The Nine Cauldrons - Book 2: Teng Clan has a child called Teng Qingshan - Chapter 18: Yangzhou Salt Merchant

Her brother, who was the one who caused a coup d’etat, had sliced her throat. After she returned to the time before she died, she decided that she would somehow tame him and survive!

But..

Did she tame him too much?

***

“Brother, why don’t you get married?”

There was no reply from him, instead the glass that he held popped and cracked.

“Oh no! You’re bleeding.”

“Why should I get married?”

“Eh?”

“I already have you.”

Why should you get married, you say? You have to get the Empress so I can leave this castle! Sezh laughed strangely.

“Sezh.”

At that moment, she stumbled and Raytan pulled her body into his arms. His red eyes started to gleam suggestively while looking down at Sezh who was trapped in his arms.

“You know we are not real siblings.”

Life from birth has been nothing but hell. I lost my parents to some stupid aristocrats whom they offended. Executed for no good reason.

My relatives abandoned me and pushed me aside. They feared for their lives and left me and my sister to starve and wander the streets alone!

No, this is worse than hell!

I watched my sister die of starvation. Her lips were dry and her feet bloody. Her nails were broken and her fingers riddled with cuts. She struggled in my hands and after a few seconds of struggle she passed away. She seemed joyful in death so I prayed mine will come just as swift and merciful as hers.

So I stayed in the alleyway, alone with her rotten corpse awaiting my fate for God knows how long. I could see it already. The darkness encroaching from all sides

Everyone said death is scary but I say it’s the end! Who needs life after death? What is the need for reincarnation?

Who would want to return to this crazy world?

“It’s not yet time for you to go… You have one more task to accomplish as my host” A voice called out to me.

I could barely see or speak but how can I miss such a beautiful face? It was an extremely handsome man who gazed at me with tender eyes.

.....

“Haven’t I suffered enough? Can’t I just rest?” I cried out. Why would I want to stay back in such a cruel world?

“Don’t you want to avenge the death of your parents? Don’t you want to become something greater? I can make that happen!” The beautiful man said with an alluring voice.

“You… Who are you?” I asked with an anxious heart.

My parents always said God is the only one who cares about me! Maybe in my final hours, he has come to save me.

“Call me Death…”

The protagonist, Punk, is a cautious, cold-blooded, and ruthless Mage.

His goal is always his top priority, over feelings or morality. When unnecessary, he doesn’t like to act like pigs to eat tigers; there are almost no life and death struggles, sometimes risky but steady progress. No strong enemy everywhere, Instead, Punk is always a strong enemy of others.

And he has a very keen interest in the secrets and teachings of the Netheril civilization.