Little Pup

Xiao Yuan sent over two text messages. Zhang Yuanqing read the first one carefully: Bloody Mary, Level 5 Saint. Formerly an executive under Deceitful Eye Judge, now a heavily relied-upon subordinate of Gu King. Possesses two major assets: 1. Robe of Curses. The primary function of this item is to curse any enemy who harms the wearer, returning 50% of the damage taken. 2. Beihai Bone Bug. A gu bug captured by Bloody Mary from a high-difficulty instance, later integrated as her life-bound gu. Its most prominent trait is its durability; once transformed into gu form, the host's defense surpasses even that of an Earth Monster of the same level. Combat Record: Under prepared circumstances, she has killed two official Deacons, a Mist Lord from the Soldier Master sect, and a Level 4 Night Walker. Ranked 19th on the official Earth Ranking wanted list, with a bounty of 8 million and one Grade-B merit. In addition, the message noted Bloody Mary's daily habits: every morning, she would set up an altar to pray for blessings, asking for a safe, smooth, and favorable day. Finally, the message evaluated Bloody Mary's personality: strong sadistic tendencies, enjoys keeping male paramours, takes pleasure in humiliating men, and regards men as mere playthings. The second message contained the residential address of one of Bloody Mary's boy toys. "She used to work under Deceitful Eye Judge?" After reading the message, Zhang Yuanqing subconsciously thought of Demon Lord. Could this woman be one of Demon Lord's lovers? Given what a promiscuous, philandering fellow Demon Lord was, even if Bloody Mary wasn't his lover, she had probably slept with him. With this thought, Zhang Yuanqing habitually pulled open his drawer, took out the Elvis speaker, and said in a deep voice, "I want to hear Demon Lord and Bloody Mary's bedroom antics!" With that, he pulled out his phone and casually played a song from the music charts: "A glancing turn of dance exhausts the fool's dream; awaiting heavy rouge, the grand play begins..." Waiting in silence, the song quickly came to an end. Zhang Yuanqing tapped the top of the Elvis speaker and said, "Your turn!" As the words fell, a crackle of static hissed from the device. In the next second, loud, frantic clattering sounds echoed through the room. Having prepared in advance, Zhang Yuanqing had already entered Night Walk, tuning out the vulgar, not-safe-for-children noises. Flesh smacking against flesh mingled with sharp female cries, weaving an intense, fervent, and primal melody of procreation. "Bitch, bitch, bitch..." Demon Lord's rhythmic cursing rang out. "Weren't you arrogant back when you humiliated me? Weren't you high and mighty? Didn't you say a low-level slave like me wasn't even fit to carry your shoes? Look at you now. You really look like a dog." It really is just like I imagined. Bloody Mary really did sleep with Demon Lord. We can question Demon Lord's character, but we can never question his romantic exploits... Zhang Yuanqing listened with a heart as calm as still water. Without realizing it, he had developed a formidable immunity to Demon Lord's recordings. Like a trained professional, no matter how wild it got, he remained completely unfazed. Faced with Demon Lord's humiliation, the woman only screamed, as if she had resigned herself to her fate. Zhang Yuanqing listened through several clips of Demon Lord and Bloody Mary, only to find that they were all one-sided vents of Demon Lord's violence and lust, devoid of valuable information. The only useful tidbit came when Bloody Mary, unable to endure the humiliation any longer, panted and hissed in fury: "Demon Lord, don't get so smug! You're already at the peak of the Saint stage. Even if you manage to advance to Dominator, you'll never be able to level up quickly again. You'll never break free of Deceitful Eye Judge's control. You'll be a slave for the rest of your life!" Her voice was promptly reduced to screams by Demon Lord's deep, brutal thrust. "All right, all right, stop playback. That's enough," Zhang Yuanqing said, gently patting the top of the Elvis speaker. Instantly, all the clamor vanished into thin air. Putting away the Elvis speaker, Zhang Yuanqing leaned back against his chair, lost in thought. A peak Level 5 Saint won't be easy to handle. This isn't like fighting in an arena. If Bloody Mary is truly driven into a corner, she still has a suicidal trick up her sleeve: taking every ordinary person in the entire building down with her. Therefore, if I want to kill her, it must be swift and decisive, leaving her no chance to retaliate. With that in mind, he quickly analyzed the disparity in their strength based on the available data. Bloody Mary is a Spirit Medium. A Spirit Medium's most formidable strength lies in hiding behind the scenes and performing rituals at an altar. Since she hasn't reached Level 6, she hasn't mastered the most terrifying curse-kill skill yet. Of her two main skills, Fortune Blessing and Fortune Diminishment, she has already set up an altar for Fortune Blessing, which requires extra vigilance. Fortune Diminishment used on the fly has mediocre results. As for the bone bug, my Purple Thunder Hammer can shatter any defensive item... No, I can't use the Purple Thunder Hammer. Her Robe of Curses can reflect damage. The last thing I want is to hammer myself half to death... Zhang Yuanqing frowned, troubled for a second, but soon his brow smoothed out. If he found the right opening and blasted her with a shot from the Thunderstorm Cannon to destroy the Robe of Curses, the item's damage-reflection effect wouldn't trigger. As for melee capabilities, while a Spirit Medium's close-combat prowess is strong, it isn't as abnormal as a Bewitching Demon's. I'm already at the peak of Level 4; together with items like the Purple Thunder Hammer, I should have more than enough to handle her... Thoughts churning, a meticulous plan formed in his mind. Zhang Yuanqing promptly transcribed the contents of the two messages, then brought out the Daluo Astrolabe. He intended to use the Daluo Astrolabe to perform a divination, seeking a revelation to determine when Bloody Mary would go to visit her boy toy. He had detailed intelligence on Bloody Mary and the address of her male favorite; the conditions were sufficient. Reaching into the void, he pulled out an astrolabe cast from dark iron. Its surface was carved with the stars of the heavenly dome, inlaid with silver lacquer, resembling a brilliant galaxy against the night sky. Pressing one hand against the astrolabe's face, Zhang Yuanqing channeled stellar power into it. Dreamlike starlight flowed across the surface like water, lighting up the celestial constellations engraved upon it. In the next second, the Big Dipper, the Purple Forbidden Enclosure, the Twenty-Eight Mansions, and various other stellar formations detached from the astrolabe, solidifying in midair like holographic projections. Immediately, the heavenly stars spun rapidly within the room, forming a dazzling astral vortex. Over ten seconds later, the astral vortex turned into a stream of light that shot into the center of Zhang Yuanqing's brow, entering his sea of consciousness. A vivid image flashed across Zhang Yuanqing's mind: A tall, mature woman in a leather outfit pushed open a bedroom door with an alluring expression. She wore heavy makeup, with crimson lips, yet her facial features were so gorgeous that she pulled off the dramatic look effortlessly. According to the astrological signs, this scene would occur tomorrow evening at 9:30 PM. Dates and times were precisely what astrology excelled at predicting. "Tomorrow evening at nine—well, that gives me time to resolve the backlash of the Daluo Astrolabe." Zhang Yuanqing looked up toward the ceiling and walked out of the bedroom with his chin held high. *** The next day, 9:00 PM. Chaomen District, Yushui Bay Community. Having finished dinner, the Jade-Faced Gentleman carefully cleaned the 120-square-meter apartment from top to bottom. With a sigh, he retrieved a whip, handcuffs, candles, a ball gag, a wire scouring pad, a golden hoop, and other toys from a storage trunk. He was exceptionally handsome, with red lips, fair skin, and white teeth—the slender boy-toy type adored by wealthy older women. Yet deep down, he hated being the submissive partner. He would have much preferred a gentle, affectionate girl who leaned on him like a delicate bird. Reality, however, was always harsh. He was now Bloody Mary's boy toy. Back when he worked under Human Blood Bun, he had run himself ragged, treaded on eggshells, and earned very little. Ever since becoming Bloody Mary's pet, his standing in the Spirit Society had skyrocketed, and his perks had vastly improved. Dangerous missions were never assigned to him, and Bloody Mary would occasionally capture one or two Lawful Spirit Walkers to supply him with Reputation and merits. Life was quite comfortable. Aside from being left battered and bruised every time that madwoman came to favor him, there were truly no downsides. There was no gain without pain. Bite your lip and grip the bed—exhausting, sure, but still better than a nine-to-five. As for the mocking sneers whispered behind his back by the others in the Spirit Society, the Jade-Faced Gentleman couldn't care less. In this day and age, plenty of women sold their bodies for money, so why shouldn't a man? Tonight, that woman was coming again. She was a neat freak, so he had to clean the apartment thoroughly ahead of time and lay out the toys she favored. Looking at the assortment of items, the Jade-Faced Gentleman could not help but sigh once more. Right then, a wisp of dreamlike starlight rose inside the bedroom, condensing into a handsome young man. "Who are you?" The Jade-Faced Gentleman's expression warped in alarm. He was merely a Transcendent-stage Witch Doctor who had never encountered a Starlord, so he did not recognize the Star Escape technique. Still, he did not hesitate to react: his pupils shifted into compound insect eyes, and a tough keratinous layer began to sprout over his skin— Snap! Suddenly, his head spun around a full 360 degrees. With sickening crunches, his arms and legs were twisted backward. In a single instant, this Level 3 Witch Doctor was reduced to a corpse with gruesomely twisted limbs and a neck wrung like a hemp rope. [Ding! You have killed a Witch Doctor. Reward: 20 Reputation points.] The Spirit Realm prompt chimed right on cue. A ghostly figure dressed in a bridal gown floated out from behind the Jade-Faced Gentleman's corpse and curtsied toward Zhang Yuanqing. "Husband~" "Well done, my wife." Zhang Yuanqing raised a hand, gathering lunar energy in his palm, reached beneath her red bridal veil, and pinched the Ghost Bride's slender chin. The Ghost Bride was filled with joy and bashfulness. Then she was swallowed into her husband's mouth and returned to his body... Zhang Yuanqing quickly fished out the floppy triangular Little Red Riding Hood, put it on his head, and waved his hand over the corpse on the floor, sending it into the hat's inner space. Immediately afterward, he stripped off his clothes, pants, and shoes, stowing them inside Little Red Riding Hood as well. Finally, he brought out the Flawless Human Skin and smoothed it over himself. The cicada-wing-thin human skin instantly melted, crawling over his body like liquid. Before long, Zhang Yuanqing had taken on the exact likeness of the Jade-Faced Gentleman. "Phew~" Only then did he breathe a small sigh of relief. Before taking action, Zhang Yuanqing had laid out a meticulous plan. Disguising himself as the Jade-Faced Gentleman was an indispensable step, because Bloody Mary conducted a prayer for blessings every day. That allowed her to sense ambushes in advance and alter her itinerary. However, the Flawless Human Skin counteracted her blessing. This item, which could graft karmic cause and effect, was terrifying in a sense: once he transformed into the Jade-Faced Gentleman, he truly became the Jade-Faced Gentleman. And the Jade-Faced Gentleman would never, and could never, ambush Bloody Mary. After successfully turning into the Jade-Faced Gentleman, Zhang Yuanqing checked his phone. An involuntary thought flashed through his mind: Oh no, it's almost nine-thirty. Bloody Mary will be here soon. I have to put on the clothes she likes quickly, or she'll be furious. Then, he naturally walked over to the wardrobe, opened it, and pulled out a men's naval uniform—a provocative sailor outfit! A pair of black shorts with a zipper running down the middle, a white sailor cap, a harness strap, and a black bowtie. No shirt... Zhang Yuanqing looked down at his getup, flushed with embarrassment, thinking: Damn it, this is slutty as hell~ Right at that moment, the bedroom doorknob turned with a click. The door swung open, and a tall, mature woman in a leather outfit pushed her way inside. Her makeup was striking and glamorous. In her thirties, she had crimson lips and moist, seductive eyes that brimmed with desire, yet they were piercingly sharp, carrying an overbearing arrogance that treated everyone else like crawling vermin. Bloody Mary! Her gaze swept across the bedroom, drifted over the toys on the round glass table, and finally settled on the "Jade-Faced Gentleman." The corner of her mouth curled up. Nodding in satisfaction, she scoffed contemptuously, "Little pup, can't wait, can you? Look at how slutty you are." You're the fucking pup, Zhang Yuanqing complained inwardly, but his mouth naturally delivered the proper lines: "Oh, stop it~ "Don't talk about me like that."