At the quiet front desk of Wangshu Inn, an unexpected chaos suddenly arrived. Yanxiao ran in breathlessly, carrying a slender figure on his back. Immediately after was Mei, dragging her feet with heavy steps, her body covered in dirt and dried blood.
Seeing the utterly miserable state of Xiao, along with Mei's equally wretched appearance, who was smeared with blood and mud. Huai’an was the first to see them, his eyes showing a momentary surprise but quickly returning to a calm state, hurrying to help Xiao down from Yanxiao’s back, his voice somewhat rushed.
"Demon Subduing Great Saint, leave him to me."
Huai'an carefully carried Xiao on his back, then turned to Yanxiao.
"Yanxiao, you hurry down to the kitchen and cook some porridge for the two of them."
Yanxiao nodded hurriedly, then rushed straight into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Verr Goldet approached Mei. Her face wrinkled in worry upon seeing the wound bleeding on her hand, she lightly frowned, speaking softly as if whispering:
"The wound is too severe, we must stop the bleeding quickly."
Hearing that, Mei slumped down, letting out a sigh, but then hurriedly shook her head, somewhat urgently:
"My wound is not a concern, ma'am. Please go up and check on Xiao's condition."
Verr Goldet sighed and followed her wish, but did not forget to give Mei a pile of medicine bottles for wounds and for stopping bleeding, instructing her on how to use each type and how to bandage the wound. Afterward, she went to get a basin of warm water and a clean towel, quickly heading up to Xiao's room.
---
"The Third Watch – Xiao’s room"
Inside the room, the atmosphere was quiet. Huai’an was gently taking off Xiao’s shoes, while Verr Goldet was carefully wiping clean the wounds on his body. She dipped a towel into the basin of water, lightly wrung it, then carefully wiped away the layer of dried blood on Xiao’s arm.
After a moment of silence, Verr Goldet spoke up, her voice full of worry and doubt:
"This is the first time I’ve seen him unconscious like this... Just what did he have to fight against?”
Huai’an, upon hearing that question, could only sigh, lowering his eyes, his hand lightly clenching. He didn't know the answer, but still spoke up to comfort his wife:
"Don’t worry, Goldet. He is an adeptus after all. He will recover soon.”
Although he said so, he couldn’t stop worrying about this matter. Verr Goldet was right. In all of Huai’an’s life, this was the first time he had seen Xiao no longer look like an invincible adeptus.
Even though the Demon Subduing Great Saint rarely appeared before mortals, every time Huai’an met Xiao, he always saw him with a calm demeanor, his graceful and tidy clothes never stained with blood, casting a cold gaze far into the distance. But now, before his eyes was not just an adeptus, but a normal teenager struggling with pain.
Huai’an gently reached out his hand, as if wanting to touch Xiao's shoulder, but then pulled it back. He didn’t want to be disrespectful, but seeing him like this, a strange feeling of pity flared up in his heart. Unable to hold back, he forced himself to speak:
“Haizz, he looks no different from a normal teenager. But he has to bear the safety of this entire place on his shoulders… Truly…”
Reaching this point, Huai’an suddenly fell silent, wanting to say more but holding back. The space returned to silence as it was at the beginning. Seeing her husband become crestfallen, Verr Goldet gently placed her hand on his to comfort him.
"It is because we know this, that we are here to be a rear guard for him, is it not?”
His wife’s words were like a soothing balm. Huai’an forced a bitter smile, replying:
"Yes, you are very right."
He looked at Xiao, checking on his condition one more time. When he was sure that the wounds were only on the surface, he took a small bottle of medicine from the table. Turning to Verr Goldet, his voice was gentle:
"You have been working hard, leave the medicine application to me."
Verr Goldet smiled, a smile full of understanding.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
The two of them quietly did their work, each lost in their own thoughts. After they were done, they gently closed the door to the room, then silently left, to let Xiao rest in his own peaceful space.
---
Warm water enveloped her body, washing away the layers of mud and the coppery smell of blood. Mei sighed, leaning back against the bathtub, but the feeling of relief only lasted for a moment.
A sharp, throbbing pain from the deep cut on her right arm suddenly surged, burning like fire. It made her groan softly, her hands unconsciously gripping the edge of the tub, gritting her teeth to hold it back.
"Huhu, it hurts so much, Mom! Why didn't it hurt like this just now?"
She propped her arm on the tub, staring blankly at the ceiling, an idea suddenly popping into her head, half in jest, half serious.
"Ugh! Is this what it feels like for those Hilichurls to get skewered by Xiao in the game?"
The hot water continued to flow, warming her chilled body. She let out a long breath, and the throbbing sensation subsided a bit. Recalling the scene just then, Mei wondered to herself:
"I wonder how Xiao is doing now?"
She whispered, a feeling of worry rising in her heart. Then she shivered slightly.
"But... when I saw Xiao in that state, I felt so scared."
But then she ruffled her hair, scolding herself:
"Ugh, no way! How can I be scared of Xiao? He's a good person and he's handsome too."
After rambling through her internal monologues, it was time for Mei to return to her bedroom. As she opened the door, intending to go in and apply medicine, she saw Verr Goldet and Huai’an approaching from a distance. Without time to close the door, she rushed into the hallway, her eyes glued to them, her voice somewhat hurried.
"Innkeepers, how is Xiao? Has he woken up yet?"
Seeing her frantic state, Verr Goldet sighed gently, calmly replying:
"There's no need to worry, the Demon Subduing Great Saint will recover soon."
At this moment, Huai’an patted Mei's shoulder lightly as a form of comfort. He held a steaming bowl of porridge, urging her:
"If there's anything, come inside and eat first, or the porridge will get cold."
Mei replied, nodding repeatedly, then went straight into her room.
"Yes, sir!"
Inside the room, the atmosphere was quiet. Huai’an poured a cup of tea and took a sip, while Verr Goldet was applying medicine to Mei’s wounds.
Verr Goldet frowned, her voice lowering very softly:
"Just what did you two encounter?"
She then gently lifted Mei's right arm, continuing to speak:
"And what about this wound?"
Upon hearing that question, Mei's eyes only knew how to dart back and forth, her hand tightly gripping the corner of her dress. She lowered her head, avoiding the gaze of Huai’an and Verr Goldet.
"This... this is..."
Noticing Mei's hesitation, both of them quietly made their own assumptions. Huai’an spoke up at this point as if confirming his own thoughts.
"This wound, was it caused by the Demon Subduing Great Saint?"
Mei was momentarily startled to hear Huai’an's answer, which couldn't have been more accurate, but then she hurriedly waved her hand, shaking her head in denial.
"No... no, it wasn't!"
Verr Goldet looked directly at Mei, then spoke in a much more serious tone, just loud enough for the two of them to hear.
"If you don't want to tell the truth, then we won't force you."
Mei didn't know how to respond, she could only choose silence. She knew that even if she denied it, Verr Goldet and Huai’an already had their answer. After a moment of hesitation, Mei spoke in a small voice:
"Actually, it happened like this..."
She hugged the pillow next to her, gently resting her injured arm on it. Then she began to recount the incident, but when she got to the part where the strange light appeared, Mei paused for a few seconds, then smoothly skipped over it without mentioning it.
"After a while of struggling, Xiao regained control of his body, and then collapsed from exhaustion."
"It's a good thing Yanxiao happened to be passing by, or else I wouldn't be able to hug this soft pillow right now!"
Huai’an nodded, a flash of admiration and sincerity in his eyes. Verr Goldet didn't say anything, just looked at her for a moment, then spoke softly, her voice gentler than usual.
"You've had a tough day, Mei, get some rest early."
After they were done, both of them stood up. Before closing the door, Huai’an turned back to remind her:
"Remember to finish all the porridge before you go to sleep."
Verr Goldet seemed to have suddenly remembered something and added:
"Also, remember to change the bandage regularly. The wound is still bleeding."
Mei watched their retreating figures, feeling a warmth in her heart. A smile bloomed on her face, and she replied sincerely.
"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Innkeeper. Don't worry, I'm fine."
---
"The next morning – Xiao's room"
The first warm rays of morning sunlight filtered through the window, waking Xiao from his rare sleep. The chirping of birds from afar echoed, helping him become more aware.
Xiao gently lifted his hand to block the sunlight, but immediately, a strange sensation came over him. His arm was being held by another hand; small, delicate fingers gently touched his skin, moving with care.
A cold and soft feeling, completely unfamiliar compared to the rough touches of battle, made Xiao frown, his muscles tensing instinctively. He quietly turned his head to the side, slightly startled to see a girl sitting there. Before he could clearly see what the other person was doing, Xiao quickly pulled his hand back as if he had received an electric shock, speaking in a strained voice:
“What… what are you doing?”
Mei was startled, a sharp breath escaped her, but she immediately regained her composure, smiling reassuringly:
“You’re awake, I was just applying medicine for you.”
Xiao looked down at his arm; a thin layer of medicine had been applied to it, giving off a gentle fragrance of Silk Flowers and Qingxin. Although he knew very well that mortal medicine had no effect on a Yaksha, a strange sense of comfort suddenly arose within him, causing Xiao to lower his guard.
“There’s no need to waste your effort. Mortal medicine has no effect on me.”
Mei screwed the lid back on the medicine bottle, placed it neatly beside her, and then said:
“But even so, it's better than nothing, right?”
Xiao did not reply to Mei’s words. He only slightly lowered his head, his gaze as cold as ice. He questioned:
“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from me? Why are you still here?”
“Hmph! You’re being like that again.” Mei pouted.
Xiao glanced at Mei, intending to continue with his cold words. But his gaze suddenly stopped at her arm.
The pristine white bandage was stained with a deep red streak of blood. It felt as if something had hit Xiao straight on, a cold current rushed into his chest, leaving him bewildered for a moment. Then, a feeling of extreme helplessness took over him, and a silent anger began to surge.
He clenched his fist tightly, his nails digging deep into his skin. Xiao gritted out each word, his voice sounding as if it was being forced from his throat:
“Didn’t I warn you back then? Why did you stay?”
“If I couldn’t control myself back then, you would have…”
At this, Xiao stopped, not wanting to say the rest of the sentence. In that moment, he ground his teeth together, his eyes sinking, as if filled with a myriad of unvoiced thoughts, he questioned his own uselessness, having caused harm to an innocent mortal.
The entire space was filled with a terrifying silence. After a moment of quiet, Mei gathered all her courage to retort against his words:
“If I had chosen to leave, wouldn’t you have been consumed by karmic debt and gone mad?”
Xiao lowered his eyes, his voice becoming low:
“I chose to fight to protect this place, so this is the retribution I must accept.”
“The other Yakshas were the same. Once you step onto this path, there is no turning back forever.”
Mei’s hand silently clenched the corner of her dress, and she replied resolutely:
“Then that is all the more reason for me to do this.”
“Just think, if something were to happen to Xiao, who would protect this place?”
Xiao raised his voice and emphasized, retorting back at Mei:
“So do you know how dangerous the grievances of Archons are?”
“Even the Yakshas are worn down by karmic debt, what would happen to a mortal like you if you came into contact with it?”
Mei looked straight into Xiao’s eyes, her gaze firm, her voice resolute:
“Karmic debt is indeed terrifying, but there isn’t no way to solve it.”
Unable to hold back, she blurted out:
“Didn’t you, a long time ago, also get swallowed by karmic debt and then get saved by the Geo Archon?”
“Why do you always talk so pessimistically?”
At this moment, Mei could no longer control her own emotions. Her shoulders trembled slightly, her voice choked in her throat:
“Always… shouldering everything by yourself like that.”
“In this world… there will always be people who will willingly love… and help you.”
At this, Mei felt something wet gradually flowing from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto the dress she was wearing. She felt as if her heart was tightening, she was breathless to the extreme, her lips were tightly pressed together, as if she was trying to hold back an invisible pain. Xiao had sacrificed too much, but he himself didn't ask for anything.
Mei felt it was unfair to Xiao, she knew why he threw himself into endless battles. But deep down, Mei understood that Xiao himself didn’t ask for repayment, so what right did she have to speak for him.
She recalled a past saying of Xiao’s “If you don’t want to get into trouble, then treat me as a tool.” That's right, he never valued himself like that; he always put the safety of others before his own, and then silently endured the wails and desperate screams of the vengeful spirits by himself.
Mei wasn't just crying for herself, but she was also crying for Xiao. Crying for the burdens he had to bear for thousands of years, crying for his life full of suffering, for the losses he had to face, and crying for his kindness.
Xiao, who was accustomed to the painful screams of demons and the desperate wails of resentful spirits that always echoed in his ears, suddenly paused. He had never seen a mortal cry because of his burden.
His amber eyes stared at her, his usual cold gaze now mixed with a hint of bewilderment. Xiao felt a discomfort, a strange sensation he had never experienced before appeared, he didn’t know what to do with these tears.
Finally, Xiao turned his face away, avoiding her gaze. His voice was so low it was only enough for the two of them to hear, like a whisper of the night wind:
“What you just said, I will consider it.”
Xiao paused for a moment, then looked at Mei with difficulty, and said:
“Thank you… for saving my life.”
The words were uttered with reluctance, full of awkwardness, but they carried a sincerity that even he hadn't expected. Mei was stunned when she heard those words; her face suddenly flushed, her chest felt a strange warmth, and even though tears were still falling, she broke into a radiant smile:
“It’s nothing, I’m just happy I could help you.”
“I understand!” Xiao replied.
The space was filled with a familiar silence. Mei wiped away her tears, her emotions stabilized again. She remained sitting there, quietly watching Xiao who was leaning against the nearby wall, deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, he looked at her, bluntly speaking the suspicion in his heart.
“But I am very curious, how do you know that the Geo Archon once saved my life?”
Mei froze, not expecting Xiao to ask her this question. After a few seconds, she spoke in a small voice, as if whispering to herself:
“I… I once read a book, so I knew about it.”
Upon hearing Mei's answer, which couldn't have been more flimsy, those amber eyes stared at her, and he coldly refuted:
“I can confirm that no mortal witnessed this event to record it in any book.”
“How exactly did you know about this?”
Mei's heart pounded, her lips trembled, her hands shaking. A forced smile bloomed on her face:
“Ah… haha…”
“I suddenly remembered I have something urgent to do, see you later!”
Before he could react, she immediately "took to her heels" and fled the room. Xiao stared at the door that had just closed, full of suspicion. He then looked at the arm Mei had just put medicine on, asking himself:
“Why would a mortal be brave enough to stay and save me? I truly don’t understand.”
Although he said that out loud, deep down, Xiao knew that in the moment that girl shed tears, everything she said to him was sincere.