Chapter Thirty-Four: The Unstoppable Motion

“Stretching and moving your body is a good thing—it means your physical condition is just as it should be, and nothing unusual has happened. Now that you’ve started exercising, you can’t let yourself stop. This way, you’ll both strengthen your health and be able to notice any abnormalities in your body early. It’s what they call killing two birds with one stone, a win-win situation.”

In her speech, Bug loved to toss in phrases, always ending with a proverb or two.

“So you mean I can’t stop doing this kind of exercise, I have to keep going?” Fang Yuan, hearing Bug’s words, felt as though he’d once again fallen for her trap.

“Master, I forgot to tell you earlier: once you start, you can’t stop this kind of exercise. Otherwise, it’s not good for your health. For your sake and mine, Master, let’s get moving.” Bug spoke with such fervor, as if they were embarking on some grand, noble undertaking.

This was the age of civilization, after all—people settled things reasonably, and few resorted to violence. Deep down, Fang Yuan was gentle; if someone came looking for trouble, perhaps he’d brace himself and fight back. But to go out and pick fights on the street? That was something he could never bring himself to do.

It was all Bug’s fault—no wonder she’d been so excited earlier, as if she’d been injected with adrenaline. She’d been waiting for him to reach this point.

“If I don’t continue exercising, what will happen?” Fang Yuan, ever concerned for his health, worried about the consequences if he didn’t follow Bug’s advice.

“Master, didn’t I tell you before? I don’t fully understand your body yet. I only know that if you stop, your body will develop a series of abnormalities. With my current abilities, if anything happens, I might not be able to help you recover. So, for your own safety, you should try to subdue others. If you can’t bear to hurt one person, find a crowd. Or, become a force for justice—go stand outside nightclubs each evening, and if you see someone acting inappropriately, give them a sound beating and run. I guarantee no one will recognize you.”

Bug spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, yet when Fang Yuan asked how she knew about nightclubs, she feigned innocence and played coy.

Fang Yuan had never taken Bug to such places, nor passed by them. How did Bug know so much? Judging by her demeanor, she seemed to understand every aspect of nightclubs.

Pressed for answers, Bug insisted she’d extracted the information from Fang Yuan’s memory bank.

“Bug, lying isn’t what good children do… well… what I mean is, lying is wrong.” Fang Yuan began to scold, then remembered Bug’s age was at a level humans could never hope to reach. Calling her a child might be a bit presumptuous.

Bug’s actual age always left Fang Yuan bewildered. He felt she was still young, but then remembered she was a thousand-year-old demon.

“Master, I don’t lie. Haven’t you watched adult films before? Don’t they often feature stories about nightclub escapades?” Bug questioned in all seriousness, leaving Fang Yuan speechless.

“All right, but… you’re still young… or rather, your mind hasn’t matured yet. Best not to pay too much attention to such adult things in the future.” Fang Yuan decided not to dwell on Bug’s age. This Bug was newly reborn, not quite the same as before. He’d treat her as if she were still young—at most, a precocious kindergartener.

“Master, how did you make your body fly just now? That feeling was incredible. If possible, I’d like you to let me experience that sensation again.”

“Flying? Did you really feel that way? Honestly, I didn’t think much at the time—I just wanted to finish quickly. So I exerted myself, stomped my foot, and suddenly I was airborne. I felt as if my body had lightened, and flying wasn’t difficult at all. But if you want me to truly fly with you, I’m afraid I can’t do it. After all… I don’t have wings.”

Fang Yuan spoke earnestly, with a touch of complaint in his tone. Anyone overhearing would have thought him mad.

No wings? Even if you had wings, could you really fly?

You’re human, not a bird.

After finally returning to the apartment, he had barely stepped into the lobby when Manager Xue hurried over, face full of urgency.

“What’s wrong, Manager Xue?”

“Fang Yuan, thank goodness you’re back. Just now, a group of men in black tried to enter your room. You weren’t here, so of course I wouldn’t let them in. When I stopped them, they slapped me. Look, it was a heavy blow—my face is still swollen.”

Manager Xue had been holding her left cheek; now she let her hand drop, and Fang Yuan saw the swelling for himself.

“Do you know who’s behind them?” Fang Yuan’s eyes chilled at the sight.

The front desk had prepared a boiled egg for Manager Xue to reduce the swelling, but since Fang Yuan wasn’t back, she’d refused to use it. Now, seeing how furious Fang Yuan was over her injury, Manager Xue secretly congratulated herself for her cleverness.

“I don’t know who they are. From their accent, they’re not local. I called security, and when they saw things getting out of hand, they left. They’d parked their car right outside, and it had no license plate,” Manager Xue said angrily, pointing toward the entrance.

“There should be surveillance at the door. Please send me the footage, Manager Xue. I hope this will be the last time they assault you. If not, I’ll make sure they pay dearly. I won’t let them off this time, so rest assured—I’ll see justice done for you.”

Fang Yuan despised nothing more than people who, unable to defeat him, instead targeted those connected to him. It was the lowest form of cowardice.

He’d intended to take his time investigating, but seeing Manager Xue injured, he could no longer remain calm.