Chapter 125

Ye Zheng counted their numbers. Wende had brought twenty knights. Meanwhile, the newly appointed heretic leader Sela now had twenty-five “saints” following her. All of them were ability users.

In a hidden corner, Wende leaned close to Ye Zheng’s ear and whispered, “Are you sure you want to travel with Sela? Her position is rather awkward. It might damage your reputation.”

After the Blood Flower incident and the execution event, Sela, the rebel against the royal family and the church, had gained the support of the “saints.” This group believed that the church had been abandoned by the God of Hope and had become heretics, while the saints themselves were the true believers.

With the church’s scandals erupting one after another, the saints’ organization had gained unprecedented opportunities to grow. They destroyed and looted church property while spreading heresy. Without a doubt, they had become a thorn in the church’s side.

If the Saintess of the church openly walked together with the leader of the heretics in full view, it would inevitably spark controversy and questioning both inside and outside the church.

“It’s fine. We need Sela.”

Sela’s abilities were invalidation and control. She was also extremely familiar with the scent of dragon bones. Ye Zheng had a vague premonition that this journey through the Western District would require Sela.

Ye Zheng’s tone was gentle yet firm. Wende nodded and raised no further objections before quietly stepping back behind the Saintess.

“Then, Saintess, please give the orders. We’re all ready.”

Ye Zheng took out a map. She had just sent someone to scout ahead. They were currently on a street in Lanxia County, not far from the base. However, why had Zhou Yun placed them in this location?

“Sela.”

The clear voice cut through the white fog. Sela, who had been observing the surroundings, turned toward the sound with an unhappy expression. She tilted her head slightly and stared at Ye Zheng’s face.

“What? Do you have a lead on the dragon bones?”

Before Ye Zheng could answer, the golden-haired and bristly girl circled around her once and whispered a threat.

“I’m not leaving empty-handed. If there are no dragon bones in this place, I’ll peel them out of your body…”

“Haven’t you smelled it? The scent of dragon bones.”

Ye Zheng interrupted Sela’s vicious words.

Sela twitched her nose. “You have it, and I have it. Aren’t we both carrying the smell?”

Ye Zheng’s black eyes held a coaxing glimmer. With one slender hand, she fanned the fog toward Sela.

“Take a closer sniff. The scent in the fog.”

Sela grumbled but took a deep breath. Ever since she had been thrown into the Blood Flower aberrant realm at the age of seven and gained her second ability, 【Invalidation】, through dragon bone, she had lived day and night surrounded by dragon bones. After leaving Blood Flower, and with Ye Zheng’s tacit permission and assistance, she had claimed the demonic dragon skull for herself. No one was more familiar with dragon bones than she was.

The scent of dragon bones felt as natural to her as breathing. Sela inhaled deeply and suddenly realized that something was wrong.

“…I smell it.”

She muttered and turned her red eyes toward the direction behind her.

Ye Zheng followed Sela’s gaze. In the thick fog, no one could see the distant scenery. After a long moment, she gave the order.

“We’ll split into two groups.”

At the same time, at the edge of the town.

After confirming Zhou Yun’s location, the two of them didn’t set out immediately. After cautious consideration, Pei Xi successfully persuaded Sykes to leave half their forces behind to guard the town while taking the remaining forces forward.

Zhou Yun’s fog alone was already deadly, and that didn’t even include her army of Fallen Ones. There were hundreds of those dragon-bodied creatures, each possessing strength comparable to A-rank ability users.

According to Ye Zheng, the base had already fallen. The Fallen Ones stationed outside the base’s shield had completed their task of destroying it. So where would they go next? Either toward the town that held five hundred thousand people, or toward Zhou Yun herself.

Unease spread through Pei Xi’s heart. Ye Zheng and Lu Qi were missing. Most of Sykes’s forces had scattered after entering the area. Only a small portion had managed to reunite with their crown prince. The base that could have countered Zhou Yun was gone.

Although the base had deserved its fate, without Kieran and the others’ help, Zhou Yun’s threat had grown far too great.

Pei Xi looked at the crown prince’s team preparing to move on the other side. He then turned toward his only two remaining companions and stated his carefully considered decision.

“Roy, Kyle, the two of you go to the base and find Lu Qi. Once you locate her, we’ll regroup.”

Pei Xi regretted once again that he hadn’t brought Lu Qi with them. He had believed she would be safer inside the base. He never imagined it would fall so quickly.

Roy and Kyle exchanged glances. They had no objections. Their main purpose for coming to the Western District had always been to bring Lu Qi back. They simply couldn’t understand why they always ended up tangled in such enormous incidents.

Once all preparations were complete, Pei Xi walked over to Sykes and stood beside him.

He glanced sideways at Sykes’s cold profile. It resembled the calm sea before a storm. He wondered whether the suppressed emotion within him came from the overwhelming threat posed by Zhou Yun, or from Ye Zheng’s uncertain stance.

Of course, his own mood wasn’t much better. Pei Xi didn’t want to become enemies with Zhou Yun or the Fallen Ones. Whenever he saw those pitch-black and emotionless eyes, a strong wave of sorrow and guilt surged within him, as if long ago he had once gazed sadly into such eyes.

The young man thought with a small measure of relief that perhaps Zhou Yun would release her hostility. After all, the base she hated most, along with its leader Kieran, was already gone. She shouldn’t allow her anger and despair to harm more innocent people.

“Move out.”

The cold voice abruptly cut off Pei Xi’s thoughts.

Sykes tossed those brief two words to his knights and turned to step into the white fog.

✧✧✧✧✧

Lu Qi had been trapped inside this villa for an entire half day.

Zhou Yun was a very generous and kind host. She usually sat quietly on the sofa flipping through books while allowing Lu Qi to wander freely around the villa. From time to time, she even asked whether Lu Qi wanted water or snacks. Aside from one locked room she couldn’t enter, Lu Qi had already explored the entire villa and sampled five different kinds of snacks.

At the moment, she lay on the balcony and gazed at the fog-covered street outside. If she wanted to leave the villa, it would actually be easy. All she had to do was jump down from the second-floor balcony and she’d escape this strange place.

However, whenever this thought arose, Zhou Yun’s smiling face would float before her eyes, and the woman’s damp voice echoed in her ears. “Don’t leave here. The outside world is nothing but illusions piled up from lies.”

Even though Lu Qi was usually bold and lively, her intuition told her she mustn’t disobey the woman. She should obediently stay where she was for now.

At least her mission was complete! Zhou Yun had promised she would fulfill Ye Zheng’s request.

Lu Qi stared at the street below in boredom. Suddenly, she blinked rapidly and leaned out excitedly.

The girl moved her lips. A word almost slipped out, but she quickly swallowed it back. She turned and dashed downstairs with heavy footsteps.

The chandelier cast warm, soft yellow light across the living room, making the woman’s thin face appear slightly warmer. She sat on the sofa flipping through a book when a sudden ring broke the peaceful atmosphere.

Zhou Yun set down the book titled A Brief History of the Empire and walked to the front door. Without any hesitation, she opened it for the unknown visitor.

“Lady Zhou, hello. Is this a convenient time to talk?”

A polite and gentle face immediately came into view. The youth stood modestly behind the door, black eyes bright and sincere. Zhou Yun’s gaze shifted slightly. She noticed that one of the youth’s hands rested on the doorframe, carrying a subtle firmness that couldn’t be refused.

“Come in, little Saintess.”

“Your friends? Though there are quite a few, I can entertain them all together.”

“I wouldn’t dare trouble you that much. Let them wait outside for a moment.”

Ye Zheng first met Lu Qi’s eyes on the stairs and gave her a reassuring look. Then she naturally sat on the sofa, accepted the tea Zhou Yun handed her, and smiled gratefully, like an ordinary student visiting a friend’s home.

Zhou Yun’s attitude toward her was also gentle and natural, as though she hadn’t been the one who unleashed the fog to strangle Ye Zheng in the municipal building just a few days ago.

Lu Qi looked left and right. In the eerily harmonious atmosphere, she quietly slipped over to Ye Zheng’s side. The two girls sat side by side, separated from Zhou Yun by a small tea table. Zhou Yun sat on the chair opposite them.

Since entering the villa, Ye Zheng’s gaze hadn’t left Zhou Yun. The calmer the woman appeared, the heavier Ye Zheng’s heart felt.

When someone released emotion, they were also seeking external feedback and help. Zhou Yun’s emotions were too faint. They were so faint that it was impossible to discern what she truly wanted now.

Ye Zheng recalled how, back in the municipal building, Zhou Yun had shown real emotional fluctuation only when she rashly mentioned Yuan Yuan.

Though using Yuan Yuan as bait was extremely rude, Ye Zheng had no other choice now. She had to bring up that painful name to test Zhou Yun’s attitude.

“Lady Zhou, are you willing to tell us”

“Shh. Do you hear that?”

Zhou Yun suddenly spoke and pressed a finger to her lips in a hush.

Ye Zheng stopped speaking. Though puzzled, she cooperated fully and fell silent. Lu Qi also raised her ears in confusion.

The living room became quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Ye Zheng could only hear her own breathing. Opposite her, Zhou Yun’s expression was focused, as though she were listening to a sacred sermon.

The two girls waited patiently for a while. Lu Qi poked Ye Zheng’s arm in confusion. Ye Zheng blinked, breaking Zhou Yun’s concentration, and asked, “Lu Qi and I didn’t hear anything. Did you hear something?”

Zhou Yun propped up her chin and stared out the window. At the question, she withdrew her gaze and looked at Ye Zheng. Her expression was gentle and tolerant. The long, narrow eyes that were mostly white with vertical black pupils now seemed full of tenderness.

“It’s fine. You’ll hear it soon enough.”

“Before you hear HIS voice, let me first tell you the story of a girl.”

Ye Zheng immediately spoke up with sharp awareness. “Is it about Yuan Yuan?”

Zhou Yun lowered her head and shook it. Her eyes fixed on the book lying on the tea table.

“It’s a story about selfishness, lies, and interests that led to fatal misfortune.”

“There was once a girl. She came from nobility and was proud and ambitious. She refused to be merely a noble lady, yet she lacked the corresponding ability. So she spent her days in sorrow.”

“One day she unexpectedly discovered a secret. With a bit of cleverness, she entered the interest group behind that secret. Though she still held the role of the noble lady she despised, she gained real power.”

Lu Qi’s serious expression carried a trace of confusion. Beside her, Ye Zheng leaned forward, her face growing increasingly grave.

“This power was built on the wails and pain of her own kind. Yet she paid it no mind. She didn’t consider herself one of them. She even presented herself to her daughter as a kind, capable, great mother, telling her that this was a remarkable undertaking.”

Ye Zheng stared at Zhou Yun’s pale face. She finally understood why Kieran and the overseer’s family had maintained such good relations. Zhou Yun had also been one of the base’s actual managers with real authority. That was how she had the power and means to release all the Fallen Ones.

Zhou Yun’s voice trembled slightly as she continued.

“Until one day, my daughter told me she had also become part of that great undertaking.”

“My hypocrisy and lies backfired on the person I loved most.”

“So I must correct this mistake. Otherwise, how could I face Yuan Yuan?”

Ye Zheng caught the vulnerability leaking through Zhou Yun’s words. She leaned closer, her eyes sincere. “We’ve already destroyed the base and killed Kieran. I know the Hope Project won’t end completely because of this, but we can correct this mistake together until you can rest easy and go see your daughter.”

Zhou Yun also leaned in close. Their faces were almost touching.

“No. You don’t know what this ‘mistake’ truly is.”

“This isn’t something we can correct. We need HIS power to expose the truth of evil.”

At such close range, the woman’s eyes contained a madness and sorrow that Ye Zheng couldn’t understand. Her murmured voice sounded like a curse.

Suddenly Ye Zheng jerked back and turned to look out the window. She heard a high, distant cry that sounded like something ancient echoing through time.

✧✧✧✧✧

On the road, Pei Xi walked forward. The knights’ figures flickered in and out of the white fog. Suddenly the sky darkened. Infinite shadow enveloped them.

The youth looked up tensely, then opened his mouth in disbelief. In the foggy sky, a sky-blotting black shadow advanced with beating wings.