Cognitive Dissonance: A Pain Too Deep to Breathe

The shift from "little one" to "little brother" in how the Rose Marquis addressed him didn't escape Yi Bai's notice. Though there was a slight sense of dissatisfaction in his heart, he knew now wasn't the time to dwell on it. He was smart enough to understand the importance of making connections, especially with someone like the Rose Marquis. It wouldn't hurt to get closer to her.

"Rose, my sister," Yi Bai began without hesitation, "I have a small transaction to propose. I wonder if you might be interested?"

"Oh?" A flicker of curiosity crossed the Rose Marquis's face. "What kind of deal do you have in mind, little brother? Go ahead, tell me."

Clearly intrigued, the Rose Marquis had a good reason to be. After all, the deal involving He Yi had netted her over 260,000 ghost coins—a tidy profit. No one, not even a bloodline aristocrat like her, would ever turn away a chance for more wealth.

When Yi Bai mentioned another "deal," she couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement.

"I need you to help me with a small task," Yi Bai said, his tone businesslike but serious. "In exchange, I'll give you my three percent share of the profits, plus 200 milliliters of fresh blood. What do you say?"

His gaze was steady, but there was a sharpness in it that hinted at a deeper, colder intent. The offer was sincere, and he made no attempt to hide the murderous intent in his eyes.

"Help? What happened?" The Rose Marquis's image, cast in the clinic room's mirror, gave her a limited view of the situation. She couldn't see Jack, but she could sense something was off in Yi Bai's demeanor. His tone had changed, and her blood-red pupils flickered with a dangerous gleam.

Yi Bai had just awakened his vampiric abilities. His strength was already on par with many regular ghosts. With He Yi, the biggest threat in the Third Hospital, now out of the picture, and with Ralph, a major benefactor, indebted to him, Yi Bai had few enemies left. Most notably, Lina, the death angel, had her heart set on him.

By all appearances, Yi Bai should have been safe. Yet, here he was, calling on her for help once again, offering an exorbitant price. This wasn't a simple matter.

"Though this request might seem a bit forward, I honestly couldn't think of any other way. In this world, I have no relatives, no family. The closest I have are Lina and you, Rose." Yi Bai's words carried a subtle charm, drawing her in closer.

"Now, tell me what's really going on," the Rose Marquis urged, her voice softening a little despite her usually unreadable expression.

"I need you to kill a Red-robe ghost for me," Yi Bai said, his eyes darkening slightly. "As I mentioned, the price is as I offered. Will you do it?"

"Huh..." The Rose Marquis exhaled a breath, her face shifting into a dramatic eye-roll. "I was worried you were in some kind of terrible trouble, but all this fuss is just because you want to kill a Red-robe ghost?"

Yi Bai's face flushed slightly. His brain scrambled for a response, but the situation had just turned awkward.

He suddenly realized the discrepancy. From the perspective of ordinary humans, especially someone like Jack, a Red-robe ghost was a significant threat—deadly even. After all, how many people could survive the pursuit of a Red-robe ghost on their own? But to someone like the Rose Marquis, a being of her caliber? A Red-robe ghost was little more than an insignificant pest—perhaps even smaller than an ant.

Yi Bai was taken aback. He had been so serious, offering a high price as if facing a catastrophic threat, but it seemed that to her, this was nothing at all. In the face of that realization, Yi Bai couldn't help but wince inwardly. The ghost coins he was offering... it hurt just thinking about it.

"Uh..." After a long pause, Yi Bai scratched his head, offering a sheepish grin. "Well, since it's just a Red-robe ghost after all... Do you think we could negotiate a little, Rose? Maybe... reduce the price?"

He was trying to salvage the situation, but his words fell flat.

The Rose Marquis, her reflection in the mirror glowing with a sly smile, teased him, "Of course... no, we can't! My dear Yi Bai, do you think your sister's help is worth less than that?"

Yi Bai's mind screamed "danger!" as soon as she spoke. His heart skipped a beat.

"No, no, of course not! Beautiful, generous Rose, I just—" Yi Bai stammered, but his words faltered. How could he possibly explain himself?

He could flirt with ghosts with some cheesy lines, but this? This was a whole different matter.

Finally, it was Lina, ever the calm one, who stepped in to explain.

"Yi Bai is still recovering from his bloodline awakening," she said gently. "His vitality is a bit depleted, so he can't offer more blood at the moment."

Yi Bai went silent, his face darkening. It seemed Lina had misunderstood his point entirely. It wasn't the blood that was the issue—it was the ghost coins! Two hundred milliliters of blood? That wasn't a problem at all. But the twenty-six thousand ghost coins... that was the real issue!

What could he do, though? With Lina explaining it that way, he could only play along.

"Yeah, that's right," Yi Bai said weakly, looking genuinely apologetic. "Once I've recovered, I'll make sure Rose gets a feast."

The words felt like a dagger to his heart, but what else could he say? He didn't want to disappoint her, but he knew if he left her unsatisfied for too long, there might be consequences.

"Good boy," the Rose Marquis said with a sweet smile. "I'm glad you understand, little brother. You really know how to make your sister proud."

But then her voice turned cold, the warmth replaced with a chilling edge.

"Now, tell me, little brother. Who do you want me to kill? Since I have some time now, I'll gladly take care of it for you."

At that moment, Jack's body, the very one that had been trying so desperately to hide, shook violently, as if the presence of the Rose Marquis's reflection had shattered whatever resolve he had left.

What he didn't realize was that his relationship with Yi Bai wasn't as trivial as he thought. It wasn't just about respect—it was something far more profound.

Jack froze. His mind reeled. The fact that a being of the Rose Marquis's level would care for someone like Yi Bai was simply beyond his understanding. How could this weak, insignificant human have such an influential ally?

His body, however, wasn't privy to his thoughts. His only concern was survival. Somewhere in the darkness, Jack's true form—hidden deep in the shadows—sensed that a giant, blood-red "death" symbol was already hovering over him.