Chapter 116

Ye Zheng sat on the cold, hard bench inside the confinement cell. She tried moving the hands bound by the black rings. Her physical strength remained, but she could no longer feel any trace of her ability power.

She lifted her hands and carefully examined the black rings. She wasn’t unfamiliar with them.

The black rings were made from precious aberrant stone, specially used by the empire to restrain dangerous ability criminals. Because aberrant stone was extremely scarce, very few criminals had the “honor” of wearing them.

She never expected that as the empire’s Saintess she would one day receive such “courteous” treatment.

Ye Zheng stared at the black rings in frustration. They were fastened too tightly. Even dislocating her thumb wouldn’t allow her to slip them off, so that option was ruled out.

The best solution was obviously unlocking them with a key. If her ability were still active, the precise control of 【Stream】 might have allowed her to pick the lock. But with the black rings suppressing her power, her fingertips could only produce tiny water droplets.

There was still one small comfort. Aside from putting the black rings on her and confiscating her gun, they hadn’t searched her body. Even her sword still hung at her side.

An hour earlier, after rescuing Lu Qi, she had tried to take her back to the room through the same route they had used to enter. However, someone inside the base had already noticed the disturbance. White-robed knights were searching everywhere for “Saintess Ye Zheng.” She had been disguised, and Dean Annabella had tacitly permitted her actions, so they shouldn’t have locked onto her so quickly.

Unless someone else of high status and power in the base had been secretly watching her the entire time, Ye Zheng didn’t know many people here. Based on what she knew, the first person who came to mind was Kieran.

Ye Zheng leaned her head back against the wall and stared at the dim ceiling.

Judging by the timing, Kieran and the others should have arrived at the base around the time she rescued Lu Qi. Even if Kieran was exceptionally clever, it was unlikely he could have learned about her actions in the base so quickly.

There was only one possibility. Kieran must have maintained some form of constant communication with this base. But if he had such a method, why hadn’t he immediately reported the situation in the Western District to the empire? Was the fog disaster outside limiting the range of communication, or…

“Zhou Yun kidnapped five hundred thousand people…”

Kieran’s words echoed again in her ears.

Ye Zheng suddenly stood up, her black eyes darkening. Perhaps it wasn’t Zhou Yun blocking communications at all. Perhaps Kieran had severed the Western District’s contact with the outside world for the sake of his so called hope, concealing everything.

She strode quickly to the tightly shut iron door and slammed her bound hands against it, producing a loud clang.

“Let Kieran come see me.”

Footsteps soon sounded outside. One of the knights guarding the door left, but Ye Zheng knew more than one person was watching her from beyond it.

This time, she had miscalculated.

At that moment, she couldn’t guarantee she could break through the encirclement while bringing Lu Qi to safety unharmed. So she had Lu Qi disguise herself as one of the base’s girls and go find Annabella, while she deliberately revealed herself to the knights who were hunting her, bringing their search to an end.

She had written a note. Lu Qi took it to find Annabella. If everything went according to plan, the abbess would agree to help her leave the base. Once Lu Qi entered the thick fog, Zhou Yun would see the note she had written. Then she could coordinate with Zhou Yun from inside and outside to end everything. After all, destroying this place entirely with a single person’s strength was impossible.

Originally, Ye Zheng had been quite confident Zhou Yun would agree to cooperate. Ye Zheng paced a few steps inside the narrow confinement cell, her brows tightly furrowed. A rare trace of anxiety appeared on her face.

After the possibility of negotiation had been firmly crushed by Kieran, would Zhou Yun still be willing to trust her, a fellow church member and Saintess?

Zhou Yun’s rationality might already have been eroded by Kieran.

Their perspectives no longer aligned, and Kieran controlled the information from the outside world. Zhou Yun, already consumed by anger and despair, would only grow more impatient and stubborn. She might destroy the base, kill Pei Xi, Sykes, and her, the three youths who represented hope. Since Kieran refused to negotiate terms, she might even slaughter the five hundred thousand ordinary people under her control along with them.

Seen from this perspective, Zhou Yun sending her to this base might not have been because she believed Ye Zheng’s words about making Kieran die in the most painful way. It might simply have been for a sense of ritual. A ritual of destroying her, Pei Xi, and the others along with the entire base.

A revenge that would be shocking and perfect enough.

 She shouldn’t have let Lu Qi take that note to Zhou Yun.

“System, is Zhou Yun the main villain of the Western District arc?”

『From a narrative structure standpoint, yes, she is the final boss of this chapter.』

The system answered.

“Let me guess. The next development will have Pei Xi and Sykes join forces to deal with Zhou Yun, rescue the five hundred thousand people, and then kill Kieran?”

The system hesitated for a moment before prompting.

『A new chapter has been released, and the manga spoilers have been updated as well. You can take a look.』

Only then did Ye Zheng remember the manga updates still existed. The past few days had been too hectic, and she didn’t know how the manga author had portrayed her actions in the base. Perhaps some readers would find them unacceptable.

There was no time to check the forums. With her bound hands in an awkward position, she painstakingly pulled the phone from inside her clothes and placed it on the small table before opening the manga app.

She quickly flipped through the newly updated chapter. She had guessed correctly. It was indeed Kieran who had interfered with communications in the Western District, disregarding the lives of five hundred thousand people in pursuit of his grand achievement. Pei Xi and Sykes learned their true origins from him and were completely manipulated by his words.

Was it because they were too stupid? Ye Zheng wondered. Perhaps their hearts simply weren’t filled with enough anger.

They could not become her allies.

Ye Zheng blinked her dry eyes, which hadn’t closed for an entire day, and scrolled past a large blank section until she reached the latest manga spoilers.

On the screen, the blue haired man radiating a holy aura stood within a sea of flames. The magnificent base burned fiercely around him, yet he showed no worry or fear. He spread his arms wide, as if calmly welcoming the reaper’s dirge.

【Kill me. Let me perish together with this base. That way, you will have no stains.】

Staring at Kieran’s satisfied smile on the screen, Ye Zheng’s gaze grew colder. She let out a short laugh.

This man had lied for so long that he had actually convinced himself.

Perhaps dying together with the base had always been his final plan. That was why he concealed Zhou Yun’s negotiation terms from the empire and even wished for the entire Western District to be buried along with it. Only then would the god children created by the Hope Project remain flawless, untouched by any shadow.

“He isn’t creating hope for humanity at all. He’s creating gods and turning himself into one.”

Ye Zheng’s comment carried faint mockery.

Kieran believed himself to be a tragic hero who sacrificed strangers, family, friends, and even himself for the future of humanity. In reality, he was simply overflowing with performative desire and pride, wanting to leave a heavy mark on the world through this method.

“Any clown I’ve seen in theater is less ridiculous than him.”

The youth’s critique grew sharper.

『In fact, after he commits suicide, his popularity skyrockets. Many readers will be moved by this character and regard him as a very well written gray character. That scene will also be considered a classic moment in Throne of the Aberrant Realm.』

The system’s voice sounded somewhat helpless.

“Fine. I take back the word ridiculous. He’s very clever. He successfully deified himself in any world.”

Clear applause echoed within the cramped space. Ye Zheng’s bound hands clapped together as she applauded Kieran. The system watched her cold expression and didn’t dare say that her indifferent clapping made her look a little like a seal.

“He’s very clever. He could have lived out his life perfectly according to his plan. Unfortunately, he met me.”

『What do you want to do?』

The system asked, though there was no real curiosity in its tone, as if it already knew what Ye Zheng would do next.

“Shatter his beautiful dream. Fulfill my promise to Zhou Yun.”

“Make Kieran die as a failure, in the most despairing way possible, to atone for his sins.”

『Right now?』

The system asked hesitantly. At this moment, Ye Zheng was undoubtedly at her lowest point. She was imprisoned, her abilities suppressed, and a group of strict and powerful guards waited outside the door.

The dim light in the room flickered faintly. Barely audible footsteps tapped lightly through the cracks of the iron door and reached her ears. Ye Zheng sat on the bench and adjusted her posture slightly so she faced the iron door directly.

Of course, the most troublesome person was still that white robed bishop. He controlled the entire base and possessed formidable gravity abilities. Aside from his tendency to indulge in fantasies, he was unquestionably a clever man.

Ye Zheng clasped her hands together on her raised right leg. Her bent knuckles tapped unconsciously, matching the rhythm of the approaching footsteps outside.

When she told Zhou Yun she would kill Kieran, it was under the premise that she would form an alliance with Zhou Yun. It was not meant to happen in her current solitary situation.

But now she had to kill Kieran.

Zhou Yun’s suspicion of her might endanger Lu Qi and perhaps even the five hundred thousand people. She had to do something to prove to Zhou Yun that she could be trusted.

For example, bringing her Kieran’s head.

With a creak, white light suddenly slanted into the room and illuminated the cramped interior. The white robed Saintess sat on the chair with her head slightly raised. Her pale face gleamed like the cold reflection of a sword blade.

Her posture no longer carried the Saintess’s usual upright dignity. Instead, it held a casual sense of control. Her black eyes even contained a faint smile. If not for the black rings binding her hands, one might have thought she was the interrogator.

Kieran’s usual smiling lips flattened. For some reason, he withdrew the left foot he had just stepped into the confinement cell and remained standing at the doorway, blocking the light.

He watched as his shadow enveloped the seated girl and spoke warmly. “Is it uncomfortable staying here? If you need anything, you can have the people outside bring it in.”

“I’m a little thirsty. Please send some water.”

Kieran sighed, instructed the person behind him to fetch water, then stepped inside and casually closed the iron door.

In the cramped space, the handsome and approachable white robed man needed only a few steps to reach Ye Zheng’s side. He bent down and spoke softly beside the girl’s ear.

“I know you want to kill me. Even though you’ve already killed quite a few people in the base, the person you want dead the most is still me, isn’t it?”

After saying this, Kieran straightened up and looked down at Ye Zheng, shaking his head with a smile.

“I already told this but Once everything is over, I’ll atone for all the sins I’ve committed. There’s really no need for you to rush.” 

“Zhou Yun isn’t a good choice. She’s gone mad now. Yuan Yuan would surely be heartbroken if she saw her like this. The chaos she’s causing is the problem we should prioritize dealing with right now, isn’t it?”

“You’re right. Then let me go with Pei Xi and the others to persuade Zhou Yun. We’re all the empire’s hope, aren’t we?”

Ye Zheng imitated Kieran’s tone and spoke gently and persuasively. Her body shifted slightly. Kieran immediately pressed down on her shoulders.

“No, child. You don’t need to help. Staying quietly here is your greatest contribution.”

Facing Ye Zheng’s cold gaze, Kieran suddenly sighed again.

“Really now. Is my charisma still inferior to Wen Jian’s? How did he persuade you to become a Blessed Reliquary back then? Or did he not even tell you and simply use you directly for experiments?”

“I don’t know anything about Blessed Reliquaries, and I didn’t know implanting dragon bone would be dangerous.”

When Kieran heard Ye Zheng’s answer, genuine anger appeared on his face. “That Wen Jian! Just because he’s in the upper district, he abuses his authority and deceives people who know nothing about it. What a scumbag!”

Ye Zheng listened with faint amusement as Kieran condemned Wen Jian.

“No wonder you hold such a strong prejudice against our Hope Project.”

Kieran’s expression toward the girl softened even further. “But look, you obtained the Divine Sword left behind by the God of Hope. To be fair, Ye Zheng, back then you were only a Saintess in name. Didn’t your legend truly begin after the dragon bone was implanted?”

“I admit the plan is cruel and can’t be brought into the light of day, but its results have brought dawn to the empire!”

“Ye Zheng, you’re precisely the most beautiful ray of light that the Hope Project has brought—”

Kieran’s face was filled with excitement and intoxication. Ye Zheng heard a cautious knock at the door and mercilessly interrupted him. “Please pause for a moment. The most beautiful ray of light is thirsty, Bishop Kieran.”

The white-robed man stopped speaking. There was no annoyance at being interrupted. Instead, he seemed amused and couldn’t help smiling, looking kind and good-tempered.

He turned and opened the door. The guard outside handed him a cup filled to the brim with water.

Standing at the doorway, Kieran held the nearly overflowing cup, raised it toward Ye Zheng, then tilted his wrist.

The excess water spilled from the rim, droplets splashing onto the ground. Ye Zheng watched openly until only a thin layer of water remained in the cup.

With a thud, Kieran shut the iron door and handed the cup to Ye Zheng.

His eyes carried an apologetic look. “I’m very sorry. You possess a water-based ability. Even with the black rings restraining you, I can’t afford to be careless around you.”

“You overestimate me, Kieran. With my ability suppressed to almost nothing, could I really defeat you with just a cup of water?”

Ye Zheng took the cup. The corners of her lips lifted slightly in faint sarcasm, as if mocking Kieran for making a fuss over nothing.

Kieran stared at her as Ye Zheng drank the pitifully small amount of water in one gulp, her throat visibly moving. Only after that did he look away.

“I can only be certain that even the children the Hope Project prides itself on couldn’t kill me with one or two mouthfuls of water.”

Kieran let out a sighing laugh, then turned and pushed the door open again.

“Don’t worry. Once everything is over, I’ll give you the chance to kill me.”

Ye Zheng watched Kieran’s retreating back. As if wiping away water stains, her bound hands brushed across her mouth.

Kieran was right. This little bit of water couldn’t kill him.

But it might be enough to pick a lock.

Through her daily large-scale healing with 【Stream】, what she had improved wasn’t only her healing power but also her precise control.

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Authors Note  

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Recently I’ve been hit with a bunch of commissions one after another, all for Zheng Zheng…