LABMY CH50

The wound on Li Sui’s hand wasn’t large, but it was deep, and it was hard to tell whether any wood splinters had fallen into the wound.  

They were on the mountain, where everything was inconvenient, and there wasn’t even a place to buy bandages. Although the bleeding wasn’t heavy, blood kept dripping down. Jiang Tang informed the others about the situation:  

“You guys go ahead and have fun. I’ll accompany Sui-ge to the hospital.”  

The eldest brother looked utterly confused, “How did you manage to snap the pen? What kind of lousy quality is that?”  

He glanced at Liu Zhuqing and the other two girls, reluctant to part ways so soon. After all, he’d been in college for years and still hadn’t gotten a girlfriend.  

He then glanced at Li Sui’s wound and said, “It doesn’t look too serious, just a bit deep.”  

“It’s not a big deal,” Li Sui said briefly. He subtly raised his eyes to glance at the dangerous and powerful vengeful ghost, “It’s just that Jiang Tang cares too much.”  

Jiang Tang found Li Sui’s tone strange, but after thinking about it, he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what felt off. He was indeed worried that if the deep wound had any wood splinters inside, it could get infected, which would ruin the mood.  

However, there was still an indescribable weirdness that made him instinctively refute, “No, it’s just that we’re roommates out here having fun. An infection would ruin everything.”  

Standing behind him, Jian Yuanbai silently smiled at Li Sui.  

He never took Li Sui seriously, neither in terms of feelings nor Li Sui’s identity as an exorcist.  

Although Jiang Tang spoke with a tough attitude, Jian Yuanbai knew very well that Jiang Tang cared about him.  

Moreover, perhaps Jiang Tang had long realized that he was merely pretending to be a cat but had been silently tolerating and accepting it.  

Jian Yuanbai’s provocation toward Li Sui was purely out of jealousy, unable to bear others eyeing his beloved. That’s why he deliberately displayed intimate behavior in front of Li Sui.  

The eldest brother said, “Alright then, you two can take the bus down the other side of the mountain and see a doctor.”  

There was a path to walk down, but there was also a bus on the other side that could take them down the mountain quickly without much effort.  

The eldest brother pointed toward Liu Zhuqing and her friends and said to Jiang Tang, “I’ll explain to your friends. You guys head off first.”  

Jiang Tang nodded and left with Li Sui toward the bus stop.  

When Liu Zhuqing and the others looked confused, the eldest brother walked over and said, “Our third brother hurt his hand, and it’s been bleeding non-stop. Tang Tang is accompanying him down the mountain to see a doctor.”  

“Huh?”  

“Is it serious?” Liu Zhuqing asked, “Should we go with them?”  

The eldest brother waved his hand casually and said, “There’s no point in all of us going. We’re not doctors.”  

“With Tang Tang there, it’s enough. Who knows what those two were whispering about earlier? When they returned, he was already injured.”  

Hearing this, Liu Zhuqing couldn’t insist any further. A bit disappointed, she didn’t even get a chance to exchange contact information. The mood for eating and having fun at the small restaurant on the mountaintop was dampened.  

The group split into two, with one side continuing their fun while the other headed to the hospital.  

By the time they left the hospital, the sky had turned slightly gray.  

Jiang Tang looked at Li Sui, whose hand was bandaged and holding a bag of medicine, feeling puzzled, “So, why did that cinnabar pen suddenly snap in your hand?”  

Li Sui didn’t answer the question but instead said, “There’s a short holiday coming up. Do you want to come to my place? It’s in the mountains, and the scenery is beautiful.”  

And… there’s an ancient formation and three exorcists guarding the family.  

Jiang Tang replied, “No need. I’ll head back to…”  

But before he could finish the word “home,” he suddenly couldn’t continue.  

How could he forget?  

He no longer had a home.  

After a moment of silence, he refused, “I already have plans for the holiday. Sorry.”  

The hospital wasn’t far from the school, only a twenty-minute walk. Instead of taking a taxi, the two slowly walked back to the campus.

As they walked along the road, Jiang Tang brought up the topic, “This morning, you told me that the cat by my side is actually a vengeful ghost?”  

Speaking of this, Jiang Tang’s ears turned red again, though it wasn’t obvious in the dim night.  

Li Sui raised his eyes to look at him, “Mm.”  

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Do you know him?”  

“A ghost staying by a human’s side for a long time causes irreversible harm. We…”  

Before Li Sui could finish speaking, as they stepped into an alleyway, the surroundings suddenly darkened, and faint traces of blood appeared on the walls.  

Even someone with a thick skull would notice the eerie atmosphere. When they turned around, the alley behind them stretched endlessly into darkness, and the path ahead was just as long, leading into the black void.  

Jiang Tang cautiously asked, “Did we run into something… unclean?”  

Li Sui immediately became alert, holding a yellow talisman that seemed to appear out of nowhere. He said to Jiang Tang, “Walk in front of me.”  

Jiang Tang didn’t ask any more questions and obediently walked ahead.  

Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past them from behind. Both turned around abruptly but saw nothing.  

Then, the sound of footsteps echoed behind them, “tap, tap, tap.”  

They turned again and saw a figure with disheveled hair slowly walking toward them with its head lowered.  

Li Sui’s gaze turned cold. As the woman approached, he swiftly slapped the yellow talisman onto her.  

The woman froze in place. Her face was completely hidden by her messy hair, her tattered clothes hung loosely on her body, and her exposed arms were swollen and bruised.  

Though Jiang Tang was technically a Ghost Tamer, the only ghosts he’d encountered were Jian Yuanbai, who didn’t look like a ghost at all, and the long-necked wandering spirit at the police station. His experience was limited, and he was naturally timid.  

Afraid to look at the ghost, he quietly took a step back.  

He possessed the Ghost Taming technique and could form contracts with ghosts, but Jian Yuanbai had warned him that Ghost Taming was not accepted by the orthodox sects and was coveted by evil spirits. He couldn’t reveal it to others so easily.  

Li Sui pressed two fingers against his arm, and a strange, sword-like but not quite sword-like weapon materialized.  

With a gentle slash, the female ghost vanished without even a scream.  

Seeing that weapon, Jian Yuanbai, who had been hiding and observing, finally realized something.  

He spoke to the system, “Wait… Isn’t this Li Sui, the Long AoTian protagonist’s best friend from the storyline?”  

The system replied, “I thought you already knew.”  

“The plot clearly mentioned his name. Didn’t you read it carefully?”  

Jian Yuanbai retorted, “Well, the plot you gave me is full of nonsense. What’s the point of reading it?”  

He was furious, but since the system was indeed at fault, it couldn’t argue back.  

Jian Yuanbai narrowed his eyes, glancing at the sword in Li Sui’s hand, then at Jiang Tang, who looked both disgusted and frightened. He silently smiled.  

He didn’t reveal himself but continued watching from the shadows, his gaze fixed on Jiang Tang like a predator locking onto its prey.  

A cute, timid little rabbit that trembles when scared.  

At that moment, Jiang Tang felt a hand gently pat his shoulder.  

Instinctively, he turned his head—only to come face to face with a floating head, its face pale and bruised, grinning eerily.  

Even with the supposedly reliable and powerful Li Sui right beside him, Jiang Tang’s heart nearly stopped from fear. In a moment of panic, he blurted out another name:  

“Jian Yuanbai!”  

With a loud “bang,” a cement slab suddenly smashed down beside Jiang Tang.  

A chilling laugh echoed from above the slab. A headless, frail-looking male ghost stood beside the floating head.  

But suddenly, the ghost’s expression shifted from sinister to pure terror. Its floating head seemed to suddenly feel the weight of gravity and fell to the ground, rolling toward the darkness.  

The head’s eyes widened in fear, mouth agape as if begging for mercy. Yet no matter how hard it tried, only muffled cries came out.  

A foot stepped out from the shadows, stopping the rolling head.  

A tall man with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, dressed in perfectly tailored black suit pants, emerged from the darkness. The shadows clung to him as he revealed a sharp, chiseled face and deep, cold eyes.  

Jian Yuanbai tilted his head slightly and locked eyes with Jiang Tang, smiling faintly, “What are you afraid of?”  

“If you call me, I’ll always show up.”  

Jiang Tang stood up and patted the dust off his pants, “Thanks.”  

Unexpectedly, Jian Yuanbai replied, “You’re thanking me too soon.”  

“The ghost hasn’t disappeared yet.” He casually kicked the head by his foot like a soccer ball and smirked, “Promise me one thing, or I’ll leave.”  

Jiang Tang’s body stiffened slightly as he tried to stay calm, “What… what do you want?”  

Jian Yuanbai grinned, “Simple. Dance with me.”  

After hearing Jiang Tang’s roommate mention that Jiang Tang knew how to dance, Jian Yuanbai had been wanting to see it.  

Seeing Jiang Tang let out a subtle sigh of relief, Jian Yuanbai’s wicked nature surfaced again, “And after the dance… you have to kiss me.”  

Jiang Tang’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, “A kiss on the cheek.”  

Jian Yuanbai smiled slyly, “My dear Tang Tang, you don’t actually dislike me, do you?”  

“Otherwise, why did you agree so quickly?”  

Jiang Tang’s ears burned red, though he didn’t realize it. With a stern expression, he tried to put on an air of dominance, “I’m straight. Thanks.”  

He glanced at Jian Yuanbai and muttered under his breath, “Next time, I’ll get you neutered.”  

His voice was so soft that Jian Yuanbai couldn’t hear it. For some reason, Jiang Tang felt embarrassed to directly expose Jian Yuanbai’s true identity.  

Jian Yuanbai chuckled lightly and said nothing.  

The severed head beneath his foot let out a piercing scream as its head and body, though untouched by flames, burned like ashes and scattered in the wind.  

Li Sui, who was sitting on the ground with a dark expression, rejected Jiang Tang’s offer to carry him back, “I just need a moment to rest.”  

Jian Yuanbai, in an exceptionally good mood, smiled as he walked over, “I thought you’d just pull out your sword and fight me directly.”

“I can’t beat you, no need to try,” Li Sui said calmly. “But repaying kindness with hostility doesn’t make you a good person either.”  

He had already noticed that Jiang Tang knew this man. If he acted rashly, he would lose on both sides.  

Jian Yuanbai, having experienced love across an entire world, naturally wouldn’t act like a fool. When he saw Li Sui pushing Jiang Tang away earlier, he recalled Li Sui’s identity and knew that this person wasn’t of bad character.  

So, he felt like saying a few words to him — or rather, showing off: “What do you know?”  

“When you’re with someone you like, you can’t care too much about your pride. Caring too much will only leave you single.”  

Li Sui suddenly turned his head and glanced at him. “Got it.”  

At this moment, Jiang Tang walked over from behind. “What are you two whispering about?”  

“I called a car, it should be here soon.”  

As he spoke, he looked at Li Sui and asked again with concern, “How are you? Are you alright?”  

Li Sui sucked in a cold breath, “It hurts a lot.”  

He tried to stand up, but seemed to stumble unsteadily. “Can you help me up?”  

Upon hearing this, the smile on Jian Yuanbai’s face instantly disappeared.  

Li Sui, the proud son of the Xuanmen sect, couldn’t stand up from such a minor injury? Even a ghost wouldn’t believe that!  

Jian Yuanbai’s expression darkened, cursing in his heart.  

Am I an idiot for teaching my love rival how to pursue someone??

Am! I! An! Idiot!

He strode forward and said with a forced smile, “Helping him up will be bumpy. Let’s just float him directly.”  

With a mere lift of his hand, Li Sui floated up. However, Li Sui said, “I wouldn’t want to trouble you, and besides, this scene looks too strange. Let Jiang Tang help me instead.”  

“No, just like this. There’s no one else in the alley anyway,” Jiang Tang directly refused.  

Then, he discreetly glanced at Jian Yuanbai’s face, which instantly brightened as if the storm had passed.  

Without realizing it, the corners of Jiang Tang’s lips subtly curved up.