Kai, standing off to the side, felt a chill run down his spine after hearing everything. Curious, he asked, "Young Master, that woman just now asked you to join her. Why didn't you accept? Could've had your fun first, right?"
Veil looked up, easily catching the hidden meaning behind Kai's words.
With a teasing smile, he replied, "Aren't you the one who doesn't like them too young?"
Caught red-handed, Kai scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, I prefer older women, but man, that woman was so damn hot!"
"This Asean is still useful to me. Stop thinking with your lower half."
Veil gave him a brief warning. There were things he didn't bother to explain in detail.
Different strokes for different folks.
He didn't have any issue with Kai's preferences—but that didn't mean he'd indulge them either.
Fanyuan?
Face, maybe an 8 out of 10. Body, tops at 7-something. The kind of woman Veil wouldn't spare a second glance at walking down the street.
And on top of that? She was from a wealthy family.
Probably filthy in every way that mattered.
It wasn't that he only liked innocent girls. He just had a visceral dislike for women like Fanyuan.
Now, give him a slightly more mature one, or maybe a pair of sisters, or one with a little something extra—like a 'rice bowl with everything on top'—well, in those cases, he might be able to tolerate it. Close his eyes, grit his teeth, and maybe accept it.
Time seemed to drag.
Before heading out, Veil turned to Kai and instructed, "Stay here. When that woman gets ready to leave, stop her. Ask Asean if he wants to extend the time. If he says yes, then go all in—drain him for every damn minute you can!"
Opening the door to the private lounge, Veil glanced toward the end of the hallway, catching a glimpse of a disappearing silhouette. A wicked smile tugged at his lips.
This would be his first time meeting Blood Mandala not under the cover of night.
Looked like the bait he'd thrown out yesterday had finally been bitten.
Following behind her, he passed several corners and casually walked into the women's restroom.
There she stood, framed by the window, a beautiful silhouette against the faint light.
The tight black corset around her waist emphasized her killer figure—curves in all the right places, seductive and elegant.
A breeze stirred her long black hair, strands dancing lightly in the air, sending a faint fragrance toward Veil as he approached.
"You're already acting up, and it's not even night yet?"
Veil's sudden voice shattered the quiet, ruining what had been a breathtaking moment of distant gazing.
Blood Mandala turned around—no mask, no attempt to hide her face. Her peach blossom eyes burned with quiet rage.
In front of Veil, she knew pretending to be aloof was pointless. She cut straight to the chase.
"I want you to hand over the lead you promised my sister. And from now on, stay away from her."
Veil raised a brow, his smile turning playful.
Oh?
So Blood Mandala wanted to pull Harvey out of the abyss?
They weren't blood-related, sure—but their bond ran deep.
Still, what did that have to do with him?
Veil wasn't the charitable type.
If you wanted something from him, you'd have to pay for it.
Blood Mandala knew this. Before Veil could say anything, she bit her lip and declared, "Whatever payment you want—I'll give it!"
Veil grabbed her outstretched hand, smirking coldly. "You think the information I have is that cheap? Or do you just think too highly of yourself? If I really wanted that, do you think you'd still be standing here in one piece?"
Payment?
She should be calling it a reward.
Probably just trying to change up the treatment now that she'd built up a resistance to his medical supplies.
Still had the nerve to demand clues? Not a chance!
"What do you want then?!" she snapped, eyes burning with shame and frustration.
Lucky for her, the lounge was still empty. Otherwise, this might have caused quite the scene.
Veil waved lazily. "Get your phone. I'll send you something."
Blood Mandala followed his instruction, and soon her device began downloading a massive file. It took forever to load.
She rolled her eyes in frustration. "Are you serious? Couldn't you have just handed me a document?"
What was this—some kind of show-off move?
Couldn't he just tell her directly?
Veil said nothing, waiting calmly for two or three minutes.
Once the file finally opened, Blood Mandala quickly scanned through it. Her expression turned grim.
"These people… I need you to take care of them. Especially the old heads in these families. Get it done today if possible."
Every name on that list was a stepping stone for Caden Voss—rivals to be slapped down, pieces of his grand show.
Having Veil deal with them one by one was a pain.
Why waste his time when he could be at home playing games with Alice?
Might as well pass the job to a professional like Blood Mandala.
And besides, he'd already tossed the bait out. He hadn't brought this up last night in front of Harvey, knowing she'd definitely oppose it.
But now? Just her. No burden, no moral compass. Perfect.
"You want all of them dead?" Blood Mandala asked coolly, lifting her gaze to meet his.
If he said the word, she could make them all disappear within a day. That's what it meant to be ranked in the top three assassins in the world.
"No need. Just slip this into their food or drinks." Veil pulled a vial from his system's inventory and handed it to her. "Don't overdo it. Too much will kill them."
Why destroy Caden Voss's chances completely?
Better to let him suffer the backlash of losing them slowly—more villain points that way.
Blood Mandala pocketed the vial. "I'm on it."
"Hold on—who said that was the only payment I wanted?" Veil's voice turned mocking.
Blood Mandala's eyes flashed with rage. "You bastard…"
Asking for information was one thing. But all these extra demands? He was clearly using her desperation as leverage, extorting her bit by bit.
Still, no matter how much she cursed inside, she knew—when payment was due, she had to pay it.
…
Deep in the park, the air was quiet, peaceful. Trees cast long shadows beneath the lights. A breeze rustled her hair, bringing with it a faint trace of perfume.
"You know," Veil suddenly spoke, voice low and husky, "I never really liked stars."
Blood Mandala turned, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Why not?"
He stepped forward, crouched in front of her, and gently took her hand resting on her thigh.
"Because they're too far away," he said, eyes locked on hers. "You can see them, but you can't touch them."
He paused, leaning closer. "But you… you're right here."
She froze.
Before she could react, Veil leaned in closer, whispering near her ear, "And I can touch you."
His hand slipped from hers to her waist, pulling her gently but firmly toward him. His fingers slid lower, eventually resting on the curve of her hip—firm, lingering, deliberate.
Blood Mandala's body trembled. She wanted to pull away, but didn't.
"Veil…" she murmured, voice soft and uncertain, a swirl of emotions in her tone.
"Don't be afraid," he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers. "It's just the stars here. They don't talk."
His hand still rested on her, fingers memorizing the shape, exploring.
And then, slowly, his body moved.
Some things were meant to be kissed.
And Veil preferred to use more than just his lips to taste the warmth of her petals.
…
Ding! The Destiny-Blessed Blood Mandala has developed a strong emotional reaction: anger. Congratulations, Villain Points +500!
Some time later…
Blood Mandala looked up, her eyes carrying fear. "Can I leave now?"
"You can," Veil said, then added with a solemn tone, "But before that, let me offer you some criticism."
He reached into his system inventory and pulled out a prize from an earlier lottery—a Planet Cup—and handed it to her.
She stared at it, frowning, uncertain what he was up to now.
"Use this for your training from now on," Veil instructed. "Tastes pretty good. Oh, and no spoons."
Leaving her with that, he turned and headed back to the Emperor Suite.
Asean was already out, sitting on the sofa with a gloomy face. When he heard the door open, he looked up nervously. "Young Master Veil…"
Veil sat beside him with a kind smile, patting his shoulder. "How was it?"
Asean shook his head. "Not great. She was the only one putting on a show. Didn't feel much excitement at all."
"???"
Veil raised a brow, looking him over with amusement.
Asean shivered under his gaze and quickly added, "Too dark!"