He Sui’an instinctively feared such insects and snakes. If not for the long knife still pressed against her neck, she would have taken a few steps back and hidden in the corner.
Due to the rarity of red snakes, everyone present looked at it in unison and then cautiously scrutinized the suddenly appeared young man, only to see another black snake crawling out from behind him.
The two snakes seemed to understand human nature, staring intently downstairs as if they were ready to feast.
“Hiss, hiss, hiss.”
The snakes raised their heads, their red tongues flickering in and out.
Qi Buyan leaned lazily against the precarious railing at the edge of the staircase. A few braids hung down in front of him, bells jingling, his eyes as clear as glass, with his fingertips casually resting on the staircase handrail.
Scorpions, centipedes, and other venomous insects seemed to get permission from their master and crawled out along his wrist guards.
After all, bandits are bandits. Having committed numerous acts of arson, murder, and plunder, how could they fear a young-looking boy? One of them yelled, “This has nothing to do with you. If you meddle, your life…”
Qi Buyan turned his head to look at the speaker.
The silver ornaments in his hair clashed, making a sound again.
Ding, ding, ding.
His skin was very pale, and his features were especially striking at night, like an alluring and beautiful monster. His eyebrows raised slightly, his gaze sharpened, and his tone was gentle and harmless: “Are you trying to say that my life is in danger?”
The bandits thought they couldn’t lose in terms of momentum, so they snorted coldly. Their bearded faces made them look fierce and menacing: “As long as you know.”
Qi Buyan nodded.
“I’m not planning to meddle.”
The bandits looked at him suspiciously, trying to gauge how credible his words were.
He Sui’an felt her hope shatter. Not wanting to die like this, she hesitated about whether to ask the boy standing at the corner of the stairs for help. But even if she did, would he agree?
This person had already said he wouldn’t meddle.
The next moment, Qi Buyan softly said, “But I did say you were disturbing me.”
The bandits didn’t understand, too lazy to argue with him, glaring at him fiercely and spitting on the ground: “So what? Not killing you is already a great mercy. Now get lost.”
Qi Buyan finished the remaining steps of the stairs, casually kicking the red snake’s head with his long boot like a child: “Aren’t you going to apologize to me?”
The red snake’s flattened head shivered in grievance.
Bandit: “Apologize for what?”
He smiled: “For disturbing me, of course.”
“I’ll give your—ouch!”
Not long after, the red snake on the ground was kicked by Qi Buyan, its head precisely landing in the cursing bandit’s mouth. The red snake started biting along the bandit’s mouth, its venom quickly seeping into his skin, causing it to fester.
The bandit couldn’t utter another word.
Qi Buyan watched this scene calmly: “Since you won’t apologize, then just die.”
His gentle tone carried an incongruous ruthlessness.
He Sui’an was startled, falling to the ground, as the red snake was biting the very bandit who had been pressing the long knife against her. Being so close, she could even hear the sound of the snake biting into the flesh.
It was terrifying.
The bandit bitten by the red snake died, his body rapidly withering as if drained of all its essence.
The old nanny didn’t know how to react either.
The other bandits finally came to their senses, brandishing their knives and charging, their moves brutal and lethal, each strike aimed to kill.
Qi Buyan took a few steps back: “Hold on, let them eat their fill first. Consider it your apology. Isn’t that acceptable?”
The bandits couldn’t hear a word he said.
They shouted in anger: “Your life is ours!”
Qi Buyan calmly raised his hand to his lips and expertly whistled.
Hundreds of rove beetles, which should have been hibernating in warm places, flew out from who knows where, attacking them. The highly toxic beetles caused the bandits’ bodies to swell with red welts, making them dizzy and too weak to hold their long knives.
He Sui’an, though afraid, still shielded the old nanny. Seeing the black snake slither up to her feet, she nearly fainted.
The snake’s tongue flickered against He Sui’an’s ankle, smooth and slippery.
The black snake did not bite.
He Sui’an’s body was rigid with fear; she wanted to shake off the snake but lacked the courage. Who could guarantee it wouldn’t bite her first? The old nanny, shielded by He Sui’an, didn’t see the black snake slowly crawling towards her.
Not until the black snake climbed onto He Sui’an’s shoulder did the old nanny notice, gasping in shock and trying to push it away: “There’s a snake on you!”
“Wait, nanny.”
He Sui’an’s voice trembled. Since the snake hadn’t bitten her yet, it was best not to anger it.
“It hasn’t bitten me.”
She couldn’t control her fear, her voice breaking into a sob. Though she hadn’t cried yet, her words carried little conviction. The old nanny dared not act rashly.
The bandits, now incapacitated, were each killed by Qi Buyan with their own long knives. The blood that splattered onto the floor excited the venomous insects crawling out.
He dropped the blood-stained long knife and washed his hands with water still warm from the charcoal fire.
He must have done similar things before.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so skilled.
In the dim light, He Sui’an couldn’t see how much blood had stained the boy’s indigo clothes. She could only see his slender, pale fingers soaking in the warm water, the bones distinctly visible, resembling fine jade.
After washing his hands, Qi Buyan looked at He Sui’an. She nervously swallowed: “I’m sorry.”
He seemed a bit surprised.
“You’re apologizing to me?”
He Sui’an tried not to look at the black snake on her shoulder: “I’m sorry for disturbing you earlier. Can you please not kill me and my nanny?”
Qi Buyan walked towards her, his still-wet fingers tapping the black snake’s head: “Why did you crawl onto her, scaring her? Do you think I’m someone who kills the innocent?”
The latter part of the question was directed at He Sui’an.
The black snake licked its owner with its tongue in a fawning manner but didn’t leave her, enjoying her scent.
He Sui’an shook her head vigorously and quickly replied: “I don’t think you’re someone who kills the innocent. I should be thanking you.”
She didn’t want to see the insects and snakes in front of her anymore, hanging her head low, her hair and silk ribbons falling down.
“Thank me? I didn’t help you.”
Qi Buyan looked at He Sui’an directly.
The girl was dressed thinly, with a bleeding wound on her head. Although the blood had coagulated, one couldn’t imagine how severe the injury was at the time, making her pale face look even more pitiful.
But…what did this have to do with him?
Qi Buyan curled his fingers and knocked on the black snake, smiling gently: “If you don’t come back, you’ll die on her.”
He Sui’an suddenly raised her head.
She met the boy’s slightly upturned fox-like eyes. His long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, naturally raven-colored, slightly curly, with blue silk ribbons intertwined among the unbraided parts.
Upon closer inspection, he looked somewhat different from the people of Great Zhou, but undoubtedly beautiful.
She couldn’t help but step back.
Because she heard him casually mention the word “die.” However, He Sui’an only took one step back before being forced to stop.
The black snake flicked its tongue near her ear.
