Not long has passed, but Bubai could already feel something getting long due to the forbidden painting in the dark.

  To enhanced eyes like his own, the darkness did little to hide the beauty in the flesh.

  A slim figure boasting fair, alabaster skin, mostly left bare for his viewing pleasure except for the front.

  Here, a silky black nightgown hinged on thin straps to hug her youthful curves all the way down to her belly.

  Right below was a royal purple sash serving as a half-hearted loincloth that didn’t bother to cover those slender thighs kneeling beneath it.

  This allowed him to make out all the tattoos inking both her arms and legs like swirling shadows.

  Each brushstroke hid untold power his knowledge has never touched upon. Fascinating. Mesmerizing.

  Even more mesmerizing?

  It was the fresh experience coming from what that composed, pretty face was doing... stuff that are omitted except in the . Ahem.

  Just know, it felt good.

  After all, the quality selected into the Law Enforcement Hall was top-notch!

  She wasn’t at the goddess level, but her appearance and temperament was definitely enough to be crowned the top beauty of YY School in XX City.

  The best part?

  This woman meant business and was willing to give her all to complete her mission.

  No nonsense. Just a performance to fulfill a men’s darkest desires. All for the sake of duty.

  A duty-bound beauty like this was the sort of honey trap men willingly fall for. Or at least... Bubai was willing.

  Ahem. Can’t blame him. Dear Merlin, they must have done research on his favorite type!

  Now, he can’t wait to research whether those incredible tattoos had the effect of increasing attack speed...

  But Bubai suppressed his instinctive urge and let out a sigh.

  “Hey, aren’t you ladies from the Law Enforcement Hall all about being paragons of purity? Guardians of virtue and all that?”

  The answer rolled off her tongue. “To complete a mission, the matriarch permits the use of any means necessary.”

  "Any means?" Bubai looked down at the short-haired Miss Raven. “What if someone ordered you to... do that?”

  She paused mid-motion.

  Slowly, her eyes lifted to meet his, piercing and unflinching.

  Wearing a mask of calm, the kneeling beauty slowly drew away and got up.

  Just when Bubai thought his little joke had gone too far, she climbed onto his lap and looped her arms around his neck... then the went in....

  Things really escalated too fast!

  Bubai didn’t know whether to feel comfortable or uncomfortable.

  Merlin’s beard! To think this Miss Raven was willing to take it this far with a complete stranger just over a simple order!

  Heavens! What kinda training had carved her into this shape?

  This level of submission... it was almost worse than the “Four Virtues Analects” that bound most of the women raised in this era!

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  Even in the modern era, a wild fling doesn’t just happen like this, right?

  It’s common for a drunken lapse in judgment to lead to a fleeting passion, but...

  This was no drunk lady he was dealing with. She was a clear-headed, well-trained foundation-realm assassin!

  He was really afraid she will pull out a dagger to stab him in the heart after everything’s done and over!

  Ever heard of black widows eating their mate? Scary.

  Of course, after taking into account all other environmental factors, the odds of a sudden death happening were almost nil.

  Still, it really didn’t sit well with Bubai if he simply lets her take what she needed and ditch him without giving any benefits in return.

  He, Mo Bubai, has never left the table empty-handed after a transaction!

  Since her mouth was free now, Bubai placed his hands on her hips, readily taking the reins to start his old trade.

  “It’s rare to meet someone as awfully committed as you. By the way, I haven’t asked your name.”

  “There is no need for that.”

  That wasn’t the answer he wanted. So, he gave her a hard punishment...

  Miss Raven’s lips quivered and she crowed faintly. “Ah- hou… ah… hou...”

  The raven’s crowing was like music to his ears, and the devil can’t help but breath up her neck.

  “Why not? I still think it’s better to be committed to someone with a name rather than a stranger... Haiya. Name’s Bubai, Mo Bubai.”

  A blunt “I know” shut the door against his efforts.

  Bubai didn’t back down and looked her right in the eyes. “I said mine. Be a good girl and tell me, what’s yours?”

  Those hollow, watery eyes seemed to swallow the light rather than reflect it.

  That was the disquieting stare of someone who had seen too much in the shadows and felt too little in the light.

  This belong to the type willing to give her all to absorb every bit of detail and analyze his every purpose.

  It didn’t take long for the smart to read his intentions.

  A half-smile sparked in her eyes, and she obediently gave her name. “Wu Ya.”

  "Wu?" That surname made Bubai feel something iffy and he can’t help but uneasily voice his doubt, "You and the Wu Clan..."

  The raven buried her face in his neck, gloomily breathing up into his ear, “The person you just killed outside was my blood-related brother.”

  Bubai instantly went stiff.

  Holy Merlin above! Don’t tell him that she really was an assassin out for revenge!

  Those lips pulled away from his neck and those gloomy eyes stared back into his.

  “Don’t worry. We never got along. Ever since he pierced my tongue and pushed me down when we were young, I knew they weren’t my family. I never went back ever since I followed the Saintess.”

  Uh… was that supposed to make him feel better?

  If anything, that truth only made Bubai feel colder... disturbingly so, in many ways.

  Noticing the faint crack in his facial expression, the pretty raven did not stop her advance.

  “Don’t think I’m cold or ungrateful. No women is willing to throw themselves into the abyss if they had a choice.”

  Bubai meekly pointed out, “Yet... aren’t you now?”

  The raven’s composed mask didn’t crack at all.

  “The Saintess was the one who pulled me out at my darkest time. Ever since, I am willing to give my all for her, to be her dark guard for life…”

  “I am sworn to serve in her shadows and help her complete what the light cannot touch. That is my oath.”

  Huh? Bubai felt there was a lot of info yet at the same time not…

  Let’s get this straight. She’s serving under a saintess. Who is anyone’s guess.

  But based on her tone, perhaps there was another story behind this mission?

  Did she volunteer to be tribute in place of her light?

  Or was she perhaps the vanguard to test the water? Could the next one be…

  Just when Bubai got a little excited, the raven cut down his fantasies. “Don’t even think about it. You’re not worthy to be her first rite.”

  “First rite?” Bubai blinked innocently.

  Wu Ya stared back in silence. Feeling that she couldn’t squeeze anything out, she did what she needed to do.

  “As long as a Saintess stays chaste, she reserves the right to select a practice companion to further cultivate her skills.”

  Oi, what kind of broken rule is that?! Bubai almost spilled his beans from shock.

  Chaste plus dual cultivation. It sounded almost nonsensical together, but…

  Recalling the “chaste” rules established by the fairy, Bubai completely understood.

  When there’s a will, there’s a way. To think there was still this road to heaven!

  No wonder a certain money-bag-carrying toad kept chasing after the swan meat!

  But… isn’t it risky to play like this?

  Bubai can’t help but voice the biggest question on his mind. “What if they break the rules?”

  Wu Ya’s lips pressed into a thin line. She didn’t answer directly, but her silence was answer enough.

  Well, Bubai didn’t have to hear about it to guess it won’t be a happy ending for anyone involved.

  Speaking of endings…

  Feeling that the assassin was trying real hard to finish him off, Bubai thought, “Might as well.”

  It was a dangerous game, but one he was all too familiar with...

  After a little taste, the collected essence ended up flowing into the prepared Ice Jade Vial.

  “Oh, that’s hawt.”

  His cynical remark only earned a thoughtful look from the short-haired beauty.

  While she deposited the evidence of her mission completion, those analytical eyes rolled back and forth, trying to catch some more clues from his face.

  Seeing the bait he threw out successfully hooking the fish, the devil wickedly grinned. “Discovered something interesting?”

  He stood up and towered over her.

  “Since that’s the case... why don’t you extract a few more samples to see if you can solve the mystery?”

  The composed, short-haired beauty looked up hesitantly, but those soft, pink lips still accepted the challenge. “You don’t have much time left.”

  The devil’s gaze turned predatory.

  “Haha. We’ve got more than half an hour, don’t we? That’s plenty of time to dye you... my color.”