Shadow Moon (3)

Veins bulged across Chu Shihan's wrist. His voice seethed with anger, each word forced through clenched teeth. "I'll ask you again. What exactly did you do to him?"

Before the words had left his mouth, he drove the sword forward another fraction. The cold edge bit deeper into the flesh of the other man's neck, and blood ran down the blade faster than before.

"Shen Yuxi" frowned faintly at the fresh pain. Cold sweat beaded on his brow, his already pale lips turned nearly translucent, and even his breathing trembled.

Yet the mockery in his eyes did not fade. Like poison worked into sugar, it only grew more sickening.

"You really... can't understand a word I say." He tugged at the corners of his mouth between breaths, still smiling. "I told you, I can't do anything to your dear junior brother. But someone else... might."

Enduring the sharp pain in his neck, he leaned closer against the blade. Warm drops of blood even splashed onto Chu Shihan's robe. He lowered his voice, and naked menace filled it. "Let me tell you some good news."

"Your dear junior brother is trapped somewhere special right now..." His meaningful glance went to the blue crystal floating in the distance. Its glow reflected in his eyes but lent them no warmth. "That place relies on many crystals like this one to maintain order. Lose one, and the space falls out of balance."

"What do you think would happen if someone happened to destroy those crystals... and threw all the energy inside into chaos?"

He narrowed his eyes and slowed his speech, pressing his lips together to imitate the soft sound of something bursting. His tone was maliciously light. "It would go 'bang'—and crumble to dust. Everyone inside, including your beloved junior brother, would become