“Please wait a moment. Let me gather my thoughts,” Luo Tianchen said, rubbing his temples. “I recall we agreed our relationship was purely a partnership. Now that I’ve reverted to my original form and the Witch Seed has been taken, this Witch Game should have nothing to do with me.”
“While I’m grateful you saved my life, I also helped you resolve a minor issue. Otherwise, if that monster had escaped and gone on a rampage, even you would have found it troublesome, wouldn’t you?”
“Mm… that’s certainly true. I never intended to use that bandage to threaten you; I was simply interested in your abilities,” Xia Luohua said with a smile.
“My… abilities?”
“Exceptional deduction, swift reactions, absolute decisiveness, and decent combat skills—these are all talents you possess. Of course, what I value even more is… your ‘Eye of Void’.”
Her face suddenly drew incredibly close, startling Luo Tianchen, who quickly retreated.
“I don’t know what you’re talking abou—” His words were cut off by Xia Luohua.
“Don’t be so quick to deny it. I possess special means and replayed that entire battle. Defeating the Witch’s husk by yourself was quite spectacular.”
“The power you awakened in that crisis, the one that seemed to see through everything your opponent thought, was undoubtedly the ‘Eye of Void’.”
‘By myself?’ Luo Tianchen mused. ‘Does that mean even Xia Luohua didn’t detect The Little Girl’s presence?’
The identity of The Loli grew increasingly mysterious in his mind.
“What exactly is that?” Luo Tianchen feigned ignorance.
“It’s a legendary eye said to see through everything: an opponent’s thoughts, the trajectory of their moves, even the flow of time, the principles of the world, and the direction of fate itself.”
“One could say it was the most coveted existence among ancient seekers of truth.”
‘It’s similar to what that little girl said. It seems she wasn’t lying to me,’ Luo Tianchen thought. ‘Even so, she is an extremely dangerous entity. Never get too close to the unknown—that’s my life’s creed.’
“So, this ability is quite rare, then?” Luo Tianchen asked tentatively.
“It’s beyond just rare. In our records, at least, we’ve never seen two people possess this ability simultaneously.”
“Moreover, its appearance is utterly unpredictable, completely disregarding bloodline inheritance. To this day, we haven’t figured out how it’s acquired.”
“Now do you understand how valuable you are?” Xia Luohua exclaimed, patting Luo Tianchen’s shoulder with force.
“Could you please stop talking about ‘value’?” Luo Tianchen sighed, feeling as though he were a courtesan selling himself. His mind raced with countless thoughts. “Are you implying you want me to become something like your servant? Otherwise, many people will come looking for me, won’t they?”
“Aren’t you quite clear on that already? And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a servant, you know. If you wanted, a husband wouldn’t be out of the question either?” she said, a wicked smile playing on her lips, leaving him unsure if she was serious or joking.
“However, even if I agreed, Lili wouldn’t, would she?” Luo Tianchen glanced at Lili, who was pouting angrily and looking out the window.
“Relax, relax. I already promised her that I’d turn you into a girl for a while so she could play with you occasionally, and she agreed!”
“Moreover, I guarantee that after this matter concludes, I won’t significantly interfere with your life. I’ll only subtly borrow your power when necessary.”
“You can do whatever you want normally and pursue the ordinary life you desire. With me protecting you, you won’t fear harassment from others in the underworld like me.”
“All these benefits can be yours simply by signing this treaty. Why hesitate when you can act? Quickly pick up that pen, young man!” Xia Luohua said seductively, pulling out a pre-prepared agreement from seemingly nowhere.
“Oh, this sounds quite good—wait, what the hell?! Occasionally turning into a girl? Haven’t I had enough trouble these past few days?”
Xia Luohua ignored his complaints, clasping her hands behind her head as she gazed up at the ceiling.
“…It seems I have no choice in the matter.”
Both of them understood the unspoken implications. On the surface, it appeared to be a simple, mutually beneficial contract, but beneath lay many other terms.
What Luo Tianchen would truly gain was Xia Luohua’s full assistance, not only in helping Bingying escape this dangerous Witch Game but also protection from future threats posed by others.
In return, Xia Luohua would gain superficial ownership over him, along with an undefined “small favor.” This, for now, seemed to be the only win-win solution.
“In that case, just sign your name,” Xia Luohua said cheerfully, handing the paper to Luo Tianchen.
‘On the surface, it looks no different from an ordinary contract,’ he thought. ‘But even a fool would know there’s something amiss, like a terrifying curse if I violate the agreement.’
‘With such thoughts, signing my name on this paper makes me feel a little afraid indeed…’
“Did you two… forget I was here?”
The contract was snatched away. Luo Tianchen looked up to see Luo Tianlian crumple it into a ball and casually toss it over her shoulder.
“I don’t care what private agreements you have,” she declared. “But when it comes to *his* affairs, did you bother to ask me?”
“Hah? Just a younger sister, yet so arrogant,” Xia Luohua sneered, emphasizing the words “younger sister.”
“He’s *my* ‘older brother.’ Is it your place, an outsider, to interject?” Luo Tianlian retorted, unwilling to back down.
“Hmph hmph hmph hmph hmph.”
“Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo.”
Wow, their fighting spirits were visibly rising. Was this going to turn ugly?
If this continued, the two of them might actually come to blows!
To prevent his sister from being utterly dominated, Luo Tianchen interjected, “Um…”
“You shut up!” they both snapped in unison. Luo Tianchen wisely chose to remain silent.
“Huh? What’s going on? Is class over?”
At this crucial moment, Bingying groggily sat up from the edge of the bed. “Oh, right. I remember I came to see Luo Tianlian, and then…” She turned to face Luo Tianchen, who was bare-chested.
“Yo, you’re awake?” Luo Tianchen greeted her kindly.
Bingying’s face instantly shifted from pale to green, then from green to crimson. After a long pause, she finally stammered out, “W-why are you, Tianchen, lying here, and… and you’re not even dressed…”
“Ah, there’s a very long story behind this…”
“Perfect. Now that everyone involved is here, shouldn’t *you* have something to say, you scoundrel?” Luo Tianlian said, glaring at Xia Luohua.
“My apologies, but this is a state secret. Little girls like you aren’t permitted to know such things.”
“Hmph, I don’t know how many times I’ve seen ‘those things.’ There aren’t many state secrets I *don’t* know.”
‘Honestly, are you two naturally incompatible? Why do you manage to argue over every little thing?’ Luo Tianchen wondered. ‘And my dear sister, did you just inadvertently say something terrifying?’
“Alright, I’ll explain. In short, the situation is actually like this…” Luo Tianchen spent about half an hour detailing the entire story from his perspective, including the pasts of Yao Xinchang and Li Qiqiao. (See Volume 1 for details.)
After listening, everyone fell into deep thought.
“…So, that’s how it is?” Bingying murmured, lowering her head.
“According to your explanation, the participants this time should be girls who harbored strong desires that have already been fulfilled, correct?” Xia Luohua inquired.
“As far as we can tell, that seems to be the case. Yao Xinchang yearned to kill those who persecuted her. Li Qiqiao desired the courage for revenge. And Bingying, I imagine…”
Luo Tianchen paused, glancing at the silent Bingying. “She wished for a complete body, didn’t she?”
“So, the ritual should have taken place three years ago, and all participants have already had their wishes granted. Therefore, the Witch Game should no longer have a reason to exist. Is that what you’re implying?” Xia Luohua asked, crossing her arms.
Luo Tianchen nodded. “Precisely. Since their wishes have been fulfilled, there should be no need for them to kill each other. However, if Li Qiqiao’s incident hadn’t occurred, would everyone truly have been able to live out their remaining lives in peace? I have my doubts.”
“Li Qiqiao’s rampage wasn’t accidental. Is someone manipulating things from behind the scenes?” Xia Luohua asked.
“I don’t know. There are too many unknowns. It could be a witch, or a dark sorcerer. Setting everything else aside, the game itself is shrouded in mystery. What was the purpose of that ritual?”
If there was any single clue at this point, it could only be found through Bingying.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know either.” Bingying, understanding what Luo Tianchen was about to ask, shook her head. “I can’t recall how I received that letter, or even the location and specific form of the ritual. I know nothing about the other participants either.”
“The next day, I simply woke up at home, all my injuries gone.”
‘Is that so? If even she can’t remember, then this becomes rather troublesome.’
However, Luo Tianchen seemed to recall Li Qiqiao saying something specific: “Who are you? You shouldn’t be among the participants. Who are you?”
‘Does that mean she knew the identities of the other participants?’ ‘If her memory was blurred like Bingying’s, how did she know about the others? Was it the masked man who appeared then?’
‘Or perhaps she retained all her memories from the very beginning?’
Speaking of the masked man, he seemed to be collecting Witch Seeds. Why would he do that?
He had initially thought that solving the mystery of Yao Xinchang and Ji Zhilan’s deaths would bring some clarity, but instead, things had only grown more intricate and bewildering.
‘Never mind. Further thought is useless. It’s better to seize this opportunity to exchange information.’
“So, Xia Luohua, why exactly did you come to this city?”
“Huh? Do I have to tell you too?”
“Of course. Otherwise, it’s no fun if I’m the only one talking,” Luo Tianchen retorted, annoyed.
“Hmm… I mentioned it before, didn’t I? This is a test for me, to complete this mission alone without relying on school resources.”
“So, I don’t actually know why I came here. At most, I only looked up your information and the Witch Game that occurred in this city six years ago.”
“If I had to guess, Star probably knows a lot.”
“Star?”
“She’s a student at our school, codenamed ‘Star.’ She possesses precognitive abilities and is a good friend of mine.”
“It was her who suggested I take on this mission, claiming something good would happen. And indeed, I met you,” Xia Luohua said with a beaming smile.
“Could you please stop making it sound like I’m a lottery win?… In any case, you came here knowing absolutely nothing as well?”
“Completely clueless.”
“And you say that with such conviction…”
“To summarize, our situation remains completely in the dark.” Luo Tianchen sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead, feeling as though his half-hour explanation had been utterly pointless.