"Oh dear… You truly are trustworthy, my lord, having captured our lovely songstress, Lady Freya, so swiftly," the middle-aged nobleman named Joseph said with a grin.
In the lavish room of the casino, the indifferent man stood coldly at the doorway, cradling the unconscious blue-haired girl in his arms.
She was a breathtaking beauty, radiant enough to overshadow the stars above. Her long, aquamarine hair cascaded gently over her shoulders, framing a delicate face and a slender figure—she was a once-in-a-lifetime songstress who had captivated countless hearts.
Yet now, this girl, who should have been cherished with the utmost tenderness, lay helplessly in the arms of a demon, her graceful form subjected to the lecherous gaze of evil.
"I have brought you the goods as promised, so where is the item I am to receive in exchange?" With a cold embrace around the slumbering diva, Xiao Mu Yu asked icily.
"Oh? Comparing a paragon of beauty to mere goods? Hehe… It seems that even a woman as enchanting as Miss Freya cannot sway your heart, my lord. You truly are… ah, a steadfast warrior at heart."
Clapping in admiration, the middle-aged nobleman curiously inquired, "However, the more you exhibit such resolve, the more I wonder why a strong individual like yourself would choose to assist a helpless young girl. You must know that while the girl named Yaya is undeniably a rare gem in her own right, she pales in comparison to this unparalleled water songstress. You do not strike me as someone easily swayed by a woman's beauty. So, what is it about this young girl that captivates you?"
"…" The nobleman's inquiries were met only with the indifferent man's curt response, "Your prattle is excessive."
"Ah… cough, cough… Very well, very well. Since you are so impatient, I shall refrain from further words. I will have someone bring that poor girl out immediately," the middle-aged nobleman replied with a smile, turning to issue a few commands to his subordinates.
A momentary silence enveloped the room, broken only by the nobleman's curious glances at the cold figure standing by the door.
Time passed, and the sound of footsteps echoed as a henchman entered, leading the frail girl into the room.
Clearly, upon seeing Joseph again, the girl felt a twinge of fear, her gaze instinctively lowering. Yet, the moment she spotted the indifferent figure, a ripple of emotion flickered in her watery eyes.
"Alright, little Yaya, consider yourself fortunate that someone is willing to risk everything to capture that songstress for you," the nobleman chuckled, clapping his hands. "Now, you belong to this esteemed gentleman as his personal possession. You'd best serve him well, for he undertook this endeavor to save you."
With a slight lift of her head, the girl gazed at the indifferent man standing by the door, her expression a complex tapestry of emotions.
"Come with me." The cold command held no warmth, yet upon hearing Xiao Mu Yu's indifferent order, the fragile girl offered no resistance, obediently following him as if resigned to her fate.
Coldly transferring the unconscious blue-haired girl to the waiting henchman, Xiao Mu Yu's gaze did not linger on the girl who was about to face the most tragic fate imaginable.
A thought can lead to paradise, another to hell.
The ruthless demon, his cloak billowing, turned away without a shred of compassion, leaving behind the slowly closing door that severed the room from the middle-aged nobleman's lewd laughter.
The girl named Yaya followed closely in the man's footsteps, traversing the bustling casino hall, carefully avoiding the outstretched hands of drunken patrons, much like a frightened rabbit trailing its master.
However, her current master remained silent, the indifferent man walking ahead as if oblivious to the girl behind him, stepping out into a shadowy alley.
As they walked through the snow-laden alley, Yaya silently followed, her lips sealed, until…
Turning around with an air of indifference, Xiao Mu Yu finally halted, his icy gaze fixed upon the frail girl before him. "Are you satisfied now?"
This was a secluded alley far removed from the bustling streets, quiet and lifeless. In every direction, not a soul could be seen, the white snow blanketing the ground creating an illusion of distance from the vibrant world.
"Eh???" The girl appeared perplexed, clearly baffled by the man's seemingly nonsensical question. However, the next moment brought her an even greater shock.
A wisp of white smoke gently rose from her body, resembling the ethereal mist that clings to mountain tops at dawn.
As the white smoke drifted upwards, it gradually coalesced on the indifferent man's shoulder, ultimately forming into an adorable white fox.
Timidly glancing at Xiao Mu Yu's cold gaze, the little fox instinctively extended its delicate tongue to lick the man's cheek.
"Um… excuse me, sir, what… is this…?" Clearly realizing she had unwittingly become embroiled in unexpected circumstances, the girl timidly asked Xiao Mu Yu.
Upon hearing her voice, Xiao Mu Yu coldly lifted his head, his gaze as impassive as ever. "Are you curious? Unsure of what is happening?"
"Um… heh heh… a bit." The girl offered an awkward smile, feeling ill at ease under the man's emotionless tone and icy stare.
"Do you wish to know why I chose to save you? To rescue a stranger I've known for less than a day?" With a detached wave of his hand, Xiao Mu Yu said coldly, "Come closer; I will show you something. Once you see it, you will understand."
With a hint of curiosity, the girl stepped forward, standing quietly before the man, awaiting his explanation.
In the next instant.
"Thud."
The sound of a weapon piercing flesh. The girl looked on in shock as a battered sword was embedded in her right chest, disbelief etched across her delicate features.
As crimson blood spilled forth, the demon coldly withdrew the sword of death, allowing the white snow to swirl around, watching impassively as the girl clutched her chest in agony, slowly collapsing backwards.
At last, the girl's frail body fell heavily to the cold, snow-covered ground like a lifeless sack.
Bright red blood flowed from the wound in her chest, gradually spreading beneath her, forming a vivid crimson flower that stained the once-pure white snow of the street.
Footsteps faded, the indifferent man who had rescued the girl from the demon's lair only to extinguish her life gradually disappeared around the corner of the alley.
In that deep alley, silence descended, as if the world had forsaken it.
Only the softly falling white snowflakes settled upon the girl, seemingly bestowing a gentle blessing upon this lonely soul, silently comforting the frail body that was fading away.