C21 His Cousin in His Hometown.

Mo Fann's eye twitched at the corner.

"Teammate?"

Loong Cangyun lifted the contract and pointed to the second clause, blinking as he explained.

"The Municipal Hunting Party requires team participation. Contestants must commit to eight hours of daily team training with the club to build rapport among members, aiming for top results in the competition."

...

Damn... I just quit my job... and now I'm back to working again?

Mo Fann sighed and rubbed his forehead.

"Let's continue this tomorrow; I've got things to handle at home."

Loong Cangyun gave his shoulder an understanding pat.

"It's normal to need some time to adjust after signing a contract. Be sure to arrive at headquarters by 10 a.m. tomorrow, ready to report for duty."

Xuanyuan Changhai chuckled.

"Go on home, young man. Tomorrow, we'll throw you a welcome feast that'll be sure to impress!"

Mo Fann mustered a weak wave of his hand and, with Loong Cangyun, exited the office and descended in the elevator.

At the thirteenth floor.

Loong Cangyun warmly offered another visit to his office, eager to share work details Mo Fann should be aware of.

Mo Fann quickly declined with a wave of his hand, not keen on another round of company policy recitation.

He all but fled back to the ground floor, donned in his black robes. After a trip to the restroom, he emerged looking like a dashing yet slightly haggard young man.

Sigh, I came here to be a suave, money-making Demon Hunter. How did I end up back in the rat race?

He caught a taxi home.

Before even opening the door, a cacophony of arguing spilled out from within.

"Listen to me, Second Miss!"

"Ugh! Second Miss! Please, no hitting!"

A shrill, grating voice echoed from inside.

...Who's that?

"Get out! I don't want to see you! Just get out!"

...Ah, that's my wife...

Crap!

Wait a minute! What's happening? Why is my wife fighting with someone inside?

Without hesitation, Mo Fann kicked the door open.

"Don't worry, honey! Your husband's here!"

However, upon entry,

The three of them exchanged bewildered glances.

In the living room,

Bai Jiuyan stood off against a child, barely waist-high, with green hair.

Mo Fann, still in his door-kicking stance, watched as the lock he'd busted dangled precariously before finally giving in and crashing to the floor.

"Um... Can someone explain what's going on here?"

Mo Fann crouched to pick up the lock, his face flushed with embarrassment.

The green-haired child turned to face Mo Fann, and that's when he noticed the child's eyes were green too.

Damn, that's eerie.

"Honey, where did you find this alternative-looking kid?"

Bai Jiuyan glared at the green-haired child, then turned to Mo Fann with a look of hurt.

Finally, she collapsed onto the couch, complaining bitterly.

"This is my cousin from back home. He's been pestering to stay with us, and I really don't want him here!"

Cousin?

Mo Fann gave the child another once-over.

No need to ponder; it was clearly a little sprite.

Just then,

A string of system notifications flashed through his mind.

Ding! Confronted with his demon wife's demonic cousin, what should the host choose?

Option one: One demon in the house is already a handful; why invite another? Immediately kick him out to fend for himself on the streets. Whether the Demon Slayer Division catches him is a matter of luck. Reward: A lizard skin suitable for medicinal use.

Option two: After all, he is the wife's cousin. Since he's come seeking refuge, rent a room for him elsewhere. If need be, send him back to the Demon Realm. Reward: Basic Lizard Venom.

Option three: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. His wife's cousin is his cousin too, so letting him stay isn't a big deal. He could even cover his daily meals and living expenses. Reward: Immunity to all poisons.

Mo Fann had never expected the system to force such a decision on him at this moment.

He rolled his eyes, slightly exasperated.

Given his past experiences, he knew that the third option would yield the best rewards.

But honestly, he was tempted to choose the first or second option.

Who in their right mind would want to take in a child who's a stranger and could potentially be a danger?

Yet, as Mo Fann looked at the diminutive demon, with his unsettling green hair and eyes, he saw the genuine anxiety in the way he clutched at his pant legs.

Moved by compassion, Mo Fann gritted his teeth and chose option three.

Ding! Choice confirmed. Reward: Immunity to Poison.

This time, the reward felt much more satisfying than before, without the overwhelming influx of information that had previously given him a splitting headache. Mo Fann stretched, feeling no adverse effects, and moved to sit beside Bai Jiuyan.

He sighed and looked up to ask, "What's your name?"

The green-haired kid didn't respond, just continued to pick at his hand.

"Cousin, who's this guy?"

Bai Jiuyan was so irritated she looked ready to smack him.

"What do you mean 'who'? Call him brother-in-law! Or get out!"

The green-haired kid flinched, then reluctantly muttered, "Brother-in-law... My name is Xiyi."

Mo Fann held his forehead in disbelief.

Damn... What a blunt name... Might as well wear a sign declaring himself a lizard demon.

"Oh, Bai Xiyi, is it? Fine, you can stay with us for now. By the way, can you dye your hair black?"

Xiyi rubbed his head.

"What, isn't my hair cool enough?"

Mo Fann bit his tongue.

Cool, sure. Cool enough to get snatched up by the Demon Slayer Division at any moment.

Resigned, he stood up and pulled out several hundred yuan from his pocket.

"Jiuyan, stay here. I'm going to take your cousin down to the salon to get his hair dyed and pick up some contact lenses. We'll be right back."

Mo Fann couldn't outright question why Xiyi's powers were so weak or why he couldn't fully transform into a human.

As a decent brother-in-law, it was time to feign ignorance and help him blend in as a human.

He led Bai Xiyi downstairs.

In the salon, Mo Fann directed the stylist, "Bring out your darkest dye. I want his green hair turned black, permanently."

The stylist clapped Mo Fann on the shoulder sympathetically.

"Kids these days love to rebel, dyeing their hair green and all. Don't worry, I'll use the best, scalp-friendly dye. It won't fade, even after hundreds of washes."