Chapter Seventeen: The Greedy Creature
Three days had passed since that confrontation, yet Xiao Xiao had not encountered that demon again.
Although he had never seen the demon’s true form, the little fox perched on its shoulder and the enormous fox tail he glimpsed fleetingly gave him every reason to believe it was a fox spirit—commonly known as a fox demon.
The last words spoken in that haunting voice still echoed in his ears, sending a tingling sensation down his neck.
He couldn’t help but sigh: truly a fox spirit.
But unlike the harmless, beautiful, and devoted ones from stories, this fox spirit’s eyes held a chilling coldness that sent shivers down the spine.
...
He wondered if a demon unseen in its true form could appear in the black notebook.
Finally alone in his dormitory, Xiao Xiao eagerly took out the black notebook.
On the yellowed pages, bizarre and fantastical demons—such as the Memento Fish, Ear Mouse, and Qin Yuan—were vividly depicted, their images alive with a vitality that made the vermilion ink seem to pulse and flow.
He paused on the page illustrating Qin Yuan, gently stroking the paper.
The slightly rough texture carried the essence of mountains and rivers, plunging his heart into a serene and distant tranquility.
Turning the page slowly, a blank sheet came into view.
He traced it with his fingertip.
A deep scarlet ink slowly seeped out.
Pulling his finger away, a delicate pattern emerged, like an ink wash painting spreading softly from light to dark.
It was a red fox.
Xiao Xiao felt both surprised and somewhat expected.
“As I thought, a fox spirit,” he murmured.
But with a light tap of his finger—one, two—he confirmed he was not mistaken. This fox had two tails.
Could this be an incomplete version of the legendary nine-tailed fox?
Suddenly, a question struck him: since the fox spirit’s image could appear in the notebook, could he summon one the next time he encountered that fox spirit?
He had always been uncertain.
Were the demons he summoned truly the ones he met? Or were they simply the same species but different individuals?
Perhaps next time, he would try.
Either a confrontation between two fox spirits or forcibly summoning the one he met—both scenarios held a certain intrigue.
...
“Hey, have you heard? Ruan Rou died!” Zhuge Yun was barely halfway into the dorm when he blurted it out.
His words were filled with sighs and sorrow, tinged with sadness and melancholy.
Even acquaintances who had only met a few times—just recently, no less—could suddenly find themselves separated by life and death.
It was a harsh reminder of the unpredictability of life.
“What?”
“Really?”
Zhang Bo and Zhao Luzheng were shocked, standing up abruptly and exchanging glances.
“How did she die?” Xiao Xiao clenched his fists so tightly his fingertips whitened, the faint sting a sharp reminder of his tension.
“I heard it was a car accident.”
“A car accident, huh? Cars nowadays are getting more reckless by the day,” one remarked.
“Yeah, it’s impossible to guard against. You never know when a car might suddenly come barreling out.”
“Is she really dead?” Xiao Xiao still struggled to believe it.
How could it be a joke? A dignified fox spirit—though he was still unclear about the hierarchy among demons, one capable of possessing a human, bearing two tails, and radiating the overwhelming presence of a great demon—how could such a being simply be killed by a car?
It was utterly ridiculous!
If that speculation was off, then was it intentional?
If so, why?
Why die?
Was it boredom? Or had the goal been achieved?
...
“Don’t keep me waiting too long,” the girl’s clear, youthful voice whispered, deliberately lowered to reveal a husky allure, reminiscent of rosemary’s seductive fragrance—a sultry murmur that sent an inexplicable thrill to the ear.
Xiao Xiao touched his ear, startled by the sudden echo of these words in his mind, as if they were a thunderclap. His whole body stiffened, his expression frozen.
What did it mean?
Could that seemingly casual remark the other party made last time have been a veiled hint of today’s events?
If so, he had been thoroughly played!
He had been desperately trying to save that girl, repeatedly frustrated by his own helplessness, yet buoyed by small discoveries—and in the midst of his single-minded efforts, she died?
The very person he sought to save was dead!
How could this be!
Xiao Xiao felt a twitching sensation in his cerebral cortex, darkening his vision.
How dare that fox spirit!
Even without knowing the full details, he had an intense premonition: that girl’s car accident was orchestrated by that fox spirit; she was killed by it!
...
It had possessed her body, yet in the end, it took the life of its host?
...
“Truly, the heavens are unpredictable. How could this happen...”
“Yes, such a beautiful girl.”
“Such a pity, so young.”
...
Zhang Bo and the others were stunned by the news. Though they had only met the girl a few times at school, the initial shock soon gave way to silence. The atmosphere in the dorm grew heavy.
Eventually, Zhuge Yun broke the silence, allowing conversation to gradually resume.
Since they were not very close, their sorrow was fleeting—more a regretful lament over fragile life and irreversible loss.
“Third Brother, what’s wrong?” Zhao Luzheng asked, puzzled by Xiao Xiao’s continued silence.
“Huh? Old Third, why so quiet?”
“Old Third, don’t tell me you’re crying?” Zhuge Yun teased with exaggerated mischief, prompting Xiao Xiao to shoot him a sharp glare.
“I’m fine.” He had just lost control of his emotions momentarily and kept his head down to hide his expression from Zhang Bo and the others.
Xiao Xiao smiled as usual, his features free of any shadow.
But he knew that next time he encountered that fox spirit, he would never let her go!
Yet perhaps these were just empty threats. Despite some unusual traits, he was fundamentally a mere mortal. What chance did he have against a powerful demon?
Summon demons with the black notebook?
Suddenly, a fierce unwillingness welled up inside him. He could see demons and summon them, yet he lacked any innate power to stand against them.
Some power that belonged solely to him, without external aid.
He longed for such strength.
Urgent, desperate.
Are humans truly greedy creatures?
Though already blessed by heaven, he remained insatiable.