Chapter 69

……

After the dungeon ended, Zhu Ming and Tang Qiaoqi found themselves in the Demon Market in reality.

Once out of the copy, Tang Qiaoqi’s mind gradually cleared, but she discovered she was imprisoned. She couldn’t see anyone, nor could she contact the outside world.

This time, even Zhu Ming wasn’t by her side.

This solitary fear made her imagination run wild. Could it be that Boss Zhu had already… No, no, no. In her final memory, she was grappling with Boss Zhu. These demons must be keeping them alive to drain them slowly over time. They definitely wouldn’t just eat them outright!

Tang Qiaoqi huddled in the room, praying.

Unlike her fear, Zhu Ming was still unconscious when she left the dungeon. She slept until the sun was high in the sky before slowly waking up.

She closed her eyes, reminiscing, and simultaneously felt the weight and softness pressing down on her chest. She caught a faint, vaguely familiar scent, and her headache started again.

She realized her current situation was extremely dire.

Back in the dungeon, she’d been brainwashed into a fool bent on eradicating humans, so she’d been oblivious to the gorgeous Wu Wang. But now, out of the dungeon, she didn’t know if she could resist.

Setting aside Wu Wang’s unfathomable charm for a moment, just considering Bai Lianxue, who had a Mind Control ability… If she got brainwashed in reality, it would be the absolute end.

As Zhu Ming’s thoughts wandered, Wu Wang took a lock of her hair and began tickling her face with it. “My little darling, stop pretending. I know you’re awake.”

That bone-melting, coquettish voice instantly gave Zhu Ming goosebumps all over.

But she still didn’t open her eyes, afraid the other party would use an ability to control her the moment she did.

Wu Wang gave a light hum. “I know what you’re afraid of. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t stoop so low as to use my ability to make someone fall in love with me. I was simply born this way, just like my face. What are you afraid of? Afraid you might actually fall for me?”

Zhu Ming: “…”

She slowly opened her eyes and was greeted by a beautiful face leaning in close. Wu Wang was sprawled on her chest, observing her with meticulous care.

It had to be said, Wu Wang was indeed the type of beauty that made one’s heart inevitably flutter, especially when she glanced over with a subtle smile. It felt like a current of electricity sweeping across the tip of the heart.

When a person is too beautiful, it becomes a weapon with lethal power, especially since most people are lovers of beauty.

Even Zhu Ming couldn’t help but be stunned by her beauty.

The woman lifted a fingernail painted with scarlet lacquer and gently grazed Zhu Ming’s cheek. “Ah—what am I going to do with you?”

When she showed a sorrowful expression, it stirred an infinite desire to protect her in one’s heart, especially that fragile appearance, which flowed directly into the deepest recesses of the heart like a murmuring stream.

In that moment, Zhu Ming felt like King Zhou holding Daji, willing to sacrifice everything for her.

But—Zhu Ming forcefully shook her head and weakly said, “You’re crushing me, I can’t breathe. How are you so heavy?”

Wu Wang: “…” Her brow furrowed, and she almost slapped Zhu Ming right then and there.

But she held back the slap. Wu Wang was very patient when hunting. She rose with a smiling hum, gently took Zhu Ming’s hand, and said, “Are you still angry with me? Even though I hit you once, you bit me first. It was clearly your fault.”

With her coquettish, complaining tone, Zhu Ming nearly nodded in agreement, thinking it was indeed her own fault.

But then, Zhu Ming shook her head again and sat up, saying, “Big Sister, are you trying to seduce me? Let’s be clear, seduction is fine, but force is not.”

Wu Wang: “…Haha, you’re so funny. Actually, I have serious business to discuss with you. I’ve noticed you for a long time, Miss Zhu.”

As she spoke, she gazed tenderly at Zhu Ming and brushed the stray hair from her forehead.

Zhu Ming raised a hand to block her and said warily, “Such a cheesy pickup line? Let’s not use that.”

Wu Wang lowered her hand. “Fine, then let’s talk business. Miss Zhu, do you want to deal with Yin Yu?”

“Yin Yu?” Zhu Ming ground her teeth. “Of course I do.”

“I’m also very curious about her, so I think we can join forces. Look, you’re human, and I’m human. We’re on the same side from the start.”

Zhu Ming said slowly, “But I heard that the Grand Witch is the top dog of the Underground World. I’m afraid we’re not on the same path.”

Wu Wang leaned gently against her shoulder. “How silly. There are no eternal enemies in this world, only eternal interests. And even without Yin Yu, this sister would still want to be your friend.”

Zhu Ming rattled off, “Really? I don’t believe it. How about you first show some sincerity by letting me go home?”

Wu Wang: “…Bai Lianxue!”

Bai Lianxue rolled into the room neatly.

Wu Wang abruptly stood up, the smile vanishing from her face, replaced by utter impatience. “Control her! This woman is insufferable!”

Alarm bells blared in Zhu Ming’s mind. Sensing something was terribly wrong, flames roared to life and enveloped her completely in the next second. But in the second after that, a sphere of water enveloped her for the second time.

Wu Wang looked down at her condescendingly. “Miss Zhu, did you think that once out of the dungeon, you could use your abilities against me? If escaping me was that simple, what kind of life would I be living?”

Trapped inside the water sphere, Zhu Ming was forced to extinguish her flames. She began to feel suffocated and laughed awkwardly. “Is this your ability?”

Wu Wang hooked her lip into a sneer. “Guess? But I really can’t be bothered to play games with you. Don’t guess. Bai Lianxue, hurry it up!”

It had always been like this. Some people she was willing to play love games with, or if she was bored, she wouldn’t spare the time, energy, and gentleness to lure them in. Once they took the bait, she could control them and turn them into puppets.

And other people… even if their abilities were useful, they were just so annoying that she had no patience for the push-and-pull of seduction. Wu Wang felt they didn’t deserve her serious effort in enticement, so she would let Bai Lianxue handle it.

Bai Lianxue was very useful; this was why Wu Wang had kept her around for all these years.

At this moment, Bai Lianxue stepped forward as ordered and looked into Zhu Ming’s eyes. An irresistible thought was about to be implanted deep into her mind. “Miss Zhu, from now on…”

“Wait!” Just before she was completely controlled, Zhu Ming shouted to halt the process.

Bai Lianxue paused. “What is it?”

Zhu Ming gave her a smile, raised her hand, and promptly knocked herself unconscious.

The two women outside the water sphere were speechless. Wu Wang was so infuriated she laughed. “Fine! Let’s see how long she can stay unconscious. Without food or water, starve her to death!”

Bai Lianxue, fearing Wu Wang’s anger would be taken out on her, hurriedly opened her phone and said, “Yin Qingjia knows we’ve restrained Zhu Ming. She’s asking for a video call.”

The only places with internet in the Demon Market were within the Fox King’s Residence. Bai Lianxue opened the video, but the other side was a black screen.

“Ms. Yin, is this how you video call us?” Wu Wang twirled her own hair, looking at the screen with amusement.

Yin Qingjia’s voice came from the phone. “If you mind, you can hang up. Let me see Zhu Ming.”

Bai Lianxue aimed the camera at Zhu Ming, who was collapsed on the ground. “Here, still alive.”

Yin Qingjia was silent for a moment, then said, “What are you planning to do?”

Wu Wang replied, “Rest assured, we have our own methods to control her. It just depends on whether you can figure out how to use the Vermilion Bird Blood. I’ve seen Zhu Ming’s ability; her strength is far inferior to Zhu Fengyu’s back in the day. I’m afraid she doesn’t even know how to use the Vermilion Bird Blood herself. We’ll have to help her.”

Hearing this, Yin Qingjia felt somewhat tempted. She asked, “Are you sure the Demon Market is safe?”

Wu Wang said, “I’ve hidden here for so many years without Wenren Bai ever catching me. What are you afraid of? Afraid Yin Yu will chase you here? At worst, I can just control her too.”

Yin Qingjia sneered. “Trying to control her isn’t that simple. To be honest, even the Vermilion Bird Blood… I doubt it will work.”

Her words only made Wu Wang more curious. “Then tell me, just how capable is she that you think so highly of her? Who’s more powerful, her or Wenren Bai?”

“Miss Wu, why don’t you ask me that question personally?”

The moment this voice sounded by her ear, a tiny current of air appeared beside Wu Wang. Her pupils constricted, and she dodged sharply to the side.

In that instant, in a gap between time and consciousness, a person had abruptly appeared beside Wu Wang.

Her sudden arrival was so unexpected that neither Wu Wang nor Bai Lianxue had detected her before she spoke.

“Yin Yu!”

Bai Lianxue had seen Yin Yu before and recognized this woman instantly.

She was dressed in a soft white turtleneck sweater, a gray half-skirt, and a camel coat. Her long hair hung down gently. She looked entirely ordinary, gentle, and common.

But Wu Wang and Bai Lianxue would never truly treat her as an ordinary woman.

In people’s hearts, the safest place is home, especially a home with layers of protection. No matter how many crises one faces outside, at least lying on the sofa at home allows for a moment of complete relaxation.

When the safest place can be breached so effortlessly, the sense of crisis it brings is beyond extraordinary.

At this moment, both Wu Wang and Bai Lianxue felt exactly that. Yin Yu’s entrance was too easy, so easy it was despairing.

Bai Lianxue looked at her phone screen. The video call had been hung up without hesitation by the other party.

“Yin Yu…” Wu Wang narrowed her eyes at this elegant and beautiful woman. She felt unease and fear, but what followed was excitement.

If she could control Yin Yu, then, without a doubt, she would gain even greater power.

“Miss Wu.” Yin Yu glanced at Zhu Ming with a smile, then turned back to Wu Wang. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“I’m also very pleased to meet you,” Wu Wang murmured. “Goodness, you nearly scared me to death.”

Yin Yu smiled. “Even the illustrious Grand Witch can feel fear? Besides, I came by invitation. I thought Miss Wu would be happy.”

“I want to know how you did it,” Wu Wang asked. Most crucially, just how much had she overheard?

“Just my ability. I thought Miss Bai had already explained.”

It was said that Yin Yu’s ability was related to space. Crossing space wouldn’t be considered difficult, but Wu Wang felt there had to be more to it.

She also wondered if Yin Yu knew the person on the other end of the phone was Yin Qingjia…

Yin Yu suddenly pointed at Zhu Ming and said, “While I’m very willing to be Miss Wu’s friend, this won’t do. I’ll be taking her away.”

How could that be allowed? Wu Wang was counting on using Zhu Ming to threaten Yin Yu. But who knew Yin Yu would barge into her home base… Wu Wang’s eyes inevitably held a hint of malice, but she still said, “Miss Zhu is here as my guest. I will be a good host. No need for you to trouble yourself.”

Yin Yu looked at her with a faint smile that wasn’t quite a smile. “And what if I must trouble myself?”

What talk of being friends? She was clearly here with ill intent.

Wu Wang suddenly broke into a radiant smile. “Then why not stay a while before you go?” Stay a while, and they’d all be kept here together!

Wu Wang shot Bai Lianxue a look, then said to Yin Yu, “Actually, I’ve always wanted to meet you, Miss Yin, because I’m curious about your views on the Management Bureau. Ah, yes, Miss Yin knows many things, so you must certainly know about the God’s Favored as well.”

Yin Yu nodded, admitting it.

“Is Miss Yin also one of the God’s Favored?”

But this time, Yin Yu didn’t answer directly. Instead, she said, “No matter who I am, it doesn’t change the fact that Miss Wu is the most outstanding God’s Favored. In truth, I do have high hopes for you. By the way, could you tell me about the experiment Miss Wu has been working on lately?”

She truly did know a lot. Wu Wang’s heart sank, and her anxiety grew.

She hadn’t told anyone about this experiment. Could it be that Old Fox had carelessly leaked it?

Never mind, she’d just deal with it for now.

So Wu Wang chatted with Yin Yu to distract her while creating an opportunity for Bai Lianxue to launch a Mental Invasion.

Acting as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, Bai Lianxue sat down beside Wu Wang and looked into Yin Yu’s limpid eyes… Suddenly, Bai Lianxue screamed and staggered backward, clutching her eyes.

Wu Wang was stunned and quickly grabbed her. “What’s wrong with you?!” She had never seen Bai Lianxue like this.

Bai Lianxue shrank on the floor, covering her eyes and trembling. “N-Nothing.”

Clearly, the Mind Control had failed. Yes, her ability didn’t work one hundred percent of the time, but at most, it would simply fail to control the target. Suffering such a severe backlash was a first.

Wu Wang knew Bai Lianxue’s capabilities very well. How was this possible… Yin Yu had a Space Control ability, did she also possess a second, mental-type ability?!

Tap, tap, tap.

But regardless of their attitude, whether fear or welcome, at least Yin Yu’s demeanor remained unchanged, as it always did.

She walked up to Bai Lianxue. Wu Wang’s expression shifted, and she prepared to strike—clearly, they had torn off all pretenses, hadn’t they? No normal person wouldn’t be enraged upon knowing someone had just tried to control their mind.

But as it turned out, Yin Yu was that abnormal person.

She indeed wasn’t angry, but she also wouldn’t allow herself to be attacked without consequence.

Therefore, the hand Wu Wang had slightly raised remained suspended in mid-air. After a long moment, her gorgeous face grew increasingly pale. Bai Lianxue sensed something was wrong but didn’t dare remove her fingers from her eyes lightly.

“Sister?”

“I’m fine.”

In the end, Wu Wang chose to lower her hand, her palm already damp with cold sweat. Just moments ago, she had felt as if she were trapped under millions of tons of rock. Something invisible bound her from all directions, leaving her utterly powerless to resist.

Her strength, her speed, her ability, even her thoughts—all had been imprisoned.

When the gap in strength between opponents is small, there’s always a chance for the weak to defeat the strong. But when the gap is too vast, resistance becomes a distant, futile hope.

Wu Wang had never feared anyone before, because her power constantly grew stronger as she swapped puppets. Not only could she control puppets, but she could also acquire their abilities. Thus, her ability actually allowed her to wield multiple abilities.

Even if there was an enemy she couldn’t defeat temporarily, given time, once she obtained a stronger puppet, she could defeat them and even turn them into another one of her puppets.

But at this moment, experiencing Yin Yu’s strength firsthand, Wu Wang finally understood just how unfathomable and powerful the other was, and how powerless she herself was.

Wu Wang felt a slight confusion, wondering what kind of powerful puppet she would have to obtain to resist Yin Yu.

…No, she would surpass her!

Because things were different now. Her power didn’t only come from her ability; it also came from the God! Just give her a little more time, and she refused to believe she couldn’t overcome Yin Yu.

Wu Wang forced a twisted smile. “Xiao Xue was just joking. Don’t be angry, Miss Yin.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not angry.” Yin Yu reached out and lifted Bai Lianxue’s chin, moving her hand away from her eyes, and sighed appreciatively. “What a beautiful face.”

Wu Wang’s expression distorted slightly.

But Bai Lianxue couldn’t care about her sister’s mood. Her eyes glistening with tears, she looked blurrily at Yin Yu. “What do you want me to do?”

Speaking with a clever girl was simple indeed. Yin Yu said, “Very simple. Don’t reveal what you’ve seen. Can you do that?”

Bai Lianxue nodded weakly.

“Good then. Ah, Miss Wu, I have something to give you.”

“What is it?” Wu Wang looked at her suspiciously.

Yin Yu took out a small, square box and presented it on her palm. Smiling, she extended her hand slightly. “I believe you’ll like it very much. After all, you hate Wenren Bai.”

Something related to Wenren Bai?

Only after a long moment did Wu Wang take it into her own hand and open it. Inside lay an eyeball, wreathed in swirling mists like ancient amber.