HIDDEN EVIL [XIAO SHUXIANG THE SERIES]
435 - Game of Strategies

Noting that Wang Zhao was so sorry made Xiao Shuxiang sigh. He thought of something before finally storing Yingxionng back into his Universal Bracelet.

Wang Zhao was still standing at the same spot and was seen bowing his head. The young man was still crying even though there was no sound of sobbing.

Xiao Shuxiang crossed his arms and then slowly stroked, "You're an adult. Why so crybaby? Don't you have any self-respect? Which adult youth could cry that easily, huh? Not even the dwarves in my sect are as handsome as you,"

"I... I'm sorry. It's because I'm so sorry, please forgive me." Wang Zhao wiped the water that soaked his cheeks, but still bowed miserably.

Xiao Shuxiang clucked, "Haiih... He makes me uncomfortable because I keep crying. It hurt my feelings, too,"

Xiao Shuxiang had no problem seeing a girl cry, but the problem was seeing a young man do it. He so imagined that if he said rudely once again, this subject would start wailing loudly on the spot.

"Come here," Xiao Shuxiang called out. He said, "I said I'd hit you once, so come quick."

Wang Zhao gasped, he looked at Xiao Shuxiang and timidly began to walk over. His steps were slow as he endured the pain on his body from sealing his own meridian pathway.

His strength was now worse than that of an ordinary human and after all the fights that had happened, he was completely exhausted. It looked at the cold sweat that formed on Wang Zhao's forehead and how the young man's face that looked extremely pale as if it would be toppled with just a gust of wind.

".................."

Xiao Shuxiang clenched his hands as Wang Zhao began to stand in front of him. He swung his hand and suddenly stopped in mid-air before making the attack a flick in his opponent's forehead. He made Wang Zhao grimace at once in surprise.

!!

Wang Zhao stared in disbelief at Xiao Shuxiang. Though previously he had closed his eyes because he felt he would be hit very hard. But the subject in front of him only used a small jolt.

"Master Xiao...?"

"It feels like I've really become a good person," Xiao Shuxiang exhaled. "Even if I don't kill you, you still have to pay for everything you do. Apologize to those you've hurt and if they want to punish you, you have to accept whatever it is."

"Mr Xiao..."

"And stop crying. Seriously. You're even whinyer than Mo Huai,"

Wang Zhao nodded slowly, he rubbed both of his cheeks and said. "I won't cry anymore. Mr. Xiao... I-"

Xiao Shuxiang gasped as suddenly this young man hugged him. He blinked and did not immediately sigh, "You are this..."

"I'm really sorry, I won't do it again." Wang Zhao spoke carefully, "I will listen to Mister Xiao. I'm thanking you..."

"Here you go" Xiao Shuxiang reached out and gently rubbed the young man's back. "He's a kid with a lot of problems. I'm sure it's life's hardships that make it this way. And remember that Yinggxiong did not consider him evil... Then I'll try to believe,"

Wang Zhao slowly let go of his embrace. He held onto Xiao Shuxiang's two hands and said, "Can I... Calling you Shizun?"

"You did it earlier. Why ask again?"

"Mn, Mister Xiao is very kind. I really feel guilty for doing something bad to you.." Wang Zhao closed his eyes for a moment before in a soft voice saying, "My deeds... You should not receive forgiveness like this. But Mr. Xiao proved that you... Better than me."

"That's it, I don't want you to cry anymore!" Xiao Shuxiang was startled when suddenly the young man in front of him spewed blood. He immediately restrained Wang Zhao's nearly collapsed body.

"You okay?" Xiao Shuxiang became panicked. He felt the body of the subject in front of him tremble and the face of this person was so pale as if he was holding a severe deep wound.

"It's okay, Mr. Xiao..." Wang Zhao in a weak voice said, "I.. Actually do not know how to seal the meridian pathway. Yeah-so.. I decided everything,"

!!!

Xiao Shuxiang was surprised instead of playing. The words just now sounded like a lightning strike to him and he came back in shock as Wang Zhao's body felt increasingly heavy.

"Son!" Xiao Shuxiang said, "Why are you doing such a crazy thing?! Deciding on your meridian path?! Are you going to die, huh?! He's not sane.."

"No problem..." Wang Zhao looked at the apprehension seen on the subject's face in front of him. A weak voice said, "I want to make amends... I'm sorry for getting Mr. Xiao into so much trouble."

"Wang Zhao," Xiao Shuxiang was shocked. Wang Zhao spewed blood again and the hands of this young man grew even colder.

Deciding on the meridian path was akin to destroying cultivation practices. There was no way anyone would dare to take this frightening action, but Xiao Shuxiang saw it now.

"Wang Zhao! Hey..!" Xiao Shuxiang checked the pulse of this young man who was getting weaker. "Wang Zhao, you don't be like this. Don't scare me, hey..! Son!"

Xiao Shuxiang was worried. It was he who had asked this young man to seal his own meridians. He now knew that Wang Zhao really wanted to apologize, but what would he have to do if this person used the most reckless actions.

"Wang Zhao, hold on, son..!"

"Shizun.." Wang Zhao's breathing grew weaker, but he still showed a faint smile at Xiao Shuxiang before his eyes darkened.

"Wang Zhao?" Xiao Shuxiang widened his eyes. He did not believe that this young man would die this way. His chest became extremely tight and his feelings were even worse than before.

"............ Wang Zhao," Xiao Shuxiang's eyes closed for quite a while. A feeling of guilt enveloped his heart in an instant. He's never felt like this before. This was a guilt he had never felt, even in the past.

Xiao Shuxiang carefully laid Wang Zhao's body then stood up. His facial expression is complicated. He never knew that he could take the lives of others in such an unimaginable way.

Xiao Shuxiang always killed with a sword or instantly pulled the heart of an opponent with his own hands, he never killed anyone with just words.

"................."

The wind blew carrying a very unpleasant feeling. Xiao Shuxiang was about to open his voice when he heard the sound of an explosion. He remembered on Lan Guan Zhi's fight and intended to leave when something suddenly happened.

?!

There was a thread-thin rope wrapped around Xiao Shuxiang's wrists and even wrapped around his body. This rope is even new felt when tightening. In an instant, Xiao Shuxiang's expression turned cold.

"A troublesome trap. You are amazing," Xiao Shuxiang satirized the subject lying lifelessly before him, before starting to see a line of smiles forming on the supposed dead figure.

Wang Zhao slowly opened his eyes. He looked gently at Xiao Shuxiang and exhaled, "Isn't it really fun playing a role with me?"

"Well.. I don't think there's a villain who can do this kind of thing other than you," Xiao Shuxiang watched the young man who was slowly waking up.

"alright. I've estimated it. This was indeed a strong rope," Xiao Shuxiang did not attempt to untie the rope wrapped around his body for wanting to know what Wang Zhao's true plan was.

"It still hurts..." Wang Zhao grimaced before starting to grin, "But I'm so happy. My actions... Makes me feel this warm embrace of my Shizun,"

"You're really the devil b*fucking b*ngsat shit."

"I was indeed born in the Demonic Valley Sect," Wang Zhao tidied up his clothes and even brushed off the dust that was stuck. He then moved his hand and began to look like a thin rope connected to a rope wrapped around Xiao Shuxiang's body.

!!

Xiao Shuxiang flinched as Wang Zhao walked over while pulling the rope he was holding. He was forced to follow in the footsteps of this young man and with an expression that looked extremely annoyed.

"Master Xiao must be very angry," Wang Zhao turned to Xiao Shuxiang and smiled, "I don't think the Destroying Star is so easily fooled. I really enjoyed your expression of guilt. That's a nice sight,"

"..................."

"Ha ha ha, Mr. Xiao. You've lived a long time, haven't you? Why is it still so innocent, hm? I'm not sure you're Xiao Shuxiang the famous Destroying Star."

"..................." Xiao Shuxiang remained silent and did not reply to this young man's words at all. It was just that in his heart, he was so serious.

Xiao Shuxiang certainly did not fully believe in Wang Zhao, just that his uncomfortable premonition was actually not because of this young man-but because of the Crazy Beggar Boy who had never been seen.

He knew that the Mad Beggar Boy and Yi Wen were walking around in the Cold Cloud City, but ever since the chaos broke out and even when he came to this place - the Mad Beggar-Look neither Yi Wen nor Yi Wen came to see him.

Xiao Shuxiang felt that the invisible Mad Beggar Boy had a relationship with Wang Zhao. This young man probably did a trick to trap others and he had already proven it by now.

Actually Xiao Shuxiang in this case was just pretending to go into Wang Zhao's trap so that he could know the true purpose of this person. It's probable... He would be taken to the place where the Crazy Beggar Boy was.

"I have to find that person at all costs. The Crazy Beggar Boy though was very annoying, but he was a great swordsman. He also had a relationship with the Upper Cultivation Realm and that meant he knew a lot about this person. If the Mad Beggar Boy gets caught, then this young man in front of me has a big plan and doesn't play games."

Xiao Shuxiang was breathing slowly, "It doesn't matter if it should be tied up. I can blow up this body and get back up with the Spirit Phoenix Fire. What matters now... Let's follow your game, Wang Xuan Zhao."

"You want to play a show, huh?" Xiao Shuxiang kept his facial expression intact. "This Your Majesty will show you,"

*

*

"How many days have you been?" this was already the umpteenth time that Yi Wen had asked the same question.

In this place... Other than the young man who slept so leisurely beside him and the bars that were fed by that lightning-there was nothing else. Even somehow the fate of Mo Huai was now. He felt that the young man was likely dead somewhere considering he had heard the young man's screams.

"Yi Wen, is there no food?"

Yi Wen turned his head to hear a sleepy voice that apparently came from the Crazy Beggar Boy. This man who was so relaxed to sleep had just woken up and upset him.

"I thought you were dead" Yi Wen sneered. She flinched as the subject beside her so casually kicked a leg towards her. He looked at this figure and snapped, "You're so disrespectful!"

"Who started it first?" The Crazy Beggar Boy rubbed his eyes slowly even though his two hands were still tied. He yawned before finally saying, "I'm Yi Wen hungry. I haven't eaten in a year,"

"Your ass year?!" Yi Wen cursed, "We've only been here a few days and if you really want to get out-then try to untie you. You're the Pillar of the World,"

"Regardless of such a title.. I'm just a regular swordsman." The Mad Beggar Boy began to wake up and fix his sitting position. He sighed, "You think I didn't try? Just so you know, I'm the person who doesn't like to be locked up for a long time with a creature like you."

Yi Wen gasped, her upper lip moving as she said. "You're starting again,"

Yi Wen shook his head slowly and said, "I should have said that. I don't like being trapped with a man at all. You could've taken advantage of my body,"

The Crazy Beggar Boy gave a goosebump, "Who wants to?! You undress and spread my legs I won't be interested. I'm sorry, you're not my type."

"Oh, really? Then who two days ago hugged me in his sleep, even delirious. Did you forget?"

"No way! Ba-how can-" Crazy Beggar Boy shocked. He protested, "I'm not someone like that!"

"Huh, do I have to expose all your disgrace for these few days?" Yi Wen looked at the Mad Beggar Boy and made the man lie down again and pretended to be asleep.

Seeing the behavior of this subject made Yi Wen shake her head and sigh. He said, "You should have helped me think. Crazy Beggar Boy? Are you seriously going to sleep again?!"

"This is my way of holding back hunger. Don't bother,"

"You've been asleep for a long time. You keep me on guard. At least get up and talk to me. Whatever it is, aiih.."

"..................."

"Crazy Beggar, you're so outrageous. It sucks!"

The eyes of the Mad Beggar Boy opened suddenly, a golden-coloured lightning was visible in his eyes as he woke up again and gazed towards the iron bars that the lightning was flowing through.

"I heard a voice," a serious expression appeared on the Mad Beggar Boy's face and made Yi Wen tense.

"Have those black-robed people returned?"

"It... Two-man's footstep,"

!!

Yi Wen gulped. He had heard many vague sounds like a fight before, but those sounds felt far away. He had no idea what was happening outside of this cave, but conditions did not seem to be fine.

The sound of footsteps drew closer and Yi Wen tried to stand up. He walked a little closer, yet could not see the walking figure. Not to mention, the sound of footsteps drifted away.

"Wait-hei..! Get us out of here..!" Yi Wen exclaimed, trying to call out to whoever was walking outside earlier. He was very upset and sad at the same time.

"Why-how this. They're leaving.." Yi Wen turned around and looked at the Mad Beggar Boy who was just sitting down without doing anything. Urat stiffened on Yi Wen's forehead as she cursed, "Do I have to be cooped up in this place forever? With a madman like him?! Tsk, isn't there anything to wear here?"

Yi Wen walked over and looked for some sort of secret door or whatever could change the situation now. He had already done this repeatedly, but still had not given up.

The Crazy Beggar Boy noticed Yi Wen and opened his voice. He said, "Stop whatever you're doing and just sit here quietly. You check every corner of this place, you won't find anything."

"You want me to accept the fate of being cooped up here forever?!" Yi Wen protested, "I will never want to. I will definitely get out of this place even if I have to die,"

"Calm down, Yi Wen. We're going out and it won't be long,"

Yi Wen gasped and turned to look towards the Crazy Beggar Boy, "What do you mean? Have you found a way?!"

"................ Wait out. My gut is never wrong. Someone's coming soon,"

******