Subtitle: Weren’t you just having a grand time? Let’s see you enjoy this now~
In a gambling den on a certain street in Demon King City.
“The cards are open! Place your bets!”
“Bets are placed, no turning back. You bet, you lose, you pay.”
It would have been a perfectly normal scene, had the participants not been so grotesquely abstract.
Concealed beneath transformation magic, Qiweiya and her companion roamed the gambling hall, disguised as ordinary demons.
“Come on, come on~ Let’s go take a look over there!”
Lotharia, now an unsightly demon, trailed behind with a look of utter despair. Rylesdan and Karin’er? Qiweiya had long since dispatched them to secure lodging, citing the need to ‘establish a base of operations.’ Yet, everyone knew the loli was merely itching for mischief.
Her diminutive form squeezed past towering, grotesque demons, drawing closer to the opulent gambling table.
“Come on, come on! Big or small! Place your bets, hands away!”
With a decisive sweep, Qiweiya slammed her chips onto the ‘big’ side. “I bet big!” she declared.
A derisive scoff rippled through the crowd. “Where did this little brat come from, thinking a few silver coins can sweep tens of thousands of our gold coins?” one sneered. “This is outrageous! Doesn’t anyone manage this gambling hall?” another fumed. “Precisely! We didn’t come here to be toyed with by a mere child!”
The dealer, wiping a bead of cold sweat from his brow, bellowed, “What are you waiting for? Get this child out of here at once!”
“Wait!”
The dealer, initially poised to unleash a torrent of curses, quickly bowed and offered a fawning smile upon recognizing the newcomer. “Ah, Young Master Kaxiu~ Is the Young Master perhaps interested in this little girl?”
A demon, strikingly human-like in appearance, approached Qiweiya. His eyes, brimming with lecherous desire, shamelessly scoured her form.
“This little girl is mine! None of you are to lay a hand on her. You, you, and you—take them both back to the city for me.”
Qiweiya watched with an amused detachment as the demon youth and the dealer bickered over her ownership. She observed the scene as if she were an outsider, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
Only when three lizard-like demon servants moved to apprehend her did she grin playfully. “Hey~ You’re not actually planning to drag me back to be your plaything, are you?”
Young Master Kaxiu, his vertical pupils burning with rampant desire, fixed his gaze directly on Qiweiya’s current demonic form. “Little sister~ If you wish for comfort, it would be wise not to resist. Simply allow my servants to escort you. Otherwise, if you happen to suffer a few scrapes, you mustn’t fault my men for their… lack of gentle control.”
Qiweiya patted her chest, letting out a theatrical sigh. “Phew~ For a moment, I thought you intended to ‘execute justice on the spot’ and ‘drive straight in.’ You truly gave me a fright.”
Kaxiu merely chuckled. “You little one are truly entertaining! Seeing how utterly adorable you are, I shall certainly repay your… anticipation later.”
As the six hands drew ever closer, a chilling glint flickered in Qiweiya’s eyes.
A series of sickening ‘thwacks’ echoed as six dark green, bloodied hands plummeted onto the pristine, luxurious carpet, staining the immaculate floor crimson.
“Ahhh—” Kaxiu’s face contorted in abject terror, his usually dark skin visibly paling by several shades.
“You dare resist and harm my servants? Guards! Break her limbs! I shall teach this green demoness a brutal lesson!”
“Yes, Young Master!” the three responded in unison.
Qiweiya merely chuckled, observing the three nation-level martial artists and mages who now encircled her. She offered a reassuring pat to Lotharia, who cowered and trembled behind her, before fixing a chilling gaze on the trio poised to strike. “Do you truly believe your meager cultivation is enough to defeat me?”
The trio exchanged a brief glance. One, an older male demon with a seasoned air, bowed his head in apology. “We apologize, esteemed one. The Kaxiu family has shown us great kindness, and we are sworn to obey Young Master Kaxiu’s commands, even unto death.” With that declaration, he and his two companions swiftly encircled Qiweiya.
Qiweiya offered a chillingly benevolent smile. “Oh, ‘great kindness’! Oh, ‘sworn obedience’! Very well then. In light of your loyalty, I shall allow you to live. However, your young master absolutely *must* be punished~ How about a broken lower limb? It’s a rather painless retribution, yet it serves as an excellent warning. Truly, I am too clever.”
Lotharia’s lips twitched. She had never imagined Qiweiya could be so utterly ruthless towards men. Should she, perhaps, be grateful that she wasn’t accompanying her as a male at this moment…?
Regardless of Qiweiya’s words, the trio launched their assault. The unique demonic energy of this world, known as ‘filth aura,’ enveloped their claws as they lunged, aiming for Qiweiya’s most vital points.
Sensing she could no longer guarantee Lotharia’s safety, Qiweiya swiftly pushed her out of the immediate battle.
Amidst the cacophony of ‘bangs,’ ‘thuds,’ and ‘smacks’ from fists and feet, Qiweiya engaged the trio. Kaxiu, observing the battle, realized with growing alarm that the little girl he coveted was not only holding her own against his family’s three revered elders but was subtly gaining the upper hand. Panic began to set in.
The Kaxiu family, while perhaps not considered top-tier within Demon King City, was undoubtedly a formidable powerhouse among the upper echelons of second-tier noble houses. Their influence and might largely stemmed from these three loyal, revered elders. The current turn of events, with them being subtly suppressed, unequivocally signaled that he had provoked a god-tier expert!
Kaxiu seized a nearby lackey. “Go at once and summon the City Guard Captain! Tell him an outsider, disguised as a demon, is wreaking havoc in Demon King City! Hurry!”
Kaxiu, utterly oblivious to Lotharia’s presence, had no idea she had overheard his despicable scheme. While Lotharia, a master of strategy, possessed no power to thwart Kaxiu’s treachery, she could certainly warn Qiweiya.
“Idiot Qiweiya! That shameless Young Master is calling for reinforcements! We need to run!”
Qiweiya forcefully repelled the trio, glanced at Lotharia, then turned her gaze, now chillingly akin to one fixed upon the dead, back to the demon scion of the Kaxiu family.
“As I suspected, you’re nothing but low-class riff-raff. Just look at the rotten scoundrel you three are protecting! I truly commend your ability to hold your noses and continue guarding such filth, hmph!”
Qiweiya’s divine sense swept forth, confirming that the city guards were still several minutes away. A peculiar smile played on her lips. “Now, before those mere cultivators arrive, I shall take the liberty of ‘reforming’ you properly~”
Kaxiu watched Qiweiya, radiating an overwhelming sense of oppression, approach him with deliberate, small steps. He stumbled backward in terror. “W-what are you doing! I am the sole heir of the Kaxiu family! If you harm me, you will most certainly regret it!”
Qiweiya casually tilted her head, evading the haphazard objects Kaxiu frantically hurled. “Didn’t you want to summon the city guards? Didn’t you want me to be your plaything? I’m right here now—why are you running?”
Kaxiu shivered, realizing he had backed himself into a corner, with nowhere left to retreat. “D-don’t come any closer! Look who I have in my grasp!”
“Ugh,” Qiweiya watched as Lotharia was seized, an impossibly sharp dagger pressed against her throat by Kaxiu, who used her as leverage. A subtle, chilling killing intent flickered in Qiweiya’s normally serene eyes. She loathed nothing more than those who dared to threaten her with her loved ones. Kaxiu had, without a doubt, just signed his own death warrant.
Lotharia, utterly unfazed, gazed at the chilling blade pressed against her neck. “Hey~ buddy, could you perhaps relax a little? Look at me—a helpless little loli—and you’re actually resorting to a knife? A single arm would be more than enough to strangle me several times over! What an absolute waste of talent~”
Kaxiu’s hand trembled, his voice laced with menace. “Shut up! Believe me or not, I’ll stab your throat right now and send you to an agonizing death!”
Lotharia quickly raised her hands in a placating gesture. “Alright, alright! I’ll be quiet. Just don’t come any closer. My delicate little neck can’t withstand a single slice from you.”
“Checkmate.” Kaxiu heard the chilling whisper beside his ear, but before he could fully process it, Qiweiya, who had materialized behind him, seized his throat. “W-what?” he managed to stammer. “I said,” she repeated, tightening her grip, “your time has come.”
“Wait! I’ll let go imme—” The young demon’s words were abruptly cut short as Qiweiya twisted his neck with a decisive snap.
“Young Master!” the three cried out simultaneously.
Qiweiya scooped Lotharia into her arms. “Let’s go! Since we’ve already been noticed, we might as well go directly to the Demon King for some fun.”
The three demon elders, witnessing Qiweiya’s attempt to flee, roared in outrage. “You think you can kill our Young Master and simply walk away? A life for a life, I say!”
Qiweiya reverted to her true form, effortlessly kicking away the grasping claws. She then transformed into a blur, streaking towards the brightly lit Demon King’s Palace at the heart of the city.
“Lotharia, could you please return to your human form first? You’re making me feel utterly exhausted like this!”
Lotharia, a blush creeping onto her face, dispelled her transformation magic, returning to her original form as a blue-haired loli. She then snuggled comfortably into Qiweiya’s embrace.
Qiweiya frowned slightly, then playfully patted Lotharia’s small backside. “Behave yourself, and stop squirming.”
Lotharia, feigning innocence, replied, “What’s wrong? I haven’t done anything.”
Qiweiya shot a fierce glare at the restless loli nestled in her arms. “Don’t imagine for a moment that I can’t feel your little antics. Next time, I’ll simply toss you right off! Let’s see if you can still manage to smile then!”
“Uh…”
****
The Demon King’s Water Delivery Service
“Congratulations, Your Majesty the Demon King! Your elite forces, with negligible losses, have successfully curbed the momentum of the Goddess of Ice and Snow, thereby securing a tranquil seven days!”
“The demon elites are indeed worthy of being Your Majesty’s most trusted retainers, having successfully quelled the arrogance of that wicked goddess! Your humble subject believes that the day Qiweiya is vanquished will mark the dawn of our race’s dominion over the world!”
The Demon King listened to his subjects’ lavish compliments, yet found no joy in them. He knew full well that Qiweiya had, on this occasion, spared his most cherished ‘heart’s flesh.’ Otherwise, this very expedition, solely due to that treacherous human heroic spirit, would have utterly annihilated the armies of both races. Had Qiweiya not, in a rare moment of conscience, rescued the doomed task force, he would have suffered an irreplaceable loss.
A deafening “BOOM—” reverberated through the palace. The Demon King swiftly clutched the armrest beside him, steadying his form amidst the earth-shattering tremor. “What is happening?” he roared. “Why is the palace shaking so violently?”
The demon royal guard, dispatched to investigate, scrambled back in a frantic, undignified crawl, using both hands and feet. “Re… report!” he stammered.
The Demon King waved a hand, signaling him to continue. “Outside the grand hall, a small girl in an ice-blue gauze dress is pounding on the main gate, shouting some inexplicable things.”
“Demon King! You old hag! Open the door for this grandma right now! Your old lady is here to deliver water! Open the door, open the door!”
The Demon King gave a wry smile. “Alright, you may withdraw. I’ve heard enough.”
Looking at the assembled demon officials, the Demon King asked in a gruff voice, “Who among you can represent the face of our demon race and open the main hall door for the Goddess of Ice and Snow? I shall bestow a great reward.”
“Uh… my legs aren’t what they used to be recently. I’m afraid I cannot live up to Your Majesty’s high expectations.”
“My old wounds have flared up again, and even a slight movement causes bone-deep pain. Your Majesty, you are aware of this humble general’s unspeakable ailments.”
The Demon King’s eye twitched as he inwardly cursed this group of cowardly old scoundrels. In this time of national crisis, each of them was utterly spineless. Did they truly expect him, the Demon King, to test the waters himself?
“RUMBLE—” As the demons debated and made excuses, the grand door—one that even the Demon King himself would struggle to damage—flew inward, right before their twitching eyes.
Through the swirling dust, a petite figure in ice-blue, cradling a blue humanoid, strolled in with an unhurried, graceful pace.
“Cough, cough… Damn it, did I really have to open it myself? Can’t you people be more proactive? I intended to be polite, but you made me wait for so long. Reluctantly, I had no choice but to break in this way~ You mustn’t blame me for being impolite or anything.”
Qiweiya looked at the high-ranking demons before her, their expressions peculiar, and asked, “What? Did I enter incorrectly… Should I go out and try again from a different spot?”
“No, no, no, no need!”
“Lady Qiweiya, our demon race simply cannot withstand such torment from you!”
“That’s right! For the sake of us old bones still clinging to life, please spare the Demon King’s Palace!”
Qiweiya’s lips curved into a smile as she nodded. “Very well~ Seeing your sincere attitude, I shall allow your dilapidated city to exist for a little longer… Of course, if you’re this slow again next time, I’ll have no choice but to tear down this magnificent city with a heavy heart. What a pity, what a pity.”
“Next time, we will definitely arrive promptly! No delays whatsoever!”
“Indeed! We’ll be there at the first sound! Rest assured, rest assured!”
Qiweiya, still smiling, found an empty seat and settled down. “Now, I suppose it’s time to get to the main point.”
The Demon King and his assembled officials instantly grew serious, their gazes fixed intently on Qiweiya.
“Do you have any gold coins?”
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Did Lady Qiweiya just say ‘gold coins’?”
Qiweiya casually waved her hand. “You heard correctly. I’m here to collect compensation for emotional distress, verbal exertion, physical effort, and the costs of combat~”
The Demon King and his ministers exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what Qiweiya was trying to convey.
“Cough, cough, cough~ It’s just that your demon scion disgusted me a bit, so I’ve come to you big shots for some compensation or something~ and also…”
Qiweiya’s smile turned cold. “To rectify the ideological education of your descendants. Do any of you have an objection?”
Silence—