Chapter 71: The Devil’s Sacrifice (21p2)
In the virtual space, ‘Helan Duo’ withdrew his hand, which had been scooping the moon from the water. He looked at the gradually disintegrating world, at everything, which was gradually turning into data.
He collapsed, strengthless, and slowly closed his eyes.
He gazed at the void and, with his hand, slowly traced her silhouette. And his hand also gradually dissipated into glistening data.
The unspoken confession seemed to sound silently:
No matter in what time and space;
No matter what identity;
Helan Duo will fall in love with Yu Jiao.
Even if you do nothing, as long as you look at me, I will fall in love with you, because—
In quantum mechanics, a solitary particle of matter only truly exists when it is observed.
—If you don’t look at me, I don’t exist.
The real Helan Duo had fallen in love with Jiao Hongyue in this way, and the virtual Helan Duo had also fallen in love with Yu Jiao in this way.
…The world is a boundless, fake sea, cold and lonely. I am drowning in it, helpless. One day, I grabbed a piece of driftwood.
‘The authenticity of the self, and even the authenticity of the world, is guaranteed by the other’.
And you are my only other.
…
Finally, Mother, please forgive my selfishness for not telling that guy your real identity.
After all, he was born with the right to be by the side of the real you… Even if it’s just a piece of virtual data, I’m still jealous…
“…”
‘Helan Duo’ closed his eyes.
…
…
Yu Jiao opened her eyes.
The cold, desolate underground office. The thick curtain, with the story of the saintess, was slowly fluttering.
A pair of legs, wrapped in suit trousers, and leather shoes, on the footrest of a wheelchair, came into view.
“Boss, you’re finally awake!” Huangying’s surprised voice sounded.
The section of suit trousers in front of her was pulled by the owner’s hand, which was on his forehead, and the wrinkles changed.
Yu Jiao immediately climbed up from the ground and, at the same time, opened the system panel to check the remaining time of the [Concealment] effect.
…Not good.
30s
Huangying put on an act of “knowing nothing about what happened in the dream” and said urgently, “You must be tired from sleeping. I’ll get you a glass of water.”
27s
Yu Jiao’s eyes sharpened. She flew over and snatched the access card that was hanging on Huangying’s neck.
19s
Huangying was stunned.
The next moment, the boss’s cold, rich voice sounded, “Stop her!”
Along with his voice came a long, thin, sharp leg.
15s
Yu Jiao rolled on the ground and dodged the fatal attack.
Amidst the flying rubble, she swiped the access card at the elevator’s scanner and successfully slipped into the elevator, repeatedly pressing the close button.
12s
The elevator doors closed, blocking the long, thin, deadly leg.
Yu Jiao’s heart was pounding. She slid down the cold wall, panting.
I’m safe…
10s
Ding.
A light sound. The elevator doors slid open.
“Little thief.”
A deep voice, half-smiling. “You can’t escape.”
8s
Nie Hongshen was in a wheelchair, and in his large hand was a top-level ID card. Glistening characters were still flashing on the transparent panel.
—He’s still controlling it remotely!
Yu Jiao was about to faint.
Several long, thin legs were firmly planted at the exit, like an iron cage.
5s
Yu Jiao was frozen, her whole body shrinking in the small elevator, looking very pitiful.
…It’s over. I’ve been caught in a trap.
3s
Nie Hongshen pressed closer, and he was already at the elevator entrance.
His broad shoulders blocked the light, casting an inescapable shadow. A faint, sharp smile was on his handsome, dark face.
“Let me see just which stink bug dares to be so presumptuous in my Divine Moon Moth.”
The sharp pincer-like legs reached for Yu Jiao, covering the sky and the earth.
2s
1s—
Thump!
A deafening, cracking sound.
The ceiling in the center of the office was suddenly broken by an external force. Under the violent impact, cracks spread, and rubble flew.
A valiant figure, stepping on the rubble, broke through the wall.
He was wearing a wooden mask, with the “Saintess’s Half-Sad, Half-Happy Portrait” on it. Behind him were magnificent, gorgeous, black insect wings.
His black robe was flapping.
A godsend.
0s
Chow Chow’s gaze was locked on Yu Jiao. He leaped two steps, his movements agile and swift, and scooped her up from between the heavy insect legs.
In a flash.
Another snow-white figure followed closely behind. A silver-grey scale-spine and a long, slender bone tail swept over like lightning. As he was scooping her up, it hit his unprotected shoulder and back, cutting a long, tragic, bloody gash.
“Today, you’re not leaving.”
A gentle, smiling voice was filled with a coldness.
“…”
His light, clear gaze looked over, like a watery, green spring pond.
“Yu Jiao, stay,” Helan Duo said softly.
“In your dreams.”
Chow Chow sneered. He threw his black robe over Yu Jiao, wrapping her up tightly, not a single gap showing. He was like a dog, guarding its food, or a child, afraid of having his beloved toy snatched away.
“…Yu Jiao?”
A deep voice, as if from an outsider, who had just realized, sounded, with an undisguised surprise.
Nie Hongshen’s handsome, strategic face had a hint of surprise.
Looking at the tall man, who was holding the woman in his arms with a forceful posture, a flash of lightning went through his mind—
Jiao Hongyue, the opening dance, the masked man.
“Was it you in the dream?”
Nie Hongshen asked in a heavy voice.
Though it was a question, it was filled with certainty.
Seeing this, Chow Chow raised his voice dramatically. “So Mr. Nie was here. You haven’t shown your face much, have you? That’s right. A dark insect should shrink in a corner.”
His words were filled with a dramatic flair, and he had completely drawn his hatred.
Nie Hongshen’s face was dark.
“…”
He had always been in control, and he had never failed. But at this moment, he couldn’t figure out why his loyal subordinate had so easily betrayed him—not only brazenly breaking into the Divine Moon Moth, but also toying with him in the dream.
If Yu Jiao had seen his expression and knew his thoughts, she would have definitely sneered:
Faced with a boss who exploits his employees like this, wouldn’t you run if you didn’t want to die?
And please, who are you? I didn’t even notice you in the dream.
But at this moment, she was wrapped in a black robe by Song Shi, knowing nothing, only able to hear—
“Yu Jiao, come back.”
A familiar, gentle voice was trying to persuade her.
Before Chow Chow could retort, Helan Duo raised his voice. “Do you think this guy, who covers his face all day and can’t be seen, is any good?”
“…”
Helan Duo enunciated each word. “In the Resistance, there are so many people who need [sweet dew], [tinder], and [shining gold]. He offered a sky-high price to exchange you.”
Yu Jiao’s heart suddenly sank.
She clearly felt the man who was holding her freeze for a moment. The once-broad, warm embrace seemed to have become a bloody mouth, about to swallow her flesh, mocking her naivety.
Even the black robe that was wrapped around her was like a cocoon, a self-inflicted retribution.
Yu Jiao looked at the light that was seeping through the black robe with a cold expression. The signs she had ignored flashed through her mind, and a ridiculous truth gradually connected.
And this person still whispered softly: “Yu Jiao, trust me, I’ll go back and give you an explanation.”
“…”
“Ah, I see.”
Nie Hongshen was propping his chin on his hand, watching the show with a half-smile. He mimicked Chow Chow’s tone and retorted, “So Mr. Chow Chow is also just a despicable, dark insect.”
He narrowed his dark purple hawk eyes and smiled faintly. “Yu Jiao, is this the reason you betrayed me? To jump from one trap to another.”
“—He’s also using you.”
“…”
In the cold, stiff atmosphere, Helan Duo said in a timely manner, “Yu Jiao, though I’m not a good person either, do you still remember our agreement? Before I uncover the secret on you, I won’t kill you.”
His voice was gentle and smiling, like a soft bed, luring a tired body:
“Come back. We’re still partners.”
Helan Duo said gently.
“…”
The air was even colder and more frozen.
The three men, each with their own ulterior motives, formed a strange, tripartite confrontation. And she would be the only variable to break this deadlock.
A light sound.
Nie Hongshen lit a cigarette. He was holding the cigarette, and his low, husky voice was like a pot of rich wine, its aroma alluring. “Yu Jiao, no matter what you choose, the Divine Moon Moth will always have a special access card for you.”
“…”
It was as if a long time had passed.
Yu Jiao tugged at Song Shi’s robe and said in a calm voice: “Let’s go.”
Chow Chow suddenly exhaled in relief.
But in his heart, there was little triumph. Without a word, he disappeared from sight, carrying Yu Jiao as they flew out of the cold, silent underground office, leaving the Divine Moon Moth behind.
Looking at the two who had disappeared, Helan Duo sighed and curled his lips. “I’ll be waiting for you.”
Resistance
Base of Survivors No. 07
Seeing the leader and the fairy sister return together from a distance, Xiao Ling broke into a big smile, holding a huge bouquet of funeral flowers as she ran toward them.
“You’re back! I have something to tell—”
Keenly sensing the strange atmosphere between the two, the little girl hesitated and stopped in her tracks.
Chow Chow rubbed her head and silently walked into the gathering base.
Yu Jiao crouched down, tidying Xiao Ling’s hair and clothes. “Be good, okay? Big sister has something to discuss with your leader. Come back later to play with me, alright?”
Xiao Ling obediently nodded.
Watching the two of them, one in front of the other, until they disappeared, Xiao Ling hesitated as she looked at the funeral flowers in her hands. She pulled out a treasured charcoal pencil and began writing on a crumpled piece of paper.
.
The sunset of the Wood Dark Day was finally ending.
The sky was growing more and more desolate and dim.
The Dark Night was coming.
Chow Chow sat by the campfire, the warm light casting his mask in a ghostly, sinister glow.
Yu Jiao sat cross-legged opposite him. The two of them sat like this across the leaping, restless flames, neither looking at the other.
In the silent atmosphere, Chow Chow awkwardly spoke: “Trust me, Yu Jiao, I will protect you from harm.”
Yu Jiao picked up a piece of firewood and held it over the flames, her eyes lowered as she watched the fire lick and devour it. “I’ll ask you just one question: are you going to trade me for those precious, god-given things?”
“…”
He looked like a student forced to take an exam, scratching his head nervously. “I… I don’t want to, but… it’s not… what you think—”
Yu Jiao coldly interrupted: “You only need to answer yes or no.”
“…Yes.”
After a long silence, he answered dryly.
Yu Jiao tossed the nearly burned-out piece of wood into the fire.
She lifted her cold gray eyes: “But I don’t want to go back. You know perfectly well that if I return, Yu Fenghe will put me to death.”
Chow Chow urged: “Trust me! I will protect you. Nothing will happen to you.”
He just repeated the words “trust, protect, nothing will happen” in a dry, mechanical tone. Like a clumsy parrot.
Yu Jiao closed her eyes.
“I understand. Is this your choice as the leader of the Resistance, Chow Chow?”
He remained silent.
“Then,”
Yu Jiao’s lips curled into a mocking smile, her gaze cold and piercing as she looked straight at him:
“This is also your decision as Yuan Cang?”
The tall man suddenly stiffened.
As if a deeply buried bomb had silently and thunderously detonated, shattering all the illusory beauty beyond repair.
He froze in place, not daring to move.
Yu Jiao relaxed her arms behind her, squinting her cold, clear eyes, a slight smirk on her lips:
“Your so-called ‘protecting me,’ you’re not going to do it as the Holy Son in the Apocalypse Cult, are you?”