Счастье совсем рядом, за следующим поворотом

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The boy looked at me with surprise and winked, finally understanding, and said, "We just sat on the bed for a while, Priest, don't misunderstand." He looked at me again, sensing something was amiss, and added, "It has nothing to do with Susu, it was my suggestion..."

I let out a wail, and if I made him explain, I would die even faster, so I quickly grabbed him and stopped him from continuing.

"Is that so?" The priest looked at me and the boy with a smile, her eyes full of mockery. Before I could say anything, she tapped her fan twice, and the girls in scarlet clothes standing on either side of her came over in response. They grabbed my arm and pushed me to the ground. The strength of their grip was completely unexpected for their delicate appearance, which made me look at them with new eyes.

"Priest..." The boy was about to plead for mercy when the priest raised his fan to stop him.

Youyou got up and went to the boy's side. The priest reached out and straightened his clothes with infinite affection, and said with a smile, "I will handle this matter myself. You go to sleep and be a good boy, or you will have a headache again."

That coquettish tone sent a shiver down my spine, and my heart sank. I'd often heard tales of how the Demonic Sect, regardless of gender, kept male concubines. Could this young man be the priest's beloved male concubine?!

"But..." the boy seemed a little afraid of him, and said cautiously, "I'm afraid you'll kill Su Su..."

The priest glanced at me and then smiled, "Don't worry, not for now."

temporary??

Before I could react, the priest raised his hand and waved, and the girl in scarlet twisted my arm and dragged me out of the house.

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The corridors twisted and turned, the sal trees rustled softly, and I entered a garden full of red flowers. I was led into one of the side rooms.

A warm, fragrant breeze wafted from the small golden incense burner adorned with a mythical beast. The priest settled on the chaise longue, leaning back in his white fox fur coat, his loose black hair cascading to the floor. "Speak," he said, his slender white fingers twirling a purple-bone fan, not even glancing at me.

I knelt down and carefully pondered the meaning of his two words. After a moment of thought, I said, "I am truly innocent with that young man..."

His fingers paused, and he looked up at me in the dim light of the room, a cold sneer on his face. "Little Su Xie, are you still playing dumb with me? Regardless of whether there's anything between you and him, you know the consequences of trespassing on forbidden grounds." He unfolded his purple-bone fan and laughed, "You know what I want to hear."

I really don't know... just how much trouble this Su Xie has gotten himself into! He hasn't had a moment's peace since I opened my eyes...

"Are you testing my patience?" The high priest was very dissatisfied with my silence and stunned expression. His smile became even sharper, and he said in a low voice, "Little Su Xie, I'm giving you one last chance. What did that old man, the cult leader, say to you?"

With a crisp snap, I saw the purple bone fan break apart inch by inch between his fingers, yet his expression remained tender and affectionate. I couldn't help but shrink back. It seemed that there was some unpleasantness between the Demonic Sect Leader and the High Priest... Suddenly, I remembered that when I was first reborn, the High Priest and that male slave seemed to be trying to get information out of Su Xie, even resorting to the honey trap. If Su Xie hadn't been poisoned to death first, they should have gotten the information out of him by now.

What exactly did the cult leader say to Su Xie that made the high priest so concerned? It probably wasn't anything good, especially for the high priest.

"Since you're unwilling to talk, then I'll have to force you." The priest raised his hand to call someone in.

I quickly said, "I'll tell you, I'll tell you!"

The priest stopped what he was doing and waited for me if I was impatient.

What exactly did they say...? Why didn't Su Xie leave me any memories?

"The leader said..." I used all the wit and intelligence I had accumulated over half my life to try and improvise, and blurted out, "I hope that the High Priest will lead the Demonic Sect to invade the Central Plains!"

He frowned, and the corner of his lips twitched noticeably.

Well, I underestimated the High Priest's wisdom. I thought invading the Central Plains was the lifelong dream of everyone in the Demonic Cult. Wasn't that right?

"Let me think about it some more..." I didn't dare to look up at him. For the first time, I realized how terrible it was to be mentally challenged. The priest's gaze felt like thorns in my back, and I was very nervous.

He suddenly stood up, grabbed my chin, and squinted at me with a smile, saying, "Little Su Xie, you're not qualified to play with me!"

My face flushed uncontrollably...

Su Xie was fair-skinned, but when he blushed, his face turned as red as a monkey's bottom. I could clearly see the High Priestess's beautiful eyes furrow slightly in surprise and disdain. "Why are you blushing?"

"It's nothing..." I didn't know how to explain. I couldn't exactly say that I was a little shy because I'd never been touched by a man before... So I just vaguely said, "I'm a little nervous..."

The priest shook me off and snorted coldly, "I advise you to behave yourself and not try to bewitch me with your seductive arts. You're overestimating yourself."

I'm innocent! My blushing was entirely genuine; I couldn't control myself. How could it be considered seductive?

The high priest wiped his hands in disgust, raising his voice as he said, "Someone come here..."

I knew something was wrong, and without thinking of anything else, I rushed forward and grabbed the priest's leg...

"Su Xie! What...what are you doing! Let go!" The priest's expression changed slightly, and he angrily tried to shake me off. "Let go of my hand! It's filthy!"

To save my life, I will fully utilize the only virtue I inherited from my mother—shamelessness—by clinging to the priest's leg and saying, "Priest! I...I suddenly remembered that the leader actually asked me to do something!"

The high priest paused slightly, his face turning extremely grim. "What is it?"

"What is it..." I blurted out in my nervousness, "It's about that person!"

"Where, who?"

"It's that person!" I rambled on, "Priest, have you forgotten that person?!"

The high priest's expression changed slightly, and he frowned. "You mean the Right Protector?"

Right Protector Leng Baichun? Leng Baichun, ranked second among the Ten Shameless Demonesses?

I was taken aback for a moment, and immediately said, "High Priest, please don't say that I told you!"

"Let go." He glanced at my somewhat dirty hands.

I wisely let go and knelt to the side. I saw him frown with utter disgust, take off his outer robe and throw it aside, asking me, "Isn't Leng Baichun currently locked up in the Heavenly Punishment Prison? What did the sect leader send you to do?"

Without a second thought, I replied, "The leader told me to keep a close eye on her!"

"Keep a close eye on her?" The high priest chuckled. "Where could she possibly escape to in a place like the Heavenly Punishment Prison?"

I humbly replied, "Perhaps... maybe... perhaps she's afraid someone will come and rescue her."

The priest laughed even more gleefully, "Her lover, Gu Shaoting, is already half-dead. Who would come to save her? The sect leader is getting on in years and has a lot to worry about."

I tactfully replied, "Your Excellency is absolutely right."

He suddenly looked down at me, his eyes slightly tipsy and smiling. "I don't usually like to leave people alive... but since you seem to be of some use, I'll keep you for now."

"Thank you, High Priest." I said meekly.

He waved his hand and said lazily, "Go back."

These were the most beautiful words I had ever heard. I was moved to tears, and suppressing my impulse, I respectfully withdrew. Just as I reached the door, a girl in scarlet clothes blocked my way with her sword.

The priest behind me said wearily, "Let her go. I still need her for something."

He withdrew the sword from my neck and I took off running. I ran so fast that I tripped on the threshold and stumbled. I heard the priest chuckle and laugh, and then he became more and more unkind and cheerful.

From afar, you could still hear his shameful laughter: "Little Su Xie seems to be getting interesting..."

Then, quite naturally, I got lost. The extent of the Demonic Cult was beyond my imagination.

I found survival in the Demonic Sect extremely difficult, with beasts lurking at every turn. Just as I was lost and at my wit's end, I heard someone behind me say with slight surprise, "Sister Su Xie?"

My hair stood on end again.

Chapter 5, Part 4

"Sister Su Xie? Is it really you?"

I remember that voice, that name. Isn't that the girl who chased me to the forbidden area?

She quickened her pace, circled around to me, and reached out to take my hand. I instinctively took a step back, and she missed, pausing slightly before her eyes reddened. "Sister Su Xie, I've been looking for you for so long. When I saw you in your room... I thought you..."

Her frail body trembled slightly, her collarbone hunched, and her eyes brimmed with tears, making her look utterly pitiful. I had been too flustered to even see her face clearly before, but now that I could see her clearly, I had to admit that the Demonic Sect was truly teeming with beauties.

The fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl was exceptionally fair-skinned, with teary eyes. She wasn't exactly stunningly beautiful, but she stood before you so delicately, like a white lotus flower.

To be honest, if I had a choice, I would definitely choose her body, and I would never choose Su Xie's infamous and disastrous appearance.

If I hadn't encountered her in the Demonic Cult, I definitely wouldn't have believed she was a member of the Demonic Cult.

"Sister Su Xie, where did you go? I've been looking for you everywhere..." She shed tears with genuine emotion.

But for some reason, I felt a little afraid of her, or perhaps Su Xie himself was averse to her? She had appeared at Su Xie's door earlier, clearly with an expression that showed she knew Su Xie was going to die, and was even a little surprised to hear that Su Xie was still alive. Whatever her mindset, I should be cautious.

I smiled gently and said, "I'm just taking a stroll because I have nothing else to do."

Lotus Sister was a little surprised, but didn't ask any more questions. She just wiped away her tears and smiled, "It's good that you're alright, Sister. It's getting late. Shouldn't you go back and rest?"

I thought it over and decided that I couldn't reveal my identity since I didn't know whether I was friend or foe, so I clutched my chest and cried out in pain.

"Sister!" Lotus Sister rushed to help me, asking anxiously, "Sister, what's wrong?"

I clutched my chest, feeling weak, and said, "I'm suddenly feeling a little dizzy. Could you please help me back?"

She looked at my hand covering my chest with slight surprise. I hurriedly covered my head. She smiled gently and said, "Since you're not feeling well, Sister, then Baizhi, please help you back."

Bai Zhi? What a beautiful name! The person lives up to her name—fresh and refined.

I held her slender hand, not daring to say much, for fear of saying the wrong thing.

She spoke first, asking, "Sister Su Xie, there's something Bai Zhi is unsure whether she should ask..."

Look at that question, so sophisticated! Now even if I shouldn't have asked it, I can't say anything, so I can only give a vague smile.

Seeing my expression, she hesitated and said, "Just now, Changhuan rushed to find me, saying that she saw my sister covered in blood. I thought my sister was injured, but when I got to your room, I saw... the male slave that the priest had just given you this morning was dead... What happened?"

I'm amazed by Lotus Sister's eloquence; in just a few words, she accomplished a clearing, a reminder, and a test.

I guessed she wasn't sure if I was the one she chased into the forbidden courtyard, and she was afraid that I might have seen her, so she made it clear that she went there out of concern.

Then it reminded me that the man who died in my room was a male slave given to me by the priest.

Finally, he subtly probed whether I was the one who killed him.

My brain wasn't working properly, and I didn't know how to respond, so I just mumbled "oh."

She paused for a moment, then smiled aggrievedly, "If you don't want to talk about it, then forget it. I'm just afraid that the High Priest will blame you."

I gave a vague "hmm" in response.

She pursed her lips and stopped talking.

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The journey was awkward and strange, filled with silence. Fortunately, it wasn't too far, and soon I entered a garden. Turning into the corridor, I saw Su Xie's room.

A young man stood at the door. Upon seeing us approach, he knelt down respectfully, accompanied by the clanking of chains. "Miss."

His hands were chained, so he must be a slave. Could he be Changhuan, the one Lotus Sister mentioned earlier? I wasn't sure if I was right, so I didn't dare to speak. I just grunted and walked past him into the house.

The air was thick with the stench of blood; bloodstains covered the floor, and a corpse lay beside the bed. I stood at the threshold, unsure where to step.

Judging from his pale face, the slave boy knelt down at my feet again and said, "Please forgive me, young lady. I dare not clean the house without your permission."

As expected, it was Chang Huan. Lotus Sister stood at the door and kindly said, "Why don't you come to my room to rest first, Sister Su Xie?"

"No need," I refused firmly. Seeing Lotus's face turn pale, I felt it wasn't right to treat her like that, so I softened my tone and added, "I'm not really used to sleeping with women..."

Her face flushed red, then turned pale, the contrast between red and white quite unpredictable. She lowered her eyes and said, "Then... I won't bother you any longer, sister." She then turned and ran away.

Did I say something wrong again? I scratched my head, completely baffled. Staring blankly at the violent scene in the room for a long time, I said to Changhuan at my feet, "This corpse..."