EnCoffin Me Chapter 41
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 41
Theo's obsession with Alexio was something even he found a bit puzzling.
His current plan made him instinctively focus on certain dark creatures, so after Pupil announced the resurrection, he had been closely monitoring the activities in the conservation center.
This was both a crucial part of his plan and for the resurrected vampire.
Resurrection, ten thousand years, prince… these words together made Theo imagine the immense dark power that must reside within the vampire's body, which was precisely what he urgently needed. The dark creatures he had were becoming less useful. He needed more beings from which to extract dark energy.
But Theo was cautious after all. He knew the history of the wars between the light and dark forces from ten thousand years ago, and he was wary of the vampire's potential abilities. During his brief meeting with Zhu Heng, he planted something interesting on him, then activated the pawns he had previously left in the conservation center to trigger them.
It was supposed to be a foolproof plan, but Pupil's interference ruined it, obstructing him from getting any information on Alexio.
Damn Pupil!
He started obsessing over Alexio like a madman, using every possible method, yet only able to catch a glimpse through livestreams. He stared at the hollow flicker in the other's eyes, refreshing the feed relentlessly, but still had to rely on others' descriptions to track Alexio's movements.
Sometimes, he dreamed of the dark-haired, red-eyed vampire standing under the light, the sun shining brightly, bees and butterflies fluttering around roses, yet the vampire never looked back. Whenever Theo reached out his hand, a giant silver cross in the sky would shoot out cold eyes, burning him alive in his dream.
Damn it… damn it…
Theo stared at the lightbrain before him, stubbornly refreshing.
Empty, empty, em… huh?
@Alexio: Super delicious!【pic】【pic】【pic】
The pictures showed a private room in some restaurant, piled with exquisite dishes. The most eye-catching was a huge lobster with vibrant color and rich sauce. At first glance, the photo seemed ordinary, but on closer look, there was a fork in the corner, oddly stuck in the lobster's tail. The three pictures were taken in sequence, allowing viewers to witness the lobster-stealing operation unfold in real time.
【Hahaha, I'm laughing my head off!】
【Xixi, your lobster's gone!】
【Xixi: Who? Who stole it?】
【I bet the head that fell off upstairs belongs to History Book!】
Alexio's updates paused for a moment, then a new post appeared. The picture showed two lobsters stacked on Alexio's own plate, while the saint's plate sat empty, bearing nothing but a silent knife and fork. The image was inexplicably steeped in melancholy.
【Ehehehehehehe!】
【Hahaha, failed to steal the lobster, ended up getting robbed instead!】
Alexio turned off his lightbrain in satisfaction, and picked up his knife and fork to face the two large lobsters before him. The lobster was the restaurant's signature dish, limited to one per person each day. He thought they looked nice, so he paused to take pictures, never expecting comments reminding him that his lobster was being stolen.
He glanced at the saint across from him, who expressionlessly took a bite of vegetable salad.
Wouldn't it be like this if you didn't mess around on your own?! Why pretend to be pitiful!
Alexio didn't hesitate to eat one lobster. Before digging into the second, he deliberately watched the lunatic's reaction. The lunatic kept silently eating the salad, but doing so slower and then even slower.
Alexio: …pfft.
He tapped the ceramic plate in front of the lunatic with his fork, gloating, “Regret it?”
The saint silently looked up at him, then lowered his lashes without a word, continuing to shovel salad into his mouth.
“Really not regretting it? Let me describe the taste of the lobster just now…” Alexio piled on countless words, drawing on all his skills as a prince, praising the lobster extravagantly. By the time he finished, his mouth felt dry, so he prepared to quickly finish the lobster.
His knife and fork moved toward the lobster.
The saint stopped eating salad.
He moved his knife and fork aside.
The saint continued chewing.
He brought them close again, then pulled them away, until finally he couldn't hold back his laughter.
“Here, I'm giving it back to you. Stop acting like I'm bullying you. Who was the one who stole my lobster in the first place?”
He slid the lobster back onto the saint's plate. The lobster was certainly delicious, but he could come back another time. The lunatic staring at the lobster with such longing was just too cute.
The saint lowered his eyes, took a bite of the lobster that was lost and found, then slowly opened his mouth—
Alexio knew for sure that no good would come out of his mouth…
“It's cold.”
“Then give it back to me!”
“No.”
Considering the situation, Alexio didn't start a fight with the lunatic in the restaurant. Instead, he let him pay the bill.
Alexio took a special passageway and went downstairs to wait in an unmanned taxi. Lucius finished paying and ran into a colleague from the Institute of Ancient History. After a few polite pleasantries, he suddenly remembered something.
“Although it's a bit sudden… sir, are you perhaps allergic to lobster?”
Alexio was comfortably waiting in the taxi when his lightbrain beeped. It was a message from Zhen.
【Zhen: Made a hair accessory with Dondon and Lucy.】
【Zhen: Want to give one to Zerita.】
【Zhen: [image]】
Alexio opened the picture. Bright red strings twisted in a unique Eastern knot. So cute. These three dark creatures living in the center seemed to have become good friends quietly, using Alexio as a bridge. Alexio looked at the picture, then took out the red string Zhen had given him earlier to examine. He thought that Zhen's lively personality was perfect for guiding the clumsy wolf cub and the somewhat introverted Lucy.
【Zhen: Dondon and Lucy want to prepare something else… I'm off for now.】
【Zhen: Alexio, I'll send you a photo of Zerita wearing the new hair accessory later!】
Zhen stopped sending messages. He probably went to deliver the accessory. Alexio suspected that Lucy might team up with the wolf cub to buy a roast chicken. The wolf cub would eat the meat, and Lucy would give the bones to Zerita.
…It was very likely!
Lucius soon got into the car as well, and the taxi sped them home. Alexio and the lunatic kept exchanging jabs all the way, continuing their banter once they got home, until suddenly, Alexio stopped abruptly.
Lucius was opening the door and glanced back at him. Alexio pulled his hand out of his pocket—
In his palm lay a tangled red string.
“Is Zerita asleep?” Zhen asked Zerita's temporary caretaker. When he got a negative answer, he brightened. “Then may I see her? Dondon, Lucy, and I made a new hair accessory and want to give it to Zerita.”
The caretaker immediately smiled gently and opened the door for Zhen to enter. The water nymph in the pool cautiously peeked out but didn't dare to surface fully.
“She seems a bit afraid of me but doesn't reject her own kind,” the caretaker said with a helpless smile. “You two chat. If you need anything, I'll be outside.”
She carefully closed the door, leaving only Zhen and the water nymph inside the room.
“Hello, Zerita. I'm Zhen.” He approached the pool, leaned over, and smiled. “Sorry we didn't get to talk during the day, so we made this new hair accessory for you. It's an Eastern lucky knot. I hope it helps you get better soon.”
He showed the delicate accessory, waving it above the water to catch the water nymph's attention. Zerita hid shyly beneath the surface, still free from control, hesitant to approach strangers. But Zhen's tone was gentle, and the bright, flower-shaped accessory was very pretty.
Slowly, Zerita surfaced, first looking at the accessory, then turning to glance at Zhen. Her fish tail wagged slightly.
Zerita liked the accessory, and she liked this fellow showing her kindness.
Seeing that she liked it, Zhen leaned closer to the water's surface and waved the hair accessory gently.
“Let me put this on you, Zerita.”
Slowly, Zerita swam toward him, getting closer and closer, her heart gradually relaxing. She thought she had probably escaped her nightmarish life and that nightmarish person. No one would maliciously call her ‘little thing’ and sprinkle blood on her anymore. Instead, they would call her Zerita… Zerita… just like Zhen was doing now… and braid her hair so beautifully.
Suddenly, the world before her blurred. Zerita's eyes widened in terror. She felt that demon returning, trying to seize her body. She struggled desperately but could barely shake the man's overwhelming mental power. Panic welled up in her until tears nearly fell. She opened her mouth, but only a hoarse voice came out.
“I've… arrived…”
No… no, no, no! Run! Zhen, run! Zerita… Zerita, run…
The water nymph opened her eyes, one purple, one blue, and reached out toward Zhen—
“I've arrived… Zhen.”
A bad feeling weighed on Zhen's heart as he watched the slippery arm coil around his. His other hand instinctively reached into his pocket and touched another string. The water nymph looked up and gave him a mysterious smile.
“Come with me, little thing.”
The moment he was teleported away, Zhen pulled the knot apart.
The world spun wildly, and the crude teleportation magic put an immense burden on his body. Zhen felt himself land roughly on the ground. Suppressing the discomfort, he lifted his head and his eyes immediately met the lower leg of a man with a dagger strapped to it. His heart tightened slightly before someone roughly grabbed him and hoisted him up.
“Well, if it isn't Zhen… about to hit a hundred million followers.”
The man lifting him had a dagger tied to one leg and held a gun in his other hand. He tilted his head with interest as he looked at Zhen.
“I work hard, but I don't have as many fans as you do. These dark creatures really make me jealous.”
“Zhu Qing,” someone called the young man's name. “It's time to move out.”
Zhu Qing released Zhen carelessly, letting him drop back to the ground. He stretched his shoulders and neck, the joints cracking audibly. He and his men planned to use the hidden teleportation array carved into Zerita's body to storm into the conservation center. They would take back any dark creatures they could, and those they couldn't, along with the staff—
They would kill.
“My livestream this time is definitely going to blow up,” he said with a malicious grin before leaving. “After all… nobody's done a live broadcast of slaughtering dark creatures before. Those of you staying here, remember to send me gifts! Hahaha!”
After he was teleported away, Zhen forced himself to stand and gather his spiritual energy, which had been somewhat scattered by the previous impact. He couldn't act rashly now. All his strength needed to be saved for the crucial moment.
He looked up and saw the man who had issued the order to Zhu Qing. The man's right eye was an unusual shade of violet. He studied Zhen for a moment, then showed a look that could only be described as satisfied.
“A good kid.”
He chuckled softly.
“A lot of dark power can be extracted from him.”