"What's wrong?" Aina climbed onto Xia Lun's body, "What are you thinking about, Xia Lun?"
The battle had just ended.
The hero had worked hard to carve out a future where Liyana still lived, right from Aina's grasp.
As for tonight's... service, Aina was quite satisfied—though, to be fair, there wasn’t a single day she wasn’t satisfied.
"I was thinking... about the Blood Pact."
According to the information obtained from that drug peddler, it was the Blood Pact that supplied them with the addictive substance.
"Isn’t the Blood Pact an assassin organization? Would they really break their usual rules for something like this?" Xia Lun glanced at Aina, who was currently adjusting her position to lie more comfortably on top of him.
Eventually, she interlaced her fingers with his, her body completely overlapping with his, like a second skin.
"I’m not sure either," Aina shook her head. "As an assassin organization, the Blood Pact is a mixed bag... I haven’t had much dealings with them."
"Does the Blood Pact have influence among the elves too?"
"Xia Lun... while I know many things, I’m not omniscient. I only know what I know, you see." Aina licked Xia Lun’s cheek.
"Then what else do you know, Aina?"
"I only know... how to make us feel even better right now."
Aina let out a soft moan, her expression a mix of pain and pleasure.
"Alright, now we can get back to business," Aina murmured, pressing herself tightly against Xia Lun’s chest.
"Uh... we’re discussing things like this?"
Xia Lun’s gaze drifted downward—their bodies were pressed together without a single gap between them.
"Just say what you need to say. Ask whatever you want. As long as it’s something I... something I can tell you, I’ll answer." Aina’s eyes were blissfully half-lidded, wholly absorbed in the sensation of Xia Lun beneath her.
With one foot already stepping into paradise, Xia Lun struggled to pull his focus back.
"Aina... ah—A-Aina, what do you know about the Blood Pact’s leader...?"
Before the gates of heaven, countless pristine angelic hands seemed to reach out, pulling him deeper inside.
Aina smirked triumphantly—the hero had underestimated her. Even without an intense battle, she could still dictate the rhythm with deadly precision.
"Mmm... the Blood Pact’s leader... ah... I think... his name was... my mind’s blank right now... can’t quite recall..."
Aina seemed to have forgotten that when she took the initiative to tease Xia Lun, she was subjecting herself to the same torment.
Their serious discussion was cut short as something far more important took precedence.
The two embraced tightly, as if trying to merge into one.
Xia Lun no longer hesitated, surrendering himself fully to paradise.
The greedy demon king was no longer satisfied with just this and began demanding more.
Life was about movement, not stillness.
However, this battle didn’t last long—after all, they had already been in combat mode earlier.
Aina lay motionless on top of Xia Lun.
"Ah, I remember now. The Blood Pact’s leader... his name was Luo Lun," Aina suddenly lifted her head and said.
Xia Lun: "..."
Impressive how she could seamlessly return to the previous topic.
"Luo Lun is an extremely skilled assassin. He once fought Dorian and even managed to wound him slightly."
"Oh?" Xia Lun raised an eyebrow. Aina had previously confessed to him about her schemes within the royal family to better control this world.
And every one of her subordinates—the vampire dukes—possessed formidable strength.
"Luo Lun attempted to assassinate the king and nearly succeeded... It was only because of a defensive artifact I had bestowed that the king survived. Dorian arrived afterward and drove him off. Even in direct combat, that Luo Lun was nearly Dorian’s equal."
Aina nuzzled her cheek against Xia Lun’s chest. They had just finished, so there was little fear of a third round starting immediately.
"Assassinating a king? The Blood Pact would go that far?" Xia Lun clicked his tongue.
"Luo Lun seemed to have noticed that the kings of the last few generations were all Olega in disguise... But that assassination attempt was never exposed. Both Olega’s identity and Luo Lun’s act of regicide were highly sensitive matters. Even if Olega were dethroned, the Blood Pact would face annihilation... So the only ones who knew about it were Dorian, Olega, and Luo Lun."
"And you," Xia Lun tapped Aina’s nose, pointing out her omission. Aina playfully stuck out her tongue, only for Xia Lun to immediately capture it with his lips.
Aina let out a soft whimper before despairingly realizing that, in just that brief moment, Xia Lun seemed to have regained his vigor.
However, Xia Lun showed no intention of tormenting her further, much to Aina’s relief.
"Actually... by your standards, Xia Lun, Luo Lun might not be a bad person," Aina said softly.
"Oh?" Xia Lun was surprised.
"Because of that assassination attempt, I personally sent out my blood bats to monitor him for a while," Aina explained. "Luo Lun lived under an alias, leading a very ordinary life... He also restrained his subordinates, refusing certain contracts and avoiding unnecessary killings. Corrupt nobles and merchants despised him, fearing they might be his next target... while some commoners revered him as a hero."
Xia Lun stroked his chin—no rough stubble there.
His thoughts drifted to Miss Elesha... back then, she had been targeted by a Blood Pact assassin on the road.
"Tch, Xia Lun, are you thinking about another girl right now? Your wife is still lying on top of you." Aina jabbed Xia Lun’s firm abs, only to find them already tensed and unyielding. Frustrated, she retaliated by biting his ear sharply—her fierce demeanor making it hard to believe this was the Demon King.
Aina truly understood him perfectly, instantly guessing his thoughts.
Xia Lun coughed awkwardly. "I could never have any thoughts about Miss Elesha."
"As nobles, they may appear righteous on the surface, but they’ve surely done dirty deeds behind the scenes... especially that old hag Lanxia. They definitely fit the Blood Pact’s assassination criteria." Aina snorted. "Of course, that Blood Pact assassin you killed wasn’t a good man either—just a mercenary doing his job."
"You’re right."
Not everything could be neatly categorized as right or wrong. The world wasn’t just black and white—it was mostly gray.
Xia Lun stared straight at Aina. It wasn’t surprising that the Demon King would admire Luo Lun—his methods likely aligned well with Aina’s tastes.
"Hah, who knew you’d take such an interest in another man?" Xia Lun said, his voice dripping with jealousy—after all, possessiveness wasn’t Aina’s exclusive trait. "And you watched him for so long too."
"What are you talking about, Xia Lun?"
Aina blinked in confusion.
"Luo Lun is a woman."