Picked up by the Protagonist of a Tormented! MC Novel

Translator: Piper, Sen

Editor: Kleep

After a sleepless night, Zeno felt more depressed. He had been unable to harden his resolve precisely because he still held that small bit of hope, but Xi Wei's actions had made it clear there was no point indulging in wishful thinking. The only way to cure such an old wound was to ruthlessly take a knife and dig out the tumor. Only then would it be possible to have a full recovery.

The atmosphere around the group the next day was noticeably more stifling. A canyon that couldn't be considered too deep lay ahead of them when Zeno suddenly spoke up, “Xi Wei, how about you scout ahead with Miss Belle?”

Then, he quietly followed up by tracing onto Xi Wei’s palm, “There's something I want to say to Sasa and don't want Belle to make a ruckus. Don't worry about me, I have something over her."

Xi Wei looked at him and then swept his gaze over the oblivious Sasa. Perhaps he was having a bit of difficulty facing Zeno after the events of the previous night, because after he assessed Sasa's strength and confirmed that she was of no threat to Zeno, he simply nodded and agreed.

As for Belle, since it was for the sake of obtaining the Stone of Destiny, she wouldn't object to that kind of small matter. It was just a bit of scouting, anyway.

Thus, Zeno and the newly acquainted Sasa remained.

Sasa, not knowing what was happening, remained still.

Zeno stared at Xi Wei's back in the distance, and suddenly asked Sasa, “Do you think he's good to me?”

Sasa was clearly baffled. She didn't know why this youth suddenly asked her about this. Thus she cautiously replied, “I think he treats you very well. He's your upperclassman, right?”

“So if it were you, would you betray a person who was so sincere to you?”

Sasa jolted, “I… I only just met you guys, so…”

“Then would you forgive the betrayal of someone you'd unconditionally trusted?”

Sasa simply shut her mouth, feeling that Zeno was going through a crazy episode asking all these irrational questions when they weren't familiar with each other at all.

Striking a deep conversation with someone you have a shallow relationship with was either a sign that someone lacked social awareness, or had some kind of ulterior motive.

Zeno finally retracted his gaze and turned to Sasa, revealing an ambiguous smile, “Let’s cooperate.”

Sasa started and asked neutrally, “Cooperate on what, finding the token? We're already teammates.”

Zeno didn't concern himself over her feint. “You don't need to pretend anymore, Sasa-biaojie[^1]. Oh, wait, shouldn't I call you Tang Yu-biaoge[^2]?"

Sasa finally changed her demeanor, suddenly straightening up and coming a step closer, then deeply asking, “How did you know?"

Zeno was unruffled. “Know what? That you're Tang Yu? Or, that you're a brother and not a sister?”

'Sasa,' or rather Tang Yu's expression changed several times before finally calming down. “So, this means you're aware of everything?”

Zeno stretched his body and replied nonchalantly, “My cousin, you don’t have to be so nervous. I only found out because someone leaked it to me. Your infiltration was also only a success because I got Xi Wei to go along with it. If I'm not mistaken, you came for me, the demon catalyst, and for the ring, no?”

Tang Yu's expression turned a shade uglier, and squeezed out from between his teeth, "Who. Told. You."

Actually, there was no such person. Zeno only knew because he'd read "Curse" and knew that Tang Yu was a man who disguised as a woman. Approaching Xi Wei was also for the sake of snatching the ring, and he had also disguised himself as a female warrior using the name Sasa. For a pure-blooded member of the shadow race, transforming their appearance wasn't anything that could be considered difficult. It was even their natural talent.

Zeno also had an idea of who to shove the responsibility to and use as a scapegoat, and thus cryptically told Tang Yu, "The one who told me everything claimed to be Asil."

Tang Yu could finally no longer keep his calm. "You actually met His Majesty?!"

There was only one person the demons would call 'Majesty,' and that was the demon king.

Zeno also received a shock, but he wouldn't let Tang Yu know that. It seemed that Uncle Hill was even more complex than he'd thought.

Fortunately, that was advantageous for him. Retaining his enigmatic expression, he continued, "Tang Yu-biaoge, revealing my cards to you wasn't to start a war. Actually, I also want to return to the shadow race, I just need you to help free me from Xi Wei. I already have a plan, and as long as you wholeheartedly assist me, it'll be a win-win situation for the both of us, and I can even help you locate the ring."

Tang Yu was still skeptical, and recalled the weird questions that Zeno had asked just earlier. He couldn't help but still hesitate as he asked, "You want to betray Xi Wei?"

Zeno lowered his eyes and replied with conviction, "Yes."

Hearing this kind of confident, decisive answer, Tang Yu, feeling a faint thread of excitement, licked his lips. "Why should I believe you?"

He no longer tried to play the familial love card. Straight up getting to business better suited the temperament of demons.

Zeno caught sight of the figures of Xi Wei and Belle unhurriedly returning and finally said, "The blood of demons also runs through me. If a man harboured thoughts of improper advances towards you, what would you do?"

Tang Yu understood with those words. He connected the dots with the two's overly intimate relationship, thought of it from Zeno's perspective, and got Zeno's meaning in a flash.

Although Tang Yu certainly enjoyed disguising himself as a woman, he was actually wholly straight and didn't possess a single shred of inclination towards other men.

So, he took back the step he'd taken earlier, returning to his original position, and reverted to his previous docile, obedient manner, and concluded with, "Deal accepted."

Tang Yu answered thusly, unaware that Zeno had dug a pit for himself, and proceeded to rope Tang Yu into jumping into the pit with him.

Their group swiftly traversed across the wasteland with immeasurably more ease than the other teams thanks to having an item guiding them. While the other teams were scattered, wandering the wasteland lost and disoriented, perhaps relinquishing their lives to hordes of demonic beasts, cutting sorry figures as they fled, Zeno and co. were already approaching the target even though it was only the seventh day since they'd entered the wasteland.

The fire rainworm evolved from the dragon clan, inheriting the colossal physique and ferocious prowess of a dragon.

More importantly, even from afar and to the naked eye, the president's token could be seen embedded in the center of its brow.

It was a single pearl sparkling blue. Zeno had seen that pearl described in "Curse", and was certain that was it.

That wasn't all. Zeno also knew that the pearl was blue and red, the colors alternating. It was actually two two beads that had fused into one. He'd found an opportunity to inform Tang Yu of this while they were on the road, and also to remind him to only split them after Xi Wei had been recognized as its master by the pearl, inflicting massive damage on him. Zeno would give the signal for when to act.

Tang Yu's magic contract dictated he not steal the token; it did not mention anything about destroying it. That was a loophole in the contract; just a small technicality.

Everyone was on high alert.

The fire rainworm reared its head and spat out an incendiary breath, suddenly raising the surrounding temperatures.

It was a truly terrifying fellow, but no matter how terrible, it still wasn't even half the threat the plague demon had been. Xi Wei retreated a step and jabbed Belle's shoulder with the hilt of the Chen Yuan sword, utilizing the heavy force of the Sword of the Gods to shove Belle to the front.

Belle looked somewhat indignant, but the lesson Xi Wei had taught her was still fresh in her memory, and she forcefully suppressed her ire.

She was Belle, but was no longer the prejudiced, vindictive human girl, haughty and selfish by nature, with enough pride to refuse to ever submit to a demon. Rather, she was the awakened demon of envy possessing memories of a short time as a human.

She was willing to give up anything for the plague demon's sake.

A white light floated out from between her brows that grew increasingly luminous. Immediately she lost all traces of holy power. Left with only a wan complexion reminiscent of death, she no longer obscured her demonic aura.

Reliving that familiar presence of an upper class demon, he was convinced of the information he'd exchanged with Tang Yu. In addition, he finally understood the reason Belle attempted to obtain the Stone of Destiny by any means possible.

He felt all the more agony and rage. Her lover was life. Then, what about all the innocent lives of ordinary people? What about the life of Xi Wei, who had been deceived and manipulated by her, machinated against until he found himself utterly isolated?

He would never let her off.

Didn't you have an obsession with the Stone of Destiny? Then allow me to fulfill it for you.

Tang Yu watched these two men have so much dislike towards Belle and found it all very amusing. So the demon of envy that had once been so boundlessly cherished, who could step on the heads of kings, could also be so loathed by humans.

Tang Yu recalled back to what they'd agreed on before. Taking the opportunity of while Xi Wei was being acknowledged as master, he'd cheat both Xi Wei and Belle, and then he'd be able to bring his demon catalyst little cousin and the ring back to the shadow race and report to his father. He could also bring back news of their king as the cherry on top. It was truly hitting three birds with one stone.

In the past, their king had actually left the shadow race all for that damn human Xia Zuo, even lowering himself to taking on the identity of a princess of the human race. The demon race never saw their king again after that.

Tang Yu was jubilant.

Furthermore, he finally learned why he could never find the ring anywhere around Zeno. It was because the ring was never on Zeno's person in the first place, but had been with Xi Wei all along. So many things finally made sense now.

Now, he even wanted to thank Xi Wei for having untoward thoughts. Otherwise, how else would he have come across such an impossible-to-come-by opportunity? How else would Zeno have come seeking Tang Yu's help all of his own accord?

Light up a candle~

Putting aside all the evil thoughts that person was harbouring, none of it was affecting Belle at the moment. She didn't even need to chant any incantations to employ mutations of every single light spell in the book against the fire rainworm, raining them down on its enormous body.

The fire rainworm spat out its dragon breath, but hadn't taken these puny humans seriously at all. Belle quickly let it experience the vicissitude of heaven and hell. The mutated light magic also contained aspects of the dark magic of an upper class demon, and the resulting explosion from the forceful combination of two polar opposite energies was exceedingly terrifying. The fire rainworm very quickly suffered critical wounds, and became enraged.

Belle was learned in both demonic magic and martial arts. She flexibly evaded the attacks from various parts of the fire rainworm's body while firing off magic spells from her hand, her figure in the air reminiscent of a goddess. Hoisting the Chen Yuan sword, Xi Wei silently made his way to the backside of the fire rainworm, and while Belle diverted its attention, Xi Wei slew it in one move.

The Chen Yuan sword pierced through the fire rainworm's head, the tip right on the blue gem in the rainworm's brow, pushing it out.

Xi Wei stretched out his arm and grasped the pearl in his palm.

It seemed the task had been completed at that point.

No one had any complaints, and the general mood was harmonious.

At that moment, the pearl vibrated and buzzed, like it was trying to free itself from Xi Wei's hand and fly off in any direction. However, Xi Wei tightly gripped it down so that it was utterly trapped.

Zeno spoke up then, and hidden within in his words was a complicated mood that no one else picked up on. "How about getting it to recognize you as its master?"

As soon as those words left his mouth, the other three present all turned to stare at him.

[^1]:biaojie – Female cousin (who's older than you, from your father's side)

[^2]:biaoge – Male cousin (who's older than you, from your father's side)