I'm really not the Saviour! (我唔係救主囖!) [danmei/BL xuanhuan]

2 - I'll take your food but not your company

A/N: 20 April 2024 - I'm in the process of updating the transliterations of all the names, so if you're reading along and they suddenly change... it means I haven't gotten to that chapter yet.

***

Ah.

The young man glanced over his shoulder.

The merchant leader's dagger pricked his back again. "Don't try to turn around. Now give us all your valuables."

There was a shade of confused exasperation on the young man's usually blank face.

The knife jabbed him this time, drawing some blood. "Hurry up! Aren't you the Jade Exorcist? Surely you have plenty of good things!"

The young man patted his clothes, turning out his sleeves to reveal the remainder of the food he had been given earlier.

"Where are you hiding your things?" The merchants... no, bandits, crowded around, turning over the young man's hands and patting him only to confirm that the only things he carried were food and his sword. He folded his arms over his chest as they did, and the leader instantly fixated on his movements.

"He probably has something hiding on his chest, like a necklace, or there's a hidden pocket. Pull his arms aside!"

At these words, the young man's half-closed lids opened slightly more. His eyes flashed silver.

With a speed that couldn't be followed by the eye, his hand began to move towards the sword being held by one of the bandits, but before he could retrieve it, a loud voice, infused with internal energy, hei, broke across them like a landslide. "BANDIT SCUM! I'LL TEACH YOU A LESSON!"

The young man wiggled a finger in his ear. From between the bandits, he could see a figure standing on the road in front of them.

It was a tall and upright youth, sturdy and eager-eyed. He had a handsome, strong face, long dark hair tied in a low ponytail that draped over one shoulder, and in his powerful folded arms, he carried a gim, a straight double-edged sword, with a jade hilt.

The bandits looked at him, then looked back at the young man they had been robbing.

This young man was average height, if not a little short, with a somewhat slight build and lowered eyelids. His face was a little delicate but otherwise ordinary, his long dark hair was tied in a high ponytail, and his hand was halfway to taking back his jade-hilted dou.

"You... You're not the Jade Exorcist!"

"... Did I say I was?"

"You-!"

The other man on the road dashed forwards. He was quicker than the bandits, swinging his sword without even unsheathing it. In a few moments, the whole bandit troupe was flat on their backs, seeing stars. He looked around to find the young man extracting his dou from the pile of people.

"Sir, are you alright?" His manner was bright and enthusiastic.

The young man blinked, as if blinded. "... Alright."

"Good! Did I hear right, that they mistook you for the Jade Exorcist? I apologise greatly, please let me make it up to you!"

The young man began to leave. This guy was too troublesome!

"Wait! Sir! I'll... A meal! How about a meal?"

The young man halted. He had become horribly aware that his sleeves felt very light.

Of course! He had taken the food out to prove he had nothing valuable, and it had all been squashed in the ensuring chaos. He had been looking forward to eating that pork bun!