MD Ch 2 Part 2

It was around 8 or 9 in the evening, the moon shining brightly. Gu Jincheng brought me to the place where Yu Ke kept his monstrous beasts. He ordered the gatekeeper to leave his post and entered with me.

The beasts Yu Ke raised were cold-blooded creatures like snakes and lizards, preferring to live in damp and gloomy environments. With a wave of Yu Ke’s hand, a cave opened on the mountainside near the Demon Palace. A path, constructed as an extension of the palace, leading directly to the cave was revealed. When he had nothing to do, Yu Ke often came to see his “pets.”

This hobby alone confirmed that Yu Ke was indeed a maniac. He raised snakes and birds of prey whenever he felt like it. I bet that Ah Jiu, with his voracious appetite, would soon raid this place and devour all these beasts.

That’s right, Ah Jiu…

The warmth of the Vermillion Bird egg still lingered in my chest, warming my heart. I tried to suppress it, but I couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Jincheng, where is Ah Jiu?”

“Are you worried that Ah Jiu will devour the beasts again?”

Gu Jincheng’s stiff expression softened slightly, and a smile touched the corners of his eyes.

“My Lord, don’t worry. Ah Jiu has been gone since this morning, seemingly in search of some Spirit Fruit. He should be back within a week.”

“I understand. Tell me as soon as Ah Jiu returns.”

Thank goodness. He was still alive. This was the only good news I’d heard since arriving here. Relieved, I let out a breath and immediately addressed Gu Jincheng.

“Lead the way.”

Countless blue flames flickered softly from circular stone platforms embedded in the rock walls on both sides of the cave, dimly illuminating the surroundings.

This place is a complete den of monsters.

The cave itself was unremarkable, easily taken in at a glance. After walking about 100 meters, I saw that both sides of the stone walls were lined with openings, each fitted with an iron cage secured by a barrier. Inside, the beasts lay quietly, surprisingly docile.

However, the deeper we went, the more the situation changed. The air filled with roars and howls, echoing with the dull thud of bodies hitting against cages. The openings grew larger, the barriers stronger, the further in we went.

Yu Ke is definitely a pervert. Who would keep such terrifying, dangerous creatures inside their own palace? I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night… Oh, right. I’m Yu Ke now.

We walked a little further, and Gu Jincheng, who was leading the way, stopped. Finally, I could see the young Song Qiyuan.

Although reborn into this world, I honestly just wanted to live comfortably in Yu Ke’s healthy body. In my past life, I wasn’t a masochist, and death was truly not my intention. Despite pretending to be strong and calm, I was actually quite afraid of Song Qiyuan. After the torture I endured at his hands for those few days, it was only natural to be scared.

However, meeting Song Qiyuan at this point in time, I realized I harbored no hatred towards him. Only shock and self-reproach filled me.

In the center of the cave’s deepest part, a small iron cage sat between two larger cages housing monstrous beasts. Inside these larger cages were a python as thick as a water barrel and a giant monitor lizard flicking its tongue in the corner.

They were positioned close to the small cage. The monitor lizard was scratching at the bars with its forelegs, seemingly having spent a considerable amount of time trying to break free. The sharp scraping sound of its claws against the metal cage made the child inside the small cage cower, huddled against the cave wall.

The child’s clothes were tattered, and his hands and feet were covered in deep, festering wounds, the bones exposed in places—a gruesome sight. Even though his eyes could only perceive endless darkness, they remained tightly shut.

“Song Qiyuan.”

I couldn’t describe how I felt as I murmured his name.

The child reacted to my voice, which wasn’t particularly loud. He opened his eyes wide and began to tremble all over.

His unfocused eyes darted around anxiously before finally locking onto me. He stared intently and then started moving towards the cage. The sight of him gritting his teeth and struggling to move, step by painful step, left me speechless.

He reached the cage, pressed his upper body against the bars, and opened his mouth, his voice hoarse.

“Yu Ke… listen carefully. I, Song Qiyuan, will definitely defeat you one day! And when I do, I will utterly destroy you!”

The child’s face contorted with rage. His mouth opened wide, his skin pressed against the cage bars, and he roared like a trapped beast.

“Yu Ke! I will kill you with my own hands!”

My heart pounded, and I involuntarily stepped back. Then, I suddenly remembered Gu Jincheng beside me and realized I couldn’t act in a way that didn’t befit Yu Ke. I used the emotional control I had honed from dealing with my heart condition in my previous life to calm my racing heart.

I can’t panic!

My resolve to save him wavered momentarily. Seeing him now, I understood that Song Qiyuan’s resentment towards me wasn’t something easily resolved. Perhaps the driving force that allowed him to endure three months of Yu Ke’s torture was this burning desire for revenge.

Every moment must have been filled with the will to survive and retaliate.

The vivid memories of my past life flooded back, the pain in my limbs and chest as real as if they were still being torn apart. Ah Jiu’s death, the humiliation in front of everyone, the agony of being submerged in saltwater… All the memories I had tried to forget came rushing back.

My heartbeat gradually steadied. Gu Jincheng, who had been watching me with suspicion, quickly averted his gaze. No one could know the turmoil inside my mind.

This body’s current cultivation level was around the middle stage of the Great Ascension Realm. It was brimming with spiritual energy, capable of manipulating the power of heaven and earth, possessing enough destructive force to shatter mountains and rivers with a wave of the hand. In other words, with a flick of my finger, I could end Song Qiyuan’s life.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Song Qiyuan desperately threw himself against the cage. His wounded face was a mask of hatred directed at me.

Should I kill him?

I could kill Song Qiyuan right now.

If I killed him, I could live peacefully in this world within the book. At the top of the pyramid, I could have everything I desired – power, wealth, women. Without Song Qiyuan in this world, no one could stop the great villain, Yu Ke.

I… I could do whatever I wanted.

“My Lord, would you like me to eliminate the remaining members of the Song Clan? If you wish, I will take care of it.”

Gu Jincheng, who had stepped back behind me, suddenly spoke in a gentle tone that betrayed none of his emotions.

“He’s lived long enough.”

Gu Jincheng raised his hand and pointed at Song Qiyuan, causing the air to ripple slightly.

“Did this Lord give you such an order?!”

I abruptly snapped out of my thoughts and stopped Gu Jincheng’s presumptuous action. My heart skipped a beat, and I looked at Song Qiyuan again. The child hesitated for a moment, then shouted.

“Kill me! Why aren’t you killing me, Yu Ke? Even if you let me live, I will never leave you in peace!”

Song Qiyuan trembled all over, clenching his teeth tightly. Tears streamed down his unfocused eyes.

Outwardly strong, inwardly fragile.

This phrase suddenly came to mind. The thought of killing Song Qiyuan gradually faded.

Yu Ke, you are truly a coward, truly selfish.

Song Qiyuan was the protagonist I created, a character from my own work. His personality and life were born from my mind and written by my own hand.

A moment ago, I thought about killing this child… how was that any different from killing my own child?

“I have overstepped my bounds. I apologize. I deserve to die.”

Gu Jincheng knelt on one knee, his right hand grasping his other knee, his head bowed. His face was shadowed, and the blue flames from the table reflected on his black clothes, making him appear even more sinister.

I glanced at him, a strange feeling arising within me. I couldn’t understand what he was thinking. However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t pinpoint anything specifically wrong, so I dismissed it as my own oversensitivity.

“Deserve to die? Forget it. Let’s return to the bedchamber.”

I turned and quickly headed out of the cave. As I moved further away from Song Qiyuan, his desperate cries gradually faded until they were no longer audible.

Outside the cave, darkness had already fallen, and the air was slightly chilly. Gu Jincheng walked silently behind me, two steps away, matching my pace.

“Leave Song Qiyuan alive for now. This Lord has a plan.”

“Understood.”

I raised my head, looked at the endless darkness and the sparsely scattered stars, and hardened my resolve.

Song Qiyuan. In this new life, I have decided to save you.

***