Five years.
That was how long Wang Lai had lived in this world. Five years of pretending to be a lazy minor official, doing tax reports and odd office jobs, while secretly protecting a small mortal town from the endless madness of cultivation.
One quiet afternoon, the sun slanted gold across a vast lake just outside River Town. Cicadas hummed lazily. The air smelled faintly of pine and water reeds.
Beneath a wide old tree, an old man and a white-haired man sat opposite each other, a weathered chessboard between them.
The old man squinted at the small pawn piece he had just picked up. "I don't really understand this game," he muttered, brows furrowed.
Wang Lai leaned back with a smile, arms folded behind his head. "Ah, well, it's just like go, except instead of surrounding your opponent, you directly attack them."
The old man grunted. "That's stupid."
"Haha, yeah. Everyone has their taste."
For a moment they sat in silence, the wind stirring the grass. Wang Lai studied the board lazily, then glanced up. "Old man, it's been three years now we've played this game, but I still don't know your name. Care to tell me?"
The old man smirked, as though remembering something amusing. "Hmm… I am called Old Ao. Ao Guan."
Wang Lai chuckled. "Of course. You live near the lake, Old Ao by the lake. Fitting."
The old man's eyes narrowed slightly, studying him. "Hmm. You seem to know me."
Wang Lai waved his hands quickly. "No, no, I'm just saying—"
Old Ao cut him off with a yawn. "It's late. You should head back. I'm hungry. Every time you come here, all the game animals run away for some reason."
"Haha, you're right. It's late. I'll take it slow walking back. There's an annoying mosquito in the forest I want to catch." Wang Lai stretched, a sly smile tugging at his lips.
Old Ao laughed. "Ah, that one. I tried to eat it once but it keeps avoiding me. Would you mind just breaking its wings and leaving it to me?"
Wang Lai winced. "That's… ah, no, I don't even want to imagine it. Now I can't get it out of my head."
Old Ao smirked. "Better get going, then."
"Yes, Old Ao. See you next time. Oh, and I'll tie up the mosquito for you." Wang Lai grinned and stood, dusting his robes before heading into the forest.
When he was gone, Old Ao placed a chess piece back on the board, his eyes narrowing at the fading figure. "…What a terrifying being."
---
The Forest Encounter
Wang Lai walked slowly through the woods, each step deliberate, like prey waiting to be caught. The shadows lengthened. The air grew cold.
From the darkness, a blood-sucking demonic cultivator emerged, blocking the path. His face was pale, his eyes gleamed with hunger. He sneered.
"You're unlucky, mortal. To meet me here. Hand over your life."
Wang Lai tilted his head, amused. "Hmm… Cliché. Needs work."
The cultivator frowned, confused. "What—"
"Paralyze."
The word was soft. The effect instant. The cultivator froze mid-step, body stiff as stone. His eyes widened with terror.
Wang Lai walked up casually, placed a hand on the man's chest, and with a twist of will, shattered his cultivation. A sickening crack rang out, followed by a scream that was trapped inside unmoving lips.
"Mercy," the cultivator begged in his mind, panic flooding him.
Wang Lai smiled coldly. "Mercy? Not wiping out your kind is mercy enough."
He dragged the cultivator to a tree, bound him upside down like a butchered animal, and let him hang. His aura broke apart, leaking away into nothing. Blood dripped onto the roots below.
"Ah. Hopefully Old Snake enjoys his meal." Wang Lai dusted his hands and walked on, leaving the man to his fate.
---
Back to Town
As he emerged from the woods, the roofs of River Town came into view, glowing faintly in the dusk. He thought of the mayor's worried face earlier that week, fretting about reports of a nearby town destroyed by a demonic cultivator.
"Well, that headache's solved," Wang Lai muttered. "Mayor can rest easy." He stretched his shoulders. "Now then… ah, I forgot to file Widow Li's tax report."
---
Cliffhanger
Just as he reached the town square, Wang Lai slowed.
Not far away, a boy of fifteen stood under a flickering lantern, muttering fiercely to himself. His fists were clenched, his eyes burning with hate.
"Just you wait, Chen Family. Three years… and I'll have my revenge."
Wang Lai's lips curved into a smile. He turned, and walked toward the boy.
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