Chapter 4 — “Want Me to Wipe It Off for You?”
Her arch tensed instinctively, toes pressing against the demon’s throat.
His teeth caught around the jut of her ankle bone, biting down lightly—not enough to hurt, just enough to send a tingling numbness spreading through her body.
The succubus traced the shape of her bones with the tip of his tongue. One hand clamped tightly around her Achilles tendon while his long, powerful fingers locked around her slender ankle.
The skin trapped in his grip flushed faintly red.
Saliva mixed with streaks of blood spilled from the corner of his lips, trailing down his jaw, sliding over her heel before dripping softly onto the floor.
Su Cheng: “…That’s blood.”
The demon froze.
Su Cheng quietly pulled her foot back.
He remained sitting there stiffly, feeling the cool softness of her skin slide between his teeth. For a moment, it was as though he could clearly sense the shape of every bone and blood vessel beneath it.
Su Cheng stared blankly at the damp marks on her ankle, utterly speechless.
“I’m carrying a death curse,” she said flatly. “Your blood can suppress it. When I asked you for something, what else would I want besides your blood?”
He’d said one feeding could hold the curse off for ten days or half a month. That was probably true—for ordinary curses.
But the thing on her body clearly wasn’t ordinary. It wasn’t something that could be judged with common sense. Maybe his blood’s effects would be drastically weakened too.
Better prepare extra safeguards.
The demon was silent for a few seconds before casually wiping the blood from his lips.
“I thought humans all—”
Su Cheng’s eye twitched violently. “Can you stop with the stereotypes already? You succubi are the ones with that kind of reputation!”
Annoyed, she hopped off the table, found several clean bottles, and slammed them down in front of him.
“Start bleeding.”
Without a word, the demon obeyed.
Only after filling several bottles did he finally collapse weakly onto the sofa.
Su Cheng sat beside him again, reaching for the chain around his neck, continuing to weaken the binding seal restraining him.
The demon suddenly shuddered.
The chains at his throat trembled with him. The broad muscles across his shoulders and back tightened sharply, sculpted lines shifting beneath the dim candlelight like living marble.
A blush spread across his skin, vivid as berry juice staining fresh snow.
Su Cheng’s fingers lingered briefly at his collarbone before her gaze drifted downward despite herself.
Su Cheng: “…”
That wound was huge.
“You’re still bleeding,” she murmured. “Want me to wipe it off for you?”
As she spoke, she reached out. Her fingertips brushed across his firm abdomen before lightly touching the long wound stretched across his waist.
The cut tapered sharply at both ends and widened at the center. Its edges were clean but curled with scorched flesh—a swordsman’s precise handiwork.
The demon let out a slow breath, narrowing his eyes at her.
“When I wanted you earlier, you refused. And now you’re starting again?” His voice dropped lower. “Do you have some kind of—”
Su Cheng looked up.
The wings behind him trembled faintly, and before she could stop herself, she touched the base where they connected to his back.
The demon sucked in a sharp breath.
His chest lifted involuntarily. His lean waist spasmed beneath her fingertips.
“If you want to do it, then—”
A sheen of sweat quickly surfaced across his muscles again, glimmering temptingly beneath the candlelight.
His flexible tail curled around her thigh once more, trying to pull her closer.
Su Cheng braced a hand against his chest.
“…Don’t you think the timing for that is a little inappropriate right now?”
They were close enough to feel each other’s breathing.
The demon stared at her silently, dark fire surging in those ice-blue eyes, as though he wanted to carve the human before him directly into memory.
“Mage,” he asked softly, “what’s your name?”
Su Cheng shook her head.
“I don’t want to know you. I don’t want to exchange names with you either. Honestly, we’d both be better off if we stopped talking altogether.”
The demon glared at her before letting out a cold laugh.
“You think— Hah. Pathetic human.”
The chains around his neck suddenly loosened slightly. Some of his strength returned at once, and he abruptly released her with his tail before rising to his feet.
The movement felt like a mountain lifting from the earth.
His shadow swallowed her whole.
Su Cheng wasn’t short by human standards, but the demon was absurdly tall. Even standing straight, she only reached his chest.
Crossing her arms, she tilted her head up at him.
“Take care. No need for me to see you out.”
The demon shot her one last glance before his figure blurred.
Like a bolt of lightning, he slipped through the window, wings beating violently as he disappeared into the endless night.
The instant he left, Su Cheng began changing clothes and washing up. She cleaned the room efficiently, restoring everything to its original place.
There were bigger problems coming.
A demon escaping from the Church’s prison would naturally have pursuers behind him.
And they would arrive very soon.
A few minutes later, noise erupted from the courtyard.
Then came a knock at the door.
Su Cheng walked over and pulled it open.
The sight that greeted her was a courtyard filled with fully armed knights.
They wore white-and-gold armor emblazoned with the radiant cross insignia of the Holy Church. In one hand they carried shields; in the other, swords, maces, battle-axes, and other weapons.
A faint golden glow flowed over their bodies like layers of translucent film, wrapping around armor and dancing along sharpened blades.
In the dark night, it looked like an ocean of moving light.
Holy Paladins.
The formation was impeccably orderly. No one spoke, yet an overwhelming pressure filled the air.
The Lin estate’s servants stood much farther away, too frightened to approach.
One of the paladin captains stepped forward.
Her armor was more ornate than the others’, the engraved patterns more intricate. Three seal-chains hung from her shoulder mantle, marking her rank as a commander.
Resting a hand on the sword at her waist, she spoke calmly.
“We are pursuing an extremely dangerous fugitive. He entered this estate.”
Su Cheng widened her eyes in confusion.
“…I didn’t see anyone enter the courtyard. But of course I’ll cooperate with the investigation, officers. What do you need from me?”
In the original story, Lin Yun had blackmailed the demon into sleeping with him. They’d taken much longer, and the two had still been in bed together when the commotion outside began.
The female supporting character had barely recovered enough strength to teleport away before the door was broken open, leaving Lin Yun scrambling up from bed half-naked.
He’d only escaped suspicion because of the old man inside his bracelet.
Su Cheng: “…”
Unfortunately, she could only rely on herself now.
She looked at the paladin commander before her.
Though hidden beneath armor, the voice—and the smooth neck lacking an Adam’s apple—made it obvious the commander was female.
Just like in the original novel.
Apparently not everyone besides the Lin family had undergone some bizarre gender swap.
The commander searched her room once before turning back toward her.
“…It’s very late, miss. Why are you still awake?”
Su Cheng shook her head.
“I had things on my mind.”
No point lying.
She knew someone at this level could hear her breathing from far away—could probably tell whether someone inside the room was asleep while standing in the courtyard.
The commander studied her briefly but asked nothing more before stepping back outside.
Before Su Cheng could react, every paladin in the courtyard suddenly turned in perfect unison and split apart down the center.
Then they all dropped to one knee simultaneously.
The scrape of armor sounded perfectly synchronized.
A long roar suddenly split the heavens.
Like thunder crashing across the sky.
Even the clouds overhead seemed shattered by the sound.
A massive shadow engulfed not only the Lin estate, but several neighboring residences as well.
Su Cheng looked up.
A colossal figure descended from the clouds amidst raging winds before abruptly halting midair.
Its outstretched wings resembled storm clouds, stirring violent currents through the night.
Trees in the courtyard bent wildly beneath the gale. Horses screamed in panic inside the stables; some had already collapsed foaming at the mouth.
The gigantic beast in the sky raised its head proudly.
Metallic light gleamed across scales covering its massive body. Its enormous wings beat slowly, controlling the torrents of wind.
“…A dragon?!”
The servants in the distance stared in shock.
“That’s a dragon?!”
Among the ancient dragon race, the most numerous were drakes—sub-dragons bearing animalistic traits, more akin to dinosaurs.
Then came wyverns: giant reptilian creatures resembling a cross between lizards and crocodiles, with batlike wings.
Even the smallest adult wyvern measured over ten meters long.
As for true dragons—
They possessed four limbs and wings, larger and far more powerful than wyverns, with immense intelligence and natural mastery over magic.
Dragons passed through five growth stages: infant, juvenile, adolescent, mature, and complete.
Even an adolescent dragon possessed magical power comparable to a Grand Magus and physical strength rivaling a Battle Sovereign—equivalent to an eighth-rank dual cultivator of magic and martial arts.
A mature dragon stood equal to a tenth-rank mage and warrior.
A complete dragon surpassed even rank eleven, possessing power approaching that of a demigod.
“That’s a dragon rider!”
Someone had spotted the figure atop the dragon’s back.
True dragons were powerful, proud, and every bit as intelligent as humans. Becoming one’s contractor was unimaginably difficult.
Most so-called dragon riders only partnered with wyverns or drakes.
Across the entire Silvermoon Empire, true dragon riders could be counted on one hand.
Su Cheng quickly put on a suitably shocked expression.
This dragon rider was an important figure within the Church. In the original novel, he’d only flashed briefly across the sky before departing elsewhere.
He didn’t properly appear until much later.
If she remembered correctly, the original version had been some beast-eared female commander.
Su Cheng stared at the dragon overhead.
But after waiting for quite a while and seeing no sign of departure, she began feeling uneasy.
Then suddenly—
A figure leapt from the dragon’s back.
Ignoring the hundred-meter drop entirely, the person landed soundlessly in the silent courtyard.
At that height, the impact should’ve shattered the ground.
Instead, the newcomer landed lightly, boots touching stone without leaving so much as a scratch.
Su Cheng: “?”
The dragon rider came down?!
Wasn’t he supposed to just make a cameo in the sky and leave?!
“How lively.”
The newcomer walked forward casually.
The paladins remained kneeling, none daring to lift their heads.
He strode between them until he stopped directly in front of Su Cheng.
Su Cheng: “???”
The man was tall, with deep red curls and pale skin. His face was strikingly handsome, diamond-shaped silver studs glittering at his ears.
He wore dark hunting clothes: a fitted black leather jacket over matching inner layers, riding pants and knee-high boots accentuating his long legs.
Leather straps hugged his powerful body, crossing over his chest and outlining firm muscle beneath. Several silver rings gleamed against the dark fabric.
But most eye-catching of all were the animal ears atop his head.
Sharp triangular ears dusted with reddish-brown fur, soft fluff twitching within.
The mark of a half-beastman.
Across both northern and southern continents, the most populous intelligent races were humans and beastfolk, followed by the half-blood children born between them.
Beastfolk possessed obvious animal traits. Half-beastmen looked more human, often retaining only ears, tails, claws, and similar features.
“Good evening, Miss Mage,” the red-haired man said casually. “Someone your age—what kind of worries could possibly keep you awake this late?”
Su Cheng: “…”
Right.
The beast-eared beauty had apparently become a beast-eared man instead.
“Oh, where are my manners? I’m Ling Yang, Supreme Commander of the Eastern Territory of the Silvermoon Empire under the Holy Church’s Northern Continental Knights.”
His tone remained easygoing.
“I’m pursuing a runaway heretic.”
The Church used the term “heretic” broadly—for cultists, followers of dark gods, and the kin of demonic deities alike.
Su Cheng lowered her head politely.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Commander.”
The head of the Lin family had just rushed over from afar. Hearing those words at the courtyard gate, he nearly stumbled from shock.
The Church maintained only nine major military districts across the entire Northern Continent.
And the man before them commanded one of them.
A figure standing near the absolute peak of the Church hierarchy.
“Likewise, Mage.” Ling Yang nodded lightly. “What happened to your forehead? Did you injure yourself?”
“Oh.” Su Cheng touched the reddened swelling on her forehead awkwardly. “I did it myself. I was angry… Well, I suppose there’s no point hiding it. My fiancé wants to break off our engagement.”
“Is that so?” Ling Yang frowned. “Then he has terrible taste.”
“Thank you, but I’m not upset because I love him. It’s just humiliating. My cousins mocked me over it too…”
Su Cheng sighed miserably.
“I even fainted from anger during the day. Tonight I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I started hitting my head with a book. Honestly, this is so embarrassing. Now even your paladins know about it.”
Ling Yang stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly laughing.
“You’re rather adorable, my lady. Don’t worry—I guarantee none of them will repeat a word.”
Su Cheng sighed again.
“It doesn’t really matter. The story will spread soon enough anyway. If people want to laugh, let them.”
Ling Yang nodded thoughtfully.
“Right. A fugitive passed through here earlier. Though of course, he’s already gone now.”
As he spoke, golden light suddenly ignited within his eyes.
Brilliant and blinding—like flames burning in the dark.
At the same time, an overwhelming pressure descended.
“So,” he said softly, “I’ll need you to undergo a Truth Spell, miss. Answer a few questions for me, and please don’t lie.”
His smile widened slightly.
“Otherwise, holy fire will reduce you to ash.”
Su Cheng feigned confusion, mixing in just the right amount of fear.
“O-Of course. I’ll tell the truth.”
“Good.”
Ling Yang smiled lazily.
“First question. Do you know who the fugitive that entered this estate was?”
“No.”
Which was technically true.
She genuinely couldn’t remember the demon woman’s name—something like Renee or Rena, maybe.
Lin Yun had slept with far too many people in the original novel, and the foreign names constantly blurred together. Even the author mixed them up sometimes.
Besides, Su Cheng had anticipated this line of questioning from the start.
That was exactly why she’d deliberately angered the demon into leaving without exchanging names.
“Excellent,” Ling Yang said approvingly. “Do you know where he went?”
Su Cheng shook her head without hesitation.
“I don’t.”
“Very good.”
Ling Yang clapped lightly, and the golden glow in his eyes faded.
“You’ve passed the Truth Spell. Since everything you said was true, we have nothing further to ask.”
Su Cheng quietly let out a breath of relief.
Originally, it had been the female captain who conducted the interrogation.
Lin Yun had exchanged names with the demon and spoken extensively with him, meaning he should never have passed.
He’d only succeeded because of the cheat-like old man in his bracelet.
“However—”
Ling Yang tilted his head slightly and sniffed the air.
The beast ears atop his head twitched gently, soft fur trembling.
“There’s a scent on you…”
Without warning, he bent closer.
Su Cheng failed to dodge in time.
The man’s tall figure suddenly closed the distance, and the bridge of his nose brushed against her shoulder.
Even through layers of clothing, the warmth of his breath seeped into her skin.
Right where the demon had bitten her.
