Jiang Ke’er knew that verbal sparring would no longer help the Bagpipe Squad until the competition results were announced.
However, the reporters seemed to have finally found an outlet for their frustrations.
They swarmed the Bagpipe Squad, chirping away with endless questions, mocking them as much as possible, and asking pointed, difficult questions.
Oddly enough, at a time so ripe for a major scoop, Jiang Ke’er didn’t see the little reporter who had been so biting with his words over the past two days.
‘Is that guy on vacation today? Or… is he actually on our side? Or perhaps, has he been “disposed of” by the authorities?’
Ever since the conflict between the Demon Race and the Human Clan broke out, those entering the human media industry were strictly regulated, and all Demons were prohibited from joining.
In a place as important as the Shenzhou Cup, Demon reporters were naturally not allowed entry.
Therefore, those who could come to conduct interviews were all from media Sects controlled by the humans; they were the designated mouthpieces of the higher-ups.
Because of this, the little reporter’s identity had always piqued Jiang Ke’er’s curiosity.
‘How on earth did a force of nature like him manage to sneak in?’
Just as she thought of this, Jiang Ke’er spotted that very figure among the crowd at the Exit.
Because he had left such a deep impression on her over the past two days, she recognized him at a glance even though he wasn’t wearing his professional attire and didn’t have a cameraman with him today.
His frame was thin and short, with prominent facial bones. He lacked the healthy aura of a Cultivator and instead looked like the refugees she had seen in her past life on Earth.
Feeling Jiang Ke’er’s gaze, the little reporter quickly lowered his head, seemingly afraid of being discovered or perhaps worried that others would misunderstand there being a connection between him and Jiang Ke’er.
Jiang Ke’er casually looked away to avoid causing him any trouble.
The process of leaving the competition grounds was exceptionally arduous, like swimming against a torrential river.
The flocking reporters seized every opportunity, doing their best to provoke the members of the Bagpipe Squad with their words.
They hoped to see the desperate look of defeated dogs and extract some eye-catching headlines from their mouths.
Jiang Ke’er simply responded with a smile.
Once they stepped outside the venue, they finally managed to shake off the reporters, and the Little Demons returned to their residence.
To Jiang Ke’er’s surprise, a shadow she had been curious about earlier was already waiting there.
“The little reporter?” The members of the Bagpipe Squad were all very surprised to see him.
“Wei Ning, come in.” However, Si Lian only gave a soft sigh and familiarly ushered him into the room.
“Wait, you two know each other?” Jiang Ke’er asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Si Lian said, quickly grabbing Wei Ning’s hand and pulling him into the house.
Wei Ning took off his large hood, revealing his thin face, and grinned at Si Lian. “It’s been a long time, Aunt Si Lian.”
“It certainly has,” Si Lian said with emotion. “I never thought you would become a reporter, and such a bold troublemaker at that. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”
“I can’t let the media only voice the opinions of the Human Clan,” Wei Ning said firmly. “That is my goal.”
“You’re flirting with death; your methods go a bit too far,” Si Lian scolded him gently.
Wei Ning scratched his head and changed the subject. “Aunt Si Lian, why is your voice so hoarse…”
“It’s nothing,” Si Lian shook her head. “Anyway, you should all get to know each other. I’m going to smoke a bit and think about some things.”
“Your throat is already like that, and you’re still smoking?” Jiang Ke’er frowned.
“Just a few puffs.” Si Lian walked quickly to the window.
Wei Ning currently lacked the sharp edge he displayed during questioning. Facing Jiang Ke’er’s curious gaze, he instead seemed a bit shy.
Granted, there weren’t many boys who wouldn’t be shy under Jiang Ke’er’s gaze… but Wei Ning’s shyness was clearly a result of his personality; he was a bit timid around strangers.
“Hello, I assume we don’t need to introduce our names,” Jiang Ke’er smiled. “You’re called Wei Ning? I’m very curious how you managed to join the ranks of the reporters… Are you a Demon or a human?”
“Heh,” Wei Ning gave a mysterious smile and gently lifted the hair on the side of his face.
If he were a human, there should have been two ears there, but the area was completely empty.
Does that mean Wei Ning is a Demon?
‘Is he a Demon who achieved perfect or semi-perfect transformation like Aunt Si Lian?’
While Jiang Ke’er was wondering, Wei Ning lowered his head and pushed aside the hair on top.
He removed two patches of fake hair, revealing two ear holes and two large scars.
“I didn’t know any better when I was little, so I cut my ears off,” Wei Ning said in a casual tone.
Jiang Ke’er’s expression froze.
She remembered what Si Lian had said when she first asked her to join the team — she had once witnessed a Demon child cut off their own ears and tail out of a sense of inferiority.
That was likely the source of the determination that drove Si Lian to lead the Bagpipe Squad through every tournament until today, no matter the cost.
That wasn’t a made-up story.
“It’s really no big deal,” Wei Ning laughed.
“It just so happens that I can disguise myself as a human to infiltrate places that are difficult for Demons to set foot in. Those human Cultivators are lazy; they don’t bother to check our features carefully. After all, there are currently very few Demon races that can achieve complete transformation… and those races are all exceptionally gifted and powerful. They wouldn’t be weaklings like me who can’t even enter the Three Talents Stage.”
He seemed optimistic, but the bitterness behind it made Jiang Ke’er feel terrible just thinking about it.
Most Demons in this world did not have a stroke of luck as she did.
Jiang Ke’er touched her own ears; a light brush was enough to feel the dense network of sensory nerves.
‘How much must that have hurt?’ Jiang Ke’er imagined, gritting her teeth and whispering to herself.
Seeing Jiang Ke’er’s low spirits, Wei Ning said somewhat anxiously,
“Really, it’s fine. It only hurt for a little while… I know many friends whose parents cut off their ears and tails the moment they were born, and they’re all living well now. For us, this is a common, trivial matter, just like a gecko dropping its tail.”
A gecko dropping its tail — if she were still on Earth, she would have laughed it off as a curious phenomenon.
But if she thought about it carefully… what a helpless choice that was.
The weak always have to pay a higher price for survival.
“Why did you come to find us? Aren’t you afraid of being exposed?” Si Lian sat back down at the table. “There are spies all around this place.”
“Actually, I have a favor to ask you all,” Wei Ning said with a look of shame.
“It’s about my younger sister. I’m sorry… I know you’re already under a lot of pressure, but I really couldn’t find anyone else to help.”
“What is it? What happened to Xiao Yun?” Si Lian frowned.
“The Emperor is choosing new concubines. Because Xiao Yun was born beautiful, she was taken away as a human,” Wei Ning said, clenching his teeth.
“If Xiao Yun were truly a human, it wouldn’t be too much trouble… but Xiao Yun also cut off her ears. In the end, she is different from a real human. Once discovered, she likely won’t escape death.”