Emily Brooks said coldly, “Do you think an identity is that easy to get? To establish all your records from childhood in the household registration and police systems, you’d need to pull strings that reach all the way to the capital. It’s not something that can be done in a short time. Giving you the watch is just a temporary measure. I can lend you one of my accounts to use—for calls or money transfers—at least you’ll be able to move around outside without arousing suspicion.”

Gavin Carter was taken aback. He really hadn’t realized that was the point of the watch… and he’d never imagined that getting an identity would be so troublesome. He’d come back to Earth in several different dynasties before, and faking an identity had always been so easy…

The world really does change too fast.

“Aren’t you going to give me the antidote?” Emily Brooks panted, her angry expression slowly fading, and said with a half-smile, “Or… are you planning to use yourself as the antidote?”

Gavin Carter sighed and finally said, “Miss Brooks, the drug’s effects have long since worn off. As long as you don’t keep suggesting things to yourself, there’s really nothing at all.”

Emily Brooks stood there in a daze.

Carefully sensing, she realized that the heat she’d felt before had indeed vanished without a trace, as if it had all just been an illusion.

What’s going on, was it fake again? She’d made a fool of herself in front of him several times, and now she’d lost all her dignity!

But can you blame me for overthinking? There are all kinds of drug effects, so why did you deliberately make it look like an aphrodisiac?

Gavin Carter, as if he knew what she was thinking, continued, “Aphrodisiac effects are the most obvious and don’t affect mobility… Besides, you’re always thinking about this kind of thing, so wasn’t I just cooperating with you a bit? It makes it easier for you to believe, doesn’t it…”

Emily Brooks: “……”

Gavin Carter said, “You may look decent, but not every man is interested in that. There’s really no need to always think in that direction.”

Emily Brooks widened her eyes and pointed at her own nose. “I… look decent?”

Gavin Carter nodded.

Emily Brooks gritted her teeth. “Why don’t you take a good look?”

Gavin Carter gave her a serious once-over.

Actually, saying “decent” wasn’t really objective… Emily Brooks was truly stunning, a beauty that could topple kingdoms. But he was someone who’d grown used to seeing goddesses with celestial auras, so compared to them, a little fox spirit with such low cultivation naturally fell short. In fact, for Gavin Carter to rate her as “decent” was already high praise—by mortal standards, she was definitely a goddess…

He really didn’t want to get tangled up in this topic, so he said, “Even if a goddess descended to the mortal world, she’d still just be a skeleton in the end. I, Carter, am devoted to the Dao. Whether you’re a great beauty or just average, it doesn’t matter. Can we talk about something normal?”

Emily Brooks couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. A little demon who could barely sense energy fluctuations and didn’t even have an identity, talking so seriously about seeking the Dao.

Then again, this time she could actually understand.

If he really was a native of this world, everyone evolved by bathing in “Heavenly Dao spiritual energy,” and the desire to cultivate was ingrained in their bones. In the past, people would do anything for cultivation.

Granted, it was rare for a little demon to have such dedication, but it wasn’t unheard of.

Emily Brooks turned these thoughts over in her mind and replied perfunctorily, “So what normal things can we talk about?”

“You haven’t offended me—in fact, you helped me first. The drug threat just now was only to scare you, not my true intention. As I said before, if you help me get an identity, I can do something for you in return. That’s the real exchange.”

Emily Brooks waved her hand listlessly. “Forget it. You’re so serious, it’s boring. I only helped you because it’s not easy for you alone. Someone like you, just starting out and without even an identity, should focus on taking care of yourself. What could you possibly do for me?”

Gavin Carter didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Emily Brooks really did see him as a little demon, acting out of empathy and genuinely wanting to help.

That was her kindness.

Now that everything was almost settled, should he really say, “Don’t be silly, I’m actually really powerful”?

There was a knock at the door, and someone outside said, “Miss, the watch has arrived.”

Emily Brooks opened the door a crack and took the watch. “Thank you.”

“It’s my duty.”

A brief exchange, and the door closed. Gavin Carter watched as the eyes that had been staring at him from the crack were now shut out.

He asked calmly, “Isn’t it a bit rude to just open the door a crack like that?”

Emily Brooks busied herself with unboxing the watch, as if adjusting something, and answered casually, “What else can I do? Men and women shouldn’t mix. That’s how it always is. I can’t just let them in.”

Gavin Carter thought to himself, If men and women shouldn’t mix, why did you let me in?

It was probably not just about gender—after all, there were no maids in her room either. The real reason was that she had a lot of secrets she couldn’t let others know, so she created this cold and isolated atmosphere, making the whole room a forbidden zone. And he, this “little demon,” was, to some extent, considered “one of her own,” so she could reveal a few secrets.

That was probably one reason she favored him… For a fox demon blending into the human world, it was rare to have a kindred spirit, so she wasn’t so lonely.

He understood, but this way of doing things might have some risks… For example, it could make her subordinates less loyal.

Oh well, she helped him get a watch and an identity without asking for anything in return… so he should at least do something for her, like help her deal with this hidden danger?