The Life of a Necromancer as a Swashbuckler

Chapter 12: Shi Jingyu’s Request

“Oh my, I never expected that the one who saved me would be the legendary figure of the Martial Arts World, Nameless,” Shi Jingyu said with a beaming smile as she stepped inside. She was so beautiful. I don’t know why, but every time I saw Shi Jingyu, I found it hard to keep my composure. She always struck me as warm and endearing; it was as if the moment I laid eyes on her, the world lit up. “Ah,” I was a bit dumbfounded, almost starstruck, but I quickly snapped out of it. “Hey, isn’t this Miss Shi—the beautiful martial arts master carrying the Mingyu Bullet, clad in soft porcupine armor, and shouting for help? What brings you here to see me?” I was being my usual smooth-talking self. “You’re so ungrateful! I’ve been taking care of you all these days. Don’t you remember this morning when…” A faint blush spread across Miss Shi’s face, as if she were too embarrassed to continue. Actually, I have no memory of this morning. “Thank you, Miss Shi, for your tireless efforts in treating me these past few days. Nameless bows to you once more.” I decided it was best to cut my losses. “Mm-hmm,” Shi Jingyu felt respected and was momentarily satisfied. “After all, you were the one who saved me first—though I didn’t really need your help.” Shi Jingyu was still quite stubborn. “Right, right. What brings you here today, Miss Shi?” Going along with a beautiful woman’s lead is always a good idea, but why had she come back? Could it be that she’s interested in me? My mind couldn’t help but wander again. “Hmm, nothing much—just checking on you,” Shi Jingyu didn’t tell the truth either. “By the way, is your name really Nameless?” As soon as she mentioned the name Nameless, Shi Jingyu immediately adopted a mischievous expression; her big eyes seemed to speak volumes, making her look incredibly adorable. “Yeah, my name is Nameless.” I certainly didn’t want to reveal the Xiaoyao Sect’s biggest secret right after becoming a disciple—that would be asking for trouble. “Oh,” Shi Jingyu looked completely skeptical. “For someone named Nameless, your martial arts skills are really a bit too low,” she muttered under her breath. What? I thought I must have heard wrong. What kind of girl is this? I just saved your life, you know. “Did you really become a disciple of the Xiaoyao Sect?” Shi Jingyu asked again, her voice full of charm. “Mm-hmm,” I felt like I couldn’t refuse to answer any question she asked. This body of mine is way too honest right now—I can’t control it with willpower alone. “What a pity. I was actually planning to tell Daddy once your injuries healed, so he could let you join our Iron Palm Sect,” Shi Jingyu said with a look of regret. I was at a loss for words. “By the way, do you remember on the battlefield, when you…” Shi Jingyu suddenly remembered something; her face seemed to flush with embarrassment, and she couldn’t bring herself to finish. “I remember—I kissed you,” I thought to myself. I’ll probably never forget that. “Forget about it! You rascal!” Shi Jingyu’s delicate cheeks and little mouth immediately puckered, and her face flushed even redder. “Never mind. This lady isn’t going to hold what happened on the battlefield against you.” Why did Shi Jingyu’s attitude toward me seem different from when she had been with me earlier? She seemed even more like a little girl. “Brother Wu, since you’ve already joined the Xiaoyao Sect, I won’t say anything more. But there’s one thing I’d like to ask for your help with—I wonder if you’d be willing to assist me?” Shi Jingyu suddenly lifted her lovely face, her big, expressive eyes fluttering as she looked at me full of anticipation. As a man of honor, how could I back down at a time like this? Although I knew nine times out of ten it wouldn’t be anything good, looking at Shi Jingyu’s lovely face, I just couldn’t bring myself to refuse. “Of course. Who do you think I am? I’m Nameless, the Great Hero. If Miss Shi needs something, I, Nameless, will go through fire and water without hesitation.” “Mm-hmm,” Shi Jingyu was clearly pleased with my answer. “It’s nothing much, really.” Now that I’d agreed, she suddenly became as demure as a young girl—she looked so adorable. “I’m about to leave Xiaoyao Valley,” Shi Jingyu said, sounding very hesitant. To me, however, it came as a bolt from the blue. The joy I’d felt just moments ago vanished in an instant, and it felt as if the world had suddenly turned gray. “What?” I pretended I’d misheard her. “Hmm, and then?” Thankfully, my senses returned in time, so I didn’t lose my composure. If she was leaving, what could she possibly ask of me? I was a little puzzled. “It’s like this,” Shi Jingyu explained slowly. “I’ve already given the item my father entrusted to me to Senior Xiaoyaozi, so I’ve fulfilled my mission. I’ve been staying at Xiaoyao Valley these past few days and have recovered my health, so it’s time for me to return to the Iron Palm Gang.” The more I listened, the colder my heart grew. It was as if ten thousand voices inside me were screaming, “I don’t need an explanation.” Yet my reason still compelled me to remain a gentleman. “And then?” I asked, feigning composure. Seeing that I remained unmoved, Shi Jingyu seemed a little surprised. Perhaps deep down, she’d assumed I might have feelings for her, but she continued anyway, “Well, if I were to go down the mountain, Xiaoyaozi is worried it might not be safe—it wouldn’t be good if I ran into the Poison Sovereign or the Thirteen Swallows of Yanbei again—so he wants to find me a bodyguard to escort me home.” In an instant, I felt as if my heart had spun back and forth between heaven and earth several times. I’m not stupid—could it be that she wants me to escort her home? Have the peach blossoms truly bloomed? Am I a man of integrity? I felt my moral compass and my deepest desires locked in a pointless battle. “So, regarding the bodyguard, I’d like to ask Brother Wu…” Shi Jingyu clearly hadn’t noticed my reaction; in fact, she was already blushing deeply as she spoke, her voice growing softer and softer. “No problem, Miss Shi, rest assured. I, Wu, will certainly do my utmost to ensure your safety,” I said with righteous conviction. In the end, my moral compass prevailed. “I can’t do anything wrong, I can’t do anything wrong”—I kept repeating these words to myself over and over. “Is that okay?” Miss Shi’s big eyes fluttered upon hearing my reply, as if she’d just been lit up. “Hmm, okay, then I look forward to Brother Wu making a speedy recovery so he can be my bodyguard!” Then Shi Jingyu seemed very happy as she skipped and hopped her way out of my room. After Shi Jingyu left, my thoughts were in complete disarray; I simply couldn’t calm down. It felt like a little deer was racing around inside my heart—I was so excited! If I’d still had any sense of reason left at that moment, it would have told me that this bodyguard mission—for someone like me who knew absolutely nothing about martial arts—was actually full of unknowns and dangers.