"I'm bringing your horse to town to give it proper equipment." Grey informed Bai Xing as he stepped out of the cabin.

Yesterday was Snow White's birthday that M told him. Soon, the event where Snow White was led to the forest to be killed would happen. To have the horse being equipped would make it easier for Bai Xing to go around the forest.

"…"

Bai Xing looked at the horse. Technically speaking, it wasn't his horse. It was just helping him temporarily.

He approached the horse first.

"Do you want to be equipped like those horses in town?" Bai Xing whispered, "It's alright if you don't want to…"

The horse neighed in agreement, "Human, you will make me look fancy like them? Oh, I very much want to!! Make me even fancier!"

Grey walked to them. He guessed that Bai Xing probably talked to the horse about what he just said, but he didn't say anything. Bai Xing didn't seem like he want him to know that he can talk to animals after all.

"I'll be back before dinner."

Grey gave Bai Xing a peck before hopping onto the horse and left.

It was a few seconds later Bai Xing remembered that he hadn't given Grey the money for the equipment yet.

He quickly tried to catch up, but Grey's pacing was too fast. He decided to pay it back later when Grey came back.

Speaking of which, has Grey's wound healed? Was it alright for him to move so much? Now that he thought about it, he leaned on Grey's injured body when they were on the tree. In addition, he let Grey catch him jumping down the tree.

The more Bai Xing recalled the things he made Grey do the paler his face became.

He really should pay him back. What would Grey want the most? Money? But he had an inexplicable feeling that Grey would be angry if he gave him that. In the first place, Grey never asked for anything except for that one kiss and even that he couldn't fulfill it.

Bai Xing sat down on his couch and sighed. He touched his lips in thought.

Grey really liked kissing him. Despite his words, he has never laid his hands further below his neck except on their first meeting. Just like the previous Grey.

He lied down in worry. He felt like he was getting comfortable with this Grey too fast. Never in his wildest dream did he think he could kiss someone he just met. There must be something wrong with him…

Did he possibly… fall in love with the previous Grey? Before he knew this Grey's name, he was very scared of him. But it unknowingly went away once Grey told him his name. But this wasn't a good thing, was it? After all, Grey was not…real.

Not to mention, this Grey and that Grey couldn't be the same person…right? He also couldn't tell if either Grey was serious about him or was just messing around.

"I'll be back before dinner."

Finally getting an idea, Bai Xing got up.

Right, he could make a nice dinner for Grey. He knew many homemade recipes. They weren't anything fancy, but homemade foods have their unique charm and flavor that could convey the cook's feeling. At least, that was his opinion.

In town, Grey was discussing with a craftsman about the most suitable saddle for Bai Xing's horse when the royal guards suddenly barged into the store.

"Hunter Grey, Her Majesty the Queen has summoned you. Come with us to the palace."

Grey didn't give any response for a short while. The royal guards thought he was going to refuse and were ready to use force, but Grey then gave the craftsman a bag of money before he stood in front of the leader.

"Are we going or not?"

Soon after, they arrived at the palace. Grey entered the throne room with the leader of the royal guard. Sitting on the throne was the infamous queen of the kingdom.

Grey knew many rumors about her. That she was a war prisoner and bewitched the king to fall for her. That she poisoned the previous queen to take her position. That she murdered the king. That an alarming number of women have gone missing since her reign.

"I want you to kill the princess," the queen went straight to the point, "Bring her to the forest and kill her. Give me her heart as a token of proof."

"I don't kill for nothing." Grey calmly replied.

The queen narrowed her eyes and waved her hands at her servants. Soon after, a crying woman was dragged into the throne room. From her clothes, she must be one of the palace maids.

One of the guards pulled open a curtain. Instead of a window, it revealed a mirror attached to a wall.

"Please, Your Majesty! Spare me! I will do anything! I have done no wrong!" the woman desperately pleaded.

The queen didn't take her any heed and with a glance to the guard, he unhesitantly cut a slit to her throat with his sword. The queen walked down and faced the mirror.

"Looking-glass, looking-glass on the wall. What is the most precious thing this hunter holds dear?"

Soon after, the reflection on the mirror stirred and changed. Gradually, a familiar cabin was shown. It then shifted again, showing the scene of Bai Xing cooking in the kitchen.

"How unfortunate, to have a person as a treasure. They are the most fragile things in this world," the queen maliciously smiled, "Her heart or his heart."

Grey's face dangerously darkened.

–––

–

Bai Xing looked at the setting sun. Grey should be coming back soon. He idly checked the directory on his phone to see how far was it from his cabin to the town.

He was stunned to find a red dot in the forest area.

Snow White was already here?

He immediately headed to her position.

Snow White was always in constant danger thanks to the queen, so Bai Xing actually has many chances to kill her. Learning from the previous world, he knew now that he could go home faster if he killed the virus.

It was only up to his determination and mentality now, whether he could do it or not. He also realized that the virus couldn't be considered as a human from Cinderella's story. It was only befitting of it to be called a monster for what it did.

He saw that he was close enough to the red dot and carefully moved between the trees until he finally saw Snow White, the fairest of all. As the fairytale described her, her hair was as black as ebony, her lips were as red as blood, and her skin was as white as snow.

Bai Xing checked his phone. Was she by herself? What about the hunter?

"…!"

Bai Xing looked up in realization. As Snow White walked forward, he finally saw who the hunter was. It was as he suspected just now.

It was Grey.

He noticed that for some reason, Grey's complexion wasn't good. He could see the killing intent spilling from his eyes.

Bai Xing instantly knew Grey would definitely attempt to kill Snow White.

Why? Wasn't he the one who said they needed to be careful to not let the virus know someone was targeting it? Did he forget? Or maybe he didn't know about the virus at all and really thought Cinderella was a witch?

He was now 99% sure from how Grey wasn't or maybe couldn't be detected by the app that he was the same Grey from the previous world.

He didn't know what happened, but he needed to do something or else Grey could be killed by the virus. Bai Xing searched for the nearest animal and ran towards it. He found it was a rabbit.

"E-Excuse me, I need your help!"

The rabbit's ears perked up and turned, "A human? Did he just–"

"Yes, I'm talking to you," Bai Xing knelt down, "Do you know any bird around here? The faster the better."

On the other side, Grey decided that they were deep enough into the forest. They were also far enough from Bai Xing's cabin. Even if he shot a gun here, Bai Xing wouldn't hear an echo of it.

This wasn't the first time he was hired to kill someone though it was the first for him to kill an innocent girl. A princess to add.

He would do anything to protect Bai Xing, but it was best if Bai Xing doesn't know. After he killed the princess, he would poison the heart since he knew the queen would eat it. He could use the poisonous plants from the inner forest.

Still, to be safe, he would take Bai Xing out of this forest, out of this city, far away from this kingdom and that wicked witch.

If the poison didn't work, he would definitely come back to kill her personally.

Snow White turned around. She stepped back fearfully seeing Grey with his shotgun aiming at her and wept, "Mr. Hunter, please spare my innocent life! I promise to–"

Grey ignored her and pulled the trigger with a straight face.

Bang!!