The Protagonist is Always Intimidating Me - Chapter 11

Early the next morning, Mo Jiuge gently knocked on the door next to his room. “Bai Meng, it’s time to get up.”

“……”

“Bai Meng, are you awake?” Mo Jiuge patiently knocked again, but the room remained eerily quiet. Frowning, he pushed the door open. “Bai Meng, I’m coming in…”

As he opened the door, sunlight poured into the room like gold, illuminating the entire space. Mo Jiuge turned his head towards the bed.

“Bai Meng?”

……………

The guards started their day in a fury. Mo Jiuge clutched a letter from Bai Meng, angrily confronting the elite guards assigned to guard the palace. “You call yourselves the elite of Xingge Hall, yet you allowed an unarmed, ordinary beastman to disappear without a trace under your watch?”

The letter read: “Jiuge, I had an urgent matter to attend to. I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry about me (⊙v⊙).”

Usually mild-mannered, Mo Jiuge’s eyes now flashed with cold severity for the first time. “I will give you only one chance to tell me where Bai Meng has gone.”

Bai Meng, with his frail physique and small beast form, could not have disappeared without help. Someone must have had a hand in this…

Consumed by suspicion, Mo Jiuge’s gaze swept across the guards like a cold wind, causing them to shiver as if chilled to the bone.

Mo Jiuge frowned, analyzing the situation. Either someone had let Bai Meng leave, which would be the best-case scenario, or someone had taken him against his will… which would be far worse.

The oppressive aura around him grew stronger, and the guards assigned to protect Mo Jiuge’s quarters didn’t dare to make a sound. They felt both resentment towards Bai Meng for disappearing and disbelief that someone could slip away under their very noses.

If they had shared notes with the guards of Mo Hankui, they would have noticed an eerie similarity in this situation…

Just as Mo Jiuge’s expression darkened further, a clear voice rang out from outside: “Jiuge!”

The crowd: Saved!!!

Hearing the familiar voice, Mo Jiuge rushed outside. There, in the corridor, Bai Meng walked toward him with quick, cheerful steps, his youthful face beaming with childlike innocence and satisfaction. He reached the door, only to be greeted by Mo Jiuge’s scowl.

“…What’s wrong?”

Mo Jiuge: “……”

“Jiuge, look at this!” Bai Meng pulled something from his waist. Mo Jiuge, just about to demand an explanation for his disappearance, glanced at what Bai Meng was holding—and was stunned.

It was a third-class guard token. And carved clearly on it were the characters “Bai Meng.”

“……”

“I went to the selection today. Now, I’m officially one of them!” Bai Meng announced gleefully.

“!!!”

His words dropped like a bomb into still water. Everyone present stared at the token in shock, as if it had suddenly bloomed into a flower.

“…The guard selection process is notoriously strict and brutal,” one of the guards muttered, voicing what everyone else was thinking.

The speaker was a handsome young man with sun-kissed skin, a straight nose, and striking features. Surprised, he blurted out, “Does this guy have a higher backing than Captain Jiuge?”

“No,” a voice suddenly chimed in front of him. Startled, he found himself looking into Bai Meng’s large, gleaming eyes. Bai Meng stood before him, gazing directly into his eyes. “I didn’t rely on any connections. I earned this through my own ability.”

Taken aback by Bai Meng’s intense gaze, the rugged man, Mo Yu, blushed slightly and averted his eyes. “…But you don’t look like someone who can fight well…”

“Don’t judge by appearances!” Bai Meng said sternly. “Sometimes, the dog that bites doesn’t bark.”

Everyone: “……” Is he really okay saying that about himself?

Still smiling, Bai Meng’s eyes sparkled brightly, like stars filling the night sky. His black hair framed his face, and a pair of white furry ears peeked out from it.

“Jiuge, I might become captain one day. What will you do then?”

Everyone: “……” The boldness of youth knows no bounds!

“Fine,” Mo Jiuge didn’t say much, placing his hand on Bai Meng’s head and ruffling his black hair. His peach-blossom eyes, which always seemed to be smiling, now carried a gentle warmth, a smile that rose from deep within and brought with it a sense of peace.

“Alright, if you become the captain, I’ll serve as your vice-captain.”