What an Act

In the Secret Chamber of the Hostage's Residence, a man's piercing screams rang out without end. His hands and feet were bound to a wooden post, and a black-clad guard held a small knife, slicing flesh from his body as though carving pork. The man's face was hideously contorted with the agony of having his flesh cut away.

Not far from him, Yan Xuanjing sat in his wheelchair, watching expressionlessly. He showed no reaction to the man's screams, merely counting softly. Only when he reached one hundred did he signal for the black-clad guard to stop.

"Xifeng, throw him into the mass graveyard to feed the wild dogs," he ordered coldly, a ruthless gleam flashing in his eyes.

The moment he finished speaking, Xifeng hurriedly nodded his assent and dragged the man's mutilated body away. This was exactly the fate anyone who betrayed His Highness deserved!

Yan Xuanjing sat silently in his wheelchair, staring darkly at the blood on the floor. The urge to destroy the world surged endlessly within him. One day, I'll kill every last person who bullied me! He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. Once he had calmed the violent emotions in his heart, he gently turned his wheelchair and slowly left the Secret Chamber, returning to his room.

Early the next morning, after enjoying breakfast, Ning Sang-sang took Ning Hui by the arm and said, "Come on, A-Hui. Let's go to the Hostage's Residence and see your Brother A-Xuan."

She now had to do more than enjoy the juicy drama; she also had to stop the villain, Yan Xuanjing, from turning evil. She absolutely had to see him today. After all, in the book, the Third Princess would come to his residence today to make trouble for him, accelerating his descent into darkness.

Ning Hui was a little surprised. "Sister, why do you suddenly want to see Brother A-Xuan?"

She only met Brother A-Xuan yesterday, and today she already wants to visit him. Could she be interested in him?

"He seemed so pitiful that I couldn't help feeling sorry for him." Ning Sang-sang casually made up an excuse to brush him off.

Ning Hui trusted Ning Sang-sang completely. He did not suspect her explanation in the slightest, simply nodding and taking her along to the Hostage's Residence.

When Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui arrived at the entrance to the Hostage's Residence, Ning Hui told the gatekeeper, "Sorry for the trouble, young man, but could you go in and inform His Highness that my sister and I have come to visit him?"

Ning Hui often came to the Hostage's Residence to see His Highness, so the gatekeeper naturally recognized him. He nodded respectfully and hurried inside to announce their arrival.

When the gatekeeper came to report to Yan Xuanjing, he was practicing calligraphy in his study. His brush paused slightly at the news, and his first instinct was to refuse. Then something occurred to him, and he set down his brush. "Take them to the main hall."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The gatekeeper answered respectfully, then turned and hurried away.

Listening to the gatekeeper's retreating footsteps, Yan Xuanjing frowned slightly. There was nothing strange about Ning Hui coming to see him, but Ning Sang-sang had not shown the slightest liking for him yesterday. Why had she come too? At the thought of her inner voice, his gaze flickered, and he wheeled himself straight toward the main hall.

By the time Ning Sang-sang and Ning Hui were shown into the main hall, Yan Xuanjing was already waiting there.

"Brother A-Xuan, my sister and I came to see you!" Ning Hui greeted him with a smile the moment he saw him.

Yan Xuanjing nodded slightly, his gaze settling on Ning Sang-sang.

Ning Sang-sang spoke first. "Sixth Prince, my second brother told me that you saved A-Hui's life, so I came especially to see you today and thank you for saving him back then."

Yan Xuanjing did not believe for a moment that she had come today to thank him for saving Ning Hui's life, but he did not let it show. He merely replied coolly, "You're too kind, Third Miss Ning. Saving Fourth Young Master Ning took no more than lifting a hand. There's no need to dwell on it."

Hearing his distant, polite response, Ning Sang-sang grumbled inwardly, [Yan Xuanjing is far too cold. Getting on good terms with him is so difficult.]

At the sound of Ning Sang-sang's thoughts, Yan Xuanjing's gaze shifted slightly. Why does Ning Sang-sang suddenly want to get on good terms with me?

Ning Hui also looked puzzled when he heard Ning Sang-sang's thoughts. Why does my sister want to get on good terms with Brother A-Xuan?

Unaware that the two men had heard her thoughts, Ning Sang-sang looked at Yan Xuanjing's cold, aloof demeanor and continued inwardly:

[Yan Xuanjing had such a miserable childhood that his mind became twisted. It'll take an enormous amount of effort to move him and turn him into a good person.]

Hearing Ning Sang-sang's thoughts, Yan Xuanjing felt something stir within him. So she came today to reform me and turn me into a good person. A good person? I'll never be a good person. He lowered his eyes slightly, concealing the gloom within them. As he thought of everything he had experienced since childhood, his heart churned like a storm-tossed sea, ruthless emotions surging inside him.

[Beep! Beep! Beep!]

An alarm suddenly sounded in Ning Sang-sang's mind.

[Warning! Warning! The villain's corruption value is rising wildly!]

[Dear host, the villain's emotions are extremely unstable right now, and his corruption value is rising. Please stabilize his emotions and lower his corruption value.]

Ning Sang-sang: ???!!

Is Yan Xuanjing's mental state really that bad? Nobody even provoked him, yet his emotions suddenly became unstable and his corruption value started rising?

Could this great villain have taken my words of gratitude as malice, decided I didn't mean what I said, and started wildly imagining that I looked down on him?

Ning Sang-sang looked at Yan Xuanjing. His face was perfectly calm, looking harmless to man and beast, without the slightest sign of anger. At the sight, the words What an act sprang unbidden into her mind. Inside, he wanted to destroy heaven and earth, yet his face betrayed nothing.

[Yan Xuanjing is such a good actor. I really wish I could hear his thoughts and see what on earth he's thinking to make his emotions this unstable.]

[Xuan, don't stare at me like that. When you look at me that way, I start thinking you're secretly preparing some ultimate move to use against me. I'm panicking!]

Yan Xuanjing: "..."