Who Stole My Eggs?

The heavy rain persisted throughout the night, accompanied by continuous thunder and lightning.

Xie Zuo sat on the corridor all night, gazing at the rain outside.

The next day, the rain cleared, leaving behind a sky of clear blue and the early morning sun.

Xie Zuo sighed, moving his stiff shoulders and neck.

The door behind the screen opened, and someone approached.

Thinking it was Feng Yi, Xie Zuo spoke melancholically, “Do you think something is wrong with me? I’m not a masochist. Am I the kind of fool who likes his enemies?”

The person approaching remained silent.

Xie Zuo continued, “What is it about him that I like? He’s arrogant, rude, and domineering. Compared to you, he’s extremely lacking. No wonder he’s lived for so long without a romantic partner, that bastard!”

A deliberate cough interrupted the rant.

Xie Zuo turned around suddenly, realizing it wasn’t Feng Yi but Huo Yao who had provoked him and ran away.

Feng Yi quietly poked his head out, showing an apologetic smile to Xie Zuo and mouthing, “I’ll leave you two alone.”

There was an awkward, silent moment.

Xie Zuo, after a brief pause, didn’t acknowledge Huo Yao directly. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. He stood up and looked at Huo Yao provocatively, asking, “What are you doing here again?”

Huo Yao’s displeased eyes swept over Xie Zuo’s disheveled appearance, “You’re not allowed to come to a place like this again.”

Xie Zuo immediately got angry, “If you came here specifically to lecture me, get out! I can go wherever I like, and I can favor whoever I want. What does it have to do with you?!”

Huo Yao didn’t argue and extended his hand to adjust Xie Zuo’s clothes. “I was impulsive that day. I apologize. It won’t happen again.”

Xie Zuo was stunned. He accepted the apology but wondered about the meaning behind “it won’t happen again.”

Did Huo Yao figure something out and plan to break up with him?

Huo Yao added, “I’m going to send you back to the abyss.”

“Why so fast?”

“In three days, I’ll undertake a mission assigned by Tiandi. The return date is uncertain,” Huo Yao stated firmly.

“The return date is uncertain…” Xie Zuo felt deeply depressed. While he knew his return to the abyss was inevitable, he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

.

With the matter settled, Xie Zuo didn’t voice any objections. He obediently packed his belongings and followed Huo Yao away. There was no point in resisting; he should go back early, continue practicing diligently, and strive to overcome the tribulation for true freedom.

Huo Yao didn’t immediately take Xie Zuo back to the abyss. After leaving the brothel alley, they arrived at a main road.

Despite the recent heavy rain leaving some water on the streets, it didn’t dampen the vendors’ enthusiasm for making money. They set up stalls, shouting, “Wontons, small wontons with fresh meat, thin skin and big fillings!”

“Have some big steamed buns with chicken sauce!”

“Yangchun noodles, one bowl for one penny!”

“The fried dough sticks are ready!”

Xie Zuo stopped Huo Yao, saying, “I want to try those wontons.”

“Sure.”

Sitting down at a small table at the stall, Xie Zuo enjoyed a bowl of wontons, finding them delicious. He also asked the stall owner next door for two steamed buns and three fried dough sticks.

While Xie Zuo indulged in the meal, he noticed Huo Yao not touching his chopsticks and asked, “Aren’t you hungry?”

Huo Yao shook his head.

Observing the surroundings, Xie Zuo recalled riding in Feng Yi’s luxury carriage through the same streets just two days ago, finding the same food and trinkets uninteresting. Now, walking here with Huo Yao on foot, everything seemed fascinating, and every bite tasted delightful. Was this the charm of joy with the loved one?

After finishing his meal, Xie Zuo wiped his mouth with a tissue and asked, “When are you going back?”

“First, let me deal with a demon.”

Curious, Xie Zuo inquired, “What kind of demon requires the assistance of the renowned Deity of Thunder?” Since meeting Huo Yao, aside from being beaten himself, he had never witnessed Huo Yao taking action against others. “What kind of demon is it?”

Huo Yao noticed the eavesdropping stall owner and shook his head. Observing that Xie Zuo’s hands had become greasy from the fried dough sticks, Huo Yao retrieved a handkerchief from his sleeve and carefully wiped Xie Zuo’s hands.

Through the thin layer of the handkerchief, their fingers rubbed against each other, creating a momentarily ambiguous atmosphere.

Startled from his thoughts, Huo Yao was about to retract his hand when Xie Zuo held it down and softly asked, “Deity of Thunder, do you only desire me?”

Huo Yao froze.

Xie Zuo drew closer, his lips almost brushing against the side of Huo Yao’s neck, and he lowered his voice, “Do you just want to hold me, just like I want to hold you?”

Huo Yao abruptly stood up, saying, “Don’t mess around.”

Observing Huo Yao striding away, Xie Zuo shrugged and glanced at the green-faced stall owner. “I think he’s two-faced, what do you think?”

The stall owner, waiting for Xie Zuo to chase after Huo Yao, muttered, “The world is declining. Two big men is flirting in broad daylight.”

.

Following Huo Yao, Xie Zuo arrived at a wealthy courtyard and commented, “It stinks.”

Although the courtyard appeared clean, waves of black energy emanated from it, carrying a strong aura of death. It was evident that many deceased individuals had accumulated in this place.

Huo Yao raised his hand, waved in front of the courtyard, and an invisible golden barrier swiftly unfolded, sealing the entire area.

The courtyard door burst open. The demons inside sensed trouble and fled collectively.

Xie Zuo took a glance and saw they were fist-sized spider demons. With grinning teeth, bulging blood-red eyes, and bright patterns on their bodies, they looked venomous.

The spider demons, initially in a panic, were eradicated as they reached the barrier. After a substantial number died, they stopped running blindly and regrouped in the courtyard’s center.

The spider demons amassed into a hill, then abruptly vanished, revealing a figure in white standing there.

Furious, Xie Zuo exclaimed, “That’s fake, it’s not me!”

“I know.” Huo Yao halted him, “Don’t move.”

The demon imitated Xie Zuo’s face, appearing pitiful and kneeling down. “Please spare me, Deity of Thunder. I’m ignorant and forced to do this. With so many children to feed, I can only absorb some mortal essence…”

Though the demon was attempting to disguise as him, Xie Zuo remained composed. He recognized the demon as the seductive widow who had ensnared Lu Xiaopang’s father!

Approaching the demon, Huo Yao’s eyes were fixed on it, and the demon’s expression grew increasingly sorrowful.

Xie Zuo noticed a massive spider web attached to the demon’s back, fearing it might ensnare Huo Yao.

Surprisingly, Huo Yao continued advancing as if under a spell.

Angry, Xie Zuo grabbed him. “Are your eyes filled with lard?”

The demon’s spider web lunged at them, but before it could reach, a heart-rending scream echoed. Golden flames emerged, burning the cobwebs and enveloping the demon.

Twisting and struggling, the demon reverted to its original form, a giant spider demon. Finally, it turned to ashes, dispersing with the wind.

The demon was defeated, but Huo Yao continued staring at the spot where it once stood.

Xie Zuo was speechless. The low-level demon didn’t even require Huo Yao to make a move; it simply perished as he approached.

“Hey, Huo Yao? Huo Yao! What are you looking at?” Xie Zuo shouted.

Only then did Huo Yao snap out of it, gazing intently at Xie Zuo for a while, sending a shiver down his spine. “Where is the Land Deity?”

A light flashed on the ground, revealing a trembling elderly man. “Big, big Thunder Deity!”

“Do good things to deal with the aftermath.”

“Yes, yes, yes.”

“The demon has been causing harm here for a long time. As a Land Deity, you did not report this matter. After the cleansing is done, you will go to Beiyuan Deity to receive the punishment.”

“The little deity obeys your order.” Tutu said in a trembling voice, “Thank you, the Deity of Thunder, for sparing my life. The little deity didn’t mean it. It’s really too strong. The little deity’s power is limited.”

Xie Zuo saw Tutu for the first time, finding him short, fat, and funny. Squatting next to him, he tugged on his long beard. “What is the origin of this big spider?”

Tutu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. “Yes, it has some friendship with a certain deity in the West, and it has become restrained in recent years. It no longer directly harms people’s lives, so…” Tutu dared not say more.

Was there any difference between not killing someone on the spot and throwing someone out to die? Xie Zuo thought the deities were hypocritical and could quibble.

“Who does it have friendship with?”

“This… the little deity doesn’t know!” Tutu was about to cry and began to praise Huo Yao. “The Great Thunder Deity eliminates harm for the people, which is truly a blessing to the local people. This demon’s magic of charming people is truly amazing. He is born with the ability to sense people’s hearts and automatically transforms into the appearance of their loved ones, making it impossible to guard against.”

Tutu mumbled something from behind, but Xie Zuo could no longer hear it. It was like a firework exploded in his heart, ‘automatically transforming into the appearance of their loved one… his own appearance was…’

Admitting that it was himself, Xie Zuo didn’t like that fake look. Who was the demon turned into!

In a state of turmoil, Xie Zuo suddenly heard the Land Deity howled: “Farewell to the Great Thunder Deity—!”

When he looked again, Huo Yao had already gone far away.

“Huo Yao, wait for me!” Xie Zuo felt the need for a serious conversation with Huo Yao.