Chapter 60

 Sela unleashed another barrage of curses at the boy in front of her. After some time, her interest waned. She stopped speaking and stared at him with open curiosity.

“You are not angry? You do not want to hit me?”

Ye Zheng found herself momentarily at a loss for words. It seemed this blond little madwoman was fully aware of how irritating she could be.

“I have thought it over. What I said earlier was indeed inappropriate. I apologize for my rudeness.”

The black-haired, green-eyed boy inclined his head slightly, his posture humble as though sincerely accepting her criticism. There was not the faintest trace of anger on his face.

“I will give you my sleeping bag. That area will only become more dangerous as night falls. I will keep watch for the two of you.”

“By the way, may I ask how I should address you?”

Ye Zheng asked naturally, as though this were truly their first meeting. Yet a sliver of unease lingered in her heart. Sela was far too enigmatic. It was possible that she could see through Ye Zheng’s disguise. After all, there existed a decade-long grudge between them, even if it was entirely one-sided.

“My name? Sela.”

She stated her name to the two strangers without hesitation. The casualness of her tone made Ye Zheng suspect it might be an alias. However, when she looked at the carefree girl before her, she inexplicably felt that this name was genuine.

Even when doing something so shocking, Sela had never bothered to hide behind a false identity.

Ye Zheng responded politely.

“My name is Zhao…”

“I am not interested. Why bother remembering a dead person’s name?”

Sela cut her off with a giggling laugh.

Bai Muqing stepped forward almost immediately, but her foot caught on a stone. She stumbled and fell awkwardly to the ground.

Ye Zheng had just reached into her pocket for a knife when her heart abruptly froze. In that instant, she realized something crucial. Bai Muqing, who was congenitally blind, perceived the entire world through her ability. Once that ability was nullified by Sela, Bai Muqing was left utterly lost in a world of darkness and disorientation.

Ye Zheng helped Bai Muqing back to her feet, then lifted her gaze heavily toward the blond girl.

“Sela.”

The boy’s voice tightened, the change nearly imperceptible.

“What exactly do you want?”

Sela shrugged innocently.

“Since you were kindly offering me something, I will give you a little reminder. You are all going to die anyway!”

“Do not look at me like that. I have had enough fun recently. I will not take action myself.”

She truly had no need to. As long as she nullified her opponent’s ability, how long could they possibly survive in this aberrant realm?

Sela ruffled her messy golden hair. Her crimson pupils lowered as she glanced at the boy supporting his companion. Suddenly, as though she had remembered something amusing, the corner of her mouth curved upward.

“I advise you to abandon her as soon as possible. That way, you might live a little longer.”

Ye Zheng felt Bai Muqing subconsciously clutch at her collar before quickly releasing it, as though burned. Seeing this, Sela laughed lightly and skipped away with nimble steps. She neither took their belongings nor attacked them directly.

Ye Zheng lowered her gaze to her palm. Her ability was still present. Was this mercy, or was Sela simply unable to nullify her power?

The boy clenched his fist tightly and bent down to check on Bai Muqing.

Having lost her ability, Bai Muqing still appeared as dignified and expressionless as ever. Only Ye Zheng, who held her hand, could feel the bone-deep cold radiating from the white-haired, white-eyed girl.

“Your ability will return. I promise.”

Ye Zheng spoke firmly. The last time Sela had nullified her ability, it had recovered in about an hour. Sela’s power could not possibly erase another’s ability permanently.

“…I am sorry.”

Bai Muqing lowered her head and spoke softly. Ye Zheng could no longer see her expression.

She did not offer more words of comfort. Instead, she held Bai Muqing’s hand and sat down with her. She arranged the sleeping bag, and the two of them crawled inside, leaning against one another like silkworm pupae as they rested.

Ye Zheng closed her eyes, but she did not allow herself to fall asleep. In a land filled with danger, someone had to remain vigilant. At present, that person could only be her.

Her consciousness flowed outward alongside 【Stream】, merging with the nearby river. It traveled along the riverbanks and through the surrounding woods, sensing countless life forces in motion. Eventually, she detected the presence of a large group of humans gathered in one location.

Ye Zheng suddenly opened her eyes and met Bai Muqing’s unblinking white pupils. The other girl had turned to face her.

“Ye… Zhao Mei, you have not fallen asleep, have you?”

“You wouldn’t be asleep.”

Bai Muqing murmured quietly to herself.

“Yes. I am still thinking about what exactly Sela intends to do.”

Sensing that Bai Muqing was likely unable to sleep either, Ye Zheng began speaking softly.

“Her ability is at least S-class. How could someone like that have never been heard of?”

Bai Muqing asked in confusion.

“She should be a child from the lower district. Her family probably could not afford the testing fee, so she never underwent formal testing. Without registration, she would not be allowed to enter an ability academy.”

Bai Muqing frowned slightly, not fully understanding.

“Testing fee?”

She had never heard of such a thing. She had been born with an ability. At twelve, she had gone to the Ability Users Association for a formal evaluation. Once her precise rank was determined, various academies competed for her enrollment. Because of her faith, she ultimately chose the Divine Academy.

Ye Zheng patiently explained,

“For people in the lower district, the testing fee is an enormous burden. Unless a child clearly manifests an ability, parents are usually unwilling to bring them in for testing.”

“What happens if they cannot pay?”

“That situation is very common in the lower district.”

Ye Zheng let out a humorless laugh.

“Unregistered ability users who use their powers to earn a living are acting illegally. They cannot enter academies, nor can they join security forces or knight orders.”

“But there are many gray areas that rely on such people. In some ways, being unregistered actually makes it easier for them to operate.”

Bai Muqing recalled that her brother had mentioned people like this before.

“So Sela is one of them?”

“Perhaps.”

Ye Zheng withdrew further into the sleeping bag, concealing half of her face, especially her tightly pressed lips.

No. Sela was likely not one of those underground ability users.

Ye Zheng herself had dealt extensively with the gray market. She knew the powerful figures who operated there. Someone with an ability as terrifying as Sela’s could not possibly be entirely unknown.

Sela had even nullified Sykes’s ability. Yet no one had ever heard of her. It was as if she had appeared out of thin air. Ye Zheng’s green eyes widened. She bit her lip until the color drained from it.

Yes. Sela had appeared out of nowhere, together with this aberrant realm that resembled a sea of blood.

Amid the fog of her thoughts, Ye Zheng felt she had grasped a crucial clue. She nearly pushed herself upright, tempted to chase after the blond girl and interrogate her further. After several deep breaths, she forced herself to lie still.

No. Seeking Sela again right now would be unwise. She was like a satiated yet fickle wild beast. Although she currently lacked the desire to act, a sudden whim could drive her to play a bloody game. Ye Zheng did not yet have the confidence to face her head-on.

Night passed. Light once again rose over the aberrant realm. Ye Zheng had barely slept, yet she did not feel exhausted. Her green eyes burned with clarity.

Bai Muqing also woke early. She realized that her ability had returned. However, the memory of losing all perception before falling asleep the night before still haunted her. After “seeing” the world again, she felt no joy. Only a heavy shadow lingered in her heart.

The two youths looked at one another. Though their thoughts differed, they exchanged smiles. One was gentle. The other was restrained, barely lifting the corners of her lips.

“Muqing, I found a place where a large number of people are gathered. Let us go there.”

At the mention of so many people, hope flashed across Bai Muqing’s face. Perhaps her brother was there.

As a member of the Royal Knight Order, Bai Mulin might be organizing survivors within the aberrant realm, protecting civilians while planning an assault. That was precisely his duty.

Bai Muqing nodded. Even her empty white pupils seemed to brighten slightly.

Following the river upstream, the terrain grew complex, but the two encountered no danger. Dense vegetation surrounded them, teeming with insects and small animals, yet no large creatures appeared.

Ye Zheng suspected the reason. The larger beasts had likely already been consumed by the strange red forest.

After pushing through the dense woods that blocked out the sky, a wide, flat clearing came into view. Countless human figures moved about, relying on one another.

Bai Muqing suddenly quickened her pace. Through the broad vision granted by 【Divine Domain】, she had already seen that all-too-familiar figure.

“Bai Mulin!”

The young man who had been speaking at the center of the crowd froze. Then he leapt to his feet and rushed toward the voice.

“Bai Muqing! How did you get here? You actually came!”

The man in the red uniform spoke incoherently, his gaze filled with both reproach and overwhelming emotion.

After confirming that Bai Mulin was safe, Ye Zheng quietly surveyed the small base before her.

Most of the people were civilians, huddled together in fear, their expressions numb. Royal knights in red and church knights in white moved among them. They appeared to be patrolling and protecting the crowd, yet also guarding something. Their faces were cold and impatient.

By contrast, Bai Muqing’s brother seemed far more approachable. As Ye Zheng shifted her gaze back to him, she quickly noticed something amiss in his expression.

“It is good that you are safe. Everyone at home is very worried about you.”

“Hahaha… They must be blaming me for acting on my own again, right?”

The young man scratched his head, his smile stiff and strained.

For once, Bai Muqing’s usually emotionless face revealed clear admiration.

“Everyone is proud of you, Bai Mulin. You are a true knight.”

He had not been required to come, yet he had followed the Crown Prince into the aberrant realm without hesitation, protecting countless civilians.

Bai Mulin’s smile froze. The corners of his mouth slowly fell. He looked at his sister, his lips moving, but before he could speak, a gentle voice interrupted.

“So Miss Bai Muqing has come as well.”

A bespectacled young man emerged, smiling as he observed the emotional reunion.

“Miss Bai is correct. Knight Bai Mulin is a brave and honorable knight.”

Yu Tianming shifted his gaze to Bai Mulin, whose expression had darkened.

“Knight Bai Mulin, look around. Everyone is waiting for you to make the correct decision and fulfill your duty as a royal knight.”

Bai Muqing heard the ambiguity in Yu Tianming’s words. She did not understand their meaning, but she remembered that this bespectacled man had always been unpleasant.

Bai Mulin lowered his head. His fist clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palm. He clearly did not want to respond, yet Yu Tianming stared at him with a smile devoid of warmth.

“Forgive my rudeness for interrupting your reunion.”

A slightly hoarse voice broke the tension.

“May we know what has happened? Perhaps we can be of assistance.”

Yu Tianming finally turned his attention to the unfamiliar boy. The black-haired, green-eyed youth was of similar height, handsome, and refined. He appeared to come from the upper district, yet Yu Tianming could not recall his identity. He only felt a vague sense of familiarity.

Then he concluded that the boy was not important.

Yu Tianming adjusted his glasses. Contempt flickered through his thoughts, but his tone remained artificially gentle as he answered, his eyes still fixed on Bai Mulin.

“To save everyone, His Highness the Crown Prince is currently trapped within a forest.”

“We intend to gather our strength and rescue him. That is what we should do, is it not?”

The green-eyed boy murmured an exaggerated sound of agreement.

“My goodness. His Highness actually sacrificed himself for us. Of course we cannot disappoint him.”

Yu Tianming’s expression twitched. This was the reaction he wanted, yet the boy’s tone carried an inexplicable hint of mockery.

“Knight Bai, let us depart at once.”

The boy had already placed himself among the rescue party. His clear green eyes fixed on Bai Mulin, whose expression had sunk into despair. Bai Muqing was watching her brother as well.

Faced with their untainted gazes, Bai Mulin turned his head away.

“…No. I cannot do it.”

“I cannot send them to their deaths!”

His sudden roar shook the clearing. The exhausted, numbed crowd rose in panic, utterly confused. Yu Tianming could no longer maintain his gentle facade. His gaze turned cold, sharp with threat.

As everyone stared at the erupti

ng Bai Mulin, unnoticed by others, the boy’s green eyes deepened into bottomless pools. Her gaze shifted from Bai Mulin to the prime minister’s son, carrying lethal chill.

Yu Tianming wanted to send whom to their deaths?