Chapter 88

“Did you all fall asleep waiting for me?”

“I waited by the iron gate for a long time, but no one came to open it… Aviana, what did you call me here for?”

“Huh? There’s a tooth mark on your neck. Who bit you? Do you need medicine?”

It was midnight when Adelle, brought by Nia to Aviana’s room, saw Aviana, with messy black hair, groggily opening the door. She started asking questions non-stop.

Just as she was about to apply ointment to Aviana’s neck, Aviana seemed to snap out of her drowsiness and took a step back, avoiding Adelle’s hand.

“No need.”

Aviana’s sleepy eyes gradually cleared up as she pulled her collar slightly, but still couldn’t fully cover the bite mark on her neck.

“Come in.”

Aviana moved aside a little, allowing Adelle to enter.

Adelle walked into the dim bedroom without any hesitation and asked, “I’m a bit sleepy too… What’s going on?”

It appeared that Adelle had come directly to Aviana’s manor without knowing anything and was easily lured into the room.

She either had a big heart or trusted her friend too much.

At this moment, Adelle noticed someone sleeping in bed under the candlelight.

“Xia’er?”

Adelle blinked and looked at Aviana, whispering, “So you two sleep together?”

Adelle spoke in a very low voice, trying not to wake Xia’er.

Before Aviana could answer, Adelle cautiously suggested, “Should we move somewhere else to talk? We don’t want to disturb Xia’er…”

“It’s fine,” Aviana shook her head, “We’ve already slept.”

Adelle: “How long?”

Aviana: “About seven and a half hours.”

“Mmm…”

Adelle nodded, “That’s enough sleep. It’s good for the body.”

After a while, Adelle realized and counted on her fingers, then turned to Aviana and asked, “You both went to sleep at 4:30?”

Aviana: “Yes.”

Just as they sat down on the sofa, their conversation seemed to have woken Xia’er.

“Hmm…”

Xia’er, finally able to rest her tense spirit, stretched slowly on the bed after pulling off the blanket that covered her. She looked at Aviana and Adelle sitting on the sofa nearby, and asked in a muddled voice, “Is it morning already?”

Adelle waved at Xia’er and greeted, “Good morning, Xia’er.”

Aviana also looked at Xia’er, sitting beside Adelle.

Aviana noticed Xia’er still seemed a bit groggy, slowly crawling to the edge of the bed, looking at her shoes on the ground as if pondering who had taken them off.

Aviana had planned to help Xia’er turn over and make her comfortable on the pillow, but as soon as she helped Xia’er take off her socks and arranged her position, Xia’er hugged her waist in her sleep.

Aviana was certain Xia’er was in a semi-conscious state, but Xia’er murmured Aviana’s name in her sleep.

Xia’er seemed to be saying something like…

“Aviana… Don’t be shy…”

and held onto Aviana’s waist tightly, as if dreaming.

Aviana, forced to lie in an awkward position next to Xia’er, almost half of her body on the pillow, with her head against the bedhead, and Xia’er’s face buried in her chest.

Aviana felt a strange sense of security despite the awkwardness, her emotions floating like clouds, wishing this moment would never end.

Then… she was awakened by Adelle’s knock on the door.

She had invited Adelle, so she couldn’t blame her.

By now, Xia’er had put on her shoes and walked over to sit beside them.

Xia’er looked completely awake now.

She looked at Adelle and said, “Adelle, let’s cut to the chase. I need you to stay here and sleep these few days.”

Adelle: “??”

You called me in the middle of the night just for this?

Didn’t you two already sleep together earlier? Now you want me to stay here and sleep? Why? To watch me sleep?

This is unreasonable.

No normal person with a bit of pride would agree to such a ridiculous request.

Adelle nodded slightly and whispered, “Then… Is there another pillow?”

“You can use mine,” Xia’er explained, “I brought you here so you can stay with Aviana.”

“Your teacher Xie Lun got involved with an evil sect before he died. Maybe you already know which one, he collected a lot of information about this sect during his lifetime.”

Hearing about her teacher, Adelle’s eyes dimmed.

She revered those who saved her in difficult times and aspired to be as great as them.

She respected her older sister Yulis, who had always taken care of her.

She admired her teacher Xie Lun, who had saved countless lives in his career.

Even though she didn’t want to believe it, Adelle knew that Xia’er was likely telling the truth.

Because she had found many documents about the Arrival Sect in her teacher’s library.

Adelle looked at Xia’er and hesitated before asking, “Teacher Xie Lun… Was he brainwashed by the Arrival Sect and became like this?”

Xia’er heard Adelle’s question and felt her sadness, then said, “No, he contacted the Arrival Sect himself.”

Xia’er never believed lying would comfort anyone.

She didn’t believe in the notion that the dead should be honored, she believed in facing things as they are.

Xia’er was surprised that Adelle wasn’t more upset after hearing the truth, and her sadness seemed to ease.

“Don’t you feel sad?” Xia’er asked.

Adelle shook her head softly and said, “I’ve already been sad about this.”

“If Teacher Xie Lun did these things because he was brainwashed, he is still my respected teacher.”

“But if not, as I said before, I’ve already been sad about it.”

Xia’er nodded slightly.

Adelle, though unconventional, was very reasonable.

Earlier, she had been depressed about her teacher’s corruption and sought solace from Aviana.

For Adelle, the betrayal of her teacher had already passed.

Without any new developments, this wouldn’t affect her again.

Rather than being insensitive, she was resilient, almost wise, ready to accept any revelation.

Adelle felt a strange sensation.

She initially thought she was called here for something important, feeling very nervous.

But her nervousness had vanished when she stood outside the door for over an hour, leaving her curious about the reason.

Aviana and Xia’er were her new friends, and Adelle didn’t know them well yet.

But she never expected Xia’er and Aviana called her here just to ensure her safety, making her feel deeply touched.

Xia’er and Aviana were already close enough to share a bed, and she couldn’t be left out.

Her gaze shifted between Xia’er and Aviana, and Xia’er was also looking at her, waiting for her to speak.

Just then, Adelle spoke.

“Can you include me next time you two sleep together?”

Xia’er: “?”

Aviana: “???”

Aviana, who had been lost in thought about Xia’er, was startled by Adelle’s words.

Seeing their shocked expressions, Adelle tilted her head slightly and asked, “Aren’t you having a sleepover?”

Xia’er: “… No.”

After explaining that they came to Aviana’s place for safety with Nia’s protection, Adelle understood that Xia’er and Aviana weren’t having a party, they just went to sleep early because Xia’er was tired.

It was already late, past Adelle’s usual bedtime, and she had been waiting downstairs for so long, feeling extremely sleepy.

After confirming she would sleep in Aviana’s bed, Adelle went to the bathroom without hesitation, leaving Aviana and Xia’er alone in the living room.

Aviana looked at Xia’er, who seemed to be deep in thought, and hesitantly asked, “What are you thinking about, Xia’er?”

Perhaps Xia’er and she were considering redefining their relationship after sleeping in the same bed.

When Xia’er heard Aviana’s question, she looked up and shook her head, saying, “I’m thinking about what comes next.”

“What comes next?”

Seeing Xia’er’s serious expression, Aviana also focused a bit, but still felt a hint of disappointment.

Xia’er thought carefully before speaking:

“I’ve also been assigned a task, so I must complete it.”

“Thank you for letting me stay for a few days, but I must leave now.”

No matter how many times she succeeded in simulations, she needed to act in reality. Today was the 21st, and Xia’er needed to take action quickly.

“Wait, Xia’er.”

Aviana stood up, placing her hand on Xia’er’s shoulder, and asked seriously, “I have one last question, Xia’er.”

“What is it?”

Xia’er looked into Aviana’s eyes.

“Xia’er, although it might be just my imagination… I really feel that the organization behind you isn’t a good one.”

“If discovered, something bad would happen.”

It would be much better to take out things that could cause trouble if found.

The most important thing is that Xia’er has been using this pocket watch for three years. Without the presence of the pocket watch, she felt somewhat uncomfortable during this period.

A silver light flashed, and the familiar antique silver pocket watch appeared in Xia’er’s hand. She casually placed it in the right pocket of her skirt, securing the chain with a delicate clasp on her belt.

Xia’er reached into her pocket and felt the slightly cool pocket watch, finding comfort in its familiarity.

Finally, Xia’er directly exchanged the 【Satanah Emblem】 from the warehouse.

She had originally exchanged a letter she wrote to herself, leaving her with 192 Mortality Points. Now, after spending 20 points, she obtained the 【Satanah Emblem】, reducing her balance to 172 Mortality Points.

The 【Satanah Emblem】 appeared directly in the warehouse. Whether it would work similarly to the 【Pact of the Orderly Eye】 by just being in the warehouse remains to be seen.

At this moment, Xia’er had already arrived at the entrance of the manor. She turned back and saw that the lights in Aviana’s room on the third floor had gone out, while the lights in the study were now on.

Aviana had slept with her tonight, so she definitely wouldn’t be sleeping tonight. She would probably spend the night reading. As for Adelle, she would likely be dragged to sleep on the floor or sofa in the study, since she couldn’t be too far from Nia.

It seemed that Aviana had listened to her advice and didn’t act on her own. If they didn’t act rashly, it wouldn’t bring more variables to Xia’er’s plan.

During such moments, Xia’er always thought that the ability of the “Tempter” was quite useful. With a simple suggestion and the support of system skills, first-order Aviana and Adelle would basically have no resistance.

The cool night breeze blew through the deserted streets at midnight. Xia’er walked forward, re-opening the letter and examining the list.

If she wanted to completely avoid detection by the Arrival Sect, Xia’er couldn’t do everything herself. The more she did, the more traces she would inadvertently leave behind.

To achieve this, she needed an inconspicuous “messenger” to prepare everything for her.

And Xia’er only needed to activate the spiritual summoning at the crucial moment.

This person definitely couldn’t be Jiti.

As the priestess managing the cultists in this area, Jiti was certainly a key suspect. The Arrival Sect would definitely find something from her remaining blood.

Xia’er searched the list for suitable candidates, but after flipping through over a hundred names and addresses, she hadn’t found a suitable one yet.

Among the cultists developed by Jiti, although they came from various professions, none of them were high-ranking due to fear of exposure. Instead, they were servants or secretaries around the high-ranking officials.

Moreover, the way the Arrival Sect chose their followers was quite intriguing.

Most of the people on the list had criminal records and were often desperate individuals. Many of their brief biographies made Xia’er suspect that some of them had antisocial personalities.

Under the baptism of the Arrival Sect, they returned to normal society and went underground to become cultists, passing intelligence to Jiti.

Xia’er recalled that the “Radiant Bishop” Prager, originally a notorious pirate sailor, was also developed into a cultist by the Arrival Sect.

Their logic for developing followers seemed very different from the Salvation Goddess Religion.

Could it be that the Arrival Sect had another form of “Reformed Monk” ritual within?

Or was it that those who were previously evil were easier to digest the “Reformed Monk” potion?

Xia’er skipped the first few pages of the list and directly looked at the Extraordinary Persons marked later.

The ordinary cultists in the first few pages were mostly handled by seven first-order cultists. They didn’t know about higher-ups like Jiti or that the Arrival Sect’s base in Borough City was located in Derton Manor on Creek Mountain.

Furthermore, their identities weren’t eligible to enter Derton Manor.

To brainwash and eliminate a helper, Xia’er had to look among the first-order Extraordinary Persons.

Xia’er remembered clearly that Jiti still had some flesh left after the spiritual summoning, but those first-order Extraordinary Persons were almost drained dry by the spiritual beings.

Having one of them work for her until the final sacrifice, the spiritual being would erase all traces.

If the Arrival Sect really found remnants in the pile of corpses, they could only trace it back to the Other Realm.

Soon, Xia’er chose a very easy target to manipulate.

The woman who had crawled out from under Jiti’s desk, the first-order “Gambler” Georgine.

She had enough reason to seek revenge against Jiti. With a little manipulation from the Tempter, she could immediately turn into a powerful ally.

Xia’er glanced at the address on the list and stuffed the envelope back into her bag, turning towards the direction of the Gemstone Avenue.

Even at one o’clock in the morning, the Clock Tower Lane District still echoed with factory noises, and homeless people could be seen wandering the streets. However, the Gemstone Avenue in the Gemstone District was much more vibrant and clean.

Most of the residents here were workers from jewelry factories or employees working in the central area. Although the nights were quiet, areas near bars were brightly lit and bustling with activity.

They walked in small groups, but Xia’er walking alone attracted many curious glances, making her feel quite uncomfortable.

To avoid unwanted interactions, Xia’er climbed onto the roof after entering a small alley.

The numerous interconnected small buildings provided Xia’er with excellent vantage points, allowing her to move more easily between the buildings compared to the Clock Tower Lane District.

The physical enhancements from the “Hunter” skill didn’t seem very noticeable to Xia’er, possibly due to her high “Agility” level.

In reality, Xia’er’s strength and physical condition were already superior to most adult males.

However, her basic physical condition was poor, and even with the system skill boost, she wasn’t exceptionally strong.

Soon, Xia’er stopped at No. 144 on the Gemstone Avenue, the closest point to the Gemstone District’s jewelry factory area.

Xia’er stood on the rooftop of No. 144 and opened the simulation interface.

She walked to the edge, looking down at the small balcony on the fourth floor below, and leaped down.

Clang—

The hard boot heel landed on the railing, producing a crisp sound. Xia’er’s gaze caught sight of the room inside through the window without curtains.

A woman lay in bed, seemingly startled awake by the noise and sat up, facing away from Xia’er.

At home.

That’s good.

“No. 1.”

Xia’er silently recited the number, and her figure distorted as her appearance changed.

【No. 1】

【”Tempter” Xia’er】

【00:29:59】

A system interface appeared before Xia’er, along with a countdown timer.

Xia’er’s Mortality Point balance dropped from 172 to 167.

She raised her hand and touched the mask on her right cheek, then pulled open the unlocked curtains and smiled, saying, “Don’t move… Georgine.”

Georgine’s body froze, her intended movement to turn back halted, as if sensing some terrifying presence.

The “Tempter” potion, the art of conversation, the scourge, and the broken page of the Other Realm mask… Under multiple pressures, the Extraordinary Person Georgine couldn’t even speak, trembling uncontrollably on the bed.

Xia’er climbed through the window and softly landed on the carpet, making a dull sound.

“Don’t be nervous, Georgine. I’m here to bring you great news…”

Xia’er sat smiling behind Georgine, casually observing the decorations in the room as she spoke, “Do you have any other roommates in this rented place?”

“Oh, you can talk now.”

Georgine, sitting on the bed, swallowed hard.

She couldn’t understand what was happening. She just wanted to have a good night’s sleep at home in the city, but suddenly felt an indescribable terror.

The person who entered her room had a terrifying pressure greater than Jiti’s, forcing Georgine to listen to her.

More frighteningly, Georgine found that she couldn’t muster any desire to attack the intruder—like the idea of “resistance” had been stripped away from her.

This… Is she a sister of the church? Or a bishop who sensed her aura?

This oppressive feeling, which she couldn’t turn back from, could only come from a bishop.

“There’s only me… in my room… My lord bishop…”

Georgine struggled to speak, quickly realizing that her lips had lost their color.

Bishop?

Why does she think I’m a bishop?

I’ve only said two words.

It must be the effect of the 【Satanah Emblem】.

Could it be that it works just by being in the warehouse?

Xia’er’s lips slowly curled upward.

Wouldn’t I be worshipped as a bishop by cultists if I walk on the street?

If other churches have similar items, I should ask the system how to expand the warehouse and arrange these emblems in it. Wouldn’t I be invincible?

I can do whatever I want!

“Georgine, I came to ask your opinion on Jiti.”

Xia’er smiled and asked.

Hearing the mysterious bishop mention this, Georgine’s cold sweat instantly poured down.

“I I I… Lady Jiti is a priest I deeply respect. She has made great contributions to the church… We all admire her greatly, and she has dedicated herself to the church here…”

Georgine’s speech became increasingly rapid, but her words sounded like they were recited from memory.

“You want to kill her, right?”

Xia’er abruptly interrupted Georgine’s words.

Georgine was stunned, feeling as if her brain had been hit by a hammer.

Am I suspected of betrayal?

Without hesitation, Georgine rolled off the bed, knelt before Xia’er, and cried out, “I absolutely don’t have such thoughts, my lord bishop. I truly respect Lady Jiti… Please believe me.”

“Oh no no no, Georgine, what have I done to make you so terrified of telling the truth?”

Xia’er shook her head with a smile, “I just need you to help me with a small task. If you agree, I’ll pretend I don’t know about it.”

“I will give you some things this morning before you go to Derton Manor… All you need to do is clear the game room according to the diagram, lift the carpet, and sprinkle them in the corresponding game room upstairs…”

“This is necessary for the ritual to summon the servant of the Mother Goddess. You will complete it well, won’t you?”

“If you complete this ritual, you will gain a higher status than Jiti, and even directly contact the servant of the Mother Goddess…”

“If you wish, I can transfer you from Borough City to Bliss City.”

“Will you… agree?”

Xia’er’s carrot-and-stick approach left Georgine dazed and disoriented. She lowered her head without any resistance and said, “I will complete the task, my lord bishop.”

“Remember, don’t tell anyone about me… On the 23rd, I will personally go to Derton Manor to inspect the results.”

The voice above disappeared. After a long time, when Georgine’s legs had gone numb from kneeling, she raised her head again but saw no one.

At this moment, Xia’er had already run back to her original home in the Clock Tower Lane District at full speed, and she held some newly purchased items in her hands.

She returned to her room, pulled the curtains closed, and under the dim candlelight, looked at the wooden bucket, large teapot, several hot water bottles, and a few knives in front of her, taking a deep breath.

The teapot, hot water bottles, and knives were recently purchased by Xia’er.

The wooden bucket was the one Xia’er originally used for bathing.

10 Mortality Points worth 1000g of blood was too expensive for Xia’er.

Her blood was truly more valuable than gold.

To exchange the blood needed for the spiritual summoning, Xia’er would need to empty all her Mortality Points.

So she decided to follow the simulated Xia’er and bleed herself.

With 7 minutes left before the 30-minute transformation effect wore off, Xia’er decided to bleed herself for the “Tempter” save, not wasting any time.

Initially, she could use “Echo of Time” to bleed more.

After “Echo of Time” ended, the negative effect “Time Disarray” would only affect this save file.

Moreover, “Time Disarray” would only affect her if she switched to another save file, and Xia’er could continue bleeding until the wooden bucket was full.

Xia’er removed her clothes and stood in the half-meter-high wooden bucket, slowly squatting down to avoid splashing blood.

She held the pocket watch with her left hand and a knife with her right, took a deep breath, and pressed the button on the pocket watch.

A virtual timer appeared before Xia’er, indicating that the pocket watch’s ability “Echo of Time” had activated.

She held the sharp knife, pressing it against her carotid artery, lowered her head, and slowly cut downward.

Splash—

Blood spurted out under intense pressure, hitting the edge of the wooden bucket and flowing down the side slowly.

Time passed second by second, but the speed of the blood spraying slowed down.

Xia’er lifted the knife and slashed her wrist, thigh artery… Finally, as her heart’s beats grew weaker, she slowly inserted the knife into her heart, draining the last drop of blood.

Plop—

Ten seconds passed, a silvery-white light flashed, and Xia’er, who had been barely alive leaning against the wooden bucket, instantly regained her state from ten seconds ago.

Xia’er leaned against the bathtub, her breathing becoming heavy. The blood hadn’t yet covered her ankles, and the speed of blood collection was much slower than she expected…

How long did the previous simulated self spend bleeding? How bored was she?

Fortunately, as long as the procedure was correct, this bleeding was harmless to Xia’er.

But she wondered if she could use this mechanism to dig out her own heart… Would it disappear or grow back?

At this moment, Xia’er, in the “Tempter” save file transformation state, began to let her thoughts wander.

Just being able to retain the blood was already incredible to Xia’er… It felt like she had created so much blood out of thin air.

She had reason to believe that if the system interface could exchange her heart, the heart dug out during “Echo of Time” could also be retained.

Unfortunately… this was her exclusive sealed object.

Otherwise, she could have others use this sealed object to gather materials, making her infinitely wealthy…

Xia’er raised her hand, the knife tip lightly touching her neck, feeling her limbs gradually cooling, waiting for the arrival of “Time Disarray.”

The blood had already covered Xia’er’s ankles.

…

PS1: Xia’er’s initial design is still being refined, but you can see the rough version.

StickerCat cannot post large images, so only a screenshot can be shared.

When the final image is ready, I will post it on Bilibili, same name: Hero Fengbao.

…

PS2: 5555555555555…

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