Chapter 101

When Ye Zheng arrived at the border between the Southern District and the Western District, she slightly narrowed her eyes, attempting to discern the highway that wound into the dense fog ahead. At the end of the road lay only deeper white, and even the towering mountain forests had been reduced to faint, indistinct silhouettes.

Sykes had dispatched a team of twenty to enter and investigate the situation. The others remained in place, awaiting the advance team’s return with a detailed report.

Ye Zheng stood outside the dense fog. A foreboding sensation arose within her. That team of twenty likely wouldn’t return on schedule.

She lifted her gaze toward the heights. Her brows furrowed unconsciously. Compared to the aberrant realms she’d encountered before, this place resembled nothing more than an expanse enveloped in heavy fog. Yet upon reflection, no natural phenomenon could achieve such an effect. It had long since swallowed the entire Western District and rendered all forms of communication useless.

Was it a rare type of aberrant realm, or was there some other unique cause?

As leader, Sykes stood tall at the forefront, waiting for intelligence. Ye Zheng and Ryan, the two members of the royal team, stood behind him. The Saintess had always been patient. By contrast, Ryan beside her appeared restless.

Ryan was the least conspicuous member of the royal team. His ability, 【Aberrant Beast Control】, was in fact extremely practical, particularly within aberrant realms. Even if he couldn’t directly command them, he could accurately sense the positions of aberrant creatures.

After learning that the Western District was shrouded in white fog, Sykes had finally remembered Ryan, who had contributed almost nothing before, and included him in this operation.

Ye Zheng turned to look at Ryan. His eyes were closed, as though he were sensing the situation within the fog. The twitching at his temple and the tightening of his features revealed the strain he was under. Suddenly, Ryan opened his eyes. He grasped a handful of his red hair, his expression at a loss.

“What’s wrong, Ryan?”

“No, nothing. It’s just that the situation inside is somewhat complicated.”

Ryan spoke vaguely, his eyes subtly flicking toward the Crown Prince standing ahead.

Ye Zheng let out a soft laugh. She stepped closer to Ryan, her voice barely audible. “You didn’t detect anything, did you?”

Ryan immediately turned toward her in alarm, lowering his voice as well. “I was only trying casually. It’s normal not to detect anything before entering this aberrant realm…”

Ye Zheng gave him a reassuring smile. “Mm. There’s no need to be anxious. If this truly is an aberrant realm, there’ll certainly be an opportunity for you to demonstrate your abilities.”

At her words, Ryan’s mood improved somewhat. If he continued appearing so useless before the Crown Prince, he’d surely be completely discarded. This was a valuable opportunity. Besides his ability, who else could grasp the movements of aberrant creatures within such dense fog?

Ye Zheng observed all of Ryan’s expressions and movements. Having obtained the information she sought, she shifted her gaze away and once more fixed it upon the gray-white fog not far away.

What she’d just said hadn’t been meant to comfort Ryan. It was the truth. If the Western District were truly enveloped by a massive aberrant realm, accompanied by strange fog and lurking monsters.

Time passed minute by minute. The people waiting in place began to show faint signs of unrest. It was already twenty minutes past the advance team’s scheduled return time.

Almost everyone’s anxious, unsettled, and taut gazes turned toward the leader, the Crown Prince, including Ye Zheng’s. They waited for him to issue the next command.

『This time you’re not taking the lead? I thought you’d handle it the same way you did with Pei Xi last time.』

The system recalled Ye Zheng’s methods when she’d infiltrated the Cloud Soarers as Zhao Mei.

First, she had displayed leadership abilities that surpassed Pei Xi’s right in front of him, subtly shifting the team’s center toward herself. That invisible suppression had even driven Pei Xi to develop distorted thoughts that didn’t align with his original character. Then, with the “glorious oath” beneath the moonlight and her voluntary sacrifice within the labyrinth, she’d made Pei Xi trust and believe in her completely. One slap followed by a sweet reward, who wouldn’t be left disoriented?

Finally, the stunning seizure of the divine sword had shattered every beautiful illusion Pei Xi had constructed about her, twisting his character in ways that even the governing laws could scarcely correct.

In the original plot, Pei Xi hadn’t hesitated in the slightest. The moment he learned of Lu Qi’s disappearance, he’d abandoned the competition and rushed straight to the Western District.

And now...

“Pei Xi?”

“I seem to have treated him quite well.”

Ye Zheng reflected and felt there was nothing wrong at all. She’d never deliberately targeted him. She’d merely been doing what she needed to do.

She lowered her head to conceal the fleeting smile and continued replying to the system in her mind.

“I understand what you mean, but Pei Xi and Sykes are different.”

“What Sykes cares about isn’t other people’s expectations or the glory imposed by the world. He’s an untouchable tyrant.”

『The Crown Prince is untouchable, yet you’ve offended him multiple times.』

The system couldn’t help but complain.

“Precisely because he doesn’t allow others to step into his territory, that’s why I must trample on it again and again.”

Until she discovered the weakest scale, the fragile dragon scale that could be overturned with ease and brought under her control.

Ye Zheng’s gaze toward the figure ahead carried a faint, almost imperceptible curiosity and eagerness to test her theory. The meticulously tailored red uniform clung to the Crown Prince’s cold and upright form. His golden hair gleamed brilliantly, and powerful energy fluctuations radiated faintly from him. Standing before everyone, he seemed utterly indestructible.

Yet she had a premonition. During this journey to the Western District, she’d approach the weak point that could collapse with a single strike.

The waiting had stretched on long enough. Ye Zheng glanced at the time once more. Though her tone while conversing with the system had been relaxed, too many urgent matters kept her constantly on edge. She was just about to step forward to urge him when Sykes turned around and made a gesture.

“Advance.”

Hundreds lined up in perfect order. Ignoring his subordinates’ advice, Sykes strode straight to the very front of the formation and stepped into the dense, profound fog. There wasn’t a trace of fear on his face. Instead, a heavy emotion lay suppressed within him, on the verge of eruption, his golden eyes nearly darkened.

The Western District was the only clue he’d managed to uncover. Ye Zheng had better not be deceiving him.

She shouldn’t assume that just because she was the only one capable of helping him recover his memories, he wouldn’t act against her.

Should he be grateful to her for aiding in the restoration of his memories? No. He even felt pain intense enough to make him want to kill her. He should’ve killed her long ago.

Those deliberately erased memories, a woman’s tender lullaby, an unbreakable transparent cage, struggling non-human creatures.

Fragmented and chaotic images flashed violently through his mind. The final scene froze at the moment he opened his eyes within murky water, a powerful, irresistible warmth brushing against his neck.

In the Blood Flower Aberrant Realm, at the instant he awakened in that muddy water, what he’d thought of wasn’t killing the person behind him.

Instead, at the very beginning of life, he’d seemed to have once been enveloped in such warm water as well.

His cold, resolute will began to tremble violently. The power within his body surged restlessly. Sykes instinctively turned back. When he saw the girl walking unhurriedly behind him, her face still adorned with that ever-present calm smile, he barely suppressed the chaotic emotions once more.

He would reclaim every erased memory and every buried truth. He’d kill those who had attempted to control him, whether from the imperial family or the church.

Ye Zheng suddenly met Sykes’s eyes as he turned. A faint trace of puzzlement surfaced on her face. Did Sykes have something to say to her? That expression resembled a mad dog about to break free from its cage at any moment.

“System, how much screen time does Sykes have in the Western District plot?”

She asked.

The system pondered briefly before producing an answer that wouldn’t violate excessive spoiler restrictions while still conveying the maximum amount of information.

『The Xi-Sy and Sy-Xi CP fans will go crazy eating sugar in the Western District plot. Fate-bound connections, destined emotions. You could say the beautiful-strong-tragic top position is completely solidified.』

“Understood. It seems there won’t be any shortage of scenes between Sykes and Pei Xi, and their connection runs deep. Could Pei Xi also have some past or special identity that must be revealed?”

Ye Zheng immediately grasped the system’s implication. She hadn’t spent all that time on the forums for nothing.

The system felt both gratified and slightly wistful. Ye Zheng was no longer the innocent girl who chased after it asking what “beautiful-strong-tragic top,” “selling corruption,” or “public gong mama” meant.

Even as vast amounts of information revolved within Ye Zheng’s mind, her face retained the Saintess’s signature gentle expression.

Until she followed Sykes through a deep tunnel. At the tunnel’s end lay even denser white fog, though at least it was brighter than within. She could vaguely discern buildings not far away.

Suddenly, Ye Zheng’s ears twitched slightly. Her expression darkened.

She turned her head. Behind her stood fewer than twenty people.

Out of hundreds, only this many had emerged from the tunnel.

Ye Zheng’s eyes sharpened instantly. She bypassed the uneasy knights, walked to the rear of the group, and took several steps farther back.

Even the tunnel they’d just passed through had vanished. Behind them stretched only flat, open ground, shrouded in layers of thick fog.

Sykes walked up beside her, his expression equally grave.

“A space-type aberrant realm?”

He asked.

“Perhaps.”

Ye Zheng replied.

The previous Blood Flower Aberrant Realm had also randomly teleported individuals to different locations within. The essence of aberrant realms lay in foreign alternate spaces, and chaotic internal structures weren’t uncommon. Yet Ye Zheng felt this time was different.

Sykes suddenly stepped forward, walking deeper along the newly appeared road.

The knights anxiously attempted to stop the Crown Prince. This place was far too strange, vision-obscuring fog, unknown chaotic space, the white surroundings so tranquil they resembled a silent cemetery. No one knew how many dangerous creatures lurked within, waiting to strike.

Ye Zheng politely brushed aside the knight captain’s obstructing hand. She followed behind Sykes, stepping deeper in the direction from which they’d just come.

Sykes abruptly halted. His gaze fixed upon a point on the road.

Ye Zheng came to his side and followed his line of sight.

A strong scent of blood lingered at the tip of her nose. Sykes had likely detected it and walked over of his own accord.

On the gray road lay a pair of legs wrapped in red fabric, positioned across the side. The soles of brown leather boots faced the two of them.

The knight’s upper body appeared concealed within the thick fog. Ye Zheng took two steps forward before realizing there was no upper body at all. Fresh blood gushed outward.

Ye Zheng folded her hands over her heart and softly recited, “May the God of Hope guide your soul back to your homeland.” Then she stepped back and exchanged a glance with Sykes.

Sykes’s 【Destruction】 could obliterate all tangible matter. But what of intangible space and time?

She finally understood what felt amiss about this place. Ordinarily, spatial chaos within aberrant realms resembled mudslides crashing in every direction. Here, however, the chaotic space felt like a vortex strangling everything, imbued with deliberate killing intent. The cuts were clean and precise, erasing all traces.

“What exactly happened here?”

Ye Zheng asked sincerely. She vigilantly observed the faintly drifting white fog around them. She suspected that the spatial displacement here wasn’t due to instability within an alternate aberrant realm space, but rather the white fog’s killing mechanism.

Did the white fog possess its own rules and consciousness, or was there a monster, or perhaps an ability user behind it, manipulating it?