Chapter 19: Castle Past 19 Hunting

The crimson lips curved into a perfect smile, beautiful yet intimidating, impossible to meet head-on.

Perfect.

The handcuffs would come in handy.

She’d been too lenient with Xu Nian.

She should chain her up forever, allowing no freedom.

Naughty kittens get caught when they misbehave.

“He’s no threat.”

The gardener, timid and armless, was no match for them.

Just in case, Xu Nian tied him up with rope, gagging him.

“Mmph, mmph…” The gardener writhed, cloth stuffed in his mouth, ropes tight, his hateful glare fixed on Xu Nian.

Ignoring him, Xu Nian handed Fu Ruxue gloves.

Fu Ruxue took them. “What for?”

“Search the body.”

“Huh?”

“Cheng Li said there’s a corpse here. Start looking.”

“Oh.”

Fu Ruxue put on the gloves, wondering what Xu Nian had been up to in the basement to snag two pairs.

The garden bloomed with vivid red spider lilies under the moonlight.

They split up, parting flower clusters, searching for the corpse.

The garden was vast—how had Cheng Li found it?

After ages, they found a dug-up patch.

There lay the corpse, face a bloody mess, covered in livor mortis, long dead. Crows circled above but didn’t descend, as if repelled.

Blood-stained spider lilies glowed eerily.

A foul stench hit, and Fu Ruxue held her breath, grateful for Xu Nian’s foresight with the gloves.

Xu Nian rifled through pockets, finding something.

A dusty, round pocket watch, pristine inside, as if never opened.

Inside, a photo of a gentle mother and lively daughter, both smiling brightly.

She handed it to Fu Ruxue, who saw no clues.

“His wife and daughter?”

“Maybe.”

Fu Ruxue, grimacing, searched the coat, finding a paper in an inner pocket.

A prescription, with familiar handwriting.

“Isn’t this the butler’s writing?” Fu Ruxue said, puzzled. “Why’s he wearing the butler’s clothes?”

The chest gem was missing—Cheng Li’s doing.

Xu Nian mused, “What if he is the butler?”

“Haha, no way…” Fu Ruxue froze mid-laugh.

It clicked.

He wore the butler’s clothes, had a note in the butler’s handwriting, and a rarely opened watch with a family photo.

All signs pointed to the butler.

If he was the butler, then who was the current butler?

Trouble.

The wind stopped, crows vanished, and the forest fell silent, only their breathing audible.

Fu Ruxue’s eyes widened in fear, staring past Xu Nian at a smiling man, his head twisting unnaturally, snapping with a crack.

Xu Nian turned, meeting blood-red eyes, gleaming with menace.

“Jie jie jie…”

The man’s mouth split to his ears, bloodied fangs glinting. “I see you.”

Xu Nian and Fu Ruxue exchanged a glance, bolting in opposite directions.

The man glanced between them, then, like a beast, crawled on all fours, head swiveling 180°, chasing Fu Ruxue.

She sprinted toward the castle, legs a blur, her fragile psyche crumbling.

Following Xu Nian was too dangerous!

She regretted it!

Xu Nian, halfway, noticed no one followed. The wind persisted, so she ran to the castle’s main gate.

The rusty iron gate, unused for ages, bore intricate patterns, locked with a matching bar.

Was this the exit?

She reached for the lock but felt a barrier two centimeters away.

An invisible shield blocked her, rippling under her touch.

Not the real exit.

The entire castle was likely enclosed by this barrier.

The only way out was the key Fu Ruxue mentioned.

Anger flared.

She hated being trapped.

Fine. Save Fu Ruxue first, repay the debt for the basement rescue.

“Found you.”

The Young Lady sensed the barrier’s disturbance, eyes narrowing. Black mist swirled, and she vanished.

Blood moon high.

“Ah—ah—ah—”

Crows wailed overhead.

Vines snared Xu Nian’s foot. She crouched, slicing them with a knife.

They fell in pieces.

A searing gaze locked on her.

“Who?”

She spun, seeing no one.

The feeling of being watched persisted, but turning again revealed nothing.

Quickening her pace, she missed the footsteps mirroring hers—stopping when she stopped, moving when she moved.

The castle door was now closed. Xu Nian pushed it open.

A figure crashed into her, nearly knocking her down if not for the door handle.

Fu Ruxue scrambled off, pale, apologetic. “Sorry.”

The “butler” stood steps away, head tilted, smiling, blood dripping from his lips. He licked them, throat bobbing, swallowing the drops.

“Don’t run.”

His face twisted as he approached.

Xu Nian assessed him—clearly at peak strength. Their odds were slim.

Even if she died, she’d learn who the “butler” was.

His claws extended, fangs grinding.

Steadying Fu Ruxue, Xu Nian challenged, “What’s 1238457837 + 2184787437?”

The “butler” paused, answering after a delay, “3423245274.”

“Sulfur, chlorine, argon, potassium, calcium—what’s next?”

He froze longer, face blank. “Scandium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, manganese.”

He advanced, but Fu Ruxue pulled Xu Nian back, nearing the kitchen.

Xu Nian pressed, “Egg or chicken first?”

“Do you like men or women?”

“How many steps to put an elephant in a fridge?”

“If the tangent to y=e^(x²)+x at (0,1) is also tangent to y=ln(x+1)+a, what’s a?”

Each question stalled him, giving them space to retreat toward the kitchen.

Xu Nian’s heart eased slightly. Risking one last question: “Where’s the key?”

Rule One: You can ask the Duke any question, and he will answer.

“In the—”

The “butler”—no, Duke Caesar—stopped. A cool hand covered Xu Nian’s ears, ink-black eyes reflecting a flawless angelic face, golden curls brushing her shoulder.

Crimson lips moved, voice seductive. “You’re not being good.”

So close…

Inches from the kitchen, Fu Ruxue was already inside.

Xu Nian’s face darkened. She stabbed at the Young Lady’s neck, the blade a blur, no hesitation.

The Young Lady raised an elbow, not even releasing Xu Nian’s ears, eyes locked on hers.

Clang—

The knife hit the ground.

Xu Nian lost her weapon.

The Young Lady let go, her hand trailing down Xu Nian’s side to her arm, flipping it.

Click.

The prepared handcuffs snapped onto Xu Nian’s wrist, accentuating its paleness.

Punishment was just beginning.

A figure emerged from the shadows, smiling confidently.

Cheng Li, watching the drama, gloated at Xu Nian’s capture, mocking her. “Smart, but you used it wrong.”

“He told me you ran,” the Young Lady tattled.

“Cheng Li, come here. I’ve got a clue,” Xu Nian said, suppressing irritation, lips curving.

The Young Lady tugged the cuffs, displeased.

How dare Xu Nian smile at someone else?

Only she got that smile!

Xu Nian dropped the smile, rephrasing for Cheng Li’s trust. “A clue for you, but protect Fu Ruxue in exchange.”

“Sure.” Cheng Li agreed instantly.

With Xu Nian caught, he’d take the clue and ditch Fu Ruxue—she’d never know.