A Desperate Plea and a Calculated Delay

“Qiao…”

Pushing open the door, his gaze immediately fell upon Bai Qiao’s blood-soaked body. Her pale skin, stark against the crimson, was a sight that pierced his very soul. Bai Chen felt as though his heart had been seized in an iron grip, a pain so intense it stole his breath.

He rushed forward, attempting to free Bai Qiao from her bonds. Yet, he quickly realized that with his current internal energy, he was utterly incapable of opening these shackles forged from profound iron. Desperation gnawed at him, but there was no other recourse. Ultimately, he was forced to humble himself and appeal to the man he now loathed with every fiber of his being:

“Mo Xiao… help me release Qiao from her restraints…”

Mo Xiao merely watched Bai Chen, remaining motionless for a long moment. Seeing Bai Qiao’s pallid face, Bai Chen felt as if he were on the verge of losing his mind. He raised both hands, a flicker of desperation in his gesture, and almost roared:

“What more do you want? These things have suppressed seventy percent of my internal energy; I can’t possibly escape! And Bai Qiao has no internal energy at all! What else could you possibly want?!”

Mo Xiao was taken aback. This was truly the first time he had ever seen Bai Chen in such a state. For as long as he had known him, Bai Chen had always been so composed, so detached, as if nothing in the world could stir his inner calm. After all, Bai Chen had always been by his side, and this sudden display evoked a flicker of guilt within him. However, he quickly suppressed the feeling, his face reverting to its usual icy impassivity:

“Very well. I’ll give you half an hour. After that, come find me willingly. I will be monitoring this place constantly, and every sound will be captured. Do not entertain any other notions…”

With that, he departed, leaving only Bai Chen and Bai Qiao in the room. Bai Chen tightly embraced the slumped form of Bai Qiao, slowly sitting up.

“Mm…”

Bai Qiao slowly regained consciousness. She noticed her body was no longer as cold as before, and her limbs seemed capable of movement. A warm embrace enveloped her, and instinctively, she leaned into it, seeking to draw in more heat. As full awareness returned, Bai Qiao suddenly grasped her predicament and, with a face clouded by unease, pushed Bai Chen away.

The abrupt movement caused several of her wounds to tear open further. Bai Qiao bit down hard, stifling any cry of pain. Yet, the cold sweat trickling down her face betrayed her suffering. With a tender, doting expression, Bai Chen drew Bai Qiao back into his arms. Being held so intimately by a man made Bai Qiao uncomfortable, almost unbearable. She instinctively pushed him away, but in that fleeting moment, she caught sight of the pain in Bai Chen’s eyes. ‘Could even a man like him… feel hurt?’ Her heart softened considerably, but then… Bai Qiao stared intently into Bai Chen’s eyes, capable of perceiving his thoughts. What she saw in Bai Chen’s mind now… wasn’t his own thoughts, but rather words he wished to convey to her.

Mo Xiao watched the two of them, locked in a silent gaze. Suddenly, Bai Qiao’s state appeared to become unstable; she seemed about to speak, but Bai Chen subtly stopped her. What followed were seemingly normal words, perhaps of comfort, or something similar…

Without needing a reminder from Mo Xiao, Bai Chen left the room on his own. He slowly made his way back to the grand hall, his gaze falling upon Mo Xiao, who sat at the forefront. Taking a deep breath, he ignored the mix of provocation and expectation in Mo Xiao’s eyes:

“Your Majesty, do you know… that we all have an optimal period for forming contracts? Since you desire to obtain power, then you should wait until noon…”

“CRASH!”

Mo Xiao smashed the nearest cup before him:

“What… what exactly are you trying to do, delaying time again and again? Do you… truly believe someone will still come to rescue you?!”

Mo Xiao darted forward, seizing Bai Chen’s chin in a vice-like grip, and snarled menacingly.

“Of course, no one will come to rescue me… As you said yourself. I merely wish for my future master to possess even greater strength…”

Mo Xiao scrutinized his face; he didn’t appear to be deliberately stalling for time. Very well… then let the Beast Tamer determine his optimal time.

Night fell once more, bringing with it the same brilliant moon and dim, hazy sky as always. Bai Chen slowly rose, gazing out at the profound stillness, and took a deep breath. This was his last chance. His optimal time was tomorrow; only this one night remained…

During the day, he and Bai Qiao hadn’t been ‘gazing deeply into each other’s eyes’; rather, he had simply conveyed everything to her, relying on her ability to perceive his thoughts. If things went smoothly… No, they *must* go smoothly…

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