Chapter 146

Ye Zheng stopped and stared at the square dressing mirror hanging behind the door. It was an ordinary style, but why was it hanging there?

She took it down. The square wooden frame held the glass, and a triangular stand was attached to the back. There was a small hook on the door used for hanging miscellaneous items. Someone had hung the mirror on it.

Ye Zheng recalled everything that had happened since she first entered the rest area. She’d followed behind Sykes and the others and had been the last to enter. She had a habit of closing the door behind her and didn’t remember seeing any mirror there at the time.

Could it have been hung up while she and Wu Shu were outside talking?

Her fingers unconsciously traced the frame as she sank into thought. Then she suddenly remembered that when she and Wu Shu had left earlier, the door had already been open.

She hadn’t paid it much attention back then. It was normal for people to go in and out of the rest area. The wide-open door had been pressed flat against the wall, so no one would’ve noticed what was hanging behind it. That meant the mirror might not have been placed there while they were outside. It could’ve been hung there even earlier.

For instance, when she’d been observing the mirror mounted on the innermost wall of the rest area.

Ye Zheng lifted her gaze. A larger mirror hung at the far end of the room, reflecting everyone’s figures in full. She’d already examined it carefully; it was nothing more than an ordinary wall mirror, just as ordinary as the one she was holding in her hand.

All at once, Ye Zheng’s fingertips felt as though they’d been scorched. She lowered her head, turned the mirror over in her hand, and brought it close to her eyes.

On the wooden frame of the mirror’s stand, there was a faintly darker mark.

When she pressed her fingertip against that nearly imperceptible trace, the damp sensation made her pupils contract sharply, and a chill prickled across her scalp.

In that instant, she suddenly recalled the black shadow that had flashed past the window more than ten minutes earlier.

That shadow had moved far too quickly. Ye Zheng had only managed to catch the briefest glimpse. She steadied herself, walked over to the window, and leaned out to look beyond it.

The window had been open the entire time, and the morning light outside was strikingly bright. Whoever it was must’ve been dressed in black, which was why it had appeared as nothing more than a fleeting dark blur at first glance.

Ye Zheng slowly raised her right arm. The figure in her memory had been roughly this tall. She placed her palm horizontally at the upper-middle section of the window. As she lifted her dark eyes upward, she realized that the person’s height had been almost identical to her own.

She lowered her gaze. Today, she was dressed entirely in black.

Ye Zheng’s breathing nearly came to a halt. Her arm suddenly lost all strength and dropped to her side. Her dark pupils stared ahead without blinking at the half-withered trees beyond the window, as though piercing through them to gaze upon something even farther away, some unknown and distant scene.

“Sister, Ye Zheng!”

Ye Zheng turned around. Even Ye Di had noticed that something was off about her expression. He hurried over and lowered his voice. “What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell? Don’t mess things up at a time like this.”

He had finally managed to slip into the Royal Team. If he followed the Crown Prince to victory, he’d undoubtedly become the most dazzling boy in the Royal Academy and would no longer be known merely as “the Saintess’s younger brother”!

“Nine o’clock. Let’s go.”

Sykes glanced at the wall clock, then stood up and walked toward the door. He cast Ye Zheng a slightly puzzled look. Something about her condition today felt off. Even when she had challenged him in the Western District, she had never shown even a trace of confusion or fear.

But what could possibly go wrong? Sykes thought with casual indifference. Whether it was Pei Xi or the giant eel in Amber Lake, nothing posed any real threat to his team.

Ryan and Ye Di had already followed Crown Prince Sykes obediently. One could detect the locations of aberrant beasts, while the other could manipulate the algae beneath the water. Together, they could provide perfect support for Sykes. With Ye Zheng’s water-control ability added in, this match was practically already secured for the Crown Prince.

Perhaps from the very beginning, this competition venue had been selected specifically to guarantee the Royal Team’s victory.

No wonder the imperial family was willing to offer dragon bone as the reward. They had likely never even considered the possibility that anyone other than Sykes might win.

Wu Shu walked forward with her head lowered, unable to resist nudging a small pebble on the ground with her foot. To the imperial family and the Crown Prince, she was nothing more than a stone that could be kicked aside at any moment.

She turned her head slightly. The teammates behind her showed no sign of spirit and were still chatting idly among themselves. They naturally assumed they were only here to fill out the numbers.

Even if, by some one-in-ten-thousand chance, she managed to lead the team to victory, they and many others likely wouldn’t feel any gratitude. The dragon bone was clearly an internally assigned reward, passed from the imperial family’s left hand to its right. If she actually won, she’d be far more likely to invite disaster than to become some celebrated legend.

Wu Shu kept her gaze lowered, then suddenly let out a faint, self-mocking laugh. She’d actually dared to imagine what it would be like after winning the championship.

Although she’d repeatedly told Ye Zheng that she wanted to fight her way to the very end, deep down she understood that her success in the Blood Flower Aberrant Realm had already been an incredible stroke of luck. This time, her tricks would definitely be anticipated and guarded against by Pei Xi and the others. The goddess of luck wasn’t going to favor her a second time.

Even if Ye Zheng wanted to help her, they were no longer on the same team. She couldn’t openly betray her own teammates just to fully support her. Wu Shu didn’t believe she was someone worthy of receiving the Saintess’s complete and unwavering backing.

More importantly, she didn’t believe in unconditional goodwill. Only tangible benefits held real leverage. Ye Zheng had merely asked her to keep an eye on the new member of the Cloud Soarers team. With just that single condition, Wu Shu couldn’t convince herself that Ye Zheng would hand her a victory that surpassed everyone’s expectations.

A faintly cool breeze, tinged with sunlight, brushed past her. As Wu Shu walked, her steps gradually slowed. At some point, Ye Zheng had come up beside her, matching her pace.

Now that she thought about it, the Saintess had been acting somewhat unusually today. She’d lacked her usual calm, effortless composure. Yet now, as Wu Shu glanced at her profile, she felt that the familiar Ye Zheng had returned.

Ye Zheng’s jawline was sharply defined, her facial structure clean and precise. If not for the subtle softness in her cheeks, her expressionless face would’ve seemed especially distant and unapproachable.

“Wu Shu.”

They walked side by side. Ye Zheng turned slightly, leaning closer to Wu Shu’s ear. Her voice was lowered to a near whisper.

“About our previous agreement, I want to add one more condition. You’re to remain on standby for me at all times.”

“If you fulfill this condition, I guarantee you’ll secure victory.”

Wu Shu tilted her head slightly as the distance between them closed even further. Her upturned eyes narrowed, confusion flickering within them.

“How exactly am I supposed to stay on standby for you?”

The two teams couldn’t act together, and all forms of communication would be completely cut off during the competition. The only thing available would be the emergency signal device.

“You’ll understand when the time comes.”

Wu Shu shook her head. “Ye Zheng, since this is a transaction, it’s better if both sides share equal information. What exactly are you planning to do? And what do you need me to do?”

She truly couldn’t make sense of it. Ye Zheng clearly had no intention of winning the championship, so what could she possibly need her to do during this match?

Wu Shu suddenly remembered that Ye Zheng had asked her to keep an eye on Wen Xiaoxing. A sharp glint flashed across her expression. “Is that Wen Xiaoxing planning to harm you?”

Ye Zheng had become far too conspicuous lately. It wasn’t impossible that someone might want to eliminate a Saintess who had grown this popular.

“Mmm, you guessed right.”

“…I’ll do my best to keep watch over him for you.”

“Thank you. Besides keeping an eye on him, you’ll also need to make a few other preparations.”

Wu Shu’s expression grew even heavier. She could vaguely piece it together now. If that Wen Xiaoxing truly intended to take Ye Zheng’s life, then she would have to be ready to strike first and eliminate him for her sake.

…Although she had only come of age last month and had, at most, schemed against others, she had never once considered killing anyone. But if Ye Zheng could truly help her claim victory, then killing a villain who sought to assassinate the Saintess didn’t seem like too steep a price to pay.

“I understand. If necessary, I’ll help you kill Wen Xiaoxing.”

Ye Zheng let out a soft “Mmm,” as though she was worried about frightening her, and softened her tone even further. “I do need you to be prepared to kill someone, but… it might not be Wen Xiaoxing.”

Ye Zheng paused briefly, then gently spoke a name.

Wu Shu turned her head in shock. Their noses nearly brushed against each other.

Their warm breaths intertwined in the narrow space between them. Wu Shu’s eyes trembled. Within Ye Zheng’s large, pitch-black pupils, she saw her own stunned reflection, as if she had already been drawn into an inescapable black vortex.

“Him? He has no reason to target you. Did you make a mistake…? Fine, but I won’t kill innocent people…”

Ye Zheng smiled faintly and shook her head, stepping back. The warmth between them quickly faded. Wu Shu’s chest rose and fell, as if she had only just managed to breathe again. She stared at Ye Zheng, her gaze unsteady.

Wu Shu wanted to ask more, but Ye Zheng cut her off. Her tone carried a quiet yet unmistakable authority. “Wu Shu, remember to be ready to assist me at any time.”

“So that we can keep winning until the very end.”

Wu Shu stared at Ye Zheng’s retreating figure for a long while. Only when her scattered teammates caught up from behind and pulled her toward the direction assigned by the organizing committee did she finally begin to move.

Inside the small grove, Ye Di, who was walking at the front, kept glancing back repeatedly. Just as he was about to lose patience and drag the leisurely chatting Ye Zheng back with him, she finally ended her conversation and strode forward to rejoin the team.

“What’s there to talk about with a student from the Middle District? You’re the Saintess and the eldest daughter of the Ye family. Don’t lower your own status.”

“Yeah, remember not to follow your sister’s example.”

“You must stay close to the Crown Prince at all times. Even the monsters he raises can increase your value.”

Ye Di glared in irritation, ready to snap back at Ye Zheng’s sarcastic tone. But when he looked up and saw her expressionless face, his momentum inexplicably faltered. His instincts warned him that it was best not to provoke Ye Zheng right now.

『Ye Zheng, how exactly are you planning to contact Wu Shu for help? The four teams will be entering the competition grounds from four different directions. It’ll be difficult for you to meet anytime soon. Or have you hidden some special method?』

The system couldn’t hold back its curiosity and asked.

“You.”

『 ？』

“My special method of contact is you.”

The system could communicate with her, so there was no reason it couldn’t communicate with Wu Shu as well.

『No, no, no. That’s against the rules. I’m your system, not—』

“You are my system. Assisting me is your duty.”

Ye Zheng asked calmly in return, “Have they ever stated that contacting Wu Shu is a violation?”

『……』 The system fell silent for a moment.

“System, I don’t like people whose stance wavers. But I trust you. From the moment you warned me that variables were about to appear, you had already chosen me.”

“Isn’t that right?”

Faced with Ye Zheng’s steady pressure, the system remained silent for a long time before finally responding.

『I’ll try, Ye Zheng.』

Having received a satisfactory answer, the tension in Ye Zheng’s expression eased slightly, though a trace of coldness still lingered on her face.

The moment she realized that the black shadow that had flashed past the window was very likely herself, a chill ran down her spine, and an unprecedented sense of danger surged through her.

Was it her duplicate? Could Wen Xiaoxing’s ability replicate humans? Just like the Shadow Aberrant Realm she had once entered with the Cloud Soarers team.

But why would the duplicate deliberately place a mirror behind the door? That action couldn’t possibly harm her.

Ye Zheng felt that the act resembled more of a warning.

Especially the faint water mark on the wooden stand of the mirror, a mark that carried the aura of 【Stream】.

No one understood her ability better than she did. The water threads formed by 【Stream】 could draw away every trace of moisture without leaving behind even the slightest mark. The fact that a water mark remained could only mean that the “Ye Zheng” who had placed the mirror had deliberately chosen not to erase that trace.

…Perhaps it was because that trace could serve as proof that it had been “Ye Zheng” who placed the mirror.

When Ye Zheng realized that another “Ye Zheng” existed and was attempting to alert her to that very existence, she completely overturned her earlier assumption about a mere duplicate. If it had truly been a duplicate created to deal with her, it would never have gone out of its way to remind her.

Although Ye Zheng couldn’t yet precisely define the nature of that other “Ye Zheng,” she chose to assume that the person was herself, and used her own line of thinking to infer the intent behind “Ye Zheng’s” actions.

Leaving a watermark on the mirror was clearly a clue about her identity, but why was a mirror specifically used?

One possibility was that a mirror could reflect another version of herself. That person was using the mirror to imply that she was also “Ye Zheng,” and that the two of them existed as reflections of one another.

Another possibility was that the mirror was pointing toward something else… such as the nature of the enemy’s ability.

There was also a third possibility: that both “Ye Zheng” and the mirror were entirely connected to the enemy’s ability.

“Wen. Xiao. Xing.”

Ye Zheng slowly ground the freshly learned name between her teeth. Her deep black eyes roiled like dark clouds in a storm.

The surname “Wen” stirred a faint sense of familiarity in her mind. This person might be connected to Wen Jian, yet the link wasn’t as simple as just Wen Jian alone. There had to be involvement from the higher-dimensional world as well. Only with their approval could this character be given such a heavily emphasized presence.

Moreover, Wen Xiaoxing had appeared with the clear intention of targeting her.

This time, the beings from the higher-dimensional world seemed intent on carrying out a far more malicious experiment.

The system knew the truth and had been hinting at it, both directly and indirectly.

Because of this, Ye Zheng had to secure the support of both the system and Wu Shu. She would make use of every factor around her that could be moved. She had to keep winning all the way to the very end, and personally mend this shattered world.

If her deduction was correct, then her opponent this time was no longer just a character from the ignorant manga world. A force far more dangerous than the Emperor had torn away its thin mask of warmth and, for the first time, revealed its fangs.

✧✧✧✧✧

“Wen Xiaoxing, the match has already begun. Aren’t you planning to reveal your ability at some point?”

The blond boy crossed his arms and shot a sideways glance at his new teammate in dissatisfaction, while the other merely yawned lazily.

Roy truly couldn’t understand why the principal had recommended someone so undisciplined and lacking in any sense of teamwork, someone who wasn’t even willing to disclose his most basic ability.

The match was just about to begin, yet he’d only rushed over at the very last moment. Roy couldn’t tell whether he had overslept or had been off wandering somewhere for fun.

Pei Xi also looked at Wen Xiaoxing with a slight headache coming on. He had tactfully suggested to the principal whether they could switch to a more cooperative student, but the principal had replied in a rather mysterious manner that he couldn’t find anyone more suitable than Wen Xiaoxing.

“Xiaoxing, it’s time to tell us. What exactly is your 【Fate Singularity】 ability?”

Pei Xi stood directly in front of the brown-haired boy, his expression serious, his tone carrying a faint edge of insistence.

Wen Xiaoxing had no choice but to stop where he was. He let out a soft sigh. “My ability isn’t easy to explain, but you can rest assured, I’m not your enemy.”

Pei Xi found that response somewhat strange. “You’re our teammate, so of course you’re not an enemy. Or are you implying that you have other enemies?”

Wen Xiaoxing fell silent for a brief moment. He lifted his head and fixed Pei Xi with his large, round green eyes. A sudden chill crept through Pei Xi’s body, bringing with it an indescribable sense of unease.

Pei Xi’s expression grew even more guarded. If this had been before the third stage of the competition, he would’ve trusted his teammate without hesitation. But after everything he had experienced, he could no longer give that kind of unquestioning trust.

Ye Zheng had left far too many unforgettable impressions on him. Just meeting Wen Xiaoxing’s gaze made him feel faintly unsettled.

Wen Xiaoxing suddenly curled his lips into an easy, relaxed smile, breaking the tension in the air. He lifted his arm and casually slung it over Pei Xi’s shoulders, his voice warm and seemingly sincere.

“Alright, if you really want to know, I’ll tell you. After all, from now on, we’re all friends on the same team.”

Roy, who had been standing quietly off to the side, muttered under his breath. What did he mean “from now on”? This Wen Xiaoxing was only here as a temporary replacement for Lu Qi. Once Lu Qi sorted things out and returned, this guy would be out of the picture.

“Speaking of my ability, 【Fate Singularity】, do you know what a ‘singularity’ is?”

Wen Xiaoxing straightened his expression and asked the question. The three teammates exchanged glances with one another, then shook their heads, clearly clueless.

“A ‘singularity’ is something infinite. It exists in a zero-dimensional state, with no volume and no measurable size. All the laws known to humanity break down at the ‘singularity,’ including space and time. And yet, it was precisely the expansion of that singularity that gave birth to our world.”

As they listened to Wen Xiaoxing’s explanation, Pei Xi and the others gradually slipped into a dazed, blank-minded state.

Wen Xiaoxing noticed their reactions and let out a couple of hearty laughs. “To put it simply, a ‘singularity’ is an unpredictable point that expands without limit, just like fate…”

“If someone were to stand at the ‘singularity’ and observe, they’d discover that in this world, Pei Xi is still nothing more than an ordinary student with unremarkable fame. But in another world, Pei Xi has already become a widely celebrated great hero.”

Pei Xi’s expression froze in shock.

At that moment, Wen Xiaoxing’s arm, which had been resting over Pei Xi’s shoulder, suddenly pulled down with force. He leaned in close to Pei Xi’s ear and whispered softly, “There could be other worlds where Ye Zheng isn’t your opponent at all.”

“Do you want to defeat her, Pei Xi?”

Pei Xi’s face stiffened instantly. He turned his blue eyes toward the boy who had leaned so close. Those pressing green eyes were filled with a strangely bewitching allure.

The two locked eyes for a brief moment. Pei Xi struggled to remove Wen Xiaoxing’s arm from his shoulder, stepped back, and frowned at him.

“Our task is to kill the S-Class giant eel and win the championship.”

“Let’s move. We can’t let the others get ahead of us.”

After saying that, Pei Xi quickly strode forward without sparing Wen Xiaoxing another glance, as though he were trying to escape something unseen.

Wen Xiaoxing trailed slowly at the very back. He lowered his gaze, revealing a look of boredom. Sure enough, he was still more eager to clash with Ye Zheng.

He hadn’t been lying. He had been looking forward to meeting Saintess Ye Zheng for a very long time, ever since the very day he was born.

Although, if one were to count the time properly, he was still just a tiny baby who hadn’t even reached eighteen days of age.

Honestly, he had been brought into the world in such a rush, and then Wen Jian had hurriedly sent him out to carry out this mission. Wen Jian really was an irritating human father.

But the ability he’d used to create him was quite intriguing, and it was something others could seize. In a certain world line, Ye Zheng had taken that ability, 【Mother of All Things】, from him.

Wen Xiaoxing had witnessed far too many world lines through 【Fate Singularity】, and he couldn’t sort out exactly which one it had been. The only thing he could be sure of was that, in that particular world line, he definitely didn’t exist.

Because in the world where he had been born, Ye Zheng was destined to die today.

So how could she possibly have had the chance to take Wen Jian’s ability? That was a gift he had kept reserved for himself.

It was only natural for a father to leave his most precious possession to his youngest son, wasn’t it?