☆ Chapter 7: No Mercy for the Male Lead (Bug Fixes)
Although it was just the upper body that was stripped off, it was still quite shocking.
Shen Qingqiu is a grandmaster, after all! This image of him lying on the ground, shirtless, wearing only these pants and white boots, his limbs tightly bound with thin hemp rope, is ridiculous! He looks like a delicate young man caught in the act of adultery, no wonder the system deducted so many points!
Shen Qingqiu's face flushed red and then turned pale. He wanted to dig a hole in the ground with his sword and bury himself for a while, but his sword had also disappeared.
No wonder Luo Binghe seemed a little embarrassed just now. He must have been thinking that seeing Shen Qingqiu in such a disheveled state, he would definitely be severely punished when they got back.
Ning Yingying sobbed, "Master, you're finally awake! Yingying was so scared..."
Scared? If you're scared, then don't run around, little sister! Shen Qingqiu said helplessly.
Just then, a strange, eerie laugh came from behind.
A black figure emerged from the darkness.
"So this is what kind of enlightened master came from the Azure Sky Mountain Sect? They're nothing special. If the Azure Sky Mountain Sect, which claims to be the number one sect in the world, is like this, then the Demon Realm's conquest of the Human Realm is just around the corner." After saying this, he burst into another burst of wild laughter.
The other person's head and face were covered with black veils, and their voice was rough and unpleasant, as if their throat had been ruined by opium.
Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes, "The Skinner?"
"The renowned Xiuya Sword has fallen into my hands today! How satisfying! Shen Qingqiu, you'd never guess who I really am!"
Shen Qingqiu said, "What's so hard to guess?"
Skinner: "..."
Shen Qingqiu: "You are Die'er."
The Skinner: "..." It ripped off the black veil and roared, "Impossible! How did you guess that!"
Shen Qingqiu remained silent.
He could say, "Do you think I'm blind? Can't you tell by a body shape? Men look at a body shape first, right? Curvy, with a small waist, it's definitely a woman. Besides, you don't usually see this kind of nouveau riche decor. Do you think I didn't know I'd been transported back to the Chen residence? There are many women in the Chen residence, but I've only seen a few. I only know the name of one, Die'er. If you want me to guess, of course I can only guess Die'er. I don't even know the names of the others, how can I guess?" Who knew I'd guess right on the first try? Who knew you'd be so impatient, not even bothering to deny it, just directly lifting the veil of mystery!
Can he say it? Can he say it?!
If he were to reveal the reasoning and analysis process described above, he would definitely be judged as out of character (OOC). Therefore, he can only remain silent and bitterly complain in his heart.
Butterfly—or rather, the Skinner—adjusted herself quickly, donning the face of Master Chen's beloved concubine, and regained her incomparably beautiful and smug smile: "That's right, it's me! Shen Qingqiu, you can't possibly figure out why it would be a weak woman like me, can you?"
Shen Qingqiu straightened his crooked body and changed to a more comfortable position.
The boss has a tradition of giving time for self-reflection, and he can't refuse that.
Butterfly didn't need his encouragement and continued, "The Skin-Peeler comes and goes without a trace, not because he has any supernatural abilities, but because every time I kill someone, I change into a new skin. Wearing the skin of those women, imitating their mannerisms, I blend into the crowd of mortals without anyone noticing, and look for my next target."
Shen Qingqiu noticed something amiss: "Something's not right."
Butterfly's face darkened: "Something's not right."
Shen Qingqiu said, "If you change your skin every time you kill someone, for example, if you kill Die'er and take over her skin, you become 'Die'er', but there is still a skinned corpse of Die'er. Wouldn't people find it strange that there are two Die'ers?"
After thinking about it, he suddenly understood.
Since there's no DNA testing technology in this world, once you peel away the skin, it's all just a bloody mess, making it very difficult to tell who's who.
Die'er said, "It seems you understand now. That's right. I will use the corpse of the next woman to replace the corpse of the previous woman. For example, when I killed Die'er, I was wearing Xiang'er's skin, and everyone thought that Xiang'er was still alive at that time; after I put on Die'er's skin, Die'er's corpse was disguised as Xiang'er's corpse and was discovered."
Luo Binghe listened silently, his eyes flashing with barely concealed anger, his youthful sense of justice stirred by the monstrous acts of the demons. Ning Yingying didn't understand at all, but dared not interrupt.
Shen Qingqiu truly admired these villains; they were incredibly professional. Not only did they reveal their own psychological processes, but they also explained their detailed methods and thought processes. They used examples and firsthand accounts—they were even more dedicated and responsible than teachers presiding over college entrance exam preparation classes!
Shen Qingqiu asked, "You change your skin every now and then. Is it because you feel like it, or is it something you have to do?"
Butterfly sneered, "Do you think I'd tell you?"
You've already told me so much, big sister (or big brother?), one more won't make a difference!
Die'er walked towards the place where Ning Yingying and Luo Binghe were bound. Luo Binghe remained calm, while Ning Yingying cried out, "Demon! Don't come any closer! Master, save me!"
Die'er chuckled and said, "Your master has been bound by my 'Immortal Binding Rope,' and his spiritual energy cannot flow. He can barely protect himself, so how can he save you?"
No wonder Shen Qingqiu had been secretly exerting his strength, but he felt his spiritual energy was stagnant and lacked its usual abundance.
Butterfly fell into her muttering to herself again: "Damn it, if it weren't for the damage caused by my cultivation of demonic arts, I wouldn't need to keep changing my skin to absorb human energy like this. You little girl have smooth and supple skin, and you're a disciple of a prestigious sect, so I can probably use you for quite a while. Once I've drained your skin dry, it'll be your master's turn. If Xiuya Sword can be used by me, then my life won't have been in vain."
Luo Binghe: "..."
Shen Qingqiu: "..."
What did you just say? "You thought I was going to tell you?"
Now they not only told me, but it seems they also said something incredible, revealing their future plans!
The villains in this world are truly hopeless in their intelligence. Shen Qingqiu suddenly felt so tired, and wanted to add some points—why are things so full of twists and turns!
Shen Qingqiu communicated with the system: "Darling, if something goes wrong during the mission and I die, is there a chance to reload and start over?"
System: [The invulnerability to the golden body is a privilege of the protagonist.]
Damn it. That means my life is completely insecure; I might die before I even get started.
Villains are known for their excellent quality of being "always willing to answer any question." Shen Qingqiu wanted to stall for time, so he threw out a question to Die'er: "Don't you always only target young and beautiful women?"
“I didn’t say I only target young and beautiful women. As long as someone has good looks and smooth skin, I’ll go for them. It’s just that men’s skin is generally not as good as women’s, and older skin is never as good as younger skin.” Die’er continued her rambling, her eyes suddenly turning green, her expression shifting to one of lustful desire. Her hands, painted with scarlet cinnamon, began to caress Shen Qingqiu’s upper body. “However, those who have cultivated immortal arts are indeed different. Even though they are men, their skin is smooth and delicate. I… haven’t used a man’s skin in a long time…”
Shen Qingqiu felt goosebumps rise on her skin from his touch, yet she had to maintain an air of purity and inviolability. She felt both disgusted and sympathetic.
This monster is rather pitiful. It seems he was originally male, but due to his training, he had to constantly use a woman's skin. Over time, he probably became psychologically disturbed...
Nevertheless, it still possessed the face of a charming concubine, and Shen Qingqiu inevitably felt somewhat embarrassed by being touched like this, involuntarily shrinking back slightly.
His appearance was incredibly impactful in Luo Binghe's eyes.
Having witnessed Shen Qingqiu's haughty demeanor and sarcastic expressions so often before, Luo Binghe now saw a slight blush creeping onto his face, his gaze darting away. Furthermore, Shen Qingqiu's upper body was bare, revealing only a few thin yet unbreakable binding ropes with red marks, and his long, black hair falling loosely, attempting to conceal his figure. Luo Binghe's heart was filled with an indescribable sense of turmoil.
If Shen Qingqiu were to find a metaphor for this feeling, it would be like a man watching a... well, you know, movie, only to discover that the protagonist is the English teacher who calls on him every day in class and slaps his palms three hundred times if he can't answer. The feeling is complicated!
Shen Qingqiu suddenly smiled, revealing his teeth.
Butterfly asked warily, "What are you laughing at?"
Shen Qingqiu said slowly and deliberately, "I laugh at you for buying the box and returning the pearl. There are three people here, but you haven't noticed the one who is most suitable to be your shell."
Luo Binghe's expression changed upon hearing this.
He never imagined that he would be tricked into this mess for no reason!
Shen Qingqiu wasn't speaking carelessly. Who was Luo Binghe? His true identity was that of a descendant of an ancient demon, the future young master of the demon realm—his bloodline was impeccable. Ordinary demons, if they could obtain his skin, wouldn't just be able to repair their damaged demonic bodies, they might even be able to dominate the world.
Die'er looked Luo Binghe up and down. The latter tried to remain calm, but was inwardly bewildered. He couldn't understand why the focus had suddenly shifted to him.
Butterfly said, "Even if you're going to lie to me, you should at least tell a believable one. This kid may have a good appearance and good physique, but he's also very young and inexperienced. How can he compare to your cultivation level of mid-stage Golden Core?"
Shen Qingqiu tilted his head and laughed, "With your discerning eye, no wonder your cultivation is ineffective. Don't you think about who I, Shen Qingqiu, am? If this child were truly just good at physical appearance but utterly useless, why would I accept him as my disciple? If I wanted a disciple with excellent physical qualities, wouldn't there be enough talented people vying to join the Cangqiong Mountain Sect every year to choose from? The mysteries and secrets involved are naturally not to be revealed to outsiders."
Butterfly immediately wavered. Very well, this villain's IQ is indeed incredibly low; he actually started to doubt this hastily put-together, flawed explanation!
Shen Qingqiu pressed his advantage: "If you have any doubts, that's easy to resolve. I'll tell you a way to prove my point. Go over there and strike him on the top of the head, and you'll know whether I'm lying to you or not."
Luo Binghe turned pale on the spot.
No matter how precocious he is, he is still just a child. Even adults rarely remain calm when facing death, let alone someone who is only fourteen years old.
Shen Qingqiu tried hard not to look at him, repeatedly apologizing in her heart, vowing to make amends in the future!
Ning Yingying was terrified: "Master...Master, you...you're not serious, are you?"
Shen Qingqiu's heart was pounding, and he had no time to coax her. He just smiled at Die'er and said, "Whether it's true or not, you'll know once you try. It's just slapping a little boy on the head. Even if I lie to you, you won't lose out, right? Or are you worried that what I said is true, so you don't dare to slap him?"
To those who don't understand the truth, this is undoubtedly pushing Luo Binghe to his death.
Luo Binghe was completely incredulous. He thought to himself, "Could it be that Shen Qingqiu hates me to this extent?"
He couldn't help but struggle, and the ropes binding him tightened, causing Ning Yingying so much pain that she dared not even breathe.
Shen Qingqiu's words and tone were highly persuasive. Butterfly thought about it and realized it was true; they had killed quite a few people, so why would it be afraid of a single blow?
It snorted, "I'll see what you're up to." With that, it strode towards Luo Binghe, its hand rising and falling in a palm strike!
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