One Last Reason

Unlike making a deal with demons, which demanded the sacrifice of a human soul, angels held no interest in such transactions. Instead, they entered a contractual relationship where both parties – human and celestial being – put forward their own terms and desires, and the contract would be terminated once the agreed-upon conditions were fulfilled. 

Without a doubt, striking a deal with any supernatural entities was extremely risky and dangerous, but Yurong Tao needed it to survive.

The man had been plagued by various incurable illnesses since birth, and in a desperate attempt to prolong his life, he proposed a contract with Belial in exchange for the angel's healing life force.

Song Zhuyu had no idea what kind of condition Belial put forward in exchange, nor was he that interested in finding out. He believed that there's no such things as free lunches in the world; every secret or hidden knowledge demanded a price, and he was not keen to take part in that. 

The National Civil Security Bureau was aware of Belial's presence in this realm, but they eventually turned a blind eye to him since he had vowed not to harm humans as long as he was still in a contractual relationship with Yurong Tao. Besides, after being banished from Heaven for reasons unknown, Belial had nowhere to go aside from the human realm, for the intense dark miasma in Hell was corrosive to celestial beings.

The fallen angel had been making passes at him since their first encounter a few years ago, and Song Zhuyu had now grown accustomed to deflecting his advances with ease.

"Boo…!" Belial sulked upon sensing Song Zhuyu's distant demeanor. "Still as arrogant as ever. But that's okay, it makes you look all the more charming and mysterious." 

A mischievous grin spread across his face as he pressed on, testing his luck, "But are you sure you don't want to try it with me, not even once, darling? Are you not interested in what an angel is capable of? I can promise you a night you will never forget…" 

Song Zhuyu raised a hand to block the fallen angel's incoming advances, his smile blooming like a dazzling rose, as opposed to his cruel words. "Don't. I'm afraid I won't be able to hold myself back from sending you to Hell. That would be quite an unsightly end for both of us, wouldn't it?"

"Hmph!" Belial crossed his arms over his chest and pulled back, floating cross-legged in midair. "Playing hard to get, I see. But what can I do? You remind me so much of those archangels I love to loathe." He roamed his gaze all over Song Zhuyu's form, licking his lips provocatively, "Whenever I see you, I can't suppress this urge of wanting to drag you down into the abyss of sin…"

Seeing that Belial had no plans of stopping anytime soon, Yurong Tao interjected, diverting Song Zhuyu's attention, "Are you leaving Yacheng, Father Song?"

"Yes," Song Zhuyu confirmed. "Now that you're here, I guess I should bid farewell to you… since I have no idea when I will be coming back."

"Only Little Tao?! What about me?! Shouldn't you say goodbye to me too on account of our beautiful relationship?!" Belial protested as he circled around the two of them, his wings flapping noisily. 

He was ignored, of course.

"It seems like you're out on a personal mission. I wish you luck." Yurong Tao rummaged into his wide sleeves and pulled out a strip of ancient paper that emitted a ghostly aura. He offered it to Song Zhuyu with both hands, whispering, "I got this as a freebie from the black market. It's a protective spell against one supernatural attack. I have no need for it since I have Belial with me, so you should keep it with you, Father Song."

Song Zhuyu blinked, slightly taken aback. He stared at Yurong Tao's face for a long moment, yet any attempts to discern the other person's emotions was futile due to the long bangs concealing his eyes. All Song Zhuyu could see was a small nose, bloodless lips and pointed chin. 

With a blink, Song Zhuyu's features melted into a grateful smile, "Then I will make good use of it." He accepted the ancient paper strip and tucked it into his pocket. "Thank you, Yurong Tao."

At this point, Belial had vanished with a poof since the two humans were blatantly ignoring him. 

Noticing that the rain had thinned, Song Zhuyu prepared to make his way home, intending to order a last luxurious supper for himself and finish binge-watching his favorite series, but he hadn't taken a few steps away when something sparked in his memory, "Ah, that's right."

Yurong Tao tilted his head slightly, waiting.

Scratching his cheek, Song Zhuyu pondered for a moment before asking tentatively, "I'm conducting research due to personal reasons, but I can't access information from the Bureau as it's a sensitive topic. Yurong Tao, do you happen to know anything about the demon's mark?"

"A demon's… mark?" Yurong Tao echoed. Despite being unable to see his expression clearly, Song Zhuyu could sense his confusion from miles away. Peering up at Song Zhuyu through his curtain of hair, he slowly responded, "I don't know much, but… I recall reading somewhere that a demon can leave their mark due to two reasons. First, sealing a deal with a human, and second… as a form of a death mark…"

"Ha!" A laugh escaped from Song Zhuyu's throat, unbidden, though the smile didn't reach his eyes at all. "That makes sense. So they're marking those they want to kill, huh? Sounds like gangster behavior to me."

"If you want, I can gather more information…" Yurong Tao offered, but Song Zhuyu promptly waved his hand in refusal,

"No, I'm leaving the next day, and I'm afraid it will be difficult to reach me by then. Still, I appreciate everything. May we meet again if God permits." 

"Amen," Yurong Tao muttered. 

With a carefree smile, Song Zhuyu waved his hand and walked out of the church, stepping into the thin veil of rain. 

Left alone, Yurong Tao stared at his retreating figure, lost in thought, until a few feathers floated down around him and a pair of arms wrapped intimately around his neck from behind. Belial's delicate laughter danced beside his ear, 

"How naïve, Little Tao. You forgot one last crucial reason. A demon can also put their mark on someone whom they wish to claim for themselves." His voice trailed off into a sultry murmur, "You know, like a filthy wolf marking its territory…"

A heavy stench of blood filled Yurong Tao's nostrils, and he was stunned to find that half of Belial's long sleeve was soaked in crimson tinged with a golden hue. The blood flowed along his arm and weaved through his slender fingers, dripping to the ground. The most severe part ought to be his index finger— the flesh was scorched and melted as though it had been dipped into sulfuric acid. 

It was the exact arm and finger he had used to touch Song Zhuyu earlier.

Belial laughed gleefully, "We haven't seen him for a while, and it seems like he's gotten a new stalker." With a shake of his bloody arm, the blood receded, flesh knitting back together, and the melting skin healed. His sleeve returned to its pristine state, devoid of any traces of blood. 

"Father Song… and a demon?" Yurong Tao murmured softly to himself, surprise coloring his tone. 

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A/N: Dark Salvation is successfully contracted! ^^ the option to vote with golden tickets and gifts are now open. Please continue to support the book *puppy eyes* don't worry I have no plans to lock the chapters until we reach at least 50 chapters haha so everyone can still read for free until next month~