Venerable Demon King & The Doting Immortal (QT)
Chapter 71: Snoring competition

Chapter 71: Snoring competition

By mid-morning, the sun was filtering through the thin fabric of the tent, casting a warm golden glow, but the three figures were unbothered. They were still fast asleep like they were nocturnal animals. The twins were sprawled out on their makeshift beds and engaged in a symphony of competing snores. It was as though they were trying to outdo each other on who could be the loudest and the most obnoxious. Their peaceful, albeit noisy, slumber was a stark contrast to Xiang Yu’s restless sleep.

He lay curled up in a fetal position, tightly wound in his quilt as if it were a protective cocoon. From childhood, he had slept like this and he wasn’t even aware of it. It stemmed from his insecurities as a child, insecurities that he hadn’t acknowledged. Unlike him, the twins lay sprawled. If Dan Dan could see them she would call it unladylike.

Unlike most days that he was plagued with nightmares, today his mind was a turbulent sea of emotions stemming from the memories and future events of what was to come in this world. They were flooding his consciousness making him uneasy. He squeezed his closed eyes, trying to block out the images that played out like a relentless film reel behind his eyelids.

The so-called love story between Han Xin and Peng Xiu was what others would admire. It was a tale of passion and devotion that seemed perfect on the surface just like a fairytale. But as most know fairytales are sugarcoated horror stories. After living with women in the business of selling love he saw the cracks and the toxic undercurrents that Peng Xiu tried to package as a happy ending. It was a relationship built on Peng Xiu’s manipulation and deceit, a facade that masked the true nature of their bond.

Xiang Yu was so fed up. He just wanted to wake up from this horrid dream and escape the suffocating grip of their toxic love. He wanted to tap out and tell the Divine Emperor that there was no need for him to know the rest of the plotline. He would just wing it.

He would just stick to Han Xin like a flea and annoy him half to death. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free. The memories clung to him like a second skin.

***

Early afternoon, Yi Nuo approached Princess Xiu’s tent, her steps a bit hesitant. From what she heard, the princess had not only been kidnapped by a heartless bastard, but she also had to escape in the middle of the night and rolled down the mountain, hurting herself. Her highness had barely had any rest thus she was hesitant. But General Han had sent her to summon the princess and she couldn’t disobey orders.

As she stepped inside, she froze. The sight before her was unexpected and worrying. Princess Xiu lay on an uncomfortable straw mat, her delicate form curled up in a way that was concerning. Surrounding her, on the more comfortable foldable beds, were her maidservants, sleeping soundly.

Yi Nuo’s eyes widened in disbelief. The dynamic of their relationship was unheard of. The maidservants were meant to serve their mistress, not the other way around. Yet here, it seemed Princess Xiu served them. She drew water for them and even gave up a bed for them. If she didn’t know any better, she might have thought Princess Xiu was an older sister looking after her younger sisters.

She tiptoed inside, not daring to make a sound, and crouched down beside Princess Xiu. Her hand hovering over the princess’s shoulder she hesitated, unsure if she should wake her. The princess seemed so restless and exhausted. She assumed it had to be because of the rough bedding. She gently shook her, but the only response she received was a soft murmur. It was clear that Princess Xiu was deeply exhausted.

Deciding it was best not to disturb her further she rose quietly. She didn’t dare shout or make any loud noises. Instead, she tiptoed out of the tent trying to wrap her head around what she had witnessed. She planned on informing the General that the princess was too exhausted to meet him.

As she left, she didn’t notice the twins opening their eyes. Their master was usually more vigilant than them. He would wake up at the drop of a pin but because he was getting memories of events of this world, he was trapped in a dream that he could only come out of it at the end. They heard her the moment she stepped in but watched her curious to see what she wanted. If she dared attack their master they would tear her to pieces.

"What do you think she wants?" asked Lian while pulling up her quilt.

Mei shuffled to face the tent while saying, "It’s probably nothing to worry about. Go back to sleep." Like they had an on-and-off switch, the twins fell asleep quickly. Well, that was after they had a snack. Growing up, when one committed an offence, they both partook in it because when they got into trouble, they would always implicate each other. This meant that they both ate their master’s oranges and didn’t even bother throwing away the evidence.

***

Han Xin stood at the edge of the training ground, his arms folded across his chest. He was watching his cousin with a critical eye. Han Zhan was barking orders at the new recruits, pushing them beyond their limits under the guise of training. Han Xin had no input. It was for their sake in the end.

Yi Nuo approached cautiously, her steps light but purposeful. She had to find a way to let the general know that Princess Xiu was tired without offending him. "General Han," she began, her voice soft yet urgent. "The princess is too exhausted to meet you. I tried to wake her up, but she seemed so tired that I couldn’t bring myself to wake her."

Han Xin’s eyes narrowed, his annoyance palpable. He assumed that the lieutenant was covering for the princess. "No need to cover for her, Lieutenant. Thank you for your hard work," he muttered under his breath trying to restrain something.