She is feeling guilty.

Now it is a very far-fetched idea to say that a cold and emotionless assassin like her could be feeling guilty but after hearing her words, I feel that it is very possible.

But I have no idea what is making her feel guilty.

Although she said that it was Jiayi's request to take care of the sect and me, I don't think that is the case.

Maybe she was close to Jiayi and after killing her she felt regret. So she started taking care of the sect in her place.

Or maybe she was feeling guilty for killing a mother with such a small child and decided to take care of me.

The thing is, you don't ask "Don't you hate me?" or "Don't you want revenge?" in this kind of situation. It's like she has this idea that I hate her for killing my birth mother and is just seeking validation.

'This guilt could also be the reason why she never got close to Lei. She thought that Lei might find out about his mother someday and would ask her about it.

But she could have easily gotten rid of anything related to Jiayi or lied and prevented Lei from finding out about her.

but she did not do that, why?

did she want him to find out and take revenge for her mother?'

The more I considered this idea, the stronger my convictions became that she is indeed feeling guilty.

But there was this small feeling of doubt that was making me hesitate from acting on this idea.

Maybe I am reading too much into her words and she was just asking a random question with no deep meaning to it.

So I needed to confirm my idea and be hundred percent sure. And the only way to do that was by somehow making her open up to me.

If she was really feeling guilty, I can somehow clear that guilt and assure her that I did don't care about her killing Jiayi.

After that, I can easily form a bond and get close to her. This way she would have my back no matter what I decide to do.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

'But how do I make her open up?'

It is no use talking to her as that will not work. So I need something more, something that will stimulate her enough to show emotions and her inner feelings.

'What made her react the most in the novel?', I think and only one event comes to my mind.

It was Lei's death.

'hmm, so I need to die for her to show emotion. But of course, I can't just kill myself. That's what I am trying to avoid in the first place.'

I was thinking about how to avoid death and remember the Apple.

'System, can I use that apple when I am dead or do I need to manually trigger it?'

[Don't worry host, since the apple is in your inventory, the system can also trigger it. When you die, I will take the apple out of the inventory and it will appear in your hand.]

[Then the apple will be taken by the death god of this world instead of your soul]

I was saving this apple for some unexpected life-and-death situation but now I changed my mind.

two minutes passed while I was thinking about all this and planning my next move.

When I was done, I raise my head and with a serious face say,

"Yes, I hate you".

She shut her eyes and, for the first time, a small smile appeared on her normally expressionless face.

Seeing that smile, I thought that she might be thinking something like "I knew that he hated me" and that made me feel like I was on the right track.

When she opened her eyes again, her smile was nowhere to be seen. She raised her hand and on it, a curved dark-green dagger appeared.

"Come here, Lei", she said.

I climb the short stairs, that led to her throne and stand in front of her.

She shows me the dagger and says,

"Here, take it".

I take the dagger from her hand and start to examine it carefully.

The dagger looked very beautiful with its hilt and sheath resembling snake skin. I removed the knife from its sheath and noticed that it was coated with a black, slippery liquid.

While I was wondering what this liquid was, she started explaining,

"This is a dagger that is coated with a black serpent's poison. Their poison can kill even the mightiest cultivators if not treated properly.

The special thing about this poison is that it makes you feel unimaginable pain while it is slowly killing you. We don't use this type of dagger for assassination as the position won't kill a person instantly, it is more like a torture tool. "

After she was done explaining, I ask her,

"Why did you give this to me?"

"Don't you want revenge?"

'She wants me to kill her with this, huh', I think inwardly.

Suddenly, she unfastens her Hanfu, rips her undergarments, and displays her exposed cleavage.

If not for the Perfect Actor, I would not have been able to keep a straight face seeing that action.

"Slowly move the dagger from here to here", she said while making a horizontal line, from her right breast to the left one, with her finger.

"This will make the poison spread to my lungs and heart more quickly. Once the poison reaches those places, it will make it so that even breathing becomes painful."

"Why make this so painful?", I ask her.

"Don't you want to make me feel pain?"

'What is going inside this woman's head?', I think in confusion.

'Why does she decide everything on her own without any input from the other party?'

I raise the dagger and look at her with a frown.

"You're so stupid, mother", I say and begin my performance.

*Stab*