At that moment, the game system dinged. Qiu Yunru checked his menu. There was a new notification.
ATTENTION: Medium difficulty quest, "Save the Abused Nephew!" must be completed before sunrise. Noncompliance will result in reduction of 100 reputation points.
Qiu Yunru's face turned whiter than a ghost's. Lately, he'd had no blood in his head anymore from all the shocks he'd had to endure! He smacked the menu. "You can't do that! What is this? Is this the new DLC? That's bad business! That's exploitation! That's relying on the strong to bully the weak!"
At that moment, the system dinged again.
ATTENTION: New quest requirement dropped. To complete "Save the Abused Nephew!", player must use poison. Good luck!
WHAT?!
Qiu Yunru kicked and pinched the game menu like it owed him money, but it was no use. He grabbed his head, massaging his temples once again in the darkness of the hallway. Was this really a better life than the one he'd just come from...? He was being asked to killed someone!
By the time Qiu Yunru returned to the dining room, he had calmed down somewhat. Pan Fa was eagerly talking to Li Fengguang about the Jade Clouds Sect and its revered master, He Yongliang. "You should see him! Shizun is so refined and powerful! I've never seen someone with such grace and...and that kind of feeling around them!"
Thankfully, Li Fengguang was too giddy to be suspicious about Qiu Yunru's slight stiffness. This boy, Pan Fa--he was the perfect target! Young, naive, excitable, and admirable of wealth and power...If he could influence this kid, he'd be able to wheedle his way into the sect's affairs. The gods truly had smiled on him today! Though, this other kid, Qiu Yunru...Li Fengguang felt a slight sour taste in his dry mouth. He didn't seem to be as gullible. In fact, he was slightly intimidating, with a face that revealed little emotion. What a pity...
After the meal was completed, Li Fengguang coaxed the two of them to stay and drink with him, but Qiu Yunru declined with the excuse that they needed to rest for the journey to the Jade Clouds Sect's Li Hua Mountain. Li Fengguang switched tactics; he invited them to stay the night. Qiu Yunru declined, saying that he would feel too much a burden, and that in representing the Jade Clouds Sect, they must not encroach on others' space (a bullshit answer--what did that even mean?! But delivered calmly, Li Fengguang thought it reasonable). Li Fengguang at last sent them off with a token that would allow them to enter his estate at any time. "If you need help, don't hesitate to contact this lord. It is my joy to provide guidance to the youth!"
Finally, Qiu Yunru and Pan Fa made it out. Qiu Yunru wiped sweat off his brow. That had been like trying to get out of the lair of a succubus that tried every method to coax you into staying! Only, this succubus was ugly and had no charm at all. Unfortunately, Pan Fa seemed to think differently. His eyes shone all the way back to the inn, and he babbled on and on about "Lord Li's" noble demeanor, wise advice, and golden dishes. After a while, Qiu Yunru couldn't take it anymore. He flicked Pan Fa on the forehead as they reached the inn.
"You need to be careful, kid--ahem, shidi. Men like that know how to manipulate kids. He seems like the greasy type. Don't get too close to him, okay?"
Pan Fa's face went pale, and he rubbed his head. "Shixiong...really thinks Lord Li is a bad person?"
"Just trust me." Obviously, a person who could beat up his nephew to that extent was the worst kind of person!
Qiu Yunru then went inside the inn. He paused, looking around. Where had that kid gone? He peeked his head out of the inn door to see Pan Fa still standing there, rubbing his forehead.
"What are you doing out here? Aren't you coming in?"
Pan Fa looked down sheepishly, kicking at the dirt. Qiu Yunru's heart melted once again--what a classic, "I'm just a kid" cuteness tactic! Pan Fa pointed to the road. "I usually sleep on the street. It doesn't bother me at all! Shixiong shouldn't worry!"
"Are you crazy?" Qiu Yunru pinched Pan Fa's ear. "Come inside. Even if I'm poor because you made me spend all my money today, you can share my room." What kind of sect brother would he be if he sent this kid out to the streets for the night when he had a perfectly good room inside? He didn't see Pan Fa's eyes well up with tears of gratitude and awe as he dragged the kid up the stairs--but he did hear this kid's chirping professions of admiration all the way.
Now came the difficult part.
Pan Fa fell asleep quickly, being unused to sleeping in such a soft bed. As he snored, Qiu Yunru paced the room, deep in thought. There were at least eight hours before sunrise. If he had to make a poison, he would have enough time. But did he really have to kill Li Fengguang? It wasn't that he didn't think that withered piece of dog shit deserved it, but that a death could launch a murder investigation. Also, it was different killing someone on a computer and killing them right in front of you, okay? The thought made Qiu Yunru's hands a little clammy. He checked the requirement notifications again and again, thinking.
Suddenly, an idea came to him.
Perhaps he didn't have to kill tonight after all.