Two was born within a wealthy clan; her maternal family had roots in the military while her paternal relatives were prosperous in business. Her parents came from two different worlds but their fate had crossed and their union was said to be a love match. Unfortunately, shortly after Two was born her mother died from blood loss. This resulted in her father's change in personality, or so they said.

Thus began her father's string of lovers, wives, ex-wives; some, they said, were to be her mother figures but she had learned long ago that what they said were only lip services. She could only believe what her eyes saw, her ears heard, and her body experienced. Even so, her child mind couldn't guard her against the evil machinations of adults no matter how vigilant she was.

The first knife of betrayal came from a kind smile; a woman whose stepmother status had only been a month.

The second poison of betrayal came from a hand that once held her small body and rocked her to sleep.

The third crash of betrayal came from an innocent foot encouraged by a filthy tongue.

Then, the fourth, the fifth, and many more piling up like a pyramid with Two's body standing victorious high above.

Two was intimate with betrayal, each had been noted and paid its due. To that knife that failed to pierce her heart, a shrapnel was returned; to the poison that failed to invalidate her body, strong acid bubbled from her mouth; to the crash that failed to take her life, a life-threatening payback had been given. Before she left the snake pit that was the mansion of her birth, Two had buried what was meant to be buried and with a clean break, she entered showbiz as a force to be reckoned with.

Surprisingly, Hao Fang and her hold the same view on life, albeit his is bloodier compared to hers. Although unlike Two who has tied her loose ends, Hao Fang hasn't even taken a step towards his vengeance. His emotions are volatile and strong enough to leave a lasting imprint. It will not disappear as long as his desire remains unfulfilled.

Two's hands' clench and her eyelids move from her supine position. She cannot have this unstable factor within her. Things that cannot be absolutely controlled must be eliminated at all costs!

The memory and its accompanying rage gradually wane, the limbs weighing like stones crack like a fragile shell and Two regains movement once again. Her chest is light and she can breathe easily while her entire being is singing with energy. It is the first time after Two has arrived that she feels the sensation of a healthy physique.

Two coughs and pushes her back off the ground.

“Master.”

Two ignores the call and leans on the boulder she’s been rested against. Her masculine hand grasps her face and with just a thought, the human mask peels off from her real face. She examines the mask in her hand, notes the hard material and the runes inscribe around its edges. Fascinating how sturdy it is when unattached yet a thin almost transparent fabric when worn.

Indeed, Hao Fang is a man of many talents.

“Master.”

Two waves a hand and the human mask vanishes. It now rests inside her spatial ring, one hidden by a set of runes Hao Fang designed to protect his valuables. She narrows her eyes. This body is completely armed to the teeth but every weapon is invisible. If she hasn’t regained Hao Fang’s memory, she’ll most likely remain ignorant until her accidental death!

Two grinds her molars at the reminder of the threat to her life. The rage of the long-deceased Hao Fang bubbles to the surface but Two grapples with the emotion and brings it to heel. Unchecked anger will only bring everything out of control.

“Why have you come this late?” Hao Fang’s deadly voice echoes inside the cavern. A shape of a man kneeling in the shadow trembles, his head bowing deeper than it already is. “Oh?” Hao Fang chuckles, “maybe you’re here to finish me off?”

Hao Fang’s eyes flash with killing intent as the dark orbs land on his quiet subordinate. “How much has that traitor,” Hao Fang spits the label, “paid in exchange for my lovely head, hmm?”

“Answer!”

The kneeling subordinate quickly drops his entire body in a show of complete submission. “This subordinate hasn’t received nor will accept any, master.” Although his voice is weak, it holds a resolve hinting of his true allegiance.

“Really? How noble of you, Lang Yi. Get up, no subordinate of mine shall act or look pitiful.”

“Yes, master.” Lang Yi straightens his back but lowers his gaze to the stone floor.

Hao Fang inspects the young man from head to toe. Lang Yi wears their organization's black robes and violet belt, his hair bears no ornament except for a black ribbon tying his hair. On his chest glistens a small badge of a wolf . “Are you still mine?” 

Lang Yi falls onto one knee. “My wolf is yours to order, your howl I shall not fail to listen. This, I swear.”

Hao Fang meets Lang Yi’s firm declaration with apathy. However, inside him is Two’s smile of satisfaction. Her first two memories are of two different men; the second is Jian Ren while the first is Lang Yi. The latter has followed Hao Fang before the inception of Hao Fang’s organization and in fact, one of the reasons why his organization is named as such is due to Lang Yi’s sworn oath on the night Hao Fang has killed Lang Yi’s parents.

“A wolf? Hah, quite a declaration little puppy but you’ve given me an idea. Say, how about a pack? A runt like you may be able to grow fangs if given the chance. Wolf Howl, ain’t that perfect? However, you’ll have to follow me, your alpha.” ¹Wolf Howl =狼嚎 Lang; Hao. Lang Yi's "Lang" is the same character in Langhao while "Yi" is the pinyin for the Chinese number one.

 

 

Fan Shuangxi has always been good at running, more so when she has this body. What she’s absolutely bad though, is running away from her responsibilities. Therefore, if one asks why she’s obediently sitting behind closed bars when she can clearly get out easily, the answer is this.

“That person is an accomplice of the perpetrator. As long as the perpetrator hasn’t been apprehended, that woman will stay in the cell.”

The chubby man’s self-righteous explanation filters through the iron door and slips in Fan Shuangxi’s ears.

“But sir, she is a guest of our Cloud Ink Inn and has not caused trouble in the duration of her stay. Falsely accusing her will reflect badly in our inn’s record.”

“Manager, I know it is difficult to proceed since your master is momentarily absent. One must not forget the inn’s reputation in one’s decision. Unfortunately, the outcome cannot be salvage through talks alone. The inn has collapsed and your funds must have been spent on reparation for the other guests. This damage can only be atoned by putting the two suspects in judgment. The law will give you justice!”

Have I done something to earn this? Fan Shuangxi asks herself.

Why, yes dear. Her inner self replies. That asshole’s the root of it all! My gosh, we’re going to be cannon foddered because of what he’s done! Fan Shuangxi imagines her inner self throwing stuff around. Crashes and booms fill her head while physically she sits cross-legged on the straw mat inside her cell.

Is she really going to stay here until she’s judged guilty? Nope. Fan Shuangxi has prepared a sufficient amount of funds for the inn’s repair since she does feel partially responsible for its destruction. On the other hand, she waits patiently in the prison, not because of some farce justice the chubby man wants to put her with but because she’s waiting for Hao Fang, Two, er, whoever, to come and see her. Fan Shuangxi needs to clarify their relationship and cut it off if possible. However, if the she-male won’t appear then, Fan Shuangxi will escape and never return to Ji country again.

The conversation fades as the two leaves the area. Fan Shuangxi hugs her knees to her chest and wonders how long she’ll stay here.

“Why am I even waiting for him?” She grumbles out loud. With no other prisoners, her question echoes unanswered. Fan Shuangxi doesn’t fully trust Hao Fang but she did promise that she’ll assist him. She reasons it is all because she wants to keep her word at least so that one day she can confidently say she isn’t the one that did the abandoning.

“Two days. After two days, I’ll leave.” Her firm decision is met with silence and Fan Shuangxi hugs herself even tighter. She rests her chin atop her arm and drops her gaze from the rusted iron bars down to the dirty cement.

How will she last two days here alone? It is then that Fan Shuangxi realizes this is the first instance after stepping foot in Qiuju continent that she…has no companion.

The clouds outside gather and rob the city of moonlight while inside her lonesome cell Fan Shuangxi’s vision darkens. Unbeknownst to her, her whole body stills, the brightness of her eyes loses their shine, and the sound of her breathing lowers, barely audible even against the quiet room she’s trap in.

“Line up!”

Fan Shuangxi squints when she opens her eyes to impossibly bright light.

“What are you doing, slave? Do you wish to be punished early in the morning?”

A hand pushes her shoulder roughly causing Fan Shuangxi to stumble. She is slow to react and even slower to stand up. Her body trembles as she raises her head only for a hand to stop her.

“Salute. The young lady is here.”

Fan Shuangxi blinks in confusion and she tilts her head to glance at the young woman beside her. She sees the posture of the woman’s hands and follows suit. Her gesture is fortunately a second earlier as the sound of footsteps coming from somewhere out front increase. Soon, Fan Shuangxi spies a shadow of a petite form stopping on the left side of her periphery.

“Greetings to the young miss!” The women chorus.

“En.” The scent of lavender accompanies the soft acknowledgment. “Are these all of them?”

Fan Shuangxi has a hunch that something’s off but she can’t put a finger on what it is.

The petite shadow starts to move as if inspecting something. The person lining up perhaps? Fan Shuangxi thinks with small perspiration. After more than ten steps, the shadow pauses in front of Fan Shuangxi.

“What a weird creature. Have you not been taught of a servant’s etiquette?” The youthful voice’s innocent inquiry.

“Ah, forgive me, my lady. That child has only been in the estate for two days. Her education is incomplete.” The old servant quickly answers in Fan Shuangxi’s behalf with an unmistakable alarm bleeding from the servant’s tone.

“Perfect!”

A well-manicured finger touches Fan Shuangxi’s chin and points it upward. Fan Shuangxi’s eyes widen when she comes face to face with a girl she estimates to be not less than thirteen years old. Her face hasn’t lost all its baby fat yet and when she smiles, her cheeks are so plump the urge to pinch them is indescribable. The child’s pale green eyes twinkle and in their clear watery surface a child of the opposite constitution is reflected; sunken cheeks, sharp chin, mouth agape, and eyes wide. 

“You,” the child’s rosy lips utter with unbidden delight. “You will be my new maidservant!”

Clap!

Fan Shuangxi’s back slams to the wall and she gasps.

“Daydreaming?”

The dark spots in her vision fade, her disoriented mind waking up to her present situation. A minute passes by before Fan Shuangxi remembers where she is and why she is there.

Right. Prison. Destroyed building.

Fan Shuangxi rubs her face. “Ugh. You’ve come back, that’s a relief.” Yosh, I won’t be spending my money for your destruction now that you’re here, bastard. No matter how much she rationalizes it, using her money for his mistakes truly makes her hateful. Hmph!

“Of course. You’re my benefactor, after all. I’d love to repay you first before leaving you behind in the mercy of those unsuspecting fools. Although,” Fan Shuangxi hears tapping on the metal bars, “you don’t need help to escape jail.”

“Xi Shuang, aren’t you powerful?”

Fan Shuangxi’s heart skips a beat and she gulps. Dread pulses from her heart and travels to her whole body. “Shut up.” Thank goodness her voice doesn’t tremble in the slightest.

She breathes deeply but not too long and raises her head to scold the unreliable guy. “Now that you’re here, you’ll have to pay—oh.” Her forehead creases. “Who the fuck are you?”

Since when does No Face have a face? Isn’t he No Face because he has no face? Huh? Have I fallen for a trap? Fan Shuangxi’s thought process goes this way and the skepticism must have shown on her face because the man on the other side of the cell chuckles.

What? Even his laughter is nice to hear. Nope, this is definitely not No Face.

“You’re really interesting, Xi Shuang. You’re expressive but sometimes quite withdrawn. Really makes me want to know your motives.” The man’s violet eyes glow in the dim environment, his thin lips quirking in a way that pisses off Fan Shuangxi in a violent manner.

“You can’t be,” Fan Shuangxi hesitates, “Hao Fang?” 

“Bingo! Aren’t you a little slow in the thinking department? After all the time we’ve spent together, you can’t even decipher my aura even though I’ve decided to show my face?”

“Excuse me?” Fan Shuangxi snarls. “Decided to show your face? Huh? Since when, you amnesiac? You don’t even remember your fucking name much less how to remove your human mask, che.”

The nerve of this guy! Fan Shuangxi continues inside.

“Ah, yes, about that. It seems I’ve regained my memories. Splendid, isn’t it?” Hao Fang pastes a smile and leans. “Now, are you willing to spill your secrets?”

Fan Shuangxi’s spine shivers.

Waah! We’re doomed, aren’t we? We are, we are, we are! Fan Shuangxi’s inner self runs around in circles.

Fake it ‘till you make it! Fan Shuangxi thinks while grinding her teeth. Must. Not. Show. Weakness.

“I’ve told you, didn’t I? I am only a messenger.” Fan Shuangxi stands up with a stiff back and keeps Hao Fang in her line of sight.

Hao Fang nods and crosses his arms. “True. What you’ve said is plausible back when I haven’t remembered anything but now that I do…” The unspoken words hang in the air.

Fan Shuangxi gulps.

After everything we’ve done for you! Spending money, tending your words, providing for your daily necessities! This, this is how you return the favor? Her inner self screeches but Fan Shuangxi isn’t dumb enough to blurt the rant in Hao Fang’s face.

Fan Shuangxi keeps a tight rein on her lips and glares at Hao Fang. If it comes down to it, she’ll fight him. Although she feels she has an advantage in terms of level disparity, when it comes to fighting experience she’s a complete novice. This will be a close fight that may even turn against her favor.

Her hands clench on her sides which doesn’t go unnoticed.

Hao Fang takes a step back and holds a palm up. “Relax. I won’t be doing anything since you are my savior, and I at least has the decency to repay the debt.”

“Then, why keep on asking questions I’m not willing to answer?” Fan Shuangxi tries to relax. In the end, Hao Fang’s sign of peace can’t dissuade her mind from being cautious.

As I thought, I can’t trust anyone at all.

Hao Fang shrugs his shoulders. “Well, why miss the opportunity? One of these days you might deign to answer me. Just thinking it can be today that’s all.”

This man! Fan Shuangxi growls. If I can turn up the time, I’ll definitely, definitely abandon you that day!

Hao Fang smirks. He turns around and waves a hand. “Well, what are you dallying for? Do you want to stay in there a little longer?” He begins to walk away from her cell.

“What? But the lock is,” Fan Shuangxi’s next words die off when she notices the door hangs unhinge. When? Is it unlocked before or after she has woken?

Ah, whatever. Let’s leave this dreary place.

“Hao Fang!” Fan Shuangxi calls out behind him. “Have you already handled the inn situation if I’m released like this?”

“Hmm? What inn? Oh, that? There’s no need.”

No need?

“You? Don’t tell me you’re abandoning them? How cruel,” Fan Shuangxi murmurs the last part. She thought he’ll provide assistance since the inn and Hao Fang has history but judging from his casual dismissal it appears she thought wrong.

Hao Fang doesn’t pause in his steps and finally leads Fan Shuangxi outside the building. She raises her head to the sky and sees the orange highlights of the coming dawn. She hears the echo of storefronts opening and the click-clack of carriages from the main street. While the city wakes and begins a new day of trade, the two of them, on the other hand, stands without a goal in mind.

“Where are you off to?”

Fan Shuangxi blinks and squints her eyes at Hao Fang’s back.

Suspicious, suspicious, suspicious. Is what her eyes stab on Hang Fang’s broad backside.

She hears him sigh. “My subordinate has gotten a ship. If you want, I can lend it for your own use.”

Two things immediately catch Fan Shuangxi’s attention: subordinate and ship.

Subordinate? One of his men has appeared? Hmm, should I just leave him then?

He has a ship though. Her inner self chimes in.

“How about you?” Fan Shuangxi replies instead. “Where are you going?”

Hao Fang is quiet. However, he gestures at Fan Shuangxi to follow him. She stands firm and watches him increase the distance between them. As if sensing Fan Shuangxi’s disobedience, Hao Fang stops and blows a breath. He turns to face her. “For now, nowhere.”

“What—”

“I’m sticking with you for now.”

Fan Shuangxi blanks out. “Huh?”

This…leech.

Hao Fang chuckles as if he heard her say it out loud. “Anyway, I’m currently weak so I cannot put my plans into action. Might as well follow you and pay what I owe while recovering my strength, right?”

“No.”

“Come on. Don’t you want additional strength behind you?”

“No.”

What do you mean strength? Being with you is a disaster! I feel like staying a moment longer will dye my karma black! Fan Shuangxi vehemently shakes her head.

But he has a ship. Her inner self inserts with a thoughtful rub of a chin.

Still!

“Hm, well, I guess I’ll have to hunt you then?” Hao Fang smiles brightly.

Fan Shuangxi pales. “What?”

“Since you won’t let me accompany you, I’ll just hunt you! I have nothing to do anyway.” He ends with another casual shrug.

Ugh!