Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 82: Master

The sudden appearance of Lord Liu, the City Lord, was as warm and affable as ever. Yet to You Su, his voice felt like a death knell.

To You Su, it seemed as though all other sounds in the world had vanished, leaving only the relentless pounding of his own heartbeat. It reminded him of the first time he met Elder Ling—a deep, overwhelming sense of unease washed over him.

Too many coincidences clung together like resin gluing broken shards of glass, forcing mismatched pieces into an unnatural whole.

The citizens revered Lord Liu for his unwavering dedication over sixty years. His kindly old man persona ran so deep that no one would ever suspect him. But You Su was different. You Su was blind, and his lack of security made him instinctively distrustful of everyone except those closest to him.

Though every action taken by Lord Liu could be explained away logically, You Su couldn’t shake the feeling of discomfort gnawing at him.

Three people had left the city together, but only Lord Liu returned—and upon returning, he chose to hide himself, claiming he needed to stay in the shadows to root out a supposed traitor. Only the Sect Leader Bai knew about this plan. And then Bai suddenly produced an array that sealed off the mist—but at the cost of blocking the exits. If he had such an array, why hadn’t he used it earlier?

And what about the abandoned Peace Cave? When Ji Lingruo and he emerged from there, they didn’t notice anything unusual about the tunnels or chambers. In fact, walls had been deliberately built across the passages leading elsewhere, as if to ensure no one would flee to the Peace Cave during a disaster instead of heading to the Auspicious Cave.

If the Peace Cave truly had issues, why not repair it instead of digging a new cave beneath the City Lord’s residence? It would have been cheaper and easier.

Uncle Liu claimed that the Peace Cave had been abandoned by his grandfather’s generation—calculating the timeline, that would place its abandonment around fifty or sixty years ago, right during Lord Liu’s tenure as City Lord!

You Su glanced back at the ancient-looking City Lord’s residence. Even through his blurred vision, he could almost sense a faint malevolence emanating from it. The sensation brought him back to the night he fought Elder Ling.

A chill crept up from the soles of his feet, freezing him to the core. Forcing himself to remain calm, You Su spoke, “Is that you, Lord Liu?”

“Silly child, have you forgotten my voice already? It’s unsafe out here. Lead your Junior Sister and follow me inside quickly. Zhou Li is losing his mind looking for you.” Lord Liu smiled warmly, appearing every bit the caring elder who doted on the younger generation.

“Inside…?” You Su muttered absentmindedly, his thoughts scattered.

What exactly was Lord Liu’s goal in gathering everyone together?

Divine Revelation Cloud! Lord Liu must also be after that!

An even bolder theory began forming in You Su’s mind… Everyone trapped in this Auspicious Cave might be nothing more than offerings!

Called the Auspicious Cave, yet it might bring anything but auspiciousness!

“Exactly,” Lord Liu interrupted, feigning surprise while breaking You Su’s train of thought. His eyes grew dark and unreadable.

You Su snapped out of his reverie, lowering his head with a long sigh, “Lord Liu doesn’t know… My master’s wife is still missing. Before departing, my master entrusted her care to me. Until I find her, I cannot rest easy…”

“Alas, how many families in this city have been torn apart? Surely your master’s wife wouldn’t want you risking your life searching for her. Time is short; come with me now.”

With that, Lord Liu gestured twice, turned halfway, and took a step forward. Seeing You Su hesitate, he glanced back at the overly composed young man, narrowing his eyes slightly, “You’re determined to keep searching for her out here?”

You Su said nothing, merely nodding firmly to convey his resolve.

“You Su, regardless of whether you can find her, do you truly believe you’ll survive outside once you do?”

“Even in death, a family should die together.”

“The Auspicious Cave will soon become inaccessible. If you don’t enter now, you’ll never get another chance.”

“You Su and Junior Sister seek peace of mind,” You Su replied, bowing deeply.

“I understand your decision,” Lord Liu nodded. “Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you, Lord Liu.” With that, You Su prepared to leave this uneasy place with Ji Lingruo.

“Wait.” Lord Liu suddenly called out, stopping You Su in his tracks.

You Su froze, his heart pounding violently. “Does Lord Liu need something else?”

“Searching for someone isn’t easy. Take some provisions.” From his sleeve, Lord Liu pulled out a piece of dried meat wrapped in oil paper. He weighed it in his hand briefly before tossing it toward You Su. “Catch.”

You Su felt a slight relief. He’d feared Lord Liu wouldn’t let them go so easily. It seemed the City Lord hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

The dried meat arced gracefully through the air. However, due to the mist hindering spiritual awareness, You Su had to focus intently to track its trajectory and avoid letting it fall.

But just as he reached out to catch it, something far faster than the dried meat shot toward him—a sinister finger strike imbued with overwhelming energy.

By the time You Su sensed it, dodging was impossible. All he could do was tense every fiber of his being to resist the incoming attack. But his hasty defense was no match for Lord Liu’s premeditated assault. The energy pierced through You Su’s defenses effortlessly, sending him flying backward until he crashed into the wall of the City Lord’s residence.

Chunks of shattered masonry rained down, burying You Su under their weight.

Ji Lingruo rushed to dig him out. Gasping for breath, You Su struggled free, revealing a thumb-sized hole in his right shoulder. Crimson blood soaked through his black robes.

“To think you managed to dodge that—you’re quite the capable blind man.”

Lord Liu strolled closer, leisurely and unhurried, like a cat observing a crippled rat. His expression radiated absolute confidence.

You Su steadied himself, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword. “What does Lord Liu mean by this?”

“It’s too dangerous out here. Your master entrusted me with your care. I can’t stand idly by while you throw your life away.” Lord Liu’s tone was sanctimonious.

“Has Lord Liu always been such a joker?” You Su pressed a hand against his bleeding wound, his brows furrowed with icy disdain.

“This isn’t a joke. This is fulfilling a promise to an old friend.”

“But my master never considered you a friend. I remember him telling me explicitly: among all the people of Chuyun City, Lord Liu is the one person not to trust—a cunning and despicable rat.”

Lord Liu’s face stiffened, as though recalling an unpleasant memory. He halted his advance, his sleeves fluttering from the escaping spiritual energy within him. Raising his right hand again, he condensed his power into another burst of energy, aiming it squarely at You Su, “If it were any other day, you could go wherever you pleased. But after today’s massacre, every remaining life is precious. Chuyun City cannot endure further losses. As long as you live, I will bring you back. You must return.”