Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 50

After the incident, the area around the manor became bustling with activity.

Alien Beasts, whether they had business here or not, and Human Livestock sneaking into the area, all converged on the spot, whispering among themselves.

The most frequent topic of conversation was naturally Huai Sui.

He was a Grand Duke who had always resided in the heart of the Empire. What business could he possibly have in this remote border region? Most people here had only heard of him through rumors, their eyes filled with either admiration or fear.

The bronze-skinned youth strode through the crowd without glancing sideways, listening to their chatter about “When did Huai Sui arrive?” and “What kind of clothes was he wearing?” His expression remained utterly unchanged.

Unlike the Human Livestock, who showed the fear of prey facing a predator, or the Alien Beasts, who displayed fervent worship, his eyes held a hint of mockery.

No matter how lavishly they praised Huai Sui, that creature was nothing more than an animal wearing human skin.

As the conversation progressed, the crowd’s discussion gradually approached the core issue. The purpose of their prolonged build-up had finally been achieved.

Someone blurted out, “Did you hear? Lord Duke got slapped right here today! And the one who did it was supposedly a Human Livestock!”

“Holy crap, is that true? How dare that Human Livestock do that? What happened to him?”

“Not only did nothing happen, but Lord Duke is practically treasuring the slap mark! He won’t even put an ice pack on it!”

“If you ask me, Lord Duke and that Human Livestock are practically inseparable now! Tsk tsk tsk…”

“Wahahaha! If this keeps up, won’t the Human Livestock’s status rise? The Duke can’t possibly let his ‘honeyed companion’ remain in such a lowly position, right?”

“Oh my, it’s like that old saying, ‘When one achieves enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven!'”

When one achieves enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

The bronze-skinned youth couldn’t help but scoff, as if he’d heard some ridiculous joke.

He had no interest in such gossip and didn’t bother listening further. He quietly quickened his pace until, “Who exactly is this Human Livestock?”

“I remember… wasn’t his name Meng Xuexiao? He used to help out in the kitchen! What luck, getting into a place like that. But he was quite handsome…”

The Human Livestock who answered had met Meng Xuexiao once before, and even now, recalling his appearance, he couldn’t help but click his tongue in admiration.

The group had been chatting casually, standing loosely. The speaker was still half-asleep when suddenly he felt his collar being yanked up.

It was as if he were jolted awake from a dream. He blinked rapidly, staring at the person before him. The first thing he saw was the Bronze-Skinned Youth’s sturdy, tanned skin and the tense muscles of his arms, as if he were desperately restraining himself.

The speaker let out a sharp cry, “Su Xian, have you gone mad?!”

He couldn’t understand what had gotten into Su Xian. Apart from currying favor with the Giant Ape when necessary to maintain his position, Su Xian had always been indifferent to everything around him.

Even when other Human Livestock openly spat at him or scorned him, he would simply ignore them, brushing it off with casual indifference.

How could someone so thick-skinned and coldly composed suddenly lose his temper like this?

We haven’t done anything to provoke him!

Su Xian glared at the man who had answered, bloodshot veins faintly visible in his eyes, “Who did you just mention? Huai Sui is with whom?”

The man felt Su Xian’s grip on his collar tighten further, his eyes rolling back in panic, “T-too tight… can’t breathe…”

Su Xian frowned, loosening his grip slightly but maintaining an unwavering tone, “Speak! Who is it?”

Gasping for air, the man blurted out, “Meng Xuexiao! It’s Meng Xuexiao! I think you even helped him get into the kitchen back then—”

Before he could finish, Su Xian threw him to the ground like a piece of trash, eliciting a pained cry.

“Don’t waste your breath,” Su Xian said, kicking the man as he loomed over him, “Where did Huai Sui tie up Meng Xuexiao?”

Huh? Tie up?

The man was completely dumbfounded.

Their earlier conversation had clearly described a loving relationship between two people. Where else would the saying “When one achieves enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven” come from? Where had Su Xian gotten the idea of “tying up”?

No wonder Su Xian had gone berserk the moment he arrived, he’d completely misunderstood!

He quickly clarified, “It’s not kidnapping! It’s not kidnapping! It was consensual!”

“You used to get along with those Giant Apes too, right? Just exchanging gifts, spending time together, going for walks, chatting…”

His voice trailed off as he noticed Su Xian’s gaze growing increasingly terrifying, like a sharp blade suddenly drawn from its sheath.

Now, Su Xian didn’t even need to lay a hand on him, his eyes alone could suffocate him!

“Like me? Ha, consensual?” Su Xian repeated. “You don’t know shit!”

“Meng Xuexiao would never do something like that, not even if the sky fell!”

“He… he’s never been that kind of person.”

From the moment he first met Meng Xuexiao, he knew the young man was different from someone like him, who would change his tune with the wind.

Did Meng Xuexiao not understand?

No, he understood everything perfectly. The boy’s eyes were like a clear pond, reflecting every dark thought with perfect clarity.

He simply had firm boundaries and refused to be dragged into the mire.

As for himself… he had long since sunk into the mud, indistinguishable from the muck, his original form lost forever.

Meng Xuexiao would never willingly approach Huai Sui.

The only possibility was that Huai Sui had forced him!

Alien Beasts with twisted senses of humor excelled at destruction. They often delighted in personally shattering beautiful things, then laughing uproariously at the scattered fragments.

“I’ll ask again, where exactly did Huai Sui take Meng Xuexiao?!”

The man being interrogated immediately hunched his neck, “T-to the Manor… The Manor Lord said he was preparing a banquet for Lord Duke, and Lord Duke took Meng Xuexiao with him!”

“It was… it was the Giant Ape who used to manage the tribute maintenance who led them there!”

That… Giant Ape?!

Su Xian’s pupils constricted.

He knew the Giant Ape’s reputation well. He had even personally helped the Manor Lord dispose of numerous corpses of girls dragged from the ape’s lair.

Pale, with their intestines spilling out, their internal organs pulped beyond recognition.

If the Manor Lord was capable of such horrors, Huai Sui’s depravity must be even greater.

Su Xian couldn’t bear to imagine those faces replaced with Meng Xuexiao’s. A sudden chill ran through his limbs.

Damn it! Alien Beasts are truly disgusting creatures!

The man Su Xian had been interrogating trembled for what felt like an eternity, “I… I really don’t know anything else…”

He looked up, about to beg for mercy, only to find Su Xian gone. The spot where he had stood was now empty.

“Ah… is Su Xian always this fast?”

Su Xian raced across the manor’s rooftops, his speed matching that of the Alien Beasts. Though his breathing remained steady and his face flushed, large beads of sweat streamed down his face.

I have to move faster… faster…!

A hidden compartment within his uniform vibrated several times, but he remained completely unaware.

After several vibrations, the communicator within the compartment fell silent.

…

[Federation calling Major General Su!]

[We’ve just received intel: the Duke has entered the manor. Is your situation still secure?]

[How are the tribute preparations progressing? Tensions between the Alliance and the Empire are escalating rapidly, and war seems imminent. Everything depends on you now!]

[You must destroy the tribute! Only then can we drive a wedge between the Duke and the Alien Beast King!]

[Major General Su?]

[Major General Su? Respond immediately!]

He had arrived.

As Su Xian passed over a tiled rooftop, he abruptly halted.

Kneeling, he pried up a tile, revealing the dazzling lights of the banquet hall below.

Like an eagle perched on a branch surveying the ground, Su Xian’s gaze swiftly swept across the scene. At the very center of the banquet, on the tallest table, he spotted Meng Xuexiao.

The petite youth sat between the Manor Lord and Huai Sui. To his left dripped the Manor Lord’s drooling fangs, while to his right Huai Sui wore an inscrutable smile. The sight alone was enough to make one feel like a lamb thrown into a pack of wolves.

And that wasn’t even the worst part…

Su Xian narrowed his eyes.

At that moment, Meng Xuexiao was desperately trying to shrink into himself, like a chick trying to avoid any physical contact with the Manor Lord or Huai Sui, desperately trying to minimize his presence.

But the Manor Lord kept edging closer to Meng Xuexiao, his eagerness reminding Su Xian of the creature’s behavior when it was playing its letter games in its nest.

Damn it, thank goodness I got here in time.

If he had been any later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Su Xian couldn’t help but glance sideways at Huai Sui, who sat beside Meng Xuexiao, utterly relaxed with a smile playing on his lips, seemingly amused by the interaction between Meng Xuexiao and the Manor Lord.

Just as I thought, Alien Beasts are nothing but beasts!

Su Xian found a ventilation duct and quietly slipped into the banquet hall. He struck a waiter hard on the neck, sending him crashing to the floor. Silently, Su Xian stripped the unconscious man of his uniform and put it on himself.

…

Inside the banquet hall, Meng Xuexiao stared blankly at the table before him, his eyes unfocused. He wanted neither to meet the gaze of the Manor Lord to his left nor Huai Sui to his right.

He couldn’t understand how things had spiraled into this. Seated at the most prominent spot in the entire banquet, he found himself the center of attention. Every Giant Ape that passed would glance at him before giving a slight nod.

This made Meng Xuexiao feel as if the Manor Lord and Huai Sui had flanked him, leading him to… an altar.

He recalled a Wild Village horror film he’d once seen. The protagonist had been lured to a village feast, seated at the largest table, and served the finest delicacies—the kind the villagers might only taste once a year.

Then, before the entire crowd, his head was chopped off.

In the film, the protagonist’s blood sprayed everywhere like a burst beer keg. The ravenous villagers, unable to contain themselves, eagerly produced hidden soup bowls and lined up to drink the blood.

After each few gulps, they would press their palms together and pray to some nameless evil God.

Even the memory of it now made Meng Xuexiao’s scalp crawl.

Just then, Huai Sui happened to glance over, tilting his head slightly to reveal the faint palm print on his cheek, “Tribute Big Brother, why aren’t you eating?”

Meng Xuexiao suddenly felt as if the spoon in his hand weighed a thousand pounds.

Of course, this must be Huai Sui’s next act of revenge.

Meng Xuexiao was consumed by regret. How could he have accidentally struck him? For someone of Huai Sui’s status, his face was his reputation. Now, with this palm print, Huai Sui’s mental state must be even more terrifying than before.

He feared he might meet an even more gruesome end than the male protagonist in the Wild Village horror film.

What to do? What to do?!

Meng Xuexiao’s eyes darted around frantically until they suddenly met several furtive glances.

It was the Giant Apes who had nodded at him earlier, now secretly watching him.

Could they be… waiting to put me on the table?

Why else would they suddenly throw a banquet? They hadn’t held a single one since he arrived at the Manor!

A chill ran down Meng Xuexiao’s spine, making his hair stand on end.

After noticing several Giant Apes secretly watching him, Meng Xuexiao’s anxiety intensified. He didn’t even dare glance at the other apes replenishing food and wine around him.

He feared… they were observing him, too.

Despite the bustling banquet hall with its unlocked doors, Meng Xuexiao felt as if he were trapped in a prison.

There were no chains, but the Manor itself had become his cage.

“Big Brother?” Huai Sui squinted, nudging closer to Meng Xuexiao and repeating the question.

He could clearly sense Meng Xuexiao’s tension spiking to a new level.

Huh? Why is he like this?

Huai Sui frowned, his usually cheerful face twisting with bitterness.

He had finally found a tribute—cough, a tribute for his brother—whose appearance and temperament perfectly suited his tastes. He certainly didn’t want to scare him away so quickly.

That’s why he had brought Meng Xuexiao to the banquet, instructing the Manor Lord to treat him with the same courtesy he received, and requiring every passing Giant Ape to bow slightly to him. He had hoped to help Meng Xuexiao relax, but now…

“Is this getting worse?”

The Manor Lord, a formidable ape spirit who had been sitting nearby, immediately signaled the surrounding servants to clear the dishes from the table and replace them with a fresh set. He pushed the finest cuts of meat and fish toward Meng Xuexiao.

“Did the previous dishes not suit your taste? How does this selection look?”

“If it’s still not to your liking, what would you prefer? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it for you.”

The Manor Lord tried his best to force a flattering smile, but his naturally grotesque features—a ferocious ape’s head and a mouthful of sharp teeth—were hardly designed to please.

Watching the Manor Lord’s mouth stretch wide enough to nearly swallow his entire head, Meng Xuexiao couldn’t help but shrink back.

Before he could catch his breath, he heard a series of “Plop!” “Plop!”. Several large drops of saliva dripped from the Manor Lord’s fangs, corroding a large patch of the floor.

Meng Xuexiao barely suppressed a gasp. His hand tightened around the spoon, his fingernails digging deep into his palm.

Their greedy expressions now resembled those from the Wild Village horror film even more… Were they about to chop off his head and bring out the bowls next?!

Escape, I have to escape…!

If he stayed here, he’d only end up being devoured!

Seeing Meng Xuexiao’s expression, the Manor Lord inwardly cursed. He had intended to ingratiate himself with Huai Sui and curry favor, but his flattery had backfired spectacularly.

He hurriedly stood up, panic rising in his voice, “You—”

In the next instant, the banquet table, once laden with dishes, exploded violently. The table shattered into splinters, sending pots, bowls, and utensils crashing to the floor.

A series of smaller explosions followed, erupting across the hall. The once-joyful banquet hall descended into chaos.

Meng Xuexiao watched in horror as a Human Livestock nearby was blasted into a pile of mangled flesh. His heart leaped in his chest.

Is this Huai Sui’s final strike, orchestrated with the Manor Lord?!

But… this couldn’t be!

If they merely intended to replicate the Wild Village ritual or simply kill him, why such a grand spectacle? Not only Human Livestock, but even the other giants at the banquet were caught in the blast!

Or… was this an enemy attack?

The Empire was already in relative chaos, with a rule that allowed anyone who killed a noble to take their place and inherit their title, naturally exacerbating the disorder.

Meng Xuexiao didn’t know who was attacking the Manor, but he recognized this as an opportunity.

Like a slippery eel, he darted toward the thickest part of the chaos. But after only a few steps, he felt a violent tug on his hand.

Meng Xuexiao’s vision nearly blacked out.

Who was it?! The Manor Lord? Or… Huai Sui?

Damn it! The chance was right in front of him. If only he’d run faster, just a little faster.

He turned his head slowly, like a rusty machine, his lips drained of color, a ghastly gray. Then, a bronze hue filled his vision—a steady, grounding color.

It was Su Xian’s chest.

The man’s muscular chest glistened with a thin layer of sweat, rising and falling slightly.

Perhaps from his relentless ride here, Su Xian’s voice was hoarse but utterly reliable, “Come with me!”