Chapter 3 – Soul Bargains

Lin Yue’s knuckles smashed into the shadow dragon’s face again and again. The impacts sent jolts of pain through her hand, but the shadowy bastard just spluttered and squirmed in her grip.

“You’re only hurting yourself, you idiot!” The dragon wheezed through the assault. “Stop punching me!”

Fucking hell. Her knuckles blazed with fire, blood trickling down her fingers. The dragon had a point about her method’s ineffectiveness.

She switched tactics. She lunged forward, grabbed his serpentine neck, and twisted hard. The dragon’s scream echoed through the room until a satisfying crack sounded. With another vicious wrench, his head popped clean off.

The decapitated head floated away, trailing wisps of shadow smoke, darting to the furthest corner of the room. Shit. Of course that didn’t kill him.

“No one has ever treated the great shadow god like this!” The floating head sputtered indignantly.

“Shut up.” Lin Yue shook his writhing body. “I’ll throw what’s left of you in the sewer. Or worse.”

The dragon’s red eyes narrowed. “What could be worse than that?”

“The rat feeding pits.” Lin Yue bared her teeth.

“Just listen to me!” The dragon’s head bobbed frantically. “I won’t touch the girl! I won’t suggest anything about her! Just listen!”

Lin Yue wiped her bloodied knuckles on her shirt. “Fine. Spill it before I go back to figuring out how to kill you.”

“I offer you immortality!” The dragon’s severed head spun in excitement. “Unlimited power! I am the greatest shadow dragon god!”

Lin Yue yanked her knife out and slashed through the dragon’s body. The blade passed through empty air. Fucking useless. She tried again, stabbing harder. Nothing.

“Not born yesterday, asshole. I can smell a con from ten streets away.”

She gripped the writhing body tighter and tried to slam it against the wall. It phased through the wood like smoke. “Shit!”

“You possess a powerful double soul!” The head drifted closer. “With my guidance, you could become—”

Lin Yue froze. How the fuck does he know about that? She lifted her gaze to meet his glowing red eyes. “What did you say about my soul?”

“Ha! Now you’re interested?” The dragon’s head bobbed smugly. “Of course I know all!”

“Well, that’s inconvenient.” Lin Yue cracked her neck. “Secrets stop being secrets when more than one person knows them. Guess I’ll have to figure out how to kill you properly.”

“Wait!” The head darted backward. “No one else can see me! I’m bound to you since you killed my previous host!”

“So you’re a fucking parasite.”

“I am a shadow dragon god!”

Lin Yue snorted. “Let me get this straight. You want me to feed you, I’m your ‘host’, and you haven’t done a single useful thing. That’s the definition of a parasite.”

She glared at him. “And I hate parasites. This shithole of a city’s already crawling with them.”

“I can restore the girl’s energy!” The dragon head darted back and forth. “Just give me back my body!”

Lin Yue tightened her grip on the writhing shadow mass. “Not a chance. I don’t give up leverage.”

“Fine! Keep it!” The dragon’s teeth gnashed. “I’m a spiritual being—my physical form means nothing! Everything exists inside you anyway!”

Lin Yue glanced down at her chest. The black tattoo sprawled across her skin like spilled ink, smaller than before but still there. The pattern extended down her arm in intricate swirls. Inside me? Well, that’s disturbing.

She switched the squirming mass to her right hand, transferring the knife to her left. The steel blade caught the dim light.

“What are you doing?” The dragon’s head tilted.

“Experimenting.” Lin Yue stepped toward the oil lantern on the bedside table. The flame flickered as she held the blade’s edge through it, counting slowly. One...two...three...four...five.

“What are you—” The dragon’s voice pitched higher. “Stop that!”

Lin Yue pressed the blade against the tattoo on her arm. The black ink rippled and tried to slide away from the steel. She pushed down, breaking skin. Blood welled up around the blade as the ink writhed faster, trapped by the metal’s touch.

A shriek pierced the air. “You’re insane!” The dragon’s head thrashed wildly. “Completely insane!”

Lin Yue pressed the blade deeper. “So here’s the deal. Either you undo whatever bullshit you pulled with Xue, or we’ll find out exactly how batshit crazy I can get. And trust me—it’s a lot.”

“I can’t just—”

The knife sliced another line across the tattoo. Blood trickled down her arm as the dragon unleashed an ear-splitting shriek.

“Wait! Listen! We need—” His words tumbled out faster with each cut. “Energy! We need energy! I didn’t hurt her permanently! Just a small siphon! She’ll wake up on her own! But we’ll die without energy! Please stop—stop cutting!”

“Wake her up.” Lin Yue paused, blade hovering over fresh lines of blood. “Now.”

“Fine! Fine! Just stop being so violent!” The dragon’s head bobbed frantically.

“Right, because I should totally trust the parasitic shadow thing that’s probably trying to steal my soul.”

“No, no! I’m here to steal souls with you! There’s a difference!”

Lin Yue tracked the dragon’s movement as he drifted toward Xue’s unconscious form. The knife remained pressed against her arm, ready to carve deeper at the first sign of betrayal. A thin crimson mist flowed from the dragon’s mouth into Xue.

The dragon retreated as Xue stirred. She pushed herself up, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

“Yue?” Xue blinked in confusion. Her eyes widened as she took in the blood.

She rushed over, stumbling on sleep-weak legs. “Yue! You’re bleeding! And what’s all this black stuff?”

Lin Yue released the squirming shadow mass in her hand, watching it dissipate into wisps. “Just some ink from a broken bottle. Nothing serious.”

Xue looked around, spotted some clean white cloth and dabbed at Lin Yue’s arm. The blood smeared across pale skin, mixing with traces of the writhing tattoo.

Above them, the dragon’s head curled into itself near the ceiling beams, sulking like a scolded pet.

“Hold still.” Xue wrapped the cloth with surprising gentleness. “How did you get hurt this badly from ink?”

“Broke the bottle. Cut myself cleaning it up.” Lin Yue flexed her fingers as Xue tied off the bandage. Not my best lie.

Xue’s eyes darted around the unfamiliar room. “Where are we? What happened?”

“Tiger Gang’s dead. We got paid for that bounty we caught. This is our new place for now.”

“Dead?” Xue pressed her fingertips against her temples. “I don’t remember anything after we went out to work.”

“Bounty knocked you out cold. But you seem fine now.” Lin Yue watched Xue’s face for any lingering effects from the shadow dragon’s feeding.

Xue suddenly spun toward the table, zeroing in on the two fresh mantou left from dinner. Without hesitation, she snatched one and stuffed it whole into her mouth.

Lin Yue stared as Xue devoured the second roll in three massive bites a second later.

Xue swallowed and shrugged. “You should know better than to leave food out if you don’t want it eaten.”

A laugh burst from Lin Yue’s throat, genuine and sharp. The mirth died a few seconds later.

Xue pressed her palm against her forehead and slumped onto the edge of the bed. “The food...” Xue’s words slurred. “Drugged?”

Lin Yue lunged forward as Xue toppled sideways. She caught the small body before it hit the mattress, easing her down onto the worn sheets. She ran her fingers through Xue’s dirty blonde hair.

“What did you do?” Lin Yue snapped at the shadowy form lurking in the corner.

The dragon’s head spun in agitation. “Listen to me! I didn’t do anything! I gave her back enough energy to wake up, but we’re running out of time!” His red eyes flared brighter. “You’ll die within hours if we don’t get enough energy!”

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His body poofed out of the smoke and he flew closer to her, flowing in anxious circles. “I, by definition, will die too! I took nothing more from the girl—but if you want to keep protecting this orphan, you need to find another energy source fast!”

Lin Yue stared at the black tattoo snaking across her skin. “I don’t want you or any of this bullshit.”

The dragon’s head swooped closer. “Cut all you want—I can’t leave even if I desired to! Each slice just damages us both.” His red eyes narrowed. “How does someone responsible for dozens of deaths since my awakening suddenly care so much about a little collateral damage?”

“What?” Lin Yue’s fingers tightened around the blade.

The dragon bobbed in the air, counting with gleeful precision. “Forty-five... forty-six... forty-seven... forty-nine! Those men you put the bounty on—they’re dying quite rapidly.”

“You can see that?” Lin Yue’s knuckles whitened against the knife handle.

“I see every black drop of karma that falls upon your soul.” The dragon circled overhead. “It fills with midnight—quite beautiful, actually. Like watching ink spread through water.”

Lin Yue squeezed her fists until her nails bit into her palms. “How do we get energy, then?”

The dragon drifted down, each movement hesitant and calculated. “There are two ways to save us both. Your spiritual essence runs too thin—we need either a fresh soul for fuel or spirit stones.”

Lin Yue traced the edge of her knife with her thumb. “If you can see all those black marks from the deaths I caused, why not use those?”

“Ah!” The dragon spun in excited loops, wisps of shadow trailing his movements. “If you got close enough to catch the death itself—yes, that would solve everything quite nicely!”

Lin Yue glanced at Xue’s small form curled on the bed. The girl’s chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm, oblivious to the shadow creature’s machinations. A frown tugged at Lin Yue’s lips.

Tiger Gang. Some of those bastards have to still be breathing. The thought sparked something cold in her gut. “Looks like we’re paying my old friends a visit.”

At least until I figure out how to get rid of this leech.

Lin Yue eyed the fresh bundle of clothes she had bought. The clean fabric beckoned. But... What’s the point of ruining perfectly good clothes? She smoothed down her tattered rags—they’d served well enough so far.

She retrieved the old knife from under her pillow, testing its familiar weight. The new blade joined it, both sliding neatly beneath the bloodstained cloth wrapping her arms. The makeshift sheaths would do.

The shadow dragon swirled overhead in lazy circles, his serpentine form casting no shadow on the worn floorboards. At least Xue can’t see this annoying bastard.

Lin Yue secured the door’s lock, testing it twice. Downstairs, the innkeeper hunched over his ledger. Three men slouched at a nearby table, ale sloshing from their cups as they argued over dice.

“No curfew.” The innkeeper scratched at his beard without looking up. “But bring trouble back here and I’ll take it from your hides.”

“Just remember the meal, old man.” Lin Yue strode past, not bothering to look back at his grunt of acknowledgment.

A new bouncer guarded the doorway, different from the afternoon shift. His lip curled as she approached, eyes raking over her ragged clothes with obvious disdain.

“Enough fat on that one to light the entire street.” The shadow dragon bobbed excitedly near her ear. “For days, even!”

Lin Yue pushed through the door without acknowledging either of them. The night air kissed her face with welcome coolness, washing away the inn’s stale warmth.

The night market blazed with colored lanterns, casting warm pools of light across Inn Street. Merchants hawked steamed buns and grilled meats while entertainers juggled fire. Lin Yue slipped between the bustling crowds, her tattered clothes blending with the shadows between stalls.

The deeper she ventured toward the slums, the more the festive atmosphere twisted. Sweet incense gave way to opium smoke. Painted women leaned from doorways, calling prices that wouldn’t buy a bowl of rice in the merchant district.

A drunk stumbled past. She couldn’t resist. His coin purse became suspiciously lighter than when he’d entered the district. Enough to bring Xue some more cheap bread buns.

“Such delicious desperation.” The dragon darted between passersby. “The souls here taste of ash and regret.”

Lin Yue ignored him, focusing on the familiar territory ahead. Tiger Gang controlled two major streets bordering Rat Square—prime real estate in the slums.

Sheng Bo answered to two tiger bosses above him, but that wouldn’t matter soon. The bounty she’d placed would draw killers like flies to rotting meat.

The first signs of violence appeared three streets from their old flat. A body sprawled in the gutter, blood still seeping into the cracked stone. The small dragon snake swooped down eagerly, then recoiled.

“Too cold! The soul’s long gone.” He spun in agitation. “What a waste!”

Shouts echoed from nearby alleyways, punctuated by the clash of steel.

“Keep your eyes open if you want dinner.” Lin Yue drew her knife, keeping it hidden against her sleeve. “I’m not doing the work for you.”

The dragon darted forward—then stopped abruptly, as if hitting an invisible wall. He strained against nothing, managing only to hover a few arm-lengths ahead.

Lin Yue’s eyes narrowed at the display. So the parasite has a leash.

The dragon’s head snapped toward her. “We need to get closer! The fighting’s just ahead!”

“Noticed that, did you?” Lin Yue studied the short distance between them. Almost have to get within stabbing range of the violence to feed this thing. What bullshit.

She pressed against the cold stone wall, edging closer to the sounds of combat. The rough surface scraped against her shoulder as she slid through shadows between flickering lantern light.

The next alley erupted in clashing steel and desperate shouts. Four bounty hunters—professionals by their stance and weapons—had cornered three Tiger Gang members between them. The gang thugs looked half-starved, their hollow cheeks and sunken eyes marking them as bottom-feeders.

“Closer! We must get closer!” The dragon’s head strained forward, stretching like taffy before snapping back.

Lin Yue stayed put, watching the dragon struggle against his invisible tether. The hunters made quick work of the gang members. Steel flashed. Blood sprayed across grimy walls. Bodies slumped to the ground with wet thuds.

The hunters moved on, boots splashing through spreading crimson pools as they hunted for more prey. Their voices faded into the night.

Lin Yue stepped into the alley. “Fresh enough for you?”

“Yes! Yes! Perfect!” The shadow dragon bobbed frantically.

The stench of opened bowels and copper-tang blood filled the narrow space. One body sprawled face-down, intestines spilled across the cobblestones like pink-gray snakes.

“Lovely.” Lin Yue wrinkled her nose. “Nothing says ‘dinner time’ like the smell of shit and death.”

The shadow dragon surged forward. Pale wisps rose from the cooling corpses—ghostly lights that drifted upward like smoke. The dragon’s jaws snapped shut around them, swallowing each luminescent orb.

Heat flooded through Lin Yue’s body. Pleasant tingles raced along her nerves, sending waves of warmth through her core. “Fuck!” She braced against the wall, fighting to stay focused through the rush.

The dragon swooped back, practically vibrating with excitement. “More! We need more! Can you taste it? Feel it? The power flowing through us?” He darted back and forth. “Quick! There must be others nearby! More souls, more energy! Kill, kill, kill!”

Lin Yue’s hand shot out, snatching the dragon’s serpentine neck. The shadow creature yelped as she slammed her clenched fist against the alley wall. His ethereal form felt solid under her grip—cold and metallic like a steel pipe.

“Listen carefully, you parasitic fuck.” Lin Yue tightened her fingers around his throat. “I don’t have an addictive personality, and I especially hate addicts. Push that rush bullshit again, and we will find out just how much pain you can feel.”

“Please!” The dragon thrashed against her grip. “You don’t understand—”

“Was that enough energy or not?” Lin Yue squeezed harder.

“It’s never enough! We need more—”

Lin Yue crushed his windpipe against the wall. The dragon’s red eyes bulged as he choked and sputtered.

“Stop! Stop! Please stop!”

Lin Yue released her grip. The dragon’s head sagged, gasping for unnecessary breath.

“One soul per day, on average!” The dragon backed away as far as his invisible tether allowed. “Those three will sustain us for maybe four days! Just don’t strangle me again!”

“So I need to find a fresh corpse every fucking day or we die?” Lin Yue hissed. “You’re nothing but a burden.”

“No! I’ll make you powerful!” The dragon’s head bobbed frantically. “Think of it—immortality could be yours!”

Lin Yue glared at him.

“Do I have to kill them myself, or just be there when they die?”

“Proximity is enough.” The dragon cooed. “Though if another challenges us for the claim, it goes to whoever holds more death-karma or possesses greater spiritual strength.”

Lin Yue snorted. “Right. Because I’m totally going to get into turf wars over corpses for you.”

Could make this easier, though. The execution square hosted daily shows of imperial justice. A legitimate job nearby would give steady access without the mess of organizing gang wars. Plus, watching entitled nobles lose their heads might actually be entertaining.

Steel clashed in the distance, drawing her attention. More bounty hunters finding their marks. Lin Yue stepped toward the alley’s exit, but five shadows blocked her path.

Sheng Bo’s scarred face caught the dim light. Four of his best enforcers flanked him, weapons already drawn.

“Is that that bitch Yue?” Sheng Bo’s gravelly voice echoed off the narrow walls.

Well shit.

Lin Yue spun toward the opposite end of the alley. Two steps in, more shadows emerged from the darkness—burly thugs with curved daggers blocked her escape route.

Fuck. Seven against one. Great odds.

She turned back to face Sheng Bo, keeping her movements casual despite the steel pressing against her forearm beneath the bandages.

“Why didn’t you come back?” Sheng Bo’s scarred face twisted into an ugly sneer. “Got something to do with this bounty bullshit?”

Lin Yue barked out a laugh. The sound echoed off the blood-stained walls. “Right, because I just have piles of gold lying around.”

“Maybe from that official bounty you collected?” Sheng Bo stepped closer, moonlight catching the edge of his blade.

Her fake mirth died, and she readied her knife. “Hey shadow asshole, if you’re going to be useful, now would be a great time.”

The shadow dragon spun in excited loops overhead. “Oh, now you believe in my power? Luckily, we just ate.”

Red mist erupted from the thugs’ skulls as their heads exploded in fountains of crimson. Spraying blood painted the alley walls.

Seven souls ripped free from the corpses, glowing red orbs that writhed in the air before the dragon’s jaws snapped them up.