A Smile from the Villain - Chapter 89

Chapter 89: Outside the Little Black Room, Zhuang Zhou and the Butterfly (2)

The bed was very large, and it was covered with soft white satin. Small golden bells hung suspended from ribbons at the bed’s edges, forming what looked from a distance like a golden prison cage. 

In fact, the bed was a golden cage. Every time Qin Kaiyi tried to leave the bed, those golden bells would become an unbreakable barrier, obstructing his movements. 

Qin Kaiyi, completely incapable of understanding why he met with such misfortune, curled up at the head of the bed. The shackles had again been locked on his wrists, and paired with the loose long clothes he wore, they made him look incredibly frail. 

After Shen Feixiao forced himself on him again he left. When Qin Kaiyi woke up again, he only saw an empty bed and a vast and quiet great hall (T/N: main hall of a Buddhist temple). 

That’s right, a great hall. When Qin Kaiyi began to clearly take in what he was seeing he nearly jumped with fright. The bed was placed in an ornately carved great hall. 

The hall’s floor was made of spotlessly white jade, and its roof beams, pillars, doors, and windows were all carved with elegant engravings. Some engravings were of birds and beasts, and some were of mountains and rocks and trees, but without exception all held a kind of cold intent that soaked into one’s bones. Qin Kaiyi, who was trapped within this hall, could only huddle on the bed and tremble. 

This body seemed to have already been transformed. Originally the traces left on his skin would easily disappear, but now, almost like brands, they stayed on him for days without any signs of dissipating. What was more frightening was that this body would feel not a hint of hunger without food. 

To not feel hunger could be a boon for ordinary people who wanted to save food, but to the imprisoned Qin Kaiyi… not needing to eat meant that from beginning to end, he could only stay alone. 

One day was fine, two days was all right, but when time stretched on Qin Kaiyi couldn’t stand it. He became abnormally fretful, to the point that deep in his heart he somewhat desperately hoped that he could see Shen Feixiao. 

Shen Feixiao did not know that in this world there was such a thing as Stockholm Syndrome. However, he did know that the best way to have his shixiong resist him less was to have his shixiong stay alone. 

Loneliness was a terrifying reality, frightening enough to thoroughly wreck a person. 

So a month later, the moment Qin Kaiyi saw Shen Feixiao, his first reaction was actually joy. He both crawled and near-rolled as he scrambled to the side of the bed, his voice anxious and sharp, “Shen Feixiao… Shen Feixiao… let me out, let me out!!!” 

“Shixiong.” Shen Feixiao didn’t look different from how he did a month ago, still wearing simple black clothes. He looked at Qin Kaiyi’s desperately anxious appearance and a smile slipped onto his face. “Did something happen?” 

“… Shen Feixiao…” Qin Kaiyi just wanted to cry. He wanted to reach out a hand and grab the corners of Shen Feixiao’s clothes, but those golden bells blocked him. 

“Shixiong.” Shen Feixiao looked at Qin Kaiyi’s impatient movements and actually found him quite amusing. Those golden bells seemed to not exist for Shen Feixiao–he reached out a hand and directly dragged Qin Kaiyi into his embrace. 

“Are you uncomfortable anywhere?” He absent-mindedly pet Qin Kaiyi’s already knee-length hair and kissed his forehead. 

“Shen Feixiao!!!” Qin Kaiyi grabbed Shen Feixiao’s collar in one hand, his voice almost hoarse with shouting, “Let me go!! I’m begging you, all right?? Don’t lock me here… Shen Feixiao!!” 

Then Shen Feixiao did not speak, but his silence spoke volumes. 

“… I clearly already went back, why is it like this…” Qin Kaiyi murmured weakly, “You… didn’t you also die?” 

“En, it’s that system, right?” Shen Feixiao heard these words and actually smiled, “… that thing is really interesting.” 

“What do you mean?” Qin Kaiyi froze. 

“My meaning is.” Shen Feixiao used his hand to caress Qin Kaiyi’s lips, his expression simultaneously condescending, cold, and indifferent, “it would transact with shixiong, so would it not… also transact with me?” 

“…” Qin Kaiyi’s mouth opened wide as if he’d gone stupid. 

“I originally should have died, but shixiong changed the plot… and it could not handle the twisting of the plot…” Shen Feixiao’s gaze was gentle. “So, it brought me back to life and showed me a novel called ‘The Immortal Cultivation Record.’”

“…” Qin Kaiyi lips trembled a bit. 

“It said that if I could set the world’s plot back on track, it would bring you back.” Shen Feixiao’s words were simple, but from within them some bloodthirsty intent stiffly forced its way in, and this thoroughly matured man laughed gracefully, “it would let you come back, not that baffling Qin Shi.” 

“You… you…” Qin Kaiyi didn’t dare to believe what was happening. 

“It seems shixiong really came back,” Shen Feixiao said with great joy, “At first I thought it was Qin Shi tricking me again… fortunately… it really is you, shixiong.” 

“… Why would you come back…” Qin Kaiyi smiled as if he was crying, “It’s actually you…” 

“En, it’s me.” Pinching Qin Kaiyi’s chin with one hand, Shen Feixiao seriously continued, “Since shixiong is back, then stay with me well.” 

“… Why is it like this… what on earth do I owe you Shen Feixiao…” Slumping in Shen Feixiao’s arms as if he’d mentally collapsed, Qin Kaiyi cried like a trapped animal, “Why did you do this…” 

“Ah,” Shen Feixiao’s eyebrows rose, “Who knows?” 

“I want to go back!! What right do you have to treat me like this!!!” Qin Kaiyi’s hope that this could be a dream had been completely severed. Not knowing where such strength came from, Qin Kaiyi fiercely punched Shen Feixiao in the face, and then went astride his body, his voice both enraged and anxious, “Let me go back!!!” 

Suddenly hit by Qin Kaiyi, Shen Feixiao did not become angry. He pensively looked at Qin Kaiyi, whose clothes were disheveled, and helplessly laughed, “Shixiong… wants to go back?” 

Thinking that his request would be accepted by Shen Feixiao, Qin Kaiyi madly nodded his head. 

“That, is, not, possible.” Speaking one word at a time, Shen Feixiao’s voice only just faded when he suddenly exerted strength and pressed Qin Kaiyi back on the bed. Then one of his hands squeezed Qin Kaiyi’s feet, ruthlessly applying force and shattering Qin Kaiyi’s ankles, “Don’t think of going anywhere!!” 

“Ah!!!” The anguish of having his bones suddenly shattered made Qin Kaiyi shout until he lost his voice. His entire body softened as it fell upon the bed; his back covered in cold sweat as his whole body shook uncontrollably. 

“Does it hurt?” Shen Feixiao didn’t let go of Qin Kaiyi throughout this. He looked at Qin Kaiyi’s bloodless face and smiled guilelessly, “If shixiong leaves, for me it would be like breaking every bone in my body.” 

“…” Qin Kaiyi looked at Shen Feixiao blankly, lacking the strength to speak. 

But Shen Feixiao did not let Qin Kaiyi go. He let go of Qin Kaiyi’s ankles and then held him in his arms, expressionlessly standing up from the bed. 

“Maybe shixiong will think that I’m very fierce with him… but as long as you look at your friend, you will still think that I’m quite gentle.” Lifting Qin Kaiyi in a horizontal carry, Shen Feixiao spoke a few softly voiced phrases and then began to walk towards the door.

Qin Kaiyi didn’t know where Shen Feixiao would take him, but he had a hunch that what came next would be a scene he definitely did not want to see. 

Shen Feixiao did not care about Qin Kaiyi’s reaction at all. After he left the room, he hugged Qin Kaiyi and made a cloud hand seal, flying in the air in some unknown direction. 

They flew over beautiful mountain forests and clearly flowing mountain springs. From a distance, the landscape was so gorgeous that nothing more lovely could be imagined. However, Qin Kaiyi was not in the mood to appreciate the view. His ankles had already swollen into buns, and the cabin situated next to the mountain spring… gave him a frightful feeling. 

It was as if… there was something terrifying shut inside. 

“Why are you here?” A certain voice suddenly sounded from behind Shen Feixiao. 

An expressionless man in luxurious clothing appeared before Qin Kaiyi. The man had an extremely pretty and tender face. If he were still a youth, he might seem girly. Now, there was none of that particular kind of charm to be found. 

“Oh, and you also brought him.” The man’s attitude towards Qin Kaiyi was very unfriendly. 

Qin Kaiyi thought the man’s face was a bit familiar. He vaguely felt that he’d seen this man somewhere before, but he couldn’t recall at the moment. 

“En,” Shen Feixiao didn’t have any reaction to the man’s unfriendly attitude. He looked at the man and said, “What about him?” 

“Still making trouble for me.” The man’s face opened up in a smile. “But however much trouble he makes… he can’t get out. Yours seems much more obedient.” 

“Ziyang Shi,” Shen Feixiao called out a name in warning. 

Hearing this name, Qin Kaiyi felt that his worldview suffered another reconstruction. In this short day, he’d heard countless pieces of news that shocked him, and now it seemed… there was something even more frightening waiting for him ahead. 

“Come in and see.” Although he seemed to be asking for Qin Kaiyi’s opinion, Shen Feixiao spoke in a way that seemed to brook no argument. He carried Qin Kaiyi and walked towards that small wood cabin, letting Ziyang Shi open the door. 

“Don’t scare him,” Ziyang Shi smilingly showed his “concern” for Qin Kaiyi, “Are you sure you’ll let your little baby see such bloody things?” 

“Why not?” Shen Feixiao remained unmoved. “If he doesn’t see it, he’ll never know how good he has it.” 

“Good, then,” Ziyang Shi shrugged, and then snapped his fingers. 

The door to the small wooden cabin opened. 

Qin Kaiyi’s breathing stopped when he saw what was inside in the room. Why… would he see Yan Gu? That fickle fire spirit who’d always helped him was shackled to a bed in a twisted position. Bright red blood flowed along his skin, accumulating in a small puddle on the floor. 

“Don’t worry,” Ziyang Shi said cooly, “he can’t die.”