Chapter 144

“Saintess, these are the materials I’ve compiled regarding Amber Lake.”

“If you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. All my family members work at Amber Lake.”

Inside the lounge, the young woman in a white uniform sat somewhat nervously across from Ye Zheng.

She was a member of the Order of Sacred Conduct. After hearing that the final match of the Ability Tournament would be held at Amber Lake, she’d recommended herself to Knight Wende, hoping she could be of some assistance to the Saintess.

Amber Lake, officially designated as Aberrant Realm 47, Amber Lake, was a valuable resource-type Aberrant Realm of the Empire.

This Aberrant Realm contained an enormous lake. Beneath the lake were numerous blue crystals that resembled amber. These crystals possessed significant medicinal value and were also key raw materials for manufacturing insulating materials as well as producing weapons and equipment.

Ye Zheng had heard of Amber Lake long before. She hadn’t expected the Empire to use such a high-value resource-type Aberrant Realm as the venue for a competition.

Maintaining a resource-type Aberrant Realm required the Empire to invest an enormous amount of manpower and resources.

First, in order to preserve the Aberrant Realm, the Empire couldn’t eliminate the core monster. They could only imprison it. Then, they’d construct entry and exit passages using heterogeneous stones to stabilize the domain. Only after stabilizing it would they send ordinary workers inside to carry out their work.

“Would it be convenient for you to talk about what your family members do at Amber Lake?” Ye Zheng asked softly.

The young woman pressed her lips together, her expression turning somewhat heavy, but she still nodded.

“My elder sister is still working at Amber Lake. She’s an ordinary person. Every day, she dives down to the bottom of the lake to collect crystals. The work is exhausting and dangerous, and it also takes a toll on the body, but the pay is good, so she’s unwilling to give it up.”

Ye Zheng knew that jobs within resource-type Aberrant Realms had always been in high demand. In fact, any industry connected to Aberrant Realms, whether it was eliminating them or harvesting their resources, was extremely popular.

It was ironic. Aberrant Realms were the greatest threat to the Empire’s survival, yet at the same time, they were also a crucial pillar supporting the Empire’s development.

After the knight sitting across from her finished speaking, she lowered her head in dejection. Ye Zheng noticed that her emotions seemed off and asked carefully, “Have you gone back home to visit recently? If you need to, you can ask Wende for leave.”

The young woman lifted her face and quickly shook her head. “Thank you for your concern, Saintess. I went back a month ago to attend my father’s funeral. He had an accident while working at Amber Lake two months ago.”

“The core of Amber Lake is a water monster. Although it’s mostly suppressed at the deepest part of the lakebed, it occasionally becomes agitated… That’s why the wages at Amber Lake are relatively high.”

Ye Zheng looked at the woman’s bitter smile, and her own expression grew heavier as well. After waiting for the woman to steady her emotions, Ye Zheng continued, “Then, has your sister mentioned any recent changes at Amber Lake?”

“Changes? She said the crystals are becoming fewer and increasingly difficult to collect. Amber Lake hasn’t recruited anyone for a long time and has even dismissed some workers.”

A flicker of realization passed through Ye Zheng’s eyes. She now understood why the Empire was willing to use Amber Lake as the venue for the competition. It turned out that Amber Lake was already approaching depletion and abandonment.

The two of them continued talking for a while longer about Amber Lake, as well as the current situation of the Order of Sacred Conduct and the recent developments in the Lower District. It wasn’t until the sun began to set in the west that Ye Zheng finally stood up and picked up the windbreaker draped over the back of her chair.

Before leaving, Ye Zheng lightly patted the young knight’s shoulder. “Have your sister switch jobs and move your entire family away from the vicinity of Amber Lake as soon as possible.”

Since Amber Lake had been selected as the venue for the final match, something unexpected was bound to occur.

Ye Fanjing had recently been promoted to Chief Judge of the Ability Tribunal. He was in high spirits, busy handling the transition of duties. The position of Chief Judge carried immense authority; for instance, the management of Amber Lake fell under his jurisdiction. But the greater the power, the greater the danger that accompanied it.

Faintly, Ye Zheng sensed an ominous premonition. Invisible nets were silently tightening around her.

Amid these concerns, a faint, almost imperceptible trace of excitement stirred within her heart. The more eagerly her enemies wove their web around her, the more exposed their positions and weaknesses would become.

After leaving the headquarters of the Order of Sacred Conduct, Ye Zheng walked alone along the street. She had deliberately altered her appearance. She could no longer show herself casually in public as the Saintess.

A few months earlier, when people saw Saintess Ye Zheng on the streets of the Lower District, they would greet her warmly. Occasionally, those she had healed would eagerly offer her gifts. Their attitudes were so affectionate that it felt as though they were treating the cherished daughter of a neighboring family, except that this “girl next door” held a noble status.

Now, if the Saintess were to suddenly appear on the street, the entire avenue would be quickly overwhelmed by an excited crowd. Just two days earlier, someone had mistakenly identified a Saintess, which led to a rather absurd and embarrassing misunderstanding.

Ye Zheng quietly blended into the crowd and silently listened to the people’s casual chatter.

“Hey, I’ve got some insider news. Blue Amber Pills are about to become popular. We should stock up early…”

“I heard the incident in the Western District still isn’t over. Someone personally saw monsters appearing even outside the Aberrant Realm. Do you think they’ll reach the Eastern District?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Saintess Ye Zheng and the Crown Prince are both competing in our Eastern District. Even if a special-grade Aberrant Realm appears, we won’t have to worry.”

“Exactly. No one in history has ever been so favored by the God of Hope. The Saintess must be the savior foretold in the prophecy!”

Savior? Sitting in the corner of a small restaurant, Ye Zheng let out a soft, mocking laugh.

Kieran had once told her that the true prophecy only mentioned world-destroying Aberrant Realms. The idea of a savior was something fabricated to comfort the masses.

In a way, that fabricated identity of a savior aligned quite closely with her own role as a Saintess, someone who had staged a divine miracle to deceive the world.

“By the way, for this competition, do you think the Cloud Soarers team will win? After all, the prize is dragon bone…”

Hearing someone bring up the competition, Ye Zheng’s ears twitched slightly. She was curious too about whether the Cloud Soarers team could claim the championship.

According to the usual progression of the story, the protagonist’s team would definitely win the championship and secure the ultimate grand prize. The only factor that might introduce any change was Ye Zheng herself, but she had no intention of winning. She simply planned to follow the main storyline as it unfolded.

She didn’t believe the imperial family would truly hand out real dragon bone as a reward. Moreover, based on her deductions, those dragon bones had originally been buried in the Lower District. Not only were they incapable of driving away Aberrant Realms, but they actually attracted them instead. That was why the Lower District had become an area where Aberrant Realms frequently occurred.

Meanwhile, the residents of the Lower District, completely unaware of the truth, still held onto the hope that the dragon bone could save them. Ye Zheng let out a quiet sigh.

The truth behind the prophecy, the secret of the dragon bone, and the twisted and cruel Hope Project were all things she couldn’t reveal to the public yet. At the very least, she’d have to obtain 【Mother of All Things】 before she could begin to gradually address these issues.

Ye Zheng found herself wondering, as the male protagonist, had Pei Xi already uncovered the secret of the dragon bone?

『Ye Zheng, are you certain that the dragon bone isn’t buried in the Upper District to suppress the aberrant realms, but is instead buried in the Lower District to attract them?』

At that moment, the system suddenly spoke.

Ye Zheng blinked in confusion, then answered firmly, “I am certain.”

She had already discovered dragon bone three separate times in the Lower District, including the skull and spine of the demonic dragon. Within the Hope Project’s base, they had placed the spine inside an underground palace constructed with heterogeneous stones for experimental purposes. This explained why there were fewer aberrant realms in the Western District: the dragon bone there had been effectively isolated by those heterogeneous stones.

As for the other demonic dragon remains… who could say, perhaps something like a leg bone was buried right beneath this small restaurant?

『Alright, assuming what you’ve said is true—』

The system’s voice carried a trace of hesitation, as though even it couldn’t be completely certain.

『Then, congratulations! You’ve uncovered a hidden secret of this world!』

Ye Zheng’s expression froze. Did the system mean that the manga had never revealed the secret of the dragon bone from beginning to end?

There was no reason for the manga’s author to establish such a significant piece of suspense without ever allowing the protagonist to make use of it. Had he simply forgotten or abandoned this foreshadowing during the creative process? Or… did even he not know this secret?

Ye Zheng sat silently among the crowd, her body motionless like a statue. The lively chatter and animated faces around her quickly faded from her perception. In that instant, it felt as though she alone remained in existence.

If the manga author didn’t know this crucial secret, then it proved he wasn’t the true creator of this world. Instead, he was more like an observer who could exert influence over it through his own will.

Ye Zheng suddenly recalled the restrictions placed on Pei Xi. He couldn’t alter his own settings or the predetermined plot, while other characters were allowed to make changes. And yet, the protagonist, Pei Xi, had triggered the system’s warnings multiple times.

……Pei Xi. The author was influencing this world through the protagonist, Pei Xi!

Ye Zheng’s expression darkened instantly. Looking at it from this angle, the force behind the system seemed to be observing and influencing this world through her.

At the very beginning, the system’s attitude had been extremely forceful and controlling. Later on, it gradually shifted because of her unexpected actions each time. But the system itself was also a man-made construct, and the power behind it had silently permitted this change.

Up until now, this mysterious force’s stance toward her had leaned toward cautious neutrality. In a certain sense, it had even helped her and altered her predetermined fate.

However, Ye Zheng disliked this sensation of being observed and subtly controlled, as though she were nothing more than a small white mouse used for experimentation.

Besides, could such a powerful force truly maintain a neutral, observational stance toward her forever? Ye Zheng didn’t trust these mysterious beings.

Ye Zheng had also conducted experiments alongside Teacher Qin Lu. In order to achieve more discoveries, experimenters would continuously introduce new variables into their experiments.

These variables weren’t necessarily favorable to her.

Sensing that Ye Zheng’s attitude had grown somewhat colder, the system fell silent. It truly had nothing more it could say.

This was the greatest hint it could give Ye Zheng within the limits of its authority.

✧✧✧✧✧

Outside the manga world.

Late at night in the city, the office building was divided into countless tiny squares of light. A slightly plump young woman was working in front of her computer, her thick glasses reflecting the bright glow of the electronic screen.

As the colorist assistant for a well-known manga artist, she stayed up late almost every night, helping the lead artist keep up with the demanding weekly updates. Her responsibilities included coloring, inking, and drawing backgrounds for the highly detailed manuscripts.

Suddenly, the hand holding her pen came to a halt. A new character had appeared in the manga, but that man hadn’t told her anything about this new character’s background or setting.

Fang Jue pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She wanted to send a message to that temperamental and moody man, but after thinking it over for a moment, she closed the chat box instead.

Better not to invite trouble. Fang Jue decided she’d message the company editor to ask about the character’s details.

Even though she was an assistant, she rarely had any direct interaction with that man. Yet every time they met, the encounter left a lasting impression on her. The man’s eyes were deeply sunken, his cheekbones sharply pronounced, and with each meeting, he looked more haggard and gaunt than before. It had made her regret entering this industry more times than she could count!

Fortunately, Fang Jue still held some genuine affection for this work. She especially liked the character Ye Zheng, which gave her a small sense of comfort in her job.

To be honest, Ye Zheng didn’t seem like a character that man could have created on his own. Perhaps the editor had offered him some guidance. Fang Jue felt it would be wiser to bypass him in the future and communicate directly with the editor instead.

She’d become an assistant hoping to learn from the main artist’s experience in creating manga, but that old uncle never even came to the company to work. She’d heard he stayed holed up at home all day. Fang Jue thought that if he suddenly dropped dead one day, no one would probably even notice.

The phone screen lit up. Fang Jue picked up her phone and glanced at it.

【Editor Sister Lin: The company says he has brown hair and green eyes. He’s an important character, so baby, draw him carefully, okay~】

Fang Jue took a deep breath. Another important character? The last time they said Kieran was important too, yet didn’t he get killed by Ye Zheng after just a few chapters?

Still, this new character was a fresh member of the protagonist’s team, so he definitely wouldn’t be dying anytime soon.

Fang Jue resigned herself and kept working. Before long, a lively young boy appeared on the screen, poking his head out as if greeting her. His brown hair was slightly tousled, and his green eyes shone with a bright, sly glint. Fang Jue paused her pen in confusion. Why did this character give her such a strange sense of déjà vu?

✧✧✧✧✧

“Saintess!”

A loud, clear voice made Ye Zheng stop in her tracks. The other members of the Royal Team also halted beside her in confusion. There was still half an hour left before they’d enter the competition venue and officially begin the final match.

“It’s the real Saintess! Ah, and His Highness the Crown Prince too! Today’s definitely the most honored day of my life.”

The unfamiliar brown-haired boy ran up to Ye Zheng. His cheeks were flushed from running, and his green eyes sparkled brightly. He looked very endearing.

Ye Zheng maintained her gentle Saintess smile and used her gaze to question the strange boy’s intentions. Ye Di, standing beside her, let out a scornful snort. Where had this country bumpkin come from? He actually dared to openly flirt with his elder sister, Saintess Ye Zheng, and completely ignored his existence!

“My name’s Wen Xiaoxing. I’m sorry, I was too excited to meet you, so I got a bit impulsive. But Saintess, you’ll surely forgive my small offense, right?”

Wen Xiaoxing smiled sheepishly. His beautiful green eyes were filled with an innocent sparkle that made it hard for anyone to treat him harshly.

“Not necessarily.”

Ye Zheng replied with a sweet, gentle smile.

Wen Xiaoxing froze for a brief moment before he realized what Ye Zheng meant. It seemed she wasn’t very willing to forgive his “small offense.”

“Stop dawdling, Ye Zheng,” Sykes frowned as he urged her forward.

Ye Zheng’s gaze lingered thoughtfully on the unfamiliar boy for a moment. Then she smiled and gave a slight nod before turning around and following Sykes’ pace.

This Wen Xiaoxing looked somewhat familiar. Ye Zheng glanced to her left. He bore a slight resemblance to Ye Di, which was probably why she hadn’t liked him at first glance.

『Think again. Compared to Ye Di, doesn’t he look more like… one of your own identities?』

“…So when I disguised myself as a man, I really looked like Ye Di?”

Ye Zheng’s steps faltered slightly, her pupils widening with disbelief.

Seeing that Ye Zheng had completely missed the point, the system anxiously continued to hint.

『It’s his honor that your brother looks like you. Don’t you think Wen Xiaoxing’s overly familiar personality is very similar to…』

This time, Ye Zheng’s steps didn’t pause at all. She continued walking in the middle of the group with a calm, composed expression, as if she wasn’t particularly surprised.

“Like Yinkong, but I’m certain Yinkong is already dead.”

Ye Zheng recalled Wen Xiaoxing’s every gesture and movement. Although his personality was similar, the finer behavioral details were different. For instance, Yinkong’s walking posture had always been crooked and sloppy, and when he became emotional, he liked to grip things tightly.

She’d only managed to find the right opportunity to counter-kill Yinkong after careful observation. She could confirm that this Wen Xiaoxing was not Yinkong.

But he definitely shared some kind of connection with Yinkong, and with her.

What Ye Zheng cared about most was whether this Wen Xiaoxing’s ability would resemble Yinkong’s as well.

“It doesn’t matter. No matter how many times something stands in my way, I’ll kill it just as many times.”

Ye Zheng lowered her cold, dark eyes and stepped into the rest area prepared by the organizing committee for the contestants.