Dai Mobai stared at it. The more clearly he saw it, the more it seemed like some kind of metal object, gleaming brightly.
When he reached the spot where Moon Concubine had died, Dai Mobai picked up the object from the ground.
It was a necklace. A sun was engraved on the pendant, but only half of one.
Although he couldn't tell what it was, Dai Mobai still put it away in his Soul Tool ring.
As time trickled by, the last glimmer of light vanished from the horizon, and night fell over the entire Star Luo Imperial Palace.
The Third Prince's bedchamber was brightly lit.
"She's been gone so long. Why hasn't You Lian come back? Could she have failed?"
Dai Mubai paced back and forth across the room, his face anxious.
"Impossible. No man can resist You Lian's charms, and her Martial Soul is the Soul-Sucking Demon Bat, which excels at beguiling people. At close range, Dai Mobai couldn't possibly have escaped. Something else must have delayed her."
He muttered to himself, barely managing to convince himself. But the unease in his heart didn't fade—instead, it grew stronger.
He even kept feeling something was wrong behind him, as if a pair of eyes were watching him from somewhere in the bedchamber.
But whenever he turned around, he saw nothing.
He waited until nearly midnight, but You Lian still didn't show. Finally, Dai Mubai, yawning nonstop, couldn't hold out any longer.
After ordering the guards to notify him immediately if they received any news, he went straight to bed. Before long, his breathing had settled into a steady rhythm.
Once she confirmed that Dai Mubai was truly asleep, the air beside his bed suddenly wavered.
A transparent outline appeared, gradually taking shape until it revealed Li Yue's tall, slender figure.
Should she just toss it right onto him? Wouldn't that be a little too twisted?
Li Yue held Moon Concubine's head, her expression conflicted.
How about...
Li Yue's eyes suddenly lit up as she thought of a brilliant idea.
She slowly lifted Moon Concubine's head, moving as lightly as she could.
At last, after taking more than ten seconds, Li Yue gently placed Moon Concubine's head beside Dai Mubai's pillow.
To make sure Dai Mubai would see Moon Concubine as soon as he opened his eyes, she even considerately straightened the head.
Perfect (≧∇≦)!
Li Yue put her hands on her hips and gave herself a thumbs-up in her mind.
All done.
She clapped her hands, and her figure gradually turned transparent until she vanished completely.
Back in Dai Mobai's bedchamber, one lamp was still lit.
A cup of clear tea sat on the table, with wisps of steam occasionally drifting from it.
Li Yue didn't hesitate. She picked up the teacup and drained it in one go.
The temperature was just right—warm on the stomach without scalding her mouth.
Turning toward the bed, she saw Dai Mobai sprawled out in the shape of a character for "big," limbs akimbo as he slept.
"No matter how mature he acts, he's still a boy at heart."
Li Yue chuckled and got up, heading toward Dai Mobai's bed.
At first, she'd meant to help Dai Mobai cover himself with the blanket. But when she got closer, his firm, handsome face caught her attention.
Although he looked about seven parts like Dai Mubai, Dai Mobai was simply more eye-catching than Dai Mubai. Even asleep, the difference was obvious.
How could someone so handsome have such an annoying personality?
Remembering how Dai Mobai had teased her earlier, Li Yue changed course. Instead of reaching for the blanket, she reached for his face.
Li Yue's slender fingers crept closer to Dai Mobai's nose. But just as she was about to pinch it, a hand suddenly shot in from the side and gripped her wrist.
"Do you know what crime it is to assassinate a prince?"
Li Yue shuddered in fright. When she looked down, she saw that Dai Mobai had somehow opened his eyes without her noticing. One was gold, the other red.
"I... I..."
Her evasive gaze happened to land on the blanket Dai Mobai had kicked down beside his feet.
"I was just trying to cover you with the blanket. You misunderstood me."
Li Yue stuck out her chin, standing her ground.
"Cover me with a blanket? So the bodyguard does a maid's work now. Does that mean next time you'll warm my bed for me?"
Dai Mobai raised an eyebrow and released Li Yue's wrist.
"Dream on! I became a bodyguard to risk my life, not to sell... sell myself!"
Li Yue folded her arms over her chest and took a few steps back, her pretty face showing seven parts panic and three parts wariness.
"All right, all right, I get it. Let's talk business. How did the task I gave you go?"
Dai Mobai got out of bed, slipped on his shoes, and walked over to the table. He poured himself a cup of tea and wet his parched throat.
"Hey, that cup..."
Seeing Dai Mobai holding the cup she'd just used, Li Yue hesitated.
"What about the cup? You just used it? It's fine. I don't mind."
Dai Mobai replied as if it were only natural, then took another sip.
Li Yue felt her fists clench.
"Phew—"
She let out a long breath, calming her pounding heart.
"It's done. I returned Moon Concubine's head to Dai Mubai, but I didn't toss it onto him."
Li Yue folded her arms over her chest and raised her chin slightly.
"Then what did you do?"
Dai Mobai took another sip.
"I put Moon Concubine's head beside his pillow..."
"Pfft—"
A spray of water burst from Dai Mobai's mouth.
"Wait a second. What do you mean, you put Moon Concubine's head beside Dai Mubai's pillow?"
He stared straight at Li Yue, his expression a mix of suspicion and disbelief.
"I mean exactly what I said. Tossing a head onto someone would be too twisted. I didn't want to do that."
Li Yue didn't understand why Dai Mobai was reacting so strongly.
"No, no, no. You're way better than me. You're the most twisted one here."
Dai Mobai waved his hands repeatedly. Compared to Li Yue's methods, his own felt like the work of a raw recruit.
"If Dai Mubai opens his eyes and sees a head beside his pillow, just imagine the scene. Tsk, tsk."
Dai Mobai clicked his tongue twice, already beginning to feel sorry for him.
"FUUU—CK!"
A furious curse rang out from Dai Mubai's bedchamber, trembling with barely contained terror.
Dai Mubai huddled in a corner of the bed. All four of his pupils had shrunk to pinpricks as he stared at the round object he'd just slapped flying.
His chest heaved rapidly as he panted, still badly shaken.
Hearing Dai Mubai's commotion, the guards stationed outside the hall rushed in at once.
"Third Prince, what happened?"
Seeing Dai Mubai huddled on the bed, breathing rapidly like bellows, the guard looked bewildered.
"What happened? You bastards actually have the nerve to ask me what happened?!"
His overwhelming fear kindled a fury in Dai Mubai like no other.
He flung off the blanket wrapped around him and, without even putting on his shoes, strode up to the guard and slapped him.
The slap sent the guard's helmet flying and knocked him off balance.
Yet even that wasn't enough to appease Dai Mubai. He grabbed the guard by the armor and dragged him over to Moon Concubine's head.
"Open your eyes and take a good look! What the hell is this?!"