Chapter 15

"When I applied for the job, I mentioned that there might be others joining me. Zhao Yang, if you'd like, you can work alongside me and receive your own pay. Xiao Yu, the head eunuch, has kindly arranged for you to attend a good school. However, if you prefer not to work, don't worry about anything, and take your time searching for your family," the Yu father explained. Zhao Yang felt touched by the kindness of the Yu family, especially the Yu father. He vowed to repay their generosity.

The following day, Zhao Yang and the Yu father escorted young Yu to his first day of school before heading to the palace themselves. They were assigned various tasks for the day, including cleaning the floors, doing laundry, and other miscellaneous chores. However, Zhao Yang noticed that he had relatively less work compared to the others, and his tasks seemed effortless. When he entered the guest rooms designated for cleaning, he discovered they were already spotless, with floors so polished he could see his reflection. He assumed it was a one-time occurrence, but to his surprise, every guest room he visited was similarly pristine. Only one guest room remained, and Zhao Yang silently hoped it would be dirty so that he could clean it. However, to his disappointment, even that room was already flawlessly maintained.

Confused and considering it a waste of time, Zhao Yang grumbled to himself. Just as he was about to approach the supervisor to explain the redundancy of the task, he felt a gentle pat on his shoulder, leaving him bewildered.

"Well done, boy. I see you did an outstanding job with the guest rooms. They were spotless and shiny," the supervisor praised, continuing to pat Zhao Yang's shoulders, his grip tightening slightly. Feeling the man's hands on his shoulders, Zhao Yang felt a sense of disgust and discomfort.

"Sir, that wasn't me. I did nothing," Zhao Yang attempted to clarify, trying to pry the man's hands off his shoulders.

"Nonsense! I saw you enter each room, and when you came out, they were all clean," the man insisted, his grip on Zhao Yang's shoulders becoming painful. Zhao Yang winced, prompting the man to finally release his grip.

"Ha-ha, sorry about that, boy. Anyway, you're done for the day. You can go home and rest," the man said. Zhao Yang didn't say another word, eager to leave the presence of this unsettling man as soon as possible.

He walked away without looking back, increasing his pace with each step, periodically glancing over his shoulder to ensure the man wasn't following him.

Lost in his thoughts and not paying attention to his surroundings, Zhao Yang accidentally bumped into someone. He quickly got to his feet and apologized, before swiftly running off. The man he bumped into didn't react much or say anything. However, the onlookers, aware of the man's reputation for crippling those who bumped into him, felt sorry for the young boy, fearing the worst for him.

To their surprise, the man simply continued walking, as if nothing had happened. He maintained his steady pace, while others struggled to keep up with him. Eventually, he stopped in front of an imposing black and gold door—the entrance to the emperor's chambers. The man turned his head to acknowledge the people who had followed him. Without saying a word, they quickly excused themselves, understanding his silent request.

The stern man knocked on the door, and after a brief pause, a voice from inside granted him permission to enter. Stepping into the room, the man closed the door behind him and knelt on one knee. Silence enveloped the room, so profound that it felt suffocating to anyone else present. But for the two of them, this silence was customary. The kneeling man kept his head lowered towards the floor, and only when he heard footsteps approaching did, he raise his head. Before him stood none other than the Emperor of the Demon Kingdom.

"Speak," the Emperor commanded, his voice carrying the weight of the world. It was a simple word, but when spoken by him, it held tremendous significance.

"I have completed the task you assigned me, but..." the kneeling man began, pausing mid-sentence as he looked at the Emperor. The Emperor sensed the man's unusual expression and felt a sense of foreboding.

"Speak," the Emperor commanded in a low, chilling tone. The man's spine shuddered at the sound. He knew that whether he confessed or not, the Emperor would uncover the truth, so he chose to disclose it himself.

"Supervisor Jin... he hurt him," the man confessed. As soon as the words left his mouth, the air seemed to be sucked out of the room. The atmosphere grew heavy, making it difficult to breathe. Reluctantly, he glanced at the Emperor's face, dreading the expression he would find. The Emperor's countenance was dark, radiating a lethal intensity that could send Supervisor Jin six feet under.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yang had bid farewell to Yu's father and left the palace. He walked back to the house where he was staying with the Yu family. Although the journey was short, he couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. He couldn't pinpoint the source of the stares, but he also didn't take any action, as the person seemed to be observing without making a move. Zhao Yang remained inside the house until nighttime, when Yu's father and young Yu returned—one from work and the other from school. After dinner, young Yu retired to bed, leaving only Zhao Yang and Yu's father awake.

"If you must go, I won't stop you. However, allow me to accompany you. It's your first time in this place. What if you get lost?" Yu's father insisted, concerned for Zhao Yang's well-being.

"Uncle Yu, I appreciate your offer, but I need to go alone. Besides, I won't be going far. I'll still be within the capital city," Zhao Yang replied firmly, rising from his seat and leaving. He didn't want to burden Yu's father further, as he was already indebted to him. Zhao Yang had no plan in mind for finding information about his family, nor did he know where to begin searching. He decided to explore the capital city aimlessly.

As he wandered, Zhao Yang suddenly sensed the same pair of eyes on him once more. The first time, he dismissed it as a case of mistaken identity, but this was different. He could feel that this person was deliberately tailing him. Yet, he had only been in the capital city for a few days, and it seemed unlikely that someone from here would recognize him—unless it was one of the Yu family members. However, that was improbable, considering young Yu was asleep, and Yu's father's abilities weren't strong enough to go undetected.