The Finger Goddess

[MissAlbedo]

Grand Inspector Lin looked at her. "Marry me!"

"Excuse me, what?"

Emperor Jinling stared up at her with pleading puppy eyes. "You smell like my grandmother. Can I sniff you?"

What is going on?

Mai is thrown back to ancient China and must start her life anew with a brutal but magical twist - The Finger System - and live as a man. It becomes even more difficult when she is conscripted into the imperial army against her will. Follow Mai as she navigates from a stalking emperor to the discovery of the corrupt side within the Immortal Palace.





1. When Life Gives You Lemon



Mai slowly opened her eyes and was met by a woman and a man staring down at her.

"Oh my, her head looks quite small. Was she born prematurely?" asked the woman in a worried voice, furrowing her brows.

"Hmm, she looks fine, but you're right. Her head is very small. I hope it won't affect her intelligence in the future." replied the man, also wearing a concerned expression.

What the hell are they talking about?

Mai blinked and reached her arms up towards them but was shocked when she couldn't see her own arms.

What the hell? Where are they?

She became irritated and overwhelmed with emotions. Something broke inside her, and she began to cry loudly. A shrill baby voice emerged.

Huh? What's this? Why am I crying like a baby?

"Come to mama." the woman suddenly said, lowering her arms towards Mai and lifting her up to her chest.

Argh! Go away, you stupid woman.

Mai struck hard at the breasts, but they remained where they were, large and firm. Ugh, she became annoyed and was about to cry again but suddenly felt something being thrust into her mouth.

"Mmm." It feels quite comfortable now.

Ugh. I'm sucking on breasts. Gross!

Mai hit the chest hard, causing the woman to exclaim loudly, "Oh my, my little daughter is energetic. There's spunk in her."

The man suddenly sighed deeply and poked Mai on the cheek.

"Too bad it wasn't a boy. I was so sure."

Sure? Sperm isn't a certainty!

Mai swung her arm hard at him, but it ended up as a gentle tickle on his cheek, making him smile lightly.

What the fuck happened to me?

Mai went to bed early so that she could take her dog out the next morning before going to work.

Is this still a dream?

Nine years later, in February, Mai sat in the garden glaring at her tutor, who sat with furrowed brows, staring at her. She looked to the right where her twin sister, Anni, sat with a middle-aged woman, her mentor, one from the court. They drank tea and discussed while Anni tried to paint. Mai loved to draw as a child and felt that this was pure torture. Anni was born with a square face with distinct masculine jaws, and her skin was dark, and she had a large head. She looked exactly like their father. Mai, on the other hand, had inherited her mother's feminine petite features, and it scared her that she looked like herself when she was a child in her previous world. She had now accepted that this was her life now, even though it was difficult.

Her tutor slammed the table hard with his black brush.

"Focus! What did Confucius say..."

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Mai interrupted in a docile voice without looking up at him.

Why do I have to learn about Confucius when Anni can sit there and draw? It was unfair.

She pouted, puffing her cheeks, and glaring at her tutor.

"That sentence suits you well."

The tutor struck her hand hard, and Mai felt a tender blow on her nails. She gritted her teeth and massaged her fingers. She sighed deeply and stared at the old scrolls on the table in front of her.

She had ended up in ancient China or something similar because everyone had mysterious Xianxia names or Chinese names and roamed around in flowing robes, a hanfu she only knew from reading too much Xianxia and Wuxia novels. She thought she was dreaming at first but dared not commit suicide because what if she died?

Mai was from the Liu family where her father, the leader, Liu Chenglong, and her perverse mother, Liu Meiyun, resided. Yes, perverse was the correct word to describe her. Even at this age, she forced Mai to drink breast milk, which puzzled her. How had her mother managed to produce breast milk in her body when she wasn't pregnant anymore?

Mai had not yet been given a name since her parents didn't know what to do with her because of her small head. Instead, she had been given the nickname "Little Lump" until they found a suitable name for her.

Mai simply called them mother and father because she felt no emotional connection to them – just like her parents from her previous world.

They never spent time with her and only focused on Anni. According to them, Mai was dumb, so there had been a private tutor on the side she could talk to. The world was called Earth, just like the Earth Mai was from, so it was surreal. At the age of 5, Mai had run out of a rabbit hole in a zoo, but when she came out, there was a big boy who had jumped down on her and landed on her head, her skull got a proper gash that bled. She was taken to the emergency room, and since then, her parents thought she had become dumb because she couldn't keep up with the private elite school. They always apologized to the teachers that it was the head injury that had impaired her brain function.

Is this fate laughing at me?

"Are there two Earths?" she muttered quietly.

Her dog was probably nothing but skin and bones now. She missed him every day and broke into a long sigh. He was only 3 years old when she came here.

The same afternoon when Mai got a break, she would go to the river to throw stones in the water, which was a way to clear her mind. She had just passed the window to the living room when she heard the tutor's voice mentioning her name. Her heart skipped a beat, and she stopped and stood right by the edge of the window, listening carefully.

"Your daughter is far too slow to learn. Either it's because she's not interested or it's simply because she's not intelligent enough."

Liu Meiyun sighed deeply and said, "Tch. I knew it; she was born a deformity. That little head was a sign. We should have done something about her long ago."

"Meiyun, she is just a child. Let's wait until she grows older." said Liu Chenglong in a gentle voice.

"Little Lump, what are you doing?" The gardener stood and stared at Mai, who had a rake in his hand.

"I'm feeling the cold building. The sun is warm." she replied and hurried towards the stream.

It was large, and on the other side lay a lush forest with dark green mountains where the tops kissed the mist.

Mai sat down and threw small stones into the water.

*Plop*

She became irritated every time she thought about her head. She fumbled with her right hand and collected a bunch of small stones, squeezing them tightly.

"What are you doing?" To her left stood suddenly a boy wearing a white robe.

His black hair was tied up in a knot and they seemed to be the same age. His clothes were clean, and his skin was flawless with dark eyes that had a turquoise and purple glow. They somewhat resembled a galaxy.

Mai stood up, brushed her bottom, and walked over to him. She studied him carefully and looked around. There was no one else present. This was the Liu clan's territory, and no one had permission to enter.

She furrowed her brows. "Are you lost Young Master? You're on forbidden grounds."

The boy raised his right eyebrow and replied in a flat tone "Really? I can do as I please. What were you doing before?"

Mai didn't like his attitude, but his company was a hundred times better than her fake family.

"Throwing stones so I don't kill anything else." she answered and bent down. She picked up a handful of small stones and threw them into the stream.

*Plop Plop Plop*

"Just kill something else instead. There are animals in the forest." said the boy pointing to the other side of the stream.

"I carry no weapons, and nobody teaches me anything except literature. My sister has a mentor visiting who teaches her to become a court lady." Mai said suddenly feeling irritated.

She didn't want to be a court lady, yet they were treated differently.

What if they dump me in a pleasure house?

"Fuck my life!" she exclaimed loudly and turned around but before she could run home she suddenly felt the boy grab her left hand.

She looked at him in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"What does that 'fuck' you said mean?" he asked in a curious voice.

Fuck! He's a quick learner!

Mai had forgotten that they didn't use that expression in ancient China.

"It means you've messed something up or something is messing you up."

The boy looked at her and then at the large mansion building behind her.

"Is it wise for you to go home now?"

Mai furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"

"You've messed something up. Shall I help you escape?"

The boy's offer was tempting, and Mai hesitated for a moment.

She wasn't dumb.

If she got caught which was 100% likely worse things would happen to her than death – The flower house. She let go of his hand and bowed deeply to him.

"Thank you so much for your offer Young Master but I'm afraid I can't. My break is almost over. Have a good day."

She hurried to run towards the mansion feeling her heart crawling up her throat.

Was it a mistake to decline him?

The boy looked at his hand and rubbed his fingers.

"So 'fuck' is a word one can use. Maybe I should try it."

He chuckled, bent down, and picked up a clump of stones. He threw them into the stream.

"Fuck the Imperial House and its rules! Everyone can kiss my ass!"

"Crown Prince, there you are. Thank goodness we found you." A eunuch came running towards him panting.

He was dressed in a yellow robe and wore a black hat. Behind him two others ran just as breathlessly and behind them a large group of people dressed in military attire carrying swords walked slowly.

The boy looked up at them and said, "Why do you keep bothering me all the time? Can't I have a moment of peace to gather my thoughts?"

"You've been here for a long time already," replied the eunuch catching his breath.

He reached out his hand. "Shall we go back, Crown Prince?"

The boy furrowed his brows and replied in a cold voice, "If I said no would you still drag me away?"

He sighed, swatted the hand away and walked off with the group. He cast one last glance at the stream and the mansion and narrowed his eyes.

"The Liu family has two daughters. I wonder which one she was." he muttered looking at his left hand.

He could still feel the warmth of the girl's hand.

A smile spread across his lips. "This trip wasn't in vain after all. It's a good thing I listened to my mother this time."

When Mai returned to the garden the tutor and her parents were waiting for her. She thought they would scold her and quickly knelt placing her head on the grass. She waited nervously.

Have I come back too late? I'm sure I was on time.

"Little Lump. Have you been by the stream as usual?" asked her mother in a soft voice that would make Mai weak in the knees if she were a man.

She dared not answer and chose to remain silent.

There was silence for a moment before her father spoke.

"We've been too harsh on you in the past years. Mother would like to make it up to you and has prepared a surprise for you."

He looked behind Mai where the stream was. "You love that stream so we thought you'd like to see where the water comes from."

Mai had actually always wondered what it looked like on the other side of the mountain where the stream flowed.

"I would love to Father. Thank you very much."

"Come Little Lump. It's a short trip." said the mother and Mai walked with her towards a large hill leading into a cave area.

There was the sound of rushing water roaring loudly. At the top of the cave was a small path leading to a huge waterfall with a beautiful view down to the stream which looked like a snake winding its way. There were dark green tall slender mountains reminiscent of Hạ Long Bay.

"We can call it the Magic Snake. It grants wishes but only if you sacrifice something in return."

The mother stood behind Mai who was completely captivated by the view.

She had a fear of heights and felt a cold rush in her stomach. They were so high up that she couldn't see the bottom of the waterfall and there was fog at the top.

"How far down is it Mother?" asked Mai as her heart pounded rapidly.

"Far."

"I wish you were never born."

Huh?

Mai was about to turn around. She felt a hard push on her back and suddenly a cold wind passed grabbing her throat and pulling her over the waterfall. She slid on the wet rock and fell. The wind pricked her stomach and her skin stung as if something was trying to tear her face off. Her clothes and hair fluttered, and she felt shivers and froze. The air was thin and icy cold, and Mai struggled to breathe. Adrenaline pumped and her heart pounded hard. She gritted her teeth and stretched out her arms. With difficulty she managed to tilt her head upward and saw her mother standing with a devilish grin. She turned around and disappeared.

Is this the end then? Just take me already!



She looked down at the stream now resembling a living snake. Its body glowed and turned into a green color. It moved towards her resembling a hologram.

She kept falling for several minutes and closed her eyes.

Some said you should embrace death, but Mai hadn't reached that age yet.

*Splash*

She felt a hard blow to her stomach and received a thorough belly flop that took her breath away. She opened her eyes and saw water. She sank and felt a terrible burning pain in her abdomen curling up into a ball. This was worse than the belly flop from the diving board in elementary school. The water was icy cold, and the current was strong pulling her in a specific direction. She tried to swim and surfaced occasionally to catch her breath, but it was difficult. The water kept dragging her down and she got water everywhere. Her stomach had a piercing pain, and she was sure there was significant damage.

"Help me!" she shouted in a hoarse voice.

She choked on water and tasted something foul which she spat out.

*Crack*

Her head hit something hard, and she was about to lose consciousness. She forced her eyes open and suddenly she glimpsed a person on the other side and cried out for help. The person didn't react and walked away. Mai tried again and this time the person looked at her. It blurred for her, and she closed her eyes and everything turned black.

Mai felt a hard blow to her chest and abruptly opened her eyes. She was met with a blue sky. She coughed up all the water and her body shook violently. She was freezing and everything around her felt icy cold.

"You have a strong will. The river wanted you but you refused to give up."

There stood a middle-aged man in front of her with a brown wooden staff. He wore a light blue robe and had short black beard and hair with a stern face.

"Ugh. So cold" Mai curled up into a ball her teeth chattering violently. ¨

Her body couldn't stop shaking and she tried to shut out everything around her for a moment. She closed her eyes and relaxed her body. She stopped shaking and opened her eyes.

"Thank you, sir, for saving me."

She knelt and pressed her forehead to the ground. Water droplets dripped down, and her breathing was heavy.

I almost drowned.

Suddenly she felt pain on the right side of her head. She felt blood and something else gooey. A green plant had lodged itself in the wound.

"Let me see properly." said the man and she looked up at him.

He studied her face and glanced up at the waterfall squinting.

"You must be the Liu family's daughter."

"Not anymore." Mai grunted feeling a stabbing pain in her heart. Her head was injured but her heart hurt more.


"Do you want revenge?" The man suddenly asked his tone shifting.

Mai wasn't a vengeful person and shook her head. If she died she would haunt them from her grave.

"If they dispose of you in that manner do you not think they have done other things?" The man persisted.

Mai didn't really know her parents, so she felt no connection to them.

Why waste time on them?

"What concern is it of mine what they have done to other people?"

"Your twin sister is being raised to be a court lady, but they've literally thrown you out. Do you really feel nothing inside? Why aren't you angry about your treatment? Are you even human?"

Everyone in Thousand Blossom City knew about the Liu family and her sister but no one knew she existed. Mai was the black sheep. It was just like in her previous world. She broke into a long sigh. Suddenly overwhelmed by emotions tears welled up.

"I'm tired of fighting a battle I can't win. Everyone judges me and I can't perform better than my sister. Nothing is fair in the world." She sniffled tasting bitterness.

At least she wasn't bullied here as she had been in the previous world, but this was just as bad. They had tried to kill her. If she hadn't survived she might have been truly dead. She felt a pit in her stomach and suddenly became afraid.

"What about my dog who is probably dead now?" She muttered softly.

She stood up and brushed the dirt off her clothes as best she could.

"There are many ways to seek revenge but how do I become strong?"

"If you disguise yourself as a boy and join the military more doors will open than if you were a girl" the man replied.

Mai thought the idea was good, but she feared one thing. She was afraid of being beheaded if discovered. She wasn't interested in a Mulan plot right now.

"Everyone knows the Liu family and I resemble my mother."

"The Liu family has cut all ties with you and no one knows what you'll look like as an adult. With a little adjustment I can easily disguise you. Are you interested? The choice is yours." the man said waiting for her decision.

Mai nodded and approached him.

"It's ironic that as a child I wished to be born a boy." she muttered softly.

She hadn't been super lucky with her magical time travel.

"I didn’t sign up for this crap."

"If God gives me crap then I'll use it as best I can."

They walked along the river and suddenly stopped at a random spot. The man stooped by the water's edge and tapping the surface with his right index finger.

*ping ping ping*

White ripples formed on the water, and he stepped onto the nearest one beginning to walk with Mai following. They didn't sink into the water and their feet didn't touch it at all. It looked like they were flying.

"He's like a god!" Mai murmured completely mesmerized.

I hit the jackpot by falling over the waterfall. Ha! Ha! Ha!

 

[MissAlbedo]

2. Cupid Call



Over the next couple of days, Mai stayed with the mysterious man who only introduced himself as a mysterious person, so she had named him Mr. M. They lived outside the Thousand Blossom City in the mountains in a simple little primitive red temple building where Mai took care of all the household chores. It was the least she could do because he had saved her. She had never cooked Chinese food before, only Japanese, so it was an eye-opener for her to be taught by Mr. M himself. His chicken soup with wide noodles tasted heavenly. There had been no change in her identity, and she still wore women's clothing.

But today she was extremely excited because Mr. M had promised to show her a secret.

"Are you ready to learn something from me, my disciple?" asked Mr. M, standing in the garden, which was part of the large forest belonging to the mountains behind.

Mai nodded and he slowly approached her showing her his right palm. He stretched out his fingers, so they were clearly visible. They had no wrinkles despite his age, and she sensed something otherworldly about them.

"We humans use our hands for many things but did you know that each finger has a symbolism depending on which culture we come from?"

He moved his slender fingers as if they were dancing magical steps and Mai swore she saw golden thin waves emanating from them. Her heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed a lump in her throat.

"I once had a friend who loved the spiritual and could read palms. There was definitely a fortune teller in her."

Her friend Felice was a priest's daughter and lived on the other side of a cemetery and she loved playing with board games during girls' nights which terrified Mai. Her large house only made it worse. As an adult Mai found out that it was an Ouija board they had used as children that still scared her for life.

Mr. M flicked his pinkie finger. "It symbolizes intelligence and communication."

He flicked his ring finger. "Commitment, emotional, bonding."

He flicked his middle finger. "Responsibility, protection and individuality."

He flicked his index finger. "Authority, ambition and leadership."

He flicked his thumb. "Power, strength and dominance."

Mai was completely captivated. Is he some kind of a finger god?

"I'm all ears master. Tell me more." she said becoming excited.

Her heart beat faster and she moved her fingers like him.

"I am no god just an old man. I have no heirs so is that something you are interested in?" he asked looking deep into her eyes.

Mai hesitated when she heard his question because she was afraid to accept his hand.

I can't walk around with man's hands.

What on earth would she inherit?

She felt a scratching sensation in her throat and coughed.

She cleared her throat and asked, "If I say yes will I become as strong as you?"

"Strength can mean many things. One can be physically and mentally strong so what do you see as strong?" he asked pulling his hand back.

Mai suddenly became unsure. Martial arts looked cool, but didn't warriors always struggle with something else like communication? Many of them seemed rather... plain.

"One needs both but not everyone has them."

"Correct and that's why the world is as it is now. You don't like violence so I don't intend to teach you martial arts." Mr. M now showed her both of his palms.

Mai furrowed her brows and looked at his left hand. She had no idea what was about to happen, and a master would never reveal their abilities until they had imparted them to their disciple. She nodded and held her hands in front of him.

"Do you accept my inheritance, disciple?" He asked blinking.

"Your disciple accepts. I promise to make you proud. If I break my promise lightning will strike me." Mai replied cupping her fist as she had seen men do here when they greeted each other.

Mr. M nodded and extended his left hand gently pushing Mai in the middle of her chest. She felt a burning warm hand and the warmth spread throughout her body. Her clothes and hair fluttered, and she slowly lifted off the ground. The heat concentrated in her heart, and she felt it beat even faster. There was a piercing pain and she struggled to breathe. Taking deep breaths her heartbeat slowed down. The heat dissipated and she landed on the ground on her knees. She stood up and looked at her hands but saw nothing magical about them.

"You have inherited The Finger System from me. You were born in the Year of the Horse and in the Month of Cancer so in your case your powers come from your emotions so you must be careful before using them. The first lesson today is to teach you about the fingers on your hand."

Mr. M withdrew his left hand and flicked his pinkie finger on his right hand.

"Skill: Clear Mind. It clears the mind and relaxes one. It can also purify depending on the situation."

He brought his pinkie finger towards her forehead and lightly tapped it.

*Ping*

She immediately felt something cool going through her head and everything around her suddenly seemed clearer. She could suddenly see the tree far away more clearly and she felt she could solve a complicated math calculation even though she hated math.

"Wow master. This is... I have no words for it."

She became excited and now looked forward to learning about the other fingers.

"Try doing it on yourself." Mr. M said withdrawing his hand and placing them on his back.

Mai felt strange about performing abilities on herself. One does not strike oneself. If one could clear their mind it would be cheating.

"Isn't it cheating to do it on yourself?" she asked.

Mr. M furrowed his brows and asked, "What do you define as cheating?"

"Something that goes against what is ethically correct." Mai replied.

He scratched his chin and pondered over her words.

"Who says what is ethically correct?"

Now it was Mai who had to ponder over his words. In Denmark it was the Parliament that had the final say namely the Prime Minister but here it was the Emperor or rather the politicians who backed him up.

"That's a tough one. It's what people decide is ethically correct."

"There is only one who can decide for us." Mr. M pointed to the sky alluding to God.

"But he is not here now so who decides what is wrong and right? Do you think the world would be as it is now if it were built on honesty?"

Mai wanted to learn about the fingers but instead it had turned into a lesson about ethics, and she now regretted mentioning it.

"Okay, I take back my words, master."

She closed her eyes and felt her emotions becoming one with them. A warmth spread from her heart and her hands grew warm.

"Clear Mind." she mumbled and suddenly there was a burning heat in her pinkie finger.

She pointed it to her forehead but felt nothing magical and furrowed her brows.

She made eye contact with Mr. M. "You tricked me. It doesn't work."

He chuckled loudly. "I never said it worked. I just suggested you could try it on yourself. Those are two different things. Besides they don't work on yourself. It would be crazy if they did."

For Mai to learn about the ring finger they had to go down to the city and with Mr. M's help she was disguised as a boy.

The Thousand Blossom City was bustling with old-fashioned wooden carts pulled by horses and a scent of spices, meat and vegetables hanging in the air. People walked around in beautiful colorful robes ranging from neutral white to floral colors. Women's hair was elegantly styled adorned with colorful flowers and their dresses and clothes gave them a dainty look resembling small porcelain dolls. It was the first time Mai was here because her parents had confined her to the mansion.

"Your name is Luo Tian if anyone asks." Mr. M suddenly said and her worries about the Liu family vanished.

"Thank you master. I hadn't thought that far ahead." she said looking at him and smiling broadly.

"We are master and disciple now so stop smiling like that. It makes you look like a girl." he said looking away and coughing.

They walked for some time and suddenly they stopped at a huge red building with a green curved roof where there was a large figure of a golden dragon with a serpent body on the roof.

"The Blossoming Blossom." Mai read and tasted something sour.

She squinted at Mr. M. "Master, do you have impure thoughts or are you here to sell me?"

He chuckled loudly and replied, "I have a friend who works here. He will help you with your next skill or rather his son will."

Mai hoped it didn't involve anything intimate because then she would give him the finger in revenge.

At the entrance they were greeted by two women who reeked of strong perfume and had thick makeup on their faces. They were led out to a huge courtyard with an extension to a large garden that resembled a palace. There was a strong perfume all over mixed with flowers and incense and Mai felt nauseous. She wrinkled her nose. It was a bit too strong for her delicate nose.

"Little boy, wait in here." said one of the women looking at her and they continued out to the garden leaving Mai to herself.

She had no intention of waiting and chose to explore the garden. There were small flower beds with benches and beautiful large bonsai trees that gave it a cozy look. It reminded her a lot of a romantic park but with an ancient atmosphere. Suddenly she saw a boy wearing black clothes standing and hiding behind a dark building.

She walked up to him and poked his back. "What are you doing?"

He turned around and she was met with a cute face. His hair was tied up in a bun and there was a dragon on the front of his clothes that made him look mighty.

"I don't want to go home. At least there's freedom here." he replied sulking.

"If you want freedom you must make your own rules but first you must become strong so people bother to listen to you." Mai said.

It was something her father had always hammered into her head.

The boy studied her closely and stuck his head right up in her face. He suddenly sniffed her and looked at her in surprise.

"Why do you smell like lilies? Do you work here?"

Mai felt the urge to hit him. She clenched her fist and moved it towards him but stopped herself. Instead, she gently poked his left cheek with her ring finger. He blinked and stared at her for a moment. Suddenly his cheeks slowly turned a reddish hue.

Mai noticed his reaction and furrowed her brows asking, "Are you sick?"

She leaned forward and touched his forehead. He's burning up!

"You should..."

"Will you marry me?" the boy blurted out suddenly.

Mai thought she had heard wrong. "Aren't you too young to get married?"

"I can choose my wife soon." he said sending her a charming smile.

If he's like this now, he'll be a playboy in the future.

Mai furrowed her brows and said in a cold voice "I am a boy. Are you blind?"

"I can see clearly. You are a girl in disguise. Who are you trying to fool? So will you marry me?" asked the boy sticking his head right up in her face so their noses almost touched.

Mai felt his breath and she could smell a faint scent of flowers.

She furrowed her brows. Why does he smell like flowers?

Unless he swings that way.

She wanted to tease him and gave him a light kiss on the right cheek.

"Goodbye perverse boy." she said and ran towards the entrance waiting for Mr. M.

The boy stood back holding his cheeks with both hands.

"She smells nice. Those who work here don't bring their children and only certain people have access to this place. Is she a minister's daughter?" A silly smile spread across the boy’s lips, and he began to daydream.

"Crown Prince Jinling. I finally found you. Come it's time to head home." An officer in black leather armor ran up to him and held out his hand to the boy bringing him back to reality.

He sighed deeply and took the hand but before they turned around the building, he cast one last glance at Mai who stood with her back to him at the entrance.

He looked at the officer. "I've found my future wife so tell the Empress she can drop all those marriage proposals."

"Crown Prince, that's something all the ministers decide along with the Empress. I have no say in it." the officer replied nervously.

Mai only waited a few minutes before Mr. M found her. He had brought along a young man holding a little boy's hand who seemed to be around the same age as her.

She blinked. Who the heck is this?

She looked up at Mr. M and furrowed her brows. "Master, are you trying to find a future husband for me? I'm not interested."

"Press him on the chest with your ring finger. That's your second lesson" he replied.

Mai focused her energy in her body and emitted a warmth that concentrated in her ring finger. She gently tapped the boy's chest.

They waited.

Mai didn't know what they were waiting for.

After a minute had passed Mr. M shook his head and said, "It seems you're not ready yet."

He looked at the man. "Brother thank you for your help and sorry for the inconvenience."

"I had time and was curious when I heard you had a disciple. He's quite slim." replied the man scratching his cheek as he looked at Mai with curious eyes.

Mr. M and Mai said goodbye to the father and the boy and headed home.

When they were out of sight the boy suddenly looked up at his father and asked, "Dad, can I marry him? I like him!"

As they walked up the mountain Mai looked at Mr. M and became curious about the ring finger.

"What's the name of that skill master?" she asked.

"Cupid Call. It evokes love and affection in others," he replied making eye contact with her. "but it seems you need to train it some more."

"How often does that skill work?" Mai asked becoming curious.

"Every time but remember your powers are driven by your emotions." Mr. M replied picking up the pace.

 

[MissAlbedo]

3. The Calming Before the Storm



Mai spent the next couple of days practicing Clear Mind and Cupid Call on things she found in nature—leaves, trees, stones, and whatever else she could find.

"Is it wise to waste your abilities on a stone?" Mr. M stared at the large bright stone as Mai sat hunched over it, her ring finger resting on it.

"Master. Everything in nature is alive; even this stone has a sort of soul. I believe in personification in this world. Why can humans and animals fall in love, but a stone cannot? It's unfair."

Mai was certain Mother Nature witnessed everything here, down to the smallest detail. The stone in front of her should also have a chance to find a mate.

Mr. M furrowed his brows and shook his head. He looked up at the cloudy sky. It was completely quiet, and the air was cool.

"It's the calm before the storm. It's perfect for your next lesson."

Mai only heard the word 'lesson' and sprang up like a hare.

"Master, I'm all ears. What am I going to learn this time?"

They walked to the foot of the mountain behind the temple and waited. Dark clouds encroached upon the area accompanied by a cool wind that played with their hair.

*boom*

A bright lightning bolt struck the top of the mountain illuminating the sky and forming repeated lightning ripples within the clouds. It resembled six-pack rings on cans. Suddenly it started to drip from the clouds, and it began to rain heavily escalating into a torrential downpour. The water ran down like a waterfall soaking their clothes in seconds.

Mr. M breathed in the cool air, closed his eyes and smiled.

*boom*

Thunder and lightning struck all around, but Mai wasn't nervous about dying because her master was here with her. She closed her eyes inhaling the cool air and relishing being alive. The water droplets hit her cheeks hard and some of them felt like hail.

It was February so it didn't surprise her.

Mr. M slowly opened his eyes and looked at Mai standing behind him.

"Your third lesson starts now."

Mai opened her eyes and watched him move his right palm in front of him aiming it towards the middle of the mountain.

"What does the middle finger symbolize?" he asked in a loud voice overpowering the noisy whipping rain.

"Responsibility, protection and individuality!" Mai shouted as loudly as she could.

He nodded and said, "Skill: Avari’s Cloak."

Suddenly a golden wave shot out from his middle finger.

*vroom*

It spread around them enclosing them in a golden sphere.

Mai's heart raced and she touched the sphere feeling something physical. It was pleasantly warm. A small rift she had on her little finger healed at the speed of light.

"There are three versions of Avari’s Cloak: a small shield, a half, and a whole which is what we're in now. To perform it you need confidence. It protects you from physical or metaphysical harm." explained Mr. M lightly tapping his middle finger in the air causing the golden sphere to disappear.

He looked at Mai and said, "Now you try."

Mai nodded and stood beside him taking a deep breath. She exhaled slowly emptying her mind and listening to her surroundings. The rain thundered loudly but slowly faded away and she could hear leaves rustling and branches shaking in the trees. She heard the wind howling loudly and a rodent gnawing on something. She opened her eyes, which now had a bright glow and felt a pleasant warmth in her body. She pushed her energy into her middle finger.

*whoosh*

A white oval shield formed in front of her, and she felt her heart skip a beat. The shield barely covered her, but it was enough.

"Wow master. Look! Mine is white!"

Mr. M looked at the shield squinting then looked at Mai who grinned foolishly.

He scratched his right cheek and said quietly, "I guess the ability adapts to the person."

"It's always golden though. Am I getting too old?" he muttered softly.

He clapped his hands and said loudly, "Alright, let's move on to the last two fingers."

Mai withdrew her energy and the white shield disappeared.

Mr. M pointed his right index finger at Mai's nose, who understood the hint and immediately replied, "Authority, ambition and leadership."

He nodded and directed his index finger towards the middle of the mountain again while Mai's eyes followed its movement closely. He suddenly flicked his right thumb which she immediately caught.

"Power, strength and dominance." she answered loudly.

"The index finger you can use alone but it can also strengthen the thumb. Watch closely."

He lightly tapped the air with his index finger and a golden beam shot out spreading warmth throughout the area. The air became humid, and Mai began to sweat profusely. Her clothes clung to her, and she adjusted them.

The beam shot off and hit the middle of the mountain.

*kaboom*

*crack*

The mountain split vertically, and the cut looked as if someone had sliced it with a knife.

Mai's heart skipped a beat, and she became tense and amazed.

"Master, you can move mountains with that!"

"Watch closely."

Mr. M turned his thumb slightly to the right aiming his nail towards the middle of the mountain. Carefully he brought his thumb and index finger together and when they touched a wave of red and black hues shot out with dancing flames swirling around like a voracious dragon. It flew swiftly towards the mountain.

*boom*

The impact exploded the mountain sending stones flying in all directions transforming into dust and disappearing.

Nothing remained.

It was empty and it looked like something was missing.

Mai suddenly became worried about the surroundings and looked back catching sight of The Thousand Blossom City far below.

"Master, won't this be noticed?" Her voice was shrill and hoarse. She tasted the cold rain a sweet taste and licked her lips.

"Don't worry. A barrier has been placed around the temple so no one will notice anything. The mundane world is not affected by it," he replied pointing at the "mountain."

"The thumb is only an offensive skill and inflicts purely destructive damage on what it hits so use it with caution. The effect depends on your emotions."

Mai felt like trying but she didn't want to break anything and dropped the idea. She felt strange not having to train hard like in Xianxia novels to gain powers.

She bowed deeply to him. "Thank you master for sharing all of this with me."

Even though Mr. M had said he wouldn't teach her martial arts she was asked to find her inner peace and was instructed to train in meditation. She could choose her own position but sitting in the lotus position helped with circulation in the body.

Days turned into months. Months turned into years. Years turned into a couple of years.

Mai grew up with Mr. M and they developed a close bond. They only visited the city to shop for household items otherwise staying only in the temple and the forest area which Mai was fine with. Living so primitively was something she had never done before but it was surprisingly easy for her to adapt to it. It had been overwhelming at first but now it was a normal daily routine for her. Up early in the morning and late to bed at night. Master didn't speak much, and she trained on her own practicing her skills on nature and improving her connection to everything around her.

Mai heard nothing about the outside world nor anything about the Liu family although she was curious about her parents and whether her sister had managed to become a consort lady of the emperor. In her eyes it was a doomed position but if one could manipulate the emperor it would surely pay off in the end.

"I can't imagine women enduring that. Wasn't there an emperor who broke concubines' feet and had them carried to the bed?"

Her body trembled at the thought.

Mai had no desire to live in that future and she hoped she would never encounter that emperor.



The Immortal Palace in the Thousand Blossom City.



In Crown Prince Jinling's chambers Crown Prince Jinling sat with two officers dressed in black holding a stack of highly detailed drawings of beautiful girls.

Crown Prince Jinling furrowed his brows and looked at the stack.

"Give me the good news."

"Crown Prince, there's only bad news. We've searched everywhere but the person you describe doesn't exist. There are no ministers with a daughter who likes to dress in boy's clothes. Besides it's absurd." replied one officer rolling up the drawings.

Crown Prince Jinling bit his lip and scowled at the officers then glanced over at the senior attendant, a middle-aged man, dressed in a golden robe, sitting by the door silently observing them.

"If you don't give me any good news I'll get rid of him."

"Crown Prince, you can't dismiss the senior attendant. Only the emperor can do that." commented one officer making eye contact with the other who shook his head.

"Fine, then I'll punish some others until you come up with good news. I know she exists, and I'll find her location." said Crown Prince Jinling in a cold voice dismissing everyone outside including the senior attendant who had nothing to do with it.

He walked over to the window and looked outside where there was a beautiful view of a huge garden with people strolling around tending to it.

"I must see how long I can push Grandfather. It was fate that I met her."

Mai trained diligently and even though Mr. M wouldn't teach her martial arts he still taught her hand techniques, so she had a foundation for it. Some of it resembled aikido which she had once practiced so it wasn't too difficult to learn. She was already very quick to learn and absorbed everything like a sponge.

Master had cast an illusion on her to appear as a boy from the outside. She still struggled with feminine things like menstruation and because they lived primitively, she had to find her own method which consisted of homemade fabric pads—a hellish experience but it was the only thing that worked. There was a nearby lake that she often used to stop the bleeding if it got too bad. The worst part was the other symptoms that came with it like cramps and headaches, and she hated taking medicine but her master had made small pills the size of blueberries that kept the pain at bay. She missed ibuprofen and Panadol. She missed Danish and Japanese food but her master's cooking was also delicious, and he managed to spice it up each time so it tasted different.

When Mai was 12 years old she was out gathering herbs for her master's new dish that he was going to make for her which she was eagerly looking forward to tasting. It was late morning in early June and the sun beat down on her. The forest felt like a sauna with thick humid air hanging around. Mai had gotten used to the weather and because it was further south the winter was pleasant, but the summer was unbearable. Her clothes clung to her, and she was sweating profusely. She had been good at taking care of her skin something her previous mother had never taught her. She tried to keep it clean and shaded herself from the sun when it was high in the sky.

"A scarred woman would never get married in these times." That's what she had once read in history class.

It was peaceful living here and sleeping to the sounds of animals was calming. However, she was still afraid of spiders, reptiles and insects and Mai was sure that fear would never disappear no matter how many lives she had.

She dug up the last of the ginger and tossed them into the light brown round bamboo basket on her back. With her right sleeve she wiped her forehead and brushed her hands off for dirt. She adjusted her clothes and looked down at the mountain where the temple stood.

"I better get home. I can't wait to taste Master's new dish."

They had been having chicken dishes for so many years and she was honestly getting tired of them but hadn't mentioned it to master.

Mai wore a light green robe with a black belt and a black hat, and her pants were baggy. She wore black shoes that she called sandals/ballerina shoes. They were called hanfu shoes here which belonged to the flowing robes everyone wore. They were uncomfortable in the summer, and she got sweaty and smelly toes in them. Sometimes she was allowed to wear sandals but most of the time she ran around barefoot.

Mai adjusted the basket on her back and hurried home.

At the temple entrance she set the basket on the ground. She carried it to the building, bowed, took off her shoes and brought the basket inside.

Master was not present.

She furrowed her brows. "He said it would take a long time to make the dish so why isn't he here?"

 

[MissAlbedo]

4. When Life Dumps You Crap



She walked outside and saw Mr. M. coming towards her with a big smile on his face. He hummed a tune loudly, and his good mood rubbed off on Mai as she approached him with a smile.

"Master, welcome home. Have you happened to visit The Blooming Flower?"

He gave her a gleeful smile and replied, "I have secured your future. The boy you once used Cupid Call on. His father is a minister and can find a good place for you."

Mai felt a stabbing pain in her heart and held her chest.

She furrowed her brows and asked, "Master, what are you talking about? I thought I was supposed to live here with you for the rest of my life."

As she would have it just fine. She was tired of all the problems piling up like parasites.

Mr. M. made eye contact with her and furrowed his brows. "What are you talking about? Your future is not here. That's not something I can offer you. You can't end up like a bum like me."

Mai got angry and shouted, "You're not a bum. If you were, I would have left long ago. You took me in as your own even though we were strangers, and you asked no questions and helped me. There's no one in the world who has shown me so much kindness."

She was overwhelmed with emotions, and tears broke out. She sniffled, quickly wiped her eyes, and looked at the ground in embarrassment.

Mai had always been sensitive, and it was really hard to play tough.

"Tian, we can't be together forever. I'm old and not getting any younger." said Mr. M. in a sorrowful voice and sighed deeply.

He reached out his right hand towards her and wiped away her tears, but it only made it worse for Mai. She felt the tears welling up like a waterfall and couldn't stop them. She sobbed loudly, sniffled, tasted snot, and swallowed something sour.

"Master, you're not old. You're still only middle-aged."

"I may look young to you, but I've lived longer than I should have. It's time for us to part ways, but not yet. I still have some years left, and I haven't taught you everything yet, so don't cry, little Tian." Mr. M. smiled kindly at her, and his wrinkles disappeared from his face.

He shone like the sun for Mai, and she was completely captivated. She sniffled again and stopped crying, nodding. They still had some years together. He couldn't take back his words now. She became happy, smiled, and wiped away her tears. They didn't taste salty anymore but sweet.

"Come on, let's..." But suddenly Mr. M. stopped talking.

He turned around, and they saw a huge army riding up the mountain towards them. It was something Mai had only seen in movies. She wondered what they were doing here and furrowed her brows.

The army rode on sleek black horses, groomed beautifully, snorting loudly as they carried the men dressed in black leather armor. They wore black helmets adorned with black feathers and had tight faces as if they were angry about something. The frontmen carried red flags with a logo of a golden Chinese dragon with a snake-like body and an open mouth. It looked like the same dragon Mai had seen on the boy's clothes from The Blooming Flower.

In the middle rode a middle-aged man with a tight face as if he hated his job. There was a large dark scar by his right eye, and his skin was dark and dry, peeling in some places.

Mr. M. stood in front of Mai and said in a low voice, "Keep a low profile no matter what happens. Promise me."

"Master..." Mai was overwhelmed with emotions again and didn't know what to do or say, so she just nodded. She was only confused while a question raced in her head.

Why are they coming here?

Master said there was a barrier here.

The army arrived at the temple and stopped a bit before the courtyard, dismounting from their horses symmetrically. Their swords clanged at their hips, and Mai felt intimidated being surrounded by so many men at once. She looked up at her master who seemed unaffected by the situation.

The middle-aged man, General Wu Tianpeng, looked at Mr. M. and then turned his head to the right, catching sight of Mai. He furrowed his brows, and a look of outrage spread across his face.

"I can see you've been busy, Brother." His voice was deep and resonant.

Mr. M. formed a fist in salute and bowed. "Greetings, General Wu Tianpeng. What brings you here?"

General Wu Tianpeng looked at him with a sharp gaze.

"How many times do I have to tell you to only call me Tianpeng?" His voice quivered, and Mai sensed some anger in him.

Mr. M. didn't respond and focused his gaze on General Wu Tianpeng's feet.

"I can see you're still pretending to be a pitiful man. Did you also deceive the boy?" General Wu Tianpeng looked at Mai again, who was incredibly confused.

Deceive me into what?

Her heart raced loudly, and she held onto her chest.

Mr. M. didn't reply, which escalated General Wu Tianpeng's anger.

"Bring out the decree." he said in a cold voice.

A soldier walked over to him and unrolled a golden scroll, reading from it.

"Wang Tao, You are hereby arrested for the crime of genocide and other heinous offenses against the realm. The execution will take place at the Eternal Peak in accordance with the decree of His Majesty."

Mai's heart skipped a beat, and all her alarm bells rang.

What the hell!!!

She hugged Mr. M. tightly and said in a low voice, "Master, you can't leave me. You promised we would be together for a few more years."

She didn't care about his past.

The past was the past, and she lived in the present.

Tears broke out, and her heart ached. She sniffled softly, tasting salty tears as her nose ran.

This isn't fair. Not again!

"Little Luo Tian, don't cry. Be strong, unlike me." said Mr. M. in a gentle voice, patting Mai on her right shoulder, indicating she should let go.

She let go while her hands shook, suddenly finding it hard to breathe.

Mr. M. walked over to General Wu Tianpeng and turned to Mai.

He knelt and smiled kindly at her. "Don't cry. I'm not worth your tears, little Luo Tian. Live the life you didn't get to. Remember, with power comes responsibility."

Suddenly, it became blurry for Mai, and tears poured out. She hurt all over, and her legs felt tender.

"Master, why aren't you using your powers?" she sniffled and sobbed softly.

"What powers? I'm just a human." replied Mr. M., holding his hands behind his neck, and clenching his fists.

General Wu Tianpeng drew his sword, and with a swift motion, he aimed at Mr. M.'s neck, murmuring some unknown words. The sharp blade hit the neck, slicing it neatly, and the head rolled towards Mai.

A pair of eyes stared up at her.

They blinked and closed with a smile on the lips.

The body fell lifelessly on the grass, blood gushing from the neck. A strong smell of blood spread, and Mai breathed it in, feeling nauseous. Her stomach tightened, and she wrinkled her nose. She covered her mouth and coughed. Her legs trembled, and she lost her balance. She crawled towards the head and touched the face so she could remember it one last time.

"Master, you promised..."

She let out all her emotions and cried loudly.

She was tired.

She just wanted to live a completely normal life.

But it seemed like fate wouldn't allow it.

Her head was empty, and she sniffled, staring at the face.

He looks like he's peacefully sleeping with that smile.

"General, what do we do with the boy?" asked the soldier with the decree, looking at Mai.

General Wu Tianpeng looked at her and furrowed his brows. "He belongs to Wang Tao, so dispose of him." he said, shaking the blood off his sword and wiping it with a white cloth.

He waved his right hand and turned around walking towards his horse.

A soldier approached Mai drawing his sword and when Mai heard the blade scraping against the grass, she looked up at him. Anger was already bubbling inside her, and she didn't need any more idiots.

They had invaded a sacred ground.

This is Master's temple!

She stood up and positioned herself in front of Mr. M.'s head. She stretched out her arms and gave the soldier a sharp look.

"Little friend, it's not your fault, but unfortunately, you're complicit." said the soldier, lifting his sword over her.

Mai narrowed her eyes, and slowly she moved her left foot back, sliding lightly on the grass, but it was enough for General Wu Tianpeng to hear it. He slowly turned his head and looked at her.

Mai had learned to defend herself but had never used it against anyone, and she didn't know if it would work. The man was two meters tall, and with a quick movement, he swung down towards her neck. She quickly pulled her right arm back and pivoted her hips. With a swift motion, she pushed her arm forward and struck her palm hard on the man's left chest. He was pushed back and dropped his sword. He coughed, holding onto his chest, and spat out blood. But he hadn't lost his balance and still stood firmly on two legs. He wiped his mouth and picked up his sword.

He glared at Mai and said in a cold voice, "You little shit. How dare you!"

He pulled his sword to the right side and ran towards Mai, who positioned herself sideways and prepared herself.

These were just defense exercises, and she had only pushed him lightly, but still, he had been sent flying far back.

Her heart pounded in excitement, and she was glad it had worked.

I can do it again.

She clenched her right fist and slowly pulled her arm back.

As the soldier approached her, General Wu Tianpeng suddenly shouted, "Stop! Bring him with us!"

The soldier stopped, panting, and looked at him. "General, he has attacked an imperial soldier."

"Whether he had attacked your mother, I couldn't care less. I don't need to repeat myself. Bring him with us!" said General Wu Tianpeng in a cold, quivering voice.

The soldier gritted his teeth and glared at Mai, who glared back. He adjusted his gear and reached out for her, but she struck hard, but suddenly she hit something hard and felt pain in her fist. Startled, she backed out and saw General Wu Tianpeng standing in front of her.

What the fuck!

Her heart skipped a beat.

How did he get here so fast?

"You cheat! This was a fight between him and me. Have you no honor as an imperial soldier?" she shouted, her body trembling.

Who the fuck is he?

General Wu Tianpeng studied her carefully and nodded. He approached her as she tried to back away, but her legs were shaking too much, and she was frozen in place.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted, lashing out at him.

"Heh. There's spirit in you. That's exactly the kind of energy we need in the army."

Before Mai could react, General Wu Tianpeng grabbed her by the neck and dragged her along the grass towards his horse.

"I won't. Let go of me. You're a bunch of bandits, murderers! You have no morals! Shame on you!" she shouted, refusing to give up.

A black cloth was shoved into her mouth, and she felt ropes being tied around her. She was lifted onto General Wu Tianpeng's horse, and he sat behind her. He lightly pulled on the reins, and the horse let out a loud neigh as it quickly rode off towards the Thousand Blossom City.

"You can take your revenge in the future if you're still interested in my life by then." Said General Wu Tianpeng, and Mai felt chills down her spine.

She turned her head to the left and saw Mr. M.'s head slowly opening its eyes. His mouth suddenly opened.

"Be strong. Be yourself." he said in a gentle voice, and suddenly his head disappeared, resembling golden dust floating up towards the sky.

Mai felt a piercing pain in her heart and couldn't hold back her tears. She sniffled and turned towards the Thousand Blossom City.

Master, I promise not to disappoint you.

It hurt terribly, and she had a bitter and sour taste in her mouth.

Mai promised herself never to emotionally attach herself to anyone again.

It was better to live alone.

She couldn't bear to lose anyone else.

Her dog from her previous world and now master.

For all these years, she had wondered what had happened to her dog.

Is he in heaven like master?

 

[MissAlbedo]

5. Becoming an Imperial Soldier





They rode into the Imperial Military Base located in the Immortal Palace, a massive bright building with tall walls and black curved roofs where only birds could peek in resembling a prison from the outside. They entered a huge courtyard where people walked around in fancy luxurious robes, their hair elegantly styled with shimmering accessories. In front of them stood a massive building with a tall white staircase with many steps, the palace itself where only important people were allowed to enter. They rode around the building greeted by everyone they passed.

Mai knew there was no way out once she was in here.

On the other side of the building, they rode through an entrance to another building with a large sand training ground surrounded by buildings all around. Only men were walking around training on various old-fashioned wooden obstacle courses. They all wore light gray clothes, were slim with a strong build and had well-trained bodies.

Mai was carried off the horse by General Wu Tianpeng against her will.

All the soldiers stopped and formed a fist in salute bowing to General Wu Tianpeng who nodded to them. A soldier took Mai's left hand and they headed towards a building to the right. She overheard the men talking loudly to each other.

"It doesn't seem like General Wu Tianpeng to bring children here. Where did he find him?"

"He's skinny and looks like a girl. Can he even handle the training here? He'll break soon."

"He'll train with us if he doesn't have a background."

If Mai used the Finger System on General Wu Tianpeng the entire imperial army would chase her to the ends of the earth, and she wouldn't be able to live in peace.

If I am the only survivor in the world is there anything to live for?

She knew from history that the world was built on civilization.

They arrived at the herb hall where a large group of men of different ages were sorting herbs and there was a sharp smell of ginger and garlic. They were all dressed in green clothes and wore black hats. There was an excess of old men and there were no women present, but it didn't surprise Mai. In this world there was gender division.

An elderly man approached and greeted them looking at General Wu Tianpeng first then at Mai with curious eyes.

"Is Imperial Physician Liang Gu available?" General Wu Tianpeng asked looking at him.

"Please wait here." The man went into another room and returned with a very old man who had a long white beard and white hair tied up in a tight bun closed with a golden hairpin. He had wrinkles all over his face but carried a sharp gaze. His robe was dark green with a logo of a golden Chinese dragon in front spewing fire.

He bowed to General Wu Tianpeng and said, "General Wu Tianpeng, welcome. What can I do for you?"

"Give him a quick check-up and get him changed. Prepare him for tomorrow." replied General Wu Tianpeng hitting Mai hard on the back causing a sharp pain at her spine. She lost her breath for a second and gritted her teeth.

Imperial Physician Liang Gu looked at her furrowing his brows.

"You can't be serious about me raising a street dog. That's absurd!" His voice was cold and echoed in the room making everyone stop their tasks.

They looked up at him and then at Mai who had had enough.

She wasn't a pawn, but she had no say in it.

She sighed deeply and extended her arms. "Just give me a quick death. This is pure torture."

Imperial Physician Liang Gu blinked and studied her carefully. Suddenly he sniffed the air around her. He stopped at her right pocket and reached his hand towards it. Startled Mai knocked his hand away and scowled at him.

My painkillers are in there.

Imperial Physician Liang Gu massaged his hand and said, "There's fighting spirit in him. Now I see why you brought him here."

He scratched his chin and studied her again, his gaze now ending on the left pocket. He sniffed the air again and looked at General Wu Tianpeng.

"I'll train him. We need an extra hand here."

General Wu Tianpeng blinked and furrowed his brows.

"What are you talking about? I asked you to give him a physical check. He's supposed to be part of the imperial army in the future."

Imperial Physician Liang Gu sighed deeply and acted pitiful.

"And here I thought you had finally found someone worthy of inheriting my skills. The Emperor will be disappointed when he hears this."

Mai had had enough again.

She furrowed her brows and said in a cold voice, "I'm not a pawn. Find your own disciples. I have only one master."

"Strip him and get it over with!" commanded General Wu Tianpeng in a stern voice.

Before Mai could utter a word she felt a soldier grip her right arm tightly and she was pulled into a small room while the other men followed in silence. There was an old-fashioned dark brown wooden bed and various medical instruments. It smelled of hospital mixed with old wood, so it wasn't too bad. When it dawned on Mai what was about to happen she tried to escape but there was a large group of men holding her down as she struggled.

*bump*

She was thrown onto the bed and a physician loosened her belt while she tried to kick him. She hit him hard in the stomach and he got the wind knocked out of him. He held his stomach and grunted.

"You little rascal!" He gritted his teeth and grabbed a large rusty pair of scissors immediately setting off Mai's alarm bells.

Is he going to castrate me?! Her heart skipped a beat pounding violently.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, "Stay away from me! I have only one master. If you harm me, he will haunt you from beyond the grave. Mark my words!"

The physician stopped moving and suddenly chuckled loudly.

"Why do you think we would harm you? The scissor needed to be removed. It was just forgotten." He turned around and walked out with the scissors.

Huh? Mai felt a sense of relief but tasted bitterness in her mouth.

"Show us what you have in your pockets and we can discuss your rights." said Imperial Physician Liang Gu suddenly in a cold voice approaching her with greedy eyes.

Mai wanted to speak with him privately and he immediately chased all the men out despite General Wu Tianpeng's objection.

"We'll be outside waiting if you try anything funny." he said sternly closing the door behind him.

Mai took out a pill from her right pocket wrapped in thin rice paper and showed it to Imperial Physician Liang Gu who stared at it wide-eyed.

"May I?" he asked leaning in closely.

She nodded and he sniffed it. He picked it up and rolled it gently on his finger. He muttered a lot of strange herb names that Mai had never heard before and waited for his decision. Her future depended on him.

"What do you want in return?" he suddenly asked in a serious tone looking at her.

"You can have one pill and replicate it, but it must not be sold to random people. I want a private place to live alone even if it's just a room that's fine just alone. I don't want to be a soldier, but I know I can't run from it. Do we have a deal?" Mai knew she couldn't make too many demands.

In principle he could just steal from her and not care but at least some people had ethics here. After all he was a doctor.

"It's a deal. I'll arrange a room for you. When you're not in the military you'll come here and help me sort herbs. It's always good to have more hands and a fresh perspective around here." Imperial Physician Liang Gu nodded and pocketed the pill.

He opened the door and made eye contact with General Wu Tianpeng standing on the other side saying, "He's healthy. He'll stay in my department, but he can train with you. Do we have a deal?"

General Wu Tianpeng looked at Mai and said, "What about the other pills? I know he has more in his pockets. According to the rules he shouldn't have anything from the outside. It could bring diseases."

Mai had to quickly come up with something to persuade him to change his mind. She acted pitiful and pointed at him.

"You killed my master who made those pills. They're the only memories I have of him. Let me at least keep them." she forced a fake tear but suddenly overwhelmed by emotions as she was reminded of Mr. M. She started crying and sniffing.

"General, he's quite pathetic. Let him keep the pills. We can overlook it. He's just a boy." commented a soldier standing behind General Wu Tianpeng who grunted but agreed.

"Fine, we have a deal. He's mine during the day and yours in the evening."

Mai belonged to no one and grew frustrated. No, she was angry.

Years passed and Mai became part of Unit 5 of the imperial army. She trained with the adults during the day and sorted herbs from late afternoon until 10 p.m. She did everything to avoid being chosen for the official army because she hated war. During training she pretended she couldn't do it but at midnight she sneaked out and trained by herself. There was a large, closed forest area belonging to the military base where they conducted their drills. Mai didn't want to lag behind in anything and fortunately she had a good memory. She had to stay within the palace area and there were guards everywhere. She felt like they were constantly breathing down her neck. Because she was under Imperial Physician Liang Gu she was treated with respect although the men still looked down on her.

Unit 1 was the elite team and if Mai had ended up there she would have undoubtedly been bullied or worse. Her female issues were hard to hide especially as her body began to develop in her teenage years. Her breasts were bound with bandages done amateurishly. It was difficult for her to only interact with the male gender and everyone treated her like a man. There was a limit to how much her body could endure and many times she had to stop before the other soldiers to catch her breath. She hadn't used Master's Finger System since he died but one day when she was in the bathroom and had her period, she felt the sanitary pads sticking uncomfortably to her genitals and suddenly got an idea.

"Is it possible to use Avari’s Cloak to hold the blood up?" She looked down at her crotch but suddenly remembered an important thing.

Bacteria loved to grow in warmth and worse things could develop down there.

She shivered and dropped the idea.

 

[MissAlbedo]

6. A Soupy Challenge





When Mai turned 18, she was allowed to choose which department she wanted to be in. She didn't want any of them because there were men in all of them. To avoid being chosen, she instead chose to handle all the odd jobs in the military that none of them wanted to do because they were men.

She took on kitchen duty, washed their clothes, polished their equipment, cleaned – even scrubbed the toilets and did all household chores. At first, she didn't like it, but when she noticed that the men were like little boys throwing their things everywhere, she got annoyed and automatically cleaned up after them. She learned to find joy in doing odd jobs because it was peaceful, and no one bothered her because who else would do them? She did her best so General Wu Tianpeng and Imperial Physician Liang Gu couldn't find a reason to send her out into the field. She didn't forget to train every day after midnight, and even though she still had a feminine, slender body, she had gained some muscles and was very proud of herself.

In her 20s, she blossomed as she tried to suppress by smearing dirt on her face, and with the help of herbs, it had helped a bit. She didn't like being pale because almost all women here had dark skin. She had not yet encountered her twin sister Anni, who turned out to be in the Immortal Palace. The consort ladies stayed in a building of their own on the other side of the military base.

Many years later, after midnight, Mai was running a long distance in the forest area while lost in her own thoughts.

"What do I want with my life? Do I want to live like this for the rest of my life?"

"I didn't sign up for this."

Sometimes it was hard to hold back her hormones, and she really wanted to date men. Even though everyone in the military consisted of handsome, well-built men, she wouldn't be able to date them anyway unless she magically transformed into a woman. She hadn't forgotten her oath as a child. She would never emotionally attach herself to anyone again.

Master was the first and last.

On a large hill stood General Li Qiangshou, looking down at Mai as she ran in circles. Beside him stood two young men who also had their focus on her.

General Li Qiangshou furrowed his brow and asked, "So he plays lazy during training but is diligent at night. What is his name?"

"It's Luo Tian, whom General Wu Tianpeng brought along many years ago, General." replied the soldier standing to his left.

General Li Qiangshou nodded and said, "He handles all the odd jobs in the military as if he were born to do it, and he doesn't complain. Is it something he does intentionally to avoid being chosen?"

He scratched his chin, looked at his men, and waited for their opinions.

"Should we move him to Unit 1, General? We can arrange that." one suddenly suggested.

General Li Qiangshou nodded and replied, "Move him there but still assign him household tasks. He's faster than all the women combined now. Give him kitchen duty. The men have been complaining about how bland the food is. If he handles it well, he can be promoted to a higher rank."

The next morning, when Mai showed up at the training ground, General Li Qiangshou stood in front of her.

"Pack your things. You're being transferred to Unit 1."

Huh?

Mai had just woken up and thought she was still dreaming.

Unit 1 was the place she didn't want to go to. Their training was extreme, and she wouldn't be able to handle it.

She rubbed her eyes a few times and yawned.

"General, I belong to Unit 5 and am under General Wu Tianpeng."

General Li Qiangshou furrowed his brow and said, "Haven't you heard that General Wu Tianpeng retired long ago?"

Mai felt a stabbing pain in her heart and suddenly became irritated. She clenched her fists and bit her lip. That bastard.

"Um, where should I be in Unit 1?" She asked nervously.

Years went by, and Mai was now 33 years old and would turn 34 in the summer. Her time in Unit 1 wasn't as bad as she had thought. She now only worked in the kitchen, and it was fun to cook, and fortunately, she was good at it. But that wasn't what she wanted from life. She had saved up for her future, but she didn't know how to break free from the military.

Her beauty had blossomed even more, and it only caused her problems because she was constantly surrounded by men. She disliked the dirt and greasy skin and had secretly made her own face masks from tropical fruits and natural things she could get her hands on. She was a diligent regular in the main kitchen, and all the women were kind to her, treating her like their own.

Mai had used the Finger System, the little finger, to remove impurities from her homemade face masks, discreetly making face masks for the women in the kitchen and the maid servants, all of whom were grateful, so much so that some of the young women tried to flirt with her, which she didn't appreciate. The men treated her with respect because she belonged to Imperial Physician Liang Gu's department. He took responsibility for Mai after General Wu Tianpeng retired.

It was May, and the sun beat down on Thousand Blossom City.

Mai stood in an open kitchen on a large square with a view of a sandy training area with equipment and obstacles all around. Because she was in the kitchen, she had her own training session to do and could therefore avoid contact with the men. They all ran around shirtless while sweat rolled down glistening from exertion. They were all young and handsome, and Mai wondered how many of them had wives and children right now. She was definitely the only unmarried one here.

"In my previous life, I was in the same situation. Unmarried at 33."

She sighed deeply and looked down at herself. She wore a dark gray robe with a black belt and had light gray baggy pants and black shoes on. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, some of her baby hair hanging out to the sides, and she had bangs. It was difficult for her to hide her feminine figure, but she knew there were feminine men, and the men here hadn't questioned her identity.

She stirred the large pot in front of her, which had chicken noodle soup in it based on Master's recipe. She inhaled the scent of vegetables and chicken, and her body relaxed. She broke into a smile and continued to stir the pot while looking around at the men.

"I feel like I'm Mulan, but instead, I'm stuck in the military. When will it be my turn to kick ass?" She muttered softly.

The weather was hot, and the sun's rays shone down on her cheeks, making them warm. She had applied an aloe vera mask this morning, hoping it could keep some of the UV rays away. She was boiling with sweat, and the pot in front of her only made it worse. Her clothes clung to her, and she adjusted them in various places.

"I miss wearing short skirts in the summer." Mai sighed deeply and looked down at the soup.

This wasn't the life she had envisioned.

"Master, when will something happen in my life? I've lived like this for so many years. Give me a sign."

On the training ground, the men stopped training and sat down, watching Mai, who seemed to be having a conversation with the soup.

They began to discuss her.

"Why is he talking to the soup?"

"Maybe he's enchanting it. His food tastes amazing."

"He's much better than the old ladies we had before. Unit 5 must regret losing him."

Wang Hao, a handsome senior, also looked at Mai, who was adjusting her collar, and his gaze fell on her slender neck.

"He looks quite cute. If we didn't know he was a man, I'd think he was a woman."

Mai looked at the men and shouted, "Senior Brothers, it's mealtime. The one who comes last gets the leftovers."

At her words, the men got up and put on their robes. They hurried to the large dark brown dining table and approached her, but she chased them out to wash their hands first. Afterwards, the men lined up with a round wooden bowl each, and she poured chicken soup for them one by one.

"Thank you very much, junior brother Luo Tian."

"Keep up the good work."

Mai gave them a beautiful smile while her eyebrows twitched.

I'm not a brother.

She didn't like being called that.

Suddenly, Wang Hao stood in front of her with his bowl. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a trained upper body and a handsome masculine face with wide jaws.

It's senior brother Wang Hao. What is he doing here?

Mai was surprised to see him, and her eyes widened.

He normally ate elsewhere.

She suddenly became nervous, and as she poured soup for him, her fingers trembled. She quickly gave him the bowl, but the soup splashed over and spilled on his crotch, leaving a large dark stain.

Argh! Fuck my life!

Mai's heart skipped a beat and raced loudly. She slowly looked up at Wang Hao and swallowed a large lump of spit that tasted very sour.

"Ugh, she spilled on Brother Wang Hao." a man exclaimed, and everyone leaned out from the line, staring at Mai as if she were about to soil herself.

She fumbled with her fingers and said in a nervous voice, "Senior Brother Wang Hao. I'm sorry I was so clumsy. I'm really sorry. Can you forgive me? Let me wipe it off."

She knew that a random cloth wouldn't save her.

Sweat poured down her back like a waterfall, and she felt burning hot all over. She quickly found a cloth, but as she reached her right hand out towards his crotch, he suddenly grabbed her hand. It was rough, large, and warm. Mai was startled and looked up at him.

Is he angry?

She swallowed a large lump of dry spit.

Wang Hao leaned forward, smiled, and whispered in her left ear in a gentle voice, "If you do something for me, I can overlook it."

Mai felt his breath in her ear and shivered. She quickly pulled her head back and made eye contact with him. He had a silly grin, and it was clear what he was thinking. She became angry.

*bang*

Something in her chest exploded.

She clenched her right fist, and with all her energy, she hit him hard on his left cheek. He staggered, remained standing, but his head tilted back slightly, and there was a red mark on his left cheek.

"No way, he hit Brother."

"He's challenging Brother Wang Hao!"

"No, I didn't..." Mai didn't have time to say more.

"Everyone! Junior brother Luo Tian has challenged Brother Wang Hao!" A soldier suddenly shouted.

"No, wait..." But Mai was too late.

The soldier quickly ran away from the training ground.

Mai bit her lip and took deep breaths. Fuck!

 

[MissAlbedo]

7. A Fateful Encounter



In the same area, Emperor Jinling walked alongside a large group of his people, inspecting the military base as it was inspection day. He had a handsome face with a trained physique, tall and slim.

Suddenly, they saw a large group of soldiers running towards the right side, some with only one shoe on while carrying the other in their hand. One had a cloak half-open and was tying his belt as he ran. Another was tying his hair into a tight bun while holding another white ribbon in his mouth. They all rushed as if it were the end of the world, resembling a migration.

Emperor Jinling, with his hands behind his back, stopped and furrowed his brows. "What on earth is happening, gentlemen? It seems lively today."

"Perhaps they are training for something specific today. We don't always know what they are up to. Would Your Majesty like to watch the duel?" said a soldier walking to his right.

Emperor Jinling scratched his chin and replied, "We would like to take a look. It's not every day something exciting happens here."

They walked in the same direction as the men and met a soldier running alone. He bowed to them, and they asked him to report what was going on.

"Junior Luo Tian has challenged Brother Wang Hao to a duel." said the soldier, bowing to them again before hurrying away, afraid of missing anything.

At those words, Emperor Jinling picked up the pace and said, "Brother Wang Hao holds the title of Colonel, so he must live up to it. Come, we must hurry."

On the training ground, men of all ages had gathered, and even the people from the herb hall had shown up because Mai originally belonged to Imperial Physician Liang Gu's department. More and more kept arriving, and every time Mai saw one appear, her nervousness increased. She was sweating profusely, and even though the sun was beating down on them, the weather felt icy cold. Her hands had become sweaty, and she rubbed her trembling fingers that wouldn't stop. She looked at Wang Hao as beads of sweat rolled down her forehead.

He furrowed his brows at the sight, and his cheeks took on a reddish hue.

"Even when you sweat, Junior Brother Luo Tian, you look beautiful. It's really hard to resist." he swallowed hard and smiled lightly at her.

"Senior Brother Wang Hao, can't we just drop this? I can make it up to you in another way." Mai swallowed a dry lump of saliva and cleared her throat.

Wang Hao grinned foolishly again and said, "Of course, Junior Brother Luo Tian. But now that so many have shown up, and you challenged me by striking me first. You know the rules here. If you lose, you'll be my slave for a week."

Mai tasted something bitter, and her stomach tightened. Fuck! She refused to be his slave, especially with that silly expression!

They walked to the center where space had been cleared for their duel. Mai now knew there was no way out. EVERYONE was present, even the kitchen staff and those sweeping the yard outside. It was packed, and everyone stuck their heads out of the buildings all around, breathing down her neck. It was unbearable, and the pressure mounted.

*Boom*

A drum beat loudly, and Mai positioned herself in front of Wang Hao, seeing he also assumed his stance, palms facing forward. She knew he was a master of kung fu. She had no chance!

Mai studied his body, stopping at his face and noticing how handsome it was. In that position, with his trained physique, he looked very imposing. How do you beat a strong man? Her brain worked overtime in time with the drumbeats. She noticed he was staring at her breasts. After all, I am a woman and have feminine sides.

The drumbeats abruptly stopped, and Wang Hao waved his right fingers as a sign for Mai to make the first move. She nodded, clenched her right fist, and quickly ran towards him. As she approached, he suddenly stretched his arms to the sides as if ready to embrace her.

She smiled at the sight and muttered, "As if I'll fall for that."

When she got close to him, she stopped and slowly moved her left fist towards his chest. She stood on tiptoe and leaned forward.

She whispered softly in his right ear, "Hao Hao, you are a handsome and a strong man."

Wang Hao's eyes widened, and he wore a surprised expression. He looked down at her and automatically sniffed her hair. Mai pretended to hit him and struck his chest with her fist. She spread her fingers and pressed the palm of her hand against him. She projected her energy out and concentrated it in her right index finger, which she lightly and discreetly tapped on him. Something invisible pushed Wang Hao several meters back, and he landed on his bottom in the sand with a shocked expression. He coughed, but no blood came up. He held onto his chest and looked up at Mai with a surprised expression.

"Junior Brother Luo Tian has defeated Brother Wang Hao!" announced a soldier loudly for all to hear.

Everyone cheered and roared loudly, and one shouted, "Junior Brother Luo Tian has made Brother Wang Hao his slave for a week!"

"No, I haven't!" Mai grunted and looked at her index finger, which felt very warm.

She had never used it before.

When she saw Wang Hao's condition, she suddenly became worried.

"Did I hit too hard?" she muttered and walked over to him, kneeling in front of him.

He looked pitiful, and she suddenly felt sorry for him. Her gaze fell on his red cheek, now swollen. She hadn't hit very hard, but she knew it would bruise and turn yellow tomorrow.

"Sorry, Senior Brother Wang Hao." she said, feeling embarrassed by her actions.

Wang Hao massaged his chest and said, "I lost, so I am your slave for a week."

Mai furrowed her brows and said, "I don't want a slave. Does it hurt?"

He noticed her gaze was fixed on his cheek, and he massaged it. "It will pass in a few days."

"You can't get married with a scar, Senior Brother. Even women care about appearance." said Mai, reaching her left hand towards his cheek.

Master said the left hand had a milder effect than the right hand.

They wouldn't believe her, so she had to come up with a quick lie.

"Imperial Physician Liang Gu has taught me a healing technique. I can reduce some of the swelling if you want."

"Um, okay. If it's not too much trouble for you..." Before he could finish speaking, Mai gently pushed his hand away with her right hand.

She placed her left hand on his cheek, pretending to massage it, and shot her energy into her pinkie, commanding, "Heal him partially but only remove the swelling." She didn't know if it would work. She continued massaging and felt warmth spreading on his cheek as she gently pressed her fingers against it. She slowly removed her hand, and the swelling was gone, but the cheek was still red.

"Junior Brother Luo Tian is amazing. He can fix us now!" exclaimed a soldier.

"Brother Luo Tian, I'd gladly be your slave if Brother Wang Hao refuses."

"No, I will. Choose me. I can carry things for you."

"Don't listen to them. I'd love to be your slave. I can wash your clothes for you."

The soldiers' words started a chain reaction, and everyone now offered what they could do for Mai if she took them as her slaves.

Mai felt a headache coming on and massaged her temples.

"I can't believe I'm surrounded by idiots." she muttered under her breath, but Wang Hao heard her.

"Are we all idiots?" he asked softly so the others couldn't listen to their conversation.

Mai smiled and shook her head. "Senior Brother Wang Hao, you weren't included. Does it still hurt?"

He shook his head and touched his chest where she had struck him. "I still hurt here."

Seriously dude! Mai wasn't a real doctor.

"You need to see a doctor, Senior Brother Wang Hao. I can refer you to Imperial Physician Liang Gu if you need a proper check-up."

He shook his head and asked, "If I can't be your slave, how about I follow you around as a bodyguard?"

Mai didn't need a bodyguard as everyone breathed down her neck, so she replied, "I only need a loyal friend, but time will tell."

Wang Hao nodded, stood up, and brushed the dust off his clothes.

He formed his fist in salute and bowed to her. "I'll find you in the next few days, Junior Brother Luo Tian."

As he was about to turn around, Mai said, "Thank you so much, Senior Brother Wang Hao."

She looked at all the men, formed her fist in salute, and humbly bowed to them. "Thank you, senior brothers, for all coming to watch. Unfortunately, I can't entertain you any longer. Have a good day. If you're hungry, come to me."

She gave them all a beautiful smile, and with sweat trickling down her, her cheeks took on a reddish hue, and it seemed like she was excited.

Everyone was captivated, and it seemed like time stood still for a moment.

It was quiet, and Mai wondered why they were staring at her. Did I say something wrong?

"Junior Brother Luo Tian, I've had a pain in my foot for a while. Can you check it?" Suddenly, a young guy walked barefoot towards her, and she saw a red bump on his right big toe. It looked like a blister that had burst.

She furrowed her brows, "Senior brother, why haven't you had it checked? You can't walk around like that. Your shoes are rubbing there."

She became concerned if he had other injuries and asked him to sit down and began checking him all over. He took off the top of his cloak, and several red bumps appeared. They looked like boils, and it was hard to distinguish since Mai wasn't a dermatologist. She felt a pain in her heart at the sight and felt sorry for him.

She felt pity and furrowed her brows. "Senior brother, you need to take better care of your skin and bathe properly. If you scrub your skin too much or bathe too often or too little, it can affect your skin."

Mai didn't know if she could remove all the boils or if she would get infected herself. Master was a god, so she doubted she could get sick.

All the men with injuries gathered around them, which Mai hadn't noticed as she was focused on the man's boils on his back.

She placed her hands on his back and said, "If it hurts, bear with me. I can temporarily alleviate it, but it's important that you see a real doctor. Promise me that, or I won't help you."

The man nodded and said, "I promise. Everyone here has heard it, so I can't take my words back now."

Mai nodded and shot out her energy into her hands, quickly moving them around his back. Every spot her pinkies touched, the boils disappeared, and when she saw that, she moved her hands faster around. She moved to his chest, and when she reached his left side, she could feel his heart beating fast. Is he nervous?

The man sniffed her hair, and a foolish smile spread across his lips as he closed his eyes.

When she was done, the other men also wanted her to help them.

She looked at all of them and said, "Senior Brothers, I'm not a doctor, just a quack, so it's better if you don't waste your time here."

"I'm afraid to go to the doctor because of this. I'm afraid he'll laugh at me and cheat me." said a man who had a wound along his finger resembling psoriasis.

Mai didn't have anything else to do anyway, so she told them it was at their own risk. She began checking them all for wounds and strange illnesses. Those who had something between their legs, she said she would check another day. As if she would!

Not far from the same place, Emperor Jinling stood with his men who had witnessed the whole scene. He looked over at Mai and blinked. His gaze fell on her collar, which had loosened a bit, and he noticed something white sticking out.

His eyes widened, and he asked in a curious tone, "Has he been injured?"

"Your Highness, what do you mean? Junior Brother Luo Tian works for Imperial Physician Liang Gu and has never been out in the field yet. He has medical knowledge and can cure himself if needed. Everyone knows that." replied one of the men who also had his focus on Mai.

"So, he works in the herb hall, I presume." Emperor Jinling said, now becoming more curious.

The man furrowed his brows and replied, "No, Your Highness. You misunderstand. Junior Brother Luo Tian is just a simple kitchen staff and only cooks for the men here. He always keeps a low profile, but no one has complained because he helps with odd jobs whenever he has time."

Emperor Jinling scratched his chin and said, "He sounds very busy. Why is he there when he can fight?"

"He's not good at fighting and has chosen to cook. I don't know the exact details of his background, Your Highness." the man replied.

Emperor Jinling nodded and said, "Let's head back."

They turned around and walked back, but before they went around the building, Emperor Jinling cast a final glance at Mai.

"Luo Tian. Is he from the Luo clan?" he muttered, furrowing his brows.

Once Mai had fixed all the men, she cleaned up and carried things back into the kitchen.

The men still hadn't left, and they looked towards the kitchen and caught sight of Mai.

"He smells like flowers, just like a woman."

"His sweat smells good. Sweet like candy."

"His hands are silky soft like a woman's. Is he really a man?"

Wang Hao, who still hadn't left, looked at his left hand and furrowed his brows. "Come to think of it, none of us have ever had physical contact with Junior Brother Luo Tian. He's always managed to avoid physical training. I wonder why?"

"Maybe he's afraid we'll be too rough with him. With his slender build, it's not surprising." commented another, who was now daydreaming about Mai.

"He never complained even though we initially treated him like a slave. He cleaned the toilets, our clothes, even our sweaty shoes." said another, massaging his right leg, which Mai had cured.

Wang Hao furrowed his brows and looked towards the kitchen. "Why does he put up with it? He's 33 years old and still living like that. Shouldn't he find a wife?"

 

[MissAlbedo]

8. When Life Gives You a Beautiful Man



The next days were not peaceful for Mai.

Everyone who had witnessed her duel with Wang Hao wanted to be friends with her, and she was sure it wasn't because she had defeated him. She had helped soldiers who were suffering from minor illnesses, which she fixed with The Finger System. She was afraid of overusing it and experiencing side effects, but fortunately, God had heard her prayers because today everyone was to greet the emperor, who had returned from a long expedition. Or rather, the emperor was to see everyone from the military after his inspection, which had taken place a few days ago. Mai had never seen him before and was nervous and excited at the same time.

"How does he look? Is he handsome?"

She suddenly remembered that she must avoid making eye contact with the emperor because it was seen as imposing. She put on her imperial army uniform, consisting of a black robe, tied her hair up in a tight bun, and put in a golden hairpin. According to Imperial Physician Liang Gu, the hairpin indicated her status.

"Today, the Grand Inspector is coming too, whom I have never seen before."

He belonged to the Investigation Bureau, which solved mysteries and crimes in the Thousand Blossom City. It was the highest rank after a General. The title made the person sound like a grand master in martial arts, so Mai wondered if he was an old man.

She was 158 cm tall, slender, and petite. Her skin was fair, and compared to the other dark-skinned women, she looked like a corpse.

One must not appear dirty in front of the emperor, so she had to skip her homemade "poor-ass" makeup.

"It's surprising that no one has discovered my identity yet."

The enormous imperial square had a large white staircase, and at the top was a huge palace adorned with golden dragons and beautiful decorations. The entire square was filled with people, and from above, they would look like ants. Everyone stood in their respective sections in their colorful clothes indicating where they belonged. The ministers were dressed in red, the imperial army in black, the doctors in dark green, and there were palace maids and attendants in white and pink clothes.

Mai stood with her section of imperial soldiers, and because she was in Unit 1, which was the elite, she had to stand with them. She felt out of place, but it was only for today that she had to be here, so it would be fine. In the past years, she had not been asked to attend formal events. It was as if she didn't exist. She wondered why she had to show up now.

"Behold, His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Xiao Jinling has arrived!"

It was a loud and clear voice belonging to a eunuch that everyone heard, and everyone bowed, their gazes focusing on the white stones of the imperial square.

Mai was nervous and took deep breaths to avoid getting too tense. Her hands were sweating profusely, and it was mid-morning with the sun beating down on them. There were good and bad emperors, so she hoped that the one in front of her was the good one. She heard footsteps approaching from the right side and held her breath.

Emperor Jinling walked past her, but suddenly he sniffed the air and stopped. He turned his head to the left side and caught sight of Mai.

"What is your name, soldier?" he suddenly asked in a loud and cold voice.

Mai didn't think he was talking to her and didn't respond.

It was completely silent.

Suddenly, an officer walked up to her and stood in front of her.

"The Emperor is speaking to you, soldier."

"Tuo Lian is my name, Your Majesty." Mai immediately replied, still focused on the square.

"You have been a diligent soldier and have done your job well. As a reward, I have transferred you to the Investigation Bureau today." Emperor Jinling said.

His words made Mai's heart skip a beat. What the fuck?! She didn't want to go there. That's where they solved murder cases. She felt irritated and felt a knot in her heart.

"Your Majesty is generous." she said in a loud and clear voice.

Emperor Jinling nodded, and a satisfied smile spread across his lips. He moved on, sniffing the air in front of him and casting one last glance at Mai before focusing ahead again.

When the ceremony was over, Mai went to the Investigation Bureau, which was close to the military base, in the building to the right of it.

She stared at a door to a large room and muttered, "What the hell am I supposed to do here?"

Why had the emperor sent her here?

"Is it because of the incident with Wang Hao?"

"It reminds me I haven't seen Brother Wang Hao these days even though he promised to be my bodyguard. So he wouldn't be my friend anyway."

Was it too much she had asked about?

She knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in." said a crisp male voice.

Mai opened the door cautiously and walked in to see a very handsome young man sitting at a table scribbling something down. He wore a plain white robe, and his hair was tied up in a bun with a black hairpin. He was tall and slender, resembling a bishounen taken out of a manga. His eyes were dark with a turquoise and purple glow, emitting something mysterious.

She cleared her throat, formed a fist in salute, and bowed. "Esteemed Grand Inspector Lin. Tuo Lian is at your service."

Grand Inspector Lin suddenly stopped writing and looked up at her. His eyes slowly widened, and he studied her carefully.

"Are you Tuo Lian? How old are you? You look very young and small." he said in a curious tone.

"I am 33 years old and will be 34 soon, Grand Inspector." Mai replied, focusing her gaze on the dark brown wooden table.

Grand Inspector Lin suddenly stood up and walked over to her, now standing in front of her. Mai could suddenly smell his scent, which was fresh and reminded her of nature. She felt comfortable, and her heart beat faster. She had only been around sweaty men, so it was strange and nice to meet someone who wasn't part of the military.

"You are slender, petite, and short. Just like a woman." he suddenly said in a playful tone, moving closer to her so that her nose almost touched his chest.

Mai was surprised, and reflexively she took a step back. Is he trying to intimidate me? It did work!

"Let me remind you that there are also men with feminine traits, Grand Inspector." she said in a low voice.

She suddenly regretted her words and hoped he wouldn't punish her.

Me and my big mouth!

"Really? It's limited how feminine they can look. Look at me." he said suddenly.

Mai slowly shifted her gaze upward, making eye contact with him. She was met with a flawlessly masculine face and was completely captivated. She swallowed a lump of saliva, and suddenly, the temperature felt very hot. There was a strong scent of fresh nature that made her heart dance. He smells so good!

Grand Inspector Lin studied her carefully, and suddenly his gaze fell on her chest where some of the white bandage was sticking out.

He blinked and asked, "Have you been out in the field recently?"

"No, I have never been out in the field, Grand Inspector." she replied immediately.

"Okay, come over here. Stop using titles when you are with me. It sounds silly coming from you. When you speak, it sounds like you're trying too hard in a fake way." Inspector Lin said and walked over to the table.

Mai followed and spotted a drawing of an animal resembling a crocodile or a Komodo dragon.

"There have been some strange cases of animals attacking people and their crops, and I can't figure out if they are attracted to something in the crops." Inspector Lin said, putting her to work searching for things in the texts that made sense.

Mai was placed to his left, which made her nervous because they were sitting so close to each other. Their elbows almost touched, and she wondered why they had to sit so close together.

She loved specific types of animals and oddly enough had always feared a Komodo dragon because she had heard that their bite caused tissue injury. A Komodo dragon wouldn't be interested in crops, and those she knew only lived on Indonesian islands and other places that weren't China. Is this really ancient China?

"A Komodo dragon usually lives by itself and isn't interested in humans since they are already carnivores. They have no reason to destroy crops or attack people.” she said.

She looked at Inspector Lin and asked, "Is it one that has existed in the country, or has someone brought it here from outside?"

"We believe they come from the Srivijaya Empire or thereabouts." he replied, leaning on his right arm on the table as he looked at her.

If Mai remembered correctly, the Srivijaya Empire was modern Indonesia, consisting of many islands.

"Either the Komodo dragon is real or it's fake. Are you sure it attacks people?"

"It has attacked and eaten villagers and has taken babies. It is a plague, and there are several of them." Inspector Lin replied, looking worried.

"I assume you've already sent hunters out to catch them but without success," said Mai, thinking that a ninja warrior or something similar would fix their problem. "I'm an amateur at this and have no idea how to solve the tasks."

"You're doing fine on your first day, Luo Tian. That's your real name, isn't it?" Inspector Lin said in a playful tone, looking deep into her eyes.

She furrowed her brows and replied, "What else would I be called? King Carrot?"

He blinked and suddenly chuckled loudly. "Where did you get that from? I've never heard that saying before."

"It's just a proverb my master taught me." Mai replied, suddenly reminded of her master, and missing him.

Her heart ached, and she sighed deeply.

She continued to look through all the papers, but there was simply something that didn't make sense. A Komodo dragon wouldn't attack crops when it was a carnivore, and it wouldn't seek revenge because they stuck to their own territory.

Several hours later, Mai finished her work and was sent home. She was asked to come back the next day.

That evening, she lay in her bed and touched her right elbow. She could still feel Inspector Lin's elbow and smell his scent. When she pictured his face, her heart beat faster, and her body felt hot.

Do I stand a chance with him?

Suddenly, she remembered her situation and felt a tingling sensation in her stomach and pain in her heart.

"He's probably already married and has children."

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.

She hugged her pillow and mumbled, "He's handsome and strong and has status. It would be strange if he didn't have a wife."

But that didn't mean she couldn't dream about him. Dreams were harmless.

 

[MissAlbedo]

9. When Destiny Embrace You Don’t Refuse



The next morning, Mai looked like a mess. Her hair was tousled, her face slightly swollen, and her eye rims were red and dark. She rubbed her eyes and yawned.

"I look like a bombed-out toilet."

She found it difficult to fall asleep last night because she kept thinking about Inspector Lin. Every time she closed her eyes to sleep, his beautiful bishounen face would always appear, making her heart race, and she couldn't relax her body. She even became aroused, and it happened several times. After many attempts, her body finally relaxed, and she could sleep.

Mai dunked her head in a basin of ice-cold water and repeated it a few times. With an aloe vera mask, she managed to reduce the swelling on her face. With a very thin layer of makeup, she covered her fair skin, making it look like she was slightly darker.

"Now I can blend in a bit with the dark-skinned women here. The beauty standard here is really different compared to the modern world."

She would have liked to try wearing a beautiful dress, but she was afraid of being discovered if she shopped for clothes. Everyone had ears and eyes in the imperial palace, and it was scary how quickly rumors spread.

At the Investigation Bureau, Mai was greeted by Inspector Lin lying face down on a massage table while a man stood over him massaging his back. He was dressed in a green robe with a golden dragon on the front.

Inspector Lin was still dressed, which made Mai furrow her brow. What the hell is going on? For a second, she thought she had walked into a massage parlor.

"Good morning, Inspector Lin."

"Good morning, Junior Luo Tian. You can just get started with the work. There's a lot we need to accomplish." Inspector Lin replied crisply.

Mai shot him a sharp glance. You mean there's a lot I need to accomplish!

She sat down at the table and yawned. She felt like she was wasting her time here and would rather cook and cure soldiers in the military, but at least she had a good view of a handsome man. But it was also torture at the same time because she found it hard to concentrate.

Mai had only just started looking at the top of the pile when Inspector Lin let out a loud grunt. She looked over at him and saw the masseur had pressed on a spot under his shoulder blades.

"Ouch, I said you should press in the right spots." Inspector Lin grunted again, this time loudly.

Mai thought an imperial masseur knew his stuff and struggled to keep a straight face. She giggled, and Inspector Lin heard her and gave her a sharp look.

"What are you laughing at, Junior Luo Tian? Is there something you'd like to share with us?"

"He's pressing you in the wrong places." Mai replied immediately, refocusing on her work.

The masseur furrowed his brows, looked at her with a sharp gaze, and said in a cold voice, "How dare you belittle me! You're not a trained physiotherapist, so what do you know about what's correct? You're just an accountant!"

"You're done here. You can leave." Inspector Lin suddenly said in a loud, cold voice, causing Mai to look up at him.

She thought it was directed at her, but suddenly the masseur was chased out, and as he closed the door, he glared at Mai.

Inspector Lin raised his left hand and beckoned her over. "Come here and do his job."

Mai furrowed her brows but approached him and stared at his back. "Inspector, that's not why I'm here."

"You chased away my masseur, so it's only natural you take over his position." Inspector Lin replied as if it were completely normal to do so.

Mai was good at massaging because her badminton camp had taught her. But this was entirely wrong!

"If you want the full effect, you should take off your top so I can get to the skin, otherwise, you won't feel much." Mai said and he sat up and took off his top, revealing his bare, beautifully toned upper body. He lay back on the table, and she placed her hands on his neck, feeling his soft skin.

"I'll start with the neck and move down to the legs. Do you want me to include the buttocks? Not everyone is accustomed to buttock massage."

"Just give me the whole thing." Inspector Lin replied, closing his eyes and preparing to enjoy a good massage. He rested his head on his hands and relaxed his body.

Mai gently pressed her fingers on his neck and lightly moved her hands down to his shoulders. She felt a lot of small, hard knots.

"You're very tense here, Inspector Lin." she said, pressing a knot to the right, eliciting a sound from him.

She was afraid she had pressed incorrectly and became worried. "It's important you tell me if it hurts. It's been a while since I've massaged anyone."

"It hurt in a good way. Just keep going." he replied, and she continued.

When she reached his right arm, she leaned forward to press out the knots.

Suddenly, Inspector Lin sniffed the air around him and said, "You smell like a woman, and your hands are soft and delicate."

Mai's heart beat faster, and her cheeks grew burning hot. Suddenly, she felt his hand grip her right wrist, and he moved his head up so her nose touched his neck. He let go of her, sat up, and looked at her.

"Massage me from the front." he suddenly said.

The table was tall and awkward for Mai's height, and she looked around and saw a bed and asked him to lie on it. As she was about to massage him and saw his lying position, she noticed his crotch, and something dawned on her. I can't possibly sit there! They weren't that close. But she also knew he could have her dismissed with a snap of his fingers. Would his wife get jealous? Screw it! She chose to take the chance. It's not every day a handsome man drops into her lap.

"Is there a pillow somewhere?"

Inspector Lin shook his head. "My masseur doesn't use pillows. Come and press my arms."

Mai furrowed her brows and hesitated for a second. He's not tricking me into anything, right?

She walked over to him, sat down carefully on his lap, leaned forward, and began pressing his left arm. He let out a sound even though she hadn't pressed hard.

She continued with the right arm, and Inspector Lin suddenly said, "You're good at that. You're pressing all the right spots."

"Practice makes perfect." Mai replied, feeling nervous and happy because she could feel him so close. Wasn't this something only couples did together?

This position was hard on her back, and it was difficult to keep her desires in check. Suddenly, Inspector Lin sat up, surprising her. He held onto her back, and she felt his warm, large hands. Their noses almost touched as he stared deeply into her eyes. She felt his warm breath and touched his bare chest, which was warm. A lovely feeling spread through her body, focusing on her heart, which beat faster, and her cheeks grew warm. She suddenly felt nervous and embarrassed at the same time.

Inspector Lin gently touched her right cheek, and she felt his warm, large hands. If she were to be punished for this, she wouldn't regret it.

"Your cheeks are so delicate. You look like a porcelain doll. Has anyone ever told you how incredibly beautiful and cute you are? I could eat you right now." he said in a gentle voice, and Mai felt weak in the knees.

She didn't know what to say. She normally didn't like compliments, but he spoke like an angel singing in her ears. Mai remembered that most women here had dark skin. She suddenly felt unsure of herself.

"Um, I look like a corpse compared to the other women."

"What we define as beauty is only for ourselves to judge." Inspector Lin replied, charmingly smiling at her, which completely captivated her. She felt something explode inside her.

"How do you look with your hair down?" he suddenly asked in a curious tone, and before Mai could answer, she felt him remove her hairpin. He loosened the tie with a quick motion, and her long, black, smooth hair fell, resting on her buttocks. Suddenly, a scent of flora filled the room, and Mai could suddenly smell her own homemade lotus hair treatment.

Inspector Lin's eyes widened suddenly, and he slowly ran his fingers through her hair as he sniffed it. He broke into a satisfied smile and closed his eyes.

Mai furrowed her brows at the sight. Does he have a hair fetish?

He opened his eyes and looked deeply into hers again, leaning forward slowly. Their lips touched, and she felt a pair of soft lips pressing against hers. He tasted like sweet candy - a strawberry flavor. She wanted more. She slipped her tongue into his mouth and became aroused. They kissed passionately for a while, and Mai pulled her lips away to catch her breath.

Inspector Lin looked at her and asked, "Why are you dressed as a man?"

Mai knew she couldn't deceive him and chose to be honest. "I didn't have a choice."

She didn't want to talk about it because it brought back bad memories.

Her gaze suddenly fell on his topknot.

"How do you look with your hair down, Inspector Lin?" she asked in a playful tone and ran her right hand over his black topknot and took it out. She loosened the tie, and his black hair fell. It was smooth, well-groomed, had a lovely fresh scent, and was medium-length, reaching just to his shoulders, which surprised her. Why did all men in Xianxia worlds always have hair down to their buttocks?

"You seem surprised. Does it look strange?" Inspector Lin asked, a worried expression on his face.

Mai shook her head, smiled, and answered in a soft voice, "I'm pleasantly surprised by how good you look with that hairstyle. It's hard to resist."

She was burning with a question and asked in a low voice, "Do you like me, Inspector Lin?"

He smiled and replied in a soft voice, "Mmm, I like you. I like you more than just like you."

When Mai heard those words, her heart raced, and something exploded in her body, and she felt ecstatic. She was happy!

She broke into a big smile and leaned forward. She kissed him on the lips and was met with a warm, soft tongue massaging hers. It was a long, wet kiss they both enjoyed.

Inspector Lin gently kissed her neck and moved further down towards her breasts. He loosened her belt and carefully pushed the robe down from her shoulders, revealing her fair skin as he kissed it softly. Mai felt a pair of warm, soft lips on her skin and a delightful electric sensation spread through her breasts. She moaned softly and felt him loosen the bandage on her back, which he carefully removed with his fingers.

Her fine, large breasts slowly emerged, and he gently caressed them with his hands and mouth. Mai felt things happening in her body, becoming wet between her legs, struggling to restrain her inner beast.

He kissed her breasts gently, and she felt his warm tongue and hands all over. Her nipples were incredibly sensitive, a delightful sensation coursing through them as his soft tongue played with them.

He gently nibbled on one breast and murmured, "You're so soft and increasingly fragrant. I'm surprised no one has noticed anything yet." Mai slowly felt a bulge forming beneath her, excited by it she rode him slowly.

Inspector Lin moaned softly and gently nibbled on her nipples.

"Mmm," she moaned softly, struggling to stay quiet.

She squeezed his back while her nails gently dug into his skin. As Lin moaned faster, she became more aroused. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch to the fullest. She had missed physical contact on this level. She had felt alone all these years even though she was constantly surrounded by people. Mai was overwhelmed with emotions, and when Inspector Lin gently bit her left nipple, a tear escaped from her right eye. She gently bit him on the neck and licked it softly.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. "Inspector Lin, an important report has arrived." a man said loudly.

Inspector Lin stopped and sighed deeply, and Mai felt his warm breath on her chest. He gently kissed her on the breast and said in a loud voice, "I'll be right there."

He looked up at her and said, "If he hadn't shown up, I would have eaten you." A confident smile spread across his lips.

Mai leaned down, and they kissed passionately for a few seconds before she pulled her lips away.

They hurried to get ready, and when they were done, Mai looked at Inspector Lin, who stood to her right.

"Can you keep this a secret?"

"What do I get out of it?" he asked, smiling at her.

Mai thought for a moment. What would a man want?

She walked up to him, hugged him, and looked up at him.

"A kiss every time you keep quiet. Do we have a deal?" She gave him doe eyes.

"Okay, we have a deal." he said immediately.

Mai stood on her tiptoes and gently kissed him on the lips tasting something sweet.

She licked her lips. "Now you better keep your promise, Inspector Lin, or I'll haunt you."

He smiled charmingly at her and said in a playful tone, "You can haunt me as often as you like. I'm always up for a challenge."

His words sent shivers down her spine, and she didn't know if he was joking or serious. He was creepy, yet she was still attracted to him.

Have I fallen for a weirdo?

She gave him her best smile and reached her right hand towards his left cheek, running her hand around his face. She grabbed her stack of papers from the table and reached for the door handle. She walked outside, closing the door slowly, and saw two men standing in the hallway, one of them holding a large black tube under his right arm with a red seal on it.

She formed a fist in salute, bowed to them, and hurried home.

 

[MissAlbedo]

10. Playing Detective Pays Off





That afternoon, Mai spent her time searching for clues about the Komodo dragons that seemed to be ravaging the villages around the Thousand Blossom City. Now that she was under Inspector Lin's department, she didn't need to train with the soldiers anymore, which she was relieved about. She could sleep longer than before, and it was nice that she only worked for one person.

When she saw the handsome men on the streets of the city, she suddenly saw Inspector Lin's face and vividly remembered his beautiful eyes.

"They had the same turquoise and purple glow as the boy I saw many years ago. What are the odds that it's the same person?"

If Mai had been born under a lucky star, she would have won the lottery every time she played, which hadn't happened.

She shook her head and sighed deeply. "It's probably not the same person."

She looked at her left hand and could still feel the warmth of the boy's hands from back then. She rubbed her fingers, felt a knot in her heart, and bit her lip.

"Would my future be different now if I had taken his hand? Is it fate laughing at me?"

"I must ask him next time. Maybe it's actually him."

Mai chose to reveal something about herself if Inspector Lin did too.

Over the years, she had helped all the herb halls in the Thousand Blossom City make pain-relieving pills, the ones Master had made for her once. She had called them Godly Pills because they sold better that way. During this time, people only bought something they thought sounded promising, and God was the strongest in a believing time. She often went out to inspect all the herb halls producing her pills to check if they were made correctly.

In the nearest herb hall, Mai was greeted by a young man dressed in a green robe with a green hat on.

"Welcome, Young Master Tian. Have you come to inspect the Godly Pills?"

She nodded and asked, "Is Grandfather Liang Gu present?"

Imperial Physician Liang Gu had asked her to call him grandfather, which she didn't like at first, but later she found out that it opened a lot of doors to have a certain status here. Imperial Physician Liang Gu was Emperor Jinling's private physician, so she could get the juicy stories directly from him when she softened him up with a little alcohol. That's how Mai found out that Anni, her sister, had become a consort lady of the emperor. He had three consort ladies but no empress, and rumors said he hadn't slept with any of them yet.

"It must suck to be those women. What on earth is he waiting for? Is he into men?"

If Anni had had a child with him or become empress, the Immortal Palace would have looked different now. Anni only loved one person in the world—herself.

Mai walked through a long corridor with a floor of dark brown wood and thin white walls. There was a smell of old wood in the air, and the corridor creaked occasionally.

In a large hall, many people were busy producing various types of pills in all shapes and sizes. Dried and fresh herbs were scattered around, and there was a strong herbal smell in the hall. All the windows were open, providing good ventilation with a cool breeze that occasionally passed through, spreading the scent of herbs. Only men were present, grinding herbs on a granite stone that resembled a birdbath if one were drunk. They approached the section that made Godly Pills, which had a corner to itself to the left of the entrance.

Mai inspected them all carefully by sniffing at them and poking them with a golden acupuncture needle. In reality, she had no idea what they were made of, but she pretended she did.

The pill smelled of ginseng, green tea, chili, and licorice, but Mai was sure those weren't the correct ingredients. Master had never taught her how to make them, but she had been allowed to watch the process when he made them for her.

"They look fine. But that one is a bit too big. Flatten it out. When you make them, think about whether you would swallow that size yourself."

She kept both hands behind her back and surveyed them, hopefully making her look like a wise man.

"Ask yourself the question. Is it too big?"

Mai had them design the pills the size of a flat Mentos, easy for people to swallow.

When she finished her inspection, she looked around at the other workers and suddenly noticed a young man with a large rip in his right trouser leg, with a dark stain resembling blood. She furrowed her brow and approached him. He was grinding ginseng. When he noticed her, he immediately stopped and stood up. He bowed to her and pointed to his spot, indicating she should take it.

Mai shook her head and looked at his leg, asking, "Brother, why haven't you changed your clothes? If Grandfather sees that, he'll have a heart attack. Did you get hurt?"

The other workers in his group suddenly stopped working and looked up at him. They shook their heads, which Mai noticed immediately. She hadn't lived twice for nothing.

"If you lie, I'll get Grandfather to fire you, so you might as well make it easy for yourself." She didn't like threatening people.

The man cleared his throat and made eye contact with her.

"We were out gathering herbs, and I was attacked by an animal. We need to finish this order today, so I haven't had time to get a new set of clothes, Young Master." he said in a low voice, so only Mai and the group could hear him.

His body language seemed tense, and she sensed he was hiding something more. Something for something.

"Brother, if I fix your wound, can you tell me more about the animal that attacked you?" she said in a soft voice, giving him a friendly smile.

The man's cheeks slowly reddened, and he leaned forward, whispering, "Young Master, it can't be cured. Even Imperial Physician Liang Gu had no remedy."

Mai furrowed her brow and whispered back, "How do you know he doesn't have a method? Is it because you haven't dared to ask him?"

"Brother Jin doesn't lie, Young Master. Imperial Physician Liang Gu tried to look at it but without success." said a man from the group.

"Let me take a look anyway. Everyone here knows that Grandfather got the recipe for the Godly Pills from me." said Mai, still wanting to help Brother Jin.

If Imperial Physician Liang Gu couldn't fix it, then it wasn't a normal wound.

Brother Jin and Mai entered a small room off to the side, and Mai looked at him, eagerly awaiting what he had to say. He lifted his right trouser leg, and she saw a huge flesh wound. She sniffed the air around the wound but couldn't smell anything, furrowing her brow.

Shouldn't it smell like blood?

"Brother, how old is it?"

"It happened three days ago." he replied, resting his leg on a chair.

Emperor Jinling returned home three days ago from an expedition, but Brother Jin's injury came from the southern part of the forest, and Emperor Jinling came from the north, near the mountains.

"Has anyone from the palace brought anything?" Mai muttered quietly, studying the wound carefully.

Suddenly, she noticed a glint as she turned her head and leaned in closer to the wound. Something was lodged in the wound, but it was hard to see because of its transparent appearance.

She found a small pair of tweezers and looked at Brother Jin. "May I?"

He nodded, and she carefully inserted the tweezers into the wound and squeezed around the shimmering object. She felt something solid, which she immediately pulled out. It was a long, light piece of glass, and blood gushed out. Mai found a white cloth and wrapped it around his leg, but the blood soaked through. Her heart pounded faster at the sight.

He'll die from bleeding, and Grandfather can't cure it.

She placed her left palm on his leg and activated Avari’s Cloak. She projected her energy, focusing it on her middle finger, and a small white oval shield formed, covering his entire leg. Heat spread through Jinling's leg, and he felt a tingling sensation. He clenched his teeth, and suddenly the blood stopped flowing out.

Mai wasn't sure if it had worked. "Can you feel anything?"

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt anymore, and I'm not bleeding anymore. Let's take a look." Jin replied, and Mai removed the cloth, revealing that the wound was no longer bleeding.

She felt relieved and placed her left hand on the wound, projecting energy from her little finger, which penetrated his leg. She waited for a moment, and suddenly the scabs began to fall off like sawdust. The skin began to pull together and heal slowly. A moment later, there was a brand-new leg without a single scar.

"Wow, Young Master. You're a genius. You have magical hands. Are you sure you don't have any priestess in your genes?" Jin exclaimed, surprised.

"My master taught me some spiritual techniques, and I just pressed some points on your leg to stop the bleeding," Mai lied, finding a new cloth and carefully wrapping his leg.

"It's better if you pretend to still be injured for a while so no one notices anything."

Jin agreed and revealed, "It was a large two-legged reptile that attacked me. It resembled a crocodile from the books, but they don't live here. Upon reflection, it was probably more like a humanoid crocodile."

Mai asked him to give the precise location where he had seen the crocodile.

Geographically, they shouldn't live in China.

If it were Egypt, it would make sense.

"Thank you, Brother Jin. Please keep it a secret. But if you know anyone else who has been attacked by that crocodile, send them to me. I'm sure you're not the only one."

Mai hurried back to Inspector Lin's department, looking forward to telling him the good news. There were two unfamiliar men present, but Inspector Lin was not there. Mai sighed, disappointed because she had been looking forward to seeing him again. Her heart raced every time she thought of him.

As she was on her way back from the building, she suddenly heard someone calling her.

"Junior Luo Tian?"

Inspector Lin approached her from the left side, holding a black tube in his hand that looked similar to the one from earlier.

Mai formed a fist in salute, bowed to him, and said in a low voice, "I come to report good news, Inspector Lin."

She looked up at him and gave him a big smile.

"Come with me." he said, and they quickly walked behind a dark building out of sight from people.

Inspector Lin looked at her and smiled kindly. "I'm busy, but I always have time for you. What have you found out?"

Mai shared her theory with him.

"But they don't live here, so something doesn't make sense." he said, nodding.

Mai agreed and said, "But Brother Jin wouldn't lie to me. I saw his wound, but I found some glass in it."

Inspector Lin raised his eyebrows and asked, "Did you happen to bring it with you?"

Mai gave him a beautiful smile and took out a small white hard lump with the glass inside and gave it to him.

"Thank you for your help. I knew luck was on your side." he said, smiling kindly at her.

Mai felt happy when he praised her and felt her cheeks grow very warm. Her parents in both lives had never praised her when she did something good. She suddenly became overwhelmed with emotions, and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks.

"I'm glad I could help." she said softly, sniffling.

As she tried to wipe her tears away, she suddenly felt a pair of warm hands on her cheeks.

Inspector Lin wiped the tears away with his thumbs and pulled her close, hugging her.

He spoke in a gentle voice, "Don't cry. It must have been hard for you. Thank you for your help. I couldn't have done it without you."

He revealed that she had been recommended by General Li Qiangshou, and when he found out she was an adopted son of Imperial Physician Liang Gu, he became very interested.

Mai stopped crying and wiped her tears with his robe, sniffling. He smelled fresh, and she felt a pleasant sensation inside and relaxed. She looked up at him, and he leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Promise me you won't cry in front of other men, or I'll get jealous. It's hard to resist." he whispered in her right ear and gently nibbled on it.

It tickled in her ear, and Mai became happy again, her heart beating faster.

"I'll see what else I can find out about that animal." she said, nodding eagerly.

"Can you promise me you won't go into the forest alone?" Inspector Lin asked, furrowing his brows.

Mai didn't know why he suddenly brought it up. She still had a few days left of the slavery agreement with Wang Hao. She stood on her toes and kissed him gently on the lips.

"I'm not a child anymore. Thank you for caring about me. It really makes me happy."

Mai returned to the same herb hall as before and found Jin again, asking if anyone else had approached him about the crocodile. He mentioned the name of a girl who lived on the outskirts of the southern part of the city, whom Mai would visit.

She looked out the window and muttered, "It's only mid-afternoon. I can still make it."

Before she left, Jin asked in a concerned tone, "Young Master, you're not getting any crazy ideas, are you? Don't forget, Imperial Physician Liang Gu is still keeping an eye on you."

Even though Imperial Physician Liang Gu was never present, he always knew exactly what Mai was up to because whatever she did would affect his status. He didn't interfere with her actions, but it was frightening how much he knew about her.

She sighed deeply and shrugged. "Thank you, Brother Jin, for caring about me. You know me. I'm mature and sensible."

 

[MissAlbedo]

11. Playing with Fire





Mai returned to the Investigation Bureau to find Inspector Lin because it required a badge to investigate people, and not just any badge.

Three men were walking around, placing books on the large dark brown bookshelf.

"Is Grand Inspector Lin available?" Mai asked in a low voice.

One of the men stopped and looked at her. "Grand Inspector Lin is at an important meeting, but he left something for you."

He walked over to a table and picked up a bundle of silk cloth, which he handed to her. She opened it carefully and saw a golden badge with a dragon's head, the emperor's seal, which meant that Inspector Lin's words were the emperor's words.

"He knew I would need it." she murmured softly. He was very thoughtful.

She went home and changed into a plain white robe closed with a white belt. Her hair was in a tight bun with a white ribbon, and she put a black wooden hairpin in it.

On her way to the girl's residence, she spotted Meiling, a tall, slender palace maid who had helped Mai obtain the exotic fruits for her facial masks. Meiling stood in front of the Blooming Flower, a large red temple building with a curved golden roof. At the top was a golden dragon acting as a guardian. It had a snake body, breathed fire, and had red eyes. Meiling was with a large group of women dressed in beautiful luxurious dresses and beautiful shiny hair ornaments. They were discussing with each other while some of them giggled. Others shushed them while looking around as if searching for a specific person.

Mai felt nostalgic seeing the Blooming Flower because it was where her master had taught her Cupid Call.

She looked at her right hand, rubbed her fingers, furrowed her brows, and mumbled, "I wonder what happened to the minister's son. Has he married and had children?"

She approached the building to sense the atmosphere, but suddenly saw her master's face in front of her, smiling at her. It was a friendly smile, and her heart ached.

"Master, where are you? Are you really dead?"

Mai had been forbidden to visit the Eternal Peak where her master had been executed. She was sure there was still something of him left there. She sighed deeply and turned around, but as she was about to leave, a woman suddenly spoke.

"Brother Luo Tian, what are you doing here?" Meiling walked towards her with a friendly smile.

She wore a long pink silk dress with white cherry blossoms on it, and there was a floral pattern on the shoulders. She was slim, petite, and only a head taller than Mai.

"Sister Meiling. Good afternoon. I have an errand in town and happened to pass by here."

Meiling's eyes widened, and she covered her mouth with her right hand, saying, "Young Master. It's unlike you to come here. Have you finally reached maturity and become interested in the mature flowers here?" Her voice carried a teasing undertone.

"Sister Meiling, are you talking to the physician?" asked a woman in a white dress who was approaching them.

Physician? Mai looked at her and suddenly became curious. All the women here were privy to the juicy news in town.

Meiling looked at Mai and playfully smiled, replying, "No, but this is Imperial Physician Liang Gu's grandchild, Young Master Luo Tian. He's much better."

She suddenly grabbed Mai's right hand and said, "Come, Young Master. There are some people you need to meet."

Mai wasn't a physician, and pretending to be one could get her in trouble, but her identity might grant her immunity. She wanted to go in and see the place again and followed the women.

They entered the same large courtyard Mai remembered and walked towards the large garden with bonsai trees and wooden benches.

Meiling looked at her and said, "Wait here, Young Master. We need to make sure it's okay for you to come in."

Mai nodded, but the moment they rounded the building, she began to explore. She hadn't seen the entire garden last time because she had bumped into a boy.

"That's where I met that boy."

She walked to the end of a large dark brown building, and suddenly, she heard the sound of a zither.

Her heart skipped a beat. Mai loved the sound of the zither and had always wanted to play one.

"My piano and violin teacher played the zither but refused to let me touch one." She sighed and walked around the building.

In front of her was a large garden with a pond, and in the middle stood a large green wooden pavilion. Inside sat a handsome man playing the zither. He wore a black robe, was slim, and broad-shouldered. In front of him lay a dark green zither with white strings that he lightly touched with his slender fingers. It emitted a beautiful melody even though he was only playing single notes. The garden was empty of people.

“Where is everyone?”

"This is the Blooming Flower, always filled with guests. Is he a VIP guest?"

Ugh. She didn't want anything to do with perverse VIP guests and decided to turn around, but suddenly, the man looked up, and they made eye contact. He blinked a few times, and just when Mai thought he would ignore her, he suddenly pointed at her and motioned with his index finger for her to come to him.

Mai furrowed her brows and hesitated. "What the hell does he want with me? Is he into men?"

She became irritated but also curious and chose to approach him. He was much more handsome up close, and she thought Inspector Lin was handsome, but this man was almost on par with him. Almost. They resembled each other a lot.

She bowed deeply to him and said, "Good afternoon, My Lord. What can I do for you?"

The man studied her and leaned on his right arm, smiling kindly.

"What is your name, young man?" he asked in a curious tone.

"My name is Luo Tian, My Lord," Mai replied immediately.

The man raised his eyebrows. "Really? That name doesn't suit you."

He patted the green cushion to his right and asked her to sit who sat down beside him and looked at him, blinking.

"You seemed very interested in either me or the zither." he said in a gentle voice, looking deeply into her eyes.

Mai looked at the zither and replied, "My music teacher never let me touch a zither because she said it was difficult to play. When I think about it, I already played too many instruments, so it was probably smart not to learn to play more. One shouldn't bite off more than they can chew."

"Everything requires practice. Your teacher was probably afraid you would end up as a failure. Would you like to learn now?" The man looked at his zither and put his right arm around her, leaning forward.

Mai felt his warm breath and smelled his scent. He smelled of flora, and she was reminded of nature. There was a hint of jasmine, which she found to be a beautiful flower. Why does he smell like flowers?

"Has anyone ever told you that you have a pleasant scent, my lord?" she asked without thinking.

The man blinked and leaned his mouth towards her left ear.

He whispered in a crisp voice, "No one has ever dared to speak their mind to me before."

His words gave Mai goosebumps, and she was immediately reminded of her situation. Damn!

She slowly turned her head to the left and bumped into his nose. She felt his warm breath, and there was a strong floral scent. Her heart suddenly beat faster, and she became confused and nervous. She pulled her head back slightly and focused on his chest. Damn, he's well-built! If she wasn't already interested in Inspector Lin, she might have fallen for him.

"Sorry, my lord. Can you forgive my foul mouth? I forgot to wash it this morning." She felt embarrassed and ashamed of her words.

A confident smile spread across the man's lips, and he said in a soft voice, "If you give me a kiss, I'll overlook it."

Mai thought she had heard wrong and slowly looked up at him. She furrowed her brows and looked him deep in the eyes. They rested on her. He's serious! So, he really is into men! Fine. If this could save her from a beheading.

"My lord, do you promise that this will stay between us?" Her voice was small and hoarse.

He quickly looked around and nodded. "No one's watching."

At his words, Mai leaned forward and gently kissed him on the lips. His floral scent was now much stronger, and she was overwhelmed by the scent of jasmine. She imagined a forest of jasmine flowers, but suddenly she saw Inspector Lin's face in front of her. She quickly pulled her head back. That was close!

She bit her lip and made eye contact with the man. He tricked me!

Mai looked like someone who had just had their first kiss stolen. Suddenly, she heard women laughing, reminding her of Meiling.

She stood up and bowed deeply to the man. "My Lord, I apologize if I disturbed you, but I have another errand here. Have a good day, and I trust you'll keep your promise."

Mai turned around, but as she was about to leave, he suddenly grabbed her left hand. It was warm, and she felt a strange sensation in her stomach.

"Do you come here often?" He asked, looking up at her.

Mai shook her head and replied in a low voice, "I promised to help a friend with an errand here. It's my first time here, My Lord."

The man let go of her hand, and she hurried away, feeling her heart racing in her throat.

"Damn, that was close." she muttered, hoping they wouldn't run into each other again.

The man looked at his hand, rubbed his fingers in his palm. He smiled and sniffed them, then licked them.

"I was just joking when I asked for a kiss. I thought she would kiss me on the cheek. Is she stupid or what?"

"She smelled of lilies. It's the same girl from back then. They have the same mole on their necks."

He sniffed his hands again and touched his lips. "She tasted heavenly. Her lips were incredibly soft. I could get used to that taste."

He sighed deeply and lay down on the cushions, looking up at the clear blue sky. He closed his eyes and sniffed his fingers again.

"When will I see her again? Her name was Luo Tian... Luo Tian!" He abruptly opened his eyes and sat up.

He broke into an ecstatic grin and muttered, "So it's the soldier from the inspection day. Grandma was right that fate would find me and bring me together with it."

 

[MissAlbedo]

12. The Master of Pleasure





The noisy women turned out to be Meiling's group who had been searching for Mai for some time. They were relieved to find her "safe and sound," fearing she had run away.

Mai was led into a large building and further into a grand hall. At the exit, there was a large curved green wooden bridge leading to another grand brightly lit building with a huge, magnificent hall adorned with a large chandelier. The hall was rectangular and multi-story where women resided. They walked around in beautiful attire but in a relaxed manner. All the women looked at them with curious eyes, especially Mai, because she was the only male present.

"Who is that? He's cute?"

"Has Sister Meiling brought her boyfriend here?"

"Have you forgotten that there should be no men here? It's probably the doctor who was supposed to check on our sisters."

There was a strong scent of incense, perfume, and flora that was too harsh for Mai's nose. She wrinkled it and covered it with her right sleeve.

Meiling noticed and said, "It must be overwhelming to experience so much at once, Young Master. Don't worry. All my sisters are sweet and have sworn an oath not to say anything to anyone."

Her words left Mai confused, now unsure of exactly where they were heading. Have I gotten myself into something bad?

"Sister Meiling, is it too late to back out now?" she asked in a low voice, scratching her right cheek.

A woman standing to Meiling's right said in a teasing tone, "Young Master. The moment you stepped inside, you are now committed to your tasks." She giggled and gave her a beautiful smile.

Mai swallowed a dry lump of spit and tasted something bitter.

They went up to the 6th floor where there was a long corridor with doors where Mai presumed the women lived. They walked to number 1.

She furrowed her brows and looked at Meiling.

"Sister Meiling. What are we doing here or rather what am I supposed to do here?"

She gave Mai a playful smile and replied in a soft voice, "Young Master. It's better that you come in and see for yourself before I explain."

Mai nodded, and they entered the room.

There was a woman in bed under a red blanket reading a book. She was stunningly beautiful with dark skin, voluptuous curves, and wore a white robe where her right collar was half-open and some of her chest was exposed. A woman coughed loudly, and the woman looked at them. When she saw Mai, her cheeks slowly turned red, and she hurried to pull up her shirt and cover herself with the blanket.

"Why didn't you announce that you were bringing a man with you?" she said loudly in an irritating voice.

"Senior Sister Ling. The doctor couldn't come, so I brought Young Master Luo Tian instead." Meiling replied in a teasing tone and walked over to the bed.

Ling studied Mai, and her eyes suddenly widened. She now resembled a tomato, pushing the blanket up to her face leaving only her eyes exposed.

"W-Welcome, Young Master Luo Tian. Th-thank you so much for the facial masks you've made for us. They work wonder." she stammered nervously.

Suddenly, she looked at Meiling and then back at Mai, saying, "I don't want him to check me down there."

Down there? Mai's heart skipped a beat.

She suddenly became confused and looked at Meiling. "Sister Meiling, what does she mean?"

Meiling revealed that the women had lost their sexual desires, and some had pain down there because some men had been too rough with them. There was a doctor supposed to check them today, but he hadn't shown up yet, and coincidentally, Meiling had seen Mai, whom she knew was under Imperial Physician Liang Gu.

Mai felt sympathy and compassion for the women because their nether regions were important. That's where they birthed children. She expressed her willingness to help them. Women always supported each other, and after all, she was a woman.

Ling refused to let Mai check her down there, but after a short discussion, she realized that Mai had a certain knowledge they had noticed through her facial masks.

As Ling spread her legs and lifted her dress, Mai realized she wasn't a gynecologist. She thought she was just supposed to look, not examine.

She furrowed her brows and looked at Meiling. "Sister Meiling. I don't have the means to examine her."

Meiling smiled kindly at her and said, "Young Master. Since you are the granddaughter of Imperial Physician Liang Gu, we are sure you have inherited his medical abilities. Would you do us the favor of checking Sister Ling?" She widened her eyes and puffed her cheeks, along with the other women, which Mai found hard to resist.

For the first time in this world, she was in a dilemma.

It was just an examination, right?

Did it mean she had to... look at Ling's... papaya?

She felt a strange sensation, and her stomach slowly knotted.

She looked at Ling, who had flushed cheeks and an embarrassed expression.

"I am a man, ladies. I can't possibly treat Sister Ling. What if I damage something down there? I've never touched a woman before." her voice was suddenly husky.

When Ling heard those words, her head turned even redder, and she buried her face in her blanket.

"Y-young master. I've allowed you to see me down there. I'm sure you'll be gentle with me."

But I'm not interested! Mai furrowed her brows, unsure how to escape from this situation. Me and my curiosity. I'm too nice. One day, it would backfire.

Meiling said in a soft voice, "Just check her to see if everything is okay, Young Master. We're not asking for anything else. Can you handle that?"

Mai didn't know what she was getting into, but nodded because she wanted to check if Ling had any sexually transmitted diseases. Some could be seen on women's genitals.

The women left Mai and Ling alone and waited outside the door.

There was an oval light brown nightstand to the left of Ling's bed with several instruments laid out ready for the doctor. Mai had seen how her own gynecologist had examined her down there, but this was overwhelming for her. She sat on the stool and looked at Ling, who still shyly hid her face in the blanket.

"Can you explain what exactly is wrong with you? Do you have symptoms like itching somewhere? Are you swollen inside the labia?"

"I just hurt when the men are inside me. It constantly hurts, and I pretend to enjoy it. I'm afraid something is broken down there." Ling replied in a small voice, slowly peeking her head out and looking worried.

Mai tilted her head and asked, "Tell me honestly. Do you enjoy having sex?"

Ling nodded, smiled, and looked like a blooming flower. "I want to enjoy it again. It also smells strange down there."

It doesn't sound so bad. Mai had once read about someone who cured women's ailments in a special way. She looked around and at Ling, ending up looking at her hands. Her gaze fell on her pinky finger. Master said it could purify. Can it purify pains in the nether regions? It must be put to the test.

She looked at Ling and said, "Um, Sister Ling. I have a method, but it requires your consent before I do it. Maybe I can even give you back your enjoyment."

Ling's eyes widened, and she nodded, saying, "I give my consent to you. You can touch me all over. If you can fix me down there, I'll marry you."

Ugh. Mai furrowed her brows. She didn't need a wife. She smiled friendly to Ling and looked for a pair of gloves on the table, but there were none. She became confused and looked at the various instruments resembling something from a horror movie.

"I can't possibly insert them into you, Sister Ling." She looked at Ling and at her pinky finger. If there are no gloves, she must use the real deal.

"Can you spread your legs? No, wait. Can you get on all fours?" Mai asked and slowly crawled towards the edge of the bed.

Ling bit her lip and turned around with her backside facing Mai. She got on all fours and waited nervously and excitedly.

"Um, does it hurt?" Ling asked, hugging a pillow.

"It won't hurt unless you're very tight." Mai replied, suddenly feeling like her words sounded perverse out of context. They were two women having a conversation, so it was entirely normal.

On the other side of the door, Meiling and the women stood with their ears pressed against the door. They looked at each other and tried to press their ears close to the door, hoping to catch every detail of what was happening inside.

"He said Sister Ling is tight." whispered one of the women, giggling.

"No, he said it would hurt if she was very tight." corrected another, also giggling. "If Sister Ling doesn't want him, I'll take him. He's cute. Good enough to eat."

Meiling licked her lips seductively and bit her lip.

"It's annoying we can't see anything. Sister Ling must be in heaven now. She's always had a crush on Young Master. I saw him first, so I get him first." she whispered, biting her lip again.

Mai went to the bathroom and washed her hands thoroughly.

She stood by the edge of the bed and said, "Sister Ling, can you lift your dress so I have a view of your entire behind?"

Ling nodded and lifted her dress up to her waist, revealing a beautiful view of everything.

"My right hand is stronger, so I hope it won't hurt." Mai said in a soft voice.

She stopped herself.

"Why does it sound like I'm about to fist you?"

She placed her left hand on Ling's left buttock.

"I'm entering now." she said gently.

"Mmm." Ling responded, nodding. She closed her eyes and bit her lip.

Mai slowly inserted her right pinky finger into Ling. She felt something very hot and tight squeezing around her finger. Damn, she's tight!

Ling let out a low sound and squeezed the pillow.

Mai furrowed her brows and asked, "Does it hurt?"

Ling nodded but didn't reply.

Mai projected her energy, concentrating it in her pinky finger, and slowly moved it around.

Ling moaned softly, burying her head in the pillow.

Mai felt the warmth around her finger but wasn't sure if her technique had worked.

"Can you feel anything?" She asked.

"It still hurts." Ling replied, biting her lip again.

Mai furrowed her brows and inserted her left pinky finger, projecting her energy again, concentrating it in both hands. She moved her fingers back and forth, hearing Ling moan loudly. Suddenly, Ling moved her left hand between her legs and touched herself.

"I can feel a little. Make it faster." she moaned loudly, grabbing her right breast while her elbow rested on the pillow.

Mai was pleased to hear those words because it meant it was working. She quickly moved both fingers in and out, feeling how wet and smoothly her fingers glided back and forth. Ling moaned louder making Mai more excited, inserting more fingers to help. When Ling reached climax, she let out a loud cry and moaned slowly.

Mai patted her on the buttock and washed her hands thoroughly.

She looked in the mirror. "It worked!"

When she came out into the room, Ling was surrounded by Meiling and the other women who stared at Mai, sending her flirtatious glances.

She walked over to Ling and asked, "Sister Ling, have you regained your pleasure?"

"Young Master. Your masks are miracles, but this is... I have no words for it. I'm cured. Thank you so much. I feel like I can have sex several times a day." Ling replied, her cheeks turning slightly red as she looked shy.

Mai was just happy she could help and gave her a friendly smile that captivated all the women.

"I'm glad to hear that. Sex is healthy, but if you do it too often, you'll get irritations down there, so take care of yourself."

"Young Master. Can you check me too?" asked a woman who suddenly lay down on the bed and spread her legs.

Mai looked around at all of them and asked, "How many are there?"

Shortly after, Mai fixed all the women, and they overwhelmed her with marriage proposals, which she declined. They wanted to give her money as a reward, but Mai would rather have a piece of jewelry since she didn't own anything. Ling gave her a small oval white glass that looked like an egg, a type of glass charm. It was a charm meant to bring luck to the owner, something Mai felt she needed. She thanked them all many times and said goodbye to them.

As she left the Blooming Blossom, Meiling looked at Ling and asked, "How was he? Tell us everything."

Ling's cheeks turned a rosy hue, and she held her hands to her cheeks.

"It was better than all the men put together. He touched the right places, and his fingers felt magical. There was a lovely warmth from them. Do you think I have a chance?" she asked.

Meiling giggled and replied in a teasing voice, "Don't you think the Young Master has already found a woman? Otherwise, others have already noticed him."

 

[MissAlbedo]

13. Curiosity can Backfire



It had not yet become completely dark, so Mai could still talk to the girl who had also encountered a crocodile man in the forest before it got dark. In case she ran into danger, she quickly returned to the military and retrieved her sword, the jian, which had a silver blade.

As she was heading out of the armory, she passed by the archery training area where targets were set up in various places—some hung on the trees. Mai's archery skills were not bad; she hit the target every time. The hardest part was shooting from a distance. Her trainer had said that in war, you just shoot and hope to hit something.

She took a dark brown leather quiver with her and found 30 arrows, taking some extra ones which she pushed in.

"It's better to be safe."

Mai put the quiver on her back and tucked her painkillers into her sleeves. She closed the hanging sleeves with a ribbon and tied a tight knot. The pills were the most important things on her in case she got injured.

She looked at the large dark brown longbow in her right hand.

"I look like I'm going to war or hunting."

As she was about to leave the entrance, she bumped into a large group of soldiers who greeted her.

"Junior Brother Luo Tian, are you going out to hunt so late? It will soon be dark, and normally no one stays in the forest after it's evening."

Mai furrowed her brows and asked, "Is there something dangerous in the forest since people don't stay there?"

A soldier shook his head and replied, "The Holy Temple uses it for ceremonies in the evening which no one interferes with."

The Holy Temple was the largest temple in the Thousand Blossom City and the holiest, performing all spiritual ceremonies there.

Mai found it strange that the palace was called the Immortal Palace when there was a holy temple. Wasn't immortality seen as something bad in some religions because it went against what was realistically possible?

Mai smiled kindly at them, "Brothers, it's just precaution. Have a good day. If you see Senior Brother Wang Hao, you can tell him I miss him."

After a short conversation with the girl's mother, Mai checked the girl's wound on her leg and healed it with the Finger System before heading out of town.

The forest was only 200 meters from the city wall, so Mai hoped to take a quick look around and then return home.

At the same time, Wang Hao had just returned home from a short expedition from the city and was passing by Mai's place to see how she was doing but was stopped by a physician.

"Young Master Luo Tian has gone into town to investigate something for Grand Inspector Lin."

Wang Hao frowned and was about to head towards the town but chose instead to go to the Investigation Bureau, where he was also stopped.

"Junior Luo Tian has gone out to investigate something for Grand Inspector Ling."

At the herb hall, he was met by Jin, who was carrying a large basket of citrus leaves that filled the entire room with fragrance.

"Senior Brother Wang Hao. What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Junior Brother Luo Tian recently? I know he has inspection rounds here sometimes." Wang Hao replied.

"He was investigating something about an animal. I haven't seen him since. Have you tried asking your brothers in the military?" Jin bid him farewell and went about his work in silence.

Wang Hao heard the sound of knives chopping loudly on a cutting board, and he glanced at a basket of mandrakes.

"Where could he be? It's unlike him to wander around alone. Is he with Grand Inspector Lin?"

Mai stood in front of a large lush forest, the weather was mild. May evenings were pleasant. Tall ferns and thick moss crawled up the trees like thick green vines. A green iguana sat on a tree that Mai was sure she wouldn't have spotted if she hadn't trained for so many years. She just wanted to check the area which should be a few meters past the trees here.

She walked quickly into the forest, and everything was so thick and dense that she had to hack her way forward. The air thickened even though she had only walked a few meters, and the sky grew darker with each step she took.

Twilight arrived, and Mai stood at the top of a cliff, looking down at a vast marsh with a view to the other side where there was a flat grassy area with tall reeds at the edge of the marsh. There was a dark fog-like layer over the marsh like a thick blanket, and Mai wondered what it was exactly. It was a high and steep cliff, and she counted many meters down.

"A fall would break my neck."

It was completely silent, and not even the sound of animals could be heard, which made her wonder. She sniffed the air around her and could suddenly smell iron. No, it was...blood! There was a putrid foul smell, a sour odor that made her nauseous, and she wrinkled her nose. She covered her mouth, and her stomach tightened.

"Ugh. Is it a dead animal?"

It smelled worse than a dead rat she had once found.

She looked out at the marsh again, and to her right, she spotted a large hill which she went over to investigate.

"This is where Brother Jin and the others encountered the crocodile men. Do they live on the other side?"

As Mai stood at the foot of the hill, she saw a large dark pile to the left, and curiously, she went over to check it out. A strong rotten stench emanated from it, and she took out a cloth and tied it around her mouth. As she studied the pile, she was shocked to see human heads sticking out. There were large holes in their skin, and they had been bitten in various places by something that had left bite marks. Their jaws were dislocated, and some were missing. Their entrails had been torn out, and some were missing limbs. They all had a scar on their neck of a flower, and their eyes had been gouged out, resembling black holes. Flies buzzed around, and rats crawled among the pile, searching for scraps of food in the pockets of the corpses. All the bodies were feminine, and something dawned on her. It's only women! She felt a cold rush in her stomach, and her heart raced loudly.

"What is this? An altar of sacrifice?" She whispered, feeling frightened.

Screw it, I'm screwed! Mai knew when something was wrong. Her hands trembled, and she unsheathed her sword cautiously.

*Crack*

A branch snapped loudly, and she slowly turned her head to the right. There stood a two-meter tall humanoid figure on two legs with a lizard-like body with a thick tail. It was dark, had yellow reptilian eyes, and stared at the pile of corpses. It had long thick crocodile claws but had human arms and a human face. It was a man. He walked towards her, and she gripped her sword tightly with both hands. As he arrived near her, she was about to defend herself, but suddenly, he continued walking towards the pile of corpses.

Mai furrowed her brows at the sight and studied him carefully from a distance. Is he blind?

The man began rummaging through the corpses and dug out a specific one, a young girl whom he began sinking his teeth into. He emitted a deep growling sound reminiscent of a crocodile, and a terrible stench spread in the area.

Mai didn't need to see any more and took a cautious step back. She slid her foot silently in the grass and slowly backed away. Her heart was pounding in her throat and sweat poured down her. She felt chills. She had only managed to take three steps back before the man stopped eating. Mai also stopped and stood completely still, holding her breath. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears, and adrenaline pumped. Don't look over here! She bit her lip and waited. The man turned his head around and began eating the body again like a wild animal. Mai took the chance and took a step back.

*Crack*

She stepped on a small snail shell and stopped immediately. Fuck it! Her heart skipped a beat.

The man stopped and slowly turned his head to the right. Intestines hung out of his mouth, and his eyes had a reddish glow and looked very large. He stood up and held the body in his right hand, slowly walking towards Mai, who tried to move her leg, but they had suddenly become very heavy. She felt frozen in place. Fuck my life! She gripped her sword tightly and prepared herself.

The man came closer, and she smelled his foul breath, stinking like a dead rat that had rotted for too long in nature - sour, sweet, and rotten at the same time, making her nauseous. It was dark, and the stars shone beautifully in the sky, even though it was slightly cloudy. Suddenly, a cool wind passed, and the clouds moved. The large full moon emerged, illuminating the entire sky, and the man's full form became visible. He had a well-trained broad upper body with dark green and gray crocodile skin with rough bumps and thick horns on his forehead. A yellowish mucus floated out of his open mouth, revealing large white crocodile teeth with large chunks of flesh hanging. He stood only two meters from Mai. Suddenly, he looked at her and raised his eyebrows. He roared loudly, pounding his chest like a gorilla, and his sharp claws grew longer and wider. He ran quickly towards her. She thrust the sword into his right chest and quickly turned her sword around.

*Crack*

Something snapped inside him. It was Mai's signal. She quickly pulled out the sword and stabbed it into his right side, twisting the sword again.

*Crack*

She quickly pulled out the sword, jumped back, and looked at the man. He groaned and held his chest while some dark thick mucus flowed out.

Mai furrowed her brows at the sight. "Is it blood? What the hell is that?"

She looked at her sword and saw the same black mucus, which suddenly started crawling around. Her heart skipped a beat.

"What the hell!"

She quickly stabbed the sword deep into the ground and quickly pulled it out. The black mucus was gone, and she felt relieved.

The man suddenly roared loudly, echoing loudly in the forest, and birds squawked loudly from the trees, flying away quickly. He got down on all fours like a wild reptile and ran towards Mai, opening his mouth with froth hanging out along with dark slime.

Mai gritted her teeth and slashed the man on the neck.

*Thud*

The sword was stuck, which startled her. Her heart raced. She quickly pulled it out, but at that moment, the man lunged at her. He grabbed her left leg hard and bit down.

Mai felt a burning pain spread throughout her leg, which then spread to the rest of her body. It tingled on her skin, feeling like ants crawling constantly. She gritted her teeth and swung at the man's head, but the sword got stuck again. Frustrated, she pulled it back and swung at his front left leg.

*Clunk*

It was hard as steel, and she felt electricity in her hands, which began to tremble. Frustrated, Mai quickly looked at the man's body, and her gaze fell on his eyes. She swung at his eye. In response he roared loudly, released his bite, and backed away.

"You damned pig. How dare you!" He grunted loudly.

 

[MissAlbedo]

14. Encountering a God



Mai didn't have time to respond, and with difficulty, she quickly got to her feet and limped backward. She drew an arrow and aimed it at the man's eye.

*whish*

*puchi*

The arrow hit the same eye, and the man roared loudly. Mai shot another arrow that hit the other eye. He roared loudly again and held his hands over his eyes. Defenseless, she limped toward him and thrust her sword forcefully into both eyes, stabbing multiple times. Black matter splattered out to the sides, and she got some on her face. After a moment, the man stopped making sounds, but she didn't know if he was dead. To be sure, she swung her blade at his throat, and this time it went straight through.

Mai furrowed her brow. "So, the eyes are the weakness."

She sat down and caught her breath for a moment. She stood up to go home but suddenly heard a clattering sound from the pile of bodies. Her heart skipped a beat, and she slowly turned her head. Is there a zombie coming? Her heart couldn't take any more right now.

Mai didn't want to stick around to find out, so she turned away. But as she was about to take a step, there was a deep voice speaking behind her.

"Can't one sleep in peace? I asked for quiet earlier."

The bodies were thrown aside, and a man dressed in a black cloak emerged, with long black hair and eyes glowing red. He was tall and slender, with a beautifully feminine face.

Mai tried to move, but suddenly he spoke again.

"If you take one more step, I'll kill you. Stay here and let's play. I've only just woken up from my nap." His voice was deep and echoed in the forest.

Nervously, Mai slowly turned around and made eye contact with the man's red eyes, resembling drops of blood. His body emitted a red glow swirling around him, and he exuded something otherworldly. She was reminded of her master and furrowed her brow.

"Are you a god?" She asked in a low, husky voice.

The man smiled confidently at her and replied in a cold tone, "A god? No. I am the god!"

His body suddenly lifted from the ground, and his cloak fluttered in the air. He extended his right hand in front of him and pointed at Mai with his index finger.

"Absorption." he said, causing Mai's alarm bells to ring.

*vroom*

A thick red wave shot out from his finger, rushing toward her. She pointed both of her thumbs at him and shot her energy out to her thumbs. She lightly tapped her thumbs together, and a thick white beam shot out, heading toward the wave. Mai felt a burning pain in her body, concentrating in her heart. It prickled and hurt terribly.

The man raised his eyebrows and asked, "Impossible! Who are you?"

"Your grandmother." Mai grunted as she felt pressure in her lungs and struggled to breathe.

The white wave collided with the red wave, causing it to disappear and rush forward toward the man who flew to the right side and dodged. He smiled, but suddenly the wave turned around and flew back toward him again. He flew around, dodging several times and laughing loudly.

"This is child's play. Who taught you that? Your master must be worse than crap." he taunted.

Mai felt a stabbing pain in her heart and shouted, "My master is the best in the world."

"Explode!" she commanded loudly.

The white wave accelerated, and a golden glow formed around it, rushing toward the man who flew toward a mountain. He turned around to taunt again, but suddenly the wave transformed into a large white hand that grabbed his hair and pulled him toward it. It squeezed around his body and quickly flew toward the mountain.

The man gritted his teeth and shouted, "Do you think you can get rid of me so easily? I'll haunt you."

He was pushed into the mountain.

*boom*

A huge hole formed in the mountain, as if something had passed right through it.

Mai didn't have time to celebrate her victory before the crocodile man suddenly moved. He took out a black horn and blew loudly into it. Her heart skipped a beat.

*tap tap tap*

Countless footsteps came running toward them, and Mai realized they were coming from behind her. She turned around and saw a massive horde of crocodile-like men, all looking alike. They all carried weapons and charged toward her like wild animals. She shot arrows at them and hit them in the eyes, but there were too many. She shot her energy out and aimed her trembling hands at them, but nothing happened, and she felt no warmth in her hands.

"Fuck!" she groaned and limped to the edge of the cliff. She spotted a branch sticking out and saw other branches sticking out.

It always worked in the movies. She took the chance and climbed down the cliff. She sat on a branch and carefully crawled further down. She suddenly heard men shouting and swords clashing loudly against something scraping.

"Is there a fight?"

Mai chose to be as quiet as a mouse, hoping not to be discovered. Her wounded leg burned, and it felt like something invisible was gnawing at her skin. It was heavy and smelled awful.

She held her right hand over it and muttered, "Avari's Cloak."

She pushed out her energy, but nothing happened and sighed deeply. "Okay. Never mind."

Suddenly, everything blurred for her, and she struggled to stay awake.

In the same area, Wang Hao was present with a large group of soldiers who were combing through the edge of the forest.

"Brother Hao, this should be the last for today. The priestesses finished their ceremony a little while ago." said a soldier who was bent over a crocodile man.

Around them lay large piles of them, and there hung a thick stench of potent blood and decay.

Wang Hao suddenly sniffed the air and looked out at the bog, asking, "Can you smell lilies too?"

The soldiers shook their heads, preparing to head home, but suddenly Wang Hao spotted the mountain and couldn't help but notice a large hole.

He furrowed his brow. "What happened here? That wasn't there yesterday."

He walked to the edge of the bog, looked down, and suddenly spotted a person hanging on the third top branch.

His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "Brother Luo Tian!"

He carefully climbed down and reached his right arm down. He grabbed Mai's neck and quickly pulled her up.

Mai felt something on her neck that felt like a gentle slap, and she sensed warmth in front of her. She couldn't see anything and didn't know what was happening.

"If you try to kill me again, I will haunt you this time." she whispered in a hoarse voice, feeling a dry throat. She coughed, and the pressing feeling in her heart worsened.

"It hurts so much!"

"Don't speak anymore." said Wang Hao in a soft voice, carrying her home.

When Mai opened her eyes, she stood in front of the temple on the Eternal Peak, where the sky was dark, and the stars twinkled. The wind was cool, and the temperature was cold. It was completely silent, and not the sound of any animal could be heard.

She blinked and looked around. "This is the temple where I lived with my master. Why am I here again?"

She suddenly remembered the crocodile men, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Am I dead?"

She slowly walked toward the temple.

*bumb*

She turned her head to the right and saw her master's head staring up at her. His skin was black, wrinkled, and thick blood flowed out. It smelled terribly of something rotten, like from a garbage bin, and Mai felt nauseous. Suddenly, her master opened his eyes and his mouth.

"You left me! You disrespectful rascal. I didn't raise you like that. The sky will fall on you!"

His voice echoed, and blood gushed from the corners of his mouth and eyes.

*crack*

His jaw turned sideways, dislocating.

Mai's heart skipped a beat and pounded faster.

"Have I been thrown back in time?" She suddenly became nervous.

"Master, you're not real. You're dead." Her voice was small and hoarse.

Suddenly, there was a loud laughter coming from behind her, and she turned around. There stood the same man in the black cloak whom she had killed earlier. He had a sword in one hand and held the corpse of a girl by the neck in the other hand. All her alarm bells rang, and her heart skipped a beat.

"How did you come here? This is holy ground."

The man smiled confidently and licked his lips. "I said I would haunt you even in your dreams."

Dreams? Mai felt relieved that she wasn't dead.

The man thrust the sword in front of him and ran toward her at full speed. She held her hands in front of her and shot out energy. She waited. Nothing happened. She shot out energy again, but suddenly she felt something cold and long piercing into her stomach. The sword bore straight through, and the man quickly pulled it out and stabbed her several times in the stomach. Blood gushed out, and Mai shivered. Her body trembled. It hurt, and she struggled to breathe. She felt something rising in her throat and coughed up blood, falling to the ground.

"I'll kill you over and over again if you dare to wake up." said the man in a cold voice.

He swung at her neck, and suddenly she felt her head fly to the left side. Everything suddenly went black.

Mai abruptly opened her eyes and felt the sweat sticking to her.

Her breathing was heavy, and her heart beat faster. Sweat dripped down her forehead, and she shivered in her neck.

She held her hand to her forehead and took deep breaths.

"He kept his word and haunted me."

She could still feel pain in her stomach and carefully removed the blanket so that only her stomach was exposed. She opened her robe and saw a long horizontal black line on her stomach.

Her heart skipped a beat.

"What the hell?"

Nervously, she touched her fingers over the mark but felt nothing. Suddenly, she felt a burning heat, and the line disappeared.

She became worried and was on the verge of panic but tried to keep her head cool.

Mai thought carefully about what had happened from when she met the man until her dream.

"If he's some kind of god, he can haunt me anywhere." She felt shivers down her spine and looked around her room.

She heard birds chirping and a dove cooing loudly. The sun's rays shone in, illuminating, and warming the room, and Mai was now sure that's why she was sweating so much.

She rubbed her fingers and furrowed her brow. "A dream isn't real, but yet I've ended up in this world through a dream. So what is real?"

She suddenly saw Inspector Lin's face in front of her and felt his touch all over.

“That was definitely real.”

"If that's not real, then what is?"

She knew one could also dream within a dream.

"No, stop yourself, Mai. You'll go crazy if you keep going."

Suddenly, she felt a soreness in her left leg and was reminded of the incident yesterday. She nervously lifted the blanket to check her leg.

"Is it bad? What if there's a big fat Lamprey on it!"

 

[MissAlbedo]

15. When Pleasure Knocks on the Door You Don’t Refuse





Mai chose to remove her duvet and was met with a huge red and black wound on her calf muscle. Something thick and yellow was oozing out. It smelled terribly rotten and acidic, making her feel nauseous. She wrinkled her nose and covered her mouth.

“How did I get home?”

*knock knock*

“Come in.” Her voice was hoarse, and she quickly covered her leg with the duvet.

Imperial Physician Liang Gu arrived with two young male physicians carrying trays of various herbs, food, and medical tools, along with a roll of beige bandages.

Mai cleared her throat and blinked at the sight, saying, “Grandfather, you don't need to do all that. I've told you before not to waste precious herbs on me. I can fix my leg myself.”

Her throat suddenly felt dry, and she covered her mouth, coughing.

Imperial Physician Liang Gu didn't reply but sat by the bedside and removed the duvet. The condition of her leg made him furrow his brows, and he immediately began to clean the wound. He tossed herbs on it, rubbing and pressing them into the wound.

Mai felt a stinging pain and bit her lip. Damn, that hurts!

He wrapped bandages around the leg and suddenly shoved a green leaf into her mouth, which she chewed on. She tasted lemon and thyme and grimaced. She hated thyme because of its strong smell.

“In a few days, you'll be able to walk again. Fortunately, it's not a deep wound. You worry your grandfather when you come home with things like this.” said Imperial Physician Liang Gu, furrowing his brows as he looked at her.

“Grandfather, stop worrying. You'll just get more wrinkles from it.” she said, gently touching his cheeks.

He was old when she came to the Immortal Palace, but now he looked really old. He had always watched over her and provided her with a roof over her head. She saw him as another grandfather, and even though they didn't see each other often, she felt they had a close relationship. He understood her.

“I won't hold on much longer, and you must carry on my legacy, little Luo Tian.” said Imperial Physician Liang Gu, looking deep into her eyes.

Mai was reminded of the time her master died and felt a pang in her heart. Not again.

She forced a smile. “What are you talking about, grandfather? There's still life in you.”

She hugged him, and he left a tray of food on the nightstand before leaving the room.

At the same time, in the Investigation Bureau, Inspector Lin sat, looking at the drawing of the Komodo dragon as he scribbled something down in a book. He was suddenly reminded of Mai and glanced at his subordinate, who sat to his left, also busy jotting down notes.

“Where is Junior Luo Tian? He's late today. That's unlike him.” He inquired.

The subordinate looked up and replied, “I heard from Brother Wang Hao that Junior Luo Tian got injured after a hunt yesterday.”

*crack*

The quill snapped in Inspector Lin's right hand. He quickly stood up, pushing his chair back.

“Finish the work. You can leave whenever you want. I'm taking the day off.” he said, putting on his overcoat and hurrying out the door.

Mai was eating rice porridge, surprisingly tasting good with chicken pieces in it, giving it a rich and creamy flavor.

*knock knock*

As the door opened, Inspector Lin appeared.

Mai choked on her soup, coughing. Damn! She had completely forgotten about him. Is he here to reprimand me?

She quickly set the bowl aside, looked down at his feet, and said aloud, “I'll take responsibility for yesterday. You can punish me anytime. I'm sorry I brought disgrace to your name.”

She felt a knot in her heart, causing pain, and she grew frustrated with herself. It was incredibly foolish what she had done yesterday. She clenched her teeth as her heart raced, her cheeks grew warm.

Inspector Lin quickly stepped inside, closed the door, and approached the bed. To her surprise, he climbed into bed, and she felt a pair of warm hands embrace her. She felt his warm chest and smelled his wonderful fresh scent, sending butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

“Thank goodness you're safe. That's the most important thing. I was worried about your health.” Inspector Lin said in a soft voice, and she was overwhelmed with emotions.

A bubble burst, and tears slowly rolled down. She hugged him tightly, squeezing his back, and sniffled. She began to sob. It dawned on Mai only now what situation she was in yesterday. If her Finger System hadn't worked, she would be lying in the swamp now.

When she had finished crying, Inspector Lin sat beside her without letting go.

He looked at her and said, “Brother Wang Hao brought you home safely. I must reward him. I assume your trip wasn't in vain.”

Mai nodded and told him everything she had experienced except for the mysterious man. She was afraid he wouldn't understand her. He praised her for solving a mystery even though she didn't have any physical evidence with her.

"Brother Wang Hao has some evidence we can use. The last thing we need to figure out is where they come from and who controls them," he said, leaning forward and kissing her gently.

"I've missed you."

Mai wanted to know everything about him, but she knew it was rude to ask too much, but there was one thing she could inquire about.

"Are you married, Inspector Lin?" she asked in a low voice.

He charmingly smiled at her and replied in a playful tone, "Will you marry me?"

Huh? Mai had a brain freeze for a second, feeling her heart skip a beat, racing. Her cheeks warmed again, and she suddenly felt very shy. She quickly looked away, feeling a lovely sensation in her stomach. He's available!

"I'm not ready yet." she replied in a low voice.

That was the truth. She needed to get her own life in order before bringing her future children into the world.

"So, is that a yes, I assume?" Inspector Lin said in a playful tone.

"I haven't given you a yes yet. So that means you're not tied to me. We've only just met." Mai hurriedly said.

She didn't want to hold onto him when they weren't a couple yet.

Inspector Lin kissed her, leaned back on a pillow, and brought the soup to her. He started feeding her, making her feel pampered. It's nice. Her exes had never done that for her.

"I've taken the rest of the day off so I can take care of you." he suddenly said.

Mai furrowed her brows and argued because she didn't want him to waste his time on her. She wasn't worth it.

He refused and said, "You're worth more than you think. When will you tell me your real name?"

She had just met him and wanted to be sure she could trust him. She leaned against him, touched his cheeks, and smiled at him.

"Soon. I promise. For now, you'll have to guess."

"By the way, are you planning to sleep here tonight since you say you've taken the rest of the day off?" she asked in a playful tone, and her heart beat faster.

Inspector Lin smiled charmingly and replied, "Do you want me to stay?"

Of course, I want that!

Mai bit her lip and pretended to ponder his words to not sound desperate. Her gaze fell on her leg, reminding her of the pain and her situation. She suddenly felt sad. She hugged Inspector Lin and leaned against his chest, sniffing his neck.

"I won't be very mobile with my leg for the next couple of days. Grandfather said it would take three days before I'm fully recovered. I hope he's right." she said, looking him deep in the eyes and asking, "Are you planning to stay in my room for the rest of the day? I don't want to bore you or waste your time."

"You can't bore me, quite the contrary. I can bring some work here, so you don't have to worry about that. As long as I can see that you're not running around doing silly things, my heart can relax." he replied, getting up and walking outside.

A few minutes later, he returned with a large bundle of paper tubes, which he placed on the table and began to inspect.

Mai finished her meal while observing him. He was very handsome even in profile, and it seemed like he was at peace with his thoughts, exuding an unearthly wisdom.

She sighed and said, "Even when you're working, you look flawless. You truly are the perfect man in the world."

Inspector Lin looked at her, giving her a charming smile, and with the sun's rays shining through the window, it looked like there was a halo over his head.

Mai swallowed a lump in her throat and dropped her jaw.

"If my leg didn't hurt, I'd jump on you right now."

Inspector Lin chuckled loudly and said, "I've never met someone who speaks so directly as you. It's refreshing and new. Something that the women here could learn a bit from."

Mai giggled and said, "It's only something I do with people I feel close to. You've already seen my other side."

She was reminded of the episode with Ling yesterday and asked him to find a white glass stone in her right pocket. She studied it carefully in her hand. It was pleasantly warm and gave a comforting feeling. It was soft as silk even though it was made of glass.

"What do you call these kinds of stones?" she asked.

"They have many names, but most people know them as lucky stones or lucky charms. The genuine ones are dipped in spiritually holy water and keep evil spirits away. It's said that if you're unlucky, evil spirits will stick to you." Inspector Lin replied, continuing with his work.

Mai hadn't had the best luck until she met Master and Inspector Lin. There was also Grandfather, Wang Hao, and Sister Meiling. Ling was also a sweet and funny woman in a cute way. She remembered yesterday's episode again, and a silly smile spread across her lips. She giggled and suddenly saw Ling in front of her, sitting on all fours with a cute expression.

It wasn't considered cheating, was it?

She looked at Inspector Lin and asked, "Is it cheating if a woman touches another woman down there without them having done anything together?"

He immediately looked at her, his eyes slowly widening. "What do you mean? I'm not quite following."

Mai revealed what she had done yesterday but twisted the story a bit to make it sound like she had just "assisted" the doctor as an assistant.

He thought it was harmless and that there was nothing to it.

"It's only something if you actually grope each other, etc. Why are we even having this conversation? What doesn't make sense is why you helped the doctor as an assistant in the first place. You already have great knowledge, especially about the female body since you are one. There's something you're not telling me."

Mai couldn't reveal her Finger System and said, "In the future, I promise to tell you more about myself. We're still not a couple."

Lin stood up, walked over to her, and sat beside her. He gave her pleading puppy eyes and played pathetic. "Will you marry me?"

She kissed him, gently kissed his neck, and loosened his belt.

"I said I'll give you an answer at another time." she whispered in his right ear and gently nibbled on it.

He let out a sound and kissed her neck. He loosened her belt and slowly opened her robe.

Mai couldn't move her leg, so there was a limit to what they could do together.

She suddenly got an idea and said in a playful voice, "Lick me."

Inspector Lin's eyes widened, and he looked up at her. His cheeks slowly turned a reddish hue, and he suddenly looked shy.

"It's my first time." he said in a low voice.

Mai kissed him and said, "I'll teach you."

"How do you have so much experience?" he suddenly asked in a curious tone.

"I've been reincarnated." She replied immediately because she didn't know what else to say.

Inspector Lin took off her robe and kissed her breasts while caressing them with his hands.

He sucked on her right breast, and she moaned. She quickly became wet down there and slowly pushed him down, he buried his face between her legs. She felt a long finger slowly enter her, feeling a delightful sensation. He moved his finger in and out smoothly and lightly.

"You're completely wet." he said in a surprised tone.

Mai felt a warm, soft tongue playing on the outside of her, sending electricity through her body. She moaned and held her hands on his head, gripping his hair.

"Mmm. Suck me here." she said, guiding his tongue around between her legs.

His soft tongue sucked her slowly, and she became more aroused by it, closing her eyes to enjoy his touch.

"Faster."

Mai squeezed her nipples and felt his tongue glide smoothly over them as his fingers slid in and out. She was very turned on by it and after some time she asked him to lie on his back, with some difficulty she got on all fours and moved her head between his legs.

"You can come anytime, so don't hold back." She said in a soft voice and licked her mouth. She held his cock tightly. It was very warm and large.

Damn he's hard!

She stuck her tongue out and licked the top and he moaned softly.

Mai licked gently around the top and ran her tongue up and down, massaging the bottom gently and gently with her fingers. Inspector Lin moaned faster, and she moved her mouth down and licked his bottom gently. she held her right hand around his penis and rubbed her fingers up and down. She put it in her mouth and ran her tongue around, sucking it gently. She sucked harder on the head and tasted something salty, sweet, and sticky. She got wetter, got more turned, excited by it and drooled.

"Sit on top of me." Said Inspector Lin suddenly which made her stop.

"My leg..." She mumbled and looked at him.

It suddenly didn't hurt. She licked her mouth.

"If you can sit like that, you can also handle the other position." Inspector Lin replied in a playful tone.

Mai nodded and climbed onto him and grabbed his cock with her left hand and inserted it into her.

He was incredibly hard and she became more horny and turned on by it. She rode him slowly and felt him thrust it far up into her.

"Fuck, I feel good!" She moaned softly and all her emotions exploded as she watched fireworks.

She closed her eyes and rode him faster and moaned louder.

Inspector Lin sat up, kissed her, and sucked on her breasts. They moaned loudly together, getting more turned on by each other's sounds. Mai was burning hot and the sweat was rolling down her but she didn't feel hot but just amazing all over. She felt him close and his touch was all over her.

“Faster.” Inspector Lin suddenly asked while he had a nipple in his mouth.

Mai rode him faster and he moaned faster. She licked his neck, biting it gently and felt him burning hot. She tasted his sweat, it was sweet and she licked it again. She suddenly smelled the scent of flora and imagined they were surrounded by a field of flowers.

"Take me hard from behind." She said suddenly and they switched positions.

She got on all fours and when Inspector Lin penetrated her he thrust hard.

" Mmm." She moaned and got more turned on.

She felt something wet run down her leg and grabbed his left hand and licked his fingers. She took them in her mouth, slowly sucked on them, and heard Inspector Lin moan as he thrust harder into her.

"Come inside me." she moaned, pressing her head against the pillow.

By those words he thrust harder and harder into her, his moans turning her on even more. She groped her breasts and pinched her nipples hard.

"You must come first." He said suddenly. He gently kissed her neck and nibbled on her ear.

Mai revealed she could only come if she sat on him so they switched positions and she rode him again this time much faster and harder.

Later, they lay in bed, and Mai turned to the left, looking at Inspector Lin, who was lying on his back slowly breathing.

"Was it good, your first time?" she asked, curious.

He had positively surprised her. He's a god of stamina.

Inspector Lin turned to the right and looked her deeply in the eyes. His cheeks had a reddish hue, and he looked excited.

He gave her a charming smile and replied in a crisp voice, "No, it was fantastic. You're amazing."

"I'm surprised you haven't been with anyone else yet. Women drool over you." said Mai, not for a second doubting.

He chuckled and said, "I've been busy building my life. It wasn't easy to achieve my rank. I didn't have time to look for a wife, and besides, I didn't need one."

Mai furrowed her brows and asked, "Why not? Everyone needs a little company now and then."

He pointed at her and smiled. "I was waiting for you."

She felt a delightful sensation and butterflies in her stomach, breaking into a smile. Had she found her Prince Charming?

Mai enjoyed a nice, warm, and long bath. As she sat in the large round bamboo bathtub, her eyes fell on her injured leg, wrapped in herbs. The bandage hadn't fallen off, and when she lifted her leg above the water, it felt dry.

She furrowed her brows. "Hm, strange. Are these the magical bandages Grandfather gave me? I wonder where he found them."

She helped Inspector Lin with his work. She just needed to edit texts and ensure they matched each other. There were also English texts for her to correct, which surprised her.

As evening approached, they stopped working, and Mai's stomach suddenly rumbled. She held her stomach and looked away, embarrassed. She couldn't walk, so Inspector Lin carried her out to the large living room, which was empty of servants, surprising Mai.

"Where is everyone? Is something happening that I don't know about?"

"I told your grandfather I would take care of you, and I meant it." replied Inspector Lin in a playful tone.

Mai furrowed her brows and looked at him. He is really dedicated to me. Is there really such a perfect man in the world?

As she watched him start cooking, she pondered one thing.

"Are you real?" She felt butterflies in her stomach.

"I am real, and I'm standing in front of you." he replied in a crisp voice as he chopped fresh spring onions, sprinkling them over a noodle soup with beef.

A delightful aroma filled the room, and Mai's mouth watered as her stomach rumbled again.

After dinner, they went to bed because Inspector Lin had to get up early for work tomorrow. Mai lay to his right and looked at him while he lay on his side and looked back at her. As she was about to close her eyes, she remembered the man from the dream. Her stomach twisted, and she felt a pain in her heart. She suddenly felt very unwell. I can't fall asleep if he's there again. She didn't want to experience that pain in her stomach again.

"Lin, I'm afraid to sleep." she said in a small voice.

Lin's eyes widened, and he said, "You called me Lin. You haven't done that before. What are you afraid of?"

"There's an angry man haunting me in my dreams. If I sleep, he'll kill me." She replied, feeling a tear welling up.

She was overwhelmed with emotions and buried her face in her pillow, starting to cry. Suddenly, she felt Lin move closer to her, and he embraced her. She could smell his scent, which helped her regain control of her emotions.

"I won't leave you. If you die, I'll revive you, or I'll find a way to visit you in death. I'll be here when you wake up tomorrow. I promise." he said in a gentle voice.

"Promise?" She sniffled loudly, feeling strange hearing those words.

Master promised something, but he died before he could keep it. I'm tired. So tired.

"I promise. Don't you trust me?" Lin asked, kissing her gently on her forehead.

She looked up at him and nodded. "If you break it, I'll be very upset. I can't handle more people saying they promise and then breaking it."

Lin kissed her, pulled her close, and hugged her.

Mai closed her eyes and quickly became drowsy.

"He used Absorption on me…" she mumbled and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

"I'll go through fire and water for you, even in death. You silly girl." Lin murmured, lying on his back and placing her on his chest.

He closed his eyes and murmured, "What is Absorption?"

 

[1760]

Interesting. Keep it going please