Chapter 93

Ye Zheng sat in the car, her hand resting on the sword at her waist. Wen Jian had only briefly inquired about it, suggesting it be left in the church for safekeeping, which she refused. He had not pressed further.

Even though Wen Jian knew her thoughts were complicated, he never doubted the sword’s authenticity. Who would imagine she dared to forge something like this?

『Have you thought about what you will do if it gets exposed?』

The system had always worried about this. Would it not be very awkward then?

“The sword is fake, so what?”

“As long as I solidify the savior identity, it becomes a brand-new divine sword.”

Ye Zheng replied calmly to the system. Compared to exposure, she was thinking more about whether she should find time to practice swordsmanship, learn a few flashy moves to bluff with.

Stream was actually a double-S water-type ability, leaning toward control and attack. Healing was only a side effect.

Back then, to solidify her A-grade healer identity, she had spent most of her time practicing control and healing, occasionally learning some gun techniques from Qin Lu. Her level was barely beginner compared to Qin Lu.

Alright, she had to admit that at her age, a teenage girl inevitably yearned to look more valiant and dashing.

『Dashing aside, I cannot find anyone more valiant than you…』

The system could not help but grumble internally. It often forgot her age because of Ye Zheng’s overly mature way of handling things. In the real world, seventeen-year-olds were still in the rebellious phase that gave adults headaches.

But to the adults of this world, was Ye Zheng not also a rebellious teenager? Indeed, only youths had the passion to save the world. The system sighed emotionally.

The girl was still seriously considering. Wende’s swordsmanship was quite good. She could ask her to teach a few moves.

Recently Wende had been actively operating in the lower district with the Order of Sacred Conduct, participating in Aberrant Realm rescues and aftermath work. The Order represented Saintess Ye Zheng. Their actions had elevated her already soaring reputation even higher.

Even though the royal family maintained near-total silence bordering on suppression regarding Ye Zheng’s identity, the lower district citizens who had genuinely benefited never forgot to spread word of the Saintess’s miracles by mouth. Moreover, Saintess Ye Zheng already held considerable prestige among the common people.

Thinking of lower district matters, Ye Zheng finally remembered something important. She slowly sighed.

The Oath-Binder was just Wen Jian’s carefully crafted little scam. It was time to reveal Zhuo Ya’s secret to her.

✧✧✧✧✧

Zhuo Ya was still in the room with tightly closed curtains, sitting on a stool reading the latest newspaper. Wen Xin sat at the desk beside her, writing an article with a somewhat irritable expression.

After these days of interaction, the two had become quite familiar. Zhuo Ya asked, “What's wrong? No inspiration?”

Wen Xin shook her head. “I have plenty of inspiration. The manuscripts were all rejected.”

Zhuo Ya was surprised. Although Wen Xin faced open rejection from many male writers, rumors that her articles must have stolen her late husband’s achievements, that she was unworthy and only hyped herself with his name, her writing remained extremely popular. She had established stable cooperation with major newspapers.

“How could they do that?”

Zhuo Ya had stayed indoors every day. Her entertainment was learning to read and books. Wen Xin had recently been serializing a novel in the newspaper, a story about a girl receiving a god’s commission to save her hometown. The writing was straightforward and simple, the plot full of ups and downs. Even a half-illiterate like her found it gripping.

The prototype was obvious. Anyone could tell it drew inspiration from the recently explosive Saintess Ye Zheng. Zhuo Ya guessed Wen Xin’s novel must be very popular.

Wen Xin propped her cheek and sighed. “Orders from above not to write it. I made it so subtle already…”

Zhuo Ya could not help saying, “Anyone could recognize the prototype at a glance. Does the higher-up have a problem with Saintess-sama?”

Wen Xin’s gaze turned subtle. She used to rarely pay attention to politics. Ever since, under Saintess-sama’s guidance, she used politically charged articles to take down her husband, she had become sharper in this area. Whether the royal family or the church, neither seemed particularly happy about Saintess-sama gaining such lofty prestige.

Her gaze toward Zhuo Ya carried some guilt. Wende had told her the pursuers after Zhuo Ya had withdrawn. Now she could take Zhuo Ya out carefully. But to ensure nothing went wrong with Saintess-sama’s plan, Wen Xin still kept Zhuo Ya indoors.

She looked at Zhuo Ya with a guilty expression.

“I will keep teaching you to read for now. Even if I write something, it cannot be sent out yet.”

Wen Xin took the book and sat beside Zhuo Ya. Zhuo Ya turned to stare at Wen Xin’s melancholic profile and asked in confusion, “Those newspapers rejected you. Can you not just publish it yourself?”

The woman holding the book could not help but laugh. “The spread of knowledge is strictly regulated by the church and imperial authority. If I dare to privately print, the crime is enormous…”

Zhuo Ya nodded as though she half understood. Before meeting Pope Wen Jian, she had been just an ordinary female worker. After meeting Wen Jian, she felt like the protagonist of a romantic story.

Yet now her body was confined to this small room. She should have felt oppressed and unfortunate, but her heart seemed to have flown to a much broader world.

“What about Saintess-sama? She must have a way to help you. She seems so omnipotent.”

“Omnipotent?”

Zhuo Ya heard a soft chuckle. She and Wen Xin turned in surprise together. The Saintess, dressed in casual clothes, was walking toward them.

“You flatter me too much. But for this matter, I do have a way.”

Ye Zheng looked at Wen Xin and blinked. “The church will grant you this authority, Wen Xin. I need someone to be my voice in the realm of words.”

Wen Xin shot to her feet. Her face flushed with excitement. Her quiet demeanor was tinged with fervent admiration. “Saintess-sama, I will write whatever you want, do whatever you need!”

“Just keep writing what you want to write. As for anything extra, remember to lock the door properly from now on.”

The Saintess’s teasing made Wen Xin’s excited face turn slightly embarrassed. She sometimes forgot life’s details when inspiration struck.

Ye Zheng began chatting with Wen Xin. The potential influence of words was immense, which was why imperial and divine authority controlled publishing so tightly. The power she now held was enough to open a crack for Wen Xin, and even more women.

Not just to showcase their suppressed talents, but for herself as well. Ye Zheng understood that only women would truly appreciate everything she had done.

Amid their enthusiastic exchange, an abrupt voice interrupted. “Saintess-sama, I, I.”

Ye Zheng’s black eyes flashed with surprise. She looked at the panting Zhuo Ya, approached her, and supported her body. Streams of water gently climbed onto Zhuo Ya’s pale, cold face to soothe her.

“The Pope’s secret is in the western district!”

After saying this, Zhuo Ya lowered her head and gasped as though she had survived a calamity.

Just now, when the thought of revealing the secret arose, the terror of death had nearly pierced her scalp. Yet in that moment, she had an intense urge to say something, anything. She wanted to join them.

She had violated the vow made before the Oath-Binder. Waiting for her should be the end of death.

While panicking, Zhuo Ya felt a surge of hatred toward Wen Jian. If only she had met Saintess Ye Zheng back then instead of him. Would she now have found a direction to soar like Wen Xin?

Wen Xin covered her mouth in shock. She had not expected Zhuo Ya to suddenly blurt out the Pope’s secret, one that came at the cost of death.

Tears nearly spilled from her eyes. These days, Zhuo Ya had kept her company. They were already friends. Wen Xin looked at the motionless, bowed-head Zhuo Ya and tremblingly touched her icy cheek.

“Zhuo Ya, you, you are the most, second bravest woman I have ever seen! Saintess-sama and I will remember you forever!”

Ye Zheng showed an expression of wanting to speak but hesitating. The atmosphere seemed to have built to a deeply moving climax, making the truth stick in her throat, awkward to say out loud.

Until Zhuo Ya herself raised her head with a dazed look. Wen Xin realized her friend was still alive. Overjoyed, she forgot about the Oath-Binder curse and repeated “Truly blessed by the God of Hope” several times.

Ye Zheng quietly let out a breath of relief. She had not immediately checked on Zhuo Ya because she was still thinking of how to persuade her. From Zhuo Ya’s perspective, someone urging her to risk her life for another’s goal, how trustworthy could that person be?

Fortunately, Wen Jian’s Oath-Binder really was just a bluff, and Zhuo Ya was braver than she had imagined.

But what did “the Pope’s secret is in the western district” mean?

In Wen Xin’s arms, Zhuo Ya gradually realized she was fine. This could only mean one thing, Pope Wen Jian had deceived her.

She almost itched with hatred. What were all her days of fear and conscience-stricken torment for?

Zhuo Ya recalled Wen Jian’s hypocritical appearance. He was only a little taller than her, shorter even than the Saintess. How had she once thought him tall and mighty?

“Keep going, Zhuo Ya. What secret exactly is the Pope hiding in the western district?”

The young woman straightened up from her friend’s embrace. She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and looked into the Saintess’s tolerant, encouraging black eyes. She continued, “Back then I overheard him. After putting dragon bone in my body and seeing no effect, he told his guard to send me to the old place in the western district.”

“I don't know what the old place is, but his tone sounded like he had sent many people there before. Those people were probably like me, failures?”

Ye Zheng didn't ask Wen Xin to leave the room. Hearing this secret, Wen Xin murmured in disbelief, “God of Hope above, what exactly is the Pope trying to do? The homeless injured he took in, could they all have been…?”

Wen Xin could not continue. She had once genuinely admired the Pope’s virtue.

After she finished, both young women instinctively looked at the only youth present. Ye Zheng had one hand braced on the desk, forehead supported, face expressionless, looking exceptionally calm.

Wen Xin felt she somewhat understood the girl before her. The Saintess always wore a gentle smile by habit. When she cooled her expression, she was truly angry inside.

Western district, western district. The Pope regularly sent people there to preach and perform charitable relief. For the poorest and most expansive area of the lower district, this was special attention from the church. Ye Zheng had thought it was part of Wen Jian building his benevolent Pope image.

If he wanted to hide a secret, the western district was the perfect place.

“Wen Jian, ha.”

Ye Zheng let out a cold, low laugh. Those people followed him because they admired and trusted him, yet he turned around and sent them to hell.

Wen Jian really had not improved at all in the past ten years.

Ye Zheng’s five fingers unconsciously gripped the desk corner. Her black eyes stared fixedly at the thin line of light seeping through the curtain gap.

If she pursued this matter now, the fragile cooperation she had just established with Wen Jian against the emperor could easily shatter. But if she set it aside for now.

No, she could not set it aside.

Once she thought it through, Ye Zheng put on her gentle smile again and soothed Zhuo Ya and Wen Xin, “It's fine. I will handle this.”

First send people to scout the western district situation. Meanwhile, she could use the temporary cooperation with Wen Jian to investigate inside the church. Acting cautiously, she might still deceive everyone. She was quite experienced at this anyway.

Wen Jian’s experiments were related to dragon bone. Ye Zheng’s intuition told her the manga plot might soon let Pei Xi and the others come into contact with Wen Jian’s secret.

She still remembered the system telling her these dozens of chapters were called the “Dragon Bone Arc,” and Wen Jian was one of the major late-game antagonists.

When she had acted with the Cloud Soarers team, she noticed Pei Xi had not even formally encountered dragon bone yet.

Perhaps the author would make him encounter it soon.

【Ding dong, your manga spoiler has updated!】

The system’s lively voice rang out.