Chapter 48
As Mark predicted, Li Xinjun soon regained consciousness. Her fingers twitched, her eyelids fluttered, and then she slowly opened her eyes. Song Ling leaned over her, her voice trembling with relief.
“Jun’er, you’re awake! Can you hear me?”
Li Xinjun turned her head slowly, meeting Song Ling’s gaze, a faint smile gracing her lips. She weakly raised a hand, wanting to touch Song Ling’s face. Song Ling quickly took her hand and brought it to her cheek, her own face filled with joy. Although she had known Li Xinjun would wake up, seeing her alive and smiling at her brought tears to her eyes.
Li Xinjun weakly moved her fingers, wiping away Song Ling’s tears. She then spoke, her voice hoarse and weak.
“Is it… really… you? Am I… alive?”
“Yes, it’s me. You’re alive. Don’t ever do that again! Why did you shield me? Do you know what would have happened if you had died? I couldn’t live without you! Why were you so foolish?”
“Because… I love you…”
Li Xinjun’s words, though few and labored, touched Song Ling’s heart deeply. Tears streamed down her face as she embraced Li Xinjun, unable to contain her emotions. Li Xinjun, letting her cry, also shed tears of relief and gratitude. She was alive, she was with Song Ling, and they could continue their journey together.
After a while, Song Ling calmed down. She released Li Xinjun and, wiping away her tears, looked at her with concern.
“How are you feeling? Are you in pain anywhere?”
“I’m… thirsty.”
“Wait here. I’ll get you some water.”
Song Ling rushed to their belongings by the fire and retrieved the water pouch. She returned to Li Xinjun’s side and helped her drink. After a few sips, Li Xinjun’s throat felt less parched, and her voice was stronger.
“Where are we?”
“We’re on our way to Mark’s castle. We’re resting at an abandoned house for now.”
“Mark? Why are we going to his castle?”
“Um… Because… He can treat your injuries.”
Song Ling, unsure how to explain the situation, fabricated a reason. Li Xinjun, still groggy, didn’t question her. She simply nodded and then drifted back to sleep.
Song Ling breathed a sigh of relief, watching Li Xinjun sleep. She realized that she couldn’t bring herself to tell Li Xinjun the truth, that she had become a jiangshi. But she had to tell her eventually.
Li Xinjun would discover the changes in her body sooner or later. Song Ling fell silent, trying to figure out how to break the news gently. At that moment, Mark entered the house, carrying a rabbit.
“Look what I caught for dinner. Is she awake?”
Mark held up the rabbit, glancing at Li Xinjun, who was still asleep.
“She woke up briefly, but she’s asleep again.”
“That’s normal. Her injuries were severe. It will take time for her to heal. But don’t worry, she’s a jiangshi now. She can’t die. By tomorrow, her wounds will have healed, and she’ll be back to her old self.”
“Shh, keep your voice down! Don’t let her hear you!”
Song Ling frantically shushed him, glancing at Li Xinjun to make sure she was still asleep.
“You haven’t told her yet?” Mark looked at her in surprise.
“No, she doesn’t know yet. So please, be quiet.”
“You’re not planning to keep it from her, are you? She’ll find out eventually.”
“I’m not keeping it from her. I’m just trying to figure out how to tell her gently.”
“I think you should just tell her directly. You don’t have a choice. She’ll start craving blood in a couple of days.”
“Shh, be quiet!”
Mark sighed, seeing her distress, and chose to remain silent. Song Ling, her voice low, said,
“I understand. I’ll tell her tomorrow, when she’s feeling better.”
“Alright, suit yourself. I’m not getting involved. Come and eat.”
Mark skinned the rabbit, removed its innards, and then skewered it on a stick, roasting it over the fire. Once it was cooked, he handed it to Song Ling.
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“No, you eat it. I don’t need to eat. I just need to drink… You know… That’s enough for me.”
“But I saw you eating at General Henry’s castle.”
“I can eat. It’s not a problem. I just don’t need to. Understand?”
“Don’t you feel hungry?”
“I do, but only blood can satisfy my hunger. Eating this only provides a sense of taste. And if I eat too much, it upsets my stomach. A little bit is fine, though.”
“That sounds boring.”
“It’s not so bad. I don’t really feel anything. Maybe my body has changed, and I’ve lost interest in food. I only ate with you to blend in. You would have found it strange otherwise.”
“So, you were pretending to eat to hide your identity?”
“You could say that.”
“Okay, then I won’t be polite.”
“Go ahead. I’m going to check on her.”
Mark went to Li Xinjun’s side and crouched down, examining her carefully. He then took out a small dagger from his belt and cut his wrist, blood flowing freely from the wound. He held his wrist to Li Xinjun’s lips, the blood dripping onto her mouth.
Song Ling, about to protest, saw Li Xinjun, still asleep, twitch her nose, as if seeking the source of the blood. Her nose touched Mark’s wrist, and she began to suck greedily. Song Ling gasped, watching in shock.
Mark’s eyes turned blood red as he lost a significant amount of blood. His fangs elongated, and a strong demonic aura filled the room.
Song Ling was familiar with Mark’s aura, but the demonic energy emanating from Li Xinjun shocked her. Her body instinctively tensed, her senses on high alert.
She should be drawing her sword and attacking these monsters, but these were her beloved and her benefactor. Her heart was torn.
She clenched her fists, closed her eyes tightly, and turned away, unable to bear the sight. Li Xinjun, driven by instinct, grabbed Mark’s arm and continued to suck his blood through the wound. As the blood flowed into her body, she felt a surge of energy, a warm and comforting sensation.
The discomfort in her body faded, replaced by a new and invigorating energy that spread throughout her limbs, making her feel strong and revitalized. She greedily continued to feed, but Mark pulled his arm away. As he did, Song Ling noticed two sharp fangs emerging from Li Xinjun’s mouth.
Mark pressed his hand against Li Xinjun’s forehead, restraining her, and withdrew his wrist. After a while, Li Xinjun calmed down and continued to sleep, oblivious to what had happened. Song Ling, seeing that the situation had stabilized, opened her eyes and looked at them. Li Xinjun was sleeping peacefully, and Mark was about to get up.
Song Ling approached Li Xinjun and wiped away the bloodstains from her lips with a handkerchief. Satisfied, she stood up and sat down beside Mark.
Mark, seeing her approach, asked softly,
“Uncomfortable?”
“Yes…”
“Her injuries were severe. I wanted her to recover quickly, so I let her drink my blood. It’s the best medicine for her. It not only speeds up her healing but also enhances her energy. It’s very beneficial for her.”
“I understand. It’s just a bit shocking. But I’m grateful. Thank you for helping us. Is your wrist alright?”
Mark showed her his wrist. The wound had healed completely. Song Ling stared at it in amazement. Mark chuckled.
“My wounds heal naturally. Don’t worry about me. But she did drain a lot of blood from me. I’m a bit tired and need to rest. You don’t need to worry about her. My blood will accelerate her recovery. She’ll be fully healed within two hours. You should get some rest. You’ll see her back to her old self in the morning.”
Mark leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes, falling asleep. Song Ling, watching them both sleep peacefully, felt her own eyelids growing heavy. Soon, the only sounds in the abandoned house were their steady breathing and the crackling of the fire.
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