The Succubus's Tail!

Early the next morning.

The moment Bai Xuan woke and opened his eyes, a dark-gold, heart-tipped tail sprang into view.

"Huh?"

He froze, staring at the tail in disbelief. For a moment, he could only sit there in silence.

What was that?

A succubus's tail?

Whose?

Could it be Xilin's?

Come on!

Let me check!

Bai Xuan raised his hand at once and tried to touch Xilin's tail.

But before his fingertips could reach it, the heart-tipped tail drew back and hid itself like a shy young girl.

*?*

Puzzled, Bai Xuan sat up and looked at Xilin, who was still asleep on the floor. She showed no sign of waking.

Besides the heart-tipped tail, two dark-gold Demon Horns were faintly visible among her hair.

She looked exactly like the succubus he had imagined.

But...

Why did Xilin's tail move on its own while she was asleep?

Were her body and tail two separate living things?

As Bai Xuan studied the dark-gold tail, it seemed to study him right back.

His curiosity grew, but every time he tried to touch it, the tail dodged him.

In the end, he gave up.

Bai Xuan glanced at the time. It was only six thirty in the morning.

For some reason, though he had slept just six hours, he felt refreshed and full of energy.

After a quick wash, Bai Xuan went into the living room, sat on the sofa, and checked the Mission Map.

One more mission, and he could summon a second Legend!

"All the Anomalous Calamities in Ninghang City... have been dealt with?"

Bai Xuan raised an eyebrow. Every red dot on the map had gone dark.

That left him with missions in other cities.

Before long, a mission called "Fire of Sin" caught his eye.

"I'll wait until Xilin wakes up."

Muttering to himself, Bai Xuan took the ruby-like fragment out of the World Book.

He held the clear, crimson object up to the morning sun and examined it, full of questions.

A gemstone?

Or a scale from some creature?

And why had it been inside the Sunlight Slime?

As he pondered, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Bai Yu's back?

Before Bai Xuan could finish the thought, the door opened.

Then he heard two voices.

"Bai Yu, we won't be disturbing anyone, will we?"

"It's fine. It's just my little brother at home. He should still be asleep at this hour..." Bai Yu trailed off as both women spotted Bai Xuan sitting on the sofa.

"..."

"Morning."

Bai Xuan waved at Bai Yu, trying to ease the sudden awkwardness.

"..."

After a moment's silence, Bai Yu introduced him to the woman beside her. "This is my little brother, Bai Xuan."

"Hi there!"

Liu Qian smiled and waved at Bai Xuan, then leaned close to Bai Yu's ear and whispered, "Your brother's so handsome! But why doesn't he look much like you?"

"We're not related by blood."

Bai Yu answered casually and stepped inside.

"Not related by blood?"

Liu Qian blinked in surprise, then followed Bai Yu in.

Just as Bai Xuan thought there was only one guest, another figure floated through the doorway—

Li Hongyou!

The Psychokinetic Esper!

"Sorry to intrude."

Li Hongyou said it without much concern and floated inside as well.

"Bai Xuan." Bai Yu walked up to him and began the introductions. "This is Liu Qian. She's my colleague at the Public Security Bureau and my classmate from the Public Security Academy."

"Hello, Liu Qian."

"Hello, hello! Bai Yu's my best friend. Since you're her brother, come to me anytime you need help!"

"Really?"

"Of course!"

"And this..." Bai Yu paused when she came to Li Hongyou, then continued, "is Miss Li Hongyou from the Investigation Bureau."

"Hello."

As Bai Xuan spoke, his gaze settled on the petite young woman.

She wore a red qipao, her hair in a bun. A little baby fat softened her cheeks, giving her a cute look.

But she always seemed distracted, as though lost in her own world and indifferent to everything around her.

In response to Bai Xuan's greeting, she merely said, "Mm."

"We have some things to discuss. Could you stay in your room for a while?" Bai Yu asked him softly.

"Oh, sure."

Bai Xuan nodded and obediently went to the study. He turned on the computer and started playing a game.

His attention, though, stayed on the people in the living room.

"Your brother's so well-behaved," Liu Qian said softly, watching Bai Xuan walk away. "He looks like such an obedient kid."

"Don't let appearances fool you." Bai Yu rolled her eyes.

She knew exactly what Bai Xuan was like.

He wasn't a bad person, but well-behaved was a stretch.

"Ugh, my luck is terrible!" Liu Qian had barely sat down on the sofa before she groaned. "Why are those Zombies after me?"

"Try not to worry. The bureau has arranged a Safe House, and I'll go there with you," Bai Yu reassured her. "Besides, Miss Li Hongyou will protect you personally. You'll be safe."

"I hope so..." Unease still lingered in Liu Qian's eyes. She sighed. "They said it has something to do with my aunt. When she tried to warn me, maybe she'd already considered this. It's my fault for not listening to her!"

"I'm such an idiot!"

"There, there. Don't think too much about it. You'll be fine."

"..."

The Zombies are after her? Bai Xuan was surprised by what he heard.

He hadn't expected Liu Qian to be their target.

But thinking back... Liu Qian had been at the scene every time, hadn't she?

"Hey, kid! You're dead!"

The voice suddenly sounded beside Bai Xuan's ear, making him jump.

His hand jerked. His character failed to dodge the boss's attack and was killed with a single slash.

Bai Xuan raised an eyebrow and turned around. To his surprise, the Investigator named Li Hongyou had floated behind him at some point and was quietly watching his screen.

"I'd already lost that run. Dying didn't matter," he replied calmly.

"You gave up just like that? What a quitter."

Li Hongyou made the dry remark but kept watching him play.

"Um..." Bai Xuan asked tentatively as he played, "Do you have superpowers?"

"Can humans fly?"

"No."

"Then why ask?"

"..."

Bai Xuan fell silent. Li Hongyou did not seem easy to get along with.

He turned his attention back to the screen and challenged the boss again.

This time, even when he was down to a sliver of health, he refused to give up. He kept playing, pulled off dozens of perfect dodges in a row, and defeated the boss.

"Why didn't you give up this time?"

Li Hongyou looked at Bai Xuan and pressed him for an answer.

"Weren't you the one who told me not to?" Bai Xuan shot back with a glance.

"You do take advice, kid." Li Hongyou narrowed her eyes, showing a rare hint of approval.

"Why do you keep calling me 'kid'?"

Bai Xuan looked her up and down, then added, "You don't look any older than me."

Neither Li Hongyou's build nor her face made her look like an adult.

Only her aloof manner did.

"Hmph."

Li Hongyou folded her arms across her chest and gave a small snort.

"Age doesn't matter. Experience is the only way to judge a person. A kid like you, still in school, wouldn't understand. Once you're on my level, you'll get it."

"?"