Chapter 20: If You Don't Go to Hell, Who Will?
"Flower thief?" Xun'er blinked her wide, glistening eyes in confusion.
Just then, faint footsteps sounded outside the door.
Zu Zong, with his Itachi-enhanced senses, immediately caught it—it was light, subtle. A child's footsteps.
He frowned slightly. "Could it be… Xiao Yan?"
In the original Battle Through the Heavens, it was mentioned that Xiao Yan once spent three years nurturing Xun'er's meridians during her early childhood. Judging by Xun'er's current appearance, she looked around four or five. Could it be… tonight?
With a thought, Zu Zong made a decision.
If he was going to die, he might as well take the risk. All or nothing.
He whispered to Xun'er, "Shh. I'm here to catch a flower thief. Recently, a thief has been sneaking into the girls' rooms in the Xiao Clan—targeting young girls like you."
Xun'er sneered inwardly.
Do I look that easy to fool just because I'm young? She was about to call for Ling Ying to seize this smooth-talking boy when a message arrived via spiritual transmission.
"Miss, he's telling the truth. There is someone sneaking around."
Ling Ying's words stunned her slightly. She looked at Zu Zong again, now half-believing.
She wanted to see just what he was up to tonight.
Creak…
The door opened softly.
A boy, about four or five, crept in like a mouse.
He peeked around. Seeing no one else in the room, his eyes fell upon the bed.
Per Zu Zong's instructions, Xun'er lay down again, feigning sleep. Zu Zong, meanwhile, hid behind the door, watching intently.
If this boy crept silently to Xun'er's bedside, it would confirm he was the flower thief.
The boy moved slowly, cautiously toward the bed.
In the moonlight, Xun'er's sweet, delicate face came into view. The boy stared at her, breathing quickening. Then, he reached out a small hand, fingers trembling.
Zu Zong's eyes turned sharp.
How could he let Xun'er suffer?
In one smooth motion, he leapt behind the boy. A hand chop struck the boy squarely on the neck. The boy hadn't even turned around before his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
"Told you. There really was a flower thief." Zu Zong pointed to the unconscious boy on the ground and gave him a casual kick.
Xun'er got up and lit a candle.
"Xiao Yan?!" she gasped.
The pieces clicked in her mind. Just that morning, he'd been so kind and warm to her.
So it was all fake.
Her expression went cold, and the fondness she'd held for Xiao Yan vanished completely.
Zu Zong, watching Xun'er closely, nodded in satisfaction. "So it really was him. Xiao Yan, you really tried it."
He chuckled inwardly.
Since that's the case… I guess it's time to fulfill the final law of isekai survival in Battle Through the Heavens!
Three Rules of Dou Po Isekai Survival:
Show off.
Flirt.
Wreck Xiao Yan.
There were still around twenty minutes before he'd be forcibly returned to the Douluo Continent. Zu Zong needed to stall.
Feigning rage, though inwardly ecstatic, he turned to Xun'er and asked, "So you know him? Then tell me—how should this flower thief be dealt with?"
Xun'er frowned. She still needed time to locate the ancient jade in the Xiao Clan. Xiao Yan couldn't die yet.
"He's Uncle Xiao Zhan's son. Just teach him a lesson. No need to kill him."
"Perfect." Zu Zong grinned.
That was exactly the permission he needed.
Grabbing the unconscious Xiao Yan with one hand, he bolted from the courtyard, leapt the wall, and found a twisted old tree.
Drawing a kunai, he activated the Uchiha-style "Butcher's Blade Technique."
Slice, slice, rustle.
In just a few breaths, Xiao Yan was stripped bare—like a lamb.
Zu Zong tied him up on the tree, completely exposed, and scrawled on his chest with a bold stroke:
Try it again, and I'll castrate you.
It was a punishment Zu Zong had dreamt up back on Blue Star. A scar on the body, a scar on the soul—Xiao Yan would never forget it.
"Xiao Yan, oh Xiao Yan… if not you, then who? Who else belongs in hell more than you?"
Still unsatisfied, Zu Zong tied him up with tortoise-shell bondage, slapped a note on him, and wrote:
A shameless brat. Broke into a girl's room. Had evil intent.
Caught and punished on the spot.
Try again, and you lose more than just your clothes.
"Alright. Looks good." Zu Zong nodded in satisfaction.
"One shame though. I didn't see that damn ring. I stripped him down to his soul, and there's still no sign of it. Maybe he's too young and hasn't gotten it yet…"
Honestly, humiliating Xiao Yan wasn't the goal.
He just wanted the ring. That precious artifact from the novel.
But alas—he'd come too early.
Back in the room, Xun'er listened to Ling Ying's full report. Her cheeks flushed pink.
"That big brother… is way too mean."
Ten minutes later, Zu Zong returned, perfectly satisfied, as if nothing had happened.
Only ten minutes remained before the system would return him to the Douluo Continent.
He had no intention of running.
Even if he tried, his current strength couldn't fool the stronger members of the Xiao Clan. He might get past a few Dou Grandmasters, but definitely not someone like Ling Ying—a peak Dou Emperor.
In the room, it was just Xun'er again.
Ling Ying had already vanished into the shadows.
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