After a string of screams and footsteps, things seemed to fall quiet once more.
The four hiding nearby exchanged glances, then stepped out. Liangmu was nowhere to be seen; only Banxia stood rooted to the spot in a daze.
Hearing their footsteps, Banxia turned around. "Lord Jiang Yu, I... I think I scared him..."
"Yes. You did." Jiang Yu nodded.
"So, Lord Jiang Yu, why did you do this?" Banxia asked. "Why did you have me pretend to be Mara-Struck and..."
"Because those letters he wrote seemed strange to me," Jiang Yu said. "So I wanted to see how your beloved would react if he knew you'd become Mara-Struck.
"I've never been in love, but this sort of thing is usually mutual, right? Since you could defect from the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and endure Mara for him, he ought to love you just as deeply even after you've become Mara-Struck."
"Yes, he certainly would." Banxia froze for a moment, then smiled softly.
Seeing her reaction, Jiang Yu shrugged. "All right, just pretend to be a Mara-Struck who's been killed."
Then he turned to Stelle, March 7th, and Bailu. "Let's go see that Liangmu."
Everyone followed Jiang Yu forward. As they walked, Bailu asked, "Little Fish, why did you suddenly decide to test Liangmu's feelings for Banxia?
"I don't really understand these things, but isn't this a bit wrong of us? Though those letters did read strangely. He said immortality wasn't his goal, but practically every line revealed his longing for it."
"Because I wanted to." Jiang Yu's answer was brief and to the point.
Bailu's mouth twitched at that, but she said nothing more.
Because that answer was very Jiang Yu.
After walking for a while, they soon found the trembling Liangmu. Meanwhile, Banxia followed from the shadows, keeping