Chapter Nineteen: I Like You

In her panic, Lisa flailed her arms wildly, and by a strange stroke of luck, her grasp found the hem of Han Shuo's trouser leg. She yanked with sudden force, and Han Shuo, thrown off balance, toppled into the pit along with her.

Han Shuo had caught a glimpse of the pit’s bottom before, by the light of the moon. He noted there were no sharp spikes waiting below, only a handful of protruding rocks. Yet even those would make the landing most unpleasant for anyone who fell.

Lisa’s shrill screams rang in his ears, yet Han Shuo felt an uncanny calmness. Perhaps it was the result of cultivating demonic arts, but recently, whenever danger loomed, his first reaction was not panic but instead a rapid calculation of how best to resolve the crisis. This time was no exception.

The pit had been dug in haste and was only a little over three meters deep. Yet, even in the split second as he fell, Han Shuo found himself thinking of other matters. As Lisa screamed, the demonic energy within him, usually kept in check by dissolved battle aura, surged at several times its normal speed.

As the two were about to crash hard upon the jagged stones, Han Shuo acted. In midair, he reached out and caught Lisa, wrapping his arms around her waist. He twisted so that his back and hips would bear the brunt of the impact, shielding her as they struck the rocks at the bottom.

"Ouch..." Han Shuo grimaced in pain, a guttural cry escaping him. The wounds on his back, only recently bandaged, split open again, and blood welled out. His hips, taking most of the force, protested with sharp agony.

Lisa, held securely in his embrace, was spared serious harm. Hearing Han Shuo’s pained groans, she realized she was unharmed and began to eye him with a mixture of suspicion and surprise. "Why did you save me?" she asked, astonishment in her voice.

Han Shuo’s cries faded as her question came. A shadow crossed his face, and he shook his head with a low sigh. "Because I love you," he said quietly.

Lisa was struck as if by lightning, staring at him in stupefaction. For a long moment, she was speechless, then managed to stammer, pointing at Han Shuo, "You... you... I... I... what did you say?"

"I like you, Lisa," Han Shuo looked at her with utter sincerity. "All these years, I’ve always liked you. That’s why I never minded being your test subject, even when you nearly killed me with the soul pain not long ago. I never resented you.

"But I know I’m just a menial worker, and the distance between our statuses is vast. So I buried these feelings deep and never dared to show them. Instead, I acted foolishly, hoping for a little of your attention. Lisa, do you think I’m a fool?"

How despicable, how shameless I am, Han Shuo thought to himself, even as he lied with such heartfelt conviction. Since coming to this world, he found himself capable of such wicked schemes—perhaps a side effect of cultivating demonic arts, or perhaps simply because, freed from his former restraints, his darker nature emerged in this new world.

Lisa was completely dumbfounded, staring at Han Shuo, lost for words. Suddenly, her hands, moving absentmindedly, brushed against a bare thigh. With a jolt, she leapt up, casting a quick glance at Han Shuo. For the first time, a blush crept across her lovely face, as if embarrassment had overtaken her.

Han Shuo paused, then looked down, realizing that Lisa had torn his trouser leg when they fell, leaving him clad only in his undergarments, his thighs entirely exposed. So Lisa had been sitting atop his bare leg.

Lisa turned away in a fluster, her voice hurried. "Whether you’re telling the truth or not, I don’t care. I will never like you. You’re just a menial of the Necromancy Department. I will never have anything to do with you."

"I understand, Lisa. I only hope to remain in the Necromancy Department, watching you from afar. I expect nothing more. Now that I’ve finally spoken these words I’ve kept for years, I feel much relieved," Han Shuo replied, his voice low, his expression woefully sincere.

"I... I’m leaving. Let’s forget what happened before. I won’t hold it against you. But don’t you dare hope for anything. You’re just a menial; there’s no chance for us!" Lisa said this in a rush, her back to him, then began to chant. She summoned a skeleton warrior, who threw down the rope that had previously been prepared to trap Han Shuo.

Han Shuo understood: when a woman knows someone harbors a secret affection for her, no matter how much she once disliked him, she will rarely bear him true malice after learning of it. Lisa was no exception.

She would not fall for Han Shuo because of his confession, but she would forgive his prior offenses and, in the future, even help him, moved by the idea of his silent devotion, even if she never loved him in return.

As Lisa prepared to leave, Han Shuo, his back to her, allowed a sly smile to creep across his face, then spoke in a low voice, "Lisa, I’d do anything for you. I’ve tried everything to find out how to enhance breast development. Apparently, you need to drink more papaya milk, swim often, and massage the sides during bathing. It’s said this will help remarkably."

"Damn you, Brian, who told you such nonsense?" Lisa retorted, gripping the rope without so much as glancing back at Han Shuo. After a brief pause, she asked, "What is papaya milk?"

"Uh... milk will do. Two cups, morning and night," Han Shuo hurriedly amended, realizing this world likely had no papayas.

Lisa spun and glared at him furiously. "Shut up! Don’t you dare tell anyone what happened tonight, or say you like me to anyone else, or I’ll kill you!"

With that, she commanded the skeletal warrior, who hoisted her out of the pit. Soon, the rustling above faded, and quiet returned.

Han Shuo exhaled deeply, then chuckled to himself. He thought he was growing ever more cunning, now able to lie so smoothly. Lisa’s easy forgiveness showed just how effective this ploy had been.

Chortling quietly, Han Shuo noticed the rope Lisa had left behind and tugged it. Finding it anchored, likely to the rockery above, he realized Lisa had lent him a helping hand before she left. Gripping the rope, he climbed out and swaggered back to his supply shed.

He had the little skeleton re-bandage his back, then cultivated his demonic arts for a while, feeling his demonic power not only grow stronger but circulate faster. The Frostflame Demonic Technique, practiced for so long, now allowed the demonic energy to reach his wrists—an unexpected delight.

Was it because that energy absorbed the battle aura Eric had forced into his body? Han Shuo pondered, recalling how he’d recovered after being injured by Claude’s battle aura. He began to suspect that his demonic energy could absorb and strengthen itself with battle aura.

Why did his demonic energy possess such strange properties? Han Shuo couldn’t solve the mystery, so he set the matter aside and began to meditate, cultivating his mental strength.

Yet as his mind slipped into tranquility, he found himself inexplicably restless, unable to focus as usual. It was as if something nearby disturbed his meditation, even calling out to him in an odd and subtle way. At first, Han Shuo ignored it, but after several interruptions, he began to take it seriously.

When he calmed his mind and concentrated, he sensed the disturbance coming from beneath his bed, where only Dylan’s pouch was kept.

He reached for the pouch and withdrew the sinister dark green jade box. A cold, eerie aura emanated from within, making Han Shuo shiver. He examined the box closely.

It was this jade box that had repeatedly disrupted his meditation. Han Shuo still hadn’t discovered what it contained. He hadn’t paid it much mind before, but now, to regain his peace, he had to give it his full attention.

He took up the green key and inserted it into the box’s slot, twisting it this way and that, but it wouldn’t turn. Han Shuo frowned in puzzlement.

The key wouldn’t open the box—a surprise. He pondered, recalling what happened last time. Gathering his mental strength, he focused it intently on the box.

Suddenly, a chilling aura invaded his mind, making his head throb. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Han Shuo focused his will, his demonic energy whirling faster than ever.

Forcing himself to endure the cold emanating from the box, Han Shuo twisted the key again. With a sharp click, the key turned, and the box sprang open, revealing the item hidden within.