RPDH Chapter 28

The red-haired young man seemed like he was about to keel over from sheer anger. The corners of his mouth twitched several times before he was able to control his expression.

The teenager seemed to have taken his silence as agreement. He trotted over to Li Li and said, “Hey, are you up for hire? Name your price.”

Li Li’s gaze swept across the aristocratic trio before she bowed her head a fraction.

She had just been mulling over how many commissions she would have to grind to meet the aristocracy as a powerful bounty hunter. Now a golden opportunity had come knocking at her door.

Of course she would accept.

With the blue-haired man egging things on, the red-haired young man was soon forced to accept the arrangement.

“Protect him well.” He turned his nose up pretentiously at Li Li, as if only the redhead teen was worthy of any other expression. “You don’t want to know what happens to those who slight the aristocracy.”

Li Li just passed by without sparing him a glance.

Even more infuriating, the redhead teen ran out after him and ignored the red-haired young man as well.

The blue-haired man huffed in amusement. The red-haired young man took a deep breath before signalling his followers. “Go after them. Keep a low profile.”

His golden irises stared daggers at the main entrance of the Ability Association. It wasn’t until long after his subordinates’ departure that the man’s usual proud arrogance returned.

“Have you had enough fun at my expense? If so, it’s about time we discuss what you’re up to, Yue Qing.”

The blue-haired man’s serious expression cracked for a moment, revealing a hint of anxiety.

…

The redhead teen started acting like a spoiled young master as soon as they left the building. “Hey, you’re just a nobody commoner that I randomly picked out to deal with Big Brother. Don’t get in my way later!”

Li Li ignored him in turn.

She found the situation hilarious. This teenager seemed completely unaware of how he was just following Li Li around right now.

‘Beyond Black and White’ hasn’t particularly focused on the aristocrats yet, so Li Li wasn’t clear on which clan the teen hailed from or what his background was.

However, his simpleminded, easy to understand demeanour meant deceiving him didn’t exactly give her a sense of accomplishment.

After walking a few more paces, she said, “We’re being followed.”

Her extreme training regimen over the past few days was paying off. Although Li Li couldn’t call herself a professional bounty hunter yet, she could at least notice when foes were tailing her.

“I knew he wouldn’t just let me go out by myself! Liar! Control freak!” The red-haired teenager cursed out his big brother before ordering Li Li around, “Hey, help me lose them!”

Li Li mentally sighed before lifting the redhead by the back of his collar.

“Hey, wait, what do you think you’re doing?!” The teenager choked out the words, “This is so uncomfortable.”

Their pursuers watched as the stranger suddenly grabbed the little young master’s collar as smoke enveloped the area. By the time they rushed over, the duo were long gone.

Meanwhile, Li Li let go. She crossed her arms and leaned back against the thick trunk of a withered tree, watching the red-haired teenager dry heave on his knees.

“……” The redhead looked up with teary eyes. “Don’t you know how to be gentle?!”

Li Li regarded him indifferently.

Her eyes might be a fiery crimson, but the earring that peeked out between her hair was icy blue. It swayed, somehow giving off the same chilling impression as she herself.

Li Li’s little experiment just now proved that Illusory Truth could work on the teenager. She used her ability to quickly lose their pursuers.

Meaning this teenager was not an ability user of a higher rank than here.

A low-rank? Those weren’t common among the aristocracy. Was he from a side branch of his clan? Li Li analyzed.

The red-haired teenager seemed to have recovered. He braced himself against the wall and got up. “Did we lose them?”

Li Li inclined her head slightly.

“Then you’re free to go.” The redhead puffed out his chest. “I can handle the rest by myself. Alone!”

“Do you even know where we are?” Li Li finally spoke up.

The redhead turned and walked off without hesitation.

Li Li didn’t bother going after him. She coolly watched the teen leave before heading to the next alleyway.

These were the suburbs of Nexus City, the most chaotic place here. It was also where she had completed her first commission.

Outlaws were a common sight here. Hunting and murder happened more frequently than not. In addition, secret organizations were known to lurk the area, snatching up those who had nowhere else to go to sell off to research institutes.

Some research institutes accepted ordinary people in addition to ability users, one example being her target, Dual Life.

Li Li wouldn’t completely ignore him. His older brother did see her face after all, meaning this identity of hers was done for if anything happened to the teen. She was just curious why he was behaving so recklessly. What made a low-rank believe he could complete a Level SSS commission?

She would like to know as the Level SSS outlaw in question.

…

An Huyu strode through the desolate suburbs brimming with confidence at first. However, eventually the sight of homeless people curled up in every corner and the unkind gazes some of them shot him made his chest deflate a little.

He soon straightened up again. “What are you looking at?!”

The homeless slowly averted their eyes, making An Huyu feel like he had won.

After walking for an undeterminable amount of time, An Huyu finally realized something wasn’t right when he saw the sun start to set. “Where is this?”

He was getting tired of walking. When he tried to lean against the wall, his hand immediately became caked in dust and dirt.

“Hey, is someone there?” An Huyu couldn’t help but lower his voice in the quiet environment.

Then he heard footsteps.

He whirled around in joy only to see three men he had never seen before.

They dwarfed him in height and wore the same style of long, blue robes. Their bare arms were sturdy and rippling with muscle. They loomed over him, sizing him up like prey.

The men closed the distance.

An Huyu took a step back. His entire back was plastered to the dirty wall he had disdained moments before.

“W-what do you think you’re doing?” An Huyu’s voice wavered. He looked around frantically only to realize there was no one around.

Well, that wasn’t entirely accurate.

A homeless man was laying in the corner to his right. He glanced over at the commotion before closing his eyes and pretending to fall asleep.

He was isolated and helpless. There was no one around he could rely on.

The trio seemed to belong a highly regulated organization. They did not offer An Huyu any response.

What should he do?!

An Huyu forced his chin up and stated, “I’m warning you! I’m an aristocrat! My big brother is a Level S ability user! Even if he isn’t here right now, he can still kill you in the blink of an eye!”

A fresh wave of despair washed over him when the silent trio showed no reaction to his words.

It was as if they were mere tools, extensions of whatever organization they belonged to.

“I’m not even an ability user. There’s no point in kidnapping me…” He was on the verge of tears.

Yet the trio ruthlessly seized him regardless.

One of them put on white gloves and primed a syringe filled with an unknown clear fluid. The other two held An Huyu in place so he could jab An Huyu in the neck.

An Huyu couldn’t so much as turn his head as the needle drew closer.

He opened his mouth in despair, only to see a silver-white glint of light.

It appeared without any warning.

The warm tones of sunset were reflected in the dagger that shot past his eyes like a wandering dragon with the dazzling allure that only melee weapons possessed.

It seemed to emanate a subzero chill as it shot down without warning from behind.

An Huyu took in the beautiful way light rippled along the blade. He saw himself reflected there, glimmering eyes, tears, suprised expression and all.

A sonic boom went off beside his ear. The next moment, the man with the syringe was pinned to the wall by a dagger in his shoulder.

“Fwip! Fwip!”

Two other daggers arrived simultaneously, restraining all three people to the wall.

Barely a second had passed by the time the dust settled.

An Huyu looked up.

He saw the dark-haired young man he had been carelessly ordering around atop the wall, looking down. The eyes beneath his long, eyelashes were emotionless.

As the wind blew past, the cold pendant in his hair swayed gently, its blue hue encroaching upon the porcelain skin of his neck.

12 daggers instantly materialized around the young man.

An Huyu naturally turned to look behind him. He saw the trio closing in again.

He had clearly strayed onto the territory of some organization. Now, the enemy had them surrounded.

“They must have at least one Rank A on their side to make it in Nexus City…” An Huyu recalled something his brother had once said.

An Huyu whirled around to tell the young man to run. They were not like his big brother. Against a Rank A, they were little more than ants!

Yet what he saw stunned him.

The young man continued to looked down impassively, as if he hadn’t heard An Huyu’s words.

The blades around him were especially eye-catching in the amber rays of sunset. They splayed out behind the young man as he made a careless gesture.

A dark curtain fell over those crimson eyes. They deepened in hue, gradually melding into darkness entirely.

He was like the devil incarnate. And now, the deveil had found his prey.

The fingers emerging from his fingerless gloves were slender yet strong. He waved downwards.

With this miniscule action.

The daggers flashed, obeying their master’s command and sweeping away any obstacles in his path.

It was unquestionably one-sided.

An Huyu watched silver-white fish glide through the deep blue sea. He watched strands of red silk fly into the glowing red sky.

When the dust cleared and the sunset dyed the world in red once more, the final victor was clear.

The young man who had been watching them impassively from above.

An Huyu raised his head once more. The warm glow of sunset on the young man’s face breathed some life into his otherwise cold expression.

Yet that ice blue earring continued to radiate a cold light.

Like a stagnant, unchanging body of water.

“Hey…” An Huyu called out hesitantly, “What’s your name?”

Reflected in his eyes were the young man and the last vestiges of sunset.

“Won’t you become my personal bodyguard?” He excitedly blurted out.

A powerful bodyguard, strong enough to take him away from his overbearing brother.

Strong enough to allow him to contend with his Level S brother!

An Huyu never imagined the young man he picked out on a whim would be this strong. An impulsive urge overwhelmed him.

He wanted to become this strong as well!

If he was this strong, The Dark Principle wouldn’t be his match no matter what tricks or illusions he had up his sleeve.

Yet the young man’s response was simple, “Playtime is over.”

Like they were playing house or something. Implying that An Huyu should go home and take shelter beneath his brother’s wings once more.

Those crimson eyes were as cold as ever.

“You think I’m just acting out too?!” An Huyu was incredulous.

A crack immediately appeared in the rose-coloured glasses that had settled over his eyes after being rescued.

“No!” He screamed, “I have to catch The Dark Principle!”

He stubbornly raised his chin beneath the setting sun. “I have to show them all that I’m not just a waste of space!”

“You won’t be able to.” The young man commented neutrally.

A powerless little young master who only managed to survive until now under the protection of his older brother. That was what the other aristocrats thought of An Huyu.

Yet now, more than ever, he didn’t want to hear these words from this person’s mouth.

“Don’t look down on me. Don’t…” Tears brimmed in his eyes but refused to fall. “Don’t think you guys can deny my existence just because you have abilities!”

“You won’t be able to.” The young man repeated himself.

An Huyu’s world blurred as hot tears gushed down his cheeks. He knew he was making a fool of himself, but he couldn’t stop crying.

Just as he dangled over the cusp of despair, that blurry dark figure descended from the wall and landed steadily before him.

“What’s your plan then?” He heard the young man ask.

An Huyu sniffled before stammering, “I…I don’t have an ability, but The Dark Principle is from the former Ability Association. I heard that they treat low-ranks and ordinary people well. I’ll get close to him and, and then s-stab him when I get the chance.”

“I’ll use my state to my advantage! Even a non-ability user like me can succeed!” An Huyu felt like this plan would work for sure.

…

“……”

“Heh.” Li Li scoffed after a beat.

The teen might just be a genius.

Just what kind of mutation had to take place in his brain to think of a ludicrous plan like that?

“Right? It’ll definitely work!” An Huyu had no idea he was being mocked. He looked over with trusting eyes as if awaiting her approval. “Big Brother’s looking down on me too. He won’t even hear me out!”

Li Li silently took in the little young master’s tear-streaked cheeks and dirty clothes. Those rose-coloured glasses were firmly on again due to his deep desire to be acknowledged.

Still, Li Li noticed the golden light emanating from the city center before she even acted. The Level S brother the teen spoke of should be responsible. He really was looking out for An Huyu even now.

If Li Li hadn’t acted, his big brother would have rescued him anyway.

Between the well-protected teen and Yi Ming, who had to make his own way in this world at far too young an age.

Sure enough, she still favoured Yi Ming a little.

She picked up the teen by the back of his collar and dragged him back to the city center no matter how he cried or howled.

He scanned the street.

A few minutes later, the young master dried his tears with a black cat-shaped balloon in hand.

This seemed to be An Huyu’s first time seeing a balloon. He carefully tied the string to his wrist.

In the end, the young aristocrat was won over by a very cheap balloon.

“Actually, I know you’re right. Big Brother and Yue Qing both said The Dark Principle is probably the person from the prophecy who’s supposedly going to overthrow the Empire. How could I possibly capture someone like that?” An Huyu contemplated.

“But I, I…wuwuwuwu…” Tears continued to fall from his eyes. “I don’t want to be a little waste of space forever, wuwuwu…”

“Yue Qing?” Li Li asked as she walked ahead with a cold expression.

She was more interested in the prophet to be honest, but anyone related to Yue Lan posed a bigger threat to her at the moment.

This little young master had completely let his guard down around her. He spilled confidential information like he was just discussing the weather.

“The one you saw during the day, the Level S head of the Yue Clan. He’s so annoying, going on and on about what aristocrats should behave like all the time, even though he isn’t even legitimate himself!”

An Huyu gradually stopped crying as he grew indignant. “He only became an aristocrat by betraying the former Ability Association! How dare he put on airs!”

“…Betrayed?” Li Li grew curious despite her expression remaining the same.

The manhua world was so secretive about what happened to the former Ability Association six years ago. Commoners had no hope of ever finding out what happened, unless they were personally involved.

She glanced down at the little young master who was hugging the balloon close and poking the black cat’s face.

It seemed like she had found the right person this time.

The little young master’s head snapped up in sudden realization. “That’s right! Since Yue Qing is a traitor, The Dark Principle will definitely go after him!”

He tugged on the hem of Li Li’s jacket. “Come on, come on! Let’s go find Yue Qing and wait for The Dark Principle to fall into our hands!”

Li Li looked at the hand grasping her jacket.

Maybe, just maybe, the little young master had already caught The Dark Principle?

Li Li’s expression betrayed none of her thoughts. “Where to?”

She stopped in her tracks when An Huyu told her Yue Qing’s home address.

“Why did you stop?
” An Huyu was puzzled. He got his answer when he looked up from the balloon. There, standing on the steps before the main entrance of the Ability Association, was his furious big brother.

“Where did you run off to?!” The red-haired An Heyu asked accusingly as he marched down the stairs.

His tone seemed to set something off in the teen, who argued vehemently with him with no signs of his previous weepy self.

It seemed like the brothers have a communication problem, Li Li thought as she stood to the side indifferently.

That was the kind of cool, aloof character she was playing now.

Their communication problem was actually good for her.

She quickly glanced up at the fully darkened sky. It was past seven by now.

Li Li left the Ability Association building without waiting for them to finish their quarrel.

If you ask her, it would be a shame not to pay Yue Qing a visit if everyone was expecting that from The Dark Principle.

Yue Qing, a Level S who once betrayed the former Ability Association. Currently an aristocrat.

She thought, turning into an alleyway.

She left behind passers-by and streetlights alike, heading into a formless darkness.

Only the cold moonlight lit her way. She crisply snapped her fingers.

A silvery-white half-mask appeared in her hand. She swiftly used it to cover her left eye and the still red skin surrounding it after dispelling the illusion.

Her black jacket flared out in the night breeze, lengthening in the blink of an eye into a thin trenchcoat that went down to her calves.

A faint smile spread across her indifferent face as the ice blue earring vanished.

It was time to see the results of her recent special training.

…

Late at night, just five minutes until the clock struck 12.

Yue Qing’s eyebrows had remained tightly knit ever since his argument with An Heyu earlier in the day. He could not rest even now. Instead, he stood out on the small balcony of his room, staring up at the moon.

Then the lights in his room suddenly went out.

Darkness enveloped the place.

The villa on the outskirts seemed to be empty. Only the mild night breeze could be heard.

The gauze curtains framing the balcony door swayed in the wind, so thin that the silvery-white moonlight could still shine through.

Under the cold, diffused light of the moon.

Yue Qing seemed to have a premonition and turned around.

A dark shadow had arrived in the dim room under the cover of moonlight.

A young man Yue Qing had never met before unceremoniously took a seat on his sofa, propping his slender legs on the coffee table. He tilted his head this way, staring at Yue Qing with his uncovered crimson eye.

The dark-haired young man’s bold entrance clearly demonstrated his arrogance.

“Who are you?” Yue Qing frowned.

It has been a long, long time since a Level S like him had been provoked to this extent. Yet a name came to mind unbidden as soon as the question left his lips.

“You already known, ah.” The young man replied out of the blue, “What my name is.”

Those crimson eyes of his seemed to be able to read Yue Qing like a book.

The young man’s lips quirked up a fraction. He drawled with his deep, slightly raspy voice, “I heard someone’s put a bounty on my head.”

He chuckled, “Is it you?”

A cold wind poured into the room at once as clouds obscured the silver-white moon in the sky.

A shiver ran down Yue Qing’s spine.

It was him, the one foretold by the prophet of the former Ability Association!

The Dark Principle!

---

Hey, I just realized an hour ago that there’s another group translating this novel on NovelUpdates now. Fair enough. I have been gone for two months without saying anything.

It’s for the best that a more responsive TL took this project. I’ve uploaded the remainder of my stockpile because why not?

This is a great story that you won’t regret reading. Li Li is a really fun character who gets up to lots of shenanigans.

Hasta la vista!

– Rain