"As expected, you humans always stop for trivial matters."
The fellow, whose gender was indeterminable, extended a finger under the moonlight, admiring his freshly done nail polish. The shimmering nails, much like the beautiful moonlight, seemed out of place on him.
After his second utterance, Duan Chen could further confirm that this was indeed a man. Although his accent mimicked a woman, it still lacked feminine grace. Regardless of gender, Duan Chen would show no mercy. Even though there was nothing outwardly discernible about this person, he was definitely not human. This was evident from his self-referential pronouns.
"If you want to see your Xue'er sister, then follow me."
The effeminate fellow cast a fleeting glance at Duan Chen and turned, heading behind the abandoned factory. Duan Chen followed, his eyes scanning his surroundings, taking in any potential dangers. To his surprise, there were no immediate threats. Was it because the other party disdained setting traps here? Or was a greater danger awaiting him? Whatever the peril, Duan Chen's gaze grew more resolute; he would rescue Mi Xue'er.
"Duan Chen, that is the correct name, isn't it?"
The androgynous being, walking ahead of Duan Chen, suddenly spoke. He giggled coquettishly, causing the skin on Duan Chen's body to prickle involuntarily. Duan Chen frowned slightly, never imagining that one day, hearing his name spoken by another would evoke such disgust, a feeling like being unable to spit out or swallow. Fortunately, the other party seemed to have no need for an answer. He idly toyed with his nails, saying, "Allow me to introduce myself. I believe you'll want to know the name of the one who will kill you."
"My name is Mi Le."
Mi Le. The moment this name reached Duan Chen's ears, he couldn't help but freeze. Why would he also share the surname Mi? He almost blurted out, "What is your relationship with Mi Xue'er?" To his surprise, Mi Le burst into laughter upon hearing this question. Yet, within his laughter, Duan Chen clearly detected hatred. Hate? Was he hating Mi Xue'er? Why? However, Mi Le offered no further answers and said nothing more to Duan Chen.
He led Duan Chen to the rear of the abandoned factory. Contrary to Duan Chen's daytime investigation, a door appeared here. Such a sensitive object immediately put Duan Chen on alert. However, after a careful inspection, he realized that while the door bore some resemblance to doors he had seen before, it was not identical. This meant it was something different. Mi Le stepped forward, entering the door first. Duan Chen's expression darkened, and he followed without a word. He let out a soft breath. Whatever awaited him ahead, he would face it, for Mi Xue'er was waiting inside, for him to save her.
To Duan Chen's surprise, behind the door, there were no ghosts, abominations, or strange entities, not even anything eerie. There were only two people. One was Mi Xue'er, bound to a chair, and the other was an old acquaintance: Sun Xiaoxiao, Mi Xue'er's classmate. Upon seeing Sun Xiaoxiao, Duan Chen offered a dismissive glance, his gaze immediately shifting to Mi Xue'er. He felt a surge of tension. He squinted at Mi Le, who stood to the side.
"What have you done to Xue'er?"
Envy flashed in Mi Le's eyes. He sneered, "What else could I have done to her? I've done what I needed to do." Duan Chen narrowed his eyes, his threat evident. He didn't know the depth of Mi Le's strength, but he presumed he wouldn't be too difficult to handle. He had been using his mind-reading ability all along but couldn't decipher Mi Le's thoughts. The only thing he sensed was that Mi Le was highly wary of him. If he was wary, his strength likely wouldn't exceed his own by much.
At this moment, Mi Le suddenly spoke, "Stop wasting your effort. No matter how hard you try to pry into my mind, you won't hear anything." When he said this, a complex emotion flickered in his eyes. However, this complex emotion was fleeting, not lingering for long. Mi Le then opened his mouth and said, "Let's talk terms."
"Terms?" Duan Chen's lips curved into a smile. "You kidnapped my sister, and you want to negotiate with me?"
"If I kill you, I can rescue Mi Xue'er." His statement held a hint of probing, but to his surprise, Mi Le's smile widened upon hearing Duan Chen's words. He said with an air of unshakeable confidence, "You can try. Try to kill me and see what happens."
"Right, my dear sister?"
Duan Chen turned his head and realized that Mi Xue'er had woken up at some point. Her hands were bound, and she was seated in a chair, her mouth gagged with cloth, but her eyes were uncovered. Thus, Duan Chen could see glistening tears in her eyes in the darkness. Why was she crying? Why was the emotion in her eyes so sorrowful? Not a trace of joy. Doubt flickered in Duan Chen's mind as he looked at Mi Xue'er in the chair. However, Mi Xue'er, who would usually look at him upon his arrival, was now completely ignoring him. Instead, she was glaring stubbornly at Mi Le. Duan Chen couldn't decipher the light in her eyes.
Mi Xue'er whimpered, trying to say something, but her mouth was tied shut. Hearing the sound, Mi Le frowned impatiently, but for some reason, a hint of sorrow also flashed in his eyes. He snapped, "The one to save you has arrived. Are you still not satisfied?"
Duan Chen's hand moved slightly, and the Thousand Illusions Pandora appeared in his grasp. Mi Le's expression instantly became wary. Before he could retreat, he realized that the Thousand Illusions Pandora was not aimed at him but at Mi Xue'er. In that instant, Mi Le's expression changed, becoming exceedingly anxious and tense.