CALID Chapter 75

Night View

Duan Jingyuan was momentarily startled. She whispered, “Let me ask you again, are you Miss He? The one who stayed at our Duan Residence a few days ago, the one who went to watch polo with me, the one my brother likes?”

He Simu nodded.

Duan Jingyuan swallowed and continued, “Are you… a demon disguised as a human, or… the leader of the demons, is that correct?”

He Simu nodded once more.

Duan Jingyuan tightened her grip on the scroll’s handle and said, “You saved me today, and I’m deeply grateful for that, but Miss He… can you spare my brother? My brother is a good person, he has never done anything wrong or harmed anyone. If you seek someone’s life, seek someone else’s!”

He Simu couldn’t help but chuckle at her words. She turned her head and replied, “I’m not seeking your brother’s life. The relationship between him and me, I should say, is that of… lovers. Truly lovers.”

Duan Jingyuan stood there dumbfounded, as if she had just witnessed a romance drama between a human and a ghost unfold before her eyes.

“As for sparing him, you should talk to your brother. As long as he’s willing, I have no objections. But my being a demon is something your brother has known for a long time.”

Duan Jingyuan thought to herself, this is truly like a script coming to life.

Since they were a bit far from the Duan Residence, He Simu sat on the Ghost King’s lamp with Duan Jingyuan and flew over the city of Nandu, heading towards the Duan Residence. As night fell and the city lights lit up, Duan Jingyuan cautiously clung to the lamp, gazing at the familiar streets and bustling crowds with a mixture of fear and amazement. Countless people were moving about, rows of lanterns illuminating the streets like the Milky Way.

She murmured in admiration, but suddenly, with a slight jolt, she instinctively grabbed He Simu’s wrist in panic, only to quickly let go in embarrassment.

He Simu glanced at her, then turned away, reassuring, “I won’t let you fall.”

Duan Jingyuan hesitated for a moment before remarking, “Your hand is so cold.”

“I’m dead, naturally,” came He Simu’s reply.

Duan Jingyuan watched He Simu’s profile in the wind, then glanced at the distant ground below, cautiously reaching out to grab He Simu’s sleeve.

He Simu glanced at the hand holding onto her sleeve out of the corner of her eye, smiled gently, and remained silent.

“Miss He, why did you save me?”

“Even though I’m dead, I still have a conscience. After all, you spent many days showing me around Nandu, teaching me about colours, deliberately defending me in front of Wu Wanqing, and besides, you’re Duan Xu’s sister.”

Duan Jingyuan was somewhat confused. Everything that had happened today left her puzzled, and she asked, “Are all demons as gentle as you?”

This time He Simu turned around. The bloodstains on her face had not been wiped away, and her gaze was serious. That terrifying aura, which involuntarily brought thoughts of death, surged again, causing Duan Jingyuan to shiver.

“Wolves, even if they save sheep a hundred times, are still wolves, and sheep are still sheep. This is an eternal truth. People shouldn’t have too high expectations of demons. Whether demons are good or evil, when the living encounter them, they should run away.”

Duan Jingyuan suddenly didn’t know if she should retract the hand holding onto He Simu’s sleeve.

“…Anyway, you’re a ghost and my brother is a human. Humans and ghosts have different paths. I won’t let my brother continue to be with you!”

He Simu smiled indifferently, neither confirming nor denying, simply controlling the Ghost King’s lamp to land directly in the courtyard of the Duan family. Duan Jingyuan’s feet finally touched the ground. He Simu removed the illusion from her body. Duan Jingyuan glanced back at her, said thank you, and immediately turned around, lifted her skirt, and ran off.

He Simu leisurely watched her run into Duan Xu’s courtyard. She walked over slowly and heard Duan Jingyuan’s faint crying. She must have been recounting today’s ordeal to Duan Xu.

“Your Majesty.”

He Simu turned to see Yan Zhang appearing by her side, bowing deeply.

“The matter instructed by Your Majesty has been taken care of.”

“So quickly?”

“That living person couldn’t handle it, couldn’t withstand the pressure.”

“Then throw him back to his family, clean up his memory.”

“Yes.” Yan Zhang straightened up, glanced at Duan Xu’s courtyard, and said, “Your Majesty, you always defend the living like this, but they don’t appreciate you.”

“What do I need their appreciation for? Do I need them to build temples and worship me?” He Simu looked at Yan Zhang and said, “Is your person reaching the age?”

Yan Zhang nodded.

He Simu didn’t inquire further, just waved her hand, and Yan Zhang withdrew.

Yan Zhang is the lord of the Fiend Temple, where all the inhabitants are female, and the majority of them are women who lived ordinary lives but were scorned and played with by men. After death, they take pleasure in tormenting men.

Yan Zhang had a beloved man in her mortal life who betrayed her, leading to her disfigurement and tragic death. After becoming a demon, she would seduce him every time he reincarnated after he reached the age of eighteen, ultimately causing his family to be destroyed and him to meet a miserable end.

How many lifetimes has it been? Thirty?

In many lifetimes, that man still seemed to be a decent person. After so many cycles of reincarnation, he was no longer the same person who had wronged Yan Zhang initially, making this revenge lose its significance long ago.

Does Yan Zhang know? Perhaps she prefers not to.

He Simu sighed deeply, then lightly leaped onto the wall of Duan Xu’s courtyard, just in time to see Duan Jingyuan holding Duan Xu’s hand and asking him, “Brother, do you know that Miss He is a demon?”

Duan Xu’s gaze lifted beyond Duan Jingyuan and fell on He Simu sitting on the wall, who smiled faintly. He withdrew his gaze and gently patted Duan Jingyuan’s hand, soothingly saying, “I know.”

“But… do you still… do you still like her? Are you still with her? Demons prey on humans!”

“In this world, sometimes humans preying on humans can be much more terrifying than demons preying on humans.”

“Brother! Are you even listening to me? Miss He, Miss He Xiaoxiao, is a demon. How can she be your lover? Humans and ghosts have different paths. Humans belong to the yang, ghosts to the yin. Being with her will surely harm you. Think about your future. You still have a long way to go. You’ll definitely get married and have children. Think about yourself, and think about our parents… Brother, you know that in stories, romances between humans and ghosts never end well! Please don’t go looking for her again, okay? Please break up with her!”

Duan Jingyuan earnestly advised, almost pleading, as if she was determined to rescue her third brother from a sea of suffering and lead him back onto the right path.

Duan Xu fell silent for a moment. His eyes were always clear and transparent, with a hint of a smile, as if he harboured no secrets. At this moment, his eyes were calm, like a shallow and clear pond.

He decisively said, “Okay.”

The third brother agreed.

Duan Jingyuan thought, her third brother actually agreed so easily. The stone in her heart seemed to have dropped, but it remained suspended halfway.

“Third brother, are you telling the truth? Will you really never see her again? Are you not lying to me this time?”

In the darkness of the night, Duan Jingyuan’s third brother stood with his back to the lights, and suddenly she felt his expression blur, seeming distant and unreachable.

Duan Xu looked at her calmly, then smiled gently, saying, “Jingyuan, you already know in your heart. Why ask me again?”

Duan Jingyuan released his hand and took two steps back. She looked Duan Xu up and down, as if she didn’t recognize him anymore. Why could he smile so deceivingly, lying so effortlessly?

“…Third brother, why are you like this? How many things are you hiding from me? We’re family, we shouldn’t have any secrets between us.” She sounded desperate.

Duan Xu thought that perhaps having someone in the family who believed there were no secrets between them was one of the few remaining traces of warmth. So he pulled the bewildered Duan Jingyuan into his arms, gently patting her shoulder, and said, “I’m sorry.”

With that apology, he silenced all of Duan Jingyuan’s questions.

Chenying, who had witnessed the entire process, approached them and tentatively said, “Miss He Xiaoxiao also saved you at the polo field. She’s not a bad person.”

Duan Jingyuan pushed Duan Xu away, glaring at Chenying. “Do you think I don’t know? I know she’s good… she’s been good to me too, but no matter how good she is… she’s a demon! Brother, why do you have to fall in love with a demon? You’ll either hide it forever or be discovered and condemned. You… you…”

As she spoke, her eyes became red, and she didn’t know what else to say. She could only turn and rush out of the courtyard, slamming the door loudly.

Duan Xu and Chenying exchanged a glance. Chenying worriedly said, “Will Jingyuan tell someone else?”

Duan Xu smiled and replied, “No, she won’t. She’s afraid of dad hitting me. But she might stay mad at me for a long time. I have to go consult someone on how to make her happy again.”

With that, he looked up, and He Simu, who had witnessed the whole process, jumped down from the courtyard wall and walked up to him, extending her hand. “Let’s go, I’ll take you somewhere.”

Duan Xu didn’t ask where they were going, just held her hand and said, “Okay.”

Chenying hesitantly asked, “Can I come with you?”

Before he could finish speaking, He Simu and Duan Xu had disappeared in front of him. He scratched his head, looked around, and continued practicing martial arts with a pout.

Duan Jingyuan had previously thought that He Simu had left Nandu, and Duan Xu didn’t seem sad at all. That was because He Simu had only reverted to her demon form; she hadn’t really left and still often came to see Duan Xu.

He Simu and Duan Xu sat on the Ghost King’s lamp, suspended in the sky above Nandu. She explained that while walking on the street, she suddenly sensed Jingyuan’s presence and realized she was in a place Jingyuan never went to, so she became curious and went to investigate. She happened to see her maid, Biqing, lying in a pool of blood, and it seemed like Wang Qi intended to harm Jingyuan.

“But I’ve taken care of Wang Qi,” she said.

Duan Xu nodded, wiping the blood from He Simu’s face with his hand, and said, “Thank you for today.”

“It was nothing.”

“But why did you bring me here?”

“When I flew Jingyuan over just now, she marvelled at the night view of Nandu. I thought you probably wouldn’t have the chance to see the scenery here, so I wanted you to take a look.”

The wind was cold, and white threads curved and intertwined between the streets and alleys. People were like ants, buildings like lacquer boxes, and lights like the Milky Way, making even the most magnificent and grand palaces seem small, reminding Duan Xu of the sand castles he used to build when he was young.

“Do you like it?” He Simu asked.

“Of course, I love it.”

Duan Xu thought she always seemed to want to give him something, a bit awkward and clumsy, but incredibly adorable.

He Simu cleared her throat and said, “It’s just right to bid you farewell. I have to return to the Ghost Realm. I’ve been outside for too long, and there are things I need to handle.”

Duan Xu sighed deeply. “I was just exposed by my little sister, and now she’s left me to deal with this mess by myself. I have a feeling I’ll be alone in this empty house for a long time in the future.”

He Simu glanced at Duan Xu and said, “What can I say to her?”

“That’s true. When you’re not pretending to be a living person, just speaking without scaring people is already good enough.”

“Then why didn’t I scare you away?”

“Why not leave? I’ll be leaving in a few days too, to raise troops.”

He Simu remembered seeing stacks of drawings on Duan Xu’s desk these past few days and asked if those were the formations he intended to use for his army.

Duan Xu nodded, “Yes. Even though our armour is sturdy and our horses strong, the cavalry from the Huqi tribe, who grew up on horseback, still surpasses us. There’s an inevitable gap in our cavalry strength. In such circumstances, infantry is crucial. I’m familiar with the cavalry of Danzhi, so I need to find a way to counter them with infantry. Previously, we took advantage of the internal turmoil in Danzhi to seize control of the three states, but now that the turmoil is subsiding, it won’t be so easy in the future. We need to be prepared.”

He Simu smiled, “So, are you planning to apply your ideas to the soldiers you’re recruiting? Have you decided where to recruit them from?”

“Oh? Any recommendations from the Ghost King?”

“Shenzhou Province. There are the most evil spirits from Shenzhou Province. Fierce in life, they continue to be fierce in death. With a dense population and limited land, there are often disputes and conflicts between families or villages, resulting in frequent fights and bloodshed. They never stop until one side is completely wiped out.”

“Sounds promising.”

“Duan Fox, life is short. How long are you planning to wage war?”

Duan Xu thought for a moment and said, “As the saying goes: five victories lead to disaster, four victories lead to decline, three victories lead to dominance, two victories lead to kingship, and one victory leads to empire. Fighting for too long and too frequently will strain the treasury and the people. Danzhi is too vast. I think it’s appropriate to reclaim all lost territory in three northern expeditions.”

Three times, that’s quite audacious, but it’s in line with Duan Xu’s usual style. He Simu leaned on his shoulder, teasingly close to him, and said, “My little general, your plan is truly ambitious.”

Duan Xu laughed, a gleam of pride in his eyes, as he tilted his head against hers, “Is that so? Then perhaps for the next hundred years after I die, you won’t fall in love with anyone else because you won’t find another madman as independent as me.”

He Simu blinked, “Will I really find someone after a hundred years?”

“You still won’t find anyone, but you’ll gradually forget me, forget all the passionate moments we shared, until I become an indistinct silhouette. You’ll point at my grave and say, ‘I once loved this person very much, but now, I don’t even remember his name.’”

Duan Xu said it matter-of-factly, as if joking, “Can you remember me a little longer? Remember me for another hundred years.”

He Simu looked at him, remembering the image of him in his crimson wedding attire amid the red confetti, and the sight of him riding freely under the golden summer sun. She smiled silently, embracing the back of his neck and kissing him.

“Duan Shunxi, I’ve noticed you’ve been getting better at acting pitiful lately,” she said.

Duan Xu sighed, “Oh dear, you found out.”

The night wind over Nandu was fierce. Under the moonlight, dense white threads intertwined around them, entwining their hair together, stitching their bodies together, as if the sky and earth were cocoons, and they were the larvae within.

Three days later, He Simu left Nandu, and ten days later, Duan Xu was also ordered to leave Nandu to suppress bandits.

In the Nine Palaces Maze Prison of the Yuzhou City, within the boundless darkness akin to an endless ocean, a dimly lit area suddenly appeared, illuminated by the Heart Candle held by someone.

Sitting on the ground there was a figure with hair, eyelashes, and clothes all pure white. His body was covered in many wounds, looking battered and weak, his head bowed in silence.

The newcomer squatted down, using the light from the Heart Candle to illuminate his face, calling his name, “Bai Sanxing, it’s time to wake up.”

The snow-white evil spirit lifted his pitch-black eyes. The originally dull and lifeless eyes gradually began to shine. He seemed to awaken from a long dream, staring at the newcomer in disbelief for a long time before finally speaking in a hoarse voice, “How… is it you?”

Author’s note: It’s time to change the setting. I feel like I need to split the next chapter?