Glowing Red

"Me? Me?" The guard took a step back, staring in disbelief at the crimson glow emanating from his body.

It was a red both bewitching and domineering.

The vivid contrast between the red light and his green pants was impossible to miss.

Even in broad daylight, the glow burned so intensely that it seemed to irrefutably mark him as the werewolf.

"I’m not! I swear I’m not! Your Highness, I came with you today—I’m just an ordinary guard!" The guard immediately dropped to his knees, kowtowing frantically before the princess and Kaiaolen.

His voice trembled, on the verge of tears.

"I have a wife… a child… they’re waiting for me at home. I’m not a monster!"

"I… I did come here with this guard, so I recognize him," the princess murmured, hesitating as she watched him prostrate himself before her.

If he really were a monster, why wouldn’t he have attacked her when they were alone earlier?

"Hmm…" Kaiaolen studied the kowtowing guard for a few seconds before shifting his gaze to Ye Chuan. "Sir Xi, the red glow is practically confirmation, isn’t it?"

"Hard to say," Ye Chuan shrugged. "But I trust my magic."

This spell came from Lilith—was there anything unreliable about that woman?

Kaiaolen strode toward the kneeling guard, his expression cold as he reached out and seized the man’s throat.

"Ugh…" The guard choked as Kaiaolen’s grip tightened, his face turning deathly pale.

"My wife… my child…"

"I…"

To anyone watching, he seemed nothing like a monster—just an ordinary man, terrified and helpless.

"Wait." A voice cut through the tension.

It was Ye Chuan. "Hold on a second."

Kaiaolen released his grip, and the guard collapsed to the ground, coughing violently. The others watched with pity, some even casting doubtful glances at Ye Chuan.

If this was a monster, it was the most convincing one they’d ever seen.

"I… I’m not a monster," the guard gasped.

"I believe you," Ye Chuan said, placing a hand on the guard’s shoulder.

The guard froze—along with everyone else nearby.

Wait, weren’t you the one who just accused him?

"Let me check something," Ye Chuan said, his chaotic energy spreading from his palm, coiling around the guard’s body.

At first, nothing happened. Then, the guard’s face began to darken, his eyes rolling back, his mouth stretching open—far wider than any human’s should.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!" A shrill, infant-like shriek tore from his throat.

With a sickening rip, his skin split apart, revealing a towering purple monstrosity—a wolf-like abomination covered in writhing, worm-like tendrils, its head studded with dozens of eyes.

"It really is a monster!"

"It’s true!"

The surrounding guards immediately drew their weapons, charging forward.

The creature let out another ear-piercing screech, its voice still eerily human. "Damn it, what kind of magic is this?!"

It lunged straight for Ye Chuan, recognizing him as the greatest threat—his detection magic was their worst nightmare.

"You’re dying here today!"

Claws slashed toward Ye Chuan’s face, but he didn’t flinch. He merely smirked. "I reckon you can’t even scratch me."

The claws struck his shoulder—and left not a single mark.

"Roar?!" The monster stiffened in shock before bolting toward the manor gates.

It had to escape. It had to warn the others.

"Hmph. Trying to run?" Ye Chuan snorted, raising a hand. "Little dragon, go."

Kaiaolen blinked, realizing the command was for him. Suppressing the urge to impale Ye Chuan with a Dragonfang Strike, he shot forward like a shadow.

In the next instant, Kaiaolen was behind the monster. His hand morphed into a draconic claw, slicing through the air—and the creature’s body—with a single, brutal motion.

"Your detection spell is effective," Kaiaolen said as he returned.

"But… there are too many people to check."

While thrilled that Ye Chuan had found a way to expose the monsters, inspecting every citizen was impossible. The empire was vast, and if some hid among the commonfolk, they’d never be found.

"Just teach other mages," Ye Chuan suggested. "It’s not that complicated."

"You’d share this magic?" Kaiaolen asked, surprised.

Spells were closely guarded secrets—most mages would never teach them unless they took an apprentice.

"I don’t care."

"Sir Xi, you’re truly selfless," Kaiaolen admitted. Princess Irena and Torres looked at Ye Chuan with newfound respect.

"For a price," he added.

Kaiaolen’s expression froze.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Ye Chuan scoffed. "Last night, you asked me to find a way to identify these things. I worked all night, scoured 108,000 ancient texts, and barely managed to uncover this spell. Did you think I’d hand it over for free?"

"That’s fair," Irena conceded, nodding. After such effort, compensation was reasonable.

"Can someone read 108,000 books in one night?" Torres scratched his head.

"…" Kaiaolen knew better than to argue. With the empire in crisis, he cut to the chase.

"The empire is in peril. As one of us—"

"I’m from China," Ye Chuan interrupted.

Kaiaolen paused for half a second before sighing. "How much?"

"Now we’re talking. Not that I’m some greedy miser—hey, what’s with those looks?" Ye Chuan grinned.

"I’ll provide it for free first. Once the empire’s safe, you’ll owe me one favor."

"Sir Xi, what kind of favor?" Irena asked.

"Haven’t decided yet," he said, smirking.

"Could be anything. A bit of gold. Or maybe the princess’s hand in marriage. Who knows?"

Irena lowered her head, the tips of her ears turning red.

Kaiaolen knew this wasn’t the time to haggle. If it meant saving the empire, one favor was a small price.

"Deal. Summon every mage in the city—now!"