Chapter Seventy-Three: The Omen of Death

"Bai Rushuang!"
I couldn’t help but mutter her name under my breath, my hand clutching the yellow talisman she had left for me. An indescribable feeling lingered in my heart. When I finally snapped out of my daze, Bai Rushuang had already vanished from view, her red Golf disappearing down the street. I chuckled wryly, murmuring to myself about the toad yearning for the swan’s flesh.

I tucked the talisman away and hailed a taxi. By the time I returned to campus, it was nearly three in the morning. University life was nothing like the nine-year compulsory education; even at this hour, the security guards wouldn’t stop you from entering. But if you wanted to get into the dormitory, you’d have to rouse the dormitory supervisor.

Our dorm supervisor was rather formidable—a main reason I’d rather stay at a hotel than return to school. That night, I’d hoped to sleep soundly at the hotel, but the incident with the stillborn had left me restless. Exhausted, I braced myself and knocked on the dorm supervisor’s window.

Ultimately, I was allowed back into my dorm, but only after enduring a fierce tongue-lashing from the supervisor. Ours was a four-person room. Besides the Emperor, there were Liu Dong and Jiang Chao. The dorm was empty; it seemed none of them would be returning that night.

Without much thought, I collapsed onto my bed and slept until noon. Liu Dong and Jiang Chao returned, yawning, around midday. Seeing me, they were delighted, asking when I'd gotten back.

I considered for a moment and replied, "This morning." Glancing around, I noticed the Emperor was absent, so I asked, "Where’s the Emperor? Why didn’t he come back with you?"

Liu Dong chuckled, saying, "He was coming back with us, but Wang Dan called, and off he went to her."

I let out an "Oh," feeling something was off. I pressed them, "How could Wang Dan agree to be the Emperor’s girlfriend? Doesn’t it seem odd to you?"

I knew all about the Emperor and Wang Dan. They’d attended the same high school and both got into Bashu Polytechnic. According to the Emperor, Wang Dan had been the school beauty—top grades, stunning looks, and plenty of admirers. Her standards were high; none of her suitors caught her eye, though the Emperor was among them.

The Emperor was robust, admitted through his athletic prowess. Our dorm had four occupants, and the three of us—Liu Dong, Jiang Chao, and I—majored in Computer Information Engineering, while the Emperor was a sports major. He could have gone to a better sports academy, but chose our school for Wang Dan. Our university had few sports majors, so dorm assignments were tricky, and he ended up with us.

Wang Dan, meanwhile, was the beauty of our department. The Emperor had pursued her for three years in high school and another year in college, but she never agreed, always treating him as a big brother. Having the Emperor as her brother let Wang Dan avoid many reckless admirers.

By all logic, Wang Dan would never agree to be the Emperor's girlfriend. Stranger still, last semester, Wang Dan’s family had some trouble and she took a leave for a term. Now, suddenly back, she’s together with the Emperor?

Liu Dong and Jiang Chao found it odd as well. They said the Emperor had treated everyone to dinner and karaoke last night, supposedly to show off Wang Dan, but she claimed she felt unwell and refused to come. Yet today, she called the Emperor herself. It was as if she were deliberately avoiding us.

I scratched my head, unable to make sense of it. Wang Dan had always been friendly with us because of the Emperor. Perhaps her sudden distance was just shyness.

At that moment, Jiang Chao pointed at my hair and said, "Wu Dao, what happened to you? You’ve got so many new white hairs after the Spring Festival!"

"Really?" I was stunned, grabbed a mirror, and was startled by what I saw. My temples had sprouted a good number of white hairs. I silently cursed—this Nine Yin Death Pulse curse was hitting me harder than I’d thought.

I forced a relaxed smile. "It’s nothing, probably just thinking too much."

"Thinking about women, I bet," Liu Dong teased, grinning wickedly. "Bro, looks like you’re the only virgin left in the dorm. Maybe you should follow the Emperor’s lead and find a girlfriend!"

I chuckled, though for some reason, Bai Rushuang’s image flickered through my mind. I shook my head in self-mockery—when had I become so easily swayed? Could I really fall for someone just from a few words?

"Got spring fever, huh? Tell us, did you spend seven days with some innocent maiden before coming back?"

"Come on, I’m not as depraved as you two."

After joking around with Liu Dong and Jiang Chao, I went to the counselor’s office that afternoon to register, paid my tuition, then returned to the dorm for a nap.

Toward evening, Liu Dong and Jiang Chao headed off to the internet café, and the Emperor finally returned.

He was thrilled to see me, immediately wrapping his arm around my neck. "Kid, you’re finally back! I missed you like crazy!"

The Emperor, a sports major, stood nearly two meters tall, muscles bulging all over. His embrace nearly suffocated me, so I pushed him away, saying, "Get off me! Trying to kill your big brother now?"

Our relationship was comical—we both vied to be the other's boss, neither willing to back down. The Emperor called me "Kid" and claimed to be the boss, while I called him "Emperor" and treated him as my underling.

He grumbled at my remark. "Kid, haven’t seen you in a month and you’re acting tough? Want me to rough you up?"

He started to roll up his sleeves, but before he could, he seemed exhausted and collapsed onto a nearby bed.

I sensed something was wrong. The Emperor was always in peak shape, never this tired. I asked what was wrong.

He pressed his temples forcefully. "I don’t know, just feeling odd these days—tired easily, sweating for no reason. Maybe I’m coming down with something."

I laughed. "Maybe you and Wang Dan have been a bit too passionate. You should take it easy."

The Emperor replied seriously, "Don’t joke about that. Your sister-in-law and I have a Platonic relationship. Until our wedding night, I won’t do anything indecent. I’m a man of principle."

I laughed, "Yesterday you called me saying you wanted to mess around with Sister Dan! Shameless, aren’t you?"

As I spoke, I glanced at the Emperor and was startled by his appearance. His face was pale, dark circles under his eyes, sweat beading on his brow. Listening closely, even his breathing was labored.

I frowned. "Emperor, are you sleep-deprived or something? Why do you look so bad?"

He took a breath and tossed me a cigarette. "Maybe. We sang late last night and drank a lot. I wanted to rest today, but your Sister Dan dragged me out shopping. Probably just tired."

His explanation seemed reasonable, but something felt off. I closed my eyes, then snapped them open—the traits of the Yin-Yang Eye appeared.

The first thing I saw was a faint black aura swirling over the Emperor’s forehead.

A darkened forehead—an omen of impending disaster and death.