Volume 1, Chapter 15 – Dream Revisited

Song Shiyuan sat on her bed, her hand rising to pinch her forehead, fingertips digging into her hair as frustration churned within her.

In her hidden gaze, a few strands of dark hair flickered.

"When did I start to think that fox demon was trustworthy?"

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

"Why, when listening to that fox demon, would I subconsciously choose to believe…"

She pressed harder with her fingers, the blue veins bulging out on her slender white hand.

"Is it because of… that face?"

The little fox demon's visage was undeniably captivating. Each time she tilted her head, those watery, innocent eyes would draw Song Shiyuan in, making her forget the creature's true nature—a cunning, insidious fox demon.

She couldn't bear to doubt her or find the strength to scold.

Although a sword practitioner's aura detection can reveal someone's emotional state, it cannot unearth the truth behind lies.

Even if the fox demon appeared genuine, showing no signs of deceit, it didn't guarantee that everything she said was factual.

Perhaps half of her words were true, while the other half was cloaked in deception.

Truth and falsehood blurred together like mist.

A fox demon's words could never be fully trusted; even a newly transformed little fox, seemingly innocent, was no exception!

"Ming Zhaoxi, what exactly is your identity…"

"What exactly does that Fox Monarch want you to do?"

A sigh escaped her lips, echoing into the stillness of the night.

As weariness washed over her, Song Shiyuan felt herself drifting again.

...

"Did I… fall asleep again?"

She blinked awake, scanning her surroundings.

This dream felt different, an entirely unfamiliar scene unfolding before her.

It appeared to be the sleeping quarters of some powerful figure, doors, and windows tightly shut. An indescribable aphrodisiac scent was thick in the air.

In the center, a red silk canopy bed beckoned, drawing her closer.

Vague, indistinct voices floated to her ears.

"Fox demon, haven't you been lusting after a sword practitioner's yang-filled body?"

"Why at this moment, are you pretending now?"

That voice—it was all too familiar!

"Brother Shixuan!!"

Startled, Song Shiyuan rushed forward, heart pounding.

What she beheld sent shockwaves through her: a familiar young man, shirtless, grasping a petite figure, pressing her onto the bed.

Her pupils constricted in disbelief.

It was none other than Song Shixuan, the brother she thought she knew.

And the figure caught in his grip, with silver hair cascading down, wore a thin silk skirt that hinted at the beauty beneath.

Song Shiyuan was frozen, her mind racing.

The innocent little fox demon—how could it be her?

What's going on!

What happened!

What were they doing?!

Song Shixuan seemed oblivious to Song Shiyuan's arrival.

His large hand gripped the little fox demon, pinning her down, preventing any chance of escape.

Extraordinary talent1, high spirits2, and immediate results3!

Yet, the sinister smile on the young man's face contradicted his handsome, refined features.

He seized the delicate arm of the little fox demon, pulling her closer with a force that made her tremble.

"Don't fox demons love this the most?"

"Come on, touch it."

"It's pulsating just for you."

The little fox demon resisted fiercely, her struggles futile against his overwhelming strength.

She could only watch helplessly as that obscene thing loomed closer, and closer before her.

Song Shiyuan's mouth opened in horror.

Her eyes stung, brimming with unshed tears, and a choking sensation gripped her throat, rendering her silent.

Her chest felt like it was being crushed, each beat of her heart sending waves of pain surging through her.

A suffocating dread clawed at her mind, relentless and overwhelming.

No!

Don't!

You can't!

Song Shiyuan's gaze locked onto the man as he unfastened his trousers, her stomach twisting in revulsion.

She watched in horror as he ripped the little fox demon's thin silk, the fabric tearing like her own sanity.

The man laughed, a sound filled with malice as he bent down, closing the distance between them.

Song Shiyuan's heart raced, panic flooding her senses as she noticed the faint red marks on the frail little fox demon's body.

The man's triumphant laughter echoed in her ears, mingling with the little fox demon's desperate cries.

No! That's wrong!

It can't be like this!

Song Shiyuan clutched her head, desperate to block out the horrifying vision.

But the dream held her captive, dragging her deeper into its nightmare.

She saw the little fox demon tilt her head, her lifeless eyes locking onto Song Shiyuan's.

Tears glistened on her innocent face, a haunting plea etched in every feature.

"Save me…"

"Please…"

Song Shiyuan could hear it.

The little fox demon resembled a drowning soul, clinging desperately to her last lifeline.

Desperately asking her for help

"No——!!"

Song Shiyuan sat up from her dream, startled.

She gasped for breath, panic clawing at her throat.

Her body was drenched in cold sweat, the remnants of a nightmare still clinging to her.

Visions from the dream swirled in her mind. A wave of nausea surged from her stomach.

Pale-faced, she leaned over the edge of her bed and retched.

She had never experienced such discomfort before; her entire body felt incredibly weak.

Knock, knock, knock——!

A gentle yet insistent voice broke through her haze.

"Sister Shiyuan, are you in there?"

"Ah Xi just heard a noise. Did something happen?"

"Are you alright? Sister Shiyuan?"

It was the little fox demon's voice; soft and laced with concern.

But as soon as she heard it, the echoes of her dream flooded back—those desperate, hoarse cries that had haunted her.

Song Shiyuan clamped her hands over her ears, wishing to block out the memories.

Not wanting to see her.

Not daring to see her.

Not wanting to hear her voice, not daring to hear her voice any longer.

Knock, knock, knock— The persistent knocking continued, echoing through the silence.

Outside, Lu Zhuxin wore a look of disbelief.

"No way… That can't be real…"

"Did I… push her too hard?"

"I only revealed a bit of my past experiences."

[Heh, what happened in the past?]

"Of course, I added a bit of artistic flair."

"She's one of the heroines after all; her psychological endurance shouldn't be this fragile, right?"

[Host, you seem to have some misunderstandings about a teenage girl who hasn't left her family home. Have you considered how much damage that kind of scene would cause to an inexperienced girl?]

Lu Zhuxin tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"When I was her age, I already had a terabyte of learning materials."

"And half of them were even given by my female classmates."

[…]

Although the system didn't utter a word, Lu Zhuxin could almost feel its scornful gaze piercing through the fabric of dimensions.

[Half were from lesbians4, right?]

Shock washed over her as she instinctively hugged herself tighter.

"How do you know?"

[So, you know a lot, huh?]

Just then, the creaking of the door shattered her thoughts, catching her completely off guard.

Song Shiyuan's pale face appeared in the doorway, her expression was filled with fatigue.

"Anything?" she asked, her voice dry and hoarse.

"Sister, your complexion isn't good," Lu Zhuxin remarked. "Did something happen?"

Song Shiyuan fell silent for a moment.

She lowered her gaze slightly, finding it difficult to look directly at the girl standing before her.

"I'm fine," she murmured, barely meeting Lu Zhuxin's eyes. "I just had a nightmare."

In the nightmare, you were even the heroine…