Chapter 97

After obtaining the outcome she desired, Ye Zheng departed the Mirror Palace. She politely declined the attendants’ escort and walked alone along the lengthy corridor.

At its far end, a cool and aloof young woman approached her.

Ye Zheng continued forward without glancing aside. When they were an arm’s length apart, Bai Muqing halted, yet remained silent.

Ye Zheng gazed at Bai Muqing’s quiet face and took the initiative to step closer, narrowing the distance between them.

It had been some time since they’d last met. So much had transpired during that interval.

“Don’t step back. This distance is more appropriate for answering your doubts, Muqing.”

Bai Muqing’s brows knitted slightly as she stood upright where she was. She asked, “Is Yinkong still alive?”

Ye Zheng blinked slowly and responded with a faint laugh that was nearly swallowed by the spacious corridor.

Bai Muqing closed her eyes tightly. She already knew the answer.

“Muqing, were you close to him?”

“Not particularly. Just classmates and teammates.”

Bai Muqing paused briefly before continuing. “Ye Zheng, did he deserve to die?”

Ye Zheng found the question somewhat difficult. She tilted her head. “Perhaps no one truly deserves to die, Muqing. There are only those who’ve no choice but to die.”

The warm sunlight gilded Ye Zheng’s black hair. Her silhouette appeared warm and gentle. Her dark eyes shimmered with faint confusion, even carrying a trace of innocence. Yet Bai Muqing felt a chill, as though she were encountering something sinister in broad daylight.

The person before her had killed Yinkong, concealed the genuine divine sword, and deceived the entire empire. But what unsettled her most was that only she, Bai Muqing, knew the truth. She held the power to overturn this false God Chosen at any moment.

“In your eyes, I’m also someone who’s no choice but to die. I know everything.”

Hearing Bai Muqing’s voice, calm yet threaded with a subtle tremor, Ye Zheng was uncharacteristically at a loss. The Saintess who’d remained so composed before Sykes was now rendered speechless.

That was correct. Bai Muqing was the greatest threat to the divine sword plan. Not only did she possess the ability to discern the overarching situation, she also wielded immense backing. She was far more dangerous than Yinkong.

If she were to report her, the God Chosen identity Ye Zheng had painstakingly established would collapse in an instant.

Yet Ye Zheng had never truly considered this.

Looking into those unfocused white pupils, Ye Zheng’s taut mind felt like a ship’s rope drawn tight, unable to find its intended harbor. Her fingers unconsciously twined a strand of hair, betraying a hint of anxiety.

Bai Muqing remained silent as well. Her tightly pressed lips betrayed her inner turmoil.

“In your eyes, I’m also someone who’s no choice but to die. I know everything.”

She’d clearly spoken an affirmative sentence, yet it sounded as though she were nervously awaiting a reply.

Suddenly, a faint sound drifted from afar. Bai Muqing shifted her footing. She sensed someone approaching. It wasn’t suitable for them to continue their conversation here.

She turned her head, intending to end this futile wait. Without another word, she was about to step away when Ye Zheng suddenly caught her arm.

Softly, she said, “Muqing, the fact that we’re able to stand here now means we made our choices long ago.”

You won’t report me for the sake of your faith, and I won’t kill you to preserve the secret.

Her subconscious had deliberately overlooked the threat Bai Muqing posed. Her heart had already chosen without her awareness. Thus, Ye Zheng stopped overanalyzing and released Bai Muqing’s arm, allowing her to depart.

Bai Muqing didn’t respond. Her figure paused briefly before she moved toward the opposite end of the corridor.

The system’s voice sounded abruptly.

『In the original plot, Bai Muqing was defeated by Pei Xi. The God of Hope’s divine sword chose Pei Xi, so she set aside her pride and provided considerable assistance to the God of Hope’s true successor, Pei Xi... She’s a hidden danger. Once she learns that Pei Xi is the true chosen one of the God of Hope, she...』

“System, once Bai Muqing decides to cover for me, she won’t go back on it. Nor will I.”

Even if Bai Muqing were to become her enemy one day, Ye Zheng was certain she wouldn’t use the matter of the false divine sword against her.

Ye Zheng didn’t turn to watch Bai Muqing leave. She walked toward the other end of the corridor without looking back.

Outside a certain reception chamber within the imperial palace.

“Muqing, why did you suddenly run off? His Majesty is still waiting for us!”

Bai Mulin, clad in the red uniform of the Royal Knight Order, caught hold of Bai Muqing. He regarded her suspiciously. “You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”

“After all, you’ve invested many years of feeling into this. I know it’s difficult to relinquish, but we’ve come this far. That person is still waiting for you inside...”

Bai Muqing coldly interrupted her brother. “Go in. I won’t regret my decision.”

Bai Mulin was accustomed to his sister’s habitual aloofness. He exhaled in relief. “That’s good. You know this matter will cause quite a commotion. Father personally stepped forward to secure this opportunity for you.”

“A commotion... Ye Zheng has always been doing that sort of thing.”

Bai Muqing murmured softly.

“Of course. After all, the Royal Knight Order has never had a female member.”

“Muqing, truly, once you join, you won’t be able to freely return to the church for cultivation, prayer, or to participate in activities. The knight order can’t accommodate your identity as a nun...”

Bai Mulin’s hand rested upon the door without pushing it open. He looked at his sister with concern. This decision would utterly overturn Bai Muqing’s former life.

With her brother’s persistent counsel in her ears, the girl merely lowered her pale lashes, which trembled faintly, and said, “I gave it up long ago.”

The moment she’d chosen in the labyrinth ruins to remain silent about Ye Zheng’s deeds, Bai Muqing had already betrayed her faith. She was no longer a devout follower of the God of Hope.

She didn’t know Ye Zheng’s objectives. She’d only shielded her out of personal sentiment, allowing the God of Hope’s divine sword to sink into a murky pool and causing the empire to lose its true successor. Bai Muqing felt not only profound shame, but also deep apprehension.

But Bai Muqing didn’t regret it.

“Good. Then let’s go in.”

Bai Mulin drew a deep breath. With a trace of nervousness, he slowly pushed open the heavy door. Inside sat the highest authority of the empire.

Standing beside him, Bai Muqing showed not the slightest hint of anxiety. The reason she wished to join the Royal Knight Order wasn’t to swear loyalty to the emperor. It was to assume responsibility for her own selfish decision.

If one day Ye Zheng, cloaked in the mantle of the God Chosen, were to bring immense calamity upon the empire, then she, who had once sheltered Ye Zheng, would have to bear that burden.

For that reason, she had to climb higher and go farther.

The moment Bai Muqing stepped into the reception chamber, she felt the gazes turning toward her. Her pale pupils trembled almost imperceptibly. This was the first time she had come so close to the nominal ruler of the empire.

...She had never liked him, not since the moment she’d glimpsed his soul from afar at a banquet when she was eight years old.

✧✧✧✧✧

These past two days, Pei Xi had been more distracted than ever before. He was more restless and conflicted than at any other time, and both of his teammates had noticed.

Roy and Kyle exchanged a silent glance. They both understood the reason. They were suffering just as much. With no news of Lu Qi for an entire day, how could they possibly concentrate on the competition, as friends who had once been inseparable?

Pei Xi glanced at the latest published rankings. For reasons unknown over the past few days, Sykes seemed to have abandoned the competition entirely. His points hadn’t increased at all, and the Cloud Soarers had successfully climbed into second place.

As for the team in first place, Wu Shu’s team, the enormous points they had earned in the Blood Flower Aberrant Realm had relied heavily on luck. Their true strength wasn’t particularly remarkable, so their score was rising slowly. It wouldn’t be long before they were overtaken.

Everything was unfolding toward the goal he desired most, yet Pei Xi couldn’t summon a smile.

After making that decision, he’d felt a fleeting sense of relief, but since then his heart had been repeatedly tormented and battered.

The three young men had just cleared an aberrant realm and returned to their most familiar small tavern to sit together. It was the same modest room as always, yet at this moment it felt strangely hollow.

Kyle recalled how, after clearing the aberrant realm earlier that day, the rescued civilians had thanked them with heartfelt gratitude. In the past, that had been their happiest and most glorious moment. But these two days, he couldn’t muster any spirit, because the teammate he cared about might be trapped in some unknown aberrant realm in the Western District.

The empire had already dispatched a large force to investigate. The Western District might not require the three of them, but what about Lu Qi? She was the one who needed her companions most right now.

The thought left Kyle restless. Even he didn’t understand why he had silently accepted Pei Xi’s decision at the time. It was as though he had come to know Pei Xi anew, and to know himself anew as well.

It turned out they weren’t nearly as brave and hot-blooded as they had once imagined...

Kyle quietly glanced toward Pei Xi. Pei Xi sat with his head lowered in silence. Suddenly, as though he had resolved something, he lifted his head. His lips parted slightly, as if he intended to speak.

At that precise moment, Roy, who was beside him, seemed to hear some commotion and abruptly stepped outside. He closed the door firmly behind him. Seeing this, Pei Xi fell silent once more and didn’t utter a word.

After waiting for some time, Roy finally pushed the door open and returned. He stood at the entrance, looking at his two teammates with a complicated expression, and delivered unexpected news.

“Saintess Ye Zheng and Crown Prince Sykes are going to the Western District together to rescue the trapped civilians.”

Kyle sprang to his feet. He first looked at Roy, then at Pei Xi. Even two core members of the royal team were heading to the Western District. Why were they still here worrying about the competition?

Roy’s gaze remained fixed on Pei Xi. Pei Xi kept his head lowered, making his expression difficult to discern. Roy could only continue, “Are we still going to stay here?”

Under the hopeful gazes of his two teammates, Pei Xi let out a laugh as though he had cast off every burden. There was a bitter edge to it that sounded especially jarring in the small room.

“We’ll go too.”

“We should’ve gone long ago.”

Pei Xi’s second sentence was so soft it was almost impossible to hear.

Kyle leapt up in excitement, his heart suddenly much lighter. Roy, leaning against the door, initially broke into a smile, but then a trace of belated doubt surfaced in his mind.

Just before stepping out after hearing the noise, Pei Xi had clearly been about to say something.

If he hadn’t brought back this news... what decision would Pei Xi have made?

Roy couldn’t help but wonder.

✧✧✧✧✧

Following the chapter 263 update that revealed Zhao Mei’s identity, countless longtime readers and new readers who had binged the entire manga within a single week were eagerly awaiting the next release.

『Throne of the Aberrant Realm』 had originally been merely a rising star on the manga platform. Over the past year, it had gained a certain degree of recognition, but it couldn’t compare to long-established works that already had anime adaptations. Overall, its popularity had been above average.

Yet after a series of public discussions, the manga’s popularity had surged to just below several veteran hit titles boosted by anime exposure.

Tang Mingxi felt the author truly ought to kowtow to Ye Zheng.

At exactly eight o’clock, she opened the manga app, fully prepared for battle. The previous identity reveal arc had won Ye Zheng many new fans, but quite a number of longtime readers had begun boycotting her, openly demanding a 『Throne of the Aberrant Realm (No Zheng Edition).』

Tang Mingxi was furious. Without Ye Zheng, 『Throne of the Aberrant Realm』would plunge straight into the earth’s core. These people were utterly ungrateful!

However, when she opened the directory and was about to click on chapter 264, she suddenly noticed a special short extra placed at the very top: “A Day in the Life of the Saintess.”

Happiness struck without warning!

After gleefully devouring the adorable chibi extra and replenishing her energy, Tang Mingxi prepared to head into the forum to defend Ye Zheng. No matter what was updated, Ye Zheng would inevitably be the one getting criticized. As Ye Zheng’s self-proclaimed mom, she had long grown accustomed to the storms raging around her daughter.

It was obvious that many people in the forum would be driven to fury by this extra. After begging for days for a “No Zheng Edition,” what they received instead was a pure Ye Zheng fan service special!

What she hadn’t expected was that the top trending post in the forum this time didn’t even mention Ye Zheng’s name.

【Am I the only one who thinks Pei Xi is acting OOC in the latest plot...?】

In a short time, the post had already accumulated several hundred replies.

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Authors Note

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Everyone, please discuss calmly! Although writing forum quarrels into the story is entertaining, real life arguments aren’t entertaining at all...

This story originated from my experience as a mother to a female treasure in the 2D world. My initial intention was simply to vent about the male-centered, female-trampling environment in 2D media. I never imagined it would rise to the level of feminism, nor did I expect it to be appreciated by so many adults or to inspire me with so many thoughts on feminist topics.

After all, the primary audience for a manga-themed story like this is 2D readers, yet this novel is filled with criticism of mainstream 2D phenomena. When I first published it, I thought I was writing something quite vicious and assumed the story would either be ignored or harshly criticized by readers who felt attacked.

A few years ago, I might have been one of the readers criticizing such a story, haha. In middle school, I almost exclusively read male-perspective novels and genuinely believed male-centered narratives were more advanced and worthy of pursuit. Someone in the comments earlier said I only target fujoshi, but in truth I was reflecting on my past self. Many of those remarks were things I once said myself, which is why I could write them so authentically.

It was only in high school, after experiencing and encountering many things, that I realized I could no longer find resonance or satisfaction in male-centered stories. From then on, I almost exclusively read female-perspective novels and felt compelled to create only female-centered stories.

My own feminist awareness still has many shortcomings. I’m still unable to completely detach from idol and otaku culture, though I only follow female treasures. Before writing novels, I was a self-media creator who primarily relied on appearance-based labor to fund my university education. In the earlier chapters, many readers perceptively noticed that my descriptions of Zheng’s appearance unconsciously carried an objectifying gaze. This is closely tied to my own experience with appearance labor, but precisely because of everyone’s reminders, I’ve gradually become aware of it and am working to correct it.

I feel quite ashamed. The reason I chose to start writing web novels as a side job was because I was tired of meticulously arranging myself in front of the camera. I even gave up a self-media side job that earned over ten thousand a month. Yet when I write, I still subconsciously shape the female protagonist to conform more closely to mainstream society’s aesthetic of delicate beauty.

That’s why I hope even more that everyone can communicate harmoniously. Even I, as the author, still have much room to grow.

[T/N - probably some sh!t happened in JJwxc where this is officially published, you find it's link if you check this series homepage, I tried to find what it was but it already been a year or so , so finding them proved hard , so I don't know what made author write such a lengthy note.]