Chapter 22 Part 2

It was this very look that prompted Zhu Ming’s next action—calling the police.

Her school had educated her well, teaching students to stay away from vice, drugs… and evil cults. In that moment, Yin Yu had become, in Zhu Ming’s mind, some kind of cult member who treated human life as worthless.

Perhaps her body still hadn’t recovered, still unaware of what exactly had happened. Zhu Ming felt weak and unsteady, her head swollen, her spirit utterly shattered.

She fainted. When she regained consciousness, she was in a hospital. The police had found nothing. Yin Yu and everything connected to her had simply vanished.

Later, the Zhu family found Zhu Ming and took her to the Flower Capital.

Everything from her past disappeared from her life. All those memories were buried deep in that small city.

From then on, Zhu Ming’s personality changed drastically. Once, she had been withdrawn and repressed, struggling to feel or communicate normal emotions. But now, she broke through that barrier in her psyche, gaining the joys, sorrows, and perceptions of any normal person.

And… Zhu Ming had a good guess as to why Yin Yu had acted that way.

Because after that, the abnormalities in her own body grew stronger and stronger. She wasn’t sick; she was an Awakened, bearing a unique inherited supernatural ability. She was a child of the Zhu Clan, a powerful, ancient family of the Spirit Realm, lost and abandoned outside.

Yin Yu wasn’t some ignorant, evil cult member. Those strange legends and ghost stories weren’t just stories. She was surely an Awakened too, and she’d approached her, most likely, for her bloodline and origins.

…

Returning to the present, seeing Yin Yu directly admit to having ulterior motives, and then state her purpose was the same as seven years ago, nearly made Zhu Ming explode.

“Who the hell are you?! What do you want with extracting my soul?! Talk!”

Yin Yu took two more steps forward. She strolled through the flowers like a pampered young lady leisurely enjoying the garden, utterly incongruent with the death-ridden atmosphere of the dungeon.

“If you wanted to know, why didn’t you ask me back then?” Yin Yu gazed at Zhu Ming, drawing closer with every step. Her fingertips brushed against the blooming flowers, while the teasing smile on her lips never wavered. “How much did you overhear? Mingming, you didn’t trust me. You feared me. You suspected me… It breaks my heart.”

Despite her claims about a broken heart, her face didn’t show the barest hint of sadness.

Hypocrite!

“Give me a break! I heard everything I needed to hear back then. You don’t love me.”

Zhu Ming kept her guard up, eyes locked on her, fists clenched. Yin Yu’s approach was stirring an uncontrollable agitation. “Since you’ve reappeared, we might as well clear the air. I have zero interest in whatever grudge you have with the Zhu family. Whatever you want to do has nothing to do with me. I don’t give a damn who lives or dies. Yin Yu, I can let the past go, but don’t you dare try to use me again. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next. I’m sure the Anomaly Management Bureau wouldn’t mind throwing you in a cell.”

Even if Yin Yu wasn’t some cultist who butchered innocents, she was certainly no force for good. The very fact that the Management Bureau couldn’t even find any records of her identity was proof enough.

Yet, Zhu Ming’s threats didn’t stop Yin Yu’s advance. She continued to walk calmly, deliberately, until she was standing right in front of Zhu Ming.

“The Zhu family? I don’t recall having any grudge with the Zhu family? Mingming, it seems you’ve misunderstood. This matter, from the beginning, has always been between you and me. Actually, I don’t mind telling you. There’s really nothing to hide.”

Yin Yu sauntered until she was face-to-face with Zhu Ming. Zhu Ming watched her warily. She couldn’t step back; any further and she’d fall off the rooftop.

But Yin Yu didn’t stop. As if completely oblivious to the concept of personal space, she pressed closer, seemingly about to make contact in the next second.

“Stop!” Zhu Ming jerked her head back. “Let’s talk this out properly!”

With a soft, humming laugh, Yin Yu leaned in. A faint fragrance of pear blossoms washed over Zhu Ming. The way she tilted forward was almost like she was leaning in for a kiss.

Zhu Ming went rigid with terror. She looked at Yin Yu in horror, her head practically pulling a muscle trying to lean away. Her whole body screamed: STOP!

Thankfully, Yin Yu wasn’t completely shameless. With a playful smile and an air of deliberate ambiguity, she murmured softly, “Mingming, your existence possesses a phenomenon I find most interesting. But back then, you were suppressed. You were an easy read. There was no longer a need for quiet observation. The things I said I would do… you don’t know them. But the things I have done… you should be able to figure those out now, right?”

Zhu Ming chose to stay silent. If Yin Yu was referring to what happened after she lost consciousness that night… yes, she had her suspicions. But… she refused to admit that her resolve was wavering.

Yin Yu paid no mind to whatever was running through Zhu Ming’s head and continued unhurriedly. “As for this ‘love’ thing… yes, I didn’t develop romantic love for you. You falling in love with me was an accident. But even now, I’m still quite fond of you. It’s just not the kind of ‘like’ you seem to understand.”

A surge of pure, undiluted fury erupted from the depths of Zhu Ming’s heart. Her eyelids twitched violently. She had to physically restrain herself from delivering a massive slap to Yin Yu’s infuriatingly beautiful face.

What was the difference between this explanation and none at all?! Slut! Her decision to run back then was absolutely the right one!

At the absolute limit of her patience, Zhu Ming clenched her fist and swung right at Yin Yu’s pretty face. Yin Yu laughed lightly and evaded with a graceful pivot, as if dancing in the breeze. Her blue skirt blossomed out around her.

“Mingming, this is a fascinating world. We all have our own objectives. I originally didn’t mind telling you plainly.” Yin Yu abruptly stepped back, her eyes curving into crescents. She clasped her hands dramatically over her heart and tilted her head. “Such a shame you’ve hurt my feelings so badly, just abandoning me like that. So I’ve decided: I’m not going to tell you.”

Zhu Ming: “…………”

Gag, gag, gag! The slag was actually playing the victim and twisting the story!

Flicking her hair aside, Zhu Ming pursed her lips and lunged at her. In the blink of an eye, they’d exchanged several moves.

Splash—

Yin Yu circled around to the water vat where the water lilies floated. With a flick of her slender fingers, a spray of water splashed towards Zhu Ming’s face.

Zhu Ming arched backward to dodge. Just as she was about to straighten up, she heard Yin Yu murmur thoughtfully, as if to herself, “Speaking of which, Mingming, as soon as you saw me, you told me to seduce you. Could it be that the illusions you encountered before…”

Thump.

Zhu Ming’s legs gave out and she landed right on her backside. She scrambled to her feet, her face dark as thunder, her voice involuntarily shrill. “Yin Yu!”

Yin Yu offered a serene smile. “Hmm?”

Zhu Ming brushed the dust from her clothes. Dressed all in black, she looked colder and more severe than ever. “I’ll give you one last chance. Do not appear before me ever again.”

If there had ever been a sliver of hope left in her heart, it vanished the moment Yin Yu admitted she didn’t love her.

She should have realized her own foolishness long ago. She should have accepted the truth.

Weariness and defeat washed over Zhu Ming. A bitter ache spread through her chest, sapping her strength. She said, “Whatever your purpose is, whatever past entanglements we had—I don’t want to see you anymore. Let’s just pretend we never met. Otherwise, I will make you pay!”

Zhu Ming had once sworn to herself she would never shed another tear for Yin Yu. And she had kept that promise.

The woman in black turned and walked away, never once looking back.

Behind her, Yin Yu watched her leave in silence, exactly as she had on that morning seven years ago.

…

…

The first morning after leaving the Dark Realm space.

Daylight was just breaking. Yun Zouchuan was sprawled over the table, writing a letter with careful concentration:

“My dear Mother, greetings this August!

As I write this letter today, I have two pieces of news for you. One good, one bad.

The good news is I’ll be starting school in September! The Anomaly Management Bureau has provided significant assistance for special Awakened individuals like us who were isolated from the world. I now have a citizen ID card, and my enrollment application was approved. I will definitely study hard, get into university, work hard to earn money and buy a house, then bring you down the mountain to live with me.

My boss, Zhu Ming, treats me very well. She’s enrolled me in many remedial classes for literacy and half-work, half-study. She even handled the procedures for my high school enrollment. Although my base salary during the school term will be lower, I can support myself. Mother, don’t worry. You must accept the things I’ve sent you.

The bad news relates to something that happened a few days ago. I entered a place called the Dark Realm space. And there…

…

So, that’s the whole story. Ultimately, my boss and I made it out safely. But I hear that once these incidents start, they don’t stop. More will happen later. Mother, I’m very worried about you. Many Awakened have already entered these spaces. Have you? Have you ever encountered something like this? If you have, please, you must tell me. Otherwise, I’ll be sick with worry.

Lastly, I wish you good health and all the best. It would be even better if you decided to descend the mountain soon. You can come find me anytime at No. 126 Peace Street, South District, Flower Capital. I eagerly await your arrival.

Your loving daughter, Yun Zouchuan

August 5th”

After finishing the long letter with focused care, Yun Zouchuan sat up straight and stretched.

At seven in the morning, the sun was already brilliantly bright. She was just about to go make some breakfast when the sound of cheerful, skipping footsteps came from behind her.

Yun Zouchuan turned to look and instantly froze, completely dumbstruck.

Who… who was that?!

A stunning woman in a pink floral dress, beaming from ear to ear, radiating a youthful, lively, and blissful aura… sashayed happily up to Yun Zouchuan, carrying a plate of fried egg sandwiches.

She glanced down. “Oh my, our little Chuanchuan is writing letters! Writing letters so early in the morning, on an empty stomach, that’s no good! Come on, come on, try this loving breakfast your big sister made just for you!”

Setting the plate down, she turned to Yun Zouchuan and made a heart shape with her hands.

Yun Zouchuan shuddered violently, her voice trembling with terror. “B-Boss, if I messed up, you can just dock my pay! Don’t be like this, please. You’re scaring me.”