“You are… a witch?”
Upon seeing the young woman materialize before her, Bai Zhiqiu’s astonishment was palpable. She had yet to encounter another witch, save for herself and, naturally, her master.
“Of course… aren’t you one yourself?” The young woman’s crimson lips curved into a slight smile, her enchanting voice drifting into both their ears.
“Run!”
Within Bai Zhiqiu’s mind, Yin’s voice, tinged with an unmistakable tremor, resonated ceaselessly, its urgent core message distilled into a single, imperative word: ‘Run!’
“What’s happening?” Bai Zhiqiu pressed, her voice edged with concern.
“I recognize that witch! You’re in grave danger; you must flee at once!” Yin’s voice faltered for a moment, as though she wrestled with a decision, before finally revealing to Bai Zhiqiu, “That’s Poppy! Her appearance here can only mean she’s come to seize you!”
At Yin’s revelation, Bai Zhiqiu’s heart plummeted. It had never occurred to her that the witch standing directly before them was, in fact, the primary antagonist of their entire expedition.
Lifting her gaze, her eyes locked with the young woman’s dark crimson yet strikingly bright irises. Bai Zhiqiu found herself utterly unable to reconcile the innocent appearance of the girl before her with the fearsome reputation of the legendary witch leader.
“Is something amiss? Why are you staring at me so intently? Do I have something on my face?” Poppy gently touched her cheek, then offered a playful wink to Bai Zhiqiu.
“No… nothing at all… If there’s truly nothing, then we shall take our leave now! Perhaps we can converse at length if fate allows us to meet again. Until never again! Ah, no, that’s not right! I meant, until next time!”
With those words, Bai Zhiqiu seized Tulip’s hand and sprinted towards the entryway. If they could just make it back, the remaining concerns would fall to Yan Qingzhu and Jasmine.
There was no time to lose; they had to flee immediately!
“Leaving again, are we…”
As she watched Bai Zhiqiu’s rapidly receding figure, Yan Qingzhu found herself momentarily lost in a daze.
Yet, this fleeting moment of abstraction was swiftly dispelled, replaced by a subtle smile.
With a gentle flick of her wrist, Poppy made a gesture, and in an instant, Bai Zhiqiu materialized directly before her.
“Tulip, hurry! If that witch ensnares us, we’re doomed! Huh? Where did everyone go?”
A sudden emptiness in her hand startled Bai Zhiqiu. She glanced behind her, only to see the entrance and Tulip far in the distance.
‘Then where exactly am I…?’
Before Bai Zhiqiu could even fully register her predicament, inertia propelled her forward, causing her to collide with a surprisingly soft form.
A peculiar, alluring fragrance enveloped her. Lifting her head, Bai Zhiqiu found herself gazing into those dark crimson eyes, which now sparkled with profound amusement.
“Miss Higanbana~ We meet again! This time, we can finally have a proper conversation~ I wonder if the opportunity now presents itself?” Poppy’s gaze, brimming with a playful smile, fixed upon Bai Zhiqiu, though her words were merely a pretense of inquiry. Already, Poppy’s arm had draped itself around Bai Zhiqiu’s shoulder, while her other hand began to gently caress Bai Zhiqiu’s long hair.
“May I perhaps suggest that it’s inconvenient?” Bai Zhiqiu asked, her large, ruby-like eyes blinking innocently as she looked at Poppy.
“Why, of course you can!” Poppy chirped, “But do ensure there’s an opportunity next time, won’t you~” With that, Poppy retracted the arm that had been draped around Bai Zhiqiu’s shoulder, though not before giving the little witch’s stubbornly upright ahoge a final, playful tug.
Such kindness? Upon hearing Poppy’s unexpected agreement to release her, Bai Zhiqiu found herself momentarily bewildered. She had fully anticipated being immediately apprehended, then confined to some dark, inescapable chamber. Was it truly possible she was being let off so easily?
“Could it be that Miss Higanbana has decided she no longer wishes to depart?” Poppy’s smile broadened, a hint of something more profound entering her expression.
“I’m leaving right this instant!”
Declaring this, Bai Zhiqiu bolted towards the entryway. In the distance, Tulip had already been safely escorted back to the city walls by the timely arrival of Jasmine, while Yan Qingzhu was now sprinting directly towards her.
Yet, to her dismay, mere steps before reaching the protective embrace of the entryway’s defenses, Bai Zhiqiu found herself inexplicably returned to Poppy’s side once more.
“Miss Higanbana, why ever have you returned? This marks the third time, you know~ Surely now there’s an opportunity for us to converse?” Poppy’s smile deepened considerably, and her voice, though soft and silken, carried an undercurrent of icy warning that Bai Zhiqiu could not ignore. It implied that any further attempts to flee would undoubtedly trigger truly dire consequences.
“There’s an opportunity this time! What would Big Sister like to know?” Bai Zhiqiu declared, then, with a calculated move, she deliberately leaned into Poppy’s embrace, nuzzling gently against her.
“Bai Zhiqiu! I utterly despise you!” Witnessing Bai Zhiqiu’s deliberate embrace, Yin, who lay nestled within the ahoge, erupted in a vehement protest. She was appalled by Bai Zhiqiu’s willingness to sacrifice her allure!
“What choice do I have? She’s a Sun Wheel-level entity! Forget now; even at your absolute peak, if you bound the two of us together, we still couldn’t hope to defeat her! Once Yan Qingzhu and Jasmine arrive, we’ll at least possess a slim chance of escape.” Bai Zhiqiu continued, all the while subtly rubbing against the softness of Poppy’s embrace. “Furthermore, what’s so wrong with sacrificing a little charm to buy us some time? And it’s not as if I’m necessarily at a disadvantage… at least hers are far superior to your anti-aircraft steel plates!”
As she reveled in the luxurious softness pressed against her, Bai Zhiqiu found herself momentarily lost in the sensation.
‘This is all for the greater plan! To think Miss Higanbana would sacrifice her allure like this—it’s enough to make one weep!’
“Could I just have a modicum of dignity, please? When did you become so utterly shameless!” Yin retorted, her voice tinged with helpless exasperation.
“Why would I need dignity? It just gets dirty and needs washing anyway!” Bai Zhiqiu declared with a brazen smirk.
Yin, utterly defeated, could only retreat further into Bai Zhiqiu’s ahoge, from which she discreetly observed the unfolding situation, her mind ceaselessly strategizing their potential escape.
“Might you tell me your name? Your human name, that is.”
Upon hearing Poppy’s request, Bai Zhiqiu faltered, a flicker of hesitation crossing her features. After all, casually divulging her true name could easily lead to being exposed, or ‘doxxed.’ Had Bai Yue not revealed her own name, Bai Zhiqiu would never have found herself in such a predicament, nor entangled in this convoluted series of events.
As if perceiving Bai Zhiqiu’s reluctance, Poppy did not press her, but instead continued speaking on her own accord.
“Gu Nian… that is my name…”
“Gu Nian…” Bai Zhiqiu whispered, testing the unfamiliar syllables.
“It’s truly beautiful… bearing a sense of detachment, yet imbued with such warmth…”
“I find it quite lovely as well…”
In some inexplicable way, Bai Zhiqiu detected both a profound warmth and a subtle undercurrent of melancholy within Poppy’s words. It felt as though Poppy were confiding her most beloved treasures to her dearest companion.
“Big Sister~ Could you possibly let me return first? I find myself a little parched!” Bai Zhiqiu maintained her radiant smile, yet her peripheral vision incessantly flickered towards the distant figures.
A surge of acute anxiety coursed through her.
‘Yan Qingzhu, Jasmine, can’t you possibly hasten your arrival? I’m on the verge of collapsing!’
From the corner of her eye, she observed Yan Qingzhu had already traversed half the distance. Jasmine, having just quelled a massive beast tide below the city, was now making her way towards them as well.
“If thirst assails you, you may partake of the nectar…”
“Nectar!” A wave of profound dread washed over Bai Zhiqiu at Gu Nian’s suggestion. The nectar from *that* particular flower was notoriously lethal!
“I absolutely refuse to drink it! Consuming such a substance is illegal!” Bai Zhiqiu declared, her voice ringing with vehement refusal.
“Oh? Is it truly illegal to drink Higanbana nectar these days? Human laws are peculiar indeed!”
“Wait, you mean *my* nectar?”
“Yes, precisely! What else would I mean? Surely you’re not unaware that Higanbana nectar is quite delightful?” Gu Nian blinked innocently, her eyes utterly pure and unblemished, like those of a pristine maiden stepping into the world for the very first time.
“I had assumed you meant that… dreadful substance,” Bai Zhiqiu admitted, offering a sheepish chuckle.
Poppy bent down and plucked a Higanbana bloom from the earth. With a gentle manipulation of her fingers, a few slightly viscous, crystalline beads of nectar slowly quivered and emerged from the flower’s very heart.
“Do try some! Higanbana nectar is exquisitely sweet!”