Shang Qinghua burst into Mobei Jun's room. "My king! You have to hide me!"
Mobei Jun snapped alert. "What is it?"
"Truth serum," Shang Qinghua babbled. "I would have taken the antidote but that blasted sy-a servant bumped me and it broke."
Mobei Jun stared at Shang Qinghua. There was an opportunity here. He stood up and froze the doors over sealing them inside.
Shang Qinghua sank down in relief. "Thank you my king! I don't know what I would have done if someone had asked the wrong question."
Mobei Jun grunted. He looked at his human. "Why do you serve me?"
"Because you're incredibly hot and I might be in love with you even though you're going to kill me," Shang Qinghua blurted out. He clapped his hands over his mouth.
"Why would I kill you?" Mobei Jun asked in surprise.
"Hopefully it's just because I'm useless and not because I'm forced to betray you," Shang Qinghua babbled uncontrollably. Shang Qinghua shrank away as a murderous expression crossed Mobei Jun's face. "I really am loyal my king! I don't want to die, I wouldn't betray you if I had a choice!"
"Who is forcing you to betray me?" Mobei Jun demanded.
"It hasn't happened yet, but that's how it was written," Shang Qinghua said. "I betray you, and you kill me. And I wouldn't choose to betray you, so I'll have to be forced. I'm just hoping that I've done enough that you'll make it quick when the time comes." He really needed to stop talking!
"A prophecy?" Mobei Jun asked.
"You could call it that, sure," Shang Qinghua agreed. "It wasn't meant to be a prophecy, but it's certainly being forced into being one! It would be great if this wasn't happening to me, haha, I'm just an idiot writer! I'm not meant to be in these kinds of situations!"
That made little sense, but Mobei Jun had grasped the important parts. Shang Qinghua knew that swearing himself to his king would end in a forced betrayal and death, but still wished to do so. He was loyal, and terrified about being caught in the prophecy's tangles.
"This king will not kill you if you are forced to betray him," Mobei Jun swore. "I will find what made you do so and destroy it."
Shang Qinghua cracked a crooked smile. "Thank you my king."
"You do not believe me," Mobei Jun rumbled.
"I've been fighting it my whole life, no one's ever been able to help," Shang Qinghua said. "Why would you do that for a pathetic servant who never does well enough to not be beaten?"
Mobei Jun frowned. "You think the beatings are punishment?"
"Of course, what else could they be?' Shang Qinghua babbled. "Obviously it's because I'm a human cultivator, and you hate cultivators, and I'm already betraying my sect by serving you so I can't be trusted really, and there's always some kind of flaw in my work."
"They are not punishment."
"Then why hit me?" Shang Qinghua burst out. "Those really hurt!"
Mobei Jun stared at Shang Qinghua. "To court you."
"Why would you-demons court with violence. I forgot that. I work with demons, how could I forget that? But you can't want me, my king! You know I'm terribly weak!"
"Qinghua is stronger than he thinks." Mobei Jun sat down. "How long does this truth serum last?"
"Six hours. I'm going to be talking nonstop that entire time, it's going to be terribly annoying for you my king, I'm sorry."
Mobei Jun waved his hand. "Qinghua can speak as he likes. This king will listen."
Shang Qinghua shot a look at Mobei Jun. Well, he wasn't being decapitated right now. He babbled away, hoping this would truly be alright. Things hadn't gone as terribly as he had feared. Neither Mobei Jun or the System had killed him. Maybe he'd survive this after all.
