and fro while twitching her cat ears seemed to overlap with the image of a certain golden-haired catgirl.

一一一一一一一一

“Obscene Middle-aged man, you dummy! You big dummy! Is your life worth so little to you?!”

“What is this?”

“Oh, just tying a butterfly knot on the outside for you~”

“...I don’t want it.”

“Hmph~! A bowknot from this missy isn’t something you can reject~”

“Ah—”

“Eh? What’s the matter? Did I tie it too hard and hurt you? I-I’m sorry. Pain, pain go away! Do you feel better now~?”

“It’s fine, I faked that.”

“You basta...!”

一一一一一一一一

“Mr. Ji Bai, Mr Ji Bai?? Gu-nyaa?~”

“...I’m here.” Ke’er’s anxious call snapped Ji Bai out from his memories.

What happened in the past was over. Perhaps that outcome had been set the moment they first encountered each other.

Ji Bai rose to his feet and stroked Ke’er’s hair.

“Thanks for consoling me,” Ji Bai leaned towards her ear, unintentionally catching a whiff of the body fragrance that only a young woman possessed.

As his warm breath brushed over her, Ke’er’s small brain momentarily ceased to function. When she finally came to, she found herself alone in the room.

一一一一一一一一

The wind atop the rooftop was as lively as ever. A young man laid on his back, his face turned toward the sky, seemingly savoring the breeze or merely lost in thought.

While Ji Bai believed that one’s calling was decreed by fate, he was not someone who could readily compromise or surrender.

Even when fate had played an incredibly tasteless prank on him, he had never given up.

With his initial determination intact, Ji Bai had believed he could quell the demons in his heart.

As for the reason why he had been resisting the urge to consume blood...

It was not just an action that contradicted the code of a knight; It was also his way of defiantly waving the banner against fate.

Turning into a vampire, feeding and sucking blood. They were all a logical sequence of events.

However, Ji Bai detested that. The feeling of being manipulated or played with filled him with disdain, while the idea of gradually turning into a monster terrified him even more.

He feared that one day, he might forget his humanity completely, turning into a mindless vampire devoid of emotion and purpose...

This prolonged torture was significantly more cruel and malicious than a quick, life-ending blow.

He had no desire to be a puppet of fate... Therefore, a trifling issue such as hunger was of little significance to him...

“You’re close to your breaking point. Are you sure you don’t want this?”

The sudden arrival of the voice caused Ji Bai to open his eyes.

It was unknown when the person had arrived before him. With a blood bag held between their teeth, they were leaning towards him while carrying a derisive smile on their face.

‘Old hag Anna...’

In the original text, the phrase used was ‘How could victory not be guaranteed when the Mutalisks are directly up against the opponent’s face.’ This phrase comes from a memorable moment in Chinese web history, coined by commentator Huang Xudong during a Starcraft 2 match between TooDming and Alice. At a pivotal point in the match, TooDming appeared to be on the verge of victory with his Mutalisks overwhelming Alice’s base. However, in a surprising twist, he lost soon after this comment, transforming the phrase into a harbinger of bad luck.