Dance of the blades

Chapter 14 A Dinner Disaster!

Walking along the busy streets, the sound of the vendors shouting out their products could be heard in every corner of the city. The crowd of people pushed and shoved to reach their favourite shops. The scenery of the pitch black night being lighten up by lanterns in each corner was quite the sight! 

Holding onto the hands of Lan Wangji, Lan Sizhui couldn't help but be dazzled by the liveliness of the city. It was his first time visiting such a big city and were it not for the mission he was given, he would of not gone. The main reason was because of his father's inability to stay in crowded the places for too long, preferring the quiet village they lived in.

Even now while Lan Sizhui was enthusiastically look around, Lan Wangji would be trying to remain in a corner, glaring at passersby when they become too close for comfort. The loud noises from the vendors would make him wince and tug on his son's robes from time to time.

"It's alright A-die, we'll only be here for a short while" Lan Sizhui said, trying to reassure his father that they'll only be there for a short period of time.

"Mn!" Lan Wangji replied in frustration, pulling on the edge of his son's robes to guide him to somewhere quieter. Deciding not to argue with his father, Lan Sizhui sighed and reluctantly let Lan Wangji to drag him into a restaurant farther away from the lively market. Crossing the threshold, the aroma from the restaurant's kitchen made the boy's stomach to growl. 

Realizing that he had forgotten to eat before his rushed departure to the city, the young boy sat down at an empty table and ordered the quickest meal that could be made. Sitting across Lan Sizhui, Lan Wangji stared intensely at his son, silently chastising him for the lack of care he showed for his own health. Looking across his table, the boy looked away from his father's gaze, mumbling quiet apologies until the food had arrived.

As the boy bit into the carrots presented in his dish, a shiver went down his spine causing Lan Sizhui's grip on his chopsticks to loosen. The impact of the wooden utensils against the table made a small clack, catching the attention of Lan Wangji.

Staring at the boy, Lan Wangji could notice the sweat forming around the boy's pale face. The boy's eyes had a hazy look to them as his gaze moves across the room, finally stopping at the table behind them.

In front of the table, a young waiter was conversing with one of the patrons,  a man in his mid fourties, the young waiter's back obscuring the boy's viww.

Lan Sizhui felt like he could burn a hole through the man with how hard he was staring. The familiar feeling of nausea intensified as the boy gazed at the man's eyes. It was as if he was looking at a predator crudely disguised as prey to blend in.

Standing up from his seat, Lan Sizhui approach the man with his hand his sword's handle, ready to engage in combat of necessary. But once the boy was a centimeter away from the man, he paused in paused in his tracks, recognizing the sun shaped mark on the man's neck.

Lan Sizhui could hear his own heartbeat getting increasingly louder, the hand reaching for his sword was shaking in anger. The waiter had paused in his conversation to look at the approaching boy. His eyes widen at the sword the boy was reaching towards, but just as he was about to detain the boy if a fight broke out, a low woman's voice came from the other end of the table.

"Is there something you need, gongzi?" startled, Lan Sizhui turned to the direction of the voice sitting across Wen Ruohan. 

It was a woman in her mid thirties, beside her a three year old little girl was cradled in her arms. Lan Sizhui couldn't help but stare at the two, noting that there were no particularities of inhuman nature. 

'They're human?' Lan Sizhui couldn't fandom how Wen Ruohan could deceive them of his inhuman nature for so long. Did they truly not know that the man sitting across them was a demon? How long has the demon king been playing house right under the demon slayer corp's noises?

Eyeing at the boy in silence, Wen Ruohan stood up from his seat, his gaze turning to his 'wife' and 'daughter' before speaking.

"It seems that boy has mistaken us for someone else. We should get going now " tipping the waiter for his service, Wen Ruohan guided his family towards the entrance of the restaurant.

Just as the man walked passed the waiter, Lan Sizhui finally gathered his bearing and turned to chase the man. But the sound of the waiter dropping to the ground, made the boy paused and look behind him. 

A small group of people were gathered around the unconscious waiter, hoisting the man up to check for signs for injuries. One of the restaurants patrons was supporting the waiter around his shoulders, he stumbled a little when he tried to stand up with the waiter. Not even a few steps in, the patron had dropped his hold on the waiter and abruptly screamed in pain.

Blood was gushing out of the patron's wound, the waiter's sharp teeth biting down into the man's flesh. In the mist of the panic crowd, Lan Sizhui lunged himself at the waiter, pinning the him to the ground, using the sheath of sword to gag the wait-demon's mouth. With his elbow securing down the demon, Lan Sizhui took time examining the possible cause of the waiter's abrupt transformation.

Upon further inspection, the only wound that stood out was the red scratch marks on the back of the waiter's neck. The marks looked freshly made, almost as if it was created seconds ago.

To think Lan Sizhui had failed to noticed Wen Ruohan turning this man into a demon right in front of him! Outrageous! Had he been too lax with himself these past few days?

"Oi what's going on over here!" a man's voice yelled, the sound of the man's footsteps could be heard approaching towards Lan Sizhui.