Chapter 9 - Actually, I Have a Cheat Too

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

Appearances and Lies

 

 

The innkeeper was paralyzed, yellow liquid pooling between his legs, his courage plummeting into the negatives.

 

At this point, if Ge Yan gave him a stab, he likely wouldn't resist—might even weep with gratitude, clutching at Ge Yan's legs as if he were his savior. Better a quick death at his hands than being shredded by Rex.

 

But Ge Yan was in no shape to oblige—already nauseated, he leaned over the railing, retching violently. Since last night, he'd witnessed three increasingly gruesome scenes, each one pushing his limits further until, finally, he couldn't hold back anymore. His retching mingled with the innkeeper's desperate pleas, adding a pitiful note that did nothing to slow Rex's relentless advance.

 

"Please, don't kill me! It wasn't my idea. They came to me, demanding I help them capture your companion. I had no choice! I'll never do anything like this again; I swear it!" The innkeeper babbled frantically, spilling the truth of the ambush in a desperate bid for mercy, his face twisted in terror as tears streamed down his cheeks.

 

Ge Yan paused, astonished. He'd assumed they'd wandered into a shady inn and that these mercenaries were just after some quick cash. But this? This was apparently all about him. Do I look rich or something?

 

"Why go after me?" he asked.

 

The innkeeper's gaze darted fearfully toward Rex, who made no move, so he replied quickly, "It's because of your appearance."

 

"My appearance?" Ge Yan touched his face. If he remembered correctly, this body was rather… standard issue. No way it was handsome enough to turn other men's heads. Surely, there was more to this.

 

The innkeeper looked bewildered that this young man seemed unaware of his own allure. But swallowing his doubts, he explained, "It's your black hair and black eyes. Those features are incredibly rare on the continent of Azelra, especially prized by the nobility. Each time someone with those looks appears, it causes an uproar among the noble circles. The more striking the looks, the greater the fervor—someone like you, well… the nobles would flock to possess you…"

 

Ge Yan's face darkened before the innkeeper even finished. He'd had a sinking suspicion before, but it all seemed too absurd to consider. Now he understood why the original owner of this body had kept his hair and eye color hidden, why Rex had spared him. If anyone knew of his unique features, his fate would likely be as a noble's "pet," to put it politely. Less politely, he'd end up a captive or plaything.

 

"I'm just a small innkeeper—I'd never have dared attempt this alone. These mercenaries somehow heard you were staying here, threatened me to cooperate or face death. I didn't want to die, so I had to agree." The innkeeper, unaware of Ge Yan's darkening expression, felt encouraged to keep explaining, hoping it would save his life.

 

"The bread and pastries…" Ge Yan asked pointedly.

 

"There was nothing wrong with the food. They wanted to use it to drug you both, then kill your friend and take you away. But your companion didn't eat, and fearing he might catch on, they had me swap out the food," the innkeeper confessed, wiping the cold sweat from his brow. "So…can you let me go now?"

 

Ge Yan glanced at Rex; the innkeeper, too, turned to him, eyes pleading.

 

Rex didn't flinch. With a swift motion, he sliced off the innkeeper's head, too quickly for him to even cry out. At least his was the cleanest death, though no less fatal.

 

Ge Yan opened his mouth but thought better of it, leaving his suspicions unspoken. The innkeeper had acted like a man trying to save his own skin, but he'd overlooked one detail: from the time they'd checked in to the moment he went down to fetch food, hardly any time had passed. So how had the mercenaries managed to sneak in and strong-arm him so quickly, without fear of being noticed? And with no other guests at the inn, it seemed too convenient. Most likely, they'd all been in it together from the start.

 

***

 

With blood spilled in the inn, they couldn't stay there anymore. Ge Yan followed Rex through the night, breaking into a grand mansion where, after some internal debate with the absent owner, they conveniently "borrowed" a place to sleep. Sleeping on a bed was far better than the floor—Ge Yan drifted off as soon as his head hit the pillow.

 

The next morning, just at dawn, Ge Yan nearly got left behind when Rex decided to leave. Startled awake, he hurried to follow. Now that he understood the dangers his appearance posed, he resolved to stick to Rex like glue, valuing his life above all else.

 

Just as they exited through the manor's back gate, Ge Yan called out to Rex, who was about to step onto the main street.

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