The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 236

Chapter 236: When the Snow Falls Silently 2

The other systems perked up, responding in unison, “What gossip?”

The system said proudly, “Definitely juicy.”

“069, where did you hear this from? I want to know too.”

069 cleared its throat, mimicking its host’s serious demeanor before making an announcement: “Didn’t the central building block a piece of news before, saying that the Group Leader of Group 4 within the top fifteen groups was injured and missing, whereabouts unknown?”

A Group Leader level injury and disappearance was definitely a major event in the original world, but 520 was stunned.

What injury? What disappearance? Didn’t she go on vacation?

The systems nodded: “Yes, yes, we know about this.”

They frequented the central building and were well-informed, having all heard this news.

Other systems and Taskers might not know about it.

“But the news was blocked later, and it was announced that the Group 4 Leader was on vacation, with no return date, there must be a problem.”

A vacation with no return date usually meant the Tasker couldn’t work, having suffered a serious injury.

“According to the original world’s time, she’s been on vacation for almost four years, right? It’s rare for someone to be absent for so long.”

“So the news I want to share is that the Group 4 Leader is likely to return soon. This S+ rank Reaper is coming back, earning the most points, going to the most dangerous worlds.” 069 lowered its voice, “Actually, my host is quite envious of Group 4.”

“The most dangerous missions are all taken by the Group Leader, all S+ rank. Not only do they get the achievements, but the danger level isn’t high. The Negotiation Group’s missions aren’t something ordinary Taskers can handle, they’re earning points with their lives.”

The other systems nodded in agreement: “High points are useless, life is the most important.”

520 urgently searched for information on the Negotiation Group. Having been a matchmaker in the Marriage Group since its creation, it didn’t know much about the work of other groups.

It was shocked by what it found.

The name “Negotiation Group” sounded like a gathering of scholars, a group of people sitting at a table, talking things out and solving problems. In reality, this group was dispatched to chaotic, undeveloped worlds.

They explored new territories, bringing them under the original world’s management, which required negotiation and establishing order. If negotiations failed, they would often have to fight the unruly consciousnesses of small worlds, subduing them and signing contracts.

Even the consciousness of a small world was still a world consciousness, the creator of that entire world. Being in someone else’s home turf, the danger level was self-evident.

Unstable worlds without rules were like modern civilization venturing into a primeval forest, full of danger.

069 continued: “But I also heard something else. Because the Group 4 Leader broke through the world barrier back then, causing serious damage to the original world, she was exiled to the Death Realm by the original world consciousness, hoping she would die there.”

069 added, recalling, “But she turned it into a Gu King breeding ground, even breaking through the Death Realm, causing its energy to dissipate. And that’s not all, she almost went back to wreak havoc on the original small world, but was stopped and recruited by Group Leader Ye, a special recruitment into the original world.”

The systems all exclaimed: “Ah?”

So terrifying?

“No way, I’ve seen her before, she smiles, like a beautiful fox.”

“Someone who dares to break through even the Death Realm, are you sure she was stopped by Group Leader Ye, and not that they had a fight?”

069 agreed with this view: “That’s what I think too, the high-level system that told me the gossip didn’t dare to tell me more.”

A system with proper manners noticed another detail: “Doesn’t that mean she didn’t pass the assessment to get in? My host still has nightmares about being back in the examination hall, it’s so stressful that she takes on missions in other small worlds in the middle of the night to relax.”

Having to work to relax, one could imagine how difficult the assessment was. The systems, having heard their hosts mention this, all showed empathetic expressions.

069 said in a shocked tone: “How did you know? After she was injured and returned, because she lost her memories, according to the rules, she had to retake the assessment. So during the four years she was gone, she spent three years taking exams.”

The other systems: “…”

Although they shouldn’t laugh, it was truly comical.

“Three attempts in three years, finally passing, the Group 4 Leader really had it rough, waking up and forgetting everything, a millionaire turned beggar.”

“Specially recruited, but still having to retake the exam, that’s really tough on her.”

“Actually, the examiners are very scared. Everyone in the upper levels has heard about what the Group 4 Leader did before, they’re afraid she’ll draw her sword and destroy the examination hall, break through the world barrier, and run away…”

“I heard she has a huge arsenal in her system space, able to pull out all sorts of weapons and fight.”

520, eavesdropping: “?”

Three attempts in three years, finally passing?

Why did the other systems’ description sound so familiar?

The systems, chatting excitedly, noticed 520 lurking nearby and called it over.

“Why are you alone? Come over here.”

“Are you also waiting for your host? Want to chat with us?”

After a round of greetings, 520 joined them.

069: “But all of this can be learned with some digging. There’s one thing that’s very hard to find out.”

These words piqued everyone’s curiosity, and they crowded around 069: “Don’t keep us in suspense, tell us, tell us.”

069 cleared its throat, whispering the most valuable piece of gossip: “A certain number zero who shall remain nameless told me that her system is very special, it’s her sword spirit, initial number 05.”

The systems exclaimed: “Wow—So that’s why her voice is so unique, with a small red dot between the numbers, because she’s a sword spirit.”

520’s premonition grew stronger, the small red dot triggering a distant memory.

520 asked cautiously, “What’s the name of the Group 4 Leader you’re talking about?”

069 said strangely, “Isn’t that information readily available? It’s Tao Ning.”

“!” 520 felt like the world was crumbling. It asked faintly, “Is it possible for Taskers to have the same name?”

The other systems looked at each other: “I don’t know, I’ve seen someone with the same name as my host.”

069, with the highest rank present, explained: “Oh right, it’s normal that you don’t know. Usually, those who become Group Leaders don’t share names with anyone else.”

“Their names become their unique and special identification, just like system numbers. The moment a number is reactivated, it means the previous user has disappeared.”

520: “!!!”

My sly fox host is actually the Group 4 Leader!!!

A person lay quietly and pale inside a healing pod.

Another slender figure sat beside the pod, gazing intently at the person inside.

A mission had separated them.

According to the original world’s time, it had only been four short years, but every second counted. Adding up all those worlds, how many years had they been apart?

Across vast distances, thankfully, she had been found, thankfully…

Seeing her lying there, having brought her scattered soul back here, Tao Ning’s heart, clenched for so many years, could finally relax.

The wait for her to wake up was long, and Tao Ning unconsciously fell asleep at the table.

A boundless darkness enveloped her, brilliant starlight above, but the scene before her wasn’t a magnificent vista, but intense killing intent.

This was a dream. She was back in the past, the day she was ambushed and seriously injured by a chaotic world consciousness.

This was her inner demon, the memory she was most reluctant to revisit.

However, the dream shifted, and the attack, instead of seriously injuring her as it had in reality, returned to the peaceful and quiet ward in the central building.

At this moment, Tao Ning knew that she would have to relive yesterday’s events in her dream.

Just yesterday, someone had found her and given her a recording, something she hadn’t retrieved after regaining her memories. Tao Ning couldn’t bear to let her wait in another world, logging into the next instance almost immediately after leaving the previous one.

So the person said, “Completing seven missions at high intensity within a year, you really don’t treat your life as precious.”

Tao Ning took the black box: “Thanks, Group Leader Ye, isn’t this the condition you offered me?”

She held a thin chip between her slender fingers, her tone gentle: “A bandit leader recruited, working here to earn points, to create a body for my sword spirit. After leaving my hometown, I couldn’t see her anymore, only hear her voice, but I missed seeing her too much.”

Ye Ci lowered her voice: “It’s a pity that method didn’t work, making you run through seven worlds to gather her soul fragments.”

Tao Ning: “The process was different, but the result is good, no matter what, I’m willing.”

She had spent a large number of points, making a deal with the consciousness of the mixed world, and took Xuan Miao away. Tao Ning had opened the spatiotemporal tunnel.

For someone who could break through world barriers in an instant, finding a spatiotemporal tunnel was child’s play, it was just that her previous methods weren’t exactly compliant.

Ye Ci, rarely showing kindness, comforted her: “Don’t worry, she’s just overwhelmed by the soul fragments you infused, she’s sleeping to recover, she’ll wake up soon.”

She knew Tao Ning’s sword, and knew her sword spirit even better. It was indeed the case, but not seeing her wake up made her worry.

Tao Ning nodded: “I know, I personally delivered the fragments. Just like before, I shouldn’t be nervous.”

“…” Ye Ci thought to herself, if her own wife was shattered into pieces, she would search the entire world, exhausting all her efforts to piece her back together.

Just the thought of it made her frantic, she wouldn’t be able to sit still.

Tao Ning could still sit here calmly, not because she was naturally calm, but because every action she took had nothing to do with calmness.

It was because this wasn’t the first time she had done this. She had fought her way out of the Death Realm, wanting to return to her original world, only because the sword spirit hidden in her spiritual sea was so weak that she was about to disappear.

She had to go in to find materials to repair her sword, even if it meant dying, she had to go in.

Crazy, truly crazy.

After racking her brains for some comforting words, Ye Ci didn’t stay long, not wanting to disturb their reunion, and she took her leave.

“Whoosh.” The silver-white door closed silently, leaving only two people in the ward.

One sitting, one lying down. After a while, Tao Ning reached out, but her hand touched the cold surface of the healing pod, snapping her awake.

Feeling bored, Tao Ning, as she always did, started talking, but there was no familiar voice to answer her.

Tao Ning slowly began, “Compared to me, you’re truly the most doctor-approved patient in the world. I just remembered when I first woke up from my injuries, I almost demolished the ward with my crutches. I was so foolish back then, I didn’t remember anything, not you, not who I was, I even forgot my own name.”

Tao Ning’s lips curled into a faint smile: “They told me my name was Tao Ning, and I didn’t believe them, I thought they were lying to me. I even said that I had lost something and demanded they return it. They said they didn’t have it, and then I…”

Tao Ning trailed off, her smile widening: “I know you’re definitely interested in this kind of thing, if you want to know, I’ll tell you after you wake up.”

“Now I want to hear what you said to me before.”

Tao Ning listened to the recording in the black box alone. This was a backup program for every system in the original world, recording every system’s activity.

These were classified files, not to be accessed without authorization, and ordinary Taskers didn’t have the authority to access them.

After a burst of static, the first voice she heard was someone else’s.

“05…05! Do you read me? Do you read me? @￥#!”

The excited voice ended in a distorted, garbled mess.

But there was no response, no response at all. The original world had lost contact with system 05, a rare occurrence.

And the system that received the message somehow missed it.

“…”

This was the first time Tao Ning had heard this recording. She paused the recording for a few seconds, taking a long time to compose herself before continuing.

After a long while, a burst of electronic noise finally sounded.

The system prompt said: [Reboot successful! Core energy below 5%, entering sleep mode, system 05, do you wish to enter sleep mode now?]

Tao Ning’s heart clenched, her body unconsciously leaning forward.

After a long period of static, like a radio finally tuning into the right frequency, a voice with faint static sounded.

[Zzzt—]

Then, a clear female voice spoke.

[Negative, 5% is sufficient.]

[This is system 05, reporting coordinates to central dispatch, world designation w9372, do you read me? Do you read me?]

The response to 05 was garbled noise.

05 repeated itself.

The response was still garbled.

[Sigh, I guess I won’t get a response.] A human-like sigh echoed.

The clear yet slightly weak voice revealed a hint of despair, like a human facing a dead end, muttering to herself.

[Bastard, wouldn’t listen to reason, resorting to sneak attacks, fight me one-on-one if you have the guts.]

[Such a serious injury, what should I do if I can’t contact central dispatch? I have to think of something.]

[Sneak attack and run, after Tao Ningning wakes up, I’ll definitely whisper in her ear and make her take revenge.]

[Forget it, I’ll save my strength, cursing him a thousand times is useless, thankfully I wasn’t shattered into pieces, I don’t have hands or feet, I can’t pull my sword master back…]

The voice that said it would save its strength continued muttering, saying many things. Tao Ning knew this was her habit, becoming talkative when nervous.

Chattering like a little bird when full of energy.

Tao Ning gripped the back of the chair, an indescribable ache spreading through her heart.

She had been unconscious back then, completely unaware of this.

The recording in the black box continued for several days, the content long and repetitive, all 05’s mechanical voice trying its best to transmit the coordinates back to central dispatch.

Later, 05 seemed to realize that its messages couldn’t reach central dispatch and changed its approach, no longer wasting its efforts.

[Life signs decreasing, this won’t do, my sword master won’t last until the rescue team arrives.]

[There must be a way, there must be a way…]

After a series of murmurs, 05’s excited voice suddenly sounded, but the content made Tao Ning’s heart sink.

[I’ve got it, I’m out of energy, but I still have my core energy, right?]

The cold system voice reminded her again: [Do you wish to dismantle the core energy?]

[Warning: System 05’s energy is below 2%, dismantling the core energy will cut off all power.]

05’s tone was completely indifferent: [I’m not like your regular systems, I’m a sword spirit, I have a soul… but will my soul dissipate without a vessel?]

She didn’t find an answer to this question, but said firmly: [Confirm dismantle.]

05 dismantled her core energy, installing it into the healing pod, keeping the seriously injured and unconscious Tao Ning alive.

Suddenly, 05 said joyfully: [It worked? Great!]

[Energy connection successful!]

As these words sounded, increasingly urgent low energy warnings also sounded, one overwhelming the other.

Tao Ning strained to hear the remaining fragmented murmurs, piecing them together and imagining 05’s tone.

[I remember the black box is connected to the core energy, I should leave something for Tao Ningning.]

[Tell Group Leader Tao, don’t give my number to anyone else. If she suddenly has the idea of making a tombstone for me, please write my human name on it, I like that name.]

[Don’t try to annoy me by engraving “Yingrong Sword” on the tombstone, my full name is Rong Ying.]

[If she doesn’t do any of the above, I won’t appear in her dreams again, I promise.]

[Beep—]

The recording stopped here, silent, only a peaceful stillness remaining.

Outside the recording, tears streamed down Tao Ning’s face, wetting her eyelashes.

In her dream, Tao Ning vaguely heard something, like someone knocking on the door.

“Knock, knock, knock.”

Tao Ning instantly opened her eyes, wiping away the tears, her gaze meeting the person sitting up on the other side.

Although so close, she felt a sudden shyness, unable to believe this was real.

Rong Ying, weak but smiling: “I, I’m not dead, don’t cry at my grave yet.”

Tao Ning: “…” It was the familiar voice, the familiar tone.

Rong Ying opened her arms: “Always saying you’re the worst sword user, won’t you hug your sword?”

Tao Ning abruptly stood up from beside the healing pod, embracing Rong Ying, holding her tightly with all her strength, but saying, “Which normal person would use their wife to fight? I’d be heartbroken if you were damaged.”

Her former sword spirit had finally returned to her side, once again as a human.

But Tao Ning felt the hands around her neck tighten slightly, the clear and familiar voice whispering like a demon in her ear, “I remember you have a sword called Poheng, you got another sword while I was gone.”

Tao Ning’s scalp tingled. For a sword master to have a second sword was no different from cheating.

She tried to explain, “Because I hadn’t regained my memories then, I only thought I had one sword, so I forged another one that’s not even a fraction as good as you.”

Rong Ying bit her ear, muttering, “You’re saying, you found a replacement while I was gone?”

This seemed as serious as cheating. A replacement, cheating, both were wrong.

Tao Ning: “Of course not, it’s my weapon, you’re my wife, completely different.”

And when forging Poheng, she had blocked its path to sentience. It would only be a sword, an invincible sword.

Just as she had appeased one person, another trouble came knocking.

520, teary-eyed, also found Tao Ning: “Host, am I holding you back by only being a three-digit system? Wuwuwu…”

The person hugging Tao Ning on the bed looked at 520, holding Tao Ning even tighter: “You had another system while I was gone?”

520, confused, helpless, and weak: “?”

Her original body might be shattered, but her nagging hadn’t changed. The smile on Tao Ning’s face never faded.

A grand reunion,

Welcome home.

-Main Story End-