Chapter 58

Chapter 58

The instant the cold paintbrush touched his neck, Xiao Huai instinctively stepped back. But Lu Yuanshi caught him by the waist and held him with irresistible strength, forcing Xiao Huai to look straight at him.

Cold red paint spread over the bruises, concealing them. Xiao Huai’s Adam’s apple trembled despite himself, and he closed his eyes.

Lu Yuanshi smiled, his eyes curving into long, narrow arcs. He spoke in a whisper only Xiao Huai could hear.

“Xiao Huai, if you want to win, you could try asking me. I can help you. You don’t need to hurt yourself this badly.”

Xiao Huai opened his eyes. His dark red gaze fell into Lu Yuanshi’s pupils, and for a moment, he felt as though those eyes meant to see through him entirely.

He smiled softly and looked coldly at Lu Yuanshi.

“The kind of victory I want can’t be obtained by begging anyone.”

Lu Yuanshi’s hand trembled, knocking the next stroke out of place. The red mark across Xiao Huai’s neck now resembled the jagged line of a heartbeat monitor.

Xiao Huai seized Lu Yuanshi’s hand and tightened his grip. The paintbrush clattered to the floor.

Brilliant red paint splashed across the ground like a pool of blood.

The corner of Xiao Huai’s mouth lifted. He turned and walked away, leaving behind a single sentence.

“Lu Yuanshi, stay alive.”

Once again, Xiao Huai turned his back and left. Lu Yuanshi watched his figure recede into the distance.

A speck of the red paint that had splashed earlier stained his white shirt.

* * *

Xiao Huai entered the black-clad men’s car. As it drove on, they tied a black blindfold over his eyes to prevent him from seeing the route.

He had no idea how long the car traveled. When he finally stepped out, a cold hand closed around his wrist, and a low voice sounded beside his ear.

“Is this him?”

One of the black-clad men answered respectfully, “Yes, my lord.”

Xiao Huai did his best to remain calm. The men had actually delivered him to the Count.

This was no different from throwing him into a tiger’s jaws.

The Count examined Xiao Huai’s skin as though inspecting merchandise. “He does have an excellent hide.”

“What is this?” He paused when he noticed the red paint on Xiao Huai’s neck and reached for it.

The instant his hand touched Xiao Huai’s neck, however, it was as though flames had scorched him.

“Ah!” The Count snatched his hand back. “Damn him! What kind of witchcraft did he use?”

Xiao Huai raised an eyebrow. Had Lu Yuanshi done something to the paint?

Victoria’s voice came from behind him. “My lord, he is still our guest. You mustn’t be too impatient.”

She approached Xiao Huai and removed the blindfold covering his eyes.

White lights flared to life. Xiao Huai slowly turned his head away, his eyes stinging from the glare.

Countless beams shone over him, as though trying to expose every last thing about his body.

Victoria emerged from the darkness in the same attire as before, though this time there was a searching look in her eyes.

“Hello, Xiao Huai. It’s only been a few days, but you seem even prettier.”

“Heh.” Xiao Huai did not think *pretty* was a word to be casually applied to a man. “The same to you, Miss Victoria.”

The man beside Victoria had a pair of deep blue eyes. Beyond that, every part of him radiated an extreme, bone-deep coldness.

Victoria waved to the people around them. The blinding lights vanished, allowing Xiao Huai to see his surroundings.
They were inside a low building that resembled both a church and a hospital. It stood only two stories tall, with a scarlet cross hanging above its entrance.

Victoria came to stand before Xiao Huai. “I received your letter. It mentioned something that interests me greatly, because your skin truly is exceptional.”

Victoria reached for his cheek, but Xiao Huai instinctively turned his head aside.

“Miss Victoria, if I remember correctly, I proposed a trade,” he said. “And in a trade, both parties generally stand to gain.”

Victoria chuckled, mockery in her eyes. “What makes you think I would negotiate with a human instead of simply taking what I want from you?”

Xiao Huai leaned toward Victoria and whispered beside her ear, “Because you cannot kill at will, but you can cooperate with players.”

During that cooperation, the players might not even understand how they ultimately died.

After a brief pause, he added, “And there have been precedents, haven’t there? The general manager at the Diamond Factory. And… the one on the train.”

Liu Tongtong.

Victoria stilled. Greater scrutiny entered her eyes, and her smile deepened.

“You know quite a lot. In that case, were you the one who stole that thing as well?”

Xiao Huai looked calmly at her. He knew precisely what she meant.

Half of Joseph’s Heart.

“There was no rule against stealing, was there?”

Victoria laughed with wild delight. The sight reminded Xiao Huai of an old acquaintance.

He Lecheng, the God of Mischief, Loki.

Victoria tucked a lock of red hair behind her ear. “Oh, honestly. It seems I wasn’t wrong about you. A pleasure to meet you, Xiao Huai. I’ve been looking forward to your arrival for a very long time.”

Xiao Huai’s eyes gradually turned cold. “You’re his friend?”

The last time Loki gave him a clue, he had said, “My friend can hardly wait to meet you.”

Loki had spoken of a single friend, not several. And since the rules on the first floor stated that NPCs did not lie, Xiao Huai had concluded that one of Loki’s friends would appear in the Diamond Magnate instance.

Friends of evil gods were never anything good.

He had even wondered whether Loki knew one of the players… perhaps the mysterious Lu Yuanshi.

But now, seeing the delight in Victoria’s smile, the answer was beyond dispute.

The friend Loki had mentioned was Victoria.

Victoria moved closer, one step at a time. “Yes. Victoria, the Goddess of Slaughter.”

Xiao Huai said nothing. Victoria continued, “I like this instance very much, so I’ve been an NPC here for a long time. Listen, even the name suits me. Victoria. Victory. The name itself means triumph.”

She walked a few steps forward, then turned back to him with a sinister look in her eyes.

“Which means you are destined to lose. You will remain here and keep us company.”

Xiao Huai lowered his eyes. A faint smile crept across his lips. “We haven’t even begun. Why decide so quickly who will win and who will lose?”

He looked at her. “Miss Victoria.”

“Hm?”

“Shall we make a wager?”

Victoria’s smile deepened. “On what?”