Meng Li stared at the trembling figure hiding under the table in the ancestral hall. The other party was already trying her best to hide, but Meng Li still saw her location at a single glance.
“What a large family. Too bad that after today, not a single one will remain~”
The long-haired maiden before her gritted her teeth, but ultimately refused to say a word. After all, from her perspective, she had also seen her little sister hiding under the table. Within that mind full of hatred, a glimmer of hope instantly ignited. No matter what, she had to let her sister survive.
“Aiyo, Senior Sister, why aren’t you saying anything? Could it be that you’ve fainted from anger~?”
“You’ve already got the item. Kill me…”
The maiden tightly gritted her teeth. Her eyes only pleaded for a swift death. In her heart, she thought that if the other killed her, she would likely just leave. That way, there was still a chance her little sister might survive. However, how could the thoughts of her heart ever become reality?
The corner of Meng Li’s mouth curved into a slight smile. She understood exactly what her fellow Senior Sister was thinking. Grabbing the maiden by the collar, she flung her to the ground right next to the table. Before the maiden could react, she looked up and met her little sister’s eyes, which were completely filled with terror.
“Senior Sister, a moment of springtime pleasure is worth a thousand pieces of gold~”
“What do you want?!”
The maiden looked at Meng Li before her, her face full of horror. Everything around her was dyed red with blood. In this kind of scene, the other party was actually in this sort of mood. She was practically no different from a malicious ghost. The maiden wanted to resist, but a minor spell from the other easily controlled her.
Her clothes were torn off and tossed aside. Her pure white body was stained with a red glow. The tears flowing from the maiden’s eyes were casually wiped away. Meng Li slowly extended two fingers. Just a gentle prod nearly made the maiden lose consciousness.
“Senior Sister’s body is so light and nimble. To react in this kind of situation, how utterly depraved~”
“Bastard, I’ll kill you, kill you! I’ll cut you into a thousand pieces and boil you into meat soup! Kill you!”
The maiden desperately wanted to commit suicide right then, but upon raising her head, she saw her little sister covering her mouth and holding back from making a sound. Her body couldn’t help but tighten again. Meng Li, right in the middle of her enjoyment, also suddenly sensed that strange sensation.
“It suddenly tightened up. Could Senior Sister be thinking of something? Or did you perhaps see a surviving clan member~?”
“…”
The maiden no longer spoke. She just gritted her teeth and endured. It seemed she wanted to warn her sister not to make a sound. When Meng Li finally had her fill, she slowly pulled up her pants, leaving the maiden lying on the ground, her eyes blank with confusion. Thick, pure-white Spiritual Power circulated within her body, then slowly flowed out through the only exit.
“Senior Sister doesn’t even have a single reaction. How utterly boring~”
“Kill… kill me…”
“Killing you would be so boring. After all, you still have to watch me eat the main course~”
Meng Li gave a faint smile. Then, before the maiden’s despairing eyes, she slowly lifted the table before her. Looking at the little loli underneath, covering her mouth and already having wet herself in terror, Meng Li reached out and gently stroked her head, her face radiating kindness.
“Little sister, you’ll catch a cold hiding here~”
“Stop! Stop it! Monster! Stop it!!!”
It wasn’t until the early morning sunlight slowly appeared that the gate of the large, formerly silent courtyard was gently pushed open. A pink-haired woman dressed in plain clothes walked out. Her beautiful appearance was still as dignified as ever. She held a red oil-paper umbrella, strolling through the drizzle of the fine, misty rain.
“The sunlight is too dazzling. But this is fine too~”
As this figure slowly walked into the distance, behind the ancestral tablets in the hall, another young girl finally emerged. Looking at the large courtyard, now devoid of any living people, her hands clenched into fists. The rage in her eyes was impossible to conceal.
It was a hatred like a sea of blood, a deep-seated vendetta. Looking at her sister, lying on the ancestral hall floor, her clothes in disarray, her breath long gone, and then glancing at her other sister, similarly violated, the girl knelt on the ground, hating her own weakness.
“If only I had been a little stronger… I survived. Then I must avenge this blood debt!!”
Before the girl could even finish her words, the entire compound was suddenly engulfed in towering flames. Even this last surviving girl watched in utter despair as the sea of fire instantly consumed her.
“W-why…”
Then came the ferocious flames and the collapsing houses. And Meng Li, who had already walked an unknown distance away. Her once pristine white oil-paper umbrella was now dyed a blood-crimson red. Meng Li smoothed back a lock of hair beside her ear. All around her were panicked people shouting ceaselessly.
“Fire! There’s a fire!!!”
“These flames can’t be extinguished! This isn’t ordinary fire! Ah! It’s burning onto me!!”
“Quick, save the people! Save them!”
Meng Li looked at the Peacock Bell Wood in her hand. After examining it carefully for a moment, she then glanced back at the inferno behind her. Finally, she just tossed the wood into a nearby thicket.
“I already farmed the upgrade materials today. Why am I farming them again…? Honestly…”
Just as the flames spread and engulfed the entire town, Meng Li suddenly jolted up from the bed. She gasped for air, cold sweat clearly visible on her forehead. She had no idea why she had dreamed such a dream. Her dream self was so cold that it terrified even herself. In her eyes, everything was merely a bargaining chip for leveling up.
“I… I never did that kind of thing!!”
Meng Li looked blankly at her own palms. She clearly remembered never having done such a thing in the game. Yet, in the dream, not only had she done it, but she had even expertly wiped out an entire family. Meng Li felt an immense internal conflict. That immersive, lifelike sensation—even Meng Li felt extremely uncomfortable all over, as if desperately wanting to deny she had ever done those things. However, Meng Li suddenly recalled the item: the Peacock Bell Wood.
“Peacock Bell Wood… isn’t that just a weapon upgrade material? How could I possibly… for something like that…!”
Meng Li was entangled in self-reflection. Then, suddenly, it was as if she realized something. Every day when she logged in, she would sweep through all the material-farming stages. And the stages she could clear all seemed to carry the names of towns.
“Don’t… don’t tell me they actually fleshed out this part of the story too…”
Meng Li was completely dumbfounded. She instantly felt absolutely terrible. However, just as she looked up, she saw a familiar face looking at her with extreme curiosity. It immediately startled the already shaken Meng Li.
“Y-you! Who are you!”
“Thank goodness, you’re finally awake! I thought you were going to die!! Wuuu!!”
The maiden before her sobbed as she threw her arms open and lunged forward for a hug. Meng Li was instantly filled with question marks. Just a moment ago, she had been deep in thought, and now a complete stranger had appeared before her.
“You were unconscious for a whole day! If you hadn’t woken up soon, I would have gone to the Justice Pavilion to turn myself in!”
“Wait, you… who are you?! Are we even acquainted?!”
Meng Li immediately pushed away the maiden who had thrown herself at her. Yet, looking at the other’s somewhat delicate features, Meng Li hesitated for a moment. Still, she felt there was something strangely familiar about the other.
“I originally wanted to refine a new pill to open up sales, but I never expected it would injure Junior Sister…”
“You’re telling me that thing was a pill? I’d sooner believe it was a hand grenade.”
“Hand grenade? What is that?”
“Not important. Not important. Where is this? Where have you brought me? Shouldn’t I be at the foot of Alchemy Peak?!”
“I almost forgot to introduce myself. I am Meng Zhuyue, a Direct Disciple under the Elder of Alchemy Peak~”
…
