Chapter 389: Volume 1_Chapter 389: Evil Dragon x Slave x Witch (9)

Volume 1_Chapter 389: Evil Dragon x Slave x Witch (9)

Jiang Zhi was exhausted and sleepy; she cast a final sleeping spell on Xiaohei, then spread a simple sleeping tent and lay down to sleep.

…

She was awakened by a shout.

The sky grew completely dark; over the misty Chendi no star could be seen, all around was dead silence, a desolate place without a trace of human habitation.

Opening her eyes, she saw Gu He's huge face right before her, almost scaring her soul out of her.

How did you end up like this???

The aloof, arrogant princess was so shocked her facial features went haywire.

Jiang Zhi rubbed her eyes, sat up, glanced at him lightly, and said, "You can recognize me like this? It seems your feelings for me run deep."

Gu He snorted coldly, arms crossed, looking down at her, saying, "You're being self-indulgent."

Jiang Zhi looked around and saw Xiaohei lying on the ground, and breathed a sigh of relief.

She got up from the ground, packed away the sleeping blanket and the windbreak tent she had set up, and said, "I'm going back."

Gu He earnestly wiped the dust off himself with a handkerchief and asked, "Where are you going?"

Jiang Zhi expressionlessly replied, "None of your business."

Gu He gave a cold, dismissive oh and began to fabricate a story: "My family is ruined and I have nowhere to go."

Jiang Zhi: ……

Damn it, a lord of a country, sitting on mountains of gold and silver, claiming he has nowhere to go??

Have you no shame!

Thinking that he was the king of Zhucheng and not to be offended, Jiang Zhi took a deep breath, held back her anger, and said, "My home is a shabby mess; I fear you would look down on it."

Gu He had made up his mind to cling to her, putting on a reluctant expression and saying, "It's fine; I have no other choice either."

Jiang Zhi pointed to the unconscious Xiaohei on the ground and ordered, "Then you carry him."

Gu He looked troubled, saying, "How can you let a weak girl with no strength to bind a chicken do such a thing?"

Jiang Zhi: Are you sick?

She spread out the cloak, sat on it, and said, "Can't we just drag it over?"

Gu He saw her turn into a little girl's appearance, gritted his teeth, and reluctantly dragged Xiaohei onto the cloak.

After pulling his hand back, he also took out a handkerchief and began wiping.

So many trivial matters.

Jiang Zhi still didn't believe he could be the king, Your Majesty.

Just him? Just him?

After the cloak had traveled for a while, Xiaohei woke up.

Master, master.

Jiang Zhi handed him some food, saying, "Eat something."

What half-beasts eat is the same as what normal people eat.

Xiaohei didn't take it, but said, "You, eat."

Jiang Zhi smiled gently, "I've already eaten; you go ahead."

This time Xiaohei took it.

The arrogant, sinister voice of the Evil Dragon echoed in his mind.

Do you like her?

Xiaohei did not respond.

The Evil Dragon said offhandedly, "She made you into my vessel, never intending to let you live; she'd rather you die with me."

Words thick with malice reverberated in his ears.

Xiaohei replied in his heart in the demon beast language.

——So what? My life belongs to my master.

The Evil Dragon hadn't expected him to be so devoted to the witch; this path was a dead end, so he tried another.

Don't you want to be with your master? Beneath you, sobbing in pleasure, that pretty face flushed with a passionate hue...

——Shut up.

The Evil Dragon laughed excitedly.

Your heart is already in turmoil; you've long wanted to do that, haven't you? You want her.

Xiaohei no longer responded to him.

Letting the Evil Dragon chatter on endlessly in his mind.

…

Returning to the dwelling encircled in Chendi.

Jiang Zhi released the slaves she had previously saved from the talisman.

They looked at the unfamiliar place; though they were in Chendi, the scenery all around was like a fairyland, a Peach Blossom Spring.

The half-beasts noticed their master had returned, stopped their work, and ran over.

The slaves brought over, seeing so many half-beasts, were frightened and screamed, wanting to hide.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhi said, "These half-beasts were once slaves just like you. Here you can live normally, without fear of being enslaved or expelled."

I will treat everyone equally; if any violent incident occurs, whether half-beast or ordinary human, they will be banished from here.

Jiang Zhi looked at the slaves' eyes filled with fear and disgust toward the half-beasts, frowned, and said, "If you cannot live together with the half-beasts, I can send you back to Zhucheng."

A dozen or so slaves exchanged glances, and in the end they all chose to stay here.

【Main Quest One: Save the World Progress 43.3%】

After sealing the Evil Dragon into Xiaohei's body, the progress directly increased by 40%.

The Evil Dragon's major problem is temporarily resolved; the remaining task is to rescue all slaves in Zhucheng and Pinminku.

Gu He stood behind her, watching this scene, brows slightly furrowed.

He shifted his gaze to the little girl, paused for a few seconds, and hesitantly asked, "You... why are you doing this?"

Place the rescued slaves here, give them a peaceful and prosperous life, free them from servitude, so they are no longer enslaved by anyone, and let them live the life they wish.

Jiang Zhi thought that later going to Zhucheng to rescue the slaves raised by nobles would also require Your Majesty's help; she cleared her throat and righteously said, "I deeply despise the slave system, hate those nobles at the top—by what right do they enjoy a carefree, wealthy life from birth, while slaves are forced to be trampled underfoot and abused? So I want to rescue all slaves."

Gu He froze in place.

After a moment, he slowly said, "It's difficult."

If the slave system could be abolished easily, he would have done so as soon as he ascended the throne.

The nobles are like a massive mountain that presses down, making it hard to breathe, controlling the entire Zhucheng.

Although he holds supreme ruling power, he lacks the ability to shake the Twelve Elders.

The Twelve Elders control people's hearts; any decision requires their approval.

The slave system has existed since ancient times, deeply entrenched; even if he is the king of Zhucheng, he cannot abolish it.

Jiang Zhi's lips curled slightly; the sunshine, clear and brilliant after the mist was dispelled by magic, fell upon her clear, bright eyes, sparkling.

"I will do it."

Xiaohei gazed at her beneath the sun, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the scales on his foreleg; his dark eyes, hidden beneath his black hair, reflected her face, as if etched into his heart.

The Evil Dragon hissed, "A single smile, and you're bewitched, lost in spirit—that's all your ambition amounts to."

Xiaohei lowered his eyes, suppressing his emotions, and bowed his head.

The Evil Dragon murmured, "If I like someone, I will swallow them whole, chew them up, and gulp them down, so they can forever be with me."

——I'm not like you.

The Evil Dragon sneered, "If you can be my vessel, it means we are the same, sharing this kind of thought."

Xiaohei clenched his fingers; sharp scales embedded into his palm, and the golden patterns at the corners of his eyes flickered faintly.

"Xiaohei~"

A voice laced with laughter fell upon his ears.

Xiaohei lifted his forehead; the darkness in his heart faded completely, the golden patterns vanished, and his fingers slowly relaxed.

"I am here."