“Finally, a moment of peace,” Li Xi muttered, releasing his magic to probe the area. “There are two people with bombs… looks like they blew up a car.”
He moved his fingers slightly. “I’ve caught them.”
Since they weren’t far away, he used his magic to bind the attackers.
“I’m going out to take a look,” Duan Zhen said, a bad feeling creeping over him. He got up and ran into his mother.
“There was a loud explosion outside… it seems it was the car that picked up Zi Zhuo this morning,” Duan Zhen’s mother said, her voice tinged with panic.
“Don’t worry,” Li Xi reassured them, walking over. “I don’t smell blood.”
He nudged Duan Zhen. “Let’s go check it out.”
Outside, the scene was already surrounded by security. The men Li Xi had bound lay on the ground, and a group of security guards were extinguishing the burning car, while another group encircled two people.
Li Xi raised his hand and with a simple gesture, the burning car was extinguished with a hiss.
“Is that your brother?” he asked, pointing at the young man in the center of the security perimeter.
“Yes,” Duan Zhen nodded. He walked over, bypassing his brother to grab one of the attackers by the collar, inspecting him closely. “I’ve seen these two on the wanted list.”
“Are they here to get back at you?” Li Xi inquired.
“It’s possible they’re after Zi Zhuo as well,” Duan Zhen shook his head. “Some people don’t want the main system research to continue.”
“Human beings are rarely of one mind, I understand,” Li Xi said, spreading his hands. “Let me see if I can find out who they’re targeting.”
“Brother,” Duan Zi Zhuo approached, his frame slender and bearing a resemblance to their mother. His voice was soft, almost timid. “Is this Senafel?”
Li Xi sensed the inquiry and smiled slightly at him.
“His name here is Li Xi,” Duan Zhen said. He was about to introduce them when Duan Zi Zhuo spoke again.
“He’s really good-looking,” Duan Zi Zhuo said softly. “I like him.”
Duan Zhen shut his mouth, silently positioning himself between Li Xi and his brother. Perhaps introductions could wait—he had no intention of letting anyone steal his partner.
Li Xi ignored the brothers, focusing instead on the man on the ground. He glanced around, noting the curious onlookers drawn by the explosion, though they kept a safe distance.
“What is your purpose?” he asked, lifting one of the men by his collar. “Would you rather tell me, or should I make you?”
The man glared at him fiercely, silent but seething with hatred.
Li Xi tilted his head. “Seems like they might be after me too?”
Not understanding the motive but recognizing the man’s silence, Li Xi decided to handle it himself. He pressed his index finger to the man’s forehead, closing his eyes as if sifting through the man’s memories.
Duan Zhen approached, lowering his voice. “What did you find out?”
“It’s… a rather standard assassination attempt,” Li Xi concluded after a moment’s thought. “Mainly aimed at Duan Zi Zhuo.”
He withdrew his hand, and the man collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
“He’s not dead, just passed out,” Li Xi assured the security guards. “Take them to the police.”
The guards, finally having a task, efficiently secured the attackers and escorted them away. Though they performed their duties without complaint, their glances at Li Xi held a measure of fear. The ability to probe minds was a formidable power, one that even in this age of emerging abilities, was viewed with awe and trepidation.
“We should discuss this inside,” Li Xi suggested to Duan Zhen, aware of the lingering stares. “It’s not convenient out here.”
“Alright,” Duan Zhen agreed, wrapping an arm around Li Xi’s shoulders to shield him from the curious eyes, also subtly pulling Duan Zi Zhuo to the other side.
Duan Zhen’s parents had come out earlier but stayed back upon seeing that Duan Zi Zhuo was unharmed. They greeted the trio as they returned.
“Are you alright?” Duan Zhen’s mother asked anxiously.
“We’re fine. We sensed something was wrong and got out in time,” Duan Zi Zhuo reassured her softly. “Just got caught by the shockwave, but we’re okay.”
“That’s good,” she sighed with relief.
She invited Li Xi to stay the night, and Duan Zhen quickly agreed, insisting that Li Xi share his room.
After everyone had settled, Duan Zi Zhuo approached Li Xi. “Hello, I’m Duan Zi Zhuo. I’ve heard about you, but this is our first meeting.”
“I’ve heard about you from Duan Zhen too,” Li Xi smiled back.
Despite his initial jealousy, seeing Duan Zi Zhuo in person elicited a protective feeling in him. The younger man seemed so fragile and non-threatening.
“This is for you,” Li Xi said, handing him a jade bottle. “It’s dragon blood. Dilute each drop a hundred times before consuming it to enhance your physical strength.”
“Thank you,” Duan Zi Zhuo smiled gently. “Can I call you Xiao Xi?”
“…Okay,” Li Xi agreed after a moment of hesitation, given the younger man’s frail appearance and his connection to Duan Zhen.
“Alright, let’s head to the room,” Duan Zhen interrupted, pulling Li Xi away and muttering about checking if their prepared clothes fit.
As they reached the room, Li Xi asked, “Aren’t you changing?”
“My size hasn’t changed in years,” Duan Zhen replied.
Li Xi took out the sleepwear, noticing something off. He turned to Duan Zhen with a mischievous grin. “Were you jealous earlier?”
He tossed the clothes onto the bed, jumping onto Duan Zhen, wrapping his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck, smiling. “First time seeing you jealous.”
“I wasn’t,” Duan Zhen denied awkwardly, turning his head.
Li Xi laughed and kissed his cheek. “Right, you weren’t.”
Duan Zhen could hear the teasing in his voice. He flipped Li Xi onto the bed, their position instantly becoming more intimate.
Li Xi, oblivious to the change, wriggled under him to avoid being tickled.
“Don’t move,” Duan Zhen’s voice was husky with restraint.
It wasn’t that he was easily provoked; it had just been too long.
Li Xi sensed the shift and prepared his cooling spell.
This was Duan Zhen’s room before he moved out. Now, seeing Li Xi on his bed, clothes disheveled, his pale skin marked with a red imprint… something snapped in Duan Zhen’s mind.
He pinned Li Xi’s hands above his head, whispering, “No spells this time.”
Li Xi was confused but obediently retracted his magic, and was immediately kissed deeply.
As they rolled on the bed, Duan Zhen spotted the necessary supplies in the bedside drawer. He paused, realizing they had been thoughtfully prepared.
The door was locked, but the sounds couldn’t be entirely muffled. Duan Zhen’s mother, about to knock, paused and then quietly walked away, smiling.
True love, she thought, satisfied that her son had finally found his partner.
Author’s Note:
It’s over!
Thank you all for your support, and I hope you enjoyed the story.
Mama Duan… I guess she wants grandchildren? (if they can have any since there’s magic y’know lol)
Anyways, we’ve reached the end of this story with this last extra! I kinda wished we had extras showing what happened to the other demon lords (Would’ve been nice seeing Clemens and the twins b*tching, and well, Hewlett is my fave so seeing him one last time would’ve been nice lol) or moments with Xia Qirong, Sun Le and Dan Zuo, but overall, that’s a wrap.
Thank you everyone for following along this journey with me! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this work!
Thank you for reading