Wait and See

Upon sensing Arian's hostility, Xu Xiaoyou reacted immediately, using all her remaining cards: 【Hyper-vision】, 【Sensory Enhancement】, and 【Dynamic Perception】.

Her amber eyes lit up, and the world became clear in an instant, the visual feed divided into a thousand equal parts at a steady pace.

Everything became perfectly visible, down to the minutest detail: droplets of dew falling, insects flying through the air, and the swaying trajectories of the wild grass on the ground.

In this thousandth of a second, Xu Xiaoyou poured her psychic power into her perception without reservation, searching every corner of her field of vision for where her opponent might be.

Even so, the Deep Blue Tide transcended her perception in a single instant.

Her brain was overloaded to the limit, every brain cell screaming as they spiraled out of control.

By the time Xu Xiaoyou recovered her senses and caught her breath, the person behind her had already wrapped an arm around her waist, warm breath swirling near her neck.

Xu Xiaoyou heard a nearly imperceptible sound and snorted, her misplaced right hand grasping her long whip to lash upward, only for her wrist to be easily caught by the person behind her, pinning her in their embrace.

Arian hugged her from behind, resting her chin on the girl's shoulder with a beaming smile. Xu Xiaoyou was forced to tilt her head slightly, held firmly in an awkward position.

"You—"

"I advise you not to move. So many people are watching; it would be quite embarrassing."

Arian's seductive tone echoed in her ear.

Noticing the gazes of the guild members not far away, a layer of frost gradually formed in Xu Xiaoyou's heart.

She stopped resisting and kept her voice calm.

"What do you want?"

"Was it fun using me?" Arian asked.

Xu Xiaoyou responded with silence.

She could feel the other woman's hand restlessly moving up from her wrist like a cold venomous snake, pressing down on her palm and forcing her to let go of the long whip.

Arian let out a light laugh.

"There are plenty of fools who have tried to use me. They all thought I was an irredeemable lunatic, and so they all died. Do you understand?"

"People outside are all guessing how Miss Dark Gold Rose managed to reach grade 3 in such a short time."

Hearing the woman's words, Xu Xiaoyou felt a faint sense of dread.

As if enjoying this slight look of unease, Arian intentionally paused for a moment before continuing.

"Those analysts proposed countless possibilities and provided evidence to prove them. Admittedly, clearing dungeons, completing bounties, and killing elite creatures according to a set map route twenty-four hours a day could result in leveling up in such a short time."

"But they all overlooked one point."

"The more powerful a person is, the greater the gap between their body in the immersion pod and their body in the game, making it harder to overcome the effects of the consciousness sea offset."

"Whether it's me, Little White, or even that vast psychic existence, Pale Green Sage Li Cangxuan, none of us can overcome the offset of the consciousness sea. I'm truly curious, Miss Dark Gold Rose, how exactly do you ignore all obstacles and accomplish that impossible feat?"

Xu Xiaoyou's heart gradually calmed down, and Arian took in her expression completely.

"There is an item in the game called a 'hyperdimensional projector,' which can project a person's real-world status into the Oasis exactly as it is."

"I know all your secrets," Arian whispered in Xu Xiaoyou's ear. "Do you need me to reveal more information?"

Seeing that the blonde girl didn't respond, Arian seemed a bit disappointed, but she didn't let it spoil her mood, her tone rising with excitement.

"Miss Dark Gold Rose's bizarre methods."

"They are so, so mesmerizing."

"I'm getting more and more curious about you."

"The association's attitude is truly strange. There are suspicious points everywhere, yet they chose to bestow the title of luminous prism grade upon you."

"And you actually dared to use such small stakes to pry the lever of the entire world, making countless people believe in it. Truly interesting."

"How exactly did you manage to perform those bizarre feats?"

"I've decided. Until I figure everything out about you..."

"Are you going to kill me now?" Xu Xiaoyou asked, closing her eyes.

"?" Arian was stunned.

"Of course I couldn't just..."

"Then let me go."

Arian reflexively loosened her grip.

Xu Xiaoyou easily broke free from the embrace and walked toward her guild members without looking back, beginning to arrange the subsequent plans.

"Everything I have was obtained by paying a heavy price."

"That is all."

Arian watched Xu Xiaoyou walk away, the girl's final words echoing in her ears. The other party hadn't even tried to argue with her, as if they were deaf to everything she had said.

"You really are making me more and more curious about you."

Arian understood now.

This person had actually placed her as a stake at the end of that precarious lever.

"What will your ending be?"

"We'll wait and see."

Outside the Oasis, in the badlands.

The flickering firelight illuminated the cave, as well as Sevia's dust-covered face.

Her eyes, usually clear and bright, were slightly dimmed. The girl shook the dust off her clothes as she walked into the cave.

When she raised her oil lamp and found the corner empty, Sevia tried to turn around, but someone behind her attempted to choke her with their arm.

"How is this possible?"

A gentle flow of water moved through the air, actually forcing the sturdy arm outward.

From beginning to end, the female soldier had not even touched the girl. Instead, her entire body was easily restrained by the girl's water flow, making it impossible to move.

"Is this how you treat your savior?"

For some reason, Sevia's tone revealed a hint of displeasure.

With a light wave of her hand, the female soldier was sent flying backward and slammed hard against the wall. Had it not been for the water protecting her, that blow might have been enough to shatter her bones.

"I am much stronger than you imagine. This is just a warning. Don't try to struggle again," Sevia said, looking down at her.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

The female soldier was so shaken that her entire body trembled. The dust falling from the ceiling made her cough incessantly. Before she could pull out the bronze snake dagger hidden behind her, it was sliced into ten equal segments by an invisible water blade.

As soon as she looked up, a sharp water blade was already pressed against her throat.

Sevia walked slowly to her, placed the lamp on a stone pedestal, and sat down on the ground, her legs together and slightly bent.

She picked up a stone pomegranate from the floor and lowered her head to start grinding.

"Put the knife down," she said. "Please don't make me say it a second time."

It sounded less like a request and more like an order.

The water blade at the woman's throat pressed in slowly, leaving a faint bloody mark.

Seeing that the girl seemed serious, the female soldier hurriedly raised her hands in surrender.

Only then did Sevia's stern expression soften slightly, and she withdrew the water blade.

"It's just a habit of being on guard. I feel uncomfortable without a weapon in my hand. Sorry."

The female soldier leaned her head against the wall in relief.

Sevia stepped forward, her fingertips picking up the pasty herbs from the stone pomegranate and applying them to the woman's festering, oozing wound.

The coolness was accompanied by an abnormal burning pain, causing the soldier to hiss and twitch.

"Don't move," Sevia frowned.

"You look like you're in a very bad mood." The female soldier gave a bitter laugh, adjusting her posture as little as possible. "Did something happen?"

Sevia's movements paused, and she turned her head away gloomily.

"It's nothing. My kindness has been snatched away by rats."