Chapter 39: The Encounter

[Page 1 of 3]

Xiao Yao curled his lip, a hint of distaste showing on his face, yet the corners of his eyes curved into a sharp, chilling arc.

Even though the stench of garbage and the reek of blood made the lingering demonic aura increasingly difficult to detect and distinguish, once Xiao Yao had sensed it, he would never mistake it again.

In Xiao Yao’s eyes, every demon was an individual, and naturally, each possessed a different aura. Wasn’t that only to be expected?

It was like saying one demon smelled of durian while another smelled of mango. Of course, that was merely an analogy. Demons themselves were hardly so harmless and adorable.

In any case, Xiao Yao could easily distinguish and track the auras of different demons. After all, who could possibly confuse the singular, unmistakable scents of durian and mango?

Xiao Yao considered it nothing out of the ordinary.

He did not yet realize just how heaven-defying this ability was.

Because it meant that, before him, no demon could hide its tracks.

…

A familiar scent. This demonic aura…

Xiao Yao immediately remembered the demon he had encountered in the basketball stadium—the Gu Eagle.

After all, he had seen it only a few days ago, and it had given him such a generous “gift.”

Because of that demon, the headache that had just begun to ease had worsened again.

Xiao Yao tugged at his cheek. He had not even dared return home lately. His complexion was so pale that he looked as though he had yet to recover from a serious illness.

…

Xiao Yao straightened and looked around. Apart from those few spots of blood, there was nothing unusual.

He did not know whether the victim had been a person or an animal. He did not know whether it had merely been injured—or eaten.

He could not even determine whether the Gu Eagle had appeared here as the culprit or had merely been passing through.

Wasn’t that the same as knowing nothing at all?

The corner of Xiao Yao’s eye twitched, his lips spasmed, and his expression became one of utter speechlessness.

All right. There were two choices before him now.

He could pretend that nothing had happened and turn around to return to the dormitory. By now, Big Brother and the others should have brought back his dinner, right? He was hungry.

Or… he could still turn around and return to the dormitory. After all, night had already fallen completely.

However, since he had a suspicion, he ought to verify it. Tomorrow, he would go to Polytechnic University and look around to see whether he could uncover any clues.

[Page 1 of 3]

[Page 2 of 3]

…

Actually, the first option was quite appealing. If things continued like this, he truly wondered whether his headache would ever recover completely.

Sigh. He really was a kindhearted man of lofty moral character.

He simply could not get past his own conscience by standing idly by and pretending not to see.

Still, he had decided to prioritize peaceful methods. He would investigate first. If everything turned out to be a misunderstanding, wouldn’t that be the best possible outcome?

He sincerely prayed that it would be so.

…

The next day, Xiao Yao arrived at Polytechnic University.

Only after searching online the previous day had he learned that the new player was called Yang Yi.

There was no shortage of information about him on the university’s campus forum. After all, he was handsome and played basketball well. Rumor had it that his family was well-off too. He had become a prominent figure as soon as he entered university, and he was not exactly the modest type himself. There was a hint of arrogance about him, so news about him seemed to appear endlessly.

At Polytechnic University, Yang Yi was living the life of a complete winner.

It was practically a model life.

As Xiao Yao recalled the miscellaneous information about Yang Yi that he had read the day before, he continued walking toward the university’s basketball stadium without slowing down.

This was precisely the time when Yang Yi’s basketball team held its training sessions.

The moment Xiao Yao stepped into the stadium, the roar of voices and waves of heat rushed toward him, causing his feet to pause instinctively.

That popularity really was no joke.

Xiao Yao slowly made his way to the stands on the second floor and looked down with one hand resting on the railing.

The court was alive with activity. The thud of basketballs striking the floor rose and fell without pause.

Thanks to his excellent eyesight—and the fact that his target was particularly conspicuous—Xiao Yao spotted the person he was looking for at a glance: Yang Yi.

He silently studied Yang Yi for a while, paying particular attention to his eyes.

Everything appeared normal. He was simply a handsome, sunny athlete.

Xiao Yao shifted his gaze and immediately saw the Gu Eagle in the rest area nearby. Its eyes were half-closed, as though it were resting—or perhaps it simply disdained human sports and preferred not to look at them.

Perhaps it was only his imagination, but Xiao Yao felt that the aura radiating from the demon had grown stronger.

At the same time, he could not help rubbing his nose. The sweet, cloying, nauseating scent of blood emanating from the creature had become even more pronounced.

It left him feeling sick, as though he were on the verge of vomiting but could not quite manage it.

Xiao Yao’s expression darkened further with discomfort. Sometimes, having an overly sensitive nose was not a good thing.

[Page 2 of 3]

[Page 3 of 3]

The increasingly intense, fetid odor that seemed to seep from the very bones of the Gu Eagle gave Xiao Yao a bad feeling.

The identical aura and the increasingly heavy scent of blood both seemed to point faintly toward the conclusion he most wished to avoid.

Perhaps the unknown murder that had taken place in the alley—despite the absence of a corpse and any usable clues—had finally led him to its killer.

…

Perhaps sensing Xiao Yao’s burning gaze, the Gu Eagle suddenly opened its eyes. Its vivid, viscous eyeballs looked as though blood were dripping from them as they stared straight at him.

Xiao Yao lowered his eyelids slightly, clearly feeling a needle-like pain stabbing into them.

Then he slowly raised his gaze and met the Gu Eagle’s razor-sharp stare without the slightest hint of retreat.

He would not fall for the same trick twice.

A thin layer of golden light covered Xiao Yao’s eyes. Brilliant as molten gold, it possessed a deadly danger beneath its exquisite beauty.

The moment Xiao Yao considered that the demon before him might truly have eaten a person, his heart turned cold, while an uncontrollable fury surged rapidly through him. The golden light in his eyes burned even more fiercely.

…

The confrontation between Xiao Yao and the Gu Eagle was suddenly interrupted.

Yang Yi had stepped in front of the demon and was smiling at him.

Xiao Yao slowly narrowed his eyes.

Was this a coincidence—or deliberate?

Yang Yi had clearly noticed Xiao Yao’s confusion and very considerately provided an answer.

He reached out. To anyone else, the gesture might have seemed somewhat strange, but Xiao Yao saw it with perfect clarity.

Yang Yi was stroking the feathers along the Gu Eagle’s back.

The truth could not have been more obvious.

Yang Yi could see the Gu Eagle—and he was intimately acquainted with it.

…

Xiao Yao had many questions. Since the other man seemed to have no intention of hiding anything and had so calmly revealed his relationship with the Gu Eagle, perhaps they could make things simpler.

Though they had made no arrangement, Xiao Yao and Yang Yi seemed to reach an unspoken understanding.

Looking at Yang Yi as he approached, with the Gu Eagle behind him, Xiao Yao curved his lips slightly. There was no smile in it, only courtesy.

“Come on. Let’s find somewhere to sit and talk.”

…