The Grotesque Miss’s End Story v3c23

Chapter 23: Mother and Daughter

Within the quiet courtyard, the gate opened.

Xuanyuan Mu Xue entered with brisk steps, a worried and anxious expression on her face.

There had been no progress in the past few days. Her retired mother hadn’t mentioned anything, and even her granduncle had remained silent. No one else knew about this matter.

Xuanyuan Mu Xue, initially calm, hoping the clan elders would handle it, had become increasingly anxious as time passed. After all, she was the one who initially concealed the information, and despite receiving her granduncle’s instructions and her mother’s approval, she still felt responsible.

This agonizing wait finally ended after a few days, when her granduncle and several elders secretly returned to Kunlun’s Ruins, assigning Xuanyuan Mu Xue a mission: to lead a team into Zhuolu’s Battlefield discreetly.

Her granduncle specifically mentioned Miss Crow—likely her mother’s suggestion—instructing Xuanyuan Mu Xue to bring her along.

Therefore, after several days, Xuanyuan Mu Xue returned to her mother’s courtyard.

“I hope Mother isn’t too hard on Miss Crow…”

Xuanyuan Mu Xue felt a twinge of anxiety.

In her memories, since her father, from a branch family of Wa Huang Palace, had died in battle, her mother had always been both mother and father, known for her strictness, even her arrogant eldest sister and reckless second brother were obedient before her.

Only after being forced into retirement due to her severe injuries had her mother’s personality softened, although a hint of her former authority remained.

Although her interaction with Miss Crow had been brief, Xuanyuan Mu Xue didn’t have any particular feelings towards this mysterious girl, but she was, at least for now, a benefactor of the Xuanyuan clan—if not for Miss Crow, they wouldn’t have known about the grave robbers.

But this worry vanished the moment Xuanyuan Mu Xue opened the courtyard gate, staring at the scene before her in disbelief.

In a pavilion in the center of the courtyard, her mother held a knitting needle in her only hand, the other needle held in the beak of a small red bird, the two knitting a shawl together in a strangely harmonious scene under the warm sunlight.

Xuanyuan Mu Xue rubbed her eyes, her expression one of shock.

Setting aside their amicable interaction, when had her mother… started knitting?

In Xuanyuan Mu Xue’s memories, her mother’s hands only held swords and spears, never such delicate tools.

“Xue’er, you’re here?”

Xuanyuan Linglong looked up, seeing her white-haired daughter, a faint smile on her lips.

“Have a seat, Little Crow and I will be finished with this shawl soon.”

Luo Ling, the red bird called “Black Crow,” looked up at the stunned Xuanyuan Mu Xue and nodded slightly.

For some reason, Xuanyuan Linglong had been using her as… another hand, not just for knitting, but also for other tasks…

Like pruning the flowers, arranging flower decorations in the room, even scrubbing her back during her bath, and helping her dress in the beautiful clothes she could no longer wear with one hand, fulfilling some of Xuanyuan Linglong’s small regrets.

Although she had many children, including her youngest, Xuanyuan Mu Xue, they were all busy with their own duties, rarely having time to accompany their injured mother, forced into retirement.

Empty nesters existed everywhere, even in the Great Xia Imperial City, even within the Xuanyuan clan.

However, although Luo Ling had been spending these past few days serving as—or rather, indulging—Xuanyuan Linglong’s whims, like suddenly wanting to knit a shawl, Xuanyuan Linglong, in return, had been very forthcoming with information.

Basically, anything Luo Ling wanted to know, Xuanyuan Linglong would tell her.

Thanks to Xuanyuan Linglong’s detailed explanations, Luo Ling finally had a clearer understanding of the Great Xia Imperial City, Valhalla, even the four Origin Points and the world itself.

For example, the Xuanyuan clan had detailed records of Columbia’s destruction, even more so than her sister’s memories… after all, her sister had been the Puppet Ballad then, some painful memories lost along with Columbia’s demise.

And the Xuanyuan clan also had a branch specifically dealing with Victoria.

Like Moonflower, they also had agents in Victoria, a high-ranking member of the Torchbearers, comparable to Cheng Jianming, having close ties with the Xuanyuan clan.

Unfortunately, the Xuanyuan clan wasn’t as lucky as Moonflower. Ms. Nightingale, their agent in Qing Qiu Kingdom, had become a branch director, even a potential candidate for the fourth director position.

Of course, other factions also had agents in Victoria, but the sudden and drastic changes had rendered them mostly useless, eliminated by some unknown AoE attack.

—Actually, besides the conflict between the Harbingers and Company headquarters, Luo Ling’s interference had also accelerated this process.

In any case, if not for Xuanyuan Linglong’s willingness to share, Luo Ling wouldn’t have learned about these things for a long time.

Seeing her mother and Miss Crow knitting together with surprising coordination, Xuanyuan Mu Xue felt a strange unease.

It seemed that in just a few days, Miss Crow had taken her place…

Xuanyuan Mu Xue waited patiently, her anxiety preventing her from sitting down.

Only after Xuanyuan Linglong and Luo Ling finished the shawl, draping it over Luo Ling’s back, did the mother turn to Xuanyuan Mu Xue and say softly,

“Speak, Xue’er.”

Xuanyuan Mu Xue glanced at Luo Ling, who was acting as a clothes hanger with an exasperated expression on her bird face, then composed herself and said,

“Granduncle has returned. He instructed me to organize a team to enter Zhuolu’s Battlefield, under the pretense of paying respects to our ancestors.”

As the current guardian of the tombs, this was Xuanyuan Mu Xue’s duty, although it was earlier than usual.

But she didn’t understand why her granduncle was still being so secretive, not even announcing his return.

“Our granduncle has his reasons. Just follow his orders,” Xuanyuan Linglong nodded slightly, then, after a pause and a glance at Luo Ling, continued, “You’re here for Little Crow, aren’t you? She seems to be waiting for you as well.”

Xuanyuan Linglong gave Luo Ling a mysterious smile.

Luo Ling was used to Xuanyuan Linglong’s behavior by now. Her personal information, besides her identity and specific abilities, had been thoroughly “investigated” by Sister Linglong, including her hobbies and habits…

Luo Ling almost thought Xuanyuan Linglong was conducting a census, but the questions had always stopped just short of revealing anything Luo Ling considered truly private.

…A truly cunning old fox, Moonflower’s position as ruler of Qing Qiu should belong to Xuanyuan Linglong.

“Yes.”

Xuanyuan Mu Xue, glancing repeatedly at Luo Ling, was puzzled.

How had Miss Crow managed to get so close to her mother? This didn’t seem right…

As her daughter, she knew her mother well. Despite her current approachable demeanor, she…

…didn’t see most people as… people. She was incredibly discerning, few in the Great Xia Imperial City meeting her standards.

“Go, come visit again when you’re free,” Xuanyuan Linglong said, stroking Luo Ling’s feathers, a hint of reluctance on her face. “Hopefully, next time… I’ll meet the real you.”

“Perhaps,” Luo Ling replied indifferently, almost exasperated.

“Hehe, I remember,” Xuanyuan Linglong winked playfully. Based on Luo Ling’s revealed information, she had already painted a mental image of a cold and aloof girl with a hidden warmth.

Xuanyuan Mu Xue witnessed their interaction, becoming even more puzzled. How had their relationship become so… strange… in just a few days?

“Come,” Xuanyuan Mu Xue said, bending down slightly, and Luo Ling hopped onto her shoulder—leaving the shawl behind, of course.

Xuanyuan Linglong stared at the shawl for a moment, a strange glint in her eyes, then looked up at Xuanyuan Mu Xue, her expression turning serious.

“Remember to bring your eldest sister along, tell her it’s my order.”

“Eldest Sister? Her?” Xuanyuan Mu Xue looked surprised, then nodded. “Mmm, no problem.”

Others, even their granduncle, might not be able to command her eldest sister, but she wouldn’t disobey their mother’s orders, not even a casual request.

“Safe travels,” Xuanyuan Linglong said with a faint smile.

“Mmm…”

Xuanyuan Mu Xue nodded, but she felt… that her mother’s words were directed at Miss Crow.

As if she had gained another younger sister…

Xuanyuan Mu Xue looked at the expressionless crow on her shoulder, but she couldn’t discern anything.

However, time was of the essence. She quickly bid farewell to her mother and left the courtyard with Luo Ling.

Xuanyuan Linglong, still sitting in the pavilion, her gentle expression fading, replaced by a cold sharpness—this was the Xuanyuan Linglong everyone else knew.

“Come out, Granduncle,” she said softly. “You’ve been hiding for a while now.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt your… mother-daughter bonding…”

A deep, hearty voice echoed as the courtyard gate opened again.

This time, a stout man with a handlebar mustache, looking more like a merchant than a warrior, his figure somewhat portly yet his steps surprisingly brisk, entered the courtyard.

Xuanyuan Gong, the current leader of the Xuanyuan clan.

He sat down across from Xuanyuan Linglong, taking out a Go board and setting it up.

“I’ve been too busy lately, haven’t played a game with you, Sister Linglong, in a while. Come, come, let’s have a match.”

“Hmph, why not find someone else?” Xuanyuan Linglong said, still picking up a white stone and making her move.

“Because in the entire Xuanyuan clan, only you can play against me,” Xuanyuan Gong said, his movements swift and decisive.

“True,” Xuanyuan Linglong nodded in agreement.

They played in silence for a while, and anyone who understood Go, watching this, would be speechless.

Their conversation suggested a battle between masters, but in reality… they were both terrible players.

—The reason no one played with Xuanyuan Gong was because he not only played badly, but also used unorthodox moves, infuriating his opponents. But he loved the game and his status was high, so they could only avoid him, only Xuanyuan Linglong, an equally terrible player, willing to play with him, their styles… compatible.

“Why are you so interested in that secretive little girl?”

Xuanyuan Gong asked casually, making his next move.

“Because she’s cute,” Xuanyuan Linglong replied calmly.

“I don’t recall the ‘Bloodsoaked Warfiend’ being interested in small animals,” Xuanyuan Gong chuckled. “It seems… even you’re getting old, Sister Linglong.”

“Not as old as you, Granduncle,” Xuanyuan Linglong said, making her next move, the board cracking slightly from the impact.

“Hey, be careful, this was a gift from the old man of the East Sea, very precious,” Xuanyuan Gong said, his chubby face trembling slightly. “Alright, alright, you’re forever young, it was my mistake, I deserve to be punished.” He paused, then sighed. “But you have to give me a reason, there aren’t many factions involved in this, but each one is significant. This is giving me a headache.”

The Xuanyuan clan couldn’t appear weak, “warmongering” was their weapon, but also a double-edged sword. Revealing that their ancestral graves were being robbed would force their hand.

But given the current turbulent times, it wasn’t wise for the Xuanyuan clan to act rashly, lest they become caught in a conflict and allow others to benefit.

“I don’t think she’s… ordinary,” Xuanyuan Linglong said after a moment of silence.

“Even I can see that,” Xuanyuan Gong said, twitching his lips. Anyone who could deliver such information couldn’t be ordinary.

“No, I believe her existence itself… is even more valuable than this entire incident,” Xuanyuan Linglong shook her head. “Even more so than Heavenly Woman Ba’s Taboo Authority within Zhuolu’s Battlefield.”

Xuanyuan Gong’s hand, holding a Go stone, froze midair, his expression turning serious. “Sister Linglong, are you serious? Comparable to a Taboo Authority… that’s a bold claim.”

“Do I look like someone who jokes?” Xuanyuan Linglong glared at her granduncle. “In any case, you don’t need to worry about her, she won’t cause any trouble.”

“…I hope so.”

Xuanyuan Gong sighed. Being the clan leader wasn’t easy; he would rather be on the battlefield, or even retired like Xuanyuan Linglong.

Many Xuanyuan clan members retired early due to injuries, but few were as severely injured as Xuanyuan Linglong, whose retirement had been a forced decision by the clan elders.

“However… I’m curious, how did you deduce that this little girl, disguised as Jingwei, is so valuable?”

Xuanyuan Gong frowned, still puzzled.

“Hush, Granduncle, that’s a secret,” Xuanyuan Linglong said with a smile, placing a finger to her lips.

………

“…Finally gone.”

Luo Ling breathed a sigh of relief after being taken away by Xuanyuan Mu Xue.

She wasn’t afraid of Xuanyuan Linglong, who had been quite kind to her, but there was a subtle pressure in her presence.

Xuanyuan Linglong wasn’t as gentle as she appeared. Despite her flawless demeanor, Luo Ling could still sense the faint scent of blood on her.

This had kept Luo Ling on edge for the past few days, preventing her from returning to Zhuolu’s Battlefield to observe Moonflower and the others.

Of course, returning now seemed pointless.

Xuanyuan Mu Xue, having no time for idle chatter, quickly assembled a team, under the pretense of paying respects to their ancestors, to enter Zhuolu’s Battlefield and eliminate the grave robbers. This was typical of the efficient Xuanyuan clan.

However, the leader wasn’t Xuanyuan Mu Xue, but her elder sister, Xuanyuan Linglong’s eldest daughter, Xuanyuan Mu Yan.