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  • Miss Luo Yan’s Feet Are Buried With Corpses v3c8

    Witch’s Night: Chapter 8 Talking Behind Someone’s Back, To Their Face

    Due to Luo Yan’s special nature, neither Granny Zoya nor Norian had approached that area in the past few days, and they had also strictly forbidden anyone from approaching the apartment.

    The situation in Lannister was very different from Yan City, and Luo Yan’s arrival had indeed been too alarming.

    Before the Saint arrived in Lannister, Norian didn’t intend to change the current situation and wanted to maintain the status quo as much as possible.

    It was best to leave this thorny matter to the Saint to resolve.

    But this didn’t mean that Norian wasn’t paying attention to Luo Yan’s situation.

    In fact, he had many questions about this mysterious girl, but due to caution, he hadn’t voiced them.

    —Unnecessary knowledge could bring disaster, and forbidden knowledge could drive people mad.

    No matter what, all matters related to the Primordial Demons had to be treated with the utmost caution.

    “Um…”

    Hua Qingling hesitated for a moment, glanced at Luo Yan, who was frowning and fiddling with a cocktail next to her, and nodded,

    “It should be fine.”

    …What kind of answer was that?

    And, following Hua Qingling’s suddenly shifting gaze, Norian finally saw Luo Yan, who had been previously ignored.

    The presence that Luo Yan had reduced through “Envy” was almost like invisibility. Even if someone was very close, without deliberately looking, they would be forced to overlook her.

    It wasn’t until Hua Qingling’s glance that Norian had the chance to notice Luo Yan.

    He was startled. A black-haired young man was sitting right next to him, and he hadn’t noticed at all.

    Norian didn’t suspect that this was Luo Yan’s ability, but rather attributed it to his scattered attention due to exhaustion and mental fatigue from the past few days.

    “Oh… sorry, young man, I didn’t see you just now.” Norian looked at Luo Yan and nodded apologetically. “You must be Hua Qingling’s partner? You two are a good match.”

    Just as Granny Zoya’s information suggested, it was indeed a handsome young man.

    Norian had only said this out of politeness, but before Luo Yan could say anything, Hua Qingling hurriedly denied it, her cheeks slightly flushed,

    “No, no, we’re not… that kind of relationship.”

    “We are friends.”

    Luo Yan looked up slightly and said seriously.

    The clear voice was very pleasant, but Norian felt that it was somewhat familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he had heard it before.

    He didn’t connect it to Luo Yan, mainly because of the gender…

    If Granny Zoya were here, she would have seen through Luo Yan’s appearance hidden by the mental distortion at a glance. Unfortunately, Norian’s strength wasn’t nearly enough to reach that level.

    “Hmm?” Norian was a little taken aback, but he quickly adjusted. “Alright, it seems your relationship hasn’t been confirmed yet. I’ve spoken out of turn.”

    “It’s not… forget it.”

    Hua Qingling didn’t want to continue down this path, although Luo Yan didn’t seem to mind.

    She took a deep breath, her voice slightly lower,

    “Magistrate Norian, before that, there are some important questions I’d like to ask you.”

    Even though she had the right to question, facing the renowned Chief Magistrate of Lannister, Hua Qingling was still somewhat nervous.

    Admittedly, Norian wasn’t particularly strong, but in the New Era… there were many things just as important as strength.

    Norian could make Lannister powerful, and that was enough.

    “It seems… these aren’t friendly questions.” Norian’s expression also became slightly serious. “Ask away. Even if they are offensive questions… I will try my best to answer your doubts.”

    He had a good impression of Hua Qingling; she was indeed an outstanding young talent.

    “May I ask, Magistrate Norian, why did you secretly send surveillance personnel to our residence?”

    Hua Qingling’s tone wasn’t strong, but her attitude was quite firm.

    “If this is Lannister’s way of treating guests… I can only say that there are some serious flaws in the impression you and Lannister have left on me.”

    “Surveillance personnel? No… I never authorized such actions.”

    Norian’s pupils constricted, and his expression became serious. “This is a very serious incident. I… Lannister will investigate this thoroughly.”

    After saying that, Norian immediately took out his communicator. After a few rings, Granny Zoya’s surprised voice came through,

    “Norian? Why are you suddenly contacting me through the emergency line? Did something unexpected happen at the banquet?”

    Although Granny Zoya had left the room with Norian, she hadn’t entered the banquet hall.

    On the one hand, she wasn’t interested in these things due to her age, and on the other hand… her status was rather special.

    To use a somewhat inappropriate but apt analogy, Granny Zoya was to Lannister what the Saints were to all of humanity. Someone who usually didn’t appear, and when she did, it was a big deal.

    Moreover, she was also of a very high seniority. Even the oldest elder in the Council of Elders had to address her as Granny. Her presence at the scene would create too much pressure.

    “No… Granny Zoya, this is much more serious than an accident at the banquet. I need you to investigate this matter immediately.”

    Norian said in a deep voice.

    “What is it?”

    Hearing this tone, Granny Zoya immediately became serious as well.

    “Someone has quietly infiltrated Restricted Zone Seven and has already made contact with Miss Hua Qingling and Miss Luo Yan. I suspect it’s… their doing.”

    Although Norian didn’t explicitly say it, Granny Zoya knew at once that “they” referred to the Church of the End Gods.

    These troublesome cultists had often caused chaos in major mega-cities in recent years, and there had been several difficult incidents in Lannister as well.

    Moreover, these cultists had been gathering in Lannister recently. Coupled with Luo Yan’s identity, it was hard not to make further associations.

    “Alright, I’ll set off immediately.”

    Granny Zoya didn’t waste any time. This matter concerned the safety of Lannister, and there was no room for ambiguity.

    After hanging up the phone, Norian looked at Hua Qingling apologetically,

    “I’m very sorry, this was our mistake. It won’t happen again. Please believe in Lannister’s sincerity. We treat every guest with the same sincerity.”

    “Uh… I can see that…”

    Hua Qingling was somewhat dazzled by Norian’s actions.

    Usually, when officials said they would launch an investigation, or that there wouldn’t be a next time, or expressed that the higher-ups hadn’t authorized it, they were just covering up the truth.

    But Norian…

    Clearly, he wasn’t.

    Even if it were a staged act, it wouldn’t be possible to involve a “Destruction” level ability user…

    However, was it necessary to go to such lengths?

    “It seems we’ve misunderstood Lannister,” Hua Qingling breathed a sigh of relief, but was still somewhat puzzled. “But, is it necessary to trouble Granny Zoya with this matter?”

    “Of course it’s necessary, very necessary,” Norian looked deeply at Hua Qingling. “Young lady, you have no idea how dangerous the young lady beside you is.”

    Hua Qingling: “?”

    Luo Yan: “?”

    Seeing Hua Qingling’s bewildered expression, Norian sighed deeply.

    In his opinion, Hua Qingling didn’t believe him.

    Indeed, during the short time he had spent with the mysterious girl from the forest outside the city to Lannister, it was hard for Norian to associate her with the terrifying Primordial Demons.

    No matter how you looked at it, she was just an ordinary girl who was a little frail.

    However… Norian had thoroughly learned about everything that happened in Yan City through various channels, combined with the on-site intelligence brought back by the rescue team he had casually sent out.

    Norian had come to the truth known only to a few, that Luo Yan had used the body of Dawn’s Mister “One” and entered the Void to confront the Witch of Envy in the final battle.

    No one knew what happened in the Endless Void, only that Luo Yan eventually returned to the present world alive.

    But there was another point. Granny Zoya had seen Luo Yan in her crimson dress form, and the unknown and terrifying feeling she felt when looking directly at her was very similar to the Witch of Envy.

    Coupled with the Saint’s specific instructions…

    It was hard not to suspect whether the one who returned to the present world was the original Luo Yan, or the Witch of Envy.

    Or perhaps both.

    “Anyway, just take my advice, it’s best to keep your distance from her,” Norian composed himself and continued,

    “After this matter is over, don’t have anything more to do with her. Even a slight connection could bring unimaginable disaster—it’s precisely for this reason that I designated your residence as a restricted zone, absolutely forbidding anyone from entering or leaving.

    “As for surveillance, that’s even more absurd. Lannister doesn’t want to take unnecessary risks, and neither do I.”

    After Norian finished this series of earnest words, Hua Qingling’s expression became even more bewildered, while Luo Yan remained expressionless.

    Talking bad about someone in front of them.jpg

    “It shouldn’t… be that serious,” Hua Qingling coughed lightly, trying to defuse the awkward situation and salvage Luo Yan’s image in Norian’s eyes.

    “Miss Luo Yan stayed in Yan City for several months and resolved many Calamity events for the city… including this war. If it weren’t for her, Yan City might not have survived.”

    Luo Yan, upon hearing these words, slightly turned her face away, a faint blush appearing almost imperceptibly.

    Being praised to her face… was still a bit awkward.

    “No, no, Miss Qingling—please allow me to address you as such. From various perspectives, Yan City was just a lucky exception, and we absolutely cannot expect such an exception to occur a second time.”

    Norian shook his head and said seriously, “Admittedly, Miss Luo Yan is a very good young lady. Putting aside these external factors, even I admire such a young person very much… However, her personality doesn’t change her essential nature.

    “No matter how kind a person is, they are dangerous when their pockets are full of explosives. The danger of explosives doesn’t change because the person holding them is kind. In my opinion, the power Miss Luo Yan possesses is this ‘explosive.’

    “You can choose to believe that her kind nature will prevent her from using the ‘explosives’ recklessly, but you can’t guarantee that these ‘explosives’ will never fall on your own head.”

    Although he was speaking ill of Luo Yan, Norian’s words made a lot of sense.

    “That’s the first time I’ve heard such an analogy, it’s quite apt.”

    Luo Yan said softly, finally putting down the cocktail glass she had been fiddling with for a long time.

    …She really didn’t have any talent for mixing drinks; the several glasses she had made all tasted quite strange.

    “Power indeed has no inherent good or evil, but it does possess a certain degree of danger. When this danger exceeds control, it doesn’t matter who holds the power, what matters is… the ‘explosive’ explodes.”

    Luo Yan continued along Norian’s line of thought. “The result of the explosion won’t be weakened because the person who triggered it is kind… Therefore, when such terrifying power appears in the present world, one must always be prepared for it to lose control.”

    Were the Misters of Dawn good people?

    Undoubtedly, in the general sense, they were all good people.

    However, when the demonic powers they possessed went out of control, could the fact that they were good people prevent the consequences of that loss of control?

    No.

    All the contradictions of tragedy stemmed from this.

    Luo Yan had been quite ignorant of these things before, until Norian’s words enlightened her, summarizing these things that she vaguely understood but couldn’t express.

    “Oh?” Norian turned his gaze to Luo Yan (black-haired young man face) again. “Unexpectedly, young man, may I ask your name?”

    “Luo Yan.”

    “Alright, Mr. Luo Yan… Luo Yan?”

    The glass in Norian’s hand trembled.

    “Or you can just call me Luo Yan, or Miss Luo Yan.”

    Luo Yan picked up the juice used for mixing cocktails next to her, filled her glass, and slightly raised it to touch Norian’s glass,

    “Apologies, Magistrate Norian, I left the restricted zone without permission, but I have already gotten the answers I wanted and will be leaving here soon.”

    “…My words just now may have been offensive.”

    Even a seasoned veteran like Norian couldn’t help but feel embarrassed when caught talking behind someone’s back, especially to their face.

    Norian blushed, at a loss for words.

    “But those were all truths,” Luo Yan said indifferently, her gaze falling on the scene of clinking glasses not far away. “Hmm… so this is what it’s like to hold a banquet in a hall. I’ve never seen it before.”

    Everything in Natalie Manor was desolate, and even the spacious hall never had any guests.

    Even though the memories left in Ghost Town were heartwarming, Luo Yan knew very well that if she were still immersed in Ghost Town to this day, even more terrifying consequences might have occurred.

    She couldn’t guarantee that when facing the Witch of Envy, she would still be able to wake up from the whispers of divinity.

    These… were all “explosives,” unstable factors that could lose control.

    Feared by others, causing panic… This was who she was, and the nature of the power she possessed.

    “What a peaceful scene, Magistrate Norian,”

    Luo Yan turned to look at Norian, a faint red glimmering in her dark eyes,

    “Just as you said, my power is dangerous ‘explosive,’ and it will destroy so many beautiful things like this…

    “But avoidance can’t solve the problem, I’ve already tried… And, you underestimate my danger, and you underestimate me.”

  • Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 71p2

    Chapter 71 p2

    Li Wan thought for a moment, recalling the online discussions. She wasn’t very familiar with these things, but since realizing her own feelings, she had been browsing websites and forums discussing same-sex relationships.

    Naturally, such discussions inevitably touched upon intimacy, and being adults, safety and hygiene were paramount, a reminder couldn’t hurt.

    “You know, condoms?”

    Qin Qianrou’s gaze fell on Shen Yiqiu’s hand holding the glass and froze.

    “Ahem, no need to be embarrassed, just a friendly reminder, enjoy your weekend, but… be mindful.”

    Qin Qianrou looked away, took a deep breath, and sternly said, “Li Wan.”

    Li Wan, quicker than a rabbit, sensing the danger, quickly said, “Okay, okay, I also need to work on getting my own condoms. That’s all, have a wonderful weekend, bye!”

    Shen Yiqiu, seeing that she had hung up, asked, “What did Sister Li Wan say?”

    “Nothing, she just wished us a happy weekend.”

    Shen Yiqiu was used to Li Wan’s boisterous personality and her occasional randomness and didn’t suspect anything, simply thinking that Sister Li Wan’s weekends must be quite boring.

    “Jiejie, what are our plans for this weekend?”

    Qin Qianrou hadn’t actually considered this, what was there to plan for a weekend? Weren’t weekends just… weekends?

    Shen Yiqiu, seeing her actually thinking about it, couldn’t help but smile and lean closer.

    Her girlfriend was like a magnet, drawing her in, no matter the distance.

    “This weekend is different, you have a girlfriend now.”

    Qin Qianrou’s heart softened, looking at Shen Yiqiu, saying such things with her soft, sweet voice.

    She reached out and gently ruffled Shen Yiqiu’s hair, her hand then sliding down to her soft earlobe.

    Seeing her own reflection in Shen Yiqiu’s eyes, Qin Qianrou’s heart skipped a beat. “Indeed, it’s different, you also have a girlfriend now.”

    Shen Yiqiu beamed, not giving Qin Qianrou any time to react, and quickly pecked her on the lips.

    “Jiejie, you’re the best.”

    Qin Qianrou had never known being in a relationship felt like this. Although this “girlfriend” status had only been established a few hours ago, she felt it was the right decision.

    The doorbell rang, and just as Shen Yiqiu was about to answer it, Qin Qianrou stopped her.

    “I’ll get it.”

    Shen Yiqiu paused, nodded, and turned around.

    During dinner, they discussed going shopping and watching a movie together tomorrow.

    However, after dinner, even the background noise from the TV couldn’t dispel the slight awkwardness in the air. Qin Qianrou still had some work to do, so she suggested Shen Yiqiu take a shower first. But when Shen Yiqiu emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas, they both realized they would be sharing a bed tonight.

    This seemed like a first, and their relationship was different now.

    It wasn’t like they were living in the dark ages, whether it was between men and women, or women and women, intimacy was… intimacy. However, for them now, it seemed a little too soon.

    “Jiejie, should I sleep on the sofa tonight?” Shen Yiqiu’s voice was slightly muffled by the towel around her neck, her hair half-dry, but she was still sweating slightly.

    Qin Qianrou pursed her lips, glancing at the layout of the room, then at Shen Yiqiu.

    Fresh from the shower, she looked even more innocent and pure, her rosy cheeks and delicate skin exuding a youthful vibrancy that no amount of money could replicate.

    Qin Qianrou, staring, mesmerized, suddenly recalled Li Wan’s words.

    “Jiejie?” Shen Yiqiu, seeing her silence, didn’t know if she agreed or not.

    Qin Qianrou composed herself and, looking at her intently, asked, “Do you like sleeping on the sofa?”

    Shen Yiqiu frantically shook her head, answering honestly, “Who would choose the sofa when there’s a bed?”

    “Then why did you suggest it?”

    “I thought you might feel awkward.”

    “Why would I feel awkward?”

    Shen Yiqiu wiped her flushed cheeks with the towel, the friction making her skin even redder.

    “Just… nothing.” Shen Yiqiu realized Jiejie was teasing her.

    Then, she saw the faint smile in Qin Qianrou’s eyes.

    Feeling slightly embarrassed, she walked over to her desk, the fresh scent of Qin Qianrou’s shower gel, the same one she used at home, lingering in the air.

    “Since we’re together now, there’s nothing to be awkward about. Sleeping together isn’t a big deal, you don’t have to worry.”

    Shen Yiqiu’s heart was filled with tenderness. “I understand, Jiejie.”

    “I still have some work to do, you go to bed first.”

    Shen Yiqiu had rushed straight to the airport after class, then hurried to the hotel, not wasting a single moment. From extreme anxiety to overwhelming joy, her emotions had been on a rollercoaster ride, and only after a hot shower did the exhaustion finally set in.

    She couldn’t help but yawn, gave Qin Qianrou a quick kiss, then, not wanting to disturb her work and her rest, returned to her own room.

    Bothering Jiejie now would only be hindering her work and disrupting her rest, Shen Yiqiu knew her priorities.

    **

    Thinking of Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu enjoying their romantic weekend together, Li Wan felt a pang of loneliness. It was the weekend, the time most office workers looked forward to, yet she couldn’t bring herself to feel any joy.

    The restructuring at the station was underway, and everyone was on edge. The usually relaxed and cheerful atmosphere in their team had vanished, even those colleagues who usually rushed home to their families were now voluntarily working overtime, which gave Li Wan an excuse to stay at the office as well.

    “Editor Li, the team leader wants to see you.”

    Li Wan smoothed her hair and went to Lin Shuangzhi’s office.

    “Team Leader, you wanted to see me?”

    Lin Shuangzhi was frowning, reviewing a document. Hearing Li Wan’s voice, she simply glanced up.

    “Mm, come in and have a seat.”

    Li Wan sensed something was off with Lin Shuangzhi’s mood today. Although she was usually busy, and sometimes her mood would sour after a difficult meeting, it wasn’t like today, a mix of dejection, frustration, and even a hint of anger.

    “What’s wrong?” Li Wan asked tentatively after sitting down.

    Lin Shuangzhi didn’t answer immediately, her gaze fixed on the report, not reading further.

    After a moment, she handed the document to Li Wan.

    “Take a look at this first.”

    Li Wan’s heart sank as she took the document.

    After reading it, her mood soured as well.

    “Is this from the station directors?”

    Lin Shuangzhi didn’t answer, but her gaze confirmed it.

    Li Wan scoffed and handed the document back.

    “What is this? Assigning someone who’s always been in charge of advertising to oversee our special projects team? Are our programs going to become advertising compilations now?”

    “I’ve already expressed my objections at the meeting, the reason being that Director Yu is unfamiliar with our team’s work and has no relevant experience.”

    “What did Deputy Director Ding say?”

    Lin Shuangzhi sighed, “He said it’s normal for those outside a field to manage those within it, and with experience, they’ll naturally become familiar with it.”

    Li Wan’s anger flared upon hearing this, but before she could explode, Lin Shuangzhi continued, “Deputy Director Ding also said, with our full cooperation, Director Yu’s adjustment period will be significantly shortened.”

    Li Wan took a deep breath, stood up, walked to the door, closed it, then lowered the blinds on the window before returning to her seat.

    “So it’s settled then?”

    Lin Shuangzhi frowned. “Not officially confirmed yet, but it’s almost certain.”

    Li Wan picked up a stack of documents from the corner of the desk and threw them back down forcefully. “No, absolutely not! We can’t let Director Yu interfere with our team!”

    Sensing Li Wan’s anger, Lin Shuangzhi, who had been feeling frustrated all day, felt a sense of relief.

    After a whole day of meetings, dealing with the endless probing and political maneuvering, only Li Wan’s presence felt real.

    She walked over to Li Wan, gently placed her hand on hers, which was still clutching the document, and sighed, “Don’t be angry, if Deputy Director Ding insists, then I’ll report it to the city government.”

    Lin Shuangzhi’s sudden approach flustered Li Wan, her anger dissipating slightly. It had been a while since they had been this close, and she couldn’t help but yearn for more.

    “Wouldn’t going over their heads cause trouble for you? Should I… ask my father to intervene?”

    Lin Shuangzhi smiled and took her hand, her gesture more reassuring than intimate. “Deputy Mayor Li always keeps his professional and personal life separate, and besides, his responsibilities aren’t related to the news department, don’t make things difficult for him.” Then, her gaze deepened, her tone firm. “If I can’t even protect our team, how can I be your team leader?”

    Lin Shuangzhi’s strength and resolve had a powerful effect on Li Wan, especially with her hand being held like this, and she couldn’t help but whisper, her heart overflowing, “Team Leader…”

  • Devilish Disciple [Transmigration] 59

    Chapter 59: “The Three of Us, We’ll Kill Him!”

    Everyone stared, frozen in place.

    In the sudden silence, sunlight, previously obscured by the spiritual light, streamed through the massive crack in the sky, casting golden beams onto the blue world.

    Large snowflakes fell, sometimes tinged with gold, sometimes a soft, moon-like white.

    “The Heavenly Gate! The Heavenly Gate is closed!”

    Someone exclaimed, as if awakening from a dream.

    More and more people came to their senses, their eyes wide with shock, unsure what had just happened.

    Snow fell on their shoulders, carrying a deep winter chill.

    “What happened?!”

    “Someone tried to stop the Heavenly Gate from opening!”

    “Who is behind this?!”

    Li Yu frowned as the shouts echoed around her.

    Perhaps the Heavenly Gate wasn’t just closed.

    Although it hadn’t been open before, she could sense its location.

    But now, despite the formation still active, the surrounding spiritual energy abundant, she couldn’t sense it anymore.

    If this wasn’t an illusion, then the connection between the human realm and the Heavenly Realm had been severed…

    She had hoped to use the Heavenly Realm’s power to counter the black-robed figure; now that plan was ruined.

    As everyone stood in stunned silence, the snowflakes silently fell onto the formation.

    A layer of white frost formed on the hands of the cultivators maintaining the formation, extinguishing the spiritual light at their fingertips.

    Someone cried out in pain as the frost spread, flowing down their bodies like water, then rapidly expanding outwards upon reaching the ground.

    Silently, the frost enveloped the entire formation, immobilizing everyone within it, except for the Exalted Immortal at the center.

    “Someone is breaking the formation!”

    The belated warning sounded like a joke.

    By the time everyone reacted, the light of the frost-covered formation had already faded.

    The formation’s power dissipated, and the blue sky shattered.

    Silently, like dust motes scattering in the wind and snow, disappearing into the returning sunlight.

    “There’s something wrong with the snow! Protect yourselves with spiritual energy!”

    Someone shouted, and the cultivators quickly conjured protective barriers, blocking the falling snow.

    Cries of surprise, angry shouts, and confused murmurs filled the air.

    Unharmed, Li Yu didn’t interfere.

    She had a suspicion, though still uncertain, and looked towards where the Heavenly Gate had vanished.

    The falling snow slowly coalesced, forming a dark figure in the sky.

    The figure, backlit by the sun, was indistinct.

    “Opening the Heavenly Gate?” A cold voice echoed through the air. “A bunch of insignificant mortals, you think you’re worthy of ascending?”

    The voice was deep and resonant, reaching everyone’s ears.

    The dismissive words, devoid of any emotion, neither mocking nor sarcastic, just a simple statement of fact.

    Someone, enraged, started to shout, but the snowflakes instantly transformed into sharp ice shards, hovering menacingly above them.

    Sunlight, refracting through the ice, created halos.

    Seemingly harmless, yet carrying a chilling aura.

    A flicker of surprise appeared in the eyes of a Mount Chao Yao disciple.

    He then shouted joyfully, “It’s Lingyao Revered One!”

    Since the breach of the mountain gate, Mount Chao Yao had been filled with outsiders.

    They were arrogant, their words dripping with disdain for the Mount Chao Yao disciples.

    They said that Cangming Revered One, the head of the Three Revered Ones, guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp, had not only almost lost the Lamp, but also released the Demon Bone she had secretly kept for over two hundred years, a heinous crime!

    And they said, “Like master, like disciple,” implying that with such a leader, the disciples of Mount Chao Yao couldn’t be any better.

    The disciples had been constantly belittled and ordered around.

    If it weren’t for Qingxuan Revered One, these outsiders would have imprisoned all the dissenting voices in the Spirit Restraint Hall.

    Although most disciples also feared and loathed the Demon Bone, unable to understand why Cangming Revered One protected that little wolf demon,

    Seeing their once revered sect being trampled upon, who wouldn’t feel resentful?

    The disciples often wished that Cangming Revered One hadn’t been injured.

    Or that Lingyao Revered One hadn’t entered hibernation; then these outsiders wouldn’t be so arrogant.

    “Lingyao Revered One is awake!”

    Cheers erupted from the Mount Chao Yao disciples.

    The ice shards above no longer seemed like deadly weapons but a protective force.

    “Kun Peng Monarch of the North Sea!”

    “How is he awake?!”

    The immortals from other sects exchanged uneasy glances.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu looked down at them coldly, his dark eyes emotionless.

    Someone bravely stepped forward and asked loudly, “Kun Peng Monarch, are you preventing us from opening the Heavenly Gate? Are you protecting Li Yu?”

    “Li Yu, as the guardian of the Upper Spirit Lamp, not only kept the Demon Bone by her side, but also defied the entire immortal world to send it to the Demon Realm!” another person quickly added. “Such actions are a threat to the world and should be judged by the Heavenly Realm!”

    “Have you been asleep for too long, Kun Peng Monarch? Have you lost your sense of right and wrong?!”

    “Mount Chao Yao first lost the Upper Spirit Lamp, then released the Demon Bone. We just want an explanation! You’ve delayed us for so long, and after agreeing to open the Heavenly Gate, now you’ve changed your mind. Are you mocking us?!”

    “Is Mount Chao Yao defying the entire world?”

    Si Qinglan frowned. “There’s no need for such harsh words.”

    “Si Qinglan!” someone shouted angrily. “You were the one who agreed to open the Heavenly Gate! Now that you’ve changed your mind, shouldn’t you give us an explanation?!”

    Explanation, explanation, always demanding explanations.

    Si Qinglan opened her mouth, wanting to defend herself, but realized that anything she said would only worsen the situation.

    She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.

    Accusations and insults, each one more offensive than the last, echoed around her.

    Suddenly, someone stepped forward, attempting to mediate. “Everyone, please calm down. We should trust Mount Chao Yao, trust Qingxuan Revered One’s character! She agreed to open the Gate before Kun Peng Monarch awakened; perhaps there’s a misunderstanding!”

    “Kun Peng Monarch has just awakened; he might not know what happened.” He continued, “Li Yu’s actions are akin to releasing a tiger back into the mountains, the consequences could be dire! As terrestrial immortals, we don’t have the authority to judge her. That’s why we need to open the Heavenly Gate and seek guidance from the Heavenly Realm!”

    His seemingly conciliatory words carried a hidden threat.

    He looked up at Weisheng Xuanzhu and said loudly, “Kun Peng Monarch, if you step aside now and let us open the Heavenly Gate, we promise not to mention this matter to the Heavenly Court!”

    “Exactly!” someone shouted impatiently. “Step aside now, and we’ll let this go. But if you insist on protecting her, then don’t…”

    His words abruptly stopped.

    After a brief silence, a strange gurgling sound came from his throat.

    Everyone turned to look. Although his protective spiritual energy was still active, a layer of frost was forming on his body.

    The frost spread from his open mouth, and he struggled to speak, but the ice quickly covered his lips, silencing him.

    Within seconds, his entire body was encased in ice, his protective aura disappearing.

    If it weren’t for the two nostrils still visible, allowing him to breathe, he would have looked like a corpse.

    This scene silenced everyone, and they quickly moved away from him.

    Those who had spoken so boldly just moments ago now hid behind the crowd.

    Fear filled the air; no one dared speak.

    Li Yu found it amusing.

    So many people, easily silenced by a single person.

    Indeed, in the face of absolute power, no one dared to say “no.”

    So, the original Li Yu could have protected the little protagonist; she simply chose not to.

    No wonder Mu Tao had said, “But Master, you never truly intended to save me.”

    The master she respected so much, when she was unjustly accused and bound to the execution platform, didn’t even try to defend her, just readily caving in to the pressure of “the greater good.”

    How could she not resent her, how could she not hate her…

    As everyone stood in stunned silence, the dark figure in the sky, like a gust of wind, appeared before them with impossible speed.

    Many instinctively stepped back, leaving only the frozen cultivator in place.

    “The Upper Spirit Lamp, the Demon Bone, these are matters of Mount Chao Yao.” Weisheng Xuanzhu’s voice was cold, his gaze sweeping across those who had spoken earlier. “Since when do outsiders have a say in Mount Chao Yao’s affairs?”

    “But…” someone started, then met Weisheng Xuanzhu’s dark gaze.

    He lowered his voice, seemingly intimidated. “But this matter…concerns the well-being of the world…”

    “So concerned about the world, where were you when resentment was running rampant in the human realm?”

    “With the laws of heaven in place, human calamities aren’t something immortals…”

    “Are your disciples also immortals?” Weisheng Xuanzhu interrupted.

    The man was speechless.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Has the Demon Bone harmed any innocent lives?”

    “The Demon Bone injured many disciples from various sects at the entrance to the Demon Realm!”

    “Indeed!” Si Qinglan quickly added. “She only injured those who blocked her path while escaping and didn’t kill anyone. Besides that, she hasn’t harmed any innocent lives.”

    “You’re biased, Qingxuan Revered One!” someone shouted angrily.

    “It’s the truth!” Si Qinglan glared at him. “The Demon Bone never harmed anyone. Everyone saw it; how can you accuse me of being biased?”

    “Even if she hasn’t harmed anyone, she still has a Demon Bone!”

    “What’s wrong with having a Demon Bone?!” Si Qinglan retorted, raising her voice. “It has been sealed for over two hundred years! If it weren’t for needing her help to find the Upper Spirit Lamp, the seal wouldn’t have been broken!”

    “Even if the seal was broken, you were still planning to hide her!”

    “She didn’t hurt anyone even after the seal was broken. As long as we kept an eye on her, nothing would have happened!” Si Qinglan said angrily. “You’re accusing us of releasing a tiger back into the mountains, but who forced her to flee to the Demon Realm in the first place?!”

    “This concerns the Heavenly Demon, this isn’t a game! And what about the Upper Spirit Lamp, also under your watchful eye? How did you lose that?!” the man retorted.

    He was pulled back by his fellow disciples, realizing he had raised his voice too much and might become the next example. He quickly shut up and retreated into the crowd.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu asked again, “Where is the Upper Spirit Lamp now?”

    “It has already been retrieved by Cangming Revered One,” Si Qinglan said, a sneer in her voice. “But Mount Chao Yao is no longer worthy of guarding it, so it’s not in our possession.”

    Everyone could hear the sarcasm in her words.

    So, they all looked at an elderly Daoist with a long white beard.

    The Daoist froze, then conjured the Upper Spirit Lamp, his voice trembling. “This, this… This old one is just…safekeeping it…unable to guard it, truly unable…”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu raised his hand, and the Lamp flew into his palm.

    His eyes were cold as ice. “The Upper Spirit Lamp hasn’t been lost, the Demon Bone hasn’t harmed anyone, how does this concern the world?”

    “This…”

    The immortals exchanged glances, speechless, although feeling that this wasn’t logical.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Mount Chao Yao has guarded the Upper Spirit Lamp for over four thousand years, and you haven’t lifted a finger. Now that we’ve made a small mistake, one that hasn’t even caused any real harm, you’re all clamoring for an explanation.”

    “…”

    “Have you…been waiting for this day for a long time?”

    “T, this… What do you mean, Kun Peng Monarch? We just…”

    “There’s unresolved resentment in the human realm, yet you’re here discussing how to punish Li Yu, who has guarded the Upper Spirit Lamp for over four thousand years.” Weisheng Xuanzhu made the Lamp disappear with a flick of his wrist.

    “But the De…” someone started to argue, then felt a sudden chill.

    He glanced at the frozen cultivator, whose breathing had weakened, and quickly shut up.

    “It seems the ‘world’ isn’t that important after all…” A cold glint appeared in Weisheng Xuanzhu’s dark eyes. “Just a sword anyone can wield, unable to slay demons, yet capable of slaying gods.”

    “Unfortunately, this sword is useless against me.” He chuckled coldly. “The word ‘world,’ coming from your mouths, is laughable.”

    His harsh words silenced them, making them ashamed.

    Many wanted to argue,

    But the ice shards above them descended slightly, and after a moment of silence, they all fell quiet.

    “The Heavenly Gate will not be opened again. The Upper Spirit Lamp will return to Suiqiong Cave. And whether Li Yu was right or wrong is not for you to judge.”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu raised his hand, unleashing a brilliant, sky-reaching light.

    The icy blue light enveloped Mount Chao Yao, quickly repairing the broken mountain gate.

    He lowered his hand and asked calmly, “Does anyone else require an explanation?”

    The immortals remained silent.

    It wasn’t that they didn’t want an explanation, but the menacing ice shards were still hovering above them.

    Holding a sword to someone’s neck and asking for their submission, this was a first for Li Yu.

    Sometimes, actions spoke louder than words.

    Perhaps the original Li Yu was too reasonable, allowing herself to be morally kidnapped by a bunch of useless talkers.

    She had thought the Three Revered Ones of Mount Chao Yao were all righteous and honorable.

    If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn’t have believed her colleague capable of such actions.

    But thinking about it, it wasn’t that surprising.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu wasn’t an immortal or a demon but an ancient divine beast, having lived for countless years, perhaps lacking some…humanity.

    He volunteered to guard the Upper Spirit Lamp not for the sake of the world, but for…a certain someone.

    Such a person being morally ambiguous was perfectly normal.

    As Li Yu thought this, the ice shards above turned into water, raining down on the immortals, sparing the Mount Chao Yao disciples, drenching and humiliating them.

    The frost on the frozen cultivator melted.

    He gasped, his body covered in purple frostbite, as if he had just escaped death.

    Many quickly fled.

    Si Qinglan watched them leave and breathed a sigh of relief.

    Li Yu silently stepped out of the formation.

    Weisheng Xuanzhu asked, “Are you alright?”

    Li Yu: “I’m fine.”

    She replied softly, avoiding his gaze.

    For some reason, her mind felt blank, as if she had forgotten something.

    Si Qinglan, in high spirits, invited her two colleagues to Qianlizhu.

    In the past, she would have avoided having them together.

    But after the recent events, she had a lot to discuss with them.

    Before they even reached Qianlizhu, she started chattering away.

    Then, as if remembering something, she summoned a butterfly and sent it to the Spirit Restraint Hall.

    “I almost forgot, your disciple is still locked up there. Now that those people are gone, we can finally let her out.” Si Qinglan said, hurrying inside and pouring three cups of tea.

    Li Yu hadn’t seen her move so energetically in a while. As expected, happiness was invigorating; even the flowers in Qianlizhu seemed brighter than usual.

    After they sat down, Si Qinglan sighed heavily, relief in her voice. “Thank goodness the Heavenly Gate didn’t open. Otherwise, who knows what kind of punishment the Heavenly Realm would have inflicted upon Li Yu!”

    Li Yu: “I was prepared.”

    Si Qinglan: “You were practically suicidal! Ever since returning from the Demon Realm’s entrance, you’ve been acting like you didn’t care whether you lived or died!”

    Li Yu just smiled, not arguing.

    Si Qinglan rolled her eyes and looked at Weisheng Xuanzhu. “She’s been acting very strange lately; I can’t communicate with her at all! Thank goodness you arrived in time. Otherwise, I don’t know how much more spiritual energy and medicine I would have had to waste on her!”

    She paused, and seeing no response, pouted and finished her tea in one gulp.

    After a brief silence, she asked, “Weisheng, why did you suddenly wake up?”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Noise.”

    Si Qinglan: “You were woken up by the noise?”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Mm.”

    Si Qinglan: “Your sleep quality is terrible. How did you manage to sleep for hundreds or thousands of years before?”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Perhaps the North Sea is quieter.”

    Si Qinglan nodded thoughtfully. “Regardless, I’m glad you’re awake.”

    She muttered, “So much has happened lately, I thought we wouldn’t make it…”

    Li Yu: “We’ll make it.”

    “I know, I know, but it’s hard not to worry!” Si Qinglan took a deep breath and smiled. “Now that the mountain gate is repaired, we just need to fix Suiqiong Cave, and everything will be back to normal!”

    Well…not necessarily.

    Perhaps in three years, the demons would invade.

    Si Qinglan: “By the way, Weisheng, how long…how long will you stay awake this time?”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “I don’t know.”

    Si Qinglan frowned. “Li Yu’s injuries won’t heal anytime soon, and that black-robed figure is incredibly powerful. Both the mountain gate and the seal on Suiqiong Cave were broken in an instant. If you go back to sleep, and he returns, we won’t be able to handle him!”

    She sighed. “And it’s his fault Mu Tao is in the Demon Realm now!”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu was silent for a moment, then looked up. “You haven’t told me about Mu Tao.”

    Si Qinglan: “W, well…”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “A Demon Bone, and you dared keep her on the mountain.”

    Si Qinglan: “Nothing happened, did it?”

    Li Yu: “…”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Where did you find her?”

    Si Qinglan: “The human realm…”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Where in the human realm?”

    Si Qinglan: “It was over two hundred years ago, how would I remember?!”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Knowing she had a Demon Bone, why did you bring her back?”

    Si Qinglan: “I, well…”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “Why did you keep it a secret from me?”

    Si Qinglan: “…”

    After a long silence, Si Qinglan slammed the table. “What’s with the interrogation?!”

    Li Yu jumped, her hand trembling.

    Si Qinglan: “Look at your questions, so heartless!”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”

    Si Qinglan: “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you would kill her!”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”

    Si Qinglan: “Do men even deserve to know women’s secrets?!”

    Weisheng Xuanzhu: “…”

    Si Qinglan’s sudden outburst was startling.

    From being interrogated to being the interrogator, in just a few seconds.

    “Alright! Back to the topic!” Si Qinglan poured herself a cup of tea, calmed down, and then said loudly, “Give us a rough estimate, how long will you stay awake this time? We have to find a way to lure out that black-robed figure while you’re still here.”

    She made a slashing gesture across her neck.

    “The three of us,” she said seriously, “We’ll kill him!”

  • The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 71

    Chapter 71: Disciple and Wife

    Upon returning to the sect, after much coaxing and cajoling, Cen Dianshuang finally managed to settle Tao Ning in the Ice Cavern. She was immediately intercepted by Lizhu.

    Lizhu, her smile strained, said, “I’ve been staring at this communication jade for days, waiting for a response, and now I finally catch you.”

    Cen Dianshuang, avoiding her senior sister’s gaze, mumbled, “I…”

    She had completely forgotten to reply.

    Coughing into her sleeve, she asked, “What can I do for you, Senior Sister?”

    Lizhu chuckled, her smile widening as she grabbed Cen Dianshuang’s arm, pulling her along. “Can’t I just talk to you without a reason? I missed you…”

    Cen Dianshuang’s face paled, a shiver running down her spine.

    The disciples trailing behind them shared her apprehension.

    Sect Leader Lizhu, always smiling and cheerful, spending her days sipping tea and soaking in hot springs, seemed like a gentle, health-conscious elder. In reality, she had once been a force to be reckoned with, her temper legendary.

    The previous Sect Leader had constantly reminded her to control her temper, to cultivate inner peace. She had taken the advice to heart.

    The result was a more… controlled… anger, but its intensity, when unleashed, was even more formidable, often reducing even Cen Dianshuang to a trembling mess.

    Thus, everyone in the Hanshan Sect knew that a cheerful, smiling Sect Leader was a good sign. A warm, gentle smile, however, was a warning, a sign of impending doom.

    Lizhu chuckled again. “I missed you helping me prepare for the disciple competition.”

    Cen Dianshuang, relieved, let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, finally remembering. “The disciple competition? Is it that time already?”

    Lizhu, her hands tucked into her sleeves, replied, “As you know, your Senior Brother Yaodan is in seclusion again. Apparently, one of his disciples’ soul lamps went out, and he sent his first disciple to investigate… But that’s not important. It’s our turn to host the competition this year, and I’m short-handed. You can’t escape your duties.”

    Cen Dianshuang attempted to deflect the responsibility. “What about Senior Sister Qianlian…?”

    Lizhu gave her a pointed look. “You know Qianlian’s temper. You’re the only one who can help me.”

    The sudden burden of responsibility was heavy.

    Cen Dianshuang wanted to say she was no better than Elder Qianlian.

    Her disciple was in the Ice Cavern, surrounded by ice and snow. She had intended to check on her…

    But Lizhu had asked for her help. She couldn’t refuse.

    Lizhu, studying her for a moment, asked, “You weren’t coming from the sect, were you? Where were you?”

    Cen Dianshuang didn’t bother lying. “The Ice Cavern.”

    Lizhu’s brow furrowed. “What were you doing there? Are you experiencing a heart demon?”

    Cen Dianshuang’s expression turned serious. “Senior Sister, do you remember mentioning the Wanhun Cauldron? I went to Shadow City. It… happened to emerge while I was there. So I brought it back.”

    Lizhu: “Your attempts at changing the subject are… clumsy. You brought back more than just the cauldron.”

    She was torn between exasperation – Such a significant event, and you didn’t inform me? – and a strange sense of pride – My little junior sister is finally taking initiative.

    Her expression, however, resembled that of a disappointed parent, their carefully nurtured child having gone astray.

    Cen Dianshuang, sensing her senior sister’s disapproval, silently retrieved a pouch, deciding that actions spoke louder than words.

    Lizhu extended her hand. “I thought I needed to find you something to do, but it seems you’ve kept yourself busy. I almost became the villain.”

    Cen Dianshuang, not daring to speak, placed the pouch in Lizhu’s hand.

    Lizhu, looking at the small, embroidered pouch, frowned. “Why are you giving me a scented pouch?”

    Cen Dianshuang tapped it. “It’s inside.”

    Lizhu, sensing no trace of a concealing formation or a divine artifact’s aura, frowned. “…What?” She squeezed the soft pouch, her voice filled with disbelief. “It’s… in here?”

    Those who had seen the Wanhun Cauldron were all dead. Lizhu had only heard stories, never witnessing the artifact that terrified the three realms.

    She had expected something… more imposing, its arrival heralded by storms and bloodshed, requiring utmost caution.

    Being casually carried around in a low-grade pouch seemed… anticlimactic.

    The weight in her hand, though light, felt heavy with significance.

    Cen Dianshuang, anticipating a lecture, quickly said, “It’s in there. I suddenly remembered something I need to do. I’ll be going now.”

    With that, she vanished in a flash of white, the sect’s spirit birds taking flight, their cries echoing after her.

    “Wait! Am I really that annoying?”

    After she was gone, Lizhu’s smile faded, her gaze fixed on the pouch in her hand, her expression thoughtful.

    She gave it to me so easily? Perhaps it’s not…

    Her disciples watched as she stared at the pouch, then tucked it into her sleeve, shaking her head with a sigh. “A simple trip, and now I have a major problem. A divine artifact… Where am I supposed to keep it?”

    The Ice Cavern was where Hanshan Sect disciples were sent for punishment or solitary cultivation.

    A frozen wasteland, perpetually covered in snow, separated from the rest of the sect by a frozen river, its icy depths teeming with spirit beasts.

    A place of punishment wouldn’t be comfortable. The biting cold frosted Tao Ning’s eyebrows, making her resemble an ice sculpture.

    The Ice Cavern, however, was effective. After just a day, not only had the Wanhun Cauldron’s lingering resentment faded, but Tao Ning’s own worldly desires had also vanished, her mind as clear and empty as a Buddhist monk’s.

    As she was gently reassuring the cauldron’s spirit, urging it to remain calm, a soft sound startled her. The sound of falling snow.

    She opened her eyes to see a white bird landing on a snow-covered branch outside the cave.

    Tao Ning felt a flicker of… something… a return of worldly desires.

    The bird tilted its head, its dark eyes reflecting Tao Ning’s frost-covered form.

    Tao Ning remained seated, observing the adult Shangxi bird.

    Legends claimed that an adult Shangxi’s wings could blot out the sun, carry the moon on its back. This one, barely half an arm’s length, must have used a spell to shrink its size.

    Unlike its fluffy, round, chick form, the adult Shangxi was elegant and slender, its long wings and tail feathers like delicate brushstrokes of white against the snow, a creature of ethereal beauty.

    It shifted its claws, sensing… something… in Tao Ning’s gaze, considering leaving.

    It had practiced its new, mature demeanor before venturing out, ensuring it was no longer recognizable.

    As if sensing its intention, Tao Ning spoke. “Are you a spirit bird native to the Ice Cavern? I’ve never seen one before.”

    The Shangxi bird paused, folding its wings, settling back onto the branch.

    She didn’t recognize me, it thought, relieved. That was close.

    From Tao Ning’s perspective, the bird, about to leave, suddenly adopted a calm, almost regal demeanor, its feathers practically screaming, Yes, I’m a rare Ice Cavern bird. You guessed correctly.

    If 520 knew what the bird was thinking, it would have said, You’re treating her like a Disney princess! Not every bird is going to engage in friendly conversation! You’ve only ever interacted with one bird!

    Tao Ning, perhaps feeling bored, continued, “I have some dried Silverfish. Would you like some?”

    The Shangxi bird: …No, I’ve had plenty.

    It took flight, shaking the snow from the branch, landing gracefully a short distance from Tao Ning.

    But it had been a while. A small snack wouldn’t hurt.

    Tao Ning, no longer teasing, retrieved a handful of dried fish, placing them on a nearby rock.

    The familiar aroma reminded the Shangxi bird of its previous visits, a sudden wave of… nostalgia… washing over it.

    Lowering its head, it began to eat, its beak delicately picking up the small, dried fish.

    The sight always amused Tao Ning.

    As a human, Cen Dianshuang was righteous and unwavering, her sword a force to be reckoned with. In her true form, however, she shed her inhibitions, her temper flaring, her fondness for snacks undeniable.

    The two personas were so different, so seemingly incompatible, that anyone unaware of her true nature would never connect them. But Tao Ning found Cen Dianshuang’s… duality… endearing.

    Only humans struggled with controlling their desires.

    The sound of flapping wings startled Tao Ning from her reverie. “I have more, if you want some,” she said, retrieving another handful of fish.

    The casual offer made the Shangxi bird freeze. It had almost forgotten its new, mature form, instinctively responding to the familiar offer.

    Tao Ning’s tone and gestures were too familiar, echoing countless previous encounters.

    It wasn’t worried about Tao Ning feeding other birds – she had only ever interacted with it – but about being recognized. The last time its name had been spoken, it had nearly exploded.

    But it couldn’t resist seeing her.

    As Tao Ning placed the new offering on a jade plate, she gave the bird a curious look. “Why are you staring at me?”

    The Shangxi bird quickly lowered its head and resumed eating.

    Tao Ning’s fingers twitched, wanting to touch the soft, white feathers, but she resisted, afraid of startling the bird away.

    So she resorted to conversation instead. “Is it good?”

    The Shangxi bird, its beak full, didn’t answer.

    Tao Ning shifted her position, resting her chin on her hands. “My master insists I stay in the Ice Cavern for three months, to cleanse myself of the resentment. But I’m so bored…”

    The Shangxi bird’s eating paused for a fraction of a second, then resumed, as if nothing had happened.

    It didn’t realize Tao Ning had noticed.

    Changing the subject, Tao Ning smiled at the bird. “I actually have more Silverfish. I was saving them for another little bird, but it hasn’t visited in a while. Will you come back tomorrow? I’ll give them to you.”

    The Shangxi bird tilted its head, its beady eyes fixed on Tao Ning.

    Another bird? The one whose feather dust you always complain about?

    Unfortunately, Tao Ning couldn’t read avian expressions. She simply looked back, puzzled.

    “Will you come back? I promise I’ll have more.”

    With that promise, the Shangxi bird became a regular visitor.

    Cen Dianshuang, however, was busy, her responsibilities piling up.

    During the day, she assisted her senior sister with the preparations for the disciple competition, occasionally responding to Tao Ning’s messages. At night, without fail, she transformed into her bird form and flew to the Ice Cavern.

    Thankfully, Tao Ning had stopped humming that annoying “bird anthem,” which always triggered an involuntary chirp. She didn’t want to explain why the Ice Cavern’s perpetual snowfall had turned into sleet.

    520, watching the Shangxi bird fly away, then Tao Ning immediately sending a message to Cen Dianshuang, expressing her longing and affection, simply shook its head, suppressing the urge to say, You’re playing with fire, Host.

    Another night, Tao Ning finished her meditation, her eyes opening to see the familiar white bird perched on a nearby cushion.

    Looking at its pristine white plumage, she felt a sudden urge to… do something… but resisted, shaking her head. “No, that would be too much.”

    The Shangxi bird tilted its head, its expression innocent.

    The gesture was too cute to resist. Her fingers twitched.

    She couldn’t recall ever having a pet in her previous life. She had always been indifferent to such things. But now, she found herself comparing every bird she saw to this perfect specimen of whiteness.

    A soft, warm weight on her hand, and she looked down to see the Shangxi bird, having hopped off the cushion, nuzzling its head against her hand.

    As if saying, Fine, if you want to pet me that badly, go ahead.

    Tao Ning: “…”

    Something exploded within her.

    Her heart, overwhelmed by cuteness.

  • On How to Conquer System Fairies and Make Them Your Wives 197

    Chapter 197: Skull with a Familiar Face

    It was a grotesque skeleton.

    Humanoid in shape, but its withered and decayed form was beyond recognition.

    An eerie green glow emanated from its bones, a clear sign of a potent poison. Even a casual strike from Chen Yin’s sword caused the toxic energy to dissipate and spread.

    Fortunately, his blue spiritual energy neutralized the poison instantly.

    The Grand Witch narrowed her eyes and looked around.

    “This… is the Poison Nightmare Realm?”

    Although she had expected danger, the reality was still unsettling.

    The sky was a dark purple, the clouds formed of swirling miasma. The ground was cracked and barren, even the dust seemed to be coated in a toxic film.

    Strange, twisted plants grew everywhere, their withered branches covered in tiny, wriggling worms, a sight that made her scalp crawl.

    And then there were the humanoid skeletons that had attacked them.

    Even the masked man couldn’t help but comment, “This miasma… is potent.”

    “It’s a mixture of countless toxins, brewed over millennia.”

    The Grand Witch brushed a strand of dark green hair from her face. “Miasma of this level can corrode even metal and spiritual energy. Even Grand Clarity Realm cultivators can’t stay here for long.”

    “We need to be quick,” Chen Yin said, his voice low.

    He felt a strange unease in this secret realm.

    It wasn’t the dizziness caused by the miasma, but a deeper, more visceral sense of dread.

    As if something sinister lurked within, something that made his skin crawl.

    The Grand Witch nodded and started walking.

    The realm was larger than they had expected.

    The miasma stretched as far as the eye could see, and poisonous creatures, some even dangerous to them, lurked everywhere.

    What unsettled Chen Yin the most were the humanoid skeletons.

    Even when shattered into pieces, they would reassemble and attack again, their numbers far greater than they had anticipated.

    At first, it was just one or two at a time. Then, groups of three or five, then dozens at once.

    Chen Yin’s expression turned serious.

    “We can’t kill them all.”

    “It’s Gu techniques,” the Grand Witch said, her brow furrowed in thought. “There are records of Gu techniques that can control corpses in the Wu Xuan Cave’s scriptures, but controlling so many…”

    “Is there a solution?” the masked man asked calmly.

    “If it’s Gu techniques, then there must be a Mother Gu controlling them. We can’t kill all the lesser Gu. We have to find the Mother Gu first—”

    The Grand Witch suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

    Chen Yin, who was casually dispatching a skeleton with his sword, turned around, noticing her silence.

    “What’s wrong?”

    The Grand Witch didn’t answer.

    Her eyes were wide, fixed on a small skeleton that was slowly approaching her.

    It was smaller than the others, about the size of a child, its face a mangled mess, its movements slow and clumsy.

    Even a mortal could have dodged it.

    But the Grand Witch didn’t move.

    For the first time, her usually arrogant and composed expression crumbled, replaced by a look of shock and disbelief.

    As the skeleton’s bony fingers reached for her face, she still didn’t react, as if she hadn’t even seen it.

    Clang.

    The bony hand was stopped by a sword.

    Chen Yin stood before her, his sword held casually in one hand. “What did you see?”

    The Grand Witch’s lips moved silently, her eyes wide with disbelief.

    “Impossible…”

    Chen Yin glanced around. More skeletons were closing in. They couldn’t afford to waste time.

    He unleashed a flurry of sword strikes, the Eternal Light sword splitting into countless shimmering blades, piercing through the approaching skeletons.

    A moment later, only a pile of shattered bones and the swirling miasma remained.

    “They’ll regenerate soon.”

    Chen Yin turned to her, his voice low. “We can’t stay here for long. The miasma is getting denser.”

    The Grand Witch’s eyes flickered, and she bit her lip.

    “Did you recognize that skeleton?” the masked man asked, sheathing his sword.

    “Yes…”

    The Grand Witch crossed her arms, a rare look of sadness and hesitation on her face.

    “That child… was one of the children from the Sacred Child trials.”

    Chen Yin stopped and stared at her.

    The Grand Witch’s eyes were downcast, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.

    “Her name was Lingxiang.”

    “She was from a neighboring village. We were sent to the Yama’s Valley together. But she couldn’t withstand the miasma and died on the fourth day.”

    “I helped her avoid the poisonous creatures for the first two days, and when she started having a fever, I took care of her…”

    But in the end…

    The girl had died in her arms, her small face pale and lifeless, her lips bitten raw, black blood oozing from her eyes and ears, her screams so chilling that even the insects had fled.

    Chen Yin listened silently, watching her.

    He saw a flicker of resentment in her eyes.

    He suddenly understood.

    “Most of the children didn’t survive the first week. Those who did developed some resistance to the miasma, but most of them still died from the poisonous creatures or starvation.”

    “Only that woman and I survived.” The Grand Witch’s voice had regained its usual calmness.

    Chen Yin frowned. “So these skeletons… are the remains of the children who participated in the Sacred Child trials?”

    “Not just children, there are adults too.”

    “And their numbers… I can’t even begin to imagine.”

    “Why are their bodies here, in this secret realm?” the masked man asked.

    “I don’t know.”

    The Grand Witch shook her head. “Let’s find the Mother Gu first. I’ll perform a ritual.”

    She formed a series of hand seals, her slender fingers moving gracefully, and faint black dots appeared on the shattered bones.

    She closed her eyes for a moment, then turned towards a specific direction.

    “This way.”

    After fighting their way through another wave of skeletons, they finally reached the Mother Gu’s location.

    It was a valley.

    Standing on the cliff overlooking it, even Chen Yin couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

    The entire valley was teeming with snakes, scorpions, centipedes, and countless other venomous creatures, crawling and writhing among the bones and skulls, their legs clicking and scraping against the ground.

    It was a nightmarish sight, enough to induce trypophobia in anyone.

    “The Mother Gu is down there?” Chen Yin asked, his brow furrowed in disgust.

    “Yes. The lesser Gu are all converging there.”

    The Grand Witch looked down at the valley, her eye twitching slightly.

    “Good heavens… this is…”

    “Banded Scale Snakes, Thousand-Legged Centipedes, Blue-Tailed Scorpions… and many other extinct species.”

    “There’s enough poison down there to kill a Grand Clarity Realm cultivator.”

    “Is there a way to disperse them?” the masked man asked softly.

    “Difficult. Even the Wu Xuan Cave has never seen such a concentration of poisonous creatures.”

    The Grand Witch’s expression turned serious. “And the Mother Gu controlling the skeletons is also down there. Even if we disperse the insects, the skeletons will still be a problem.”

    “So we have to go in?”

    Chen Yin sighed. It seemed he would have to do the dirty work again.

    He raised his Eternal Light sword and was about to jump down when—

    “Wait!”

    To his surprise, it wasn’t the Grand Witch who had stopped him, but the masked man.

    “Do you… have a way to deal with those poisonous creatures?” the masked man asked after a moment of hesitation.

    Chen Yin smiled faintly.

    “Are you afraid I’ll get to the Phantasmal Harmony Ganoderma first?”

    “…May the best man win. I can’t handle those creatures. If you can, I’ll concede defeat.”

    “Then just watch.”

    Chen Yin looked down at the valley and jumped.

    The masked man instinctively reached out to stop him,

    Then hesitated and withdrew his hand.

    Chen Yin landed gracefully at the bottom of the valley.

    The moment he landed, countless poisonous creatures swarmed towards him, crawling up his legs and clothes.

    But he simply flicked his sleeves, and they scattered,

    Creating a clear path before him as he walked, the sea of insects parting before him like the Red Sea.

    “Impressive,” the Grand Witch said, her eyes wide with surprise. “To use spiritual energy as a shield without harming or provoking the creatures… his control is incredible. How does he do it?”

    The masked man just watched silently. The Grand Witch thought she heard him sigh softly.

    “He’s always full of surprises.”

    “Huh? Did you say something?”

    “…No. You must have misheard.”

    Chen Yin continued walking towards the center of the valley, where the concentration of poisonous creatures was the highest.

    Although he wasn’t afraid of insects, he was still a normal human being (in his past life, at least).

    And any normal person would be creeped out by this nightmarish scene.

    He quickened his pace, trying to ignore the writhing mass of creatures around him.

    Suddenly, he stopped.

    …He heard a voice.

  • You’re Not Allowed to Kiss Me Anymore! [Quick Transmigration] 49p2

    Chapter 49 p2

    The scarf’s tag was irritating her skin, and after several attempts to tuck it in, Xin Yao bent her head, trying to reach it.

    And in that moment of distraction, she heard a thud.

    Startled, she looked up and saw Xu Jingyu, who had somehow gotten ahead of her, stumbling on the uneven pavement, her head hitting a lamppost.

    The impact made the lamppost sway slightly, the snow on top of it falling onto Xu Jingyu’s hair and coat.

    Xin Yao, forgetting about her scarf, rushed towards her.

    “Oh my god, are you okay?”

    Xu Jingyu turned around slowly, her lips pressed together, not speaking.

    Snowflakes landed on her eyelashes, melting as she blinked.

    In the dim light of the streetlamp, Xin Yao saw that her forehead was red from the impact.

    But what surprised her even more was the redness around Xu Jingyu’s eyes, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears in the soft light and falling snow.

    Xin Yao paused, confused.

    Was it that painful? Was she crying?

    She reached out, her hand gently touching Xu Jingyu’s cheek, avoiding her forehead.

    “Silly Xu Jingyu! How could you bump into a lamppost?”

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes, slightly red and teary, were beautiful in the soft light, her long eyelashes fluttering, her appearance strangely vulnerable.

    She didn’t answer, simply reaching out and grabbing Xin Yao’s wrist, her gaze fixed on Xin Yao’s face.

    “Xin Yao, do you like Meng Wanqing?”

    Xin Yao: ?

    What kind of question was that? It completely ruined the mood. She had been momentarily captivated by the beauty of Xu Jingyu’s tearful eyes.

    And liking Meng Wanqing?

    Not that there was anything wrong with Xiao Meng, but the thought was as absurd as imagining a fish suddenly jumping out of its bowl and doing a little dance.

    As Xin Yao’s mind reeled, Xu Jingyu continued, her words even more unexpected. “Or do you still have feelings for Li Xu?”

    Xin Yao: ???

    That was even more absurd!

    But before she could react, Xu Jingyu stepped closer, pulling Xin Yao towards her, their bodies almost touching in the falling snow.

    Xin Yao could feel the warmth radiating from Xu Jingyu’s body, the intensity of her emotions.

    “Xin Yao,” her voice was slightly strained, yet firm, “I like you.”

    “I just realized, I liked you from the moment I saw you.”

    “Even though I met you later, and our time together has been short, I know I like you more than anyone else in the world.”

    “Don’t like them, don’t even look at them,” Xu Jingyu’s eyes reddened further. “Just like me, okay?”

    Xu Jingyu, usually so direct and blunt, had been struggling to express her feelings, her confession a sudden outpouring of suppressed emotions.

    Her words stunned Xin Yao, her gaze locked with Xu Jingyu’s.

    She knew that Xu Jingyu didn’t understand love, not yet.

    So, she hadn’t expected a confession, had even resigned herself to the possibility that Xu Jingyu might never feel the same way.

    She had thought: It’s okay. I’ll just love her, even if she doesn’t love me back.

    But now, in this romantic, snowy night, the person she loved was confessing her feelings, her words almost desperate, her eyes shining with an intensity that made Xin Yao’s heart ache.

    Tears welled up in Xin Yao’s eyes, her heart melting, her voice caught in her throat.

    Seeing Xin Yao’s silence, her eyes filled with tears, Xu Jingyu’s own eyes reddened further, her beauty breathtaking, almost painful.

    She tightened her grip on Xin Yao’s hand, as if wanting to pull her into her arms.

    “If you don’t like me, I’ll just steal you away.”

    Xin Yao, almost stumbling into her embrace, snapped out of her daze, a smile playing on her lips, her own tears blurring her vision.

    “Okay, then steal me away.”

    She knew Xu Jingyu was capable of anything, her possessiveness sometimes bordering on obsessive.

    She had sometimes wondered what would happen if she didn’t reciprocate Xu Jingyu’s feelings.

    Perhaps the alcohol had dulled her senses.

    Xu Jingyu, hearing Xin Yao’s words, didn’t understand.

    She didn’t know if Xin Yao liked her.

    Her eyes lowered, her long eyelashes hiding her emotions.

    Xin Yao cupped her face in her hands, forcing her to look at her.

    “What’s wrong? Why are you sad?”

    Xu Jingyu looked at her, her voice soft.

    “Because I want to kiss you.”

    “Huh?” Xin Yao blinked, then laughed. “Then kiss me.”

    “But I’ve used up all my kisses,” Xu Jingyu said, her expression still impassive, but her voice, her slightly lowered gaze, betraying her vulnerability.

    “You said I couldn’t kiss you anymore.”

    Before she could even finish her sentence, Xin Yao stood on tiptoe and kissed her, her lips soft and warm against Xu Jingyu’s, like snowflakes melting on her skin, the warmth spreading through her body.

    Xu Jingyu’s eyes widened slightly, her breath catching in her throat, her hands fidgeting nervously.

    “What… what does this mean?”

    Xin Yao smiled, kissing her again.

    “Silly Xu Jingyu.”

    “It means I like you too, of course.”

    Her words, so simple yet so profound, made Xu Jingyu’s heart pound.

    Unable to contain herself any longer, she captured Xin Yao’s lips in a passionate kiss.

    Xin Yao’s arms wrapped around her neck, her lips meeting hers, their embrace tender and loving in the falling snow, the warm glow of the streetlights illuminating their faces.

    The next morning, Xu Jingyu woke up in her hotel bed, her head throbbing slightly.

    The sunlight, streaming through the gap in the curtains, made her wince, and she raised her arm to shield her eyes.

    She couldn’t remember what had happened last night.

    She only vaguely recalled drinking, then impulsively grabbing Xin Yao’s hand.

    And then?

    As she tried to piece together the fragmented memories, she heard a sound coming from the living room.

    She looked up and saw Xin Yao, already dressed and her makeup done, walking towards her, her eyes lighting up as she saw that Xu Jingyu was awake.

    “You’re awake! I was just about to wake you.”

    “I have to go out for a bit. I made you breakfast and some hangover soup. Eat while it’s still warm.”

    “Okay,” Xu Jingyu replied automatically.

    But she was still slightly disoriented. She glanced at the clock. It was 8 am.

    Xin Yao was usually reserved and wouldn’t normally come to her room, especially not at this hour.

    And she had made breakfast for her? It felt like a scene from a married couple’s life.

    Like a dream.

    Xu Jingyu looked at Xin Yao, her voice slightly confused.

    “Xin Yao?”

    Seeing her bewildered expression, Xin Yao knew she didn’t remember what had happened.

    She chuckled, walking over to the bed and holding up three fingers.

    “Three things.”

    “One, you got drunk last night, cried, confessed your feelings for me, and told me you liked me very much.”

    “Two, I accepted.”

    “Three, so now, you’re my girlfriend, Xu Jingyu.”

    She stood up.

    “Even though it’s our first day together, I have to go out. We can celebrate later. I shouldn’t be too long.”

    Her rapid-fire delivery left Xu Jingyu even more confused.

    She understood the words individually, but their combined meaning was shocking, almost incomprehensible.

    She grabbed Xin Yao’s wrist as she turned to leave, her mind racing.

    She wanted to ask so many questions.

    Had she really been drunk last night? What had happened?

    And was Xin Yao serious? Were they really dating?

    Was she still dreaming?

    But the words caught in her throat, a jumble of confused thoughts, and all she could manage was a soft, “Yaoyao?”

    Xin Yao understood her confusion, but she really had to leave.

    She patted Xu Jingyu’s wrist reassuringly, then leaned down and kissed her forehead, where a faint red mark still lingered from last night’s collision with the lamppost.

    “Who told you to drink so much when you can’t handle it? Now you don’t even remember. Serves you right.”

    “Anyway, we’re together now.”

    “I really have to go. I’ll tell you all about it when I get back.”

    “Don’t miss me too much, girlfriend,” she winked. “And don’t forget to drink your hangover soup.”

    With that, she turned and left, her white coat swirling around her as she hurried out the door, not even waiting for Xu Jingyu’s reply.

    She had burst into the room like a ray of sunshine, then left like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of shocking revelations in her wake.

    And Xu Jingyu, sitting there, stunned, her mind reeling.

    After Xin Yao left, Xu Jingyu stared at the empty doorway, her mind slowly piecing together the fragmented memories.

    She sat there, her heart pounding, her blood rushing through her veins, a strange excitement coursing through her body.

    Just as she felt like she was about to lose control, a few images flashed through her mind.

    The sweet taste of rice wine, her hand gripping Xin Yao’s, the desperate plea “Don’t go,” driven by the fear of losing her.

    And then, the warm glow of the streetlights, the falling snow, Xin Yao standing before her, her voice soft and gentle as she confessed her feelings.

    They had exchanged vows of love in the snowy night, their embrace tender and passionate.

    The memories returned, her heart pounding, her eyes shining with a newfound joy.

    She touched her lips, then sat up abruptly.

    Girlfriend.

    So, Xin Yao had accepted her confession last night.

    They were together now.

    Xu Jingyu’s breath hitched, and she covered her mouth with her hand, her usually calm demeanor shattered.

    Then, she fell back onto the bed, pulling the covers over her head, almost rolling around in delight.

    Xin Yao.

    My Xin Yao.

    Xin Yao is my girlfriend!

  • Sickly Girl Doesn’t Die in Zombie Simulator 135

    Chapter 135: Radio Communication

    “Hello? Hello? Can anyone hear me?”

    A simple call on the radio reached the Qingzhou University camp, where order was slowly being restored and attempts were being made to purify the water supply. Anyone else listening on that frequency would have heard the exchange clearly.

    “Hello? Hello?… Kzzt…”

    A middle-aged man with a prosthetic left leg sat in the radio room, staring at the device, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

    He’d been a soldier before the apocalypse, having lost his leg in a car accident years earlier. Even with his military training, surviving the apocalypse with a disability had been… challenging, to say the least.

    His survival, until he’d found refuge in the Qingzhou University camp, had been mostly a matter of luck.

    Because of his pre-apocalypse hobby of amateur radio operation, Wan Zi had given him the task of managing the camp’s radio communications—a cushy job, basically just sitting around.

    He felt like they’d kept him out of pity, giving him this… unessential task.

    He had requested to be transferred to the farming team, but Wan Zi had insisted that no one else knew how to operate the radio equipment. So, he’d been stuck here for years.

    They said the radio was the best way to communicate in the apocalypse, but ironically, most people who knew how to use one were dead.

    Besides occasionally broadcasting Wan Zi’s recruitment messages, he also regularly scanned different frequencies.

    And today, on the previously silent Voodoo Cult channel, he’d heard a rather… unprofessional call.

    No, not unprofessional, it sounded like someone who had just learned how to use a radio.

    “CQ, CQ, CQ, this is BG7YD, your signal is 59, please respond.”

    He tried contacting them again on the same frequency, but there was no response.

    After patiently waiting for a minute, just as he was about to try again, a voice came through.

    “I hear… kzzt… you!”

    Even through the static, the little girl’s excited voice was clear.

    The man took a deep breath, deciding to abandon his professional jargon and adopt a more… child-friendly approach.

    “Hello? Little friend, can you hear me? If so, please respond.”

    “Kzzt… I heat… kzzt… …you…”

    Heat… ?

    He paused, confused, then, based on the first word, guessed she meant “I hear you.”

    With the static and the intermittent signal, understanding a complete sentence was difficult; that’s why he’d used standard radio protocol initially.

    Before he could figure out how to respond, the little girl asked, “Where… kzzt… are you, Uncle…?”

    A direct question about his location.

    Although her tone was polite, he frowned slightly.

    Both the Voodoo Cult and Survivor’s Light used amateur radio frequencies, easily intercepted by anyone with a receiver.

    Answering her question would be like broadcasting the Qingzhou University Camp’s location to any remaining Voodoo Cult members listening on that channel.

    That could bring trouble; he couldn’t risk it.

    Instead of answering, he tried to ascertain her purpose.

    “Hello? Your signal is weak,” he said, pressing the transmit button. “What is it you need?”

    He took a sip of water from a nearby cup, his nerves slightly on edge.

    Whatever her reason, he couldn’t reveal the camp’s location.

    This time, the response was quick.

    “Kzzt… I’m looking for… kzzt… wait… oh…”

    “I’m looking for Sister Wanzi at the Qingzhou University Camp.”

    “Pfft—”

    The man nearly choked on his water.

    He hadn’t expected this, that she was actually looking for this camp.

    Well, now everyone listening knew there was a camp at Qingzhou University.

    They were famous now.

    This was beyond his authority now.

    He picked up the walkie-talkie.

    “Wan Zi, this is Yang Dan. Do you copy? Over.”

    After a while, Wan Zi’s tired voice came through.

    “What is it, Brother Yang?”

    She addressed him respectfully, both due to his age and his military background.

    Yang Dan, hearing the exhaustion in her voice, sighed softly. “The stream…”

    “It’s no use, the Voodoo Cult has a blood-poison Awakened, the entire stream is contaminated.”

    “This…”

    He sighed again.

    The entire stream… that meant they had to dig a new channel from the mountaintop and remove the contaminated section.

    A massive undertaking… there were no glaciers in southern China, the water came from mountain streams fed by mist and rain.

    Even before the apocalypse, with heavy machinery and a professional team, it would take at least two weeks; now, relying solely on manual labor, it would take at least two months.

    And their food supplies wouldn’t last a month.

    Their self-sufficient days… were over.

    A wave of despair washed over him.

    The little girl’s voice on the radio reminded him of his current task.

    “Wan Zi, are you free to come to the radio room? Someone’s looking for you… on the Voodoo Cult channel…”

    “What is it? Wait… someone’s looking for me on the Voodoo Cult channel?!”

    Her voice was filled with surprise. She’d just heard from a young man’s radio that the Voodoo Cult had been destroyed.

    They’d all assumed it was the work of the Lin sisters’ organization.

    And now, someone specifically asking for her? This confirmed that the voice on the radio earlier had indeed been Little Sister Lin.

    “Tell her to wait, I’ll be right there.”

    He could hear her rapid footsteps through the walkie-talkie; she was hurrying.

    He put down the walkie-talkie and spoke into the radio. “This is the Qingzhou University Camp, our leader, Wan Zi, will be here shortly. Please stand by. Over.”

    Since their location was no longer a secret, he didn’t bother hiding it.

    Across Guangdong Province and throughout southern China, those listening to the Voodoo Cult’s frequency were puzzled.

    Donghai City, inside the Donghai City Broadcasting Station, a woman with a strange black ring around her neck sat in front of the radio equipment.

    Hearing the conversation, she frowned slightly and then, extending her right hand, which was slightly swollen from the fungal tendrils beneath her skin, pressed the transmit button.

    “Captain Long, there’s activity on the former Voodoo Cult channel. You can hear it on a regular radio. It seems to be communication with a camp leader.”

    After a while, a tired voice replied.

    “Kzzt… I understand, I’ll go listen…”

    Inside a luxurious hotel in Donghai City, Bu Xiaolong, holding a walkie-talkie, his face etched with exhaustion, walked out.

    He’d lost track of how many days he’d been awake, snatching only a few minutes of sleep whenever he could.

    But thanks to his tireless efforts, the Symbiosis Project was finally making progress.

    They had tried countless methods to deal with the pervasive fungal infection, now deeply rooted within many of them.

    And the test subjects were volunteers who had learned of their high spore counts and had agreed to participate in the experiments.

    They hadn’t found a way to completely eradicate the fungus. Some people’s organs were even composed of fungal tissue; removing it would kill them.

    But the experiments weren’t entirely fruitless.

    They had discovered that both fire and electricity could repel the tendrils and even inhibit their growth.

    Based on this, Jiang Chun, the new leader of the Awakened, had proposed a bold plan.

    The Symbiosis Project.

    And the project’s testing ground was this hotel, its spacious lobby ideal for setting up equipment and storing materials, protected from the elements and well-ventilated.

    They were producing simple black collars. These collars, when charged, emitted a low-level electrical current that prevented the fungus from reaching the brain.

    Even some of the tendrils that had already reached the brain had retreated.

    As long as the fungus didn’t reach the brain, contained within the body by the collar, even if it replaced all their organs, their consciousness would remain intact.

    As long as the solar-powered collars remained charged, they could maintain a symbiotic relationship with the fungus.

    These collars, seemingly a restriction, were actually a liberation.

    They had discovered that the fungus enhanced their physical capabilities, even ordinary people no longer feeling as tired after prolonged physical labor.

    Their strength, speed, and blood crystal absorption rate had all increased… They could even enhance themselves by absorbing blood crystals, strengthening the fungus within.

    In a way, it was a form of evolution.

    Those like Bu Xiaolong, naturally immune to spores and the fungus, hadn’t benefited from this.

    The improved, solar-powered collars had been distributed to about a third of the infected. In another week, Survivor’s Light could officially declare the crisis over.

    But because of the fungus, they would likely remain semi-isolated.

    Any interaction with the outside world, or allowing outsiders in, would risk spreading the infection. So, except for those with natural immunity, no one was allowed to leave the city.

    This was a decision they had all voted on; they didn’t want to be responsible for infecting others.

    Although self-sufficient, many still felt a sense of loss.

    What had been their original purpose in coming here?

    Besides those who had been in Donghai City from the start, everyone else, Awakened or not, had come here hoping to make a difference, to contribute.

    But now, trapped by the fungus… their light seemed to have dimmed.

    If they couldn’t resolve this, even with the Symbiosis Project, their ideals would eventually erode, and Survivor’s Light would change.

    Bu Xiaolong, now the captain of the combat unit, looked at the high-frequency radio with its makeshift antenna, handed to him by a subordinate.

    The conversation coming from the radio caught his attention.

    He had heard about the Voodoo Cult’s destruction, but Survivor’s Light hadn’t made an official announcement yet; it seemed their leader, Jiang Chun, wasn’t certain of its authenticity.

    But this conversation… might change their minds.

    Ignoring the fact that it was the Voodoo Cult’s channel, it sounded like an ordinary conversation.

    A little girl asking about how to plant certain types of seeds, and several others taking turns answering her questions.

    Nothing unusual.

    Except… this was the apocalypse.

    Most crops had been destroyed by the blood crystal infection, either becoming blood crystal entities themselves or mutated.

    The few self-sufficient camps and Survivor’s Light were cultivating crops with… minor contamination, still a long-term risk.

    The conversation was ending. A camp leader, seemingly nicknamed “Wanzi,” was asking about the “sisters.” The vague reference confused everyone except those involved in the conversation.

    So far, Bu Xiaolong hadn’t noticed anything suspicious.

    But then, during a lull in the conversation, a new voice, a mature woman’s.

    “Requesting to join the conversation.”

    The moment he heard her voice, a familiar image, a woman with short red hair, flashed through his mind.

    “Senior Jiang Chun?”

    When had the leader gone to the broadcasting station? And contacted the Voodoo Cult channel?

    Before anyone on the radio could answer, Jiang Chun spoke again.

    “Are you from a botanical research institute? Or a settlement near a seed bank?”

    Bu Xiaolong instantly understood.

    They’d been talking about… too many kinds of seeds.

    As if they had access to a vast variety, choosing the most suitable ones for a high-temperature, high-humidity environment.

    In other words… an excessive abundance.

    Most people just planted whatever they could find. Who had the luxury of being picky?

    There was only one explanation: those using the Voodoo Cult’s frequency had access to a vast number of seeds, they likely occupied a seed bank or a botanical research institute.

    And seed banks and botanical research institutes… that meant… Kun City in Yun Province.

    If this were a game of Werewolf, they had just revealed their roles.

    “Who are you?”

    Huayibai, dangling its feet in the Voodoo Cult’s radio station, hearing the familiar voice, pressed the transmit button and asked.

    Meanwhile, back in the dormitory, the two sisters, having eaten their fill, lay on a vine-woven bed, sleepiness overcoming them despite it being only afternoon.

    Lin Xiwan wanted to cuddle her sister and sleep, while Lin Jiayao was thinking about logging in.

    A4, the fastest, almost flying, zombie, was already available, less than 24 hours after its last login.

    This meant it had reached its extraction point in Fuzhou City, while Mask was still on its way to Xin City.

    This was a good opportunity to check on A4’s B-rank evolution.

    Unbeknownst to her, the conversation she’d thought was over was about to escalate dramatically, thanks to Huayibai.

  • Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 280

    Chapter 280: Who is the Vice President?

    Both Qin Chu and Wadsworth sensed that the Blissful Witch Society harbored secrets far more terrifying than they had imagined.

    “Ange, Carol, step back. Don’t let anyone near here,” Qin Chu instructed.

    The scene about to unfold wasn’t suitable for them to witness.

    If a Divine Fetus truly emerged, the impact would be too much for them to handle.

    Carol, her face pale, nodded and quickly retreated with Angelica.

    Qin Chu turned to Wadsworth.

    The Emperor’s brow was furrowed, his gaze fixed on Angela’s swelling abdomen.

    “Should we kill her now?” Qin Chu asked quietly.

    “Before the Divine Fetus emerges, we still have time.”

    Since she was Wadsworth’s consort, Qin Chu felt it necessary to consult him.

    A flicker of hesitation crossed Wadsworth’s face, but he quickly shook his head: “No…”

    “Bringing a god’s bloodline into this world is incredibly difficult.”

    “My eldest son sacrificed his life and soul to summon a mere avatar. For a god’s will or offspring to manifest through a mortal vessel is far more challenging. If it were that easy, the Blissful Witch Society would already control this world.”

    “Besides, we know too little about them.”

    Qin Chu nodded, understanding Wadsworth’s reasoning. The Emperor didn’t believe a god’s bloodline could truly manifest. He was certain Angela would fail.

    He wanted to use this gruesome spectacle to uncover more of the Witch Society’s secrets.

    Moreover, they had Qin Chu as a backup. He could summon the goddess’s phantom.

    Considering all these factors, Wadsworth made his decision.

    However, Wadsworth was truly ruthless. Angela was his consort, a woman who had shared his bed countless times. Yet, he was willing to watch her suffer such torment. If it were Qin Chu… he would likely be even more ruthless.

    Qin Chu’s gaze shifted back to Angela.

    Her face was contorted in agony, her body wracked with unbearable itching. She scratched frantically, her nails tearing bloody strips of flesh from her skin.

    “Divine Fetus…”

    “Not enough… not enough…”

    “Gu… gu… kee… kee…”

    “More…”

    Her voice was a gurgling mess, as if her throat was clogged with blood.

    Her mouth stretched open to her cheekbones, her jaw nearly detaching from her skull, revealing rows of teeth.

    She was consumed by the itch.

    Each time she tore flesh from her body, a fleeting sense of relief washed over her, followed by an even more intense itching.

    She writhed on the ground, inching closer to Sharon, leaving a trail of blood.

    Sharon, seeing Angela approaching, her eyes filled with terror, sensed what she intended. She thrashed her head, screaming: “Get away, Angela!”

    “Stay away from me!”

    But Angela couldn’t hear her. She only knew that Sharon possessed something she craved.

    A grotesque smile twisted Angela’s face as she looked at the screaming Sharon.

    The next moment, in Sharon’s horrified gaze, Angela opened her mouth wide, drool or perhaps some other viscous fluid dripping from her lips. With a guttural growl, she lunged at Sharon’s neck.

    Rip!

    A jet of blood erupted.

    Sharon thrashed her head, trying to escape, but with only her head mobile, she was helpless against Angela’s fangs.

    Angela’s throat worked rapidly.

    A gurgling sound filled the air.

    She was swallowing.

    Sharon’s face paled, her body rapidly shriveling.

    She was in agony, despairing, powerless.

    No…

    With a final scream, the light faded from Sharon’s eyes.

    The entire process took less than two minutes. All that remained of Sharon’s once beautiful body was a dried husk of skin clinging to her bones.

    Angela lifted her head, her mouth smeared with blood.

    Having consumed Sharon’s flesh and blood, she seemed to experience a profound satisfaction, a giggle escaping her lips as she caressed her belly: “My child…”

    “You’re full.”

    “You’ll be born soon.”

    Her delirious words made Qin Chu and Wadsworth’s scalps tingle. This woman was completely insane.

    Suddenly, as if spurred by some unseen force, Angela stood up. Her eyes, perhaps stained with Sharon’s blood, were crimson as she glared at Qin Chu and Wadsworth:

    “Are you… trying to steal my child?”

    Qin Chu swallowed, looking at Angela’s belly.

    Her stretched skin was crisscrossed with cracks, her distended abdomen grotesquely large.

    Her skin was stretched thin, the capillaries beneath visible.

    Like an overinflated balloon, it seemed ready to burst.

    And then…

    Pop!

    It burst.

    Qin Chu felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer. His mind went blank.

    But his strong mental fortitude quickly reasserted itself. He glanced at Wadsworth, who stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the scene.

    Qin Chu’s strength was still inferior to Wadsworth’s.

    Angela’s belly had exploded, spraying gore across the floor in a wide circle. Her lifeless body collapsed, her eyes still filled with a dying madness.

    In the center of the bloody circle lay a shapeless mass of flesh.

    A strong heartbeat pulsed within it.

    … Thump… thump… thump…

    Both Qin Chu and Wadsworth could hear it clearly.

    The fleshy mass pulsed and writhed, as if trying to reshape itself.

    But just like Angela’s earlier words, it wasn’t enough… even the combined flesh and soul of Angela and Sharon weren’t enough to sustain the Divine Fetus.

    Wadsworth’s prediction had been correct.

    This wasn’t a Divine Fetus, but a monstrous aberration.

    It exuded no divine aura, only a twisted, chaotic energy.

    Despite their correct prediction, neither man felt any joy…

    This gruesome scene proved that the Blissful Witch Society’s path wasn’t entirely misguided.

    The entities in the Void hadn’t given up on their attempts to infiltrate this world.

    While they couldn’t manifest their true forms due to the imprisoned goddess, they could influence mortal minds, using their fanatical followers as vessels for their avatars.

    They even attempted to bring their offspring into this world, to corrupt the Heavenly Continent in their stead.

    This attempt had failed.

    But what if it had been someone more powerful than Angela, someone like the Vice President, with enough sacrifices?

    Would the bloodline of an Evil God have been born into the Heavenly Continent?

    Perhaps the Witch Society’s purpose was to select suitable vessels for the gods’ offspring, and the men they seduced were merely… sustenance.

    Wadsworth, his face grim, walked towards the pulsating mass.

    The creature, despite lacking a mouth, emitted a squeaking sound, as if sensing Wadsworth’s power.

    With each step, Wadsworth’s aura intensified.

    By the time he reached the creature, his battle qi crackled around him like transparent flames.

    He clenched his right fist, battle qi converging upon it.

    Squeak… squeak…

    The creature squealed again, sensing its impending doom.

    Despite its grotesque appearance, it wasn’t particularly strong, barely reaching level 80.

    A large fissure opened in the fleshy mass, revealing a maw filled with suckers.

    It lunged at Wadsworth’s head.

    “One punch…”

    “Shatters Heaven!”

    Whoosh!

    Wadsworth’s fist connected.

    The air seemed to tear.

    His fist slammed into the creature, his battle qi surging through it.

    The fleshy mass expanded rapidly, then exploded with a wet pop.

    Bits of gore rained down.

    The force of the blow shattered a nearby building.

    Truly one of humanity’s strongest. While Qin Chu could have handled it, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve such instant annihilation.

    Wadsworth casually flicked his hand, as if he had merely swatted a fly: “That disgusting thing is finally dealt with.”

    “Unfortunately, we still don’t know who this Vice President is.”

    He was disappointed.

    He had hoped to seize this opportunity to eradicate the Witch Society completely.

    Or at least capture the Vice President, dealing a significant blow to the organization.

    But in the end, even with Angela’s list, they would only catch a few small fry. It wouldn’t make much difference.

    “I might have a clue, though I can’t be certain if she’s the Vice President,” Angelica’s weak voice called out from behind. The danger having passed, Carol helped her towards them.

    Having been preoccupied with Qin Chu’s safety, Angelica now remembered something: “It was a woman in an ice-white dress. She was tall.”

    “Her clothes were worn, and she didn’t seem to wear shoes. Barefoot, but with an undeniable air of nobility.”

    “Her hair was ice-white and somewhat disheveled. She seemed to be an ice mage…”

    Angelica struggled to recall her impression of the woman.

    With each word, Wadsworth trembled.

    By the end, his eyes were glazed over, his lips moving silently: “Miss Angelica, you don’t need to say more.”

    “I know who she is…”

    “It’s my… Empress!”

    The mother of his firstborn son.

  • My Girlfriend is a Cold and Aloof Sickly Beauty 49

    Chapter 49: Moving Out

    At 9:30 the next morning, sitting on the smoothly flying international flight, Jiang Xue was still thinking about last night.

    She had spent a long time talking with Xiao Luohan, listening and comforting her. When she woke up, it was almost 3:00 AM.

    She was lying in her own bed, with Jiang Mei and Xie Xitong still in the room. When she opened her eyes, her sister was taking a nap with an eye mask on, and it was Xie Xitong who was watching over her.

    “Your sister was worried, afraid something might happen to you, so she asked me to keep watch,” Xie Xitong explained softly, sitting on the edge of the bed. “If anything happened, I would contact the elders in my family who understand metaphysics and call your soul back.”

    The incident had been sudden, and everyone had been startled by Jiang Xue’s “fainting.” Fortunately, Dr. Qi was also present and had made up an excuse to reassure the students. The few who knew the truth quickly took Jiang Xue home.

    “It was Elder Sister Red Fox who ‘pulled’ me over there,” Jiang Xue also lowered her voice, her tone filled with anger as she briefly recounted what the Crown Prince had done. “How dare he bully Xiao Luo, whom everyone cherishes so much! I’ll make him pay!”

    Xie Xitong, however, wasn’t focused on this. She frowned. “I’m thinking… did the red fox’s power increase, allowing her to pull you, who was awake, into the dream and to that world, or did she, to save her younger sister, overexert herself to pull you over there?”

    Jiang Xue was stunned by her question.

    “Although according to your description, it will only take three days to completely resolve the Third Princess’s situation, but if the ‘connection’ between the two worlds is maintained because of the red fox’s intervention, and if it’s the latter case, can she really recover her overexerted power in just three days?”

    Xie Xitong, as an outsider, continued to ask calmly, “If not, how will your channel for crossing over be opened? Assuming the assassination is successful, even with a silencer, if the Crown Prince doesn’t appear for a while, his servants will definitely come to check. Then the Third Princess will be in danger!”

    “You have to ask the red fox clearly before the assassination!”

    The issue Xie Xitong was worried about had actually been considered more than once by the Jiang sisters and Xiao Luohan.

    After all, based on all the clues so far, they couldn’t be certain that “the channel for crossing over will open at a specific time.” The only thing they knew for sure was that Xiao Luohan’s will greatly influenced the “connection” between the two worlds.

    Jiang Xue had also considered asking the red fox directly, but firstly, the red fox wasn’t always available, and secondly, even if she asked, the red fox wouldn’t speak.

    Actually, she felt that the red fox should be able to speak. Otherwise, in the dream where they went to the Ministry of War, the red fox, transformed into a coachman, should have been mute. As for “naturally taciturn,” that was even less likely. It could only be that the questions were difficult to answer, or that, due to some factor, it simply couldn’t answer.

    After trying a few times, she stopped bothering the red fox.

    Compared to her, the red fox Elder Sister should want Xiao Luohan to go to the other world even more, right? Otherwise, why would she establish this transtemporal bond for them?

    That being said, this was still a gamble, and they were all willing to trust that elder sister.

    Jiang Xue sighed. Before she could explain to Xie Xitong, she saw the diary on her pillow bulge.

    “…I have to pack things up!” She hurriedly got out of bed, opened the diary, took out the notebook and pen she had given Xiao Luohan, and placed them on the desk.

    To prevent another book-burning incident, Xiao Luohan insisted on returning everything to her.

    “She doesn’t want her cherished gifts to be treated like that,” Jiang Xue explained to Xie Xitong while writing a message to Xiao Luohan, telling her that she was ready to receive the items. “Since she can’t protect them, she’s temporarily leaving them with me. She’s only keeping the winter supplies and food.”

    She paused, then said, as if trying to comfort herself, “It’s also… another reason for her to ‘have to come over.’”

    Even if moving out was part of the original plan, taking the initiative to move and being forced to move felt completely different.

    Jiang Mei, a light sleeper, was soon awakened by the commotion. After understanding the situation, she also helped them pack.

    Xie Xitong found a storage bin for the burned books, waiting for Xiao Luohan to come over and decide whether to keep or discard them.

    Jiang Xue placed the Shiba Inu plush toy, Xiao Luohan’s favorite, in the most prominent spot on the pillow, making sure it was the first thing she saw when she entered the room.

    Small items quickly piled up in a corner of the bedroom, including the damaged Scream bottle.

    As Jiang Xue sorted, packed, and stacked the items, she couldn’t help but sigh inwardly: They had sent so many things over there.

    No wonder Xiao Luo was always thinking about how to “repay their kindness.” Their casual acts of kindness had unknowingly become a large part of her life.

    Along with the things they had sent, there were also items Xiao Luohan had brought from Beiliao.

    The brocade pouch that held important items was stored together with the plum blossom jade bookmark Xiao Luohan had initially sent.

    But when Jiang Xue opened it to check the contents, she found the rainbow sticker and the MP3 player she had sent were inside, even the spare earphones were neatly folded and wrapped in a clean white handkerchief.

    Most of the other small items were dowry jewelry and gold and silver treasures. Xiao Luohan had sent over everything that could fit on the diary.

    Finally, there was a slightly wilted plum blossom branch.

    Jiang Xue remembered it. Last night, when she was checking the room, it had been lying in a pool of water with the broken vase and the physical copy of the novel.

    But plum blossoms were resilient. She immediately found an empty vase at home, filled it with water, placed the branch inside, and carefully put it on the windowsill where the sunlight was best, planning to ask Sister Cheng to bring back the plum blossom branch from her rented apartment and place it together with this one.

    By the time the “moving out” was complete, it was past 4:00 AM.

    Jiang Mei had booked a flight for 9:00 AM and had to leave at 7:00 AM. The three of them quickly washed up and went to bed.

    Xie Xitong slept in the guest room. She was happy to participate in this meaningful “New Year’s holiday activity” and had even brought her suitcase over and placed it in the living room!

    But Jiang Xue had slept from before 8:00 PM last night and woken up around 3:00 AM, a total of seven hours. After lying in bed for a while, unable to fall asleep, and since Xiao Luohan had also gone back to rest, she simply got up and rummaged through her drawers for pain relief and anti-inflammatory ointment, and collected and printed a large pile of diagrams and instructions on gun assembly and usage principles.

    Around 6:00 AM, after confirming that Xiao Luohan had woken up, she sent the ointment and materials, along with a lighter, over.

    Since Elder Sister Red Fox was watching over them, what if?

    What if she still had the strength to send a dream to a trusted member of the Beiliao maternal family? Perhaps this information could help…

    “Get some sleep. I’ll watch the diary for you,” Jiang Mei’s voice came from beside her, interrupting Jiang Xue’s thoughts. “Even if there are no delays, it will still be more than four hours before we land.”

    The first-class cabin was very comfortable, and there was no noise to disturb her. Jiang Xue left a message for Xiao Luohan, placed the open diary on the small table in front of her sister, reclined her seat, drew the curtain, and closed her eyes to rest.

    Perhaps because she slept too deeply, when she arrived in Xiao Luohan’s world through a dream, Xiao Luohan was already preparing lunch.

    It was self-heating mixed rice, Cantonese sausage flavor. Perhaps because the Third Princess really loved instant food, Jiang Xue felt that her movements in unpacking and heating the rice were even more proficient than her own.

    After Xiao Luohan added hot water and covered the container, Jiang Xue finally spoke: “I’m on my way!”

    “A five-hour flight, you must be tired,” Xiao Luohan said, turning to look at her apologetically.

    “It’s okay! I travel frequently. Five hours is nothing. I’ve even taken fifteen-hour flights!” Jiang Xue shook her head. “And for these long flights, my sister always books first class. It’s spacious and clean, so don’t worry.”

    Xiao Luohan nodded slightly, then asked, “What’s it like to fly on a plane?”

    She had seen “flying on a plane” in various works, but since it wasn’t usually part of the main plot, she couldn’t tell what the characters felt.

    “It depends on the stage…” Jiang Xue tried to use the self-heating rice container as a height demonstration prop, but burned her hand and had to use a pen holder instead. “Usually, it’s a little uncomfortable during takeoff and landing, about twenty minutes. There’s a strong sense of weightlessness, and you’ll also experience tinnitus… uh, it’s like your ears are blocked for a while, and you can’t hear anything, but it’s normal…”

    She slowly explained, recalling her own experiences, and Xiao Luohan listened attentively, her chin resting on her hand.

    Jiang Xue, however, was thinking that Xiao Luohan hadn’t eaten lunch yet. After talking for a while, she glanced at the digital watch beside her—the watch she had given Xiao Luohan had also been returned during the “move.”

    After eight minutes, she found a way to end the conversation and urged, “See if it’s ready to eat.”

    “I like it softer,” Xiao Luohan’s attention was still on her. “Let it sit for another two or three minutes.”

    She had already thought about how to repay Jiang Xue’s kindness, but things in this world hadn’t been settled yet. If something went wrong, making a vow prematurely would only become a source of regret for Jiang Xue.

    …Yes, just “regret,” not a scar.

    She didn’t think she was qualified to become a deep-seated scar. Just over a month of acquaintance meant nothing in Jiang Xue’s seventeen years of life.

    Even if she failed, time would heal everything.

    But last night, when she sorted and returned all the items from that world, one by one, she found that sadness overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

    It was the same sadness as losing her elder sister and leaving her mother.

    She even had a dark thought that even if she couldn’t kill the Crown Prince, she had to go to that world.

    To be by Jiang Xue’s side, in the same world, not just connected through letters and dreams.

    But she still didn’t know what this emotion was.

    Was it youthful impulsiveness and naiveté? Or was it the unwillingness to lose another important person, so she wanted to stay by Jiang Xue’s side?

    She vaguely understood a little, but it was just a vague awareness. The only thing she knew for sure was that she not only enjoyed being with Jiang Xue, but also wanted to live under the same roof.

    “Jiang Xue…” At this thought, she called out subconsciously.

    “What’s wrong?”

    “I want to pet the cat.”

    —She also wanted to hold Jiang Xue in her cat form, or be held by Jiang Xue in her cat form, like last night.

    Jiang Xue was now very used to transforming into a cat. To make herself seem more like a cat, she had even spent her day off observing Xie Xitong’s large white cat.

    Soon, the fluffy white cat jumped onto Xiao Luohan’s lap, looked up at her, and its large, fluffy white tail gently swept across her palm.

  • The Delicate Female Lead Only Wants to be Loved by the Villainous Young Ladies 309

    Chapter 309: An Angelic Shuraba

    Adele often felt like she was living in a perpetual golden autumn harvest. She seemingly no longer needed to strive or scheme for anything. Abundant resources and girls awaited her enjoyment and affection. Therefore, the night with the kitten wasn’t destined to be overly intense. After all, they had just had a major ahem session after waking up in the evening. Adele’s constitution was excellent; she felt almost no fatigue. But First Snow clearly seemed a bit dehydrated; she had gulped down a whole glass of water afterward. While they were strolling through the streets, she cutely nibbled on her drink’s straw. Still, if First Snow needed more, Adele would certainly cater to her.

    Originally, that was Adele’s thought. But when she led First Snow, whose belly was now full (from the street food), back to her dorm, she pushed open the door to find a silver-haired girl in the shadows. The girl was staring at her with seemingly emotionless blue eyes. She appeared to have been waiting for a long time.

    The girl’s name was Seraph. If she hadn’t made eye contact, most people would have mistaken her for an exquisitely crafted android doll, a toy Adele had bought…for those purposes. But her true identity was that of a legendary “Angel.” A terrifying being that needed to be contained. At least, before becoming familiar with them, Adele always held them in awe. But with Seraph by her side, she’d become somewhat…well, presumptuous.

    Adele, utterly surprised, met the angel’s gaze and instinctively called out her name, “Seraph!?”

    As far as she knew, the angel Seraph always hid herself in a hidden space, silently observing the world, peeking into Adele’s life. Thankfully, Adele had a carefree and insensitive personality; otherwise, constantly thinking about being watched would probably give her insomnia. But not only did Adele sleep well, her sleeping positions were also quite…

    It was worth mentioning that this hidden space was the angel’s exclusive domain, probably similar to a witch’s “Witch Domain.” However, a Witch Domain had greater limitations, existing only in the spiritual world and being difficult to use against someone on guard. An angel’s domain, on the other hand, was a space that truly existed within the seams of this world. What an angel could do within her own space…no one knew. Perhaps, they were gods within their own spaces?

    But now, why would Seraph actively leave her hidden space and appear before her? And if Adele remembered correctly, this should also be the first time Seraph had appeared before anyone other than herself, right? Meaning, First Snow. Why? This became Adele’s biggest question.

    First Snow, also bewildered, released the straw from her lips and looked at the white-haired girl in surprise. The kitten’s tail, usually unfurled and visible since entering the school, now drooped. A natural, cautious posture when facing the unknown. However, despite her wariness, First Snow didn’t sense even a trace of hostility from the angel Seraph. Otherwise, her reaction would have been more intense, possibly using all her amateur fighting skills to protect Adele.

    Hearing Adele’s call, Seraph blinked. Then, she calmly replied, “Adele, you’re back.”

    Seraph showed no awareness of her own angelic identity being revealed to someone other than Adele. And her “you’re back,” did it refer to Adele returning to the dorm from the street food stalls, or Adele returning to school from the vampire capital? Regardless, Adele simply nodded slightly.

    “Yes, I’m back…”

    At this point, she decided against asking Seraph if there would be any repercussions from appearing before First Snow. The girl could only bite the bullet and introduce the two girls to each other, both appearing as white-haired lolis but with vastly different natures.

    First Snow, with a shy and nervous expression, hid her small body behind Adele, looking at Seraph, this person who suddenly appeared in her and Sister Adele’s “love nest,” with wary and puzzled eyes.

    “Sister Adele…who is she?”

    First Snow racked her brains but couldn’t recall ever seeing such a girl beside Sister Adele. There was a sister named “Sharon,” but her white hair wasn’t so long, nor so bright. Besides, Sharon’s eyes were light gold, different from Seraph’s deep, greyish-blue eyes.

    “She…she…her name is Seraph, and she’s…my childhood friend!”

    “?”

    “?”

    Now, not only First Snow, but even Seraph tilted her head in confusion. Adele looked at Seraph with a slightly aggrieved and dissatisfied expression. I’m doing this to protect you! she thought. Seraph, don’t you know your angelic identity can’t be discovered!? Especially not by First Snow, who’s so close to Headmistress Winona.

    Because of the incident caused by Senior Li Lige, not only Li Lige, but Seraph had also become a wanted target of the Abnormal Ability Enforcement Bureau. Or rather, Seraph was an SSS-level wanted target, the highest danger level. Even Headmistress Winona had been temporarily tasked with searching for the angel. It was just that no one had found any trace of the angel afterward. Therefore, even though the warrant was still valid, as time passed, fewer and fewer enforcers were specifically searching for angels.

    But not now! Seraph, don’t you know it’s dangerous if you’re discovered!?

    Adele thought Seraph should understand this. Otherwise, why would she always come to find Adele only when she was alone? But now…Adele had some doubts about whether Seraph had such common sense. Or did she consider First Snow a pet, so it didn’t matter?

    Adele’s worries weren’t understood. Seraph didn’t care. And First Snow was almost stunned into unconsciousness by the term Adele used.

    “Childhood friend…or a destined encounter…Meow!”

    First Snow felt her vision darkening. Probably after Adele taught her how to use a computer, First Snow, imitating Adele’s behavior, gradually became a homebody. Not only did she play games, but she also picked up the habit of watching anime! And clearly, the anime First Snow had been watching recently was undoubtedly about school romance! She also began to recognize some terms from otaku culture, like childhood friend, destined encounter, tsundere, yandere, and so on. Uh…that last one, just watch it, don’t learn it, First Snow!

    So First Snow understood that a childhood friend often had an advantage in a romantic relationship, depending on whether the childhood friend could grasp it. If they were always oblivious, they could only end up as the losing dog, having their loved one snatched away by a destined girlfriend.

    But what if…the girl was both a childhood friend and a destined girlfriend, meow! Wouldn’t that be invincible, meow!

    That’s why First Snow’s face paled at this moment. She felt like she was about to lose in this shuraba.(Shura Field)

    Adele: Did you even learn the word “shuraba” too!?