Chapter 45.2
The both of them continued to make their comments in a hushed voice and were led by Duan Hongzhen to a room that looked like a living hall. It was very large and also covered with soft carpeting and luxurious decorations.
There were several people sitting on the sofa in the middle of the living room. They were Yu Fuling and Sai Lulu, whom Xiao Tangqiu and Tang Mianmian knew from the previous instance, while the remaining one was the person they had just seen on Duan Hongzhenâs screen.
While Xiao Tangqiu was still secretly guessing who that person was, the latter spoke first, âDuan Hongzhen, you finally brought him back. I thought you died.â
G.o.d knows when Duan Hongzhen took out his knife again. He smiled and said, âThere arenât many people who can kill me in the city of the abyss.â
The man gave Duan Hongzhen a look, stopped talking and turned to Xiao Tangqiu and Tang Mianmian, âWhich one of you is Xiao Tangqiu?â
Xiao Tangqiu pursed his lips, âI am.â
Compared to Duan Hongzhen, this man was an alluring young man with beautiful eyes, elegant eyebrows, red lips and white teeth.
He was very young and didnât even look 20 yet. He looked to be around 17 at most.
âI am Xue Junli.â The young man didnât beat around the bush and went straight to the point, âAre you the one that caused Shen Yuan to fall into a coma?â
Xiao Tangqiu paused and gave a wry smile, âThat should be me.â
Xue Junli looked at Xiao Tangqiu, his gaze somewhat complicated, but it was fleeting. Then, he snorted coldly, âHe still hasnât woken up until now. Do you know why?â
Xiao Tangqiu shook his head, âI donât know.â
âGo through everything that happened carefully and donât leave out any details,â Xue Junli said to Xiao Tangqiu in a commanding tone.
Xiao Tangqiu paused and began to narrate what happened at the time.
ââ¦And then I fell unconscious. I donât know what happened after.â
Xue Junliâs expression was complex. âYou said Shen Yuan finally put his hand through your chest?â
Xiao Tangqiu couldnât help but feel a stabbing pain in his heart. His body seemed to recall the feeling at the time. He reached out and touched his chest subconsciously. âYes, it hurtâ¦â
Xue Junli paused for a moment before laughing coldly, âThen he must have hurt much more than you did!â
Tang Mianmian couldnât help but retort, âQiuqiu was also in a lot of pain at the time ah! His heart was ripped out while he was still alive!â
Xue Junli gave Tang Mianmian a chilly glare and he immediately shrank behind Xiao Tangqiu.
Xue Junli ignored Tang Mianmian. He coldly looked at Xiao Tangqiu and said, âThe pain that Shen Yuan suffered was 100 times more than what you felt. You were parasitized by Lippin.o.bert at the time. If your heart were eroded by the demon, you wouldâve completely turned into a demon⦠He used his own body to absorb the fragment of âdemonâs heartâ that invaded your heart. No matter how much pain you felt, his pain was 100 times or 1,000 times more than yours.â
âThe demonâs heart? Fragment?â Xiao Tangqiu mumbled these words in a daze, not knowing how to respond.
âThe Abyss Demon divided his heart into several fragments. Each fragment is a special prop â the demonâs heart. Those who take the demonâs heart will be reduced to lower demons without a mind if they canât bear the overwhelming power of the demonâs heart. If they can bear it, they will get the power contained in the demonâs heart, but at the same time, they will gradually lose their minds while they grow stronger and eventually become demons.â
Xue Junliâs tone was calm without waves, âYou should be glad that you havenât become a lower demon who has lost his mind. Instead, Shen Yuan is one step closer to the demonâ¦â
One step closer to the demonâ¦
Listening to Xue Junli, Xiao Tangqiu didnât have any reaction for some time. Although he had vaguely guessed that Shen Yuanâs situation wasnât very good, he didnât expect it to be this bad.
According to Xue Junli, the demonâs heart could turn people into low-level demons without intelligence. If Shen Yuan hadnât made his move at the time, he wouldâve become a low-level demon by now⦠But why did Shen Yuan save him at the time?
The atmosphere in the living hall was extremely solemn. Even Tang Mianmian, who was a little confused with the situation, didnât dare to make a sound. Xiao Tangqiu was silent for a moment before he struggled to ask, âWhat will happen now that Shen Yuan absorbed the demonâs heart in my body? How is he now?â
Xue Junli said flatly, âI donât know. Weâve tried everything but thereâs no way to wake him up. Thatâs why we brought you here as our last hope⦠Almost no one can bear the great power of the demonâs heart, even if itâs only one fragment. At least, Shen Yuan is the only one we know so far who has absorbed the demonâs heart.â
âAs for those who absorb two fragments of the demonâs heart at the same time⦠weâve never heard of such a person before. Itâs unprecedented so we donât have any prior cases to refer to.â
Xiao Tangqiu hesitated for a moment and finally summoned up the courage to say, âCan I see him?â
Xue Junli asked coldly, âYou have a way to wake him up?â
âI donât, I just want toâ¦â Xiao Tangqiu bit his lips. Although he knew how pathetic he sounded saying this, he still grit his teeth and continued, âI just want to personally see⦠how he is nowâ¦â
âWhy should we let you?â Yu Fuling sneered coldly, âWill older brother Shen wake up?â
Sai Lulu scoffed at them, âExactly! Older brother Shen was forced to absorb the second demon heart fragment and fell into a coma because of you⦠â
Xue Junli interrupted Sai Lulu, âI donât think Shen Yuan did it for him.â
Sai Lulu suddenly froze. Xue Junli took a look at Xiao Tangqiu, his tone calm as he said, âI believe that no matter who was parasitized at that time, whether it was you or Yu Fuling or even Duan Hongzhen, Shen Yuan would do the same thing. Thatâs who he is.â
Duan Hongzhen arched an eyebrow, âWhat do you mean even me?â
Xue Junli ignored Duan Hongzhenâs taunt and told Xiao Tangqiu, âYou and your friend can go back. Forget what happened before and watch your mouth, otherwise you wonât want to know what the consequences are.â
Xiao Tangqiu stared at Xue Junliâs cold expression. He stuck his neck out and demanded, âCan you let me see him once? Even one glance is enough. I just want to see how he is now⦠â
Xue Junli refuted firmly, âNo need. Duan Hongzhen, see our guests out.â
âHey, you stinky brat,â Duan Hongzhen looked at Xue Junli with an arched eyebrow. The relations.h.i.+p between the two was obviously not very harmonious. âDonât think that just because the captain is in a coma, you can order me around.â
âWhat are you doing quarrelling at this time?â Yu Fuling frowned slightly. âDuan Hongzhen, you send them out first. We have to discuss what to do next.â
Duan Hongzhen shrugged, âMmm, Iâll listen to you, Iâll listen to you.â
Xiao Tangqiu wanted to continue pleading with them but Xue Junli and Yu Fuling had already turned around and a.s.sumed a cold expression that indicated their refusal to continue talking. He sighed and could only reluctantly follow Duan Hongzhen to leave.
After leaving the living hall, Xiao Tangqiu couldnât help but ask Duan Hongzhen, âYou really canât let me see Shen Yuan?â
Duan Hongzhen shrugged, âIf you have a way to wake up the captain, I can take you to see him.â
Xiao Tangqiu was still a little unwilling to let go, âIs it really impossible?â
The three of them walked along the long corridor back to the elevator and were about to enter. The last bit of hope in Xiao Tangqiuâs heart wilted.
But just then, Xiao Tangqiu suddenly heard a soft
meow
.
â
Meow~
â
Xiao Tangqiu suddenly froze. It wasnât strange to hear meowing, but it was strange to hear it here.
Xiao Tangqiuâs gaze followed the source of the meowing and at the corner of the corridor ahead, appeared a small black cat with smooth, s.h.i.+ny fur and beautiful emerald green eyes, just like a pair of mysterious gems.
âA cat? Where did it come from?â Tang Mianmian also noticed the black cat.
âIt actually ran out. That never happens,â Duan Hongzhen raised his eyebrows, sounding a little strange. âIt has never come out to meet outsiders before.â
As soon as Duan Hongzhenâs words fell, the black cat walked towards Xiao Tangqiu in a refined manner, using its emerald green eyes to examine him.
Xiao Tangqiu was rather puzzled. In the next second, a white cat appeared. The white cat was covered in luscious fur and had a pair of glittering, crystal blue eyes. As soon as it saw Xiao Tangqiu, it immediately pounced on him.
Xiao Tangqiu, who got a fright, subconsciously stumbled backwards but the white cat followed him, meowing softly and rubbing his calf with its little head.
âWhat the h.e.l.l? Qiuqiu, when did you become catnip?â As a cat lover, Tang Mianmian was very jealous of this. âYou clearly said before that cats arenât automatically drawn to you! You lied to me!â
Xiao Tangqiu was also very puzzled. âIâm really not ahâ¦â Although he liked cats very much, they hardly ever came up to him on their own. This was the first time he encountered such a thing.
After rubbing against Xiao Tangqiuâs calf, the white cat turned and ran a few steps forward. Then, it stopped and looked back at Xiao Tangqiu.
The black cat seemed to have finally finished examining Xiao Tangqiu. It quietly gave Xiao Tangqiu another
meow
.
Xiao Tangqiu was confused. âIs it talking to me?â
The black cat stood up, turned around and looked back at Xiao Tangqiu.
Tang Mianmian suddenly thought of something, âIt seems to be asking you to followâ¦â
Looking at the black and white cats that looked as if they were inviting him, Xiao Tangqiu first hesitated then followed.
Duan Hongzhen arched his eyebrow but didnât mean to stop Xiao Tangqiu, so he was able to follow the two cats through the long corridor to a room at the end of the corridor without any obstruction.
This room looked ordinary and didnât seem special, but when Xiao Tangqiu stood in front of the door, his heart started pounding wildly for some reason. He didnât think it was polite to barge into someone elseâs room so he couldnât help but pause at the door.