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Wednesday watched Vic's face—which had cleared up instantly, written with a brilliant smile of "scheme succeeded"—and Enid's cunning look.
An indescribable fire mixed with intense powerlessness rushed straight to her head.
She took a deep breath, telling herself to stay calm. Addamses never lost their composure... at least not visibly.
"Fine!"
Wednesday's voice sounded like it had been dredged from an ice cellar, bone-chillingly cold. Yet, if one listened closely, there was a trace of resigned exhaustion.
"Name it. What compensation do you want?"
She decided: no matter how outrageous Vic's request was, she would agree first. And then... settle the score slowly later.
Addamses were, indeed, experts at settling scores after the fact.
Vic's eyes lit up swish like searchlights.
He bounced up from Enid's arms, sitting cross-legged on the bed, rubbing his hands excitedly like an explorer about to open a treasure chest.
"Hehe, I knew Wednesday was the best!"
First, flattery.
Vic rubbed his hands, piling a fawning smile on his face, planning to strike while the iron was hot and propose the "compensation" he had plotted for a long time.
"I want..."
Before he could finish, the smile on his face froze abruptly.
Like being pricked by an invisible needle, his pupils constricted violently. He leaped off the bed as if electrocuted!
"FCK!"
An earth-shattering curse exploded without warning in the quiet dorm room.
"..."
Time seemed to freeze.
The icy mask on Wednesday's face cracked instantly. Her body jolted almost imperceptibly.
Her abyssal eyes snapped to Vic, sharp as ice-quenched daggers, stabbing straight at him!
However, completely incongruous with this murderous gaze—
A blush, extremely faint but undeniably real, climbed quietly up her pale ears and cheeks at a speed visible to the naked eye.
He... how dare he... right in front of her... make such... such an explicitly vulgar request?!
Did he eat a bear's heart and leopard's gall for courage, or did taming a zombie tame his brain away too?!
Beside her, Enid's mouth formed a perfect 'O'. Her blue eyes bulged round, written with the shock of "Warrior, fare thee well."
Why is Vic suddenly so bold?
Isn't he afraid Wednesday will actually castrate him?
She had personally heard Wednesday mention, in a tone as flat as discussing the weather, that the Addams family ancestral skills included "precision neutralization procedures"!
It's over, it's over. If Vic gets away with this today, with his push-your-luck personality, maybe tomorrow he'll dare to propose an even more outrageous "threesome" plan!
Ah, what kind of dirty thoughts am I having!
Enid snapped back to reality, ashamed of her uncontrollable imagination. She quickly pressed her cool hands against her burning cheeks.
Sister, hold the line! Absolutely cannot go crazy along with Vic!
Vic took in the colorful expressions on his girlfriends' faces—clearly wandering off to the Pacific Ocean of dirty thoughts—and instantly understood what happened.
The shock and rage from the urgent message on his face were immediately replaced by a look mixing massive grievance and disbelief.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Vic almost jumped, pointing at his own nose, his voice going up an octave.
"In your hearts, is your handsome, upright, kind boyfriend's brain filled only with yellow sludge?! Am I that kind of person?!"
He spun in a circle from frustration before remembering the key point. He explained rapidly:
"That was an urgent message from the Shadow Khan in Donovan's shadow! Donovan was attacked! Status unknown! That's why I exclaimed! It was an exclamation! Not a request!"
The air fell into silence again, but this time, it was filled with the smell of awkwardness.
"I... what did I think? I didn't think anything!"
Enid reacted first. Her eyes darted around, looking left and right but refusing to look at Vic. Her cheeks burned even hotter, clearly guilty to the extreme.
Mmhmm, Wednesday definitely thought something dirty! Look at her face!
Wednesday had rapidly reined in all visible emotions, turning back into that exquisite iceberg.
Only the blush on her ears that hadn't fully faded and her slightly pressed lips leaked her momentary loss of composure.
She glanced coldly at Enid. She didn't speak, but her eyes clearly said "I'll settle this with you later."
"I'm going to check it out. You guys sleep first, don't wait for me."
Vic spoke fast. The shadow under his feet gathered and swirled rapidly like boiling ink, forming a bottomless vortex—
A shortcut to the Shadow Kingdom, one of the convenient abilities he gained after controlling the Shadow Khan.
The situation was urgent. Donovan was attacked; he had to get to the scene immediately.
However, just before one foot stepped into the deep darkness, as if suddenly remembering something of utmost importance, he whipped his head around. His gaze locked precisely onto Wednesday's refrozen face.
"By the way~"
The corner of his mouth hooked into an arc mixing reminder and cunning. His voice was exceptionally clear amidst the hissing of shadows.
"Don't forget the 'compensation' from earlier."
Vic put heavy emphasis on the word "compensation," his peach-blossom eyes shining with the light of "Don't even think about reneging."
"..."
Wednesday met his gaze expressionlessly, her dark eyes bottomless, but she sneered internally.
Forget? Impossible to forget.
However, once this is over, I can simply deny everything to the death.
As time passes and details blur, who can prove the specific context of the moment?
Victor Black, what can you do to me?
Addamses excel at navigating the gray areas of rules with ease.
She had already formulated several excuses for "elegant amnesia."
Just as Wednesday was plotting how to gracefully renege on the debt—
"Stop crying. Whatever you want, I agree. Happy now?"
A clear voice, carrying a trace of helplessness and indulgence—unmistakably her own—suddenly drifted from a small silver voice recorder Vic had pulled out from who-knows-where!
Every word was distinguishable. One could even hear the tremor in her breath under the feigned calm!
!!!
The frost on Wednesday's face cracked instantly. Her body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
This... bastard!
He actually recorded it?!
Did he want that "reward" so badly that he resorted to such... such underhanded tactics of preserving evidence?!
A mix of shame and disbelief rushed to her heart, making her pale cheeks burn slightly.
Vic seemed very satisfied with Wednesday's rare, almost-defeated expression.
He shook the recorder in his hand, his wicked smile deepening. With a rogue-like threat, his gaze drifted pointedly toward Enid, who was trying hard to reduce her presence nearby:
"Of course, if someone wants to renege... I don't mind changing creditors."
He dragged out his tone, whispering like a devil.
"Anyway, Enid is pretty good too. Soft and warm..."
"Eek!"
Enid, who was shrinking back quietly, stiffened violently. Her eyes went round instantly. Like a frightened rabbit, she almost jumped up.
Why am I getting dragged into this?!
Vic! Aren't we on the same team?!
She screamed internally, her face written with the accusation of "Innocent bystander shot lying down."
As if seeing through her thoughts, right before his figure sank completely into the Shadow Kingdom, Vic lightly dropped one final bombshell.
His gaze swept over the flashy notebook on Enid's bedside table that she hadn't had time to close:
"Oh, right, Enid... I think I accidentally saw your 'Study Notes'~ Handwriting is neat, insights are pretty good too."
Before his voice faded, his figure was completely swallowed by the churning shadows, vanishing from the spot.
Leaving behind only a faint trace of shadow aura in the air, and two instantly petrified girls in the dorm.
"..."
!!!
Enid froze completely. Blood rushed to her head with a buzz.
It's over! It's over, it's over, it's over!
She remembered suddenly. After Wednesday gave her the "One-on-One Tutoring" before the bonfire party, she had been so excited and enlightened.
She couldn't help but write down key points like "How to effectively guide Vic," "Techniques for setting boundaries," and "Application of reward mechanisms," combining them with her own understanding, neatly into that precious notebook!
Later, interrupted by Vic's sudden return, she focused only on covering it up and completely forgot to put the notebook away!
Vic... he saw it?! He definitely saw it! That notebook was lying open right on the bedside table!
Enid wanted to cry but had no tears. She wished she could turn back time and stuff that notebook into the deepest crack under the bed! She knocked her own head in annoyance.
So stupid! Now everything is exposed!
Will Vic think I'm a manipulative bad girl? Will Wednesday think I'm too dumb to keep even a small secret?
Immense panic and shame drowned her.
No! Must salvage this! Must get Wednesday on my side!
Enid whipped her head around. With big blue eyes instantly filling with mist, looking exceptionally innocent and pitiful, she gazed at Wednesday, whose air pressure was low enough to form ice crystals.
Carefully extending a hand, she tugged gently on Wednesday's cold finger. Her voice carried a trembling sob and ample pleading:
"Wednesday... y-you will agree to his 'compensation,' right?"
She stared tight at Wednesday's bottomless dark eyes, trying to find a trace of softness. Her voice got smaller and smaller, carrying an uncertain probe:
"You... will, right?"
"As long as Wednesday agrees and Vic is satisfied, he won't have a reason to settle the score with me!"
"The notebook thing can be glossed over too! Please, Wednesday! Save me!"
In this moment, Enid had only one thought: Better you die than me, fellow immortal!