“Chapter 59: The Gift”

Chapter 59: Gift

Flame Mountain had no extensive street lighting system. The lamps were placed far apart along the roadsides, but the lanterns set up by the small vendors made the mountain appear brightly colorful and sparkling like stardust.

There were no stalls in front of the villas on the mountain, presumably not allowed. However, as they reached the lower areas with hotels, the atmosphere instantly became bustling and lively.

The lights resembled a starry river, with dots of brilliance everywhere. Demons crowded together, and to a human's eye, it seemed like they had entered a legendary ghost market.

Wen Ying followed Baelor, maintaining a distance of about five to six meters. He was racking his brains on how to convince Baelor to grant him authorization. If Baelor refused, his plan would be largely foiled.

Where was Baelor going? As Wen Ying pondered over his strategy, he realized that Baelor had passed by their villa and continued walking downhill into the bustling area, still heading forward.

Gradually, Wen Ying found himself distracted by the various things around him. When they had ascended the mountain earlier, it had not been dark yet, so the current illuminated scene surpassed the previous one.

It was too enchanting, almost surreal, like stepping into another dimension. Focusing most of his attention on his surroundings, Wen Ying suddenly noticed that Baelor had disappeared. Swearing inwardly, he hastened his pace to search for him. Unfortunately, there were many demons here, and being short, his line of sight was limited. After searching for a while, he finally spotted Baelor in front of a stall. He rushed over promptly, fearing that the demon might vanish in the next second.

"Perfect timing."

Before Wen Ying could speak, Beros directly wrapped an object in his hand several times around Wen Ying's neck, securing it with a subtle clicking sound. It now firmly rested on Wen Ying's neck.

Feeling the constriction around his neck, Wen Ying subconsciously raised his hand to touch the item on his neck.

The texture was smooth, like silk, and it was very thin. It was wrapped multiple times around his neck and felt flat. At the end of the silk was a rectangular metal clasp, almost as thick as the silk itself.

"What is this?"

Wen Ying noticed a mirror nearby and leaned over to take a look. Around his neck was a silver-white, long strip of silk, but from this angle, it resembled a collar-like accessory.

Beros replied, "Didn't you say you liked my collar? I saw this stall selling them when we went up the mountain, so I bought one for you."

Wen Ying: "..." Was there a possibility that he only liked the way Beros looked with a collar on? However, it seemed unusual for Beros to give him a gift, so rejecting it might not be appropriate.

Wen Ying was conflicted. He actually didn't like having anything around his neck because he wasn't used to it, feeling like it restricted his breathing. This silk was also tightly fitted, different from the gap Beros' collar had.

"Not liking it?" Beros frowned.

The vendor beside them, intimidated by Beros' aura, whispered softly, "Um... actually, its main function is for tying up hair."

Beros and Wen Ying fell silent, but it was Wen Ying who spoke first, "Hahaha... I quite like it."

He felt that the item didn't resemble a collar, but in this Realm of Devils, what if they did treat it as such? It turned out that this time, the ignorant one wasn't him, but Beros.

Beros roughly raised his hand to slide it through the sides of Wen Ying's neck, unfastening the metal clasp and removing the entire silk rope. He then spun Wen Ying around, inserted gloved fingers into Wen Ying's hair, casually smoothing it out a bit. With one hand holding all the hair below, he wrapped the white silk rope around it, securing it with a click of the metal clasp.

Wen Ying thought it was done, but to his surprise, Beros let out an annoyed tut, roughly pulling down the silk rope. His fingers combed through the silver-white tresses once more.

After a few back and forth movements, Wen Ying no longer felt any surprise or fluttering sensations from Beros's hands in his hair, nor was he tying it for him. All that remained was numbness and pain.

"Ouch..." Wen Ying grabbed Beros's hand, "Alright, alright, it hurts like hell! You must have pulled out so much of my hair!" Wen Ying felt a little distressed about his hair; it was an unexpected loss.

Beros finally stopped after another attempt. Wen Ying turned to look at him, only to see Beros's dark expression.

It was just tying up his hair poorly, but it felt as though someone owed him a great deal of money. The aura of violence and coldness radiating from him made the trembling stall owner too scared to even introduce or boast about his product.

This area around them had also become a deserted zone. Passing devils instinctively kept their distance, intimidated by the overflowing demonic energy and the oppressive atmosphere.

Wen Ying picked up a small mirror from the stall and checked his reflection, saying to Beros, "Why are you so angry? I think it looks fine." At least it was somewhat presentable, with its casual puffiness being more attractive than a perfectly neat style... probably.

Beros was somewhat skeptical of Wen Ying's words. He glanced at the vendor, who kept nodding affirmatively, "It looks great! It does!"

Wen Ying reached back to touch his hair, which Beros had tied low. A strange feeling welled up inside him. Looking at Beros, whose expression remained sullen, he felt as if it wasn't quite real, blending seamlessly with this dimension-defying environment around them.

With a teasing tone, he said, "You actually stooped to braid my hair? I'm truly touched. I won't undo it tonight; I'll keep it for a few more hours."

"Hmph."

Seeing Beros continue walking ahead, not retracing their steps but in the opposite direction, Wen Ying was momentarily taken aback. He quickly caught up, asking, "Where are you going?"

"Shopping," Beros glanced sideways, "Did you really think I came here just for that hair tie?"

Wen Ying: "..." After being rebuffed so many times, he had become much more composed. Instead of storming off, he followed Beros to see what he intended to buy.

Beros walked ahead as if Wen Ying, the devil, didn't exist behind him. Following closely, they stopped at a mask stall. Without hesitation, Beros picked out a wolf-like mask, likely having already decided on it during their ascent.

The mask was a half-mask but highly three-dimensional. The protruding nose was long and mostly black, though various colors seemed to be unevenly mixed into the black, like shades of brown, purple, and dark green. Altogether, the mask exuded a distinctive tribal vibe.

Beros slipped the mask over his face, checked the fit, and promptly paid, completing the transaction with remarkable swiftness.

Intrigued by the masks, Wen Ying approached Beros and asked, "What are these masks?"

Spotting a potential customer, the vendor smiled and said, "These are simplified versions of real masks from history. The guest just now bought a Hound Demon mask. Would you like to choose one as well?"

"Hound Demon?" Wen Ying felt that he had heard the term before but couldn't quite recall it. He turned to look at Beros.

With a half-mask on, Beros suddenly seemed much more enigmatic. The mask made him appear older, and given his inherently aggressive nature, it heightened his sense of danger.

Still, he looked rather handsome and untamed.

"Our ancestor, the Three-Headed Hellhound, had one called the Hound Demon. He was incredibly powerful and managed to fell a formidable exorcist during battle, severely weakening the human realm's resistance army. Masks hold extraordinary significance in the history of the demon world. In the past, powerful demons would wear them as a symbol of strength. Different masks represented different honors and statuses."

Not having learned about the demon world's mask culture, Wen Ying wore a puzzled expression, only vaguely understanding what Beros was saying.

"Now, these masks no longer hold any symbolic meaning," Beros continued. "They're mainly for entertainment and festive occasions."

Wen Ying noticed many demons wearing masks as they walked, finding it reasonable. Then, he spotted a stall surrounded by many children. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a dart-throwing game. His eyes lit up, and he tugged on Beros' arm, saying, "Shall we go take a look? It seems like fun."

The vendor and Berossus fell silent. The vendor looked at Berossus, who in turn glanced at Wen Ying, "Mm."

Wen Ying took the lead and strode over, while Berossus followed reluctantly.

At the stall, these children were shorter than Wen Ying, so his line of sight was unobstructed. He could see what was happening upfront. The long table of the stall was filled with darts, and standing at a distance from it was a massive wooden board. On it were irregularly arranged columns of foam cylinders in various colors.

A child was using magic to control the dart to hit the foam cylinders. There were already over a dozen darts stuck on the board, some even embedded in the wood.

This game seemed to involve using magic to hit those colored foam cylinders. Different colors had different point values, and the points could be redeemed for prizes displayed on the table beside.

Wen Ying queued behind a child, his attention entirely focused ahead. He didn't notice the demons around him looking at him with...a strange gaze. Berossus stood by the side of the queue, blending in with the parents, pretending not to know Wen Ying.

Finally, it was Wen Ying's turn. He happily took out his money and said to the vendor, "One hundred darts."

The vendor sized up Wen Ying, "..."

Berossus touched his mask on his face and walked over, whispering in front of the vendor before he could speak, "He's from the countryside, hasn't played before, and he's still underage. He wants to try."

The vendor understood. Looking at Wen Ying's glowing, excited expression, he took pity on him and accepted the money, handing over one hundred darts.

Wen Ying: "???" Demons had excellent hearing, and Balros hadn't exactly whispered just now.

He stared wide-eyed at Balros, who then raised his hand to turn Wen Ying's face back towards the dartboard. "Didn't you want to play?"

But having just realized that this was a children's game, Wen Ying felt a mix of emotions. The stares from the surrounding demons made him feel uncomfortable, causing his toes to dig into the ground.

"Tsks," Balros handed a dart to Wen Ying. "Hurry up."

Thankfully, there was at least one demon here who wasn't a child. Wen Ying pulled Balros closer, so he wouldn't be alone.

The vendor asked, "Ready?"

Wen Ying was confused.

Remembering what Balros had said earlier, the vendor patiently explained, "You have a time limit of thirty seconds. No matter how many darts you buy, you only have thirty seconds to throw them. You'll score points if you hit within the time limit."

Wen Ying was lost. The vendor then said, "Start."

Wen Ying quickly used his magic to control the dart, one by one. Originally, he had planned to aim for the higher-scored red targets, but with time running out, the colors seemed to blur before his eyes. He could only throw randomly. Balros, frustrated, said, "Are you a child? Can't you control more than one with your magic?"

Wen Ying suddenly understood. Half of the remaining darts soared into the air, heading for the small cylindrical foam, while the other half followed. The vendor sighed. He had initially thought Wen Ying's magic was weak, but he had underestimated him.

He counted the points with a pained expression, and the more he counted, the more his heart ached. When he finished, he told Wen Ying, "Three hundred sixty-seven, you can get the grand prize."

Despite feeling awkward, Wen Ying reached out and said, "Thank you."

The grand prize was a doll almost as big as Wen Ying. It had ears similar to those of Berlos, and instinctively, Wen Ying looked at Berlos's ears. Berlos's ears twitched in response.

Berlos's black ears were tipped with a deep purple-black fluff ball, but the doll didn't have that feature. According to the vendor, the doll had been soaked in a calming and sleep-inducing magical potion, making it perfect for hugging while sleeping.

Wen Ying hugged the giant doll and glanced at Berlos. Berlos, not wanting to lose face in front of this child's game stall, started walking ahead. Wen Ying hurriedly followed.

It was quite embarrassing for a wizard to carry such a large doll alone, and the children nearby looked at him with envious eyes. If he didn't hurry up and leave, would he wait to dig a three-bedroom apartment with his toes?

Berlos wasn't heading back, so Wen Ying asked while holding the doll, "Are you going to buy something else?"

"No, just strolling around."

Indeed, this place was perfect for a leisurely stroll. Wen Ying walked beside Berros with his doll hugged close, his eyes lowered as his gaze lingered on the hand by Berros' side.

Berros' behavior today was so unusual that it felt like the sun would rise from the west tomorrow. He was giving gifts, going shopping, or simply strolling – all things out of character. Adjusting the position of the doll, Wen Ying held it with one hand and tentatively reached out his right hand, slowly grasping Berros' gloved hand.

He held on.

Wen Ying was somewhat bewildered. He had succeeded, and at such a slow pace, Berros must have noticed. Yet, Berros didn't pull away, nor did he respond by gripping back, treating Wen Ying's hand as if it didn't exist.

What was the meaning of this?

Nonetheless, the sensation stirred Wen Ying's heart, beating faster with the mere touch of Berros' palm. His tail swished involuntarily behind him, almost uncontrollably reaching to hook Berros' tail. Fortunately, he managed to restrain himself.

The texture of the glove, the width and thickness, stirred Wen Ying's thoughts. The balance in his heart, which had already leaned towards Phelios, suddenly tilted sharply back towards Berros.

Phelios no longer held any allure.

Wen Ying tightened his grip on Berros' hand and lifted his head to look at his profile. Berros wore a mask, and from this angle, Wen Ying could admire the handsome and seductive contour of his jawline. The thin lips were pursed, revealing no emotions, concealed by the mask. Only a pair of blood-colored, profound eyes were visible.

With his left hand, Wen Ying hugged the doll tightly, sliding his little finger between Berros' little finger and ring finger. Berros remained unresponsive. He moved closer, yet Berros still showed no reaction.

Determined to prove himself wrong, Wen Ying adjusted his position with the doll, then wrapped his right arm around Beros's left, pressing their limbs closely together. Yet, Beros still didn't react.

Wen Ying refused to accept this. He nestled his face against Beros's arm and cooed in a sugary tone, "Beros?"

Damn, it was terrifying! Wen Ying's tail stiffened as his own voice sent shivers down his spine. But Beros, that devilish dog, remained as unresponsive as a robot, seemingly oblivious to Wen Ying's presence, as if his left arm had lost all sensation.

With all his weight on Beros's arm, Wen Ying looked up irritably and asked, "Are you mute?"

To Beros, Wen Ying's weight felt no different from a balloon. Finally, he lowered his head to speak condescendingly, "What else do you want?" He had already given gifts, played games, and gone shopping.

The white demon's eyes widened. Although his heart leaned heavily towards Beros, he couldn't feel anything for the other devils. Sadly, Wen Ying realized he still couldn't grasp Beros's thought process.

He let out a deep sigh, hugging Beros's arm with one hand while holding the doll close to his chest with the other. burying his face in the toy, he chose silence.

Amidst such allure, Wen Ying decided not to waste his energy being annoyed. Frustration boiling inside him, he clung tightly to Beros's arm, comforting himself that he was holding the arm of a top-tier devil, an object of many demons' fantasies.

Why did he have to fall for Beros? Wen Ying wanted to cry, blaming his problematic preferences. Back in the human world, he had been attracted to devils and three-headed dogs. But in the demon realm, this three-headed dog could speak!

Beros lowered his gaze, noticing Wen Ying's puffed-up face buried in the doll. He couldn't understand - finding a companion truly was troublesome.

After strolling around the small town at the foot of Flame Mountain for a while, Wen Ying's spirits lifted as he focused on his surroundings. He had been restless, but then Beros' words brought him back down.

They bought a few local delicacies before heading back.

By the time they reached the villa gate, it was almost midnight. Wen Ying released Beros' hand and stood alone by the entrance, hugging his doll. As he watched Beros approach his own villa, he suddenly remembered his initial purpose.

- Authorization!

Wen Ying dashed over, but Beros had already reached the front door and was about to take out his key. Sensing Wen Ying rushing towards him, he turned his head and asked, "What is it?" He hadn't noticed how clingy the Magic Mirror Demon was before. He hadn't let go of his arm even at night, and now he was running over again.

Wen Ying should have been devising a plan along the way, but his mind had been preoccupied with playfulness and guessing Beros' thoughts. He was completely unprepared. He hesitated and said, "Beros..."

"I'll sleep alone," Beros said coldly, taking out his key to unlock the door.

Wen Ying: "???" What does he mean, sleep alone?

Wen Ying tugged on the bottom of Beros' shirt as he tried to step inside, "I wanted to talk about the card!"

Beros gave him a questioning look.

Wen Ying still pulled out Scarlet's card. "This one, the one we talked about last time..."

Boros walked in to close the door, but Wen Ying quickly slipped in. "Don't reject me so directly."

Boros turned on the lights. Wen Ying instinctively scanned the surroundings. The villa was decorated differently from Aruda's; it was very... cold and stern. While Aruda's lacked a sense of life, it was elegantly designed. Boros' villa was minimalist, with all black furniture that were square in shape.

After entering, Boros said to Wen Ying, "Give up."

Wen Ying followed him. "I've even bet with Lan Jiaying that you'll have more popularity than him."

Boros paused in his steps. "What popularity?"

Wen Ying put down the doll and skipped over, holding Boros' arm tightly with both hands. His voice was extremely coquettish. "I told Lan Jiaying that your card sales will definitely surpass his. He agreed to let me make a card for him, so I'm going to find him tomorrow."

Boros understood what had happened at Wu Fei's villa now. However, he wasn't interested. "I'm not interested." He tried to pull his hand out of Wen Ying's grasp, but failed. With more force, he lifted Wen Ying onto his tiptoes.

Boros said impatiently, "Do you want to grow on my hand or something?"

"Wen Ying..." he mumbled, "Phelous agreed."

Boros abruptly halted his forceful attempt to pull away.

"Wen Ying treats me better," Wen Ying hinted.

Visible frustration creased Boros's brow. "It has nothing to do with me. Go talk to Phileus."

Wen Ying pondered. He was now guessing based on their journey together. He had a vague understanding of Boros's preferences. He nuzzled against Boros's arm and watched his expression carefully.

There was a saying that one's actions betrayed their true feelings. Wen Ying inwardly scoffed. If Boros really wanted to pull away, he would have done it already. He was strong enough.

To provoke Boros, Wen Ying explained his actions after observing his reaction. "He doesn't like me. I traded him an advanced magic potion made from Lan Jiaying's hair for authorization."

Although Boros didn't respond, the tension in his brows dissipated as expected. Wen Ying wished he could roll his eyes at him.

"Do you know that Aruda's magic system is based on evil, unconventional methods?"

Wen Ying blinked, confused. "Huh?"

Boros pinched the bridge of his nose. This idiot. He said, "Don't be too arrogant when taking materials from demons."

Wen Ying nodded obediently, then realized he should mention the card. He looked at Beros eagerly.

Beros started to peel him off, this time really tearing him away. He threw Wen Ying onto the sofa. The latter flapped his bat-like wings and flew over, boldly hugging Beros' neck with all his might, rolling and begging for mercy.

"Aaaah, I don't care, just give me the authorization! I'll give you anything you want, let's negotiate, negotiate..."

It was like a demonic melody drilling into one's ears.

Beros was stunned. No demon had ever dared to cling onto him so brazenly and plead relentlessly. He raised his hand, hesitating in mid-air. Seeing that there might be a chance, Wen Ying whined even more sweetly.

"Perseus~ It's just a deal, a deal~" For the sake of his grand entrepreneurial plans, Wen Ying was completely shameless about such trifles.

Perseus's face twitched. Wen Ying clung to his neck with both hands, hanging on him as he spoke directly into his ear, causing goosebumps to rise all over Perseus's body.

He pinched the back of Wen Ying's neck and couldn't help but yell, "Shut up!"

Wen Ying thought that Perseus didn't even attempt to hit him. Tonight, Perseus indeed seemed unusual. Normally, he would have violently thrown him out of the door by now.

Wen Ying fell silent, but rubbed his face against Perseus's, who still wore his mask with its uneven surface. After three seconds of trying, Wen Ying decisively gave up. It wasn't very comfortable for him to hang like this either. Perseus was a head taller, so Wen Ying had to keep his arms strained, which made them ache after a while. His toes were constantly curled, causing his big toe to cramp slightly.

Boros inwardly grumbled about how those demons could tolerate such clingy and shameless companions. He couldn't stand it for a day, with Wen Ying's hair tickling his neck relentlessly.

Wen Ying was so shamelessly absorbed in the moment that his tail inadvertently hooked around Boros's. Boros froze, reaching out to grab Wen Ying's extended tail, pulling it away from his own.

A jolt of sensation shot up from his tailbone, making Wen Ying shiver. A tingling numbness spread through his limbs in an instant before abruptly vanishing, leaving him back to normal.

"We're not officially in a relationship," Boros said coldly, "Don't wrap your tail around mine."