Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)-Chapter 499: mummy and daddy are fighting

AN: I am so sorry for yesterday. I had a terrible day but only managed to upload now. Have an awesome weekend

Then, he spotted them, scratch marks on the floor, evidence that something had been moved. Judging by Mei’s reaction, he knew he had found something. He pushed the cupboard aside, and panic flickered in Mei’s eyes. "What are you doing?" she yelled, her voice rising in pitch.

With a thud, the cupboard toppled over, revealing a hidden door behind it. The sound caught Lian’s attention. She hastily stepped on Su Jing’s foot, the action swift and painful. Su Jing yelped but felt Lian slip away from her grasp before she could react.

Han Xin pushed through the door. Inside the room, the shadows coiled around the figure lying on the bed. A wave of anger swept over him as recognition set in. There, with treated wounds and a frail look, was Xiang Yu.

Han Xin’s lips twitched, and his fingers went to the safety of his gun, removing it with grim determination. He pointed the weapon at Xiang Yu’s motionless form, ready to end him immediately. Every fibre of his being screamed that this was the moment.

The stakes were higher than ever. The alliance had left them with less options, their water supplies slowly getting cut off. No one wanted to trade with them, and those who did offered sold them tainted water at exorbitant prices. It was a calculated retaliation, a way to force them to death.

Han Xin had sought to mend ties through a marriage alliance, believing it might secure the essential resources they needed in exchange for some of their energy source. But they were betrayed and the ceremony turned bloody. Xiang Yu had married him, only to turn a knife at his back when Han Xin’s defences were down.

He had given Xiang Yu a chance to retreat. He allowed him to go back, but even he knew with those untreated wounds, Xiang Yu would die.

What happened outside the walls of his city had nothing to do with him. Who would have thought that he would survive and come back right into the beast’s cage? Since he had brought himself to the door, why not just finish him?

Han Xin’s finger tightened on the trigger. Hatred burned in his eyes, ready to finish what should have been done long ago. But before he could pull the trigger, Lian and Mei shifted into his line of sight, blocking him.

"Don’t," Mei urged, her expression desperate. "He is very useful."

"Even if you don’t believe it you can, you could use him as a hostage," Lian added, her voice steady.

"Yes," Mei chimed in, her voice rising. "He can give us information about the alliance. He knows all the cities."

Su Jing stood to the side, arms crossed, and sneered at their pleas. "Didn’t you say their destinies were entwined or some nonsense?" Her tone dripped with disdain.

Han Xin’s eyes darkened further. What destiny? He had forged his own path through blood and sweat. He was seconds away from extinguishing Xiang Yu’s life when Lian spoke again, her voice cutting through his rage. "If he dies, then we die."

The room fell silent as the weight of her words settled in. Han Xin’s brows furrowed, the implications spiralling in his mind. Su Jing’s eyes widened with disbelief flickering across her face.

Mei stepped forward, her voice quaking with intensity. "We saw a vision. If he dies, we die."

Lian and Mei were serious, their faces set in determination. Han Xin’s mind raced. They possessed knowledge in medicine that could not be dismissed lightly. It was precisely why he had kept them around, despite the chaos they brought into the city.

Yet the fact that these two would defend Xiang Yu so vigorously was puzzling. He wanted to rid himself of Xiang Yu’s presence, but their pleas held an unexpected weight. Han Xin took a deep breath, struggling against his anger.

With reluctant understanding, he withdrew his weapon, his jaw clenched tightly. "Fine. But I don’t keep useless people around. Make sure he doesn’t show his face in front of me again."

After his words hung in the air, Han Xin turned to leave, tension still crackling behind him. Su Jing felt a swell of frustration but couldn’t voice it without risking Han Xin’s wrath.

As soon as he was gone, Su Jing pointed a finger at Lian, her face twisted with anger. "I will remember this."

Lian smirked, raising her middle finger in defiance, an act of rebellion that sent a jolt of irritation through Su Jing. The older woman’s desire to lash out burned bright, but she hesitated, knowing the consequences could end badly for her.

With a huff, Su Jing threw a parting shot over her shoulder as she turned to leave. "He is your responsibility now. He will eat a portion of your food, and don’t let him near me."

Once outside, Su Jing bit her lip in frustration. The world outside was full of uncertainty. If Xiang Yu remained alive she could imagine what sort chaos he would bring in the city. But she had no choice but to obey.

***

Xiang Yu sat up slowly on the bed, his body still aching, when the door swung open. The moment he saw Lian and Mei enter, distress evident in their wide eyes, his heart broke. Without a word, they rushed toward him, throwing their arms around him tightly.

"Wah!" he groaned through the pain, but their grip only loosened slightly. They clung to him like huskies left alone in a house for too long, wailing and whining as if they had been abandoned.

"Master, wuwuwu, we hate this place!" Lian cried, her voice thick with emotion.

Mei nestled her head against his shoulder, her eyes glassy. "Yeah, everyone here is so mean. Big Brother was so mean to us. He was scary!"

Xiang Yu felt a stab of heartache. He wished the twins didn’t have to endure this suffering. At the same time, a knot of worry tightened in his chest. "Don’t worry. I will get revenge for you," he promised, his voice steady but filled with resolve.

"Yes! You should get revenge for us, Master!" Lian said, her tone shifting from sadness to fierce determination. "Look what this lady did to my arm! It hurts so much. Even my own master wouldn’t dare be rough with me! Wuwuwu, Master! I was wronged!"

Xiang Yu glanced at Lian’s arm, where a faint bruise rested like a shadow. It was so subtle that one had to squint to see it. He couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.

Lian had encountered much worse injuries before. Spoiled as they were, they were indeed daddy’s girls. He had indulged them a bit too much, and he let her complain.

"Aww, I am so sorry," he said, patting her back gently. "I’ll avenge you. Don’t worry, okay?"

Suddenly, a noise from the other side of the door made them all still. Lian and Mei straightened up, their playful demeanour disappearing as they shifted into vigilant warriors.

They scurried into the other room, and soon the source of the noise became clear—Han Zhan stood there with a few boxes tucked under his arms, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Hey! I didn’t know you were back here," he said, placing the boxes on the table. "Here you go, we brought all the things you asked for."

"Thank you, brother!" Mei replied, her mood lightening at the sight of him.

Han Zhan, who often visited because he enjoyed their lively spirits, immediately noticed something was off. "What’s wrong with you two?" he asked, concern creasing his forehead.

Thinking he could lift their spirits, he leaned closer, a grin spreading across his face. "Guess what else I brought!"

Wity a broad smile lighting up his face, he pulled out two candies, holding them triumphantly. "Tadaa! I fought a horde of zombies for this," he announced, puffing out his chest with pride. However, the beaming reaction he usually received from Lian and Mei was absent this time.

Worry creased his brow as he noticed their downcast expressions. Something was clearly wrong. "Who made you upset today?" he asked, concern threading through his voice.

Lian stayed silent, her eyes downcast, but Mei piped up quickly, "We are fine!"

Han Zhan didn’t believe her, suspicion lingering beneath the surface of his good nature. He considered confronting Su Jing about it but decided against it for now. "Okay, so you don’t want the candy?" he said, teasingly.

Before he could put the candies back, Lian shot her hand out and snatched one, her face brightening as she called, "Thank you, brother!"

His heart swelled with delight at the small victory, and he couldn’t help but wag his tail as if he were a happy dog. "Okay, don’t forget to come for dinner! We killed a mutated wildebeest today!" As he turned to leave, he bounced on his feet, the weight of concern lifting slightly from his shoulders.

Once he left, Xiang Yu emerged from the shadows by the door, leaning casually against the frame. "You seem to get along well," he remarked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Lian unwrapped her candy slowly, the crinkling sound filling the quiet space. "He is the nice one," she said, licking her lips as she eyed the treat.