Chapter 78: Sisters
The familiar ceiling.
After a dreamless sleep, Luo Ling slowly opened her eyes.
A brief moment of disorientation, then her gaze cleared, and she sat up.
“Don’t move. My, my, I didn’t expect your injuries to be so severe.”
Cen Xiangyun’s voice echoed beside her. The slightly unfamiliar voice made Luo Ling tense for a moment, then relax.
Hearing this voice at home felt… out of place.
Home was her safe haven; she didn’t want it tainted by Grotesqueries.
But now… it seemed unavoidable.
Luo Ling had always tried to keep her sister away from these dangerous matters, but this time, trouble had found them.
“Is my sister alright?” Luo Ling asked, turning her head.
The battle felt like it had just happened; she didn’t know how much time had passed.
“Miss Cen, come down for some food… and if Xiao Ling is awake, bring her down too,” her sister’s familiar voice called from downstairs.
It seemed she didn’t need to answer.
“I’m awake, I’ll be down in a minute,” Luo Ling called back.
“Okay.”
Her sister’s voice seemed to relax.
“Don’t worry, you just slept through the night,” Cen Xiangyun said with a smile. “After I brought you back and released the Ice Seal, your sister woke up quickly.
“I told her you both suddenly fell ill, and you met me before collapsing and asked me to bring you home, that’s all.”
As an Awakened One, Cen Xiangyun knew it was best not to reveal too much to ordinary people, even though this “sister” seemed… different, she was still an ordinary person.
“…Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Cen Xiangyun smiled. “Miss Luo Ling, have you changed your mind?”
“Changed my… mind?”
Luo Ling was confused.
“About joining the Company,” Cen Xiangyun said, placing a file in front of Luo Ling. “I thought you might pass the interview, but now it seems you can directly become an intern. This is the contract.”
Looking at the file filled with clauses and the blank space for the signee, Luo Ling had a strange feeling, as if it were a contract to sell her soul.
If Cen Xiangyun knew what Luo Ling was thinking, she would tell her that all jobs were essentially selling your soul, just a matter of how much, and for what price.
“I…”
Luo Ling started to speak, but the words caught in her throat.
“No need to rush. You can keep this offer. Sign it whenever you change your mind and want to join the Company,” Cen Xiangyun said calmly. “Of course, you can also join the Company in another way, as mentioned in the contract.”
Luo Ling skimmed through the contract and saw two different joining methods.
“Personnel dispatch and social recruitment…”
“Commonly known as ‘outsourced’ and ‘regular.’ The former is like being a mercenary, paid per mission, and you’re not restricted from joining other organizations. The latter is becoming a full-fledged member of the Company. I’m hoping you’ll choose the latter, because the year-end bonus…”
Cen Xiangyun suddenly covered her mouth, as if she had said something she shouldn’t have.
Luo Ling was curious but, seeing Cen Xiangyun’s awkward expression, wisely kept quiet.
It was probably some Company secret.
“Anyway, the choice is yours. You can decide anytime, even after we leave Jiangcheng County. You can contact the Company through the information provided above. This contract has been authorized by a P8; it will take effect as soon as you sign it.”
Cen Xiangyun composed herself and continued explaining.
She had told her uncle, Li Shaoheng, about yesterday’s events, and he had been surprised by the battle’s outcome, so he hadn’t hesitated to offer this contract.
The conditions offered were generous enough to tempt any member of the Patient Exchange Group.
It even guaranteed that Luo Ling could choose a Sacred Tool after joining… of course, probably one from Sequence 300 or above, but still valuable nonetheless.
Sacred Tools weren’t easily crafted; they required considerable time and effort, so not every Grotesquery was suitable for crafting one.
A Sacred Tool made from a Low-Sequence Grotesquery wouldn’t be much stronger than an ordinary weapon, and it was better to use the Sacred Relic to create a potion for path enlightenment.
This was the price Li Shaoheng had personally set. It was rare for an intern to receive such treatment, but he felt Luo Ling was worth it.
Incidentally, Cen Xiangyun had received a similar contract, and the ice staff in her hand was the Sacred Tool she had chosen, crafted from the Snow Ghost, Sequence 326, which enhanced her control over her abilities.
Ice abilities were prone to harming innocents, and the ice staff allowed Cen Xiangyun to target more precisely, though it didn’t significantly increase her power… that was the limit of a Sacred Tool at this level.
“Mm, I understand,” Luo Ling nodded, her expression unchanged.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a bit… concise?” Cen Xiangyun raised an eyebrow, finding Luo Ling rather cute.
She had been so cool during the battle, but now, she had this unexpected, endearing side.
She wanted to pinch her cheeks.
“…I don’t talk much,” Luo Ling said softly, avoiding Cen Xiangyun’s intense gaze.
Before Cen Xiangyun could continue, Luo Ling stood up with some difficulty.
“Let’s go, my sister will be worried if we’re too late.”
But she stumbled, almost falling, and landed in Cen Xiangyun’s arms.
Their eyes met, and a look of concern appeared in Cen Xiangyun’s eyes.
“Your life force is severely depleted. I gave you some medicine, but it’s hard to replenish it… Be careful, and avoid strenuous activities for a while.”
“…Mm.”
Luo Ling nodded slightly.
Miss Cen… seemed like a decent person.
But Luo Ling had expected the life force depletion.
She had walked through the Withering Flower’s rain of petals to reach Artist. The only reason she had survived was because of the Puppet Ballad’s power, comparable to a High-Order Awakened One, and because she hadn’t absorbed the life force she had taken with the Puppet Ballad.
But if she had… her life force would have been tainted by the Puppet Ballad, truly turning her into an “egg,” just like the white reishi and Li Tianming.
As Cen Xiangyun helped Luo Ling downstairs, Su Wan had already set the table with three sets of bowls and chopsticks and was serving soup.
Seeing them, Su Wan looked at Luo Ling with concern, but out of politeness, she addressed Cen Xiangyun first.
“Come, come, Miss Cen, please sit here… I apologize if my cooking isn’t to your liking.”
“It’s fine, home-cooked meals are always the best,” Cen Xiangyun smiled.
The dishes on the table were clearly more extravagant than usual, some of the ingredients so expensive that even Luo Ling wouldn’t buy them for her birthday.
Clearly, Cen Xiangyun had brought them.
“Xiao Ling, are you alright?” Su Wan asked with concern, taking Luo Ling’s thin hand. “Your hands are even colder than usual.”
“I just need some rest, I caught a cold yesterday,” Luo Ling said, patting Su Wan’s hand.
“It’s all my fault…”
Su Wan sighed.
When she woke up at home yesterday, she had only seen her sister, freshly bathed, and Miss Cen, covered in sweat. Then, Miss Cen had explained everything.
Cen Xiangyun had fabricated a plausible story, saying that Su Wan had suddenly fainted, and Luo Ling had caught a cold and fever while carrying her back, luckily encountering her, a kind stranger, who had brought them both home.
Su Wan had initially been skeptical, but after Cen Xiangyun revealed her identity, she had believed her.
“I can’t believe we met a celebrity,” Su Wan said with a sigh. “Miss Cen, you’re such a kind person, and you even went through all this trouble, and now you’re treating us to such a feast…”
The food on the table was quite expensive. Su Wan estimated it cost at least a thousand yuan, the large crab alone costing several hundred.
When Cen Xiangyun brought the food, Su Wan had tried to refuse, but Cen Xiangyun had said she couldn’t cook but wanted a nice meal, asking Su Wan to prepare it for her, and Su Wan had reluctantly agreed.
But… a celebrity?
Luo Ling looked at Cen Xiangyun with confusion, but Miss Cen just smiled.
“Xiao Ling, didn’t you know?” Su Wan asked in surprise. “Didn’t Miss Cen say she was a talent scout and wanted you to try being a celebrity?”
“…I know,” Luo Ling twitched her lips slightly.
Wasn’t that just an excuse to conceal the world of Awakened Ones?
How had it become real?
Never mind, it had nothing to do with her.
Luo Ling didn’t think she had any potential to be a celebrity. Her looks were average, she wasn’t tall, her figure was… lacking, and she wasn’t very talkative. Only her doting sister would believe she had been “discovered by a talent scout”; anyone else would think it was a joke.
“I’m not a huge celebrity, just relatively well-known in China. I doubt many people would recognize me abroad,” Cen Xiangyun said modestly, with a hint of pride.
“Oh.”
Luo Ling nodded and started eating.
“…Oh? Just ‘oh’?” Cen Xiangyun’s smile faltered slightly.
She had hoped for a more enthusiastic reaction from Luo Ling.
But Luo Ling showed no interest, not even asking about her work, completely different from her sister.
Yesterday, to convince Su Wan, Cen Xiangyun had revealed her identity, and Su Wan’s shocked expression had been quite satisfying, boosting Cen Xiangyun’s ego slightly.
Ordinary people were easy to impress, but Su Wan was Luo Ling’s sister!
But now it seemed that trying to use her celebrity status to secure her year-end bonus… oh wait, to recruit Luo Ling into the Company, might not be realistic.
She would take it one step at a time. If possible, she really wanted to go on a mission with Luo Ling.
Replaying yesterday’s battle in her mind, Cen Xiangyun realized that even her former C-level team would have struggled to escape unscathed.
It had been a miracle.
Luo Ling, oblivious to Cen Xiangyun’s thoughts, ate her meal in silence. After finishing, she nodded at her sister and Cen Xiangyun and slowly went upstairs.
“Be careful,” her sister called out worriedly.
“I know,” Luo Ling’s voice echoed from afar.
“Sigh, this illness, I don’t know how much time she’ll have to miss from school,” Su Wan sighed, watching Luo Ling leave. “I just spoke to her homeroom teacher to ask for leave, and he complained that she’s been taking too many days off…”
“Oh? Is she still a student? A high school student?” Cen Xiangyun’s eyes lit up.
The quiet Luo Ling seemed unwilling to reveal anything about herself, but her sister was more talkative.
“Yes, the college entrance exam is next June, I don’t know… sigh,” Su Wan looked worried, a worry she never showed in front of Luo Ling.
What a strange and wonderful pair of sisters.
Cen Xiangyun thought to herself.
“Don’t worry too much,” Cen Xiangyun said. “Like I said, she has the potential to be a star. I wasn’t lying.”
“You weren’t?”
Su Wan looked surprised.
“Do I look like I’m lying?” Cen Xiangyun blinked.
“Honestly, Xiao Ling wouldn’t believe those words,” Su Wan nodded. “I know she’s just an ordinary girl, but she’s special to me.”
Always gloomy and quiet, reading by herself in a corner, barely noticed even by her homeroom teacher.
Luo Ling was usually just an ordinary, unremarkable girl.
“Sister, that’s what you don’t know.”
Cen Xiangyun suddenly smiled, her bright, beautiful smile momentarily stunning Su Wan. Even as a woman, she couldn’t help but admire Cen Xiangyun’s beauty.
As a popular celebrity, Cen Xiangyun’s looks were exceptional. Even without makeup, in the simplest of clothes, she would still turn heads on the street.
But even Cen Xiangyun…
“Sometimes, Miss Luo Ling can truly shine,” Cen Xiangyun said, resting her chin on her hand, recalling the breathtakingly beautiful scene from yesterday, her eyes sparkling. “At that moment, even I felt inferior—no, I could never compare to her at that moment.”
“Really?” Su Wan was taken aback, then chuckled. “You have to tell me all about it.”
…
Ignoring the conversation between Cen Xiangyun and her sister downstairs, Luo Ling went upstairs alone.
Her long white hair cascaded down, and the small girl’s reflection in the mirror, her pale skin almost translucent, was a startling sight.
The inhuman feeling was growing stronger. Luo Ling looked at her reflection, at her pale gray eyes, and sighed.
She could imagine how shocking her current appearance would be to others.
It wasn’t a matter of beauty, but… it was terrifying.
If she went out at night like this, she would probably become an urban legend, a vengeful spirit or something.
She was just… a bit too small.
“My ability has grown stronger.”
Luo Ling lifted a strand of hair and could clearly see a faint, indescribable life force within it, instinctively trying to consume the surrounding life force.
Even though Luo Ling was suppressing it, a sense of greed still lingered, a primal urge trying to control her.
The Silent Demise path.
Bringing Silent Demise to the world was the only way to progress along this path.
Luo Ling cut herself, and blood slowly flowed out.
Her hair eagerly reached out, greedily consuming the blood, the white strands tinged with crimson.
A sense of satisfaction and craving filled her mind, but Luo Ling’s expression remained indifferent.
She simply watched the blood, confirming that there were no white mycelia threads within her flesh.
“Good, I haven’t been affected by the Puppet Ballad.”
Luo Ling healed the wound, her eyes flickering.
Her greatest fear hadn’t come true; this was good news.
Also…
This wasn’t the time to stay out of things. Artist had found her; she couldn’t avoid him.
The more she tried to escape, the more trouble seemed to find her…
As those cryptic Other Shore types would say, perhaps from the moment she fell ill, her thread of fate had become entangled with these beings.
“But no matter what, I can’t let Sister get hurt.”
Luo Ling had made up her mind.
The conditions were right. Before, she hadn’t been able to let her sister leave Jiangcheng County, but now, things were different.
…The Company.
Luo Ling had asked Ji Shinian about them. They were a large, global Awakened organization, almost half of all Awakened Ones being Company members.
Even Ji Shinian was no exception. He was actually an outsourced employee of the Company, a mercenary.
However, Ji Shinian’s Other Shore ability made his combat strength quite poor, even weaker than an average Mid-Order Awakened One.
If the Company intervened, they should be able to protect her sister.
As for the Puppet Ballad…
Luo Ling had considered revealing its existence, but the biggest problem was that she also possessed the Puppet Ballad’s power.
Combined with the Grotesquery’s characteristics, she could easily be mistaken for an “egg.”
“In any case, I’ll send Sister away from Jiangcheng County first,” Luo Ling decided. “Whether it’s the Puppet Ballad or the Harbingers of Calamity…”
And Ji Ying.
Even the Company didn’t know about the Puppet Ballad’s existence, so how did she know?
And what was her deal?
Luo Ling had a feeling they would meet again soon.
Perhaps, next time, they would be closer to the truth.
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