Mister Zero, Her Story: Chapter 23 – The Sword Saint and the Legacy
Hua Qiling was fed up with constantly being one-upped.
Miss Luo Yan could still claim she hadn’t fully developed yet, but Hua Qiling was well past puberty… Insisting she could still grow was just wishful thinking.
“Is… this… enough…?”
Qin Wen’s voice was barely a whisper, a stark contrast to her earlier aggressiveness.
Her face was bright red, the imposing aura of a Sword Saint disciple completely gone, replaced by the shyness of a young girl.
Well, Qin Wen was a young girl. She had just come of age, a few years younger than Hua Qiling.
Of course, despite her age, Qin Wen was both older and taller than Hua Qiling, nearly 1.9 meters tall.
The more Hua Qiling compared herself to Qin Wen, the more inadequate she felt, in every aspect.
Her gaze towards Qin Wen was filled with resentment.
Luo Yan looked at Qin Wen, then at Hua Qiling, and said,
“Perhaps you could wait a moment, Miss Qin Wen. It seems Hua Qiling isn’t quite finished yet.”
“Oh, okay…” Qin Wen started to nod, then suddenly realized something. “Wait! I wasn’t apologizing to her!”
She hurriedly covered herself up, the blush on her face lingering.
Qin Wen glared at Hua Qiling, then looked at Luo Yan apologetically.
“Sorry…”
“Don’t worry about it, it happens all the time.”
Luo Yan, her eyes still closed, was seeing through Hua Qiling’s shared “Eagle Eye” vision.
“And… you’re right. There are many innocent lives on my hands. I often hear their helpless cries echoing in my ears, tormented souls unable to find peace because of me.”
“This…”
Qin Wen didn’t know what to say. She instinctively felt that this Miss Luo Yan couldn’t be a heartless killer, but why would she say such things?
“Miss Luo Yan was in ‘Ghost Town.’ She lived there for a long time and blames herself for the destruction it caused,” Hua Qiling sighed. “Miss Qin Wen… if I may, I can tell you about these things, as an exchange with the Sword Saint sect.”
Since the Sword Saint Sect Master had decided to share their secrets, there was no point hiding the truth about “Ghost Town.”
“‘Ghost Town’… I understand.”
Qin Wen pondered for a moment and nodded.
She had come to investigate “Ghost Town”; hunting the Devil’s minion was just a side quest.
If the minion hadn’t fled to Yan City, Qin Wen would have come here anyway to complete her master’s task before dealing with him.
However… after arriving in Yan City, she had prioritized hunting the minion, forgetting about the “Ghost Town” investigation.
But now, it seemed she had inadvertently completed her master’s task first.
“Standing around here isn’t going to solve anything. Let’s go to the research facility. They have a secure conference room we can use, even with a screen for phone calls,” Hua Qiling said. “I remember the Oversight Department people often use it as a movie theater; they have a lot of snacks there.”
Luo Yan and Qin Wen nodded in agreement.
Only these two naive girls would react so calmly. Anyone else hearing this would be, at the very least, confused.
Using a conference room as a movie theater with snacks…
The Oversight Department would argue that no one ever came to this remote facility, let alone used the conference room for meetings.
The conference room was there simply because it was part of the standard blueprint…
…
Soon, Hua Qiling brought Qin Wen to the research facility.
The Oversight Department members seemed unfazed by the sight of their boss bringing another girl. They glanced at them briefly, then returned to their work.
They didn’t care who Qin Wen was, why they had been fighting earlier, or why they were now getting along.
Hua Qiling walked towards the conference room. Although she had never been to this particular facility, she had visited others, and the layouts were all the same.
Luo Yan and Qin Wen followed, chatting idly.
“Miss Qin Wen, why did you keep your eyes closed earlier? But now they’re open… Is there something wrong with your eyes?”
“No, it’s just a habit. Closing my eyes helps me focus, to avoid unnecessary distractions. But it’s not necessary when I’m not fighting.”
“But can you see with your eyes closed?”
“No, but I can sense… There’s a special breathing technique in the Sword Saint sect that allows us to perceive our surroundings.”
“Like ‘Eagle Eye’?”
Hua Qiling finally couldn’t resist interjecting.
“It’s definitely not as good as my ‘Eagle Eye’! That’s one of the top Mutation-type abilities!”
Mutation-type ability users usually experienced beneficial or harmful mutations in certain body parts. Hua Qiling’s mutation was in her visual system, not just her eyes.
“Oh.”
Luo Yan and Qin Wen nodded at Hua Qiling, then promptly ignored her and continued their conversation.
“Miss Qin Wen, is it difficult to control your swords with magnetism?”
“So you call ‘telekinesis’ ‘magnetism’… It was a bit difficult at first, but I got used to it. And these swords are made of special materials, making them easier to control with ‘telekinesis’.”
“That’s amazing,” Luo Yan complimented her.
“It’s… nothing, really,” Qin Wen scratched her head. She was truly a simple soul. “Miss Luo Yan, do you want to see my swords?”
“Sure, if it’s not too much trouble.”
“How could it be trouble…”
Hua Qiling, walking ahead, felt her blood pressure rising.
She couldn’t join their conversation at all.
Why did she feel like a third wheel…? And this feeling was strangely familiar.
Fortunately, they soon reached the conference room, after what felt like an eternity of awkwardness and torture (for Hua Qiling).
“We’re here, stop chatting and come inside,” Hua Qiling said impatiently, turning around.
Luo Yan was admiring Qin Wen’s swords, and Qin Wen, despite her 1.9-meter height, stood there awkwardly, looking embarrassed.
It’s just looking at swords! Why are you acting like we’re exchanging love letters?!
“Ah, we’re here already?”
Luo Yan looked up and handed the sword back to Qin Wen.
As Qin Wen took the sword, a sharp sword intent surged towards Hua Qiling.
Oh, so you look at Miss Luo Yan with lovey-dovey eyes, and at me with killing intent, is that it?
Hua Qiling suppressed her urge to retort, opened the conference room door, and led them inside.
The conference room wasn’t large, with a screen and a long table in the center.
But what caught the eye was the mess of snacks piled on the table…
If Li Ping saw this, his blood pressure would skyrocket.
Hua Qiling grabbed a bag of peanuts and started munching on them, while Luo Yan sat down casually.
Qin Wen hesitated, then dragged a chair over and sat beside Luo Yan.
“Miss Luo Yan, do you want to see my swords again?”
“Huh?” Luo Yan didn’t expect her to say that. “There’s no need to trouble yourself, I was just curious.”
“Oh, okay.”
Qin Wen seemed slightly disappointed.
Her initial hostility towards Luo Yan had turned into apology, and now, a hint of fondness.
During their conversation, Qin Wen had gradually learned about Luo Yan’s past, feeling a surge of regret and self-reproach.
Such a kind, gentle, and strong girl, how could she possibly be associated with a despicable Devil’s minion?
Moreover, Miss Luo Yan’s experiences were so heartbreaking…
Qin Wen’s personality was straightforward. She hated evil and sympathized with the suffering and the victims.
Moreover, Luo Yan possessed a unique charm, making everyone around her feel at ease.
Luo Yan picked up a bag of chips, saw Qin Wen looking lost, and offered it to her.
“Here, these are good.”
Thanks to one of Hua Qiling’s hobbies (snacking), Luo Yan was no stranger to these treats.
She had enjoyed sweets even in the town, let alone in Yan City, where snacks were more abundant and delicious.
“For me?”
Qin Wen said, surprised, her tall frame acting like a lovestruck teenager… well, she was a teenager, a very tall one.
“Go ahead.”
Luo Yan nodded, picked up another bag, and started munching on the chips.
Qin Wen watched Luo Yan, then clumsily tried to open the bag herself—this wasn’t her fault; she had spent her life training and hunting monsters, not enjoying the comforts of a mega-city.
Hua Qiling watched them, then stuffed her mouth with more peanuts, chewing with puffed cheeks.
However, this awkward yet strangely harmonious atmosphere didn’t last long. The call they had been waiting for finally arrived.
Qin Wen picked up her phone, and the old man’s voice boomed from the speaker.
“Wen’er, you’re in the conference room, right?”
“Ah, how did you know?” Qin Wen asked, surprised.
“Heh, that mega-city stuff… It’s not like I haven’t seen it before,” the old man chuckled. “Use the screen in the conference room. It’s better to talk face-to-face, and… I haven’t seen you in a while, I miss you.”
“…Understood.”
Qin Wen’s voice was soft, a hint of emotion in it.
Hua Qiling nodded and turned on the screen.
The Sword Saint Sect Master’s serious face appeared on the screen.
…Then he lost his composure.
He had intended to share important secrets with Qin Wen, to pass on the Sword Saint’s legacy and the burden on her shoulders.
And he genuinely missed her. This long-awaited reunion brought a tinge of sadness.
Although now, it was more like exasperation.
What did the Sword Saint Sect Master see?
A bunch of people casually snacking, eating chips and sunflower seeds, like they were watching a movie.
Especially Hua Qiling, who mumbled with her mouth full,
“You… can start…”
Start my ass!
If Qin Wen weren’t there, the old man would have exploded.
After taking a deep breath to calm himself, the Sword Saint Sect Master’s expression turned serious.
“First—”
“Crunch, crunch…”
Qin Wen munched on her chips happily.
“…Could you please stop eating for a moment?”
“Oh.”
After some commotion, the farce finally ended, and the conversation could continue.
The Sword Saint Sect Master composed himself and said gravely,
“I presume… you all know about… Dawn’s nine Misters, right?”
“I don’t,” Luo Yan said honestly.
The old man glanced at Luo Yan, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, then continued,
“The nine Misters were the founders of Dawn. It was because of them that ability users were finally recognized… Before that, humanity was barely surviving on the remnants of the Old Era.
“No one knows where they came from, when they gathered, or why… The only certainty is that they were incredibly powerful, powerful enough to lead the exiled ability users and survive in the Endless Wasteland even without the protection of the mega-cities.
“It could be said that the nine Misters weren’t just important to Dawn; their existence was the first ray of hope for humanity in the long night.”
Hua Qiling frowned and asked,
“You mentioned before that they were all… ‘Demonically Infected’?”
“Yes, all of them, every single one,” the old man said seriously. “Few people know this. The Sword Saint sect has kept this secret, although there were no restrictions, it was never revealed.
“The nine Misters were all incredibly powerful ‘Demonically Infected,’ each possessing a demonic power, except for the ‘Witch of Absolute Death.’
“Their strength surpassed even ordinary ‘Destruction’ level ability users, even touching upon the essence of the Primordial Demons’ powers.
“But because of this, eight of the nine Misters met tragic ends. Some went mad and died, some transformed into man-eating monsters, and some ventured into the Endless Wasteland, never to be seen again.
“Only the last Mister remains, barely clinging to life.”
A look of sadness appeared in the old man’s eyes. “The reason the Sword Saint sect knows this is because… the founder of the Sword Saint sect was one of the nine Misters, the Fifth Mister, possessing the power of ‘Fear.’ He was also… my grandfather.”
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