Jiao Jiao struggled against the unyielding earth, his tiny fingers digging into the damp soil as he pushed himself upright. His breath came in ragged gasps, his small chest heaving with effort. The sight before him sent a fresh wave of terror and fury through his trembling frame—Xue Tuzi stood motionless, his body slack beneath Xiao Hua's merciless grip. The wasp demon loomed over him like a predator savoring its helpless prey.
A cry of pure defiance ripped from Jiao Jiao's throat as he flung himself at Xiao Hua. His small body collided against her arm, and before she could react, his sharp little teeth sank deep into her flesh. He clamped down with all his strength, his jaw aching, the taste of something bitter and foul filling his mouth.
Xiao Hua shrieked, her face twisting in rage and pain. "You damn leech!" she howled, her voice an ear-splitting screech. She jerked her arm violently, trying to dislodge him, but Jiao Jiao held on with the desperation of a cornered beast. Her claws curled into a tight fist, and with a furious snarl, she raised her arm, ready to smash his fragile skull—
A sudden movement—fast, violent—cut through the chaos.
Xue Tuzi, who had stood frozen in place until now, suddenly jolted into motion. Something inside him shattered, the trance that had held him prisoner crumbling in an instant. His vision tunneled, the sound of Xiao Hua's screeching drowned beneath the single, overpowering instinct to protect.
His hands shot out, seizing Jiao Jiao with a force that tore through flesh. The boy was yanked free, his teeth ripping a jagged wound into Xiao Hua's arm as he was pulled away. Blood—black and thick—spattered onto the ground.
Xiao Hua's agonized scream reverberated through the forest, her body recoiling from the searing pain. She staggered, clutching her wounded arm, eyes blazing with murderous fury.
Xue Tuzi held Jiao Jiao tightly against his chest, his grip unyielding, his breath ragged. He could feel the boy's trembling body, the rapid rise and fall of his small frame.
Xiao Hua's gaze snapped to him, her expression a mask of livid fury. "You—" she hissed, her voice dripping venom.
But Xue Tuzi did not flinch. His fingers curled protectively around the child in his arms, and for the first time, he met her gaze without fear.
Xue Tuzi's chest heaved as he cradled Jiao Jiao in his arms, the boy's small frame trembling against him. Blood smeared Jiao Jiao's mouth and sleeve, a stark reminder of the desperate act that had saved Xue Tuzi moments ago. The child had clamped his teeth into Xiao Hua's flesh, biting down with a ferocity that belied his size. Now, Xue Tuzi's hands shook as he carefully placed Jiao Jiao onto the crook of a sturdy tree branch, his round eyes scanning the boy for injuries.
"Are you hurt?" Xue Tuzi asked, his voice low but urgent. His fingers brushed over Jiao Jiao's arms, his face, his sides, checking for any sign of harm. The boy shook his head, his wide eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I-I'm okay," Jiao Jiao stammered, his voice small but steady. "But… but mama bleeding." He pointed to the gash on Xue Tuzi's cheek, his face stained.
Xue Tuzi barely glanced at the wound. "It's nothing," he said, his tone firm but gentle. He cupped Jiao Jiao's face, forcing the boy to meet his gaze. "Listen to me. Stay here. Do not move. Do not come out, no matter what you see or hear. Do you understand?"
Jiao Jiao nodded, though his lower lip quivered. "But-" Xue Tuzi's finger came to his lips stopping him from uttering another word "No buts" he planted a kiss on the child's forehead before turning on his heels stepping away from the tree his posture straightening as he faced Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua stood there, her grotesque form shimmering as the flesh Jiao Jiao had bitten off regenerated. Xue Tuzi's eyes scanned the ground until they landed on his ribbon, its silken length coiled in the dirt like a discarded serpent. He bent to pick it up, the fabric sliding through his fingers with practiced ease. With a flick of his wrist, the ribbon snapped taut, its edge sharp as a blade.
"Tell me," Xue Tuzi said, his voice cold and deliberate as he stepped closer to Xiao Hua. "Are you the same demon who devoured the children at the orphanage ten years ago?"
Xiao Hua's grin stretched wider, the corners of her mouth curling unnaturally, revealing rows of jagged, needle-like teeth. Her eyes gleamed with sadistic delight as she tilted her head, studying Xue Tuzi like a cat toying with a wounded mouse.
"Ah," she purred, voice dripping with mockery. "So you are one of them."
A moment later, she erupted into a fit of maniacal laughter, the sound sharp and grating, like bones splintering under pressure. Her shoulders trembled with amusement, her chest heaving with each peal of unhinged mirth.
"What a pity," she mused between breathless giggles. "I could've sworn… I always finish my meals."
Her long, grotesque tongue slithered out from between her lips, glistening with thick, viscous saliva. It twitched as she dragged it across her sharp teeth, as if savoring the memory of a lingering taste.
"Ah, but that night…" Her voice softened, turning almost wistful as she recounted the horror. "Those little morsels were so tender… so full of fear." She inhaled deeply, shuddering in sick pleasure. "It was… delicious."
Her laughter burst forth again, high and discordant, echoing through the trees. The sound slithered through the dark like an invisible predator, sinking its claws into the very air.
Xue Tuzi's breath hitched, his grip tightening on the ribbon until his knuckles turned bone-white. The memory came crashing down on him in vivid, merciless detail—the blood, the screams that had torn through the night, the terrified faces that haunted his every moment since.
His pulse pounded in his ears, his chest tightening with something raw, something searing—rage, grief, guilt, fury, all melding into a single, unstoppable force.
With a sharp exhale, he moved.
The ribbon snapped through the air like a striking serpent, its rose silk catching the dim light as it sliced toward Xiao Hua with unrelenting fury. Again and again, he lashed out, each strike carrying the weight of his anguish, his wrath.
Xue Laohu burst through the treeline, his breath ragged and his phoenix eyes blazing with urgency. The forest ahead was eerily still, the air thick with an unnatural tension. He could see them—Xue Tuzi and Xiao Hua locked in a fierce battle, their movements a blur of light and shadow. Jiao Jiao was nowhere in sight, but Xue Laohu could sense the boy's presence nearby, hidden and safe for now.
He surged forward, his fists clenched and ready to join the fight, but his body collided with an invisible force. The impact sent him stumbling back, his ears ringing. Li Zhameng attempted to hold him but Xue Loahu continued to slam his fists against the barrier, but it held firm, unyielding. "A-Tuzi!" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation. "Xiao Jiao! Can you hear me?"
No response. The barrier swallowed his words, leaving only silence on the other side. Xue Laohu's heart pounded as he watched Xue Tuzi dodge a vicious strike from Xiao Hua, the demon's claws slicing through the air. He banged against the barrier again, his fists pounding against the unseen wall, but it was useless. They couldn't hear him. They couldn't see him.
Then, his gaze caught something that made his blood run cold. Shudu.
Bound to a gnarled tree just beyond the barrier, Shudu's body was limp, his head hanging forward. A grotesque stinger, black and glistening, was embedded deep in his torso, its barbed tip protruding from his back. Dark veins spiderwebbed out from the wound, pulsing faintly as if feeding on his energy. Shudu's face was pale, his breathing shallow, and his hands hung lifelessly at his sides.
"Shudu!" Xue Laohu screamed, his voice cracking with panic. He slammed his fists against the barrier with renewed fury. "No! No, no, no!"
But no one heard him. The barrier muffled his cries, trapping them in a void. Xue Laohu's chest heaved as he pounded against the wall, his desperation growing with every passing second.
Then, a voice resonated in his mind, deep and resonant, like the tolling of a distant bell. It was the system—its words devoid of warmth, yet heavy with undeniable authority.
ECHOES OF THE LOST CHILDREN – SHOU'S BURIED WRATH IN PROGRESS.
He froze. A chill crawled down his spine, his breath hitching as an icy realization settled over him. His hands clenched into tight fists. "Don't fucking tell me…" he muttered, his gaze snapping to the scene unfolding before him.
Xue Tuzi stood locked in combat, his movements fueled by fury, the ribbon lashing through the air like a striking serpent. Xiao Hua's laughter rang sharp and cruel, her grotesque tongue flicking out as she dodged, her inhuman reflexes toying with him. Blood—thick, dark—spattered the ground, but whose it was, Xue Loahu could no longer tell.
The system's voice returned, implacable, absolute.
SHOU MC MUST OVERCOME TRAUMA AND DEFEAT THE WASP DEMONESS XIAO HUA. INTERVENTION IS PROHIBITED.
Xue Laohu's chest tightened. "So what?" he snapped, frustration boiling over. "You want me to just sit here and watch?" His voice cracked with something raw, something desperate. "Aren't I the fucking narrator?"
But the system did not answer. The silence pressed against him, suffocating, as if the very world had turned its back.
His nails bit into his palms, his pulse hammering against his skull. He wanted to move, to interfere, to wrench the threads of fate with his own hands—but the invisible chains of the narrative held firm. All he could do was watch.
Xue Tuzi and Xiao Hua clashed with relentless ferocity, their battle stretching beyond a hundred exchanges. His iridescent ribbon lashed through the air, slicing with precision, but she was too fast—her grotesque form twisting, contorting, dodging with unnatural ease. Her laughter, shrill and maniacal, filled the forest as she spat venom in his direction, the poisonous liquid sizzling where it struck the ground.
In a flash, Xue Tuzi drew a needle from his hair, the slender blade gleaming as he drove it into her snapping maw. With a sharp twist, he slashed downward, severing one of her pincers.
Xiao Hua screeched, stumbling back, black blood spilling from the wound. Her large, bulbous eyes flashed with irritation, but almost immediately, the pincer began to regenerate, sinew knitting itself back together with sickening pops. She rolled her jaw, testing its movement before settling her eerie gaze on him once more.
"Do tell me," she cooed, voice dripping with amusement. "How did you manage to escape?"
Her large insect-like eyes remained locked onto him, unblinking, predatory. "I could have sworn I devoured every single one of you." Her grotesque tongue slithered from her mouth, curling around her lips in a slow, deliberate lick. "The flesh was most exquisite."
Xue Tuzi's stomach twisted in revulsion, but he refused to look away.
"Especially that little one," she mused, her voice turning almost giddy. "Oh, how his flesh melted on my tongue. And his brain—" She let out a soft, shuddering sigh. "So succulent."
She lifted her clawed fingers to her lips, running her long tongue over them, savoring the memory.
Xue Tuzi's breath hitched. His vision blurred, rage consuming every fiber of his being.
"Help me, Gege! Help me!"
A child's voice, trembling with fear, echoed in his mind.
He saw it. Lived it.
The small, trembling hand reaching for him, fingers stained with blood, eyes pleading—before Xiao Hua's massive jaws snapped shut, crushing the boy's skull. A wet, sickening crunch. Blood spraying. The grotesque slurping as she devoured him, brain and all.
Xue Tuzi's grip on his ribbon tightened, his entire body trembling with fury.
Xiao Hua let out a delighted hum, stretching her arms above her head, her joints popping. "Ah, but of course… the more terrorized they are, the stronger the negative energy I can cultivate." Her lips curled into a grin, her mandibles twitching. "Surely Shudu has told you?"
At his name, her gaze flicked to the side—toward the man pinned to the tree by her stinger.
Shudu groaned, blood dribbling down his torso, pooling beneath him as he struggled, muscles straining to rip the stinger from his body. His breath was ragged, his face pale, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
Xue Tuzi barely had time to react before a gust of wind rushed past his ear.
Xiao Hua was behind him.
Long fingers tangled into his hair, yanking his head back as her hot breath ghosted over his neck. She inhaled deeply, her claws tracing down his shoulder.
"You've laid with him, haven't you?" she whispered, her voice laced with perverse amusement.
Xue Tuzi jerked away, twisting his wrist to lash at her, but she had already darted back, her speed inhuman.
She moaned theatrically, wrapping her arms around herself as if caught in the throes of some twisted reverie. "Mmm, embedded in his strong arms," she purred, her voice thick with mockery. "He's quite the ferocious lover, isn't he?"
She cast a slow, lingering glance toward Shudu, giggling when she caught the way his jaw clenched.
"And you—" she turned her glistening insectoid eyes back to Xue Tuzi, licking her lips. "I cannot wait to indulge in your delectable skin." She stepped forward, languid, savoring his reaction.
Xue Tuzi swung his ribbon, the air slicing with each strike, but she dodged effortlessly, weaving through his attacks with ease.
"Hm… but this reminds me," she mused, tapping a clawed finger under her chin. "There was a particular beauty at the orphanage."
Xue Tuzi's breath caught in his throat.
"Tall. Handsome. Skin smooth as jade, pale as moonlight. Long, flowing black hair, dark as ink."
His heartbeat thundered in his ears.
No.
No, she couldn't mean—
Her lips curled into a knowing smile.
"He was most enjoyable," she purred.
The world tilted.
His chest caved.
The blood drained from his face, leaving him cold, unsteady. His fingers trembled where they clenched his ribbon.
She giggled, eyes twinkling as she recounted the memory. "Those trembling phoenix eyes," she sighed dreamily. "Begging me to spare the children. Such agony, so delicious."
A satisfied groan slipped from her lips. "Ah. So beautiful. I simply couldn't pass up a beauty like that."
Xue Tuzi's breath came in sharp, shallow bursts. His knuckles turned white.
"I had to have him," she continued, her head tilting back in ecstasy, fingers tracing down her body as she relived the moment. "Mmm, I can still feel him against my skin, she shoved her fingers in between her legs. "The way his body twitched, the harsh grunts—" She shuddered. "Music to my ears."
Xue Tuzi couldn't breathe.
She let out a wild, ecstatic laugh. "Oh, his despair! The way his lips parted… gasping, pleading—" She let out a contented sigh, tilting her head.
Her fingers rubbed in between her legs, mimicking the brutal, sickening motions of their entanglement, over and over, until—
Silence.
Xue Tuzi trembled, his rage was suffocating, his grief a chasm he couldn't escape.
She smiled sweetly. "I devoured every last bit of him. And every child inside that orphanage."
She leaned in, voice a whisper.
"Or so I thought."
Blah Blah Blah:
Rule #1 Xue Tuzi is the MC thus is the hero of the story. Shudu will always take a back seat.
Rule #2 Despite being the MC this does not make him OP he must earn his wins.
Rule #3 I have no third rule. I just thought a list of three is better than a list of two. Ha ha.