Deep Hatred

When it came to swearing, there was no way the ancient Shen could compare with Li Ke, who had lived through the internet age.

For one thing, Li Ke could think of more insults than he could think of poems and songs.

That wasn't because Li Ke's mind was full of trash. It was just that he rarely saw or had any use for poetry in his everyday life, while insults were everywhere—on message boards, in games, and across all kinds of forums.

Sarcasm, veiled insults, Zaun-style verbal abuse, and so on. The pressures of modern life had turned the internet into a dumping ground for people's negative emotions, so trash talk had naturally proliferated.

So, while it wasn't anything to be proud of, Li Ke could still guarantee that in this world, no one—

No one—

Was better than him at swearing and getting under people's skin.

"Forget it, you..."

Shen took a deep breath to calm himself. Li Ke's words seemed to have a strange power, making him unable to help taking them personally, as though he'd dealt with the man countless times before.

Shen scoffed at the thought. Before Li Ke had appeared in front of him, he'd been no more than an ordinary swordsman, hardly anyone remarkable.

But after Li Ke had gotten under his skin, Shen had no intention of showing himself to him again.

No one liked being followed—not even by the Kinkou Order. Shen knew very well that if he stayed with Li Ke, the man would only keep mocking and provoking him.

"But since you didn't get the pill's formula wrong, I'll leave you to it."

With that, Shen turned to go. Li Ke hadn't planned on stopping him at first, since Shen's presence could throw off his simulation.

But just as Shen was about to jump out the window, Li Ke had a sudden idea and grabbed him by the pants.

Shen's body jerked to a halt mid-leap. He should have landed on another rooftop, but instead he dropped straight down. Had he not reacted quickly and caught himself with both hands, his handsome face would have slammed into the wall.

The biggest problem, though, was that his pants had fallen down.

A scream came from downstairs, and Li Ke let out an awkward chuckle.

Back inside, Shen pulled up his pants and drew the steel sword from his back. He looked at Li Ke, who seemed rather embarrassed, and asked him a question.

"What kind of offering do you like?"

Li Ke scratched his head. It had been an accident; he hadn't meant to do it. Who knew that the famous Shen would have such a flimsy waistband? A light tug had been all it took to snap it!

And he'd never expected...

Shen's butt was perkier than most women's. Truly an Ionian peach.

"You like plain water? I see."

Shen walked toward Li Ke with an impassive face, his murderous intent beyond measure.

His own father had never treated him like this, not in all his life. Li Ke had opened his eyes today—and thoroughly humiliated him. Someone was going to die if this was to be settled.

Besides, he couldn't live in Ionia anymore. He'd have to find some obscure place in Demacia where nobody knew him and live out the rest of his life there.

"No, no! What I like most is a comfortable life, preferably with a beautiful wife and concubines, surrounded by gorgeous women."

Li Ke backed away as he explained. He liked fine clothes, delicious food and wine, a beautiful wife he loved who loved him back, a sense of purpose in life, and a grand house.

That was the one thing he couldn't let anyone defile. He had to argue back against Shen.

Before transmigrating, it had only been something he could dream about. If he could only dream about it after transmigrating too, then what had been the point of transmigrating?

"I know."

Shen nodded impassively. He and Li Ke had a deep-seated grudge now. He was going to kill him!

"But I'll only give you plain water, so you'd better like plain water!"

"..."

"Any last wishes?"

"I want to live to a ripe old age—preferably twenty times as long as Nobunaga."

"Who's Nobunaga?"

"Some guy in his fifties who really likes barbecue."

"..."

"Well?"

"Do you have any last words?"

"Hey! What about my last wish?!"

"There's no such thing!"

After a chase, Shen finally landed two punches in Li Ke's back, and that settled things. Once they'd finished fighting, both of them realized they were hungry, so Li Ke suggested they go eat. Shen had meant to refuse, but when he saw the restaurant Li Ke was pointing at, then looked at the flatbread in his arms, he shamefully went against his father's instructions.

He was young, after all.

Sitting before the hot pot, Shen put mutton into his bowl and drank the fruit wine he'd sworn he wouldn't touch. Then he began talking to Li Ke.

"Sure enough, this place's mutton is as delicious as ever. Let me tell you, they're very particular about their sheep here. They feed them the finest grass every day, and..."

He spoke with authority, practically a star food streamer in Ionia. He knew all about raising and breeding sheep, and it was clear he'd been here plenty of times.

But Li Ke liked the fruit wine even more.

This "wine," which was more like fruit beer, had been chilled in a deep well. It tasted much like modern ice-cold beer. And since its ingredients were exceptionally good, it was delicious too, with a lingering sweetness and no harsh kick.

Fruit wine didn't have much alcohol in it to begin with, of course.

Still, Li Ke thought that, since Shen was a ninja, it was probably best not to lead him further astray after he'd already broken his abstinence.

But just as he had that thought, Shen, who still wasn't satisfied, spoke up.

"The wine you ordered just isn't good enough. If it were up to me, I'd order Moon Dew Wine. Otherwise, it doesn't hit the spot..."

Li Ke's hand trembled. Moon Dew Wine was one of the strongest liquors in all of Ionia, in the same league as vodka, Erguotou, and Laobaigan.

Compared to those, the fruit wine in front of him really was bland and tasteless.

"I thought... ninjas were supposed to be free of worldly desires."

Li Ke took a sip of fruit wine and muttered. Shen, who'd been so spirited a moment ago, immediately began to stammer. His face reddened as he fiddled with his cup, trying his best to explain himself.

"How can you give up drinking without understanding its dangers? You have to know what harm it does to understand why you should stay away from it. So drinking is a form of cultivation. If it's cultivation, can you really call it drinking?"

Heh.

Li Ke smiled and dropped the subject. Shen wanted to change the topic too, so he brought up the real reason between them.

"There's something wrong with you. You might attract ghosts, and that's not a good thing. That's why I followed you... My father told me to stay hidden and watch for any danger. If it was related to demons, I'd step in. If it wasn't, I'd leave it to fate. But then you acted so strangely after taking the medicine..."

Shen still seemed a little embarrassed, though not because he'd followed Li Ke. It was because he'd assumed Li Ke had taken the wrong medicine without being completely sure.

He was also reminding Li Ke that, although he'd been following him, he wouldn't step in if Li Ke got himself into trouble with a powerful enemy who wasn't a demon.

Li Ke didn't mind. He was actually pretty scared of ghosts, so he didn't mind being followed. He even hoped Kusho would come watch him too—preferably even while he was using the bathroom.

They were all men, so what was there to be afraid of?

But...

Li Ke raised his cup with interest and asked a question he'd been curious about for a long time.

"I don't mind that, since the Kinkou Order is there to handle this sort of thing. You don't interfere in worldly affairs. But I'm curious: if the people of Noxus invaded Ionia, would you still do nothing?"

Shen's expression darkened at once, but he still answered.

"That's right. We wouldn't."