LWGP - Chapter 216
Chapter 216: Making a Mistake
There weren't many suspicious points, but they were unsettling enough to make one curious, yet there was no time to ponder them.
1. Why, when she clearly knew Liu Guang was problematic, given her personality, even if she wasn't sure he was from the Black Witch Organization, would she not just kill him in private without any risk? Yet she allowed him to participate in the battle and successfully teleport in tens of thousands of believers. Was it for the thrill of a climactic reversal at the end? Was she that flamboyant a person?
2. Yan Hui possessed the strongest predictive abilities here and knew about the little demon king army in advance. And she had long since created the White Bone Bodies, powerful slaves so stealthy that even Song Yin failed to detect them. She could have slaughtered the little demon king army beneath Phoenix Mountain long ago. Even if she couldn't exterminate them, she could have killed the majority. But she didn't. She didn't touch the little demon king army at all.
3. From the beginning of the apocalyptic game, her methods had been extreme because she needed to buy time. Not only because the difficulty of treating the Old Lady increased dramatically with time, but also because the frequency of her own impending sacrifice and consumption was constantly increasing. If she had this premonition, knowing she would face the Black Witch Organization's intense schemes on the Sichuan battlefield, she naturally had to prepare for potential risks. This included the sacrifice being moved up again. Thus, she needed to resolve this risk.
So, the little demon king army came, Liu Guang came, and the army of believers came too.
This was the escape route she had prepared for herself.
If there was no sacrifice, it meant the situation was still under her control. It wouldn't matter if these people came; they would just be free kills and resources delivered to her doorstep, not to be wasted.
If there was a sacrifice, then someone had to die in her place.
This wasn't the first time she had done this.
She had always been an infinitely ruthless person for the sake of survival.
Life was being cruelly devoured. This consumption infinitely demonstrated the terror of the Witches, the cruelty of the sacrifice, and the coldness of Wang Jiu.
Song Yin seemed to understand something.
Wang Jiu said nothing, simply plunging the staff into Song Yin's chest.
She had never possessed much superfluous pity.
Especially not for her enemies.
Song Yin, however, maintained a certain degree of composure. In the process of dying, he lay on the ground looking at her.
Perhaps because he was powerful, he died slowly, and thus had much to say.
"No wonder you survived the operating room in the basement of Miao Village. I think you proactively used the totem on your back to hypnotize and induce Zhou Shanren and the others. Their greed for power made them disobey their superior's orders. They secretly tore the skin from your back, cut off and consumed your flesh and blood, thinking they could transfer your power to themselves. Little did they know, in doing so, they became tainted with your aura. When the time for the sacrifice in the sacrificial cave of Miao Mountain arrived, they, carrying the totem-inscribed human skin, were compelled to go to the altar and become the sacrifices in your place."
"That's also why the people at the Miao Village branch disappeared without a trace, yet with no signs of being attacked or killed. It was because they left of their own accord."
"And in the years that followed, right up until the start of the apocalyptic game this year, starting from Miao Village, wherever Auntie was, people would always disappear without reason. The officials thought the Demon King was on a killing spree, while our side thought it was a secret government unit eliminating members of the organization. But in reality, it was you, acting to create substitutes to die for you, and to erase the traces of your time as a long-term experimental subject for the organization."
"You are the original Demon King."
The original, first-generation Demon King. The subsequent Four Demon Kings were, in fact, all following her path. That was why the current Four Demon Kings ultimately failed to defeat her.
Wang Jiu, one hand on her staff, looked down at Song Yin. She didn't respond, only applied a little pressure, and the staff smoothly pierced through his body.
Blood irrigated the ground as Song Yin's HP rapidly decreased.
Yet he was smiling, after a long sigh.
"Finally, I can die."
"But living is a painful thing, Wang Ah Jiu."
He might have had his own story, but it was not one to be told, and he would never regret it, for the path was his own choosing.
Never turn back.
So he would stab Wang Jiu with one last knife.
"You said you lured Zhou Shanren and the others to research your flesh and blood to save yourself… but it created a monster like you. So, could the same thing happen to Jiong Jiong? Because, she's also been alive all this time."
The light in Song Yin's eyes vanished.
The expressions of Xie Lu, Liu Wuren, and the others changed drastically.
But Wang Jiu stared blankly at his corpse, the fingers gripping her staff trembling slightly.
Finally, she opened her mouth and vomited a large mouthful of blood.
They had acted in so many plays, and though neither had ever truly lost themselves in their roles, they at least understood each other completely.
The more intimate the relationship, the more dangerous.
In the end, there was no absolute loser, nor an absolute victor.
Half an hour later, the dust had settled. The vast Bashu Territory was enveloped in two different atmospheres.
People were either busy cleaning the battlefield and handling the aftermath, or quietly resting and healing.
One of motion, one of stillness, yet it was harmonious.
Wang Shu and the others sat in a classical garden courtyard within the Bashu Territory. Looking up, they could see the top-tier protective shield, still hanging on with 1% HP, and the light rain drizzling in the courtyard.
It was dusk, not yet the time for night rain. The plantain leaves were not withered but moist and glossy, while the flowers, though vibrant, seemed tinged with melancholy.
Although they had won the battle, the heroic spirits of the dead were above, and the living could not forget. Perhaps it would take time.
Victory needed to be savored with a solemn and simple emotion, but first, they had to be allowed to grieve.
Wang Shu, his chubby face sticky with sweat, for once wasn't rushing to tally the massive resource income from this battle. Was it because a few people he had known had died?
Not really.
War inevitably brought casualties. It had been almost a month since the apocalypse began; were there few people dying every day? He should be used to it.
Besides, they weren't his closest family or friends. It wasn't that serious.
He was just sad about something else.
"I might have said the wrong thing," Wang Shu said, as if to himself.
Qiao Xuejing, who was helping with bandages, looked up slightly, her clear gaze sweeping over him. "What did you say to the Captain?"
Wang Shu was actually a very worldly person; he wouldn't get hung up and depressed over battle deaths. So it had to be about Lao Wang.
"I asked her if people can't turn back once they've done something wrong."
The words themselves weren't much; he was just voicing his own question. But thinking back now, he suddenly felt that Wang Jiu's expression under the night sky that evening had been subtly off for a moment.
Restrained, yet it had released a hint of indescribable bitterness.
Perhaps she had already known about the thing Song Yin said at the end.
Or perhaps, at that moment, she was thinking of something else related to the Old Lady. She had made a mistake, but she couldn't turn back.
Qiao Xuejing fell silent for a moment, finished the bandaging, and gave Liao Luo a bottle of medicine to dispel corpse poison. She turned back to Wang Shu and said coolly, "To her, right and wrong are her own business. It has never had anything to do with others, nor with whether you ask. But if you're sensitive to this kind of issue yourself, that's actually a good thing."
"Self-reflection is a virtue."
Qiao Xuejing had a natural fondness for Wang Jiu, perhaps because deep down, they both possessed a ruthlessness they wouldn't let others comment on, even if the personas they projected to the world were beautiful and noble.
But that didn't mean they needed to please the world.
Therefore, she didn't think Song Yin's last words would have any damaging effect on Wang Jiu.
If they did, it only meant the damage already existed.
It was just unknown to others.
Wang Shu tilted his head. "Alright, I don't really get what you mean, but Sister, you're pretty, so whatever you say is right."
Qiao Xuejing raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly. Beside them, Dao Dao kicked Wang Shu with a trotter. Wang Shu initially thought Dao Dao had misunderstood and thought he was flirting with Goddess Qiao, feeling wronged. But he quickly realized Dao Dao was warning him about what was ahead.
Oh boy, the atmosphere up ahead was not right.
Liu Wuren's sister, Liu Sheng, was truly a genius. Every time she arranged the seating, it was an extreme Asura field of drama.
Snow Sea Forest Stream was adjacent to Sky Eye on the left and Cai Market on the right. In front of them were Luo Sheng and Tan Yingzhou, two prominent figures from prestigious families who, despite talking about socializing, were clearly trying to hit on Lao Wang.
Was the atmosphere awkward?
Not at all.
Everyone was very composed, displaying a natural grace.
For adults, decorum is very important.
Even Lin Xiaoniang controlled her flirtatious aura.
Perhaps the only one who didn't hold back was Wen Juanzhi. After noticing Xiao Jue sizing him up several times, he turned his head, met the other's gaze for a few seconds, then turned away, lowered his head, and said, as if to himself but for anyone to hear, "Before my family was ruined, I saw her at a banquet once. I knew she was unusual. Later, when my family fell from grace, I wanted to avenge my parents, but I had nowhere to turn for help. So I set my sights on her. She was strange, often taking the Subway alone. The places she went were never the same, but she always departed from one fixed station. I started staking out that subway entrance, singing and playing my instrument, hoping each time that she would stop and look at me, just like a product trying to package itself in a way that interests the customer. But she never once stopped. I wanted to give up so many times. But for 128—a full 128 nights—I don't even know why I persisted. And on the last night, she finally paused, listened to my entire piece for the first time, and asked me a question."
He looked up at Xiao Jue. "Do you know what she asked me?"
Xiao Jue raised an eyebrow but didn't ask.
Wen Juanzhi smiled lightly. "She asked me, did she look like a rabbit?"
Wang Jiu, a rabbit?
It seemed like a comical question now, but back then, the her of the past, even if she wasn't a rabbit, was a radiant white swan.
But could it also be an allusion, like waiting for a rabbit to dash itself against a tree stump?
"Of course she's not a rabbit." Wen Juanzhi straightened up, leaning against the pillar behind him, ignoring the pain from the corpse qi on his back. He just said in a numb and gentle tone, "To me, she is a good person."
"An extremely dangerous, terrifyingly good person."
His explanation to Xiao Jue wasn't really for him; it was for many people to hear.
No matter how complex his feelings for Wang Jiu were—a mix of respect, awe, and resentment—Wen Juanzhi knew who had helped him. He didn't want the recent events of the sacrifice and Song Yin's words to cause these people to be prejudiced against Wang Jiu. He was also implying that since they had accepted her favor and achieved victory because of her, they couldn't stand on some moral high ground and point fingers at her, not even behind her back.
As a celebrity, he knew all too well the harm of public opinion.
Furthermore, in his transaction with Wang Jiu, it was fair, each getting what they needed. He didn't want Wang Jiu to be seen by outsiders as someone who used her power to bully others.
Although she certainly wouldn't care.
Xiao Jue saw through Wen Juanzhi's intentions, curled his lip slightly, and said, "It's the apocalypse. Who's still talking about good guys and bad guys? We're not children."
The two dog men, with their words, were implicitly suggesting, "Let's not be moral hypocrites, shall we?"
There really weren't any!
Although many people were indeed wary and fearful, they would never dare to criticize her actions. But before they could even think about it, these two men had jumped out to remind them.
The crowd secretly rolled their eyes, but no one really continued to discuss Wang Jiu.
Even if they did, it could only be praise, but soon even the praise died down.
Through the antique moon gate up ahead, the Demon King Yan Hui, shrouded in heavy black energy, arrived, attracting the attention of the many people resting and healing in the courtyard.
This place had been temporarily designated as a rest and recovery area for elite members, including people from several territories and Bashu officials.
In the adjacent courtyard were representatives of other races like Gun Gun. They were also recovering, but it was likely they would have a round of negotiations with the humans later.
After the battle, the elites who had been secretly looking down on each other or competing had become much more harmonious. In the words of Zhao Si, the most resilient bonds are forged either by whoring together or by fighting together (this might also apply to women). So, everyone was getting along quite well. The handy priestesses from various families, after recovering some spirit power, would even toss a few Holy Light spells at others. Look at the little priest brother from the White Horse Club, flitting about like a butterfly helping people, although the people he helped were all little brothers (hmm… the White Horse Club has a wide range of services).
But the decent atmosphere still solidified with Yan Hui's arrival.
Lao Wang was an anomaly who could make the whole scene tense and paranoid. The killing machine she raised was the same. When Yan Hui entered, everyone fell silent.
Not far away, Wen Juanzhi, who was heavily injured but had refused help from the priest Jiang Yun, relying only on his own recovery, subconsciously looked toward him.
The Demon King had come, not for healing, nor for rest, but because in an inner room of this courtyard, Liu Wuren and other officials, as well as high-level figures from the central government who had arrived not long ago, were currently meeting with someone.
Wang Jiu.
An interrogation? An investigation? Not really. It seemed very polite; they had even specifically set aside time for Wang Jiu to shower and heal.
Wang Shu and the others weren't worried about Wang Jiu being at a disadvantage.
A disadvantage was impossible. If her treatment was poor, the place would have exploded. Wang Shu and the others, squatting at the entrance to the outer courtyard, had a tacit understanding. That's why they were sparing no effort in restoring their spirit power while healing. See, Sister Lin's recovery array had been active the whole time.
So, Yan Hui's entrance was most likely also because of Wang Jiu.
It was very abrupt. Xie Lu, who was chatting with a playboy-esque top expert, couldn't help but stand up. Looking at Yan Hui, he asked, "Is something wrong with her?"
Yan Hui glanced at him. From beneath the shriveled, ugly human-skin mask, his eyes were obscure and profound. He said hoarsely, "I don't know. She told me to come in."
There had to be a purpose for him coming in, right?
Just then, Shen Wan passed by in the corridor and was immediately caught by an anxious Wang Shu. "Hey, hey, Sister Wanwan, what's my Master up to? Are you guys bullying her?"
Shen Wan: "?"
You really dare to ask that question.
"I did not attend the meeting, so I do not know. But please rest assured." After a pause, Shen Wan refrained from saying that no one could bully a person who could slay a dragon with a single move. But as a diplomat, her communication skills were up to par.
"The Lord of Gobi is a person who commands respect."
The young lady really knew how to talk. Wang Shu immediately became modest on behalf of his master, a step above his station. "Not at all, not at all. When my Master isn't talking or fighting, she is indeed a noble and dignified person."
Shen Wan, who had personally witnessed Lao Wang's "bed scene," was speechless. "..."
Wang Shu: "Sister Wanwan, why are you blushing?"
No wonder Liu Wuren didn't like to interact with people from Gobi. Shen Wan helplessly pulled her sleeve back, turned her face away, and said coolly, "I'll go in and see."
But she suddenly realized she didn't need to, because the door to the inner courtyard opened.
Wang Jiu's meeting with the higher-ups was over.
She came out.
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