Chapter 27 "Performing for a Living

What should I do, what should I do!

Li Xu had already sensed the massive crisis hurtling toward him, and no matter how this matter ended, anyone involved, without exception, could not escape the subsequent reckoning and implication!

"Save me, save me..."

It was a pregnant concubine. The beast had already stepped on her back, sniffing around her delicate neck with its whiskers, fangs, and foul breath… Even if Li Xu were in her position, he would likely be scared stiff, let alone this woman nurtured in the depths of the palace?

It was precisely when he saw her bulging belly that he dispelled his last trace of hesitation!

Just as he was preparing to take action, Liu Fu, Li Xu's nominal master, finally broke through the chaotic crowd. With a "yah-hoo~~~" cry, he drew the attention of the roaring beast, making it lift its head and stare in the direction Liu Fu had come from.

"Whimper, whimper..." At that moment, Liu Fu looked utterly disheveled, his clothes torn and messy, his grayish hair completely undone, and his old face twisted like that of a vengeful ghost. His mouth, too, like a wild beast, started roaring deeply!

The beast felt deeply offended, and with oppressive roars suppressed between its throat and sharp teeth, it wanted to pounce and tear apart this weak opponent; but the prey beneath it emitted a scent it couldn't refuse...

The situation was indeed critical. Just as the beast couldn't resist its instincts and lowered its head to sniff the concubine's body again...

"Swoosh!"

An arrow flew through the chaotic crowd, lightning-fast, and plunged into the beast's back, "No, no..." Instead of being relieved, Liu Fu screamed in utter terror!

Sure enough, the suddenly injured beast didn't fall but furiously howled upwards, opening its frightful jaws wide, "Awo!" With that, it bit down towards the concubine beneath, aiming precisely for the source of that scent, the fine and tender neck!

It's over, Liu Fu was about to collapse!

Just when it looked like it would be a loss of two lives, many onlookers could no longer bear to watch. But amidst a shout of alarm, when they looked again, they saw a figure leap forward, shoving the beast sideways at the last moment, then grabbing the beast's neck with both hands…

However, such an act was incredibly foolhardy. The beast merely arched and shook its body, tossing the slender figure into the air before it fell, parallel to the beast, "Awo!" Its mouth switched to another person, aiming again for the same spot, expecting the same fatal outcome.

"Xiao Chunzi!!" Liu Fu cried out in agony as if his own kin were on the brink of death.

Indeed, this person was Li Xu.

But, he wasn't noble enough to sacrifice himself for others yet, especially in Plot World, especially to save a woman of the Qing Emperor!

Even if she was a pregnant woman!

Li Xu saw the only method currently available for escape. Yes, the only way to avoid the aftermath, to save this little life, to prevent the live stream from failing due to the death of its host.

But that would require him to cast aside everything and fight with all his might!

Now he was using all his strength, but he couldn't stop the horrific mouth from approaching his neck, the claws on his chest had already pierced through his clothes, embedding deeply into his flesh…

Was this how it ended, was he to die here in the Plot World?

If so, if so, would Spirit Live Streaming still exist, then, then…

No, it can't be, not even a one in ten thousand chance!

"Aaah!"

With a voice hoarse with effort, he shouted at the horrific mouth, against the foul breath, at the same time, he strained to open his eyes wide, capturing the moment the beast was startled by the shout, mustering all his strength to lift his head and look directly into its eyes!

(Eye of Charm activated!

Activation successful!)

Invasion successful, resource consumption in progress...

The lynx halted, and so did Li Xu, as man and beast faced each other, almost nose to nose.

However, from the outside, it seemed that the dust had settled, and the struggle of the little eunuch was only a minor delay for the lynx. Seizing this rare opportunity, the terrified guards no longer dared to shoot arrows but cautiously circled around, aiming for the consorts who had fainted.

But reality was far from it.

Li Xu felt something quite extraordinary.

It was completely different from the sensation he had experienced from the old eunuch, Liu Fu.

This time, it was simpler and more direct, the mysterious connection formed was more concrete and vivid.

If the connection felt through the old eunuch was like a complex, ever-changing, and obscure tangle, then this wild beast's was merely some straightforward, clearly visible threads, predominantly dominated by instinct.

He could even empathize, as if he was blood-connected to the beast and could "smell" a special scent through it—the source of the smell was none other than the concubine lying unconscious on the ground!

Fuck me!

He'd been tricked!

He'd been caught in the crossfire!

The situation was extremely urgent, everyone had already escaped to a safe distance, masses of guards were converging from all directions, merely restraining their actions because of the consort and the child within her belly.

Li Xu put aside all distractions, focused on the strongest thought, and then deeply imprinted it into the lynx's consciousness through this mysterious connection!

Then, he grabbed the arrow on its back, pulled it out forcefully, and as blood spurted out, he separated from the lynx, pretending to have barely escaped with his life and rolled to the side...

"Ao!"

This sudden change stunned everyone once more. The approaching guards began to draw their bows again, never expecting that this beast would leap back to the side of the fainted consort, crouch down, and growl deeply, its sharp fangs approaching her delicate neck!

At this point, everyone was dumbstruck. Amidst the crisis, it was the incredibly "brave" little eunuch, covered in blood (from the chest), visibly exhausted, who somehow staggered to his feet, roared hoarsely, and lunged again at the lynx.

The lynx was peculiar as well, easily capable of dispatching the nuisance with a turn of its head, yet it ignored everything, its massive jaw gaping, fixated only on biting the consort's neck. Meanwhile, the little eunuch grabbed its hind legs from behind and pulled back with all his might...

This back-and-forth struggle repeated several times until the guards, following curses from behind, finally came to their senses. They didn't use knives or arrows but pounced, pinning the lynx down just as the little eunuch could no longer hold on, stacking up like Arhats.

Whew~~

It seemed to be over?

Li Xu swayed and fell down.

"Such an earnest performance, surely I can save my own life now?" he thought, pretending to faint on the ground.

Who would have known...

"His Majesty has arrived!"

"Greetings to His Majesty, may His Majesty be auspicious!"

"..."

On hearing this commotion, Li Xu's heart sank, knowing that the greatest uncertainty and danger had arrived.