A girl descended from the sky.
This wasn’t merely a figure of speech. The ceiling had genuinely been blasted open, leaving a gaping hole. From above this chasm, The Golden-haired Girl, clad in a student uniform, gracefully dropped down. She calmly brushed dust from her clothes, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. The dagger that had been hurtling towards me was now crushed beneath the rubble.
“Yo, you alright?” The Golden-haired Girl greeted me with a smile.
“Alright? What are you talking about! Why would you jump down from the ceiling?!”
The profound relief of surviving such a harrowing ordeal was immediately overshadowed by an overwhelming urge to retort.
Of course, I recognized her. Though I had only encountered her once in Luo Tianchen’s Uncle’s office, her dazzling golden hair and angelic features were utterly unforgettable.
“Oh? Well, I originally intended to sneak in through the main entrance, disguised, but for some reason, the carefully arranged spots were already taken.” The Golden-haired Girl spread her hands, a picture of exasperation. “Left with no other choice, and still hoping to avoid attracting attention, I simply took a helicopter to the roof.”
“Don’t tell me… those spots were for Mr. Wu and Miss Xu?” A realization dawned on me, and I asked cautiously.
“Hm? How did you know that?” she countered, a strange look on her face.
“Haha, I just happened to glance at the list…” I offered a dry chuckle, guiltily averting my gaze. ‘So, those identities were meant for her, but Bingying and I had inadvertently claimed them.’
Yet, ‘not wanting to attract attention’—what kind of nonsense was that? If she truly wished to be discreet, would she have crashed a helicopter through the ceiling? Now, everyone in the building surely knew about this unauthorized entry!
Still, her arrival also meant the police would soon be on their way. With that thought, I let out a long sigh of relief, collapsing onto the floor in a starfish-like sprawl.
“What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing… just a little drained.”
The Golden-haired Girl didn’t press further, instead turning her attention to Yao Xinchang. For some inexplicable reason, Yao Xinchang had been utterly unresponsive until now, not moving at all while we spoke. “I see… you’re one of the participants as well.”
Yao Xinchang seemed to react to this statement, pulling another dagger from an unknown sheath and regarding The Golden-haired Girl with extreme vigilance.
“Hey, did you get the item?” The Golden-haired Girl suddenly asked me, her question seemingly out of nowhere.
I instantly understood what she was referring to. “Ah, I’ve hidden it.”
“Then, make sure to protect it well.”
“Huh?” Before I could even process the implication of her words, The Golden-haired Girl had already surged forward.
So fast!
In a mere instant, The Golden-haired Girl was before the astonished Yao Xinchang. Though Yao Xinchang frantically raised her dagger in defense, it was futile. The Golden-haired Girl delivered a powerful punch directly to her abdomen, sending her flying across the room. Yao Xinchang collided heavily with the wall, leaving a faint, human-shaped imprint.
I was utterly speechless with shock. Was I dreaming? How else could such a sight—a person being sent flying by a single punch—exist in reality? Perhaps if it were a hulking man against a child, but it was entirely inconceivable between two high school girls.
Gazing at The Golden-haired Girl, who appeared effortlessly composed and still brimming with untapped power, a single word surfaced in my mind: ‘Monster’.
She was, in the truest sense, a monster beyond human definition. Compared to the girl before me, my past self was, at best, a precocious child with a severe case of chuunibyou.
While I had no idea what she truly was, this wasn’t the opportune moment to inquire. Wisely, I sidestepped the question. “Um, she’s not… dead, is she?”
Honestly, I didn’t believe anyone could survive such a devastating blow. Even if Yao Xinchang was indeed terrifyingly strong, she couldn’t be considered to exist on the same plane as the monster before me. Yet, despite all this, a part of me still hoped she would live.
It was ridiculous, wasn’t it? I couldn’t fathom why I harbored such feelings. With even the slightest misstep, Bingying and I would have perished at her hands, yet I found myself unable to hate her. Was it because she was the first girl to confess to me? I didn’t know.
“She should be fine,” The Golden-haired Girl stated matter-of-factly. “After all, someone who has already died once can’t possibly die a second time.”
‘What… what did that mean?’
“Ah, she got away. Oh well, the mission’s accomplished anyway.” Following The Golden-haired Girl’s gaze, I saw a large hole smashed through the room’s window. Although we were on the thirteenth floor, I had no doubt that Yao Xinchang, having survived such a brutal impact, wouldn’t succumb to a mere fall.
“Wait, you just said she died once? Does that mean she actually died back then? But why did she come back to life? Can the dead… truly be resurrected?” I struggled to my feet, bracing myself, and then advanced to grip The Golden-haired Girl’s shoulders, completely forgetting she was a monster. I asked, my voice trembling.
“If you’re asking if it’s possible… the answer is yes.”
“If that’s the case… then you must know how to do it! Please, tell me! I’ll pay any price!” I exclaimed, shaking her excitedly.
The Golden-haired Girl sighed, pushing me back down to the floor. “Calm down. While it’s called resurrection, I don’t truly believe that an existence brought back to this world in such a manner can still be called ‘human’. I don’t know if you’ve lost someone important, but I strongly advise you not to try. Life and death are fated for all things; to forcibly reverse it will incur the wrath of the rules, and you will undoubtedly pay a price you cannot bear.”
“But…!”
“There are no ‘buts’. I won’t tell you.” The Golden-haired Girl’s resolute words shattered my last glimmer of hope.
I bit my lip in frustration, but ultimately chose to concede. “I understand.”
“That’s good. Now, where’s the item?” She extended her hand.
“Just a moment.” I opened my mouth and retrieved the crimson crystal from beneath my tongue.
“…It’s impressive you thought to hide it there.”
“I had no choice. I stayed here with the grim determination to die if necessary. Even if I perished, the enemy wouldn’t immediately think to search my mouth if they were to examine my body, which would buy some time. Besides, I kept it pressed down with my tongue, so there was no danger of accidentally swallowing it.”
“It’s fortunate you didn’t swallow it, then.” The Golden-haired Girl nonchalantly took the gem, still glistening with my saliva, and examined it under the light for a moment. “Yes, this is definitely it.”
“By the way, what exactly is this thing? Why does everyone want it so badly? Can it really grant any wish?” Seeing The Golden-haired Girl’s omniscient demeanor, I couldn’t suppress my curiosity and asked.
She chuckled sardonically. “Only mortals, unaware of its true nature, would consider it a treasure. In reality, this is a genuine nightmare artifact.”
“Mortals? Then what are you…?”
“Regarding that, I’ll tell you when I have time later. The immediate priority is to get this thing…”
“Miiiiisssstressss!” A voice drifted closer from above me. Unable to resist my curiosity, I looked up, only to be struck by an unknown object.
“Mmmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!” My head was completely covered by something, and breathing became difficult. I desperately tried to call for help, but only managed to emit animalistic whimpers.
‘My throat felt as if it were obstructed by a foreign object. Had I accidentally swallowed a stone earlier? If this continued, I would surely die! I absolutely refused to meet an end where I’d defeated the final boss only to accidentally choke to death!’ I frantically shook my head, but it was useless.
“Miss, Miss, are you alright?! Oh, truly, what good are those useless police? To think they’d let you go into battle yourself, it’s not enough for them to die ten thousand times! Just a moment, Miss, I’ll examine your entire body right away. Please, quickly take off your clothes so I can properly… lick—no, properly check for any injuries!”
“Huh? W-wait a moment, Lili, there’s someone else here.”
“Hm? Where, where?” The maid, Lili, glanced around.
“Uh, right beneath you,” The Golden-haired Girl said with a twitch, pointing below the maid.
“Hm! Eek!” Lili snapped back to reality, her face flushing crimson. She then delivered a heavy punch to my head. While not as powerful as The Golden-haired Girl’s, it still made me see stars. Were both mistress and maid monsters? However, thanks to her, I finally managed to swallow the foreign object.
“You shouldn’t do that. This time, it’s your fault,” The Golden-haired Girl sternly reprimanded Lili.
“B-but…” Lili replied, sounding unwilling.
“No ‘buts’. Apologize to him at once.”
‘What was this strange sense of déjà vu?’
Lili lowered her head, looking at me with tear-filled eyes. “I-I’m sorry.”
‘So cute!’
“N-no, no, it was partly my fault for not dodging.”
‘In fact, I should probably thank her for the complimentary maid face-ride.’
“What, this scum? Don’t you dare get all chummy with me, old hag,” Lili muttered under her breath.
‘…Did I just hear something absolutely outrageous?’
“You’re nothing but an incompletely evolved life form, a mutated alien, a high schooler with a kindergarten-level intellect, a frog-headed creature with congenital Mongolism, a brainless being capable of thought, the culprit behind a clogged septic tank, and you dare to pretend to be human? You’re making me want to vomit up yesterday’s breakfast!”
“Alright, that’s enough.”
“Understood, Miss!” Lili immediately switched to an impeccable smile, turning to face The Golden-haired Girl. What was with this blatant favoritism? It was incredibly annoying.
The Golden-haired Girl cleared her throat. “All in all, our mission is complete, and the seed has been recovered… Where is my seed?” It was only then that she noticed the gem in her hand had vanished.
“Um, did it accidentally fall somewhere? Would you like me to look for it?” Lili asked.
“Well, it’s possible I dropped it when I was startled earlier. Please do, Lili.”
“Understood.” Lili respectfully nodded, then pulled out a… X-rod from under her skirt? Wait, where did you get that thing?! And that shape… why is it so lewd?
“I’ll find it, I’ll find it, I’ll find it! Ah, found it!” The X-rod pointed directly at me as if drawn by a magnet.
“Me? I don’t have it on me… Ah.” Something suddenly clicked in my mind.
‘Could it be… the thing I just swallowed was…’ A cold sweat broke out all over my body at the thought.
“Um…” My face twitched as I raised my hand and asked, “What if I told you I accidentally swallowed it just now?”
The two of them exchanged glances. Lili reacted first, pulling out a large chainsaw from who-knew-where, which whirred to life. “In that case, we’ll just have to cut open your stomach to retrieve it. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt.”
‘It would absolutely hurt! And I’d die!’ Since Lili was clearly out of the question, I turned my pleading gaze to The Golden-haired Girl. “Um… nothing bad will happen, right?”
The Golden-haired Girl patted my shoulder heavily. “I’m sorry… if you have any last words, please say them now. This is my oversight, so I’ll do my best to fulfill your dying wish.”
“Why are you looking at me like I’m already dead?! I’m not dead yet! And it’s just a gem-like thing! Look, I’m perfectly fine right now… Ugh!”
So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot! So hot!
My body felt as if it were burning from the inside out. It started in my stomach, then spread to my chest, my heart, and finally reached my brain. I couldn’t hold it in any longer and screamed out, writhing on the ground in agony.
After what felt like an eternity, the pain slowly subsided. Correspondingly, my consciousness began to blur.
So cold. My body couldn’t stop shivering.
‘Damn it, am I going to die like this? All because I accidentally ate a cursed stone? I endured so much to reach this point. If I die now, my sister and the others will surely mock me for the rest of their lives. I don’t want to die…’
I struggled to open my eyes. The last thing I saw was The Golden-haired Girl’s face, impossibly close. ‘Damn it, that’s way too close, and she seems to be leaning in even more.’
Then, The Golden-haired Girl kissed me.
A warm, moist sensation spread across my lips. At that moment, I was completely incapable of comprehending the meaning of her action. I merely relied on instinct, greedily absorbing the warmth, yet it still couldn’t stop the dissipation of my body’s heat. ‘Is this a hallucination? Am I really dying?’
“I’m sorry…”
My consciousness faded.