Entirely a Different Problem

That voice... Lai Mingjie knew that voice so well. He turned around and saw the ever-gorgeous owner of the Bloodvein Café. She was one of the few demons who were given the freedom to wield their powers under some conditions. Even though they were suppressed, they still had mostly half or a quarter of their former power. Came with it was glory... and responsibilities.

As the leading demon of the Crimson City, Botangca was responsible for growing the bloodvein. This bloodvein was given to the reincarnated demons so they could contain their bloodlust. Botangca had to make sure she had enough for everyone in Crimson City at least. She also needed to make sure it wouldn't be traded in the black market for humans to consume.

Most of all, she was the leader of the demonkind at the moment. It meant that she was to deal with immortals who would deliberately hunt in her turf. Unfortunately, she only had a small territory; and the streets of Crimson City weren't part of it.

Thus, she needed to act on this invasion. She took the night off because Lai Mingjie promised her an arm and a leg for some information she painstakingly gathered. However, she was greeted by the news that an immortal was playing in her club. Even if she might be too weak against such a daring immortal, she still needed to come out.

That was why she was taking out her anger on Lai Mingjie. This willful demon king was too overbearing to actually be the one to bring the immortal to her place—the demon's haven.

"Oh, hey, Botangca!" Lai Mingjie, seemingly innocent of her anger, grinned at her and gave a small salute. He knew this was going to be bad, but he still had something Botangca wouldn't say no to. "We were just about to—"

"Imbecile!" Botangca yelled and swiped her hand furiously. A part of hair rushed towards the man, generating electricity as if wanting to toast Lai Mingjie on the spot. She knew he wouldn't die easily, and so she could torture him as much as she wanted to.

Bang!

The hair almost reached Lai Mingjie before a switchblade rushed towards it. The blade struck the wall and exploded, the shockwave sending Lai Mingjie and the hair away from each other. Xu Rouguang made a quick stride to the side to catch Lai Mingjie while holding his hand out to collect the switchblade that was thrown out as well.

Botangca's eyes widened as she saw the immortal everyone was fussing about. Her knees quivered a little under her evening dress as her heart began to thumb in fright. The pupils in her eyes dilated for seconds before she managed to rein herself in. She bit her lip as she continued to glare at the two males by the door.

"...General Xu..." She whispered before crossing her arms before her chest. "You better explain why you're hurting my demons. If not, I would risk my club just to get rid of you."

"Hey, haha! No need, no need!" Lai Mingjie laughed out as he stabilized himself after being sent off. Man, that was painful; but Xu Rouguang didn't even hesitate to blast him away. He raised his hands towards Botangca. "We're gonna stop. We came here to see you after all."

"Stop blocking my way." Xu Rouguang hissed as he looked over his shoulder, warning everyone that tried to take advantage of the standstill.

Botangca only huffed and strode back into her office at the end of the hallway. Lai Mingjie continued to laugh out as he walked ahead as if nothing happened. Xu Rouguang sighed and followed his boss, the gentle wind around him expanding. For some reasons, all those who were thrown away felt the pain dissipate.

The lady didn't wait for them before she entered her office, but two guards were left outside while the other two stood at the sides of her table. Xu Rouguang narrowed his eyes as he saw another group of people who would try to block him again. He didn't understand why he was instantly enraged every time someone blocks his path. Then again, he wished Lai Mingjie would help.

Lai Mingjie passed by the guards first. "Just don't," he whispered as he went. Then again, it wasn't needed anymore. The guards were clear not to engage any of them.

Xu Rouguang slowed down when it was his turn, and he was so relieved when they didn't even move. They only closed the door behind him when he was a meter into the room.

Botangca's office was a lot grander than Lai Mingjie's office. It was the same size, but ornaments and intriguing objects were used to maximize the feel. It was the lair of a siren who controlled the current gathering of the demons. She might not be officially recognized by all the remaining demons, but she was still the Empress of the Bloodvein no doubt.

"One million for the damages. Seven for the broken trust." Botangca huffed again as she leaned her arms on her table. Normally, she would be deceiving and seductive, but she was too nervous to sit in front of the headhunting general who killed her as well. Her fearful eyes gazed at Xu Rouguang who was standing obediently near his boss.

"That much, huh. It's fine." Lai Mingjie cringed at the fees being asked of him. He just casually sauntered into the room and sat on the couch... and now, he was being billed. Truly, he had to pay up for what happened. He didn't really care much about human money, and so he unknowingly behaved like a real willful young master of a monstrously wealthy family... that he was. "I'll give you a check later."

"...G-General Xu, why are you here?" Botangca heavily cast her eyes on Xu Rouguang after glaring at Lai Mingjie for a couple of seconds. She was visibly unnerved by his existence next to her. However, unlike earlier, the immortal's aura had vanished... and Xu Rouguang was only a human right now.

Nevertheless, the guards' faces tensed upon hearing the name their boss mentioned. General Xu? General Xu Rouguang of the First Battalion? The cruelest among the headhunters... and undeniably the best?

What? Wasn't he... wait, why would he be with Emodao?

Xu Rouguang noticed the terror radiating from their eyes. He inwardly sighed before shaking his head. "No need to be scared. I'm not going to hurt you. Those people started it. I didn't mean to cause trouble." Normally, he would smile, but that smile seemed to be reserved for humans only.

Botangca narrowed her eyes as she frowned at the confusing picture before her. Xu Rouguang... was apologizing to her for making trouble? Wasn't he supposed to be proud and overbearing? Shouldn't he be saying how pitiful the demons had become and that he was only trying to save them from misery? This man... wasn't the man outside, was he? This shift was too confusing.

"See. This is how big the problem is." Lai Mingjie laughed out again, waving a hand as if a lecturer making fun of a math problem. "He doesn't remember an inch of his enemies' faces, but he still goes wild in a fight. Tell me, Botangca. How am I even going to deal with this?"

"Emodao, you were asking about the Abyss. This is entirely a different problem." Botangca gritted her teeth. It was stupid—ah, she must have looked so stupid in front of Emodao. She was terrified witless for nothing. The man before her wasn't the General Xu she knew.

"What different problem?" Lai Mingjie got up and strode to the table. He then leaned his arms against it, looking down at the empress before him. "I asked you to find ways to get out of the Abyss... because this man was thrown there and walked out alive."