Chapter Forty-Two: Explanation

"Ugh... phew, phew..." Han Shuo spat out several mouthfuls of water, his face flushed bright red. He hurriedly pried Vannie’s hand from his neck, still clueless about what had happened, and complained miserably, "Miss Vannie, what are you doing? I’m already like this—can’t you be a little gentler?"

No sooner had he spoken than Han Shuo’s eyes flew open wide, staring transfixed at Vannie and Lisa before him. Both women’s upper bodies were completely exposed, their fair, delicate forms laid bare, Vannie’s voluptuous beauty and Lisa’s budding curves revealed without reservation, just inches from Han Shuo’s gaze.

Their lower bodies, the most crucial parts, were covered only by lingerie as thin as gossamer, damp with water that soaked the scant fabric. Though he could not see everything, the tantalizing hints only made the temptation more deadly. Han Shuo, who had been startled into near collapse, felt his brother below stand firmly once more.

"Oh, Brian, you’re finally awake! Um, Miss Vannie, why are you treating him like that?" Lisa, equally bewildered, hurried over in concern.

"Look at his lower half—if he were truly suffocating and unconscious, why would there still be a reaction?" Vannie muttered irritably, her cheeks aflame as she addressed Lisa. Without waiting for a response, she pinched and prodded Han Shuo’s body, cursing under her breath.

Hearing Vannie’s words, Han Shuo was dumbfounded, his gaze still roaming the women’s bodies. A sudden inspiration struck him, and regardless of logic, he protested, "I was just poisoned by the Deepwater Python’s toxic smoke—my whole body’s paralyzed and powerless, and that’s why things down there are stiff too. How can you blame me?"

At this, Vannie and Lisa exchanged glances, then suddenly realized they were still unclothed. Both shrieked with alarm.

"Quiet! Stop your excuses—I’ve never heard of anyone’s lower half stiffening after inhaling Deepwater Python poison. And close your eyes; no peeking! Lisa, let’s put our clothes back on and deal with him later," Vannie snapped, dragging Lisa away as they ran off shrieking.

Han Shuo immediately shut his mouth, and as the two turned away, his sly eyes flicked open to greedily linger on Vannie’s shapely, firm hips.

After a while, Vannie and Lisa returned, fully dressed, their cheeks flushed with shame and anger. Vannie approached, studying Han Shuo with a stern expression, and then coldly demanded, "Why did you just happen to show up here at such a convenient time?"

"Uh... I came to gather firewood and happened to hear your cries for help, so I rushed over to save you. Miss Vannie, I’m wounded, and I didn’t mean to see anything—I’m paralyzed and can’t move at all. My chest and right cheek were struck by the Deepwater Python’s tail, and they hurt terribly now. It was all for your sake," Han Shuo replied, lying on his back like a puppet, stiff and unmoving except for his mouth and eyes.

"Miss Vannie, though Brian does seem suspicious, he did just save our lives. Look at him now—can’t you let him off?" Lisa glanced at Han Shuo from afar, noticed his lower half was still standing tall, shot him a fierce glare, spat lightly, and then turned to plead with Vannie.

"Lisa, I... he violated me!" Vannie blurted out, glaring at Han Shuo, her voice tinged with anxiety.

"In any case, only the three of us know about this—I won’t tell anyone, and Brian certainly wouldn’t dare. Just pretend nothing happened. Um, he saw me too; I hate him for it, but he risked his life for us. We can’t kill him, can we?" Lisa hesitated, then spoke to Vannie with a pained expression.

"I didn’t see anything—I swear, Miss Vannie, please don’t kill me to keep me quiet..." Han Shuo pleaded in panic, his eyes darting as he babbled nonsense.

"Enough!" Vannie snapped, exasperated, stomping her foot in frustration. "This isn’t over yet. You’re wounded today, so I’ll let you go, but sooner or later I’ll settle the score with you. Last time’s incident hasn’t been accounted for, and now this time... well, never mind."

Halfway through her rant, Vannie realized she’d slipped, and seeing Lisa’s suspicious gaze, quickly changed the subject.

"Miss Vannie, you wouldn’t happen to be...?" Lisa asked, looking oddly at Vannie.

"No!" Vannie immediately cut her off, then forced a smile and explained gently, "Last time during the experiment, Brian kept causing trouble, so I said I’d settle accounts with him. Don’t get the wrong idea, okay, Brian?"

Han Shuo promptly chimed in, "Yes, yes, that’s exactly it."

"Lisa, you keep an eye on Brian. The Deepwater Python is dead; I’ll go retrieve the magic beast’s core from its body. Ha, it’s a level-three beast core—we’ll definitely make a splash when we return!" Vannie, eager to avoid further slip-ups, hurried off toward the pond, this time not bothering to undress.

Once Vannie had left, Lisa, who had kept her distance, came closer to Han Shuo. She sighed softly and whispered, "Brian, I never thought you’d be so foolish. I know you risked your life fighting the Deepwater Python for me. What you said in the trap before, I only half-believed, but after this, I truly believe you. But Brian, I’m not a good girl—I’m not worth your sacrifice."

Han Shuo: "..."

Lisa saw Han Shuo lying there in a daze, struck by his words, shook her head and bit her lip, saying, "Brian, you should give up now. We really aren’t suited for each other. There’s too much of a gap between our status—my family would never allow us to be together. I’m sorry, Brian."

Han Shuo: "..."

"Brian, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything? Are you heartbroken?" Lisa continued, convinced she played the role of the ruthless one, speaking anxiously.

Han Shuo was at a loss, watching Lisa talk to herself, unsure how to respond. After a long moment, he finally cried out in agony, "Stop talking!"

After a pause, seeing Lisa stunned, Han Shuo sighed and said sorrowfully, "I understand—I’ll just watch over you from afar. I won’t cause you any trouble. If you love someone, you shouldn’t be her burden; you should think only of her happiness. Lisa, don’t worry—I’ll take care of myself and wish you well in silence."

These lines, learned from some third-rate soap operas, made Han Shuo shudder even as he spoke them, feeling utterly shameless and sly.

"I’ve never heard such touching words before—sob... I’m sorry, Brian!" To Han Shuo’s surprise, Lisa began to cry softly, tears streaming down her face, clearly moved beyond measure.

Just then, Vannie emerged from the pond, her body soaked, and upon hearing Lisa’s sobs, her expression changed. She glared at Han Shuo and scolded, "Brian, haven’t you bullied us enough?"

"Sob... Miss Vannie, it’s not Brian’s fault—I just got scared thinking about what happened. It’s got nothing to do with him, really!" Lisa quickly wiped her tears and forced a smile in explanation.

Vannie glanced at Lisa, then at Han Shuo, who still lay stiff as a board, apparently unmoving. She snorted, "He wouldn’t dare bully you again."

As Vannie stepped out of the pond, her clothes clung tightly to her flawless figure. Though little could be seen, her alluring curves still delighted Han Shuo’s eyes, drawing silent praise—Vannie was not only stunningly beautiful, but her figure was enough to tempt one into crime.

"This is strange—the Deepwater Python’s neck and head are completely scorched. How did that happen? It seems it died so quickly not just because of my magic—the burnt part in its brain is the key. But my Bone Spear spell doesn’t have the power to burn from within like that. What’s going on, Brian?" Vannie questioned Han Shuo, puzzled.

Han Shuo laughed dryly and replied, "Who knows? I just stabbed it a few times. I don’t have any magic or fighting technique that can burn it from the inside. See, I didn’t use anything."

"Is that really so? Why do you always seem so suspicious to me?" Vannie frowned, her bright eyes scrutinizing Han Shuo with doubt.

"Uh, think what you like. I’d love to have such amazing magic or fighting technique, but sadly I don’t have that kind of power," Han Shuo chuckled, a hint of self-mockery in his tone.

The martial skills he cultivated weren’t meant for this world; it was a secret he’d never reveal to anyone, not even under threat of death.

"Miss Vannie, you’re definitely imagining things, or maybe you’re mistaken—your eyesight isn’t always reliable. Brian just saved us; why would he deceive us? If he were that powerful, he wouldn’t still be a menial worker," Lisa interjected.

"Perhaps," Vannie smiled slightly and nodded, then said cheerfully, "We’ve got the magic beast core—let’s return to the tent. That swim was dangerous, but getting a level-three beast core makes it all worthwhile!"

"Brian, can you move now? Should I call the male students to carry you back?" Lisa asked, worried.

"As far as I know, Deepwater Python’s poison mist only temporarily paralyzes its prey to make them easier to eat. It’s been so long—Brian, you should be fine by now," Vannie snorted, shooting Han Shuo a cold glare.

At her words, Han Shuo exclaimed, "Ah, you’re right—I can move perfectly well now. Let’s go, let’s hurry back!"

Lisa paused, then looked at Han Shuo suspiciously, a bit annoyed. "Brian, you could move all along, couldn’t you?"

Han Shuo replied without a shred of embarrassment, "No, no—I only realized I could move after Miss Vannie mentioned it. Let’s go, or they’ll worry about us."

Without waiting for further questions, Han Shuo sprang to his feet and rushed swiftly toward the tents where the students were camped.

"Damn it, he really was pretending—I knew it! Brian, stop right there! I’ll never let you off!" Vannie cried out angrily, dragging Lisa as they chased after Han Shuo.