The Succubus's Tail!

The next morning.

When Bai Xuan woke and opened his eyes, a dark-gold, heart-tipped tail suddenly entered his field of vision.

"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 take a look!

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

But before his fingertips reached it, the heart-tipped tail drew back and hid like a shy little girl.

?

Puzzled, Bai Xuan sat up and looked at Xilin, who was still asleep on the floor. She hadn't woken and remained lost in her dreams.

Besides the heart-tipped tail, two dark-gold Demon Horns peeked out from Xilin's hair.

She looked exactly like the succubi he remembered.

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 watched the dark-gold tail in confusion, it seemed to be watching him too.

That only made him more curious, but every time he tried to touch it, it 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, despite sleeping 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 opened the Mission Map.

One more completed mission, and he could summon a second Legendary!

"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.

In that case, he would have to look for missions in other cities.

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

"I'll wait for Xilin to wake up first."

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 sunlight and examined it closely, full of questions.

A gemstone?

Or a scale from some creature?

And why had it been inside the Sunlight Slime?

As he pondered, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door.

Is Bai Yu back?

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

Then he heard two people talking:

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

"It's fine. It's just my 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 to Bai Yu, trying to ease the sudden awkwardness.

"..."

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

"Hello!"

Liu Qian smiled and waved at Bai Xuan, then leaned toward Bai Yu and whispered, "Your brother's so handsome! But why don't you two look much alike?"

"We aren't related by blood."

Bai Yu answered casually and walked 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 telekinetic Esper!

"Sorry to intrude."

Li Hongyou said it offhandedly and floated inside.

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

"Hello, Liu Qian."

"Hi! Bai Yu is 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 got to Li Hongyou, then continued, "is Miss Li Hongyou from the Investigation Bureau."

"Hello."

As Bai Xuan spoke, he looked at the petite young woman.

She wore a red cheongsam, with her hair in a bun. Her slightly chubby cheeks gave her a cute look.

But she always seemed distracted, as though she were lost in her own world and cared nothing for what went on around her.

She answered Bai Xuan's greeting with nothing more than a brief "Mm."

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

"Oh, okay."

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

Even so, he kept his attention on the people in the living room.

"Your brother's so well-behaved," Liu Qian said softly, watching Bai Xuan walk away. "He seems like a good kid who listens to you."

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

She knew better than anyone what Bai Xuan was like.

He wasn't a bad person, but well-behaved was the last thing she would call him.

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

"Try not to worry. The bureau has already arranged a safe house, and I'll go with you when it's time," Bai Yu reassured her. "Besides, Miss Li Hongyou will protect you herself. You'll be safe."

"I hope so..." Anxiety still lingered in Liu Qian's eyes. She sighed. "They told me this has something to do with my aunt, too. When she warned me back then, maybe she'd already thought of this. I should've listened to her!"

"I'm such an idiot!"

"There, there. Don't overthink it. You'll be fine."

"..."

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

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

But come to think of it... hadn't Liu Qian been at the scene every time?

"Hey, kid! You died!"

A 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 in a single strike.

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

"That run was already a lost cause. It didn't matter if I died," he replied calmly.

"Giving up already? You really have no perseverance, kid."

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

"Um..." Bai Xuan worked the controls as he ventured, "Do you have superpowers?"

"Can humans fly?"

"No."

"Then why ask?"

"..."

Bai Xuan fell silent. Li Hongyou didn't 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, landed 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, waiting for an answer.

"Weren't you the one who told me not to?" Bai Xuan glanced at her and asked.

"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. "You don't look any older than me."

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

Only her aloof manner did.

"Hmph."

Li Hongyou folded her arms across her chest and said with a soft 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 reach my level, you will."

"?"