In the evening, inside Shrek City, within a tavern.
Compared to the clamor of the main thoroughfare, this tavern, situated deep within a secluded alley, appeared exceptionally tranquil.
Inside the tavern, there was none of the noisy finger-guessing games or loud discussions typical of such establishments; there was only the hazy light cast by the spirit guidance lamps, and the air filled with the aroma of wine and a faint scent of tobacco.
Most of the patrons here were drinking alone, or just a few friends conversing in low voices, creating a quiet atmosphere.
In the innermost part of the tavern, in an inconspicuous corner booth, Zhang Lexuan was leaning back on the sofa alone.
She seemed to have been there for quite some time; several empty wine bottles were scattered on the table in front of her, indicating she had drunk a considerable amount.
She was wearing a tailored dark dress that outlined her tall, proud, and curvaceous figure.
A pair of long legs, encased in smooth black stockings, were crossed casually, gleaming faintly under the dim light of the booth.
She tilted her head slightly, resting against the back cushion of the sofa, her cheeks flushed an unnatural red, her eyes hazy and slightly vacant.
At this moment, the clarity and sharpness she usually possessed as the inner court Senior Sister seemed absent from her eyes, replaced only by the softness and dissipation caused by alcohol.
Strands of dark hair clung to her slightly damp temples, and her neckline was slightly open due to the heat from the alcohol, revealing her fair neck and delicate collarbones. Her entire being exuded the fatal attraction
a mix of decadence and temptation
of a mature woman who had shed all her defenses.
At a certain moment, the unnoticed shadows subtly twisted, and a figure quietly appeared beside her.
It was Kong Mingan.
He looked at the scattered empty bottles on the table and Zhang Lexuan, who was unconsciously swirling the amber liquor in her cup, and fell silent for a moment.
Unless the liquor contained special ingredients, most alcohol generally had little effect on a Spirit Master.
Merely circulating spirit power could dispel the effects of alcohol, yet Zhang Lexuan's current state clearly showed she wanted to be drunk.
As if sensing his arrival, Zhang Lexuan's hazy gaze slowly focused and landed on him.
Then, the corners of her mouth pulled into a somewhat fleeting smile, carrying a strong scent of alcohol, and her tone revealed a certainty that suggested she had anticipated this:
"You came, just as I expected."
"...You are drunk," Kong Mingan reminded her.
"I'm not drunk."
Zhang Lexuan propped herself up slightly and shook her head vigorously, trying to appear sober. However, her body swayed slightly, and she nearly lost her balance.
Drunk people always say they aren't drunk.
Kong Mingan couldn't help but inwardly complain, but ultimately, he didn't stand by. He moved forward, sat next to Zhang Lexuan, and gently supported her swaying body.
Zhang Lexuan, however, turned her head to look at him, then pushed the glass
still half-full of wine
towards him, her eyes holding a hint of challenging haziness:
"Want a drink?"
Kong Mingan raised an eyebrow.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Lexuan chuckled, her drunken voice slightly hoarse. "Can't you handle it?"
"I'm an adult."
Kong Mingan replied, knowing that logic was useless with a drunk person, and it was best to go along with her, otherwise, things would get complicated.
With a calm gaze, he reached out and took the glass.
He tilted the glass, and the liquor flowed in. He took a small sip; the liquid, spicy yet leaving a sweet aftertaste, slid down his throat. He then put the glass down.
In his previous life, he had often covered for his troublesome Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters, so his tolerance for alcohol was decent.
But in this life, he was tied up with too many important matters, and given his status, there was naturally no need for social drinking. Thus, today counted as his first time drinking in this life.
Zhang Lexuan, beside him, stared intently at Kong Mingan, her gaze following his movements, from his lips as he sipped the wine, to his Adam's apple, and finally to the casually open gap in his collar.
Her eyes flickered slightly, but were quickly drowned by a deeper gloom.
After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke, her voice very soft but carrying a strange stubbornness:
"Was all of this... arranged by you?"
Kong Mingan shook his head, his tone candid:
"No. I only left a mark on you after the last competition.
"If your life were threatened, this mark would be triggered, allowing me to sense and locate your position, and finally make a move.
"I did not know about your ambush beforehand, but if you are referring to the subsequent appearance of Poison Undying, that was indeed my arrangement."
This was the truth.
His strategy regarding Zhang Lexuan was more about following the flow, similar to placing a casual chess piece
whether it proved useful or not, setting it up certainly wouldn't hurt.
Moreover, he had far too many important matters on his hands; he couldn't focus too much energy on one person.
Zhang Lexuan stared seriously into his eyes for a few seconds, seemingly judging the veracity of his words. Then, she pursed her lips and slowly lowered her gaze.
The alcohol, mixed with the despair, indignation, and disillusionment accumulated over recent days, breached her final defenses like a bursting dam.
She was completely despairing of Shrek.
She didn't understand why the Shrek in her heart
the one that symbolized light, justice, and warmth
could be so utterly corrupted inside.
What did her past persistence and sacrifice, even the so-called judgment she executed despite bearing infamy, amount to? What was the meaning of it all?
Ever since her Family was destroyed and she was the only one left, she had been like a drowning person, and the beautiful imagination and sense of belonging she felt toward Shrek was the lifeline she clung to, the only thing she could rely on to survive.
And now, this rope was snapping inch by inch right before her eyes.
She was drowning again.
The faith she had clung to had completely collapsed, leaving behind a huge, cold void that brought an unspeakable sense of suffocation, making it almost impossible for her to breathe.
She needed to fill this void; she needed a new, solid rope
one she could firmly grasp, or one that would tightly bind her and never easily abandon her again.
Zhang Lexuan lowered her eyes, tightly clutching the cold wine glass, her fingertips white from the force.
At a certain moment, she abruptly turned around, her dark eyes staring directly at Kong Mingan. Then, the next instant...
She leaned toward him.
Her soft, plump body, scented with wine and a faint body fragrance, rested against him. Her hands tightly gripped the lapels of the young man's shirt, like a drowning person seizing a lifeline.
Kong Mingan could clearly feel the softness and warmth of the body in his arms, along with a slight, almost imperceptible trembling.
His gaze shifted slightly, and he lowered his eyes.
Zhang Lexuan looked up, her drunken, hazy eyes filled with probing, and a few traces of subtle yet irrepressible yearning. Her voice trembled slightly:
"You want me, don't you?"
(End of Chapter)
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