Chapter 105

When Ye Zheng saw Pei Xi at that moment, she confirmed that she had officially stepped into the main storyline.

This magnificent church was indeed a pivotal point in the plot.

"Pei Xi?" 

Sykes fixed his gaze on the black-haired, blue-eyed youth, his tone openly hostile. "Who authorized you to enter?"

The Western District had already been sealed off. An ordinary person like Pei Xi shouldn't have been able to appear here.

Damn it, why did this kid always show up inexplicably along his path forward? Every time he saw him, a surge of anger rose uncontrollably in Sykes’s chest.

"I only came to find a friend. She's trapped in the Western District and has no intention of opposing the imperial authorities."

Pei Xi explained calmly. This time, he didn't want to stand in opposition to Sykes.

Encountering Sykes here might not necessarily be a bad thing. As the imperial crown prince, he must also be here to resolve the Western District crisis, and this time there was no direct conflict between them.

"Haha, so it turns out everyone knows each other after all. That’s wonderful. In times of crisis, unity is essential. You are all the future hopes of the empire."

Kieran blinked amiably, like a benevolent elder, looking at the three youths with visible satisfaction.

Ye Zheng’s eyelid twitched slightly. Her gaze subtly drifted toward the man in white robes. She had become particularly sensitive to the word "hope."

"Enough of the pleasantries. Tell us everything you know."

Sykes cut off Kieran’s courteous remarks without hesitation.

Facing the crown prince’s thoroughly discourteous attitude, Kieran didn’t display even a trace of displeasure. His eyes remained filled with unwavering tolerance.

When Sykes met Kieran’s gaze, he frowned instinctively. He disliked the man’s excessive warmth, as though he were some junior in need of guidance and protection. For some inexplicable reason, it sent a chill down his spine.

For the first time, Ye Zheng found herself sharing the same thought as Sykes. She lowered her head contemplatively. Could it be because his demeanor somewhat resembled Wen Jian’s?

No, he was different from Wen Jian. Beneath Wen Jian’s seemingly gentle and kind expression, there was always a faint trace of concealed hypocrisy and affected slickness. But Kieran’s expression was flawless, as though his gentleness and kindness genuinely stemmed from the heart.

Ye Zheng quietly lifted her eyes again to observe him more carefully. She couldn't help thinking that, in front of him, the signature Saintess expression she had painstakingly perfected seemed immature.

Within the slightly antiquated room, the man’s soft sigh echoed. He began recounting the events that had unfolded during this period.

More than a month ago, Platinum County in the Western District became shrouded in dense fog. Although it was somewhat unusual for the region’s typical weather patterns, people didn't consider it alarming and continued with their daily lives as usual.

Three weeks ago, on a fog-laden morning, the Western District Security Bureau received news that left the director utterly stunned. Mr. Yuan Xianming, the governor of the Western District, had died on his way to the Municipal Office building. According to the driver’s testimony, he suddenly felt a violent palpitation while seated in the back of the car, shouted to stop, pushed open the door, and collapsed onto the ground.

Subsequent investigations suggested that the fog had prevented pollutants from dispersing properly. Many residents experienced relapses of chronic illnesses because of this. It wasn't uncommon for people to suffocate while walking along the streets.

Two weeks ago, the governor’s wife, Mrs. Zhou Yun, went to the Municipal Office building to sort through her husband’s belongings. On that very day, a thick fog descended and completely isolated the entire Western District, transforming it into something like a forsaken island.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zheng politely raised her hand first, then interjected. "You deliberately mentioned this Mrs. Zhou Yun. She's connected to this matter, isn't she?"

She had recently clashed with Zhou Yun and learned that she appeared to be the mastermind behind this catastrophe. She had casually informed Sykes about it, but she hadn't shared this information with Kieran.

Kieran nodded slowly, his tone tinged with faint melancholy. "Of course, we know each other. I've visited the Yuan family on several occasions. She was Originally a truly respectable lady."

“Originally?”

After Pei Xi entered the Western District and came to this church, he had known nothing of this Mrs. Zhou Yun’s existence. Even so, he caught the faint note of regret woven into Kieran’s tone.

“It was she who caused this disaster. You encountered her, did you not?”

Ye Zheng lifted her eyes and met Kieran’s probing gaze.

Pei Xi followed Kieran’s line of sight and also looked toward Ye Zheng.

She blinked slowly and replied, “Your Excellency is truly perceptive. After we entered the Western District with His Highness the Crown Prince, we first went to the Municipal Office building and were attacked by Zhou Yun.”

A flicker of astonishment crossed Kieran’s face, followed by unmistakable delight and admiration. “Ah, truly worthy of… We’ve already lost more than half of the church knights trying to deal with her, and we couldn’t even injure her shadow.”

“You’re truly remarkable children, the kind who compel others to see you in a new light…”

Sykes impatiently cut off his cloying praise. “So what exactly did this Zhou Yun do? How did she accomplish it?”

“The records clearly state she’s an ordinary person without abilities.”

He tossed the documents onto the table before Kieran. Kieran picked them up, his gaze sweeping across the pages before abruptly halting, as though he were staring intently at a particular line.

Ye Zheng stood opposite him, observing him closely the entire time. Unfortunately, from her angle, she couldn’t discern what precisely had captured his attention.

Kieran let out a heavy sigh and turned the documents face down on the table.

Noticing the unconscious gesture, Ye Zheng raised her eyebrow slightly. That act of turning them over suggested there was something in the file that displeased him or that he didn’t wish to examine further.

“Zhou Yun did it for her daughter, Yuan Yuan.”

Kieran spoke softly.

At the unfamiliar name, Pei Xi and Sykes frowned simultaneously and looked at the white-robed man in mild confusion.

“After the Western District was completely shrouded in dense fog, no information could be transmitted outward. The people we sent to seek assistance never returned. They were likely all dealt with by Zhou Yun.”

“So I couldn’t inform the empire. After the incident, Zhou Yun negotiated with me. She used the entire Western District as leverage to force the church to revive her daughter, the daughter who died in the Aberrant Realm. How could that be possible?”

“To revive Yuan Yuan, even Wen Jian, who possesses that kind of power, couldn’t accomplish it.”

Kieran gave a small shrug. “As for why Zhou Yun suddenly gained such formidable strength, we don’t know. I’ve heard that some people’s abilities awaken late. Perhaps she’s one of those rare cases.”

Pei Xi asked, puzzled, “Your Excellency, how did Zhou Yun’s daughter die? Why would she make such an unreasonable demand of the church?”

Everything sounded profoundly strange. A mother who lost her daughter suddenly erupting with power sufficient to imprison the entire Western District, solely for the sake of resurrecting her child?

Pei Xi felt the logic was flawed. He asked directly, “Even if it were to revive her daughter, Zhou Yun should’ve negotiated with the imperial royal family, with the Pope who possesses unparalleled healing abilities, rather than sealing the district off for so long until those outside noticed something was wrong.”

All three present turned their doubtful gazes upon the white-robed bishop. Kieran closed his eyes as though in pain. When he opened them again, he looked toward the only girl in the room.

“Zhou Yun’s daughter, Yuan Yuan, died because she admired you.”

As Kieran’s sighing words fell, Pei Xi and Sykes froze, then both looked at Ye Zheng.

Ye Zheng herself appeared momentarily stunned. She even forgot to use honorifics. “What did you say?”

“The Saintess’s great deeds have spread throughout the empire. You lifted the divine sword symbolizing salvation with a woman’s body. You established the empire’s first female knight order. How inspiring and exhilarating your accomplishments are to girls of the same age.”

“Yuan Yuan rejected the marriage arranged by her family. She came to me of her own accord and said she hoped she could bring help to others just like the Saintess. I allowed her to join the church’s team and enter the Aberrant Realm for training. Then the accident occurred…”

Kieran’s voice grew increasingly bitter. His head lowered further and further, as though he couldn’t continue. The three youths fell silent, especially Ye Zheng.

Suddenly, he lifted his head and looked at Ye Zheng with trembling eyes. “No, I absolutely don’t mean to blame you. You’re a good child, and Yuan Yuan was as well. I’ve never believed a woman’s destination lies with her husband. They should belong to this world. Your existence is the key to continuing hope.”

Kieran’s handsome face was suffused with sorrow. He forced out indistinct words. “Saintess, you and Yuan Yuan are both good children. Neither of you is at fault. Zhou Yun… I hope she can grieve properly, but she killed her husband and so many others. I can no longer understand this old friend.”

He gazed at Ye Zheng, his expression heavy with lament, his gentle eyes dimmed.

“She’s probably gone mad, committing such madness because of Yuan Yuan’s accident.”

The word “mad” seemed to offer the simplest explanation for Zhou Yun’s actions.

Ye Zheng’s face was blank. She rarely revealed such an expressionless countenance before others. Pei Xi and Sykes both looked at her, their expressions hesitant, as though wanting to comfort her yet unsure how.

“Ye… Saintess, Miss Yuan Yuan’s death was merely an accident. It was her own choice.”

Pei Xi hesitated as he tried to console her.

“Are you blaming yourself? Don’t be foolish.”

Sykes frowned.

Their voices were like wind brushing past her ears, leaving not even a ripple in Ye Zheng’s heart. She didn’t register their words at all.

At that moment, Ye Zheng was furious. Maintaining a blank expression already required all her self-control. Her black eyes suppressed surging emotions, shining with an unnatural brightness.

She remained silent for a long while. The three others waited patiently until she finally lifted the corners of her lips, her tone calm.

“For Miss Yuan Yuan’s accident, I’m deeply sorry. I admire her choice, but that determination and courage had nothing to do with me. I believe she’d long resolved to take that path. To attribute it to my influence would instead be a blasphemy against her courage.”

Kieran looked at the smiling Saintess in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected her composure to return so swiftly, as though she were entirely unaffected.

“The only thing I feel guilty about is that I should’ve come sooner to stop all this.”

When Ye Zheng spoke those words, she lowered her head. From Kieran’s angle, her dark, fragmented hair concealed her expression. He couldn’t tell whether she was regretful, despondent, or fragile.

Kieran’s lips moved, as though he wished to offer further consolation. Ye Zheng glanced at the clock mounted high on the wall and said, “It’s getting late. I see Bishop Kieran has recalled old matters today and is too distressed to restrain himself. Why don’t you rest for a while, compose yourself, and then we can continue our discussion?”

“Regarding this matter, I believe there are details you’ve omitted. Those may be crucial to resolving the Western District’s crisis.”

Seeing Ye Zheng detach from Kieran’s sorrowful narrative and instead take control of the conversation’s rhythm, Pei Xi turned a questioning look toward Kieran. He, too, felt something had been concealed. For instance, if Zhou Yun sought to revive her daughter, why hadn’t she appealed to the imperial royal family or the upper district church, instead of sealing off the Western District? Was madness truly the only explanation?

Sykes scrutinized the white-robed bishop with sharp eyes. He had encountered Zhou Yun not long ago. She hadn’t seemed like someone deranged beyond reason. She’d appeared far more meticulous and intelligent than those incompetent officials.

He had nearly been led astray by Kieran’s emotional display. Their focus had inexplicably shifted to Ye Zheng, who wasn’t directly responsible for the Western District incident. Now, reflecting upon it, was Kieran’s grief genuine, or a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth?

Pei Xi and Sykes silently began to doubt him.

Under the scrutiny of three pairs of eyes, Kieran fell silent. After a while, he forced a smile. “Our Saintess is correct. You’ve all worked hard today. Rest first. Rooms have been prepared for you.”

Sykes couldn’t be bothered to remain and was the first to push open the door and leave. Pei Xi politely took his leave as well. Before departing, he turned and cast a glance around the room.

Ye Zheng didn’t move.

From Pei Xi’s subtle action, she sensed he was paying particular attention to this room. She glanced around slightly. It appeared somewhat outdated, as though long unused. At the far end stood a large bed, suggesting it was a guest chamber. Aside from that, she saw nothing remarkable.

“Not going to rest? Is there something else you wish to say to me?”

Kieran gazed calmly and gently at the youth. Only the two of them remained.

“If my earlier words offended you, I apologize. I absolutely didn’t intend to blame you brave girls. On the contrary, I’ve always admired courageous and righteous children like you.”

“I’m absolutely not your enemy. Five years ago, we already stood on the same battlefield, did we not?”

Ye Zheng discarded her feigned smile, her eyes turning cold and heavy. Kieran had indeed witnessed her killing at that banquet.

“Don’t look at me that way. If I were truly a villain, Ye Zheng, you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to become the Saintess. Who could’ve imagined that the noble and righteous Saintess personally killed her own uncle at the age of twelve?”

“But I understand you. To make this world better, we sometimes require less-than-brilliant methods, don’t we?”

The tall and handsome bishop in white stepped closer and murmured beside her ear, “We’re the same kind of people, Saintess.”

His tone was intimately nauseating.

Ye Zheng turned her head without expression, imitating his manner, and whispered near his ear, “Unfortunately, your less-than-brilliant methods haven’t improved the empire. They’ve only brought calamity.”

Kieran’s expression shifted subtly. He slowly retreated, staring at Ye Zheng with colder eyes.

“Don’t be insolent. I don’t wish to harm you, but I absolutely won’t allow outsiders to destroy all this…”

“Outsiders?”

Ye Zheng tilted her head, her tone rising slightly as she interrupted him.

Suddenly, she drew a small knife from her pocket. In Kieran’s astonished gaze, she slashed her right palm without hesitation. Blood surged forth, revealing a deep wound that exposed bone!

Ye Zheng lifted her blood-soaked right hand. Her slightly raised face bore a proud smile, and a faint disdain lingered in her eyes.

"Kieran, you allowed the church's experiment to spiral out of control. Do you realize how much trouble you've caused?"

A flicker of doubt first crossed the white-robed bishop's somewhat cold expression. Then his gaze fixed upon the Saintess's bleeding palm. A familiar, enticing scent rushed toward him. It was the scent of dragon bone.

His face froze in shock for a moment. Then it erupted into delight, so intense that even his handsome features twisted. He hurried toward Ye Zheng, his eyes obsessively fastened on her right palm.

"No wonder, no wonder it was you who obtained the divine sword of the God of Hope. Our direction wasn't wrong!"

"Was it Wen Jian who implanted it in you? Ah, he's always so presumptuous, but this time I don't dislike his presumption."

Under Kieran's burning stare, Ye Zheng withdrew her right hand. She stepped back in visible disgust. Kieran didn't show disappointment because of it. Instead, his gaze toward her grew even more fervent.

"Ah, I was rude. I was simply too happy, happy for this world filled with hope."

Kieran exclaimed in admiration.

Ye Zheng regarded the man in white with icy composure. She had gambled correctly. Kieran was the one responsible for the church's dragon bone experiment in the Western District.

And this incident in the Western District, Zhou Yun, Yuan Yuan, Lu Qi. They were all connected to the experiment.

"Kieran Aston, tell me everything you know in detail. I have the right to know everything that happened in the Western District."

She commanded.

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Authors Note

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This woman was born to be a master...