Chapter 127: Xiao Yuqi, the Bodyguard

"You mean it is possible to resolve the issues between the two races peacefully?" Li Yang asked from the side, a slight headache forming.

"Yes, I will go to Anteiku tomorrow to have a proper talk with the ghouls," Sikong Xu replied.

He had already shared his conversation with Touka and his own perspectives on the matter with Li Yang, trusting that Li Yang would form his own judgment.

"I have to say, you two are still too young... How can you treat the affairs between races so flippantly?" Li Yang shook his head. The two young people he referred to were, naturally, Sikong Xu and Touka.

"I have also learned about the ghoul race in the school library..."

The library Li Yang spoke of was built by Ye Fei years ago, housing records of many secrets, including basic data on various fictional dimensions. As a race with immense fame in these dimensions, ghouls were naturally documented.

"I know the habits of ghouls. From a rational standpoint, a race that relies solely on consuming humans to survive... I do not believe they can coexist with humanity."

"That is exactly why I said... your understanding of ghouls is still too limited," Sikong Xu said, clutching his head.

Having read the original story, Sikong Xu knew that the ghouls at Anteiku were trustworthy, but to Li Yang, they were merely a group of strangers standing on the opposite side.

"Since you are so insistent, tell me your plan. If you can convince me, we can talk," Li Yang relented. If it had been any other student, he would have dismissed them long ago, but with this troublesome student, he felt there was nothing he could do.

Sikong Xu thought for a moment and said, "If ghouls and humans are to coexist peacefully, we must first resolve the biggest barrier between them."

"You mean the food issue," Li Yang said. It seemed he really did have some understanding of ghouls.

"Exactly. For ghouls to survive, they must prey on humans, but this is not without a potential solution."

"By letting them drink coffee?" Li Yang asked.

"You even know about that?" Sikong Xu was genuinely surprised; the materials left behind by Ye Fei were truly detailed.

"Coffee only staves off hunger temporarily; it does not address the root of the problem," Sikong Xu continued. "The root cause lies in what ghouls obtain by preying on humans: Rc cells. The source of a ghoul's vitality is their Rc cells. If we can extract these cells using modern technology, we can solve this problem."

The concept of extracting Rc cells had appeared in the original manga, but the hatred between ghouls and humans had been too deep; even with a way to resolve the need for predation, the rift between the two races remained unbridgeable.

"..." Li Yang was silent for a moment before asking, "Are you truly certain this method is feasible?"

"I am fifty percent sure. The specifics will depend on my conversation with the ghouls tomorrow."

"..." Li Yang fell silent again. After a long while, he said, "Then I leave this matter to you."

Hearing this, Sikong Xu finally smiled, revealing his white teeth. The matter was settled!

"However, you cannot go alone. You must at least take a bodyguard."

"A bodyguard? I suspect you want to use them as a show of force," Sikong Xu said with a shake of his head. He did not refuse; a certain level of military deterrence might actually be beneficial for the negotiations.

"You brat... you are quite sharp," Li Yang said with a rare smile. "A show of force is only one aspect..."

"Is there another?" Sikong Xu's expression darkened. He understood Li Yang’s implication: if the negotiations failed, they might have to eliminate the ghouls to prevent future trouble.

The next day, outside Anteiku...

"It was your fault after all, you brat!"

Sikong Xu stood trembling, not daring to speak as he looked at Xiao Yuqi, whose hair seemed to stand on end with rage.

"I was wondering why the school suddenly assigned me a mission on a perfectly good weekend, and it turns out... it was your doing!"

Sikong Xu wanted to cry but had no tears: "Sister Yuqi, please calm down! I... I didn't know the school would send you to protect me. It’s an accident, truly an accident!"

"Protect you!" Xiao Yuqi gritted her teeth. "I could have been back home getting some beauty sleep."

"Oh wow, so my life isn't even worth a nap to you..." Sikong Xu lamented.

During the days spent learning sword qi from her, Sikong Xu had come to know her well. Though the beautiful instructor had a fiery temper, she was deeply concerned for others. Every time she beat him up during training, she would follow it with helpful advice. As for her strength, Sikong Xu had no concerns. Even if the SSS-ranked ghoul Yoshimura was powerful, he doubted the ghoul could withstand a few of Xiao Yuqi's moves.

"So, is that coffee shop ahead the place you mentioned?" Xiao Yuqi asked, pointing at Anteiku.

"Yes." Sikong Xu had already spotted Touka standing at the entrance in her uniform.

Sikong Xu gestured for Xiao Yuqi to walk in front, but she replied, "Today I am just a bodyguard, and you are the one in charge, so I will follow you."

Sikong Xu’s mouth twitched. If he weren't afraid of an ambush, he would have walked in front of her long ago! Since Xiao Yuqi insisted on following, he had no choice but to walk up and greet Touka.

"As expected, you look even cuter without the mask," Sikong Xu smiled, looking at Touka’s face partially obscured by her bangs. This edgy hairstyle didn't feel out of place on her at all; it only highlighted her charm.

"If you keep joking around like this during the negotiations, I guarantee you will have a miserable death," Touka said, her face flushing slightly before she put on a fierce expression.

"Don't worry, don't worry. Now, please take me inside."

"Fine. But who is she?" Touka asked, pointing to Xiao Yuqi, who was half a step behind Sikong Xu. She had been observing this mature woman since they arrived, but she couldn't discern anything about her.

"She... um, she is my bodyguard," Sikong Xu said, feeling a bit timid in front of Xiao Yuqi. In the entire Morning Dawn Academy, he feared no one—not the principal, not Li Yang—but he was terrified of Xiao Yuqi, as the violent instructor had left a deep impression on him.

"A bodyguard? Is this the sincerity you spoke of?" Touka's expression darkened. Yesterday, Sikong Xu had insisted he would come alone, yet he had gone back on his word.

"I am truly sorry about this. After all, I am not the only one making decisions on the human side. Convincing them not to attack was the best I could do," Sikong Xu explained. He knew this was indeed his fault. "However, she is only here as a guard. The negotiation itself will be handled entirely by me."

To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings, Sikong Xu quickly clarified. Hearing this, Touka's expression softened. She looked back into the shop, and after receiving a nod from someone inside, she stepped aside and said, "I will trust you once. Follow me in."