Chi Chuchun snapped back to her senses and also logged out quickly.
Waking from the immersion pod, Xu Xiaoyou silently hurried out of the room, choosing to use 【Aura Mimicry】 and 【Disguise Card】 on herself, avoiding crowded areas along the way.
She finally understood why the people at the Oasis Club were all looking down at the curtain; it turned out to be something related to her.
Deep Blue Tide?
Ostensibly both being luminous prism grade fixers, prisms capable of refracting the brilliance of the world, she had no connection with the other party, so why would they show such strong interest in her?
This thought was dismissed by Xu Xiaoyou as soon as it emerged; she didn't even need to consider the logic of the situation, because that madwoman's actions were entirely devoid of it.
The word "apprehension" didn't exist in that person's dictionary; based purely on their mood, they could randomly select a major family power to annihilate.
If that woman really found out the real-world locations of the Queen's Arms members, she had no doubt the other party would be at her door with an elegant smile the next second.
Xu Xiaoyou had always been walking on an invisible tightrope; everything she possessed was, at best, a tiny chip, yet she used this miniscule stake to leverage the entire world, gaining massive assets and interests while bearing the risk of falling and being shattered to pieces.
Xu Xiaoyou knew better than anyone how miserable her fate would be once the heavy pressure of the lever's backlash came down.
Despite all her calculations, she hadn't expected to stumble because of a madwoman.
If Deep Blue Tide found her in reality, the woman would likely see through her facade at a glance; regardless of whether the madwoman would tear her apart for the deception, merely exposing her true background to the association would be enough to cast her into the abyss.
She had to leave the Northern Realm as soon as possible; she wasn't so arrogant as to truly believe she could stand on equal footing with someone of the luminous prism grade.
Such beings had already ascended to another level of existence, operating in an entirely different dimension from creatures below the prism grade, as distinct as clouds and mud.
Even Deep White Midnight, who wasn't known for combat ability, possessed ceiling-level strength and had once single-handedly stormed the Light-Chaser Tower, shaking the entire association headquarters alone.
Hurrying back to the hotel room, she packed her and Akabane Tsubaki's luggage.
Before she could decide on a further strategy, a knock came from the door, and Xu Xiaoyou's pupils constricted, only to hear a slightly raspy voice.
"It's me."
Angelina?
Why would she come back at this time?
Confirming that the aura outside the door was indeed Angelina's, Xu Xiaoyou opened the door, and the sight before her caused a sudden surge of shock in her heart.
The girl's eyes matched her dull silver hair, and her pitch-black coat was soaked through with blood, her state unstable, and a ghastly laceration nearly tore through her from her abdomen to her shoulder.
As Angelina's shoulders heaved, poisonous blood was pressed out of her chest and flowed through the blood vessels of her entire body, while the fine black patterns on her neck writhed like insects.
Black blood slid down from the corner of the girl's forehead, seeping drop by drop into the grey rug, turning it a darker shade.
In the corridor, the passing hotel staff ignored the scent of blood radiating from the silver-haired girl and nodded to Xu Xiaoyou in greeting.
Clearly, the other party had used some method to hide her presence so that only she could see it.
"I'm sorry you have to see me in such a pathetic state," Angelina said with a self-deprecating, weak smile. "I... I really didn't know where to go or who to find..."
"It feels like I have no other anchor point in this world; I don't know anyone, so I've just been drifting on a boundless ocean, floating lonely wherever the waves take me. No one cares about my feelings or gives me warmth, let alone anyone willing to lend a helping hand."
"Why look at me like that... I won this hunt, I killed that tusk whale king, cough cough... I'm just a little hurt. My heart is still beating, my blood is still flowing hot, I haven't lost..."
Angelina's breathing was ragged as she spoke incessantly, saying whatever came to mind, both slow and hurried.
In her raspy eyes, a mist like rolling clouds swirled, and as the wind blew gently, it wavered, nearly scattering the fog.
"I really didn't lose..."
"Don't say another word," Xu Xiaoyou said, lowering her eyes.
"I didn't lose."
She could no longer hold on and collapsed unsteadily onto Xu Xiaoyou, both of them falling into the room.
Xu Xiaoyou's back struck the door gently as she stared at her white flower tie, now stained with black blood, her brow furrowing.
Angelina pressed against her, her body temperature frighteningly low, and Xu Xiaoyou could clearly feel the other's life force slowly draining away.
Warm whispers, like gently tickling feathers, were the only warmth the other party possessed.
Angelina's consciousness fell into an endless, heavy silence; the faint scent of hyacinth mixed with honey from the girl floating in the air became a beacon that anchored her, and the warmth leaning against her forehead kept her from being completely swallowed by the icy mire.
Her eyes closed slowly, then struggled to open a small slit; she rested her head on Xu Xiaoyou's shoulder and gave a forced smile, "I'm still useful to you, right? Help me..."
"But I'm leaving the Northern Realm," Xu Xiaoyou said, turning her head, the sea within her eyes calm and waveless.
Angelina lowered her head, her eyelids drooping.
Her vision drifted, and the golden strand of hair floating in the air was all she could see; if even this strand was to float away, she would truly have nothing left.
"Is that so? Have I become a burden to you?"
"If I'm a burden, then just discard me."
As soon as Akabane Tsubaki returned to the room, she saw Xu Xiaoyou sitting by the bed, which was now occupied by a heavily injured silver-haired girl whose closed eyelashes trembled as if she were in constant pain.
The moonlight cast a soft contour over the blonde girl and illuminated the worry on her face.
"Yuzu, she is..." Akabane Tsubaki started.
"I can't explain it right now," Xu Xiaoyou said, withdrawing the life-giving green light from her palm.
"The plan can't keep up with the changes; we can't leave the Northern Realm for the time being."
Xu Xiaoyou rubbed her brow, tossing all her calculated thoughts to the back of her mind.
There was no way she could just leave Angelina alone; the girl's injuries were severe, and the tusk whale king's potent poison had invaded her body, preventing her wounds from healing.
Perhaps this powerful physique could heal itself, but if her presence were exposed to those around her during her coma, or if Deep Blue Tide discovered her, the consequences would be unimaginable.
As for Deep Blue Tide, after calming down and thinking about it, Xu Xiaoyou came up with another plan.
She made a crazy decision, betting that the Dawn Agency could erase all traces of her existence in the Northern Realm overnight and forge evidence to make everyone believe she had already left.
[Tao Shier: Your idea is certainly bold enough. Let me be clear, the risk is enormous. Who knows how sharp that madwoman's senses are? The fixers at our Northern Realm branch have already started the cleanup work; they're the best at this, and we can only help you avoid risks as much as possible.]
[Tao Shier: Is something wrong? If you're heading to the Hive City at the edge of the world alone, it shouldn't be hard to shake off that madwoman.]
[Tao Shier: Her target is only you; don't worry too much about the safety of that little family head.]
Xu Xiaoyou gazed at the deep, silent night sky; tonight was destined not to be peaceful.
The sound of crashing waves echoed under the leaden sky, and fur-lined deer boots stepped onto the ice, kicking up snow dust.
The ice emitted a faint cracking sound as violent seawater surged into the sky through the gaps, and a pair of gorgeous amber pupils reflected this frozen world.
Bitter winds blew toward the edge of the world as massive layers of ice slid from the cliffs, falling continuously until they struck the sea surface in a single moment, sending up surging waves; the pitch-black sea stretched beyond sight, and not even the furthest horizon revealed a single light of civilization.
On the opposite side of the ice, a little penguin stood quietly, its thick black and white down covered in a layer of ice crystals.
Its beak grew from the top of its head, it had no eyes, and its oval flippers were placed on either side of its rounded belly, looking quite cute.
After a brief stare, its entire head suddenly split in half from the beak down; at the rift, granulation tissue like writhing vines connected the split chest together, the edges lined with sharp teeth as a massive eyeball popped out from within.
Ace of Clubs and Ace of Hearts took the penguin that was trying to join the fun down into the icy sea, expressionlessly lifting their cameras to snap a series of photos of her, nodding and giving a thumbs up.
Substitute: "?"
Rate on N.U.
