Burial Village

"Qin Mo?"

Hearing this name, Su Jinxuan's expression remained unmoved, yet a flicker of something unusual crossed her charming peach-blossom eyes, and she did not reply immediately.

Xu Yuan was in no rush to urge her, but after waiting for a while, a look of surprise gradually emerged in his own eyes as well.

The time she was taking to think was too long.

Whether or not one knows a person is usually something that comes to mind in an instant; even if one were deliberating on how to phrase things, one wouldn't wait this long unless they were unwilling to speak.

Su Jinxuan would certainly understand such basic acting.

Therefore, Judging by her reaction, was she preparing to disclose information about Qin Mo?

If that were the case, then things would get interesting.

They had met, And she was willing to reveal information about Qin Mo without hesitation.

Based on these two points alone, Xu Yuan could narrow down the path taken by the plot protagonist of this world to within five possibilities.

After a long while, Su Jinxuan said softly:

"How did the Third Young Master come to know that I am acquainted with Young Master Qin? My acquaintance with him was several months ago; at that time, you and I should not have known each other yet, right?"

Her voice was gentle, her eyes lingering on Xu Yuan's gaze, whether intentionally or not.

She did not understand how, given that Xu Changtian should not have been rescued yet when she met Qin Mo, he could have obtained this information.

Xu Yuan heard the probing in her words, but he had no intention of telling her anything—not a single word.

Even if he knew the truth in his heart, it was best not to speak of specific details unless absolutely necessary.

Showing off and acting cool in front of others might feel satisfying, but explaining it afterward would be a massive headache.

It was the same logic as why he refused to copy poems or lyrics.

He could make up whatever he wanted when dealing with outsiders like Su Jinxuan; they didn't know the specific situation and would only assume that he, the Third Young Master, had been hiding his true capabilities all along.

Things like appearing to be a playboy on the surface while actually strategizing from thousands of miles away, having secretly cultivated his own intelligence network.

Once the reputation spread, the nickname of "Two Dragons, One Phoenix, and One Rat" of the Prime Minister's Estate would likely change into something more prestigious, like "Two Dragons, One Phoenix, and One Hidden Kun" or "One Hidden Qilin."

But the problem was, Outsiders might not know him, but Xu Changtian, Xu Changge, and that cheap father of his were perfectly clear about what kind of playboy he was.

A personality could change due to a series of factors like physique, strength, or status, but you couldn't just conjure intelligence out of thin air.

They might not suspect his identity, but he would still have to provide an explanation for the matter.

Pausing, Xu Yuan said in a low voice:

"You don't need to ask how I know; Su Jinxuan, you only need to answer my question now."

"..."

After a moment of silence, Su Jinxuan bowed her head in a salute:

"The Third Young Master is right; it was Jinxuan who overstepped."

Xu Yuan waved his hand:

"No matter. What I am curious about now is, what is the relationship between you and that Qin Mo?"

Upon hearing this, Su Jinxuan giggled, her eyes filled with charm:

"Is the Young Master asking this because that Qin Mo is feeling jealous?"

Xu Yuan shook his head and chuckled, noncommittal:

"Perhaps. After all, I am still quite greedy for a physique like the Charm Soul Demon Body."

"This servant is already the Young Master's person now." Su Jinxuan breathed like an orchid, leaning gently against his shoulder: "If you are greedy, wouldn't it be better for the Young Master to just 'eat' this servant?"

Xu Yuan sneered inwardly, casually wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he continued to ask:

"So, Jinxuan, what is your relationship with that Qin Mo?"

Xu Yuan wanted to figure out which path the plot protagonist was taking so he could make the corresponding countermeasures.

Moreover, Xu Yuan didn't necessarily have to kill the plot protagonist.

After all, the protagonists of some paths were even more villainous than the villains themselves, and even more scum than his original self.

If their goals aligned, it was not impossible to reach a cooperation with the other party.

Su Jinxuan pondered slightly, then said with a light laugh:

"If Jinxuan tells the Young Master, what benefit is there for me?"

"Benefit?"

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow, turning his head to look at her, meeting her eyes that were like autumn water.

"Hmm."

With a curved-eye smile, Xu Yuan used the back of his finger to gently brush against the delicate face of the woman before him, his voice soft and slow:

"Of course there are benefits. Once we arrive at the estate and I hand you over to Ying'er, I will put in a good word for you so she might be a little gentler."

His voice was tender, as if he were flirting with a lover, yet the smile on Su Jinxuan's face faltered slightly.

A sliver of hope had remained in her heart.

She had believed that Xu Changtian was bringing her back to the estate to imprison her as a plaything.

She was well aware of how much temptation her body held for men like these.

Though she was unwilling, if this Xu Changtian could not resist touching her, and if the ancient text given to her by Mr. Qin was accurate, she would still have a glimmer of a chance to turn the tables.

But Xu Changtian's words just now turned that hope into a joke.

Ying'er clearly referred to the masked woman she had seen the moment she woke up.

That attire was unmistakably that of a Shadow Guard from the Prime Minister's Estate.

If she were to be handed over to that Ying'er, her fate...

At the thought of this, a flicker of panic involuntarily flashed through Su Jinxuan's eyes.

After a long moment of contemplation, she bit her lip and said softly:

"Then Jinxuan would rather not have the benefit. If Jinxuan tells you the truth, could the Third Young Master grant me a swift death?"

Because of her hesitation to choose mutual destruction earlier, her "Charm Essence" had been sealed within her sea of consciousness by the experts at Xu Changtian's side; now, she could not even end her own life.

Xu Yuan rubbed his chin and smiled playfully:

"That depends on your performance, Jinxuan. We are still about half an hour away from the estate. If you can come up with something that moves me, your proposal might be worth considering."

Su Jinxuan took a deep breath:

"Very well, I will speak. In truth, the relationship between myself and Qin Mo is not complicated. We traveled together for a time and made a wager when we parted ways."

"A wager? Tell me about it."

"I told him when we parted that if he could retrieve the demon core of the deer demon in Wind Crow Forest within this month, I would play a song for him alone."

Xu Yuan nodded slightly and chuckled:

"If that is all the information you have, it is not enough of a reason for me to grant you a swift death."

Su Jinxuan looked bewildered, but quickly gritted her teeth again:

"I approached Qin Mo because Mr. Qin said his background might not be simple."

This statement made Xu Yuan's eyes narrow.

Here it was again—a plot deviation.

In his past life, he had always assumed the meeting between the protagonist and Su Jinxuan was a chance encounter, but it turned out to be meticulously planned by someone else.

However, even if the meeting was orchestrated, the romantic threads should still be genuine.

After all, the affection levels in the game system could not lie.

Collecting his thoughts, Xu Yuan said, "Continue."

Su Jinxuan glanced at him, sighed, and whispered:

"Mr. Qin said that this Qin Mo might be related to a place called Burial Village."

"Burial Village?"

Xu Yuan murmured, more certain than ever that this Mr. Qin was far more than just a member of a sect.

Su Jinxuan shook her head:

"Mr. Qin did not say much more; Jinxuan only knows that Qin Mo might come from Burial Village."