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  • I’m Surrounded by My Own Pets! 211

    Chapter 211: Lian Xing to be “Enjoyed” by Billions of “Haters”!?

    Fear was a rare emotion for Beast Taming Evolution Duel players. It wasn’t a horror game. The only fear was choosing the wrong evolution path. But now, as Moonwalker and Lian Xing appeared, every player held their breath, especially the girl with the suggestive Mickey Mouse buns and starry eyes.

    Though her appearance was… much, an overwhelming aura radiated from her. They felt an incomprehensible pressure, a suffocating despair. This wasn’t the power level they should be facing at the fourth anniversary…

    As the pale-faced players watched, the starry-eyed girl in white stockings approached, her familiar, suggestive appearance reminding many of the streamer, Lian Xing. That streamer also had the signature twin buns and white stockings, prioritizing a ridiculous appearance over her looks, boasting about her “strongest Ancient Species.” But Lian Xing had many fans, drawn by her Moonlight Rabbit, the first publicly known Myriad-Level Pet Beast in the game. Her dramatic death after evolving the Ancient Species had only boosted her fame.

    “Lian… Lian Xing!?”

    “She looks just like her… Could it be…?”

    “Probably. Who else would wear Mickey Mouse buns in public?”

    “The map marker says Lian Xing, with a ‘Star Concubine’ prefix. What’s that?”

    The players murmured as Lian Xing approached. Thanks to Unbreakable Heaven’s Ring, she recognized many familiar faces: friends, guildmates, rivals, even pro players. The Divine Machine had revealed everything, opening a path between the game and the Moon Soul World. It seemed Snow Flower and Golden Leaf’s rampage had forced its hand.

    As Lian Xing smirked, the Divine Machine reacted.

    “Whoosh—!!!” A flash of light. The Divine Machine emerged, a thumb-sized chip containing trillions of Pet Essence particles. Ignoring Lian Xing, it nervously addressed Moonwalker.

    “Guardian Moonwalker, I mean no harm. These are Beast Tamers from the Bubble Pet Beast World, mistakenly brought here. They’ll leave soon. A new Fallen Emperor has appeared, attached to Snow Flower.” The Divine Machine’s fear was evident. Though a high-ranking Legend, it wasn’t a combat type. Even First Quarter could crush it, let alone the Guardians. Its appearance was a surrender.

    But Moonwalker, instead, looked at Lian Xing, who seemed interested in the refugees. The Divine Machine, noticing this, looked at the girl with the Mickey Mouse buns. Then, Lian Xing’s words nearly stopped its Life Crystal.

    “Divine Machine, how will you handle these players…?”

    “Those who lost their Ancient and Shining Species… you won’t just compensate them with Black skills, will you? Judging by your aura… am I right? You’re even stingier than I thought~~~”

    Lian Xing’s words stunned the Divine Machine and the players. They had assumed their new identities were arranged. But she had exposed them!

    “…”

    “…”

    “Who are you?” The Divine Machine’s voice was serious, searching its database for this girl, but found nothing. A newcomer… Moonwalker’s new favorite?

    Lian Xing ignored it, approaching the players with a smile.

    “Ladies, what anniversary is it?”

    “F-Fourth…” a player stammered.

    “Good. The time flow matches~~~”

    “I’m Lian Xing, a player who transmigrated a year early.”

    “…”

    “…”

    “!!!!” The players erupted. Lian Xing… it was really her!? How had she transmigrated early!? Then, her former fans’ voices rose.

    “Lian Xing, show us that move! The one where you roll around and don’t get dirty!”

    “Lian Xing, will you keep your promise about letting your fans… enjoy you if your Ancient Species evolution failed!?”

    “Lian Xing, I’m your fan, can you… do me?”

    A red “X” appeared on Lian Xing’s forehead. These “fans” had insulted her online, and now they were brazen in person!? She almost exploded, wanting to “discipline” them all. As an Emperor-Tier Beast Tamer, she wasn’t afraid. But the pure and kind Lian Xing wouldn’t do such a thing. Calming herself, she smiled.

    “Ladies, two choices.”

    “One, stay under this thing’s server, but I can’t guarantee it won’t lie again.”

    “Two, join me. I’ll provide skills, data, a portal to Earth, and more players. I just dislike this thing and won’t let it manipulate us~~~”

    “…”

    “…”

    “Ridiculous! You want to steal my players? I’m a high-ranking Legend! What are you!?” The Divine Machine scoffed, glancing at Moonwalker. Seeing no reaction, it relaxed.

    But then, Lian Xing glanced at it, and time seemed to freeze. The Divine Machine’s parts seized up.

    Was she attacking? About to attack? Should it dodge? A mere Beast Tamer, even if strong, couldn’t surpass Heavenly Maiden… It generated countless countermeasures, but before absolute power, its will was fragile.

    “BOOM!!!”

    A white light descended. A rabbit woman with a giant tail slammed the Divine Machine into the ground. Shockwaves rippled, vaporizing Pet Essence. The Ancient Moonlight Rabbit looked up, her eyes crimson.

    “An Ancient Species!!!!” The Divine Machine shrieked. Pinned down, it couldn’t resist. The players were silent, their Pet Beasts retreating. The terrifying pressure was like what they had felt facing Storm for the first time.

    Lian Xing placed a white-stockinged foot on the Divine Machine, grinding it into the ground.

    “Divine Machine, I don’t want to kill you. I’m grateful. Without you, I wouldn’t be here. So, a chance: find Tai Yin’s location, become a part for my Mechanical species, or give me control of the server. Do any, and I’ll spare you~~~”

    “…”

    “…”

    “Never! I’d rather die!!!” The Divine Machine’s gears reddened with shame and anger.

    As it struggled, Moonwalker spoke.

    “Divine Machine, don’t resist. She just killed Drought with two Pet Beasts. You have no chance…”

    “Ridiculous! Drought can’t die! Seven King Mother wouldn’t allow—”

    The Divine Machine stopped mid-sentence. Drought’s red arrow was gone from the map. And… blue, red, gold, and white markers had converged here. A player had been right. Blue for Guardian, gold for Shining, red for Fallen, white for Ancient! The Divine Machine felt a chill. Was this woman insane!? She had all three special evolutions! This wasn’t a collectible card game! This would destabilize her entire lineup!

    Then, it noticed something on the map: a rapidly blinking white dot approaching from Cloud Mist Sea, moving several times faster than Storm.

    “It’s coming!!!” it shrieked. “Release me! I have to send the players back! My hard work can’t be wasted!!!”

    Even without the warning, Lian Xing and Moonwalker sensed the approaching aura, its pressure threatening to crush everything in its path, vaporizing the clouds.

    This was…

    The Ancient Emperor, Lotus Concubine Tai Sui!

    But Lian Xing, still staring at the Divine Machine, asked, “Choose, Divine Machine. Which option?”

    “Are you crazy!? That thing is coming for your Ancient Species! Don’t drag me down with you!”

    “Choose first.”

    “Release me first!!!”

    “Choose…”

    “Release…”

    “Choose…”

    The Divine Machine was about to break down. Glancing at the confused players, it finally relented. “One! I’ll give you Tai Yin’s location!”

    “Good~~~” Lian Xing smiled, removing her foot. Pet Beasts didn’t lie.

    As a black pressure enveloped the sky, Lian Xing had Mist Colt expand her viral world, absorbing all the players. She didn’t know why the Ancient Emperor had arrived now, but it didn’t matter. They would fight eventually. She had kept the players here, not sent them back to Earth, to witness this battle, to prove her overwhelming power. She wanted to use Beast Taming Evolution Duel’s functions and evolution simulations to reach the Eleventh Zodiac’s level.

    Finally, a shadowy figure with a chaotic aura descended.

    “…”

    “…”

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    The earth shattered, shockwaves obliterating everything for thousands of miles. The players within Mist Colt’s viral world held their breath, watching cautiously.

    Under the watchful eyes of Moonwalker, the Divine Machine, Lian Xing, and the Ancient Moonlight Rabbit, a black-haired woman in a feathered crown emerged, her body wreathed in black flames, her aura as terrifying as an ancient emperor.

    The First Emperor, Lotus Concubine Tai Sui…

    The ultimate Pet Beast that even Star Goddess’s full lineup couldn’t defeat.

    The Moon Soul World’s original Ancient Species!

    Lotus Concubine Tai Sui approached, her greedy gaze fixed on the pure white Ancient Moonlight Rabbit.

    The Ancient Rabbit’s crimson eyes narrowed.

    Just as the tension reached its peak, Moonwalker exhaled a cloud of mist, asking sternly, “Lotus Concubine Tai Sui, you’ve trespassed into Cloud Mist Sea, crossing through Inverse Time’s territory. Do you intend to make enemies of all the Guardians?”

    “…”

    “…”

    “Of course not. How could a humble commoner like me defy the Six Guardians under Lord Nine-Colored Deer?”

    “I’m merely delivering invitations on their behalf~~~” Lotus Concubine Tai Sui said sarcastically, walking towards the Ancient Moonlight Rabbit.

    Then, restraining her greed, she bypassed the rabbit and stood before the golden-haired, starry-eyed girl.

    Lian Xing, much shorter than the First Emperor, blinked innocently.

    Though Lotus Concubine Tai Sui had a bad reputation, she was undeniably beautiful~~~

    Lian Xing took the golden invitation offered by the expressionless woman, three shimmering characters catching her eye.

    [Lunar Divine Festival]

    Moonwalker and the Divine Machine’s pupils constricted sharply.

    What the hell!?

    How!?

    The Lunar Divine Festival… at this time…?

    “…”

    “…”

    “Alright, invitation delivered. I won’t overstay my welcome. See you in a month~~~~”

    “Star Concubine, as the only Myriad-Level Ancient Species Beast Tamer, I have high expectations for you—” Lotus Concubine Tai Sui turned with a mocking smile.

    As she left, the players within Mist Colt’s viral world breathed a sigh of relief.

    How terrifying! What level was that!?

    Far stronger than any boss in Beast Taming Evolution Duel!

    As Lotus Concubine Tai Sui departed, Lian Xing turned to Moonwalker and the Divine Machine, who clearly knew something.

    Lunar Divine Festival… what did it mean?

    Then…

    Something unexpected happened.

    Lotus Concubine Tai Sui, having retreated a short distance, began to float into the air, seemingly preparing to depart for her next destination.

    But then she stopped abruptly, turning around with a look of disbelief.

    The Ancient Moonlight Rabbit stood behind her, a fluffy paw gripping her ankle.

    “…”

    “…”

    “What are you looking at?” the Back-Tailed Moon-Chasing Demon Rabbit asked, tilting her head with annoyance.

    Before Lian Xing, Moonwalker, or the Divine Machine could react, the Ancient Moonlight Rabbit slammed Lotus Concubine Tai Sui into the ground.

    “BOOM!!!!!”

    A deafening explosion ripped through the air, obliterating the surrounding landscape and scattering the clouds.

    As the dust settled, Lotus Concubine Tai Sui lay amidst the ruins, her face covered in dirt, her expression one of utter bewilderment.

    Not only Moonwalker and the Divine Machine, but even Lian Xing, the Moonlight Rabbit’s master, blinked in stunned silence.

    A married pet beast’s actions…have nothing to do with its master…!!!

  • Shion’s Notes 133

    Chapter 133: The Era

    Initially, the editorial department resisted Yu Linna’s request to publish two novels simultaneously. Even as the Gold Award winner, there was no precedent for such a thing. They considered Chen Xi’s offer of publishing five books of any genre, novels or short stories, within three years, with the caveat of not all short stories, a significant concession. Shion, however, was pushing it with another novel.

    Yes, they initially refused.

    Chen Xi, calmly, asked them to read the manuscript before making a judgment.

    They began reading, their initial displeasure gradually fading, replaced by thoughtful expressions as they finished.

    “As you all know, we once lost a promising author: Luo Nan. If we had signed her, things might have been different, and Wenqing wouldn’t be in its current predicament. Now, we have another opportunity, and I don’t want to miss it. Please allow Shion-sensei to publish both novels.”

    “But there’s no precedent…”

    “As long as the author is talented and can bring profit to Wenqing, precedents and rules shouldn’t matter. What we need is talent.”

    She finally persuaded them.

    The initial opposition within Wenqing gradually diminished. After all, an author capable of bringing them significant profit had the right to be demanding. Even as a newcomer, Shion had already written a second novel, while Zhao Yuyan’s second novel was still nowhere in sight.

    Their only concern was that serializing two novels simultaneously might strain Shion’s energy, affecting the quality of their work.

    But she was the Gold Award winner, and Wenqing hadn’t had consecutive newcomer champions in a long time. Coupled with the impact of the Luo Nan incident, they didn’t want to lose another promising author.

    If Shion went to Qidian, it would be a devastating loss. Qidian was the leading publishing platform in the country, offering better terms. If Shion joined them, Wenqing’s already dwindling pool of new authors would shrink further.

    The publication was approved, with the first edition scheduled for April. But first, they needed to find an illustrator, a task Chen Xi had already begun, confident of finding someone suitable within a few days. A good novel needed good illustrations.

    “Shion-sensei, I’m looking for an illustrator for you. I should find someone within a couple of days. In the meantime, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

    Having been unblocked, Chen Xi could finally communicate with Yu Linna on QQ, keeping track of her progress and, if necessary, reminding her of deadlines.

    “Yes, what is it?”

    “Considering your appearance and age, I’d like to use that for marketing, like we did with Air.”

    “…You mean… package me as an idol author?”

    Though Chen Xi hadn’t explicitly stated it, Yu Linna understood her intentions.

    She was indeed attractive, her appearance striking. Though petite and lacking a curvy figure, she was still young, only eighteen, even younger than Zhao Yuyan when she won the award.

    Marketing her as a young, talented author would be a good publicity stunt, commercially beneficial. Many would buy her novels out of curiosity, generating profit.

    Zhao Yuyan had been marketed similarly, as a talented young writer. Initially, many bought her books out of curiosity, but gradually, they became genuine fans of her work. Her fans had nicknamed her “Miss Air,” a title befitting her beauty.

    Clearly, Chen Xi wanted to do the same with Yu Linna.

    “Sister Chen, I refuse.”

    “What? Refuse? Why?!”

    Chen Xi was taken aback. Why would she refuse such a beneficial offer?

    And Yu Linna was even more attractive than Zhao Yuyan. If not her, then who?

    Wasting such a beautiful face seemed illogical.

    “Sister Chen, you might think I’m being childish, but I don’t want people to think I’m just a pretty face.”

    “But it doesn’t matter! Air faced similar doubts initially, but she proved herself with her talent!”

    “No, I don’t want to do it. I don’t want people to look at me and see only a pretty face, nothing more.”

    During her time at Chenghe, she had been constantly praised for her looks, while her hard work, her efforts, were ignored. She knew she lacked acting skills, that she was just a pretty face, nothing more.

    And it was that pretty face that had led her to be manipulated and betrayed by Nangong Ying.

    She had once believed her beauty was her weapon, only to realize it was also her weakness.

    She refused to use her appearance as a marketing tool. She would prove herself with her talent. She would reveal her appearance only after earning recognition for her work.

    “I want to prove myself with my writing. I want people to focus on my novels, not my looks.”

    Chen Xi couldn’t argue with her.

    Yu Linna was surprisingly stubborn; no one could sway her. Since she had made up her mind, Chen Xi had no choice but to accept it.

    “Alright, I respect your decision.”

    She had hoped to use Yu Linna’s appearance for publicity, but it seemed that plan wouldn’t work. She could only hope the novel would sell well.

    After all, Ballad of the Enchantress wasn’t likely to appeal to a mass audience.

    With that settled, the only remaining issue was the illustrations, which they would resolve soon. Wenqing’s New Talent Awards had concluded, the winner announced via livestream, but since Shion hadn’t attended, no one knew what they looked like.

    Following Chen Xi’s instructions, Yu Linna created a Weibo account, using the name “Shion,” with the tags: Official VIP Verified, Wenqing Author, Gold Award Winner.

    Her first post was an announcement for her upcoming novel:

    “Hello, everyone, I’m Shion~ Ballad of the Enchantress will be officially released in April. It’s a novel you won’t want to miss. Please support it~”

    Since her book hadn’t been released yet, her popularity wasn’t high, but as the Gold Award winner, she attracted the attention of readers, her follower count gradually increasing. Everyone was curious about the champion’s work.

    After posting, Yu Linna leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling. She seemed relaxed, yet also burdened. Life had been a constant struggle for survival, for basic necessities. She had never known stability.

    Now, overnight, she had become an author, a Gold Award winner.

    It felt like a cruel joke.

    Her life story was a legend, a tale of perseverance. From poverty to struggling in the entertainment industry, facing exploitation and contemplating suicide, to being rescued by Ye Zhiyun, finding temporary stability, then rekindling her dream and finally winning the grand prize.

    When the award was announced, she had assumed she would win at most an honorable mention, so she hadn’t attended, choosing instead to focus on writing her new novel, Zixuan and the Paper Airplane.

    She had underestimated herself. She hadn’t expected to win the Gold Award, securing a publishing contract and a prize of three million yuan.

    More than the award, she valued the money. Three million! Having lived in poverty, she should have been ecstatic, and she was grateful for this hard-earned success, cherishing it more than anyone.

    She was finally a success.

    “Hey, Linna, I heard you won an award for your novel? Congratulations! So, Little Angel’s bestie on Bilibili is a famous author now, huh? Hehe~ Not bad.”

    “Jiangning… let’s celebrate! I’ll invite Zhiyun and Wenqian too.”

    “Sure! Let’s celebrate your debut as a great author! You choose the place.”

    “Okay, it’s on me.”

    “You’re paying? …Are you sure? I have money; I can pay.”

    “No, I’m paying. I have three million. I’m paying.”

    “…Alright, if you insist.”

    Fang Jiangning chuckled on the other end of the line.

    Yu Linna, the queen of freeloading, offering to pay for a meal? It was unheard of. But today, she was paying, celebrating her three-million-yuan prize. Though the amount itself wasn’t significant, the gesture, to Fang Jiangning, held a deeper meaning.

    For Yu Linna, the frugal penny-pincher, to offer to pay meant these people were more important to her than money.

    The thought made Fang Jiangning smile.

    After so many failures and setbacks, Yu Linna had finally found her path.

    Meanwhile, Zhao Yuyan, having returned home from the awards ceremony to play games, learned from Chen Xi that the winner was Yu Linna, her surprise evident.

    “Her? Wow! I didn’t expect that. She won just like me! That’s great! As expected of my junior.”

    “She’s already written two novels. You, as her senior, should step up your game. When are you going to finish Volume Four of The Rich Man’s Game?”

    “Well… I actually have a new short story planned. It’s about a rich girl and a wealthy guy flirting with each other.”

    “Alright, alright. Just hurry up and write. I’m waiting for Volume Four.”

    Getting Zhao Yuyan to finish her novel seemed like a long shot; she was the queen of procrastination.

    But having two Gold Award winners under her wing was something to be proud of.

    A new era was coming, and no one knew who would reign supreme.

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c35

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 35: This Is My Escape Route!

    Hidden in the closet, Luo Yuxi listened to the conversation between the two goddesses, learning that the chained girl’s name was Helena. Through the crack in the door, she saw the fake Goddess of Light examining the room.

    “My dear sister, are you still holding out? Give me the key to the Divine Gate, and I won’t have to keep you locked up~”

    “I’ve already given you the position of Chief God, what more do you want…?”

    Helena casually flipped through a book, seemingly unconcerned. To Luo Yuxi’s shock, the fake Goddess grabbed Helena’s wrist.

    “You’ve always been like this! Why are you the symbol of hope and light?! Still acting so high and mighty!”

    “I’m not acting high and mighty…”

    “Shut up!”

    “Kshira…”

    “Don’t call me that!”

    The fake Goddess reacted strongly to the name. Luo Yuxi realized that must be her name.

    “So she’s the Dark Goddess, Kshira. What a strange name…”

    Kshira’s golden hair and eyes turned dark purple, black tear-like marks appearing on her cheeks, her white and gold dress turning dark purple.

    “Because of my ugly appearance, you became the Chief God, while I became a laughingstock!”

    “Kshira… I never thought that…”

    Helena closed her book, her golden eyes showing a hint of pity. She reached out to comfort Kshira, but her hand was swatted away. Kshira glared at her.

    “Don’t call me that name! I am the Goddess of Light, Helena, now!”

    Kshira’s eyes were cold and emotionless. Helena sighed and picked up her book again.

    “If that makes you feel better…”

    “You’re always so indifferent!”

    Kshira angrily turned towards the door, then hesitated. Luo Yuxi, enjoying the divine drama, thought,

    “So that’s their relationship. One can’t express her feelings, the other wants her sister’s attention. Is that all it is…?”

    Then she remembered Helena’s instructions to hide under the bed when Kshira turned around. But interrupting their dramatic moment seemed wrong.

    “Well, my life is more important…”

    Luo Yuxi carefully opened the closet door. Helena, seeing her, pulled back the covers, signaling her to get in. Luo Yuxi hesitated, looking at Kshira’s back, but she crawled under the bed.

    “Why under the bed? Isn’t the closet just as good…?”

    Luo Yuxi stayed still. A loud crash startled her. She saw the closet door lying on the floor.

    “It seems the little kitten isn’t here. I’ll take everything from you, even your first follower…”

    Kshira’s hair turned gold again. Luo Yuxi, hearing the door close, breathed a sigh of relief. Being caught between two powerful beings was stressful.

    “Haa, you and your sister have a terrible relationship…”

    Luo Yuxi crawled out from under the bed, looking at the silent Helena. She was about to ask how to escape when she realized Helena wasn’t looking at her. A cold sweat ran down her back.

    “We sisters are quite close~”

    “I was just passing by, please spare me…”

    Luo Yuxi wanted to cry. Kshira was leaning against the doorframe. She had been tricked! She tried to react, but an invisible force pinned her down.

    “I was going to make you mine, but since you’ve seen my true form, you have to die…”

    Kshira raised her hand, about to annihilate Luo Yuxi’s soul, when she saw Luo Yuxi smiling.

    “Why are you smiling…?”

    “I thought goddesses were supposed to be powerful, but it seems you’re nothing special!”

    “Hmm?”

    Kshira hesitated. Luo Yuxi, seizing the opportunity, continued her taunts.

    “So this is the power of the great Goddess~?”

    “What are you playing at? You’re completely immobilized, are you trying to make a last stand…?”

    “Heh, although I’m weak, I’ve dealt with much stronger witches~”

    “What does that have to do with me killing you?”

    “You’re a Goddess, yet you’re just going to immobilize and kill me like a witch? It seems you’re no different from them~”

    “…”

    Kshira was confused. This human was about to be killed, yet she was still talking back.

    “You’re a Goddess, yet you’re going to kill me so easily, just like a witch~”

    “What are you trying to say?!”

    Kshira lost her patience, her golden hair turning back to its dark purple hue. Luo Yuxi, also panicking, continued her bluff.

    “Aren’t you a Goddess? Show me your strongest attack, so I can die without regrets…”

    “Such sophistry, but if you insist~”

    Kshira lowered her hand. Luo Yuxi felt the spatial lock release and breathed a sigh of relief, but a greater danger loomed.

    [Fallen Divine Art: Breath of Death]

    “You’re just an ant, I’ll show you the power of a god…”

    Kshira’s body glowed with divine power, a deadly aura filling the room. Luo Yuxi knew she couldn’t dodge. This time, she might actually die. Seeing the approaching purple light, she closed her eyes.

    “So the great Dark Goddess is actually going to use such a powerful skill on me. But I’m not that easy to kill!!”

    “Hmm?”

    Kshira realized she had been tricked as Luo Yuxi rushed towards Helena and used her as a shield.

    “This is my escape route!!”

    “What?!”

  • Reincarnated as a Holy Nun, I Refuse to Lose! v2c34

    Volume 2: Witch Kingdom Arc

    Chapter 34: The True Goddess of Light

    Luo Yuxi, surrounded by angels, succumbed to the divine wine and collapsed amidst the gentle ministrations. The angels, seeing her unconscious, stopped their massages and dances.

    “She fainted after only a few drinks…?”

    “She’s only a mortal, she can’t handle the Goddess’s wine~”

    “Should we inform the Goddess?”

    “As expected of that Lady’s follower, she’s quite beautiful~”

    “This is not the time to be smitten. Come on, let’s inform the Goddess…”

    …

    The angels, after a brief discussion, carried Luo Yuxi to the bed and left the room. As the door closed, the light in the room faded.

    “Are they gone…?”

    After a moment of silence, Luo Yuxi sat up in bed, her eyes clear, no trace of intoxication. She sniffed the lingering scent of the angels.

    “This is nice. If that Goddess didn’t have any ulterior motives, I would just stay here and rot…”

    Luo Yuxi got out of bed, her bare feet touching the floor. She didn’t bother with shoes, this was the divine realm, after all, even her delicate feet wouldn’t get dirty.

    “Even for me, this is too much pampering. This Goddess is definitely not the one who sent me here…”

    Luo Yuxi carefully opened the door, peering into the dark, endless corridor. She recalled the Goddess who had sent her here, although she hadn’t seen her face, she would never forget that gentle voice.

    “That Lady? She must be the Goddess who sent me here…”

    Luo Yuxi crept down the corridor, the identical doors disorienting her, like a maze. She knew that if she had asked for resurrection, the Goddess wouldn’t have granted it. Her priority was to find the other Goddess.

    “Why are all the rooms the same? If I check them one by one, they’ll discover I’m gone…”

    Luo Yuxi started running, no longer caring about the noise. She looked like a princess escaping a castle, but the noise alerted the “dragon.”

    “The Goddess of Light’s first follower has escaped!”

    “There’s a sound over there, search that area!”

    …

    Luo Yuxi hid in a room, listening to the approaching footsteps and flapping wings. She was discovered. Hearing the angels’ conversation, she leaned against the wall and sat down.

    “Goddess of Light? The Church worships the Goddess of Light… but why am I her first follower…?”

    Luo Yuxi listened until the sounds faded, then cautiously opened the door. Although she didn’t know who this “Goddess of Light” was, she had a clue. As she closed the door, the corridor shifted and turned, like a Rubik’s Cube.

    “The divine realm and its fancy tricks. It’s like a maze. How am I supposed to find her? This is so annoying!”

    “I heard something over there, go check it out!”

    “!!!”

    Luo Yuxi saw golden halos approaching and, spotting a door opening above, jumped through without hesitation.

    “I definitely heard something here, search that area! If you can’t find her, the Dark Goddess will make us fall from grace!”

    Luo Yuxi held her breath, listening to the angels pass by. Relieved, she watched as the room shifted again, the door now vertical.

    “I’m going to be dizzy. Is this some kind of divine defense mechanism?”

    “Who are you…?”

    “!!”

    Luo Yuxi jumped, turning to see a golden-haired girl bathed in a familiar golden light. Her heart leaped into her throat.

    “Not an angel? A human? Why is there a human here…?”

    Luo Yuxi had thought she had stumbled upon the other Goddess, but hearing the gentle voice, she realized this was the Goddess who had sent her here.

    Luo Yuxi calmed down and examined the Goddess. Although she resembled the other Goddess, her eyes were gentle and kind. And she was bound by chains, like a sacrificial lamb, not at all like a Goddess should be.

    “Are you the true Goddess of Light?”

    “Someone still remembers that title? But even if you do, my sister will kill you soon…”

    “Sister?”

    Luo Yuxi’s tentative question wasn’t denied. She was now certain that the Goddess who had offered her resurrection wasn’t the true Goddess of Light.

    “Then let me get you out of here, I have some questions for you…”

    “These are God-Binding Chains, they absorb divine power. Touching them will only hurt you. Don’t worry about me, protect yourself…”

    The Goddess of Light closed her eyes, seemingly resigned to her fate. But Luo Yuxi wasn’t going to give up. Not only was she the Goddess who had sent Luo Yuxi here, but her resurrection also depended on her.

    “I’ll find a way to save you. I’m your first follower, after all…”

    “My first follower? Are you the child who asked me to save the witches? I’m sorry for bringing you to this world so abruptly…”

    “Now’s not the time for apologies! Tell me how to get you out of here!”

    Luo Yuxi asked anxiously. She could be discovered at any moment. Just then, the doorknob turned. Luo Yuxi panicked.

    “Damn it, they’re here!”

    “Hide in that closet, hold your breath, and they won’t find you!”

    Luo Yuxi, seeing no other option, hid in the closet.

    “Remember, when she turns around, run out and hide under the bed!”

    The door opened. Luo Yuxi held her breath. The Goddess of Light sat on the bed, her eyes lifeless, bound by chains and a collar.

    “My dear sister, Helena, Goddess of Light, have you seen a cute little pink kitten around here~?”

    “…”

  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 75

    Chapter 75

    Qin Qianrou woke up feeling warm. The heating in the room was on full blast, but Meng City wasn’t a dry northern city. Winter mornings always had a period of damp coldness, and Qin Qianrou would usually burrow deeper under the covers.

    But today was different. Behind her was a small, portable heater, radiating warmth continuously. She unconsciously shifted, wanting to escape the heat, but the moment her shoulder touched a cool spot, she was pulled back, the arm around her waist tightening, as if afraid she might escape.

    Qin Qianrou wasn’t fully awake yet and found this clinginess slightly uncomfortable. She let out a soft groan, struggling a little more.

    “Don’t go.” A sleepy murmur, even more muffled than hers, made Qin Qianrou realize the source of the heat.

    Being at home, her mood lighter, her body more relaxed, her sleeping posture had also become less restrained, more natural than during those two nights in the hotel. Shen Yiqiu was holding her tightly, her head nestled against Qin Qianrou’s neck, her warm breaths tickling her skin.

    “I’m hot.” Qin Qianrou complained softly.

    Shen Yiqiu, still half-asleep, slightly loosened her hold, allowing Qin Qianrou to turn around, but she didn’t release her. Qin Qianrou had to pull the blanket down a little to cool down.

    Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, her phone on the nightstand started buzzing. Afraid of waking the person beside her, Qin Qianrou reached for her phone, intending to get out of bed, but she was pulled back into a warm embrace.

    “Don’t go.” The sleepy murmur came again, slightly louder than before, but just as clingy and soft.

    Qin Qianrou looked back at the person, her eyes still closed, holding the phone in one hand, gently stroking Shen Yiqiu’s hair with the other.

    She stopped struggling and leaned against the headboard, answering the phone, “Team Leader.”

    Lin Shuangzhi’s voice was also slightly hoarse, but not from sleep, more like she hadn’t slept at all.

    “Sorry to wake you so early, Qianrou.”

    “It’s alright, what is it?”

    Lin Shuangzhi calling at this hour couldn’t be a personal matter. Qin Qianrou was now fully awake, but her voice remained low, afraid of waking the person beside her.

    “Are you free today?”

    “I have time.”

    Lin Shuangzhi hesitated briefly, then said, “Xiao Wan probably told you about the situation at the station. I thought we should discuss our strategy this weekend. It’s not a good time for you to return to the station yet, I’ll handle things next week.”

    Qin Qianrou had also returned for this matter, although she wanted to spend more time with Shen Yiqiu, work took priority.

    “Okay, tell me the time and place.”

    “Is 9 am okay? At your place, if that’s convenient.”

    Qin Qianrou was taken aback, 9 am was fine, but she hadn’t expected the meeting to be held at her apartment. Even if not at a restaurant or cafe, it should be at the team leader’s place.

    Come to think of it, no one on the team had ever been to the team leader’s home. She was always working overtime, practically the last to leave. She would generously treat them to meals and drinks for celebrations, but she had never invited anyone over.

    “Is that… inconvenient?”

    Qin Qianrou collected her thoughts, glanced at the person beside her, who was now rubbing her eyes, and said, “It’s fine, see you then.”

    After hanging up, Shen Yiqiu was also awake. She slowly sat up, leaning against the headboard beside Qin Qianrou.

    “Do you have to go out today?”

    “No.”

    Shen Yiqiu was puzzled, she had clearly heard something about 9 am earlier.

    “The team leader and Xiao Wan are coming over to discuss some things, they’ll be here at 9 am.”

    Shen Yiqiu blinked and responded with a simple “Oh.”

    Qin Qianrou pursed her lips, suppressing a smile, her gaze fixed on Shen Yiqiu’s face. As expected, a few seconds later, she finally realized the implications.

    “Ah? Coming here at 9 am?” Shen Yiqiu grabbed her phone from the nightstand to check the time.

    “It’s almost 7 am.”

    Qin Qianrou chuckled, seeing her sudden panic.

    “They’re coming to discuss work, why are you so anxious?”

    Shen Yiqiu, however, oblivious to Qin Qianrou’s teasing, was mentally calculating the time, worried she wouldn’t be able to finish everything in time.

    “You’re discussing work, and I have to be in charge of your meals.”

    Qin Qianrou’s smile faded slightly, “You’re on break, you should rest, no need to go to so much trouble, we can order takeout, they don’t mind.”

    Shen Yiqiu, however, explained earnestly, “Jiejie, I don’t mind the effort.”

    She recalled how, whenever her father’s colleagues came over to work overtime, her mother would always bustle about, preparing food and drinks, taking care of them, not to save money on takeout, but to make them feel comfortable and energized.

    “We can order takeout anytime, but Chef Shen’s culinary skills are a rare treat.”

    Shen Yiqiu’s playful boasting made Qin Qianrou chuckle, but she knew it wasn’t just for show.

    “I’m just worried you’ll tire yourself out, you have classes, and you’re still making food for us on weekends.”

    In Qin Qianrou’s mind, preparing a meal wasn’t an easy task, especially having cooked with Shen Yiqiu before, she was even more impressed by her skills.

    “I’ll make sure you can focus on your work, I can’t let you eat takeout even when you’re home.”

    Shen Yiqiu, slightly anxious, gave Qin Qianrou a quick kiss on the cheek, then hurried to the bathroom to get ready. Watching her retreating figure, Qin Qianrou leaned against the headboard, a warmth spreading through her chest.

    Shen Yiqiu had brought this home to life, not just because of her presence, her companionship, but also the warmth of being cared for.

    She had someone now, someone who took care of her, so even when colleagues came over for work, they didn’t have to suffer through takeout, this was fundamentally different from battling it out in the office. Shen Yiqiu taking on this responsibility touched Qin Qianrou deeply.

    This was more heartwarming than any expensive jewelry or extravagant gifts, Shen Yiqiu, with these small, everyday gestures, had captured her heart completely.

    **

    When Qin Qianrou emerged from the bathroom, breakfast was already on the table, and Shen Yiqiu, a piece of toast in her mouth, was about to leave.

    “Jiejie, I’m going to the supermarket, I just remembered we need a few things, you eat your breakfast, I’ll be back soon.”

    Always rushing, the tenderness in Qin Qianrou’s eyes deepened as she watched Shen Yiqiu hurrying away.

    Li Wan arrived before Lin Shuangzhi and ran into Shen Yiqiu returning from the supermarket downstairs. She helped her carry two of the grocery bags, jokingly calling it her “weekend overtime perk.”

    Shen Yiqiu busied herself in the kitchen, and Lin Shuangzhi called, saying she needed to retrieve some documents from the station and would be there in about fifteen minutes. So, Li Wan chatted with Qin Qianrou in the living room.

    “I thought you would be coming with the team leader.”

    Li Wan leaned against the back of the sofa, her spirits low.

    “I live here, she lives at her place, why would we come together?”

    Qin Qianrou was puzzled, it wasn’t about where they lived. She had thought the team leader would pick Li Wan up, after all, hadn’t she said that before hanging up?

    “The team leader told me she would pick you up.”

    Li Wan was taken aback, staring at Qin Qianrou in disbelief. “Really?”

    Qin Qianrou nodded, she wasn’t so incompetent as to misunderstand such a simple statement.

    Li Wan’s expression was a mix of emotions, her spirits sinking even further.

    “What’s wrong?”

    Li Wan sighed heavily. “She did ask me this morning if I needed a ride, and I said no.”

    Qin Qianrou understood, so she had rejected the offer herself.

    But then, she thought, Doesn’t Xiao Wan like the team leader? Why would she refuse a chance to spend more time with her?

    Since being in a relationship, Qin Qianrou had become more perceptive.

    “Did something happen between you two…?”

    Li Wan fidgeted, unconsciously shifting in her seat, then playing with her hair.

    “Just… nothing, really, same as always.”

    This was as good as saying nothing at all.

    Li Wan couldn’t even look at Qin Qianrou, her voice lacking conviction, whether she was telling the truth or not.

    The soreness between her legs had only subsided two days ago, but whenever she thought of Lin Shuangzhi, the memories of that night resurfaced, every touch, every sensation, so vivid.

    It was agonizing, just the memories alone were enough to make her lose her composure, how could she possibly remain calm in front of the real person?

    So, these past few days, she had been subconsciously avoiding Lin Shuangzhi.

    She thought, Even if I see her, it would only be a polite inquiry about my… condition. It’s better to avoid her, at least until I can regain my composure.

    Qin Qianrou knew Li Wan too well, her current behavior was unusual, and she had been mentioning Lin Shuangzhi less frequently lately. Qin Qianrou had initially thought their relationship would progress during her training program.

    Now, it seemed that wasn’t the case.

    “Xiao Wan, did something happen to upset you?”

    For the usually brave and straightforward Li Wan to become like this, it was likely a relationship setback.

    A fleeting sadness flashed across Li Wan’s face, quickly masked.

    She looked around and said casually, “Why would I be upset? If anything, Director Yu being promoted to be my superior is the most upsetting thing lately.”

    Changing the subject back to work, Qin Qianrou knew Li Wan didn’t want to discuss her relationship. Her current demeanor was a stark contrast to her earlier excitement and eagerness, sharing details of her after-work drinks and movie date with Lin Shuangzhi, and Qin Qianrou couldn’t help but worry.

    Just as she was thinking about how to offer comfort, Li Wan suddenly asked, “What stage have you and Shen Yiqiu reached?”

    “What?”

    Li Wan leaned closer, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and whispered, “You know, that stage?”

    Qin Qianrou’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she pushed Li Wan away.

    “Why are you so nosy?”

    “I’m always nosy, you’re just realizing this now?”

    Li Wan stared at Qin Qianrou, a smile playing on her lips, seeing the usually aloof and composed reporter blush.

    This was a rare sight.

    She glanced towards the kitchen, Shen Yiqiu, in a sweatshirt, was busy preparing food, seemingly unaware of their conversation.

    This little one, not bad.

    **

    After Lin Shuangzhi arrived, Li Wan became strictly business. Qin Qianrou, observing them discreetly, realized the situation was more serious than she had thought.

    It wasn’t that their relationship hadn’t progressed; it had regressed significantly.

    However, none of them were prone to emotional outbursts, and once the conversation shifted to work, the atmosphere became more harmonious.

    “There have been frequent meetings at the station lately, the management team restructuring has already begun, and it will gradually affect department heads, then key personnel.” Lin Shuangzhi paused, then continued, “You should all be prepared.”

    Li Wan scoffed, “‘Restructuring’ sounds nice, but it’s just a euphemism for a major shakeup. Who’s behind this, trying to turn the entire station into their mouthpiece?”

    Qin Qianrou hadn’t said much, but she was also deep in thought.

    “Xiao Wan, the situation is indeed serious, so we can’t follow the usual procedures.”

    Qin Qianrou sensed the underlying meaning in her words and was slightly surprised. “Team Leader, are you planning to…?”

    “I’ve already gone to the city government, I’ve spoken to the relevant officials, it’s not just Director Yu, there are other questionable appointments as well, but the feedback wasn’t promising, so I have to escalate this further.”

    Now, even Li Wan was worried.

    “Escalating this further will involve more people, and they might not even listen to you. Although Meng City Television has some influence, it’s not significant enough for personnel changes to warrant a report to the provincial government.”

    Moreover, doing this was a huge risk for Lin Shuangzhi’s career. Even if she succeeded, higher management might not view her favorably, they might see her as a rebellious and uncontrollable element.

    And if she failed, the consequences were even more dire, her years of hard work and her established reputation would be ruined. Even if she transferred to another station, there would be repercussions.

    Thinking of Lin Shuangzhi, working alone late into the night, countless times, Li Wan’s eyes burned, and she felt a lump forming in her throat.

    Before Qin Qianrou could offer any comfort, a tissue appeared before her. She looked up and saw Lin Shuangzhi’s calm yet subtly emotional gaze.

    She took the tissue, but still insisted, “I’m not crying, do you think I’m that easily moved?”

    Lin Shuangzhi chuckled softly, her smile more strained than usual.

    “I wanted to discuss my plans with you today, what I’ll do if I succeed, or if I fail.”

    Qin Qianrou and Li Wan exchanged glances, it seemed Lin Shuangzhi had already made up her mind.

    “Team Leader, I admire your courage, but I have to say, you should reconsider this carefully, once you take action, it might cause even more trouble.”

    Lin Shuangzhi didn’t seem concerned. “I’ve been your team leader for so many years, don’t you think I understand this? Haven’t I said the same thing to you every time you came to me with your project proposals?”

    And did you listen? You persisted anyway.

    “I’m not some hero or savior, I’m just doing what I think is right. Think about it, if those people really take over, will there still be a place for our team? It might not even be long before our team ceases to exist. There will be no more investigative journalism, no more employees who dare to challenge those in power, no more reporters the public can trust and rely on.”

    Lin Shuangzhi sighed, as if asking, Is that the outcome you want to see?

    Li Wan was silent for a moment, then said, “Let me do it, my father has some connections, it might be easier for me to approach them.”

    Regardless of who took action, the outcome of the matter itself was uncertain, but for the person involved, there was only one possible outcome: a negative one.

    Whoever went, would suffer the consequences.

    “Team Leader, Xiao Wan, I’m the one who’s been in charge of most of our programs, proposing ideas and following up on them, I’m the one who’s been causing trouble for the directors, so…”

    “So, no more arguments, I’m the team leader, we’ll do things my way.”

    Li Wan looked at her intently, trying to decipher her expression.

    But she was still as calm and composed as always, a hint of weariness in her eyes, just like her usual overworked self at the office.

    But Li Wan had seen another side of her, the passionate and unrestrained side, the one who whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

    Damn it, just thinking about it made Li Wan instinctively cross her legs. Thankfully, the table was high and sturdy, no one noticed her reaction.

    Shen Yiqiu brought some snacks from the kitchen and refilled their teacups.

    “Lunch will take a while, have some of these first.”

    Lin Shuangzhi, afraid the other two might try to stop her, took the snack box and, as she opened it, said, “Shen Yiqiu has good taste, this brand is quite good, I always keep some at home.”

    This brand was indeed good quality, slightly expensive, but worth it, it was just that the packaging was difficult to open.

    Lin Shuangzhi struggled with it for a while, and Shen Yiqiu, passing by, took it from her.

    She opened it effortlessly, making Lin Shuangzhi slightly embarrassed. Shen Yiqiu, oblivious, her attention still on the box, said,

    “This one is a bit difficult to open today, it’s hard without nails.”

    Her words drew everyone’s attention to Lin Shuangzhi’s hands on the table.

    Li Wan was startled, When did she cut her nails so short?

    They had still been… long… that day…

    The painful and bittersweet memories made Li Wan blush.

    Lin Shuangzhi coughed, covering her mouth and nose with her hand, avoiding Li Wan’s gaze.

    Li Wan discreetly looked at Shen Yiqiu’s hands, her nails weren’t long, but they clearly hadn’t been trimmed recently.

    It seemed Qianrou hadn’t experienced that painful yet intoxicating pleasure yet.

    She wanted to offer Shen Yiqiu a suggestion, to trim her nails, but she couldn’t say it now, she could only give her a meaningful look, hoping the child would understand.

    However, Shen Yiqiu’s gaze was fixed on Qin Qianrou. After placing the snacks on the table, her eyes never left her.

    “Jiejie, if you’re tired, you should rest for a bit.” Shen Yiqiu’s voice wasn’t loud, but the restaurant wasn’t large either, and everyone heard her.

    “Oh, so you’re only concerned about your Jiejie, there are two other Jiejies here, aren’t we tired as well?”

    Li Wan’s teasing made Shen Yiqiu blush, but she remained by Qin Qianrou’s side.

    Qin Qianrou hadn’t explicitly mentioned her relationship with Shen Yiqiu, and Lin Shuangzhi had sensed something different during their last meal together. Today, she finally realized she hadn’t been mistaken.

    She observed Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu briefly, then looked away, not showing much surprise or disapproval.

    It was as if she was simply acknowledging a perfectly normal fact.

    This attitude made Qin Qianrou feel comfortable. She hadn’t intended to hide it, but telling the team leader was even more difficult than telling Li Wan. She hadn’t expected the team leader to understand so quickly. So, it seemed the team leader wasn’t averse to same-sex relationships.

    “Qianrou, you’re a reporter, although not as high-profile as a celebrity, there are still many people who pay attention to your private life.”

    Qin Qianrou thought Lin Shuangzhi was reminding her to be discreet about their relationship.

    To her surprise, the team leader said, “So, protect yourself, and protect her.”

  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c13

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 13 The Sovereign of Terror

    When did it begin?

    Cecilia opened her eyes. After the medicine took effect, the burning pain in her body subsided slightly.

    But when she moved her limbs, Cecilia could still feel a faint stinging pain in her blood vessels, as if boiling magma was flowing through them.

    “Bishop… Grandpa?”

    Cecilia struggled to sit up from the bed, her skin an unhealthy pale white, and her thin, petite body made her look frail.

    There was no one in the room; Grandpa Bishop seemed to have left.

    “Grandpa Bishop, has he gone to destroy civilization…”

    Cecilia supported herself against the wall, slowly shuffling forward step by step, each step as if walking on the tip of a blade.

    A piercing pain shot through her body, which was constantly crying out in protest. Cecilia’s small face was almost crumpled in pain, but she didn’t cry.

    Because Grandpa Bishop had said that crying… would make it hurt more, and become more serious.

    Actually, Cecilia knew Grandpa Bishop was lying to her, but she didn’t want to disappoint him, so she persisted and didn’t cry.

    Cecilia walked to the window. Near the window was a high chair with a small ladder attached, specially prepared by the Bishop for Cecilia, so she could look out the window whenever she wanted.

    The Bishop hadn’t deliberately confined Cecilia, but due to her constitution, not to mention going out, even the ten to twenty meters from the bed to the window was extremely difficult for her, especially when she was having an episode.

    The crowds outside the window were still bustling. The three-story house the Bishop bought was located in one of the most inconspicuous districts of Lannister, and he had specifically chosen a location near the market.

    Therefore, the surrounding environment looked no different from Yan City.

    Cecilia skillfully climbed onto the high chair using the small ladder and looked out the window, resting her chin on her hand.

    The hawkers’ cries, the chaotic noise, the aroma of food mixed with the stench of various livestock wafted in. Cecilia observed all this with a hint of yearning.

    In reality, she didn’t understand the concept of destroying civilization and saving the world that Grandpa Bishop and the strange uncles and aunts talked about.

    But Grandpa Bishop was a good person, and he was very good to her, so Cecilia thought it must be a good thing.

    She hadn’t received any education and rarely saw the outside world, having spent more than half of her seven or eight years of life in pain.

    Cecilia always felt like she was going to die, but Grandpa Bishop always said no, as long as Cecilia was obedient, everything would be alright.

    Would it… really?

    Cecilia tilted her small head back, looking into the distance, extending her small, childish hand towards the unknown.

    She seemed to be trying to grasp something.

    But she couldn’t grasp anything.

    ……

    “Bishop, is it really alright to leave Cecilia alone at the base?”

    Cronin, who was accompanying him, frowned. “Her body is like a lit bomb, ready to explode at any moment… But the place she’s in is the least important part of Lannister.”

    Cronin wasn’t worried about whether Cecilia would lose control, but rather that the location of the loss of control wasn’t important enough to cause unbearable damage to Lannister.

    “Cronin, please watch your words.”

    The Bishop glanced at Cronin with his hands behind his back.

    “Cecilia doesn’t belong to you or me, nor was she born for the Church of the End Gods. She is her own person.

    “She is just a fellow traveler who seeks the will of the Gods with us. We cannot control her at will; her power should be used according to her own wishes.”

    “Apologies… Bishop, I was reckless.” Cronin quickly lowered his head. “But, she…”

    “Cecilia will take care of herself. Please put away your unnecessary worries,” the Bishop said in a deep voice, his expression serious. “And don’t forget the purpose of our trip… She may be the only person in this world besides me who has seen the Gods with her own eyes.”

    The Bishop and Cronin were hurrying along the road, heading towards Restricted Zone Seven.

    Clearly, they were going to find Luo Yan.

    Through their inside contact within the Lannister Council of Elders, the Church of the End Gods was actually more aware of the inside story of this matter than most Lannister nobles, instead of mistaking Luo Yan for some illegitimate daughter. It had to be said that this was quite ironic.

    As they got closer to Restricted Zone Seven, the number of pedestrians gradually decreased, and they occasionally saw Lannister city guards on alert, and fully armed ability user squads patrolling.

    But no one noticed the Bishop and Cronin. It was as if they were shrouded in some strange force field, deflecting everyone’s gaze.

    —”Sovereign of Defilement.” This was Cronin’s belief, also known as the “Saint of Fortitude” within the Church of the End Gods, the counterpart to the “God of Hope,” the “Witch of Envy.”

    Similar to “Envy,” the power of “Defilement” was also mental, but it took a completely different path.

    The essence of “Envy” was to rewrite the soul and will, while “Defilement” was another extreme, erasing the soul and will, leaving only an empty shell, a walking corpse.

    To be precise, it was more like Grifres’ type of mental ability, more offensive.

    However, even so, Cronin could still use some techniques common to mental abilities.

    If Luo Yan were here, she would discover that the effect of Cronin using the power of “Defilement” was almost the same as her Life Hacks.

    The difference was that Cronin used “Defilement” to erase his and the Bishop’s presence, rather than distorting others’ perceptions like Luo Yan.

    In short, with Cronin’s ability, the two quickly arrived at Restricted Zone Seven.

    Before they started their operation, the Bishop had already consulted their inside contact in the Council of Elders. Restricted Zone Seven was under Norian’s highest order, meaning even he himself couldn’t enter.

    The only way to lift the restriction was when the Saint arrived in Lannister.

    But this situation, on the contrary, created an opportunity for the Church of the End Gods.

    Since there wouldn’t be anyone else in Restricted Zone Seven, they could more confidently contact this mysterious girl named “Luo Yan.”

    The Bishop believed that Miss Luo Yan had already seen the Gods and should also be aware of the truth behind the Gods.

    And everyone who had seen the truth had become a fellow traveler of the Church of the End Gods, acting to destroy civilization and save the world.

    Even the senior Elder of the Council of Elders, after witnessing the terrifying and tragic truth of this world, had made the same correct choice and abandoned the current erroneous prosperity and continuation.

    Because there was a mole in Lannister, the Church of the End Gods had long ago grasped Lannister’s most important city defense deployments.

    This included the defensive forces of Restricted Zone Seven, which had been delivered to the Bishop immediately.

    They avoided the patrolling guards as much as possible, and when they inevitably encountered them, they managed to evade them with the demonic power invoked through Cronin’s prayers.

    Cronin’s use of demonic power was far inferior to Luo Yan’s; it was best not to use it continuously for too long, otherwise it would be easy to be detected.

    If it were Luo Yan, she could dance in front of these guards, and no one would see her. Only mental ability users above “Peril” level or “Destruction” level ability users could break through her cognitive barrier.

    Just like that, the Bishop and Cronin finally stepped into this restricted zone, barred to all. Not far ahead was an apartment building, not luxurious but quite refined.

    “Bishop, something’s strange.” Cronin looked up at the apartment, a flicker of black flashing through his eyes almost imperceptibly. “I don’t sense the presence of the Gods here, only some faint residual power scattered around… Did she leave?”

    “Could it be, as we thought, that the Lord has already descended upon this world through her? Is that why… she secretly left?”

    The Bishop’s perception was exactly the same as Cronin’s, but he was equally puzzled.

    “No, the Lord couldn’t have secretly left Lannister. As long as She descends, the tens of thousands of followers in Lannister are Her source of power, more than enough to destroy the entire city.”

    With the Lord’s power, even a tiny fragment of it could cause at least a “Peril” level or higher Calamity, let alone the terrifying aura sensed in the forest outside the city before.

    Coupled with the followers who had been rooted in Lannister for many years, annihilating a mere Lannister was nothing.

    No matter what, even if the Bishop and Cronin had more questions, this trip was in vain.

    “Let’s leave for now,” the Bishop had a bad premonition. “This place isn’t safe. If we can’t see her, leave quickly… Don’t be discovered by Lannister.”

    But as soon as the Bishop finished speaking, a cold, raspy voice sounded from beside them,

    “Too late, Hamid Surian, it really was you causing trouble.”

    “We’ve been discovered!”

    Hearing this voice, Cronin didn’t hesitate to attack.

    His eyes were like black smoke, and he chanted in a low voice,

    “I pray to my Lord… for a miracle…”

    As the prayer sounded, thick, almost solid black smoke formed in Cronin’s hands, and then, with lightning speed, dozens of black arrows shot out, directly at the source of the voice.

    Somewhat similar to Grifres’ Soul Spear, this was an attack targeting the mind, impossible to defend against.

    Cronin’s ingenious attack using the power of “Defilement,” even experts above “Peril” level could be instantly killed if they were careless.

    Unfortunately… he was facing a “Destruction” level ability user, far stronger than a “Peril” level one.

    A withered hand waved seemingly casually, and these deadly black smoke arrows instantly vanished into thin air.

    “…Zoya Sivir, how many years has it been since we last met?”

    The Bishop—Hamid Surian—looked at the equally aged figure in front of him and said in a deep voice.

    “Two or three hundred years, I can’t remember clearly anymore.” Granny Zoya slowly walked out, her slightly cloudy gaze falling on the shocked Cronin. “Unorthodox methods, using the evil power of the ‘Demons’ in this way, I’m afraid your days are numbered.”

    Even those born as God’s Chosen could hardly bear the innate demonic power, let alone Cronin, who forced demonic power into his body using special methods.

    The last one to do this was called Frick.

    “To realize the hopes of the ‘Gods,’ it’s just a mere life.” Cronin said in a low voice, not shaken by Granny Zoya’s words.

    “The followers of the Church of the End Gods are still as crazy as ever… And you, Hamid,” Zoya looked at Hamid. “You were the most talented among us back then, and the one with the most hope of competing for the position of Saint.

    “I thought you took this evil path because you were bewitched by demons, but even now, after hundreds of years… you seem very lucid, lucidly mad.”

    “Zoya, if your eyes had witnessed the truth above the starry sky with me, you would have taken the same path as me.” Hamid sighed. “This season of civilization has been going against the proper course for too long. If it continues… we will only face a future of despair.”

    Zoya sneered and said coldly,

    “Hamid, you’re crazy, and you have your reasons, but that doesn’t mean I’ll go crazy with you… Since you’re here, don’t even think about escaping.”

    Invisible mental waves spread, enveloping the entire Restricted Zone Seven.

    She had been entrusted by Norian to investigate the situation in Restricted Zone Seven, but she encountered this old acquaintance whom she hadn’t seen for hundreds of years.

    She had previously judged that the inexplicably appearing peeper was from the Church of the End Gods. Now that even Hamid had appeared here, it was most likely their doing.

    “It seems you’ve been waiting for me… Is this a trap?”

    Hamid sighed deeply, slowly raised his hand, and created a safe area within this zone filled with mental waves.

    “Forget it, whether it’s a trap or a deception… Since I’ve already come this far, it wouldn’t hurt to bring a new wave of destruction according to the Gods’ hopes.”

    As his voice fell, Hamid’s cloudy eyes lost all their luster, leaving only an indifferent coldness. Almost all his emotions and feelings disappeared at this moment.

    “Sovereign of Terror… you really have devoted yourself entirely to the Primordial Demon, Hamid.” A sharp glint flashed in Granny Zoya’s eyes, and her pupils constricted violently. “And, you’ve actually become a Devil’s Apostle… Are you the only Devil’s Apostle left in the world today?”

    But the current Hamid could no longer answer Granny Zoya’s question. The moment he released this state and merged with the avatar of the “Sovereign of Terror,” he had transcended humanity, becoming more of a conceptual existence.

    Before this, Cronin, who had been accompanying Hamid, had been sent away in advance, to gather all the followers of the Church of the End Gods in Lannister, to welcome this destruction offered to the Gods.

  • Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 63

    Chapter 63: “Master Doesn’t Like This?”

    Li Yu suspected Weisheng Xuanzhu truly needed a long sleep. Whatever obsession he harbored, he should deal with it after waking up because he was clearly not thinking straight!

    This curse poison’s method of transference was ridiculous!

    Although a simple method might make it difficult to target the intended victim, this was absurd!

    She did like Mu Tao; the girl was wonderful, even closer to her than her best friend from school, with whom she used to do everything together.

    But even so, she didn’t have those kinds of feelings for Mu Tao!

    Yes, master-disciple relationships were often a breeding ground for inappropriate feelings, but not all masters in novels developed such feelings for their disciples!

    Mu Tao looked so young, a high school student at most in modern terms.

    Although high school was a prime age for romance, gender and the person involved also mattered.

    Did she look like someone who would violate her role as a master?!

    How could Weisheng Xuanzhu think such a curse would work?!

    The more Li Yu thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed, and the more ridiculous it seemed, the more she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

    This made the dull ache in her chest worsen.

    Fatigue washed over her, and her recently recovered consciousness began to fade.

    Was she about to faint again?

    And there was nowhere to land and rest.

    If she had to, she’d fall into the ocean. Although terrifying, the original owner was a being of the West Sea; even if she couldn’t swim, her instincts should prevent her from drowning.

    As Li Yu thought this, she saw a dark red cloud of resentment appearing on the distant horizon.

    Although not a pleasant sight, it made her relax slightly, the anxiety that had been weighing on her dissipating.

    She felt a strong pull towards that direction, but the pain in her chest intensified, a gnawing, tearing sensation that made it hard to breathe.

    She lost control of her spiritual energy, which dissipated completely.

    But the pain didn’t lessen.

    Her body plummeted downwards, the already aching feeling in her chest intensifying as the sudden weightlessness made her feel like her heart was about to leap out of her throat.

    She tried to gather her spiritual energy, to stabilize herself, but the pain was too much; she lost all her strength.

    What a vicious curse.

    The wind roared, the sun above blazed, and she closed her eyes, surrendering to the feeling of falling.

    Her last thought was—

    Mu Tao probably wouldn’t be able to catch her in time.

    Falling from this height, even onto water, would be…unpleasant.

    But immortals had protective spiritual energy; she should be more durable…

    Hopefully, she could still move when she woke up.

    “You just checked; is the Exalted God still unconscious?”

    “Yes.”

    “It’s strange. We’ve both examined her; her injuries are healing, although she’s still weak, it’s not life-threatening. Why hasn’t she woken up after so many days?”

    “She’ll wake up eventually.”

    “I know, but it’s strange. Could it be…the demonic energy’s influence…?”

    “Hanyu, you shouldn’t say such things.”

    “…”

    Yan Buqiu said softly, “Exalted Immortal Li Yu is fine, just weak, that’s why she hasn’t woken up yet. If Mu Tao asks, that’s all you should say.”

    “I understand…” Xiang Hanyu sighed and lowered her gaze.

    When she and Mu Tao rushed to Mount Chao Yao, anticipating a battle, she sensed Li Yu’s spiritual aura before even reaching the mountain.

    But the aura was weak, and when she saw the Exalted God, the figure was already swaying unsteadily in the air.

    Before she could react, the figure’s spiritual energy dissipated, and she plummeted towards the ocean.

    Her white robes billowed in the wind, like a bird with broken wings.

    Instantly, black flames and resentment surged across the vast distance, forming a cushion on the surface of the sea.

    The resentment and demonic energy carefully caught the falling figure, avoiding direct contact.

    But a few wisps of demonic energy still entered her body.

    Mu Tao rushed forward, retracting the demonic energy, and gently caught Li Yu in her arms.

    It had been six days since then, and they had returned to the Demon Lord’s palace in the Demon Realm, yet Li Yu was still unconscious.

    There were no signs of injury besides the depleted spiritual energy. If it wasn’t the demonic energy’s influence, then what was it?

    Although Xiang Hanyu suspected something else, if Mu Tao asked, she couldn’t mention the demonic energy.

    Mu Tao cared deeply for Li Yu; if her demonic energy was responsible for Li Yu’s condition, even slightly, she would be devastated…

    Having been in the Demon Realm with Mu Tao for six months, how could Xiang Hanyu not understand this?

    Time flew by.

    It seemed like only yesterday that she and Yan Buqiu had arrived in the Demon Realm.

    On the day resentment enveloped Lingzhou, Li Yu had told her not to forget the wrong she had committed.

    She didn’t dare forget; it was etched in her memory.

    Li Yu wanted to protect Mu Tao, just as she wanted to protect Yan Buqiu, willing to do anything for her.

    Mu Tao’s Demon Bone had awakened because of her; she could never repay this debt to Li Yu.

    Although she didn’t know what happened, Li Yu had fainted in the passage between realms, seemingly suffering from the backlash of the Harmony Bells, but she believed Li Yu must have had her reasons.

    She had witnessed Li Yu’s care for Mu Tao; it was genuine.

    Mu Tao was alone now.

    In the ruthless Demon Realm, a newly transformed little wolf demon, even with a Demon Bone, how could she survive alone?

    After much deliberation, Xiang Hanyu, after returning Li Yu to Mount Chao Yao, immediately went back to Lingzhou and told Yan Buqiu her thoughts.

    She wanted to repay her debt to Li Yu, to atone for her mistake.

    She wanted to go to the Demon Realm and protect Mu Tao for Li Yu.

    The Demon Realm was dangerous; she didn’t know how long she would be gone or when she would return.

    But this was a debt she had to repay.

    She said that she knew Mu Tao had a Demon Bone and might one day lose control, leaving the Demon Realm and causing havoc in the human realm.

    But that was precisely why she had to stay by Mu Tao’s side, to help her maintain her last shred of humanity.

    Perhaps one day, when Li Yu was no longer constrained, she could return to Mu Tao.

    She couldn’t let Li Yu see a Mu Tao who had completely lost herself.

    Yan Buqiu, hearing this, looked at the melting snow and sighed softly.

    “I’ll go with you.”

    “You…aren’t you staying to protect Lingzhou?”

    “Protecting the Demon Bone is also protecting Lingzhou.” Yan Buqiu said softly, her gentle eyes reflecting Xiang Hanyu’s image. “Besides, all of this is partly my fault; you shouldn’t bear the burden alone.”

    “I…”

    “Hanyu, from now on, no matter where you are, no matter what you decide, I’ll be with you.”

    That day, Xiang Hanyu saw unwavering resolve in Yan Buqiu’s eyes.

    They bid farewell to the mountain spirits, left Lingzhou, their home for so long, and traveled through the hidden passage, into the lightless Demon Realm.

    After searching for several days, they finally found the little wolf demon, curled up beside a few demon corpses, a faint trace of resentment guiding them.

    Seeing Mu Tao again, Xiang Hanyu was stunned.

    She had imagined the little girl, always clinging to Li Yu, crying and trembling in fear after being abandoned in the Demon Realm.

    But when Mu Tao sensed their approach, she simply looked up, her eyes cold and alert, staring at them.

    She looked…unfamiliar.

    Those eyes were so different from the usual gentle gaze, like a lone wolf, without a trace of vulnerability.

    “Why are you here?” Mu Tao asked in a low voice.

    “We…were worried about you.”

    “Did Master send you?” Mu Tao asked.

    Xiang Hanyu hesitated for a moment, then lied, “Yes.”

    But that brief hesitation didn’t escape Mu Tao’s notice.

    Mu Tao curled up tighter, a flicker of disappointment in her crimson eyes.

    After a moment of silence, she said calmly, her voice devoid of emotion, “It’s all lies.”

    “We’ll stay with you…”

    “Whatever.” Mu Tao closed her eyes, seemingly wanting to rest.

    Xiang Hanyu quietly observed the little wolf demon.

    She looked dirty, her clothes stained with dried blood.

    The bloodstains, dark against the red fabric.

    She clutched something tightly in her hand, only a bit of red string visible.

    A faint demonic aura flickered around her small frame, dangerous yet controlled.

    Xiang Hanyu and Yan Buqiu waited patiently until Mu Tao stood up, then followed her as she walked away, her destination unknown.

    For six months, they followed Mu Tao.

    The initial aimlessness didn’t last long; the little girl quickly found her purpose.

    She wanted to become stronger, so strong that no one could bully her.

    The power of the Demon Bone, even demons feared it.

    But Mu Tao accepted it readily, not resisting, just striving to control and adapt.

    In this ruthless world, she repeatedly used that volatile power, enduring the backlash each time it threatened to consume her.

    Neither Xiang Hanyu nor Yan Buqiu could heal her injuries.

    Because both demonic and immortal energy were rejected by the Demon Bone.

    But perhaps because of the Demon Bone, Mu Tao’s regenerative abilities were far superior to ordinary beings, her wounds healing at a visible speed.

    As if impervious to pain, she constantly challenged renowned demon cultivators, never resting, always pushing herself.

    Xiang Hanyu lost count of how many times she tended to Mu Tao’s injuries.

    Perhaps because of their prolonged interaction, Mu Tao was no longer as cold and distant, occasionally talking to them.

    But besides wanting to control the Demon Bone’s power, almost every conversation revolved around the master who had abandoned her.

    There seemed to be no hatred in her words, either well hidden or truly gone.

    She seemed to believe that as long as she was strong enough, Li Yu would return to her side—no matter the cost, she would make her return.

    Xiang Hanyu watched as she relentlessly pursued power.

    Mu Tao’s name gradually spread throughout the Demon Realm.

    But she wasn’t satisfied; she wanted to be the strongest, to have the power and authority to obtain what she desired.

    And Xiang Hanyu could see that all Mu Tao wanted…was Li Yu.

    This girl, with the terrifying Demon Bone, her deepest desire was surprisingly pure.

    This desire made her cling to the last words Li Yu spoke to her before leaving.

    —Injure, but not kill.

    But the Demon Realm was chaotic; often, to protect herself, she had to kill.

    Every time this happened, she would say with a wry smile that she had disobeyed her master again, that her master would be angry.

    She seemed troubled by this, but it didn’t stop her.

    Recently, Mu Tao finally became the strongest in the Demon Realm.

    She was severely injured in the process and spent a long time recuperating.

    Then one day, a trader from the human realm brought news.

    Li Yu, the Exalted Immortal of Mount Chao Yao, was about to be married, and her betrothed was Lingyao Revered One, who should have been in hibernation, yet had somehow awakened.

    That day, after hearing about the events on Mount Chao Yao, Mu Tao fell into deep thought.

    The green spiritual fire in the room flickered, illuminating the shifting emotions in her eyes.

    Xiang Hanyu couldn’t decipher her thoughts.

    She only knew that Mu Tao, ignoring her injuries, immediately went to the passage between realms.

    Xiang Hanyu followed, unable to help but remind her, “Mu Tao, this could be a trap! They know you care about Li Yu, they’re trying to lure you…”

    “What if it’s not?” Mu Tao interrupted.

    “…”

    “If it’s not, then Master…truly doesn’t care about me anymore, right?”

    “…”

    For a moment, Xiang Hanyu saw a flicker of vulnerability in the usually resolute girl’s eyes.

    “Then I hope it is a trap, that Master was forced, I’ll save her, bring her back to the Demon Realm…” Mu Tao whispered, a strange glint in her eyes. “And she’ll stay with me forever.”

    How fortunate, her wish was granted.

    As she rushed towards Mount Chao Yao, her master was also fleeing.

    She didn’t know why, but amidst her heartache, Xiang Hanyu saw a flicker of joy in Mu Tao’s eyes.

    It was the first time she had seen such joy since arriving in the Demon Realm.

    Xiang Hanyu’s own feelings had also changed during these past six months.

    Her initial worries hadn’t materialized.

    Although Mu Tao had changed drastically since that winter day they first met, she hadn’t lost her core values.

    For someone with the Demon Bone to achieve this alone was beyond her expectations.

    Perhaps because of this, she no longer stayed by Mu Tao’s side just to repay her debt, but also because she saw this kind and stubborn girl as a younger sister, genuinely hoping for her happiness.

    “Mu Tao has been waiting anxiously, refusing to eat properly…” Xiang Hanyu sighed. “I hope the Exalted God wakes up soon. Mu Tao will be overjoyed.”

    “Yes,” Yan Buqiu replied, looking towards the closed door of the bedchamber, her voice filled with hope. “And I hope…Mu Tao can find the answers she’s looking for, answers that will bring her peace.”

    On her eighth day in the Demon Lord’s palace, Li Yu slowly opened her eyes.

    Her vision was blurry, as if shrouded in darkness, only a few flickering green lights visible.

    Slowly, her vision, and her memory, returned.

    This was an unfamiliar place.

    A bedchamber made of black stone, lit by green spiritual fire, its faint light casting long shadows.

    The furnishings were dark and heavy, the bed curtains a deep blue.

    A girl in red knelt by her bedside, her eyes closed, her brow furrowed, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly.

    This scene felt familiar, a hazy echo from a distant past.

    Without a dying candle to judge by, Li Yu couldn’t tell how long the girl had been here.

    She just stared at the familiar, youthful face, so familiar it felt like they hadn’t been apart, yet also like a lifetime ago.

    Mu Tao seemed to have lost weight.

    Li Yu’s heart ached, and she raised a stiff finger, gently caressing the cheek she hadn’t seen in so long.

    Mu Tao’s eyes snapped open.

    Without a word, tears welled up in her light brown eyes.

    She sat up straight, grabbed Li Yu’s hand, opened her mouth as if to say something, then just sniffled and whispered,

    “Master…”

    Her voice was soft, as if afraid to break a beautiful dream.

    She had been waiting for so long, and only now, looking into those deep blue eyes through her tears, did she truly believe her master was back.

    “Master, I missed you so much,” she choked out, her voice breaking.

    A surge of emotion overwhelmed Li Yu.

    “I…missed you too…” She tried to keep her voice steady, but tears blurred her vision.

    A single tear rolled down her cheek, forming a pearly white bead that landed on her dark hair.

    Li Yu froze, a wave of embarrassment washing over her.

    Tears turning into pearls, it sounded beautiful in novels, but experiencing it herself was mortifying!

    She quickly turned her head, trying to discreetly hide the pearl with her hair.

    But Mu Tao picked it up first.

    Her fingers brushed against Li Yu’s hair, a light flickering in her eyes as she looked at the pearl.

    “This is the second time Master has cried for me,” she whispered, a tearful smile on her face.

    She gently touched Li Yu’s cheek with the back of her hand.

    Her cool fingers brushed against Li Yu’s face, wiping away the tearstain.

    Her eyes became unfocused, a hazy longing in their depths.

    This sudden touch, that intense gaze, made Li Yu’s heart clench. Was this…appropriate?

    She instinctively pulled away slightly.

    Mu Tao’s hand froze in midair, the adoration in her eyes shifting.

    She frowned slightly, confused.

    The joy in her heart, like a dream shattering, was pulled back to reality.

    “Master, what are you hiding from?”

    “I…”

    “Master doesn’t like this?”

    “…”

    “But Master, don’t you always do this?” Mu Tao asked softly, a faint smile appearing on her lips.

    She took Li Yu’s left hand and placed it against her cheek.

    She could feel Li Yu trying to pull away, a flicker of panic in her blue eyes.

    Mu Tao: “Master abandoned me for so long, and now that we’re finally reunited, you seem…afraid of me?”

    Li Yu quickly explained, “Mu Tao, I’m not afraid of you…”

    Mu Tao: “Really?”

    Li Yu: “Really, it’s just…”

    Mu Tao interrupted. “You told me to learn to control the Demon Bone, and I did—it can no longer influence me!”

    She nuzzled against Li Yu’s hand.

    The silver bells in her sleeve chimed softly, and a determined glint appeared in her eyes.

    “When I brought you back, I noticed you were still wearing your Harmony Bell.”

    “Actually, I never took mine off either…”

    “You promised to stay by my side, to teach me how to control the Demon Bone, to help me gain power, protect those I want to protect, and obtain everything I desire—you broke your promise, but I did it all on my own.”

    Mu Tao’s lips gently brushed against Li Yu’s fingers, feeling her tremble.

    “Master,” she said, “I can protect you now.”

    A tear fell onto Li Yu’s hand.

    Warm droplets slid down her wrist, wetting the red string tied to the silver bells.

    Mu Tao took a deep breath and gently touched the bells,

    Her eyes red, she whispered—

    “So…does that mean…I can finally have you too?”

  • The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 75

    Chapter 75: Disciple and Wife

    Pointing at Tao Ning, Xiao Haoran declared, his voice filled with righteous indignation, “Tao Ning is a spy sent by the Demon Lord! She killed Er Lan, and she tried to kill me!”

    Chu Jingtong added, his voice smooth and insidious, “Such a ruthless and depraved individual… How could the Hanshan Sect be so blind?”

    Their coordinated attack shifted the blame squarely onto the Hanshan Sect, its reputation now at stake.

    A cultivator spoke up, his voice echoing through the arena. “If that’s true, then this demon spy cannot remain within the Hanshan Sect. She should be imprisoned in the Cloud Soaring Palace, known for its impartiality, until the truth is revealed.”

    Ling Huabi, the Young Mistress, sitting on the viewing platform, her face veiled, her lips twitching beneath the silk, was startled.

    Her mother hadn’t mentioned anything about this.

    Who had started the rumor about the Cloud Soaring Palace’s impartiality? They had simply imprisoned a few particularly troublesome cultivators. Did they think her sect was some kind of interdimensional police force?

    Jin Jiamu, her voice filled with alarm, protested, “Imprison my fellow disciple? No! She saved my life!”

    Ling Huabi, taken aback, retorted, “Who said anything about imprisoning anyone? Does the Cloud Soaring Palace look like it has time for such trivial matters?”

    “This is a setup! A deliberate frame-up!” Jin Jiamu was worried. She had heard about the extinguished soul lamp, but she hadn’t expected it to be blamed on Tao Ning.

    Ling Huabi, her own annoyance growing, wondered who was giving her that unsettling look.

    She glared back.

    Xiao Haoran, noticing the Young Mistress, and catching her glare, quickly said, “The Cloud Soaring Palace is known for its fairness. Their involvement will ensure a just outcome.”

    His words weren’t reassuring. Another cultivator shouted, “Why bother with investigations? Demonic techniques are treacherous and unpredictable! She should be executed immediately!”

    He leaped onto the platform, launching a full-powered attack, his Nascent Soul cultivation evident in the force of the blow, clearly intending to kill.

    Tao Ning’s eyes narrowed, her mind already calculating the most efficient method of eliminating this threat.

    Cen Dianshuang, unable to tolerate this any longer, acted.

    A flash of white, and a sword landed before Tao Ning, intercepting the attack. Cen Dianshuang, her movements a blur, met the cultivator’s attack head-on. He was no match for her, sent flying backwards, landing heavily on the ground below.

    Cen Dianshuang shielded Tao Ning, her voice cold and sharp. “Anyone else?”

    The cultivator, spitting blood, shouted, “See?! The Hanshan Sect is protecting her!”

    Tao Ning, her gaze fixed on Cen Dianshuang’s back, whispered, “Master…”

    Cen Dianshuang, glancing sideways, her eyes still fixed on the crowd, said softly, “Don’t worry. I won’t let them take you.”

    With the first attack launched, more followed, but Lizhu remained defiant.

    “I won’t hand her over. And I won’t hand over the cauldron. If you want to cause trouble in the Hanshan Sect, you’ll have to face Nanping first.”

    She raised her sword, its blade shimmering, and her disciples followed suit, their combined aura silencing the growing dissent.

    Despite her years as Sect Leader, her focus on administrative duties, Lizhu was still a powerful sword cultivator, her cultivation at the peak of Void Refining.

    And this was Hanshan Sect territory. Several reclusive Body Integration elders resided within the sect. Provoking the Hanshan Sect was a dangerous gamble.

    Unless someone present was more powerful than Lizhu, more senior, more influential.

    The Abbot of the Ascending Buddha Sect stood up, chanting a Buddhist prayer. “Sect Leader Lizhu, if you truly believe your disciple is innocent, then sending her to the Cloud Soaring Palace is simply a way to prove it. Actions speak louder than words.”

    Lizhu scoffed. “Actions speak louder than words? You’re already accusing us before any investigation. If she leaves, will she ever return? Or will we simply receive a ‘suicide note’ closing the case?”

    The Heavenly Heart Sect’s Young Master declared loudly, “You’re projecting your own guilt, Lizhu! Your Hanshan Sect is a haven for demons!”

    A Heavenly Heart Sect disciple began, “But she…” He was quickly silenced and dragged away.

    The Grand Elder shook his head. “You’re too young to understand. Stay out of this.”

    Zhuang Shimei, pulling away from his elder’s grasp, protested, “But without her, I wouldn’t even be here today!”

    The Grand Elder shook his head again. “These are the Sect Leader’s orders.”

    The clamor continued, their demands unwavering: hand over the demon spy, Tao Ning, and the Wanhun Cauldron.

    The Demonic Realm Saintess, hidden among the crowd, slipped away, heading towards the Hanshan Sect’s forbidden grounds.

    The Hanshan Sect’s stance was clear: they wouldn’t yield.

    Giving in now would only invite further demands.

    Tao Ning, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, her expression serious, felt a strange mix of familiarity and something else… she couldn’t quite name.

    Someone standing before her, defending her… The feeling was unfamiliar.

    520, panicking, its voice echoing in her mind, said, 【What are we going to do?! I should have advised you against this world! It’s too difficult! This is all my fault! I miscalculated the risk! This isn’t a mission for a newbie!】

    Its host was only on her second mission, her cultivation still low, a mere Golden Core, far weaker than her true form.

    Failing the mission was one thing, but it was genuinely worried about the potential psychological trauma.

    Tao Ning: “Don’t worry about me.”

    Two voices, spoken simultaneously, unheard by each other, yet echoing the same sentiment.

    Cen Dianshuang/520: “How can I not worry?”

    Tao Ning: “…”

    520, near tears: 【I wish I could afford to upgrade you to your true form!】

    Xiao Haoran exchanged a look with Chu Jingtong, who nodded subtly.

    Xiao Haoran, having started the fire, now added more fuel. “If Sect Leader Lizhu refuses, there’s another way.”

    He held up a mirror. “This is the Cycle Mirror. It reveals one’s true form, exposing all demons and disguised entities.”

    He hadn’t mentioned its other function: reversing time.

    This demon spy was barely three hundred years old. Reversing her age by two hundred years would reduce her to a newly initiated Qi Refining cultivator. He would finally have his revenge for the stolen artifacts.

    And in the ensuing chaos, they would claim the Wanhun Cauldron.

    Without waiting for a response, he tossed the mirror into the air, flipping it.

    Simultaneously, Chu Jingtong sent a wave of spiritual energy towards the mirror, activating it.

    The small, palm-sized mirror expanded rapidly, growing to the size of a person.

    Lizhu and the other Hanshan Sect elders paled, Lizhu instinctively raising her sword to destroy the mirror, her reaction only fueling the suspicions of the crowd.

    Only those falsely accused knew the true meaning of innocence. But Lizhu’s reaction was unexpected.

    Could we be right?

    A voice boomed through the arena. “Lizhu! You claim innocence! How do you explain this?!”

    Lizhu, her brow furrowed, didn’t answer, Elder Qianlian silently summoning her hammer, Elder Yaodan and the others also drawing their spirit weapons.

    They were ready to fight.

    The Cycle Mirror’s light intensified, a blinding purple light erupting from the platform, followed by the oppressive aura of a Mahayana cultivator.

    Unrestrained, its power sent those with weaker cultivation staggering back, clutching their chests, their faces pale as they hastily activated their protective barriers.

    Some were sent flying, coughing up blood.

    But no one looked away from the platform, their weapons drawn, their gazes fixed on the figure bathed in light.

    Such power… who was this Tao Ning?

    “What’s happening?! What did you do to the mirror?!” Chu Jingtong, his dantian aching, now facing centuries of recovery, demanded.

    Xiao Haoran, equally stunned, stammered, “I… I don’t know! Isn’t this your… the Beast King’s…?”

    As the light faded, the Cycle Mirror, still hovering in mid-air, revealed the true occupants of the platform.

    The sight made the onlookers gasp. “How…?”

    They had been standing one behind the other, Cen Dianshuang in front, Tao Ning, in her simple green robes, behind her.

    Now, their positions were reversed. Cen Dianshuang, in white, stood behind a woman in a magnificent purple robe, her aura powerful and unsettling.

    Their hands were still touching, Cen Dianshuang’s resting on her former disciple’s arm, but the texture beneath her fingers wasn’t the worn silver wristband, but smooth, cool silk.

    Cen Dianshuang looked up, her gaze fixed on the woman before her, who now towered over her.

    “You…”

    The same face, yet… different. Older, more mature, the subtle differences creating a vast chasm between the disciple she knew and the woman standing before her now.

    Tao Ning, caught off guard, had been focused on concealing Cen Dianshuang’s true form. As a human cultivator, Cen Dianshuang’s reflection would have revealed her demonic nature. Tao Ning, however, wouldn’t be affected.

    But the mirror had reversed their ages, transporting them back two hundred years.

    She smiled apologetically, the expression strained, forced.

    “Sorry. I tried to maintain my younger appearance, but…”

    Cen Dianshuang, confused, began, “What…?”

    Then, Tao Ning turned, flicking her wrist, and Poheng emerged from her sleeve.

    A divine artifact, Poheng was unmatched, its power now fully unleashed by its master’s restored cultivation, capable of shattering mountains.

    520, stunned, stared at its status panel. 【Did… did my wish come true?】 It checked its points balance. Unchanged. So the Cycle Mirror… or whatever it is… summoned the Host’s true form without spending any points? What a helpful artifact!

    Two hundred years ago, Qingji had been at the peak of Mahayana, unmatched in the three realms. This was bad.

    Chu Jingtong, seeing the approaching sword, turned to flee, but managed only a single step before a sharp pain pierced his chest.

    Looking down, he saw a sword tip protruding from his dantian, slowly retracting.

    No fancy techniques, just brute force, shattering his core, his carefully cultivated demon core cracking, releasing centuries of accumulated energy.

    He collapsed, his fall eliciting a chorus of screams.

    “That’s… that’s not human!”

    The figure lying on the ground wasn’t Chu Jingtong, but a five-tailed fox, its red fur matted with blood.

    Xiao Haoran, tripped by a fallen chair, watched in horror as the Chi Fox prince reverted to his true form, then… died.

    “Dead…?” He scrambled to his feet, turning to flee.

    What’s happening?! This isn’t how it’s supposed to go! The Heavenly Book didn’t mention any of this!

    Poheng, however, was faster, catching him, its blade piercing his dantian, pinning him to the ground.

    It happened so fast that the others barely registered it, only seeing the body fall face-first onto the ground.

    A hand, emerging from a wide sleeve, its fingers long and slender, like polished jade, reached down, gripping the sword hilt, withdrawing the heavy blade, its surface clean, not a trace of blood.

    Tao Ning landed gracefully beside the body, Poheng, a heavy, unwieldy weapon, now light as a feather in her hand.

    No one saw the flicker of spiritual energy that extinguished Xiao Haoran’s soul, or the small object she retrieved from his spatial pouch.

    But no one cared about the two now-silent troublemakers. Their gazes, filled with fear and awe, were fixed on the woman in purple.

    The space around her cleared, the onlookers backing away, wishing they could be even further, outside the arena, if possible.

    A safe distance.

    “Who… who are you, Senior?”

    Tao Ning, turning, her gaze sweeping over the crowd, a faint smile playing on her lips, replied, “You’re asking me?”

    Lizhu, after all these years, finally recognized the profile, the once-vague memory of a retreating figure now clear, overlapping perfectly with the woman standing before her.

    Her legs weakened, and she leaned heavily on Nanping, her voice a trembling whisper. “Grand… Grand Ancestor…?”

    Elder Qianlian, standing nearby, overheard her, repeating the word in disbelief. “Grand Ancestor?”

    Elder Yaodan, still puzzled by the silent bell, realizing that Chu Jingtong wasn’t who he claimed to be, his eyes widening in sudden understanding, exclaimed, “No way! Grand Ancestor?!”

    The whispers spread, reaching the Cloud Soaring Palace delegation.

    Ling Huabi nudged Jin Jiamu, who was staring at Tao Ning, her face pale. “Isn’t that your fellow disciple? She seems… different.”

    The bloodstains on her lips hadn’t fully faded, but they didn’t diminish her enjoyment of the unfolding drama.

    Jin Jiamu, also sporting a bloody lip, stammered, “She… she was my fellow disciple… But now… I don’t know!”

    What have I done?! I treated Grand Ancestor Qingji like… a friend! I even called her by her name! Repeatedly!

    And I stole her chicken leg…

    Jin Jiamu felt her soul leaving her body.

    Finally, someone understood the meaning of Lizhu’s words, their face paling as they exclaimed, “Such power! And Sect Leader Lizhu addressed her as Grand Ancestor! There’s only one person with such cultivation: Demon Lord Qingji!”

    “What?!”

    Tao Ning didn’t deny it, her purple robes shimmering, a smile playing on her lips, but not reaching her eyes.

    Cen Dianshuang’s heart pounded in her chest.

    She wanted to say something, but her mind was a blank, her thoughts scattered, the world around her blurring, the ground beneath her feet unsteady, as if she were floating on clouds.

    Then, she realized it wasn’t just her. The entire Hanshan Sect was shaking.

    Just as one crisis ended, another began.

    A figure, moving swiftly and silently, landed at the entrance to the forbidden grounds, the swirling mist parting before her.

    The Demonic Realm Saintess had come to awaken the Wanhun Cauldron. She carried an artifact imbued with Demon Lord Qingji’s aura.

    Qingji, upon abandoning the Refining Fire Palace and leaving the Demonic Realm, had seemingly left nothing behind. The current Demon Lord, however, had eventually found an artifact carrying a trace of her essence.

    A jade pendant, once used as the focal point of a spirit gathering formation, its surface smooth and polished, reflecting the light, its simple elegance a stark contrast to the Demonic Realm’s preference for ornate designs.

    The Saintess, holding the pendant, which she had carried for some time, was once again struck by its beauty.

    Taking a deep breath, she channeled her spiritual energy into the pendant.

    The Wanhun Cauldron, sensing its master’s call, despite the heavy guard and the powerful formations, broke free, its escape unstoppable.

    The Saintess’s face lit up with triumph. “The Demon Lord was right. This worked!”

    She reached out to catch the cauldron, but it flew past her, soaring into the sky.

    The Saintess: “…?” What’s happening?

    Why did it just… leave?

    The Hanshan Sect cultivators, pursuing the cauldron, exchanged bewildered glances with the Saintess. A female cultivator, drawing her sword, demanded, “Who are you? Why are you in our forbidden grounds?”

    The Saintess: …Me? Would they believe me if I said I was just passing through?

    Back in the arena, the cultivators turned towards the mountain gate.

    The tremors weren’t coming from the forbidden grounds, but from the gate itself. Someone was attacking the protective formation.

    A small cauldron appeared in the sky, and someone pointed, shouting, “What is that?!”

    Emerging from within the Hanshan Sect, its appearance unmistakable, its aura radiating power… it was the Wanhun Cauldron, answering its master’s call, breaking through the formations, flying towards her.

    Amidst the stunned silence, the cauldron landed gently in Tao Ning’s hand, the long-lost artifact reunited with its master, Demon Lord Qingji.

    Not only were their plans ruined, but their lives were now in danger.

    She was Demon Lord Qingji. Devouring a few hundred cultivators to replenish her strength wouldn’t be unusual.

    Tao Ning, after a moment, soothed the cauldron’s agitated spirit, then tucked it into her sleeve.

    She looked at the assembled cultivators, her hands spread wide, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I intended to leave the Wanhun Cauldron sealed away in the Hanshan Sect’s forbidden grounds. But now… I doubt it will stay put, don’t you agree?”

    Something even more terrifying than the return of Demon Lord Qingji had just happened. The Wanhun Cauldron had returned to its master.

    The cultivators: “…”

    Her seemingly lighthearted words sent shivers down their spines, their hearts pounding with fear.

    They were trapped.

    A disciple, his face pale, rushed into the arena, bowing deeply. “Sect… Sect Leader! The Demonic Realm is attacking!”

    Lizhu, ignoring her trembling legs, stood up, drawing her sword. “Who is it?”

    Before the disciple could answer, a booming laugh echoed from above.

    A man in black armor, riding a massive dragon, hovered above the mountain gate, his voice echoing through the Hanshan Sect. “Hand over the Wanhun Cauldron, and I’ll grant you a swift death.”

    The cultivators instantly recognized him.

    “Demon Lord Tu Ming?! What’s he doing here?!”

    “Is there something wrong with the Hanshan Sect’s feng shui? Why do they attract so many demons?”

    “Are you insane?! Demon Lord Qingji is right here!”

    “The former Demon Lord and the current Demon Lord… If Qingji is unleashed…!” Before he could finish, he was sent flying, his body crashing against a nearby platform.

    The two disciples sparring on the platform quickly jumped down, not daring to stand higher than Qingji.

    The earlier clamor died down. Those who had dared to disrespect the Demon Lord had learned their lesson.

    Tu Ming had come prepared. His followers were attacking the protective formation, their combined power weakening it.

    The formation’s power had been reduced for the disciple competition, creating an opportunity for the invaders.

    Enemies at the gate, a demon lord within… what were they supposed to do?

    Tao Ning, once again the center of attention, said casually, “Carry on. You can ignore me.”

    The cultivators: …Easy for you to say.

    Lizhu raised Nanping, her voice ringing with authority. “The Demonic Realm is attacking! We must unite and defend our home!”

    Since Lizhu was willing to overlook the current situation and focus on the external threat, they readily agreed, collectively ignoring the Demon Lord standing beside them, following Lizhu towards the mountain gate.

    The arena emptied quickly, though a few remained.

    Tao Ning, stepping over the bodies, descended the platform, her movements unhurried, her gaze fixed on Cen Dianshuang.

    The figure approaching, tall and elegant, her black hair flowing like a dark cloud, her purple robes shimmering, Poheng held loosely in her hand, was familiar. Her face, her walk, her weapon… Yet, Cen Dianshuang felt a sense of distance… a coldness she hadn’t sensed before.

    Tao Ning stopped before the platform, extending her hand, her voice soft, her eyes filled with something Cen Dianshuang couldn’t quite decipher. “Coming?”

    Cen Dianshuang began, “You…”

    Tao Ning’s expression softened, a hint of regret in her eyes. “I shouldn’t have deceived you. I never imagined it would come to this. But my feelings are real. I truly… care for you.”

    Cen Dianshuang: “…”

    Tao Ning’s hand remained outstretched. Cen Dianshuang, instead of taking it, jumped down from the platform, instantly regretting her impulsive action.

    Facing the legendary Demon Lord, her legs weakened, and she stumbled, caught by Tao Ning’s quick reflexes.

    Tao Ning’s voice was filled with concern. “Are you alright?”

    Cen Dianshuang, her head spinning, pulled away, shaking her head. “I’m fine. I can stand. I just need a moment.”

    This was all too much, too overwhelming.

    Tao Ning, her hand retracting, her eyes downcast, her expression suggesting “hurt” didn’t offer excuses or reassurances.

    She simply stood there, waiting, accepting whatever came next.

    Cen Dianshuang watched her like this, and something unfamiliar twisted in her chest

    Love was a difficult emotion to control. Even if silenced, it found other ways to express itself, a flicker in the eyes, a softening of the gaze.

    Tao Ning turned and walked away, her back radiating loneliness.

    Cen Dianshuang called out instinctively, “Where are you going?”

    Tao Ning stopped, turning back, her expression innocent. “To kill Tu Ming. He’s attacking our sect.”

    Cen Dianshuang: “…”

    Her mind, still reeling from the recent revelations, had almost forgotten the demon lord at their doorstep.

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 202

    Chapter 202: Battles Begin

    “You’re asking for it.” As Chen Yin spoke, his aura sharpened, his body radiating a chilling sword intent. His gaze was like a thousand blades, piercing through the darkness.

    The Grand Witch and the masked man instinctively retreated, their eyes wide with surprise.

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor’s voice, filled with disbelief, echoed from above. “Impossible! You weren’t even using your full strength?!”

    “Try me and find out.”

    Chen Yin’s eyes had lost their warmth, replaced by a cold, hard glint.

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor roared, and the giant hand, imbued with the essence of the Dao, descended again, the surrounding lava churning and swirling around it.

    This time, Chen Yin didn’t dodge. He charged forward, his sword a blur of motion.

    Countless sword images flickered around him as he leaped onto one of them, the images converging into a single, blindingly bright blade.

    The ascending sword energy shattered the giant hand and the molten lava, its power tearing through the very fabric of reality.

    “You!?”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor’s eyes widened in disbelief. “The Sword Dao? You’ve comprehended the Dao?!”

    “If this is the Sword Dao,”

    Chen Yin chuckled wryly, “then perhaps I’ve already comprehended it.”

    “Impossible! You’ve comprehended the Dao, yet your cultivation is only at the Supreme Clarity Realm…”

    “I don’t know.” Chen Yin’s gaze hardened, and he pointed his sword at the Wu Xuan Ancestor. “You can ask Yama when you get to hell.”

    “Arrogant!”

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor roared in fury. “Even if you’ve comprehended the Dao, victory is not assured!”

    “Die!”

    The withered canopy of the tree began to crumble, and the massive face slowly disappeared, revealing a hunched and emaciated figure.

    The Wu Xuan Ancestor had finally revealed his true form.

    Although he looked like a frail old man, his withered body radiated a power far greater than before.

    The moment he appeared, the Grand Witch and the masked man’s hearts skipped a beat.

    “Is this… the Immortal Realm?”

    “Holy crap,” the masked man’s System exclaimed. “This is way beyond your level! I’m not sure I can save you if you fight him!”

    The masked man stared at the Wu Xuan Ancestor, his resolve unwavering.

    “We might as well die here together.”

    “You’re more likely to die from the aftershocks of their fight if you don’t get out of here.”

    Chen Yin’s eyes were locked on the Wu Xuan Ancestor, not with fear, but with a burning fighting spirit.

    “So you were holding back.”

    “I imagine maintaining your existence in this world after reaching the Immortal Realm comes at a great cost, doesn’t it?”

    “Heh, you’re a clever boy.” The Wu Xuan Ancestor chuckled darkly. “To avoid the Heavenly Dao’s suppression, I used the power of the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma to conceal my true form centuries ago. So I could survive until it ripened. But now… I can no longer hold back.”

    He raised a withered hand, and the very air around them crackled with power.

    A chilling sense of danger washed over the Grand Witch and the masked man.

    “Danger!” their Systems warned simultaneously. But even with the warning, they couldn’t react to an Immortal’s attack.

    An invisible force gripped their hearts, a crushing pressure threatening to suffocate them.

    The Grand Witch’s eyes widened in terror, while the masked man gritted his teeth.

    “Don’t you dare!”

    But the Wu Xuan Ancestor’s attack was interrupted.

    A sharp sword light pierced through the air, forcing him to defend himself.

    Clang!

    The Eternal Light sword clashed against an invisible barrier, the impact sending shockwaves through the chamber, the lava solidifying instantly.

    Chen Yin held his sword, his gaze calm and unwavering.

    “That’s twice now.”

    “A so-called Immortal, resorting to such cowardly tactics.”

    “No wonder you’ve been hiding in this place like a turtle for so many years.”

    “Insolent brat!” The Wu Xuan Ancestor roared, his hand crushing the space around Chen Yin, trying to obliterate him.

    But the Eternal Light sword shone brightly, its light unwavering amidst the chaos.

    Chen Yin’s hair whipped around his face as he stood there, his body radiating a powerful sword intent, like a blade piercing through the heavens.

    The masked man stared at him, his eyes unfocused.

    …Is he angry?

    Why?

    Because the Wu Xuan Ancestor tried to kill us?

    He knew it wasn’t possible.

    But he couldn’t help but hope.

    If only it was for him.

    If only he was angry because someone had tried to hurt him.

    If only he cared.

    …If only.

    A sudden burst of sword energy snapped him back to reality.

    Chen Yin and the Wu Xuan Ancestor were exchanging blows, their power shaking the very foundations of the secret realm, the space around them distorted beyond recognition. He and the Grand Witch could only see blurry shadows, unable to discern what was happening.

    “What’s going on?” the masked man asked his System anxiously.

    “When those who have comprehended the Dao fight, it’s not like your petty squabbles.”

    The System’s voice was grim. “This world can barely withstand their power. That entire area has been reduced to pure void. I can’t see what’s happening.”

    The masked man fell silent.

    “You should trust him,” the System said, seeing his unease. “He’s the only person I’ve ever seen who’s not a Chosen One, yet more powerful than most.”

    The masked man nodded slowly.

    The Grand Witch, on the other hand, was more direct with her System.

    “Hey, can Chen Yin win?”

    “I don’t know.”

    “Then what can we do if he loses? Do you have any escape plans?”

    “Not necessarily.”

    “Then what good are you?!”

    The Grand Witch cursed, and the System wisely remained silent.

    She looked towards the blurry figures in the sky, her eyes filled with a desperate hope.

    …Please win, Young Master Chen. Please.

    Meanwhile, on the Ten Thousand Mountains…

    The night was quiet and still, even the insects had settled down.

    The Wu Xuan Cave was silent and peaceful.

    But on the cliff overlooking the village, countless figures moved swiftly and silently through the shadows.

    Three figures stood at the edge of the cliff, their hands clasped behind their backs.

    “It’s so quiet, I thought the village was deserted.” The Huanxi Sect Master said, his voice filled with surprise.

    “The miasma is at its densest at night. Naturally, the Wu Xuan Cave’s defenses are also at their weakest.”

    The Lingyu Sect Master whispered, “Even they wouldn’t expect a night attack in such dense miasma.”

    “Thanks to the Divine Messenger’s pills, our disciples can move freely through the poison.”

    The Chiyu Sect Master bowed respectfully to the figure behind them.

    Divine Messenger Fu Zhe smiled faintly. “I always keep my promises.”

    “The opportunity is before you. Whether you seize it or not is your choice.”

    The three Sect Masters bowed in unison.

    Under the moonlight, their figures became blurry and indistinct as they dispersed, their disciples following them like shadows, melting into the darkness.

    Fu Zhe stood on the cliff, looking down at the silent village, a satisfied smile on his face.

    He knew that

    Within half an hour…

    …This place would become a living hell.

    “Heehee,” he chuckled darkly.

    “I haven’t felt this excited in a long time.”

    “Soon, the air will be filled with the sweet scent of blood.”

    He was truly happy.

    He had been suppressed for too long.

    Ever since the Divine Son had ordered them to avoid the Ten Thousand Fragrance Pavilion and Yu Ling, he hadn’t had a chance to indulge his bloodlust.

    He hadn’t killed anyone in a long time.

    The peaceful village below was like a sleeping paradise in his eyes.

    He couldn’t wait to hear the screams and cries of pain.

    “System, can I finally let loose tonight?”

    The System sighed softly.

    “You’re the host. I can’t stop you.”

    “Heehee, then I won’t hold back.”

    Fu Zhe licked his lips and took a step forward.

    His figure vanished instantly.

    Although it was late at night, a candle flickered in Nan Xiaoxiang’s room.

    She sat at her desk, diligently recording her observations and the various ailments she had encountered that day.

    The Wu Xuan Cave was truly a treasure trove of medical knowledge. The villagers were well-versed in the properties of poisons and possessed knowledge of rare and unusual herbs not found in any medical texts. She had learned much from them.

    She wanted to record everything she had learned and bring it back to her clinic.

    As she wrote, her eyes suddenly flickered, and she looked towards the door.

    Qingying and Luo Luo appeared.

    “Luo Luo? Miss Qingying? What are you—”

    “We have to leave.”

    Qingying’s expression was serious, her voice urgent. “Something’s about to happen.”

    Before Nan Xiaoxiang could ask, a playful voice came from outside:

    “The System wasn’t wrong.”

    “There are other Chosen Ones here.”

    Qingying’s eyes widened, and she drew her dagger, her gaze fixed on the doorway.

    Fu Zhe, his face hidden behind a mask, strolled into the room.

    “What a pleasant surprise.”

    “Young lady, would you be interested in joining Shen Li?” He asked with a smile.

    Qingying whispered to Luo Luo, “Take Nan Xiaoxiang and hide in the void. Don’t come out,” her eyes fixed on Fu Zhe.

    Luo Luo, no longer the naive little fox, immediately shifted to her true form and pulled Nan Xiaoxiang into the void.

    Fu Zhe’s smile faded.

    “It seems you’re not interested in my offer.”

    Qingying didn’t answer, but silently called out to her System.

    “This won’t be easy.”

    “We have to try.”

    “Then let’s do it.”

    A faint light flickered in Qingying’s eyes.

    Like a cat lurking in the shadows.

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 137p2

    Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Seven: A4’s Delicacy p2

    As long as they hadn’t reached C-rank, the attacks of most Awakened were not as powerful as rifles, so rifles were a very important combat resource for the camp. Ability plus gun fighting was basically the standard configuration of every low-level Awakened.

    But when these bullets hit the bone plates of that zombie, there were sparks of metal friction, and they couldn’t penetrate the armor at all.

    And the bullets that hit the head and gonads of the shrimp zombie, although they exploded blood flowers, seemed to have no effect on the shrimp zombie.

    Although the attack had no effect, their attack had obviously angered the shrimp zombie.

    The shrimp zombie did not roar or howl, and even its legs were holding those eggs flowing with poisonous blood… It used its two large pincers to support its body and quickly swung towards Wan Zi.

    When a huge zombie with no weaknesses found was rushing towards you, it was impossible to say that you were not afraid.

    But Wan Zi couldn’t retreat. If she retreated, no one behind her could withstand the zombie in front of her.

    If she retreated further, behind her were the old, weak, women, and children of the camp.

    “Get behind me!!!”

    Wan Zi, who rarely spoke loudly, was a little out of tune. She raised her hands and inserted them into the ground. The sand and soil infused with adhesive rushed up from the ground, forming a sand and soil cage to isolate the shrimp zombie inside.

    “Boom—”

    The shrimp zombie hit the pillar and made a huge shaking sound, but fortunately, Wan Zi’s pillar blocked the zombie.

    Huff… fortunately it was blocked…

    “Open—!”

    Just when Wan Zi was about to take advantage of the victory and let others shoot, suddenly, the shrimp zombie in the sand and soil cage opened its curled abdomen covered with giant eggs.

    After the abdomen was opened, Wan Zi saw that in the middle of the dense round eggs on the shrimp zombie’s abdomen, there was a round giant mouth.

    And in the center of the giant mouth, there was a slightly glowing round insect egg.

    “Wanzi! Be careful!”

    “Pfft—”

    With a disgusting squirting sound, the shrimp zombie, supporting its body with its giant claws, bit the insect egg in its mouth with its round mouth on its abdomen.

    The viscous insect blood and venom sprayed towards Wan Zi at a speed that Wan Zi did not expect.

    But a D-rank Awakened with muscle evolution next to her reacted faster than Wan Zi.

    He rushed directly in front of Wan Zi, opened his arms, and took this venom spray for Wan Zi. His entire front was corroded by the venom and made sizzling sounds.

    But even though he blocked it like this, a few drops of venom still passed him and dripped onto Wan Zi’s arm, melting through her clothes, corroding her flesh and blood, and leaving a deep wound visible to the bone.

    Excruciating pain.

    Not only in her hand, but also in front of her, her subordinate was gradually dissolving before her eyes.

    Wan Zi felt that her brain was burning, but the anger was quickly extinguished by the heavy rain and the shrimp zombie in front of her that put another egg into its mouth again.

    She had to stay calm… No matter how angry she was, she had to stay rational at this time… She was carrying not only her own life…

    She absolutely couldn’t let this zombie run to the camp below along the water… Fortunately, it was discovered early, and there was still a chance to lure it away…

    “Pfft—”

    Pink gel shot out from Wan Zi’s hand and wrapped the fallen subordinate’s whole body. Although she didn’t know if this could save his life, at least it could prevent his flesh from being corroded by the venom.

    “Damn it!”

    Picking up the uncorroded rifle on the ground, Wan Zi rushed towards the cage of sand pillars.

    “Dada-dada—”

    Even when running and shooting, her marksmanship accurately hit the insect egg in the center of the zombie’s abdominal mouth. After the insect egg was blown up, the zombie had to reload its poisonous eggs.

    Throwing away the rifle that had run out of bullets, Wan Zi had already rushed to the sand pillar, and her hands slammed into the sand pillar.

    “Ch—”

    A huge amount of gel connected all these sand pillars together, looking like the cage was filled with dripping glue.

    The zombie struggled frantically in the gel, and these gels couldn’t stop it for long.

    “Drink ah—!”

    After imprisoning the shrimp zombie, Wan Zi’s bloody hands slammed into the mud in front of the cage. A huge mud pillar stabbed out diagonally, lifting the huge gel cage into the air.

    Try to use this method to push this B zombie to a place far away from the camp before her blood crystals were exhausted…

    No matter what…

    “Boom—”
    “Whoosh—”

    Suddenly, just when Wan Zi was thinking about how to kill this tricky thing, a rumbling sound suddenly sounded from behind in the distance.

    No… this sound seemed to have sounded before, but it was too far away, and coupled with the heavy rain, people thought it was thunder.

    Wasn’t it thunder?!

    Before Wan Zi could turn around to look, a blood-red stream of light, like a meteor, fell directly from the sky and slammed into the sand and soil cage that Wan Zi had just lifted.

    “Rumble—”

    The sand and soil cage, which had not flown far, was directly pressed to the ground by the red stream of light, making a huge vibration sound. Mud and stones even splashed onto Wan Zi’s face.

    “Rumble—”

    A bolt of lightning struck in the distance, making a loud explosion. And the flash brought by this thunder also allowed Wan Zi to see more directly what the red stream of light in front of her was.

    This was…

    In the white light of the lightning, Wan Zi saw a figure with long golden hair, holding the terrifying head of the shrimp zombie with one hand in the rain.

    It was a… woman?

    And she was a beautiful woman with a slender body and a very beautiful and well-proportioned figure.

    But what the “beauty” was doing at this time was enough to make people dumbfounded.

    Her left foot stepped on the ground, her right foot stepped on the tail fin of the shrimp zombie, her right hand was raised high, her right hand was covered with a blood-red, black giant claw that was unknown whether it was flesh or something, and she was firmly grasping the shrimp’s head.

    And the position where she was standing was exactly the blind spot of the two huge shrimp pincers—in the “arms” of the shrimp zombie.

    Maybe the shrimp zombie itself didn’t expect that someone would directly send themselves to its mouth.

    The shrimp zombie, which didn’t have much intelligence, its abdominal mouthparts wriggled directly, and with a “pop” sound, it bit the poisonous egg in its mouth.

    “Be careful!”

    “Pfft—”

    Wan Zi was still too late to shout.

    The venom sprayed on the woman’s body, emitting bursts of white smoke… but it didn’t even burn through her body!

    What the hell was this person?!

    Soon, the golden-haired “woman” proved to Wan Zi with her actions again that she was really not a human.

    Seemingly curious about the structure of the poisonous egg, the woman’s free left hand stretched out directly and forcibly pulled out a fist-sized insect egg from the shrimp zombie’s abdomen.

    Then, under everyone’s gaze, she directly… put the insect egg… into her mouth.

    Without even chewing, the insect egg was swallowed whole. In less than a second, the muscles of the woman’s whole body began to wriggle as if they were alive.

    Under Wan Zi’s horrified gaze, the woman slowly opened her mouth to the shrimp zombie in front of her.

    “Pfft—”

    A black insect egg with a similar structure was ejected from the woman’s mouth and hit the shrimp zombie’s mouthparts and exploded. Then black blood splashed, and the shrimp zombie’s body was quickly corroded by the black blood.

    The golden-haired woman shook her head slightly, seemingly not very satisfied with this ability.

    This… this… this woman… used an ability similar to that of the shrimp zombie?

    No… this was not a human… this must be a human-shaped zombie!

    All the actions of the golden-haired “woman” violated everyone’s common sense. Soon, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the giant claw in the woman’s hand clenched tightly, directly crushing the entire head of the shrimp zombie!

    “Pop—”

    The bursting brain matter splashed everywhere, but soon seemed to be attracted, and poured into the woman’s body. If you looked closely, you could see that it was black and red mycelium that was pulling the splashed debris into the woman’s body.

    Under this rapid devouring, besides a small amount of black blood, only two shining blood crystals were left on the ground.

    The golden-haired “woman” lowered her right hand, which had turned into a black giant claw, and pinched the two blood crystals with the tip of her claw. Then, the blood crystals disappeared out of thin air in her hand.

    “Boom—”

    Without any eye contact, or even a word, the monster-like woman bent her knees slightly and directly leaped to the top of the mountain with a long jump that ordinary people could not understand.

    Then, on the top of the mountain, another booming sound of jumping sounded again, and the golden-haired woman’s body turned into a stream of light, dragging a blood-thread-like “tail wing”, and gliding towards the distance.

    What the hell…

    What happened?

    The surroundings fell into silence. Wan Zi stared blankly at the sky, countless question marks flashing in her mind.

    But the mountainside that had calmed down and the continuous heavy rain finally brought Wan Zi back to her senses.

    “Damn it! Don’t stand there! Carry the wounded down! Quick, quick, quick!!!”

    B-rank, absolutely the legendary B-rank! It was just unclear whether it was a zombie or a human… Looking at the ability, it didn’t seem like a human, but it didn’t attack them, so it didn’t seem like a zombie…

    Since the other party didn’t trouble her, that was a good thing… Instead of dwelling on this, it was better to quickly carry the wounded down for rescue.

    The wounded were quickly carried down the mountain for treatment under the command, and the golden-haired figure, the blood-red stream of light, and the scarlet tail wing left a deep impression and a deep sense of powerlessness on everyone present.

    It was as if in front of that terrifying blood crystal entity, they were all insects, and their lives would be destroyed in an instant…

    Too terrifying… B-rank…

    Unlike the people in the Qingzhou University Camp, there was the person of that blood-red stream of light.

    At this time, Lin Jiayao was gliding towards the next C-rank zombie, smacking her lips in the air, as if she was reminiscing about something, completely not thinking about what happened just now.

    After swallowing the insect egg just now, A4 also obtained a similar ability, but it was basically useless.

    It was not needed to deal with the weak, and it could not be used to deal with the strong. It was quite useless for the B-rank A4.

    What made Lin Jiayao more gratified was that A4’s sense of taste seemed to have evolved to B-rank and could block some disgusting tastes.

    It was also possible that A4’s definition of delicious was different.

    Just like just now, she directly swallowed the insect egg without feeling any disgust, and it was even sour and a little appetizing.

    Of course, this was also related to Lin Jiayao’s strong psychological quality.

    As someone who had eaten raw Lurkers and swallowed raw Biters, Hunters, and Sprinters, and even enjoyed unlimited refills in her “mind”, swallowing a poisonous egg raw really didn’t have any psychological pressure on her.

    Maybe under the influence of 【Hunting Rhythm】, she did these things like instinct, without causing any psychological discomfort or nausea, and she was in a very good state.

    Leaving aside the ability, in terms of the taste and texture of various zombies, Lin Jiayao should be considered an expert.

    People had seen people being chased and bitten by zombies, but others had definitely not seen people chasing and biting zombies.

    In the next two hours, Lin Jiayao hunted seven C-rank zombies and obtained more than fourteen blood crystals.

    She arrived at the Extraction Point half an hour early with the blood crystals, and planned to quickly collect a wave of Zombie Loot Boxes after going out, quickly check if there was anything new in the Hideout, and what needed to be upgraded, and then go to sleep to replenish her energy.

    It should be around nine or ten o’clock in the evening outside, and she could still rest for a long time.

    But just after she extracted, put the blood crystals into the Warehouse in the settlement space, and just clicked the button to leave the settlement interface, her eyes went black and she fainted.

    Before fainting, Lin Jiayao sighed slowly in her heart.

    Sure enough, her mental power was still not enough…

    After seeing Mask tomorrow, she would go to Goldie’s place to “harvest” and see if she could evolve Goldie.