A chilling breath wrapped around everyone in the room, somber and oppressive. Although it was not yet suffocating, it gave the sensation that one's heart was grasped by the brink of death.
Pain!
Excruciating pain!
Digging Girl couldn't understand why things had turned out this way.
For the first ti, she had t an NPC that proved her brilliant analysis correct;
For the first ti, she had developed a good relationship with this NPC.
These two pleasant events should have made her even happier, but why had it turned into this situation?
Once word of what had happened here got out, even if it proved that Bai Fu's setup was more formidable than her post's analysis, she wouldn't need to think about retaliation or saving face. She might as well consider going to Gotham and confronting Batman in line with her new identity.
In the deadly silence, it was Bai Fu who broke the quiet first.
"If you're not going to answer, don't bla for being ruthless."
She clenched her left fist, her intent to kill as sharp as ice.
Her arm blocked an iron staff and she caught a white blade with her bare hands—unhard by either, no one doubted that her fist could kill Digging Girl!
At this critical mont, Patrick stepped forward.
"Wait!"
His shout shattered the invisible tension, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room, including Bai Fu.
A bead of sweat slid down his forehead as Patrick quickly took a couple of deep breaths.
"It's a misunderstanding—no, not exactly a misunderstanding. It's mainly because we didn't know the target of the Task was you. If you're willing to listen, I can explain!"
"Is that so?"
Bai Fu didn't give a straight answer, her expression still frosty, but she unclenched her fist and let Digging Girl go.
No action taken—was there still a chance?
Patrick quickly recounted the process of taking on the Task in service of Fu.
"That's what happened. If we'd known the target was you, we would have co to notify you imdiately."
The Dragon of Catastrophe imdiately chid in, "Indeed, Sister Fu, if we really wanted to oppose you, we would have acted yesterday. There was no need to wait until now."
As they spoke, the other Players clung to hope like a lifeline, all starting to plead.
"Fu, my feelings for you are as clear as day and night!"
Having made a grave mistake, they were filled with regret. Now all they could do was try to salvage the situation to avoid a total disaster and potentially restore their Affinity later.
While the Players nervously called out, Bai Fu suddenly released Digging Girl.
Huh?
Digging Girl was stunned, and the others were equally puzzled as they watched Bai Fu hastily approach one of the Players.
"You, if I'm not mistaken, weren't you killed by neck-twisting yesterday? Why?"
After speaking, Bai Fu then walked over to Patrick.
"And you, you may not have died, but your right hand was severely injured. How could it have healed in just a day? Such skilled dicine shouldn't exist here!"
Surprise, doubt, disbelief.
At that mont, Bai Fu's face showed a range of emotions that would make any heartthrob cry "impossible."
Seeing her like this, Patrick's hanging heart finally settled. With a topic of conversation, they could continue to communicate normally.
"It's like this, Sister Fu. Like we said yesterday, we won't really die in this world, look, his resurrection is proof."
Patrick gestured with his hand.
"Resurrection? How could that be possible? I an, it could be achieved through thods like Soul Summoning, but just by your own... Wait, it might not be completely impossible!"
Bai Fu's pupils suddenly narrowed as if she had thought of sothing.
This reaction confused the Players even more. The heartbroken Afu, whose morale was nearly shattered, lifted his head.
What was happening now?
It was Patrick who mustered the courage to speak.
"Is sothing wrong?"
Bai Fu returned to her poker face mode, "You're not from Ancestral Origin Star, are you?"
The question was sowhat baffling, but Patrick still subconsciously nodded, "No, we're not."
Bai Fu closed her eyes, taking several seconds before reopening them.
"It seems that Holy Word might not necessarily be false."
Her voice was quiet but clear enough to reach every ear in the room.
"What Holy Word?"
"I have heard the Holy Word, and it says that when justice shatters, when crises present themselves, the Undying People from beyond the mist will co to our holand following the supre will's decree. After crossing the boundary between life and death, they will rekindle the fla here."
Uttering these lodramatic lines, the frost on Bai Fu's face finally began to lt, and the rage hidden deep in her eyes slowly dissipated, replaced by doubt.
At that mont, even Afu, who habitually paid little attention to the storyline, was shaken.
Wasn't what Bai Fu said just the ga setting?
The Undying People must refer to Players.
The ga world is in crisis (as designed by the planners), so the supre will (the ga developnt company) calls on players to enter the ga, crossing the boundary between life and death (aning getting annihilated by monsters thousands of tis), to rekindle the fla for the ga world (the grand finale of the ga).
An NPC who could recite such settings couldn't possibly be just an ordinary mber of the Wildfire Gang. Bai Fu must have so super, super huge secret!
Could it be she's so sort of Saintess from elsewhere?
Patrick was astounded.
He quickly turned his head to look at Digging Girl.
Maybe Digging Girl always got it wrong in the past, facing ridicule for Overinterpretation, but this ti she truly did it!
Yes, she did!
Digging Girl was so excited she almost wanted to rush over, hug Bai Fu's thigh, and rub it fiercely.
Other Players were equally thrilled.
Those who liked Bai Fu's appearance and those who pursued Hidden Tasks both felt they had struck gold.
But before they could revel in excitent for long, Bai Fu poured cold water over them.
"To be honest, I've always been doubtful about this Holy Word, and I just can't imagine the legendary Hero would co to assassinate late at night."
Ah, what?
All Players shafully bowed their heads.
They should die for having committed such a mistake; how were they to atone now?
"But this ti," Bai Fu paused, "I shall half-believe it. Heroes can also have their green mistakes."
Ah?
Now it was the Players' turn to lift their heads and look at Bai Fu with incredulity.
They never expected Bai Fu's attitude toward them to take such an unexpected turn.
What shocked them even more was that Bai Fu walked up to Digging Girl and calmly helped her straighten out the clothes that she had disheveled earlier.
She's so gentle!
Contrasted with this, even Afu, who only thought about leveling up by fighting monsters, felt a bit embarrassed, and the other Players were filled with even more guilt, feeling they owed Bai Fu too much and had no idea how to repay her.
"Moreover, after carefully considering it, what you said might not be out of the question. Lately, there indeed are those who see as a thorn in their flesh. I had intended to hide my power, but now it seems a bit tricky."
Bai Fu moved her hand away from Digging Girl.
"Alright, after such a commotion just now, it's best if no one cos to check out the situation. If they see you guys, you won't be able to escape. You should go. I'll co find you tomorrow."
Bai Fu gave them an address.
Since she had said as much, Digging Girl and the others had to comply.
Even as their feet trod upon the uneven road, they still felt that what happened tonight didn't seem real.
"The legendary Heroes, it seems you must prove yourself to Fufu now."
"How strong do you think Bai Fu's real power is? Just catching a glimpse of her when she grabbed Digging Girl made feel like I was about to freeze."
"Who knows? All I know is that Fufu is a very gentle person."
"Don't you think Fufu is very cool? That block, that pinch, so cool! This combination of gentleness and coldness is just too cool!" Digging Girl's eyes sparkled with stars.
"Beco a Follower of Fu" got sentintal, "That's Fufu for you. Gentleness is her nature, but she carries a very heavy mission and has to show her cold side to her enemies."
As they talked, one Player, still in residual shock, said, "Good thing Bai Fu's real power is terrifyingly strong. Otherwise, we could've made a grave mistake tonight, and we might have just cut off a major storyline."
His ntion turned the faces of the other Players pale.
Embarrassnt turned into guilt, then into towering rage.
"We'll talk about other things later. I'm going to find the one who issued the Task and settle the score right now!"
"Beco a Follower of Fu" clenched his fists.
The other Players expressed their intentions to join.
In the night breeze, ten Players in a state of rage stord off toward the Task turn-in location.
Bai Fu, watching them leave, nodded her head, content.
She was sowhat looking forward to seeing what the reaction would be of the person who wanted her gone once they learned their minions had been beaten up by the Players.
Reviews
All reviews (0)