Chapter 62: I Came to the Imperial Capital to Seek the Great Demon Lord!
Chapter 62: I Came to the Imperial Capital to Seek the Great Demon Lord!
My body... is being suppressed?
This was an incredibly advanced form of magical control.
As blood pooled and thickened within her veins, Afuduo realized she had lost all power to resist.
She could try to unleash her full strength and force a breakthrough, but doing so would almost certainly trigger a magical backlash—and bring the city guards running.
He’s so strong... There’s no way I can escape.
Who is this man, really?
And why would he bother going to such lengths for a lowly demi-human like me?
Am I really that irresistible?
But now, there was no room left for struggle. With the eyes of the crowd fixed on her, as if she were some notorious criminal, Afuduo found herself utterly unable to break free from Lin Wei’s grip.
All she could do was wear an expression of utter despair as she was led out of the restaurant, down the street, and into a quiet, secluded alley nearby. A faint magical barrier shimmered into place, cutting them off from the outside world.
Only then did the crushing force binding her body abruptly vanish.
Strength surged back into her limbs. Without a second thought, she spun on her heel and sprang for the wall, desperate to escape.
Vmmm—
But as she leapt, she sensed an invisible magical formation in the air—one she had no hope of breaching. Her body twisted in midair at an impossible angle, as if seized by an unseen hand.
The next moment—
Her upward momentum vanished, and she dropped straight down, landing hard on her knees.
Afuduo immediately prostrated herself, forehead pressed to the ground in a gesture of utmost supplication, and cried out at the top of her lungs:
“Please forgive my reckless behavior just now!”
“I was wrong! I’m so, so sorry!!!”
If escape was impossible, then groveling was the next best option.
Maybe—just maybe—he’d take pity and let her go. Anything was better than being beaten to death for resisting.
“My family... I have three younger sisters at home. The youngest is only eight.”
“Sob... I beg you, please spare me! Don’t make me a slave! I swear I’ll pay you back—I’ll do anything, okay?”
“You... aren’t you...”
Her abrupt change of attitude was dizzying.
Lin Wei’s fingers hovered in midair, the spell he’d been about to cast dissipating at once.
He’d been ready to clamp down on her and teach her a lesson for being so unruly, maybe scare her into submission before having a proper conversation.
But this woman—without the slightest hesitation—chose to beg for her life. It caught Lin Wei so off guard that he was momentarily speechless.
He knew the Catkin were notorious among demi-humans for being timid and slippery, but still...
Did she really lack even a shred of backbone?
One moment she’s plotting against me in the restaurant; the next, she’s on her knees, discarding all dignity.
Is something wrong with her head?
“When did I ever say I was going to make you a slave?”
“By now, you should have calmed down a bit.”
Lin Wei leaned back against the wall, expressionless as he looked at the Catkin woman before him—who, if the situation allowed, might well have rolled over and exposed her belly in apology. He took a deep breath, suppressing his irritation.
“Eh?”
Instead of the threats she had braced herself for, there was only silence.
Facing the human who had nearly become her master—who she was certain was about to brand her as a slave—Afuduo lifted her head in confusion. He didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of making a move.
For a moment, even her own expression turned perplexed.
“You... you’re not planning to take me back as a slave?”
That couldn’t be right. Before leaving home, the elders had warned her: there were no good people in the human world. Especially those who seemed inexplicably kind—those were the most dangerous, after both your body and your soul.
As her village’s foremost alchemy master and a half-qualified sage, Afuduo had only been in the human world for half a year. But it was this constant vigilance that had allowed her to make it safely to the Imperial Capital. Otherwise, she’d have ended up like so many other fallen demi-humans, forced to sell themselves just to survive the journey from the conquered lands to the capital.
“If I really wanted to make you a slave, do you think I’d have waited until now?”
Her spiraling thoughts were abruptly cut off by Lin Wei’s sharp retort.
He looked down at the Catkin woman, still hesitating on her knees, and, unable to contain his annoyance, strode forward. With a rough hand, he grabbed her chin, his expression fierce.
“Listen up. I have absolutely no interest in demi-humans. The only reason I even spoke to you was because I was curious about the North, that’s all.”
“So the moment you saw me, you tried to run. Are you hiding some big secret or something?”
As he spoke, Lin Wei’s gaze grew steadily more menacing, making the woman before him shrink back, trembling.
“I’ve been wondering—how did a Catkin from even farther north make it past the Northern Fortress, especially when it’s completely sealed off by the Coalition Army? Don’t tell me you’re some spy who slipped into the Imperial Capital!”
“Answer me, Miss Afuduo!”
Before his eyes, her body visibly trembled.
No matter how hard she tried to hide it, the sudden panic in her gaze was far too obvious.
Lin Wei was stunned for a moment—he’d only meant to intimidate her, just enough to get her to cooperate.
Wait, she really is hiding something...?
He’d just been bluffing, trying to scare her into honesty. He had no intention of helping the humans catch spies. What was with this woman?
“N-no... No, I swear, I’m not hiding anything! Afuduo just came to the capital to find work, to scrape together a living. My hometown’s too poor—I couldn’t survive there anymore. I’m definitely not a spy, and I have no secrets—certainly not one sent by the demons!”
Lin Wei wanted to believe this Catkin girl, who looked genuinely earnest as she pleaded.
But... one look at those wide, blinking green eyes—her disguise was slipping, her composure barely holding together. If she wasn’t hiding something, then pigs could fly.
“Well, that changes things a bit.”
Lin Wei propped his chin on his hand, falling into thought.
Back in the restaurant, he’d only been curious about the strange circumstances surrounding the Northern Fortress. He’d planned to ask a few casual questions, maybe pick up some clues to analyze later.
After all, even though he had no intention of getting involved in the war after retirement, it never hurt to stay informed.
But he never expected... to stumble across such a big fish!
Do I just have an innate talent for stumbling into matters vital to humanity, no matter where I go?
If he really wanted to be ruthless, he could hand this woman over to The Holy Church—or better yet, give her to Veya. That would guarantee another achievement for Veya and help her get that promotion.
He’d always planned to help his wife climb the ranks, so they could both have an easier life. And if a golden opportunity like this landed in his lap, there was no way he’d let it slip by.
“If you won’t be honest, I’ll just have to call in the Judgement Knights to interrogate you.”
Lin Wei sneered coldly, not hesitating to press his threat.
Whether or not he’d actually turn her in was still up for debate, but clearly, this woman was hiding something—and it just might be tied to the demons.
In any case... he needed to get to the bottom of this first!
“Please, I really can’t say! If I reveal anything, I’ll fail my mission—and I’ll die, right on the spot!”
She couldn’t hide it anymore.
This man—
They’d only just met, so why did he exude such overwhelming pressure?
She’d hidden herself so well, yet somehow, he’d instantly sensed she was carrying a huge secret.
From any angle, it was downright terrifying.
“Looks like I really do need to call the Judgement Knights.”
Without another word, Lin Wei turned away, gathering his magic.
It looked like he was about to knock her out and drag her to The Holy Church for a slow, thorough interrogation.
“I came to the Imperial Capital to find someone!” she blurted out.
“To find someone?” Lin Wei echoed.
As expected, with Catkin, only a direct threat would work.
A triumphant grin spread across Lin Wei’s face, his satisfaction plain to see. “And who exactly are you looking for?”
There was... absolutely no way to keep hiding the truth now.
Even if it might bring enormous trouble, she had no other choice if she wanted to save her own life.
“I was sent by a major figure from the demon race. I came to the capital to search for His Majesty the Demon Lord...”
Faced with this man’s relentless pressure, she lowered her head, her voice trembling as she finally uttered a name that left Lin Wei utterly dumbfounded.
“Rumor has it that the Demon Lord has infiltrated the Empire and is planning something earth-shattering.”
“That big shot from the demon race ordered me to find him, relay news from the demons, and, if possible, learn about his plans and offer support.”
“That’s the whole story... That’s the real reason I came to the Imperial Capital.”