The organization has decided to let you be the saint

No, that’s not right.

Yet, the initial surprise quickly gave way to a surge of realization within Xie Shenhong.

She hadn’t transformed into Saintess Hai Zhu herself; instead, she had become a doll crafted in Hai Zhu’s image.

More accurately, her consciousness had linked with the Hai Zhu doll—a deception meticulously crafted by the royal family to mislead the populace.

Otherwise, how could she account for collapsing on a roadside only to find herself, in the blink of an eye, inside the Deep Sea Vermilion Knights’ office? A sudden panic seized her.

Her own body remained outside; surely, nothing untoward would befall it?

The thought of Lyte potentially pursuing her to silence her sparked a surge of anxiety within Xie Shenhong.

At that very moment, a profound chill emanated from the depths of her being, swiftly spreading through every nerve and fiber of her body, instantly quelling Xie Shenhong’s turbulent emotions.

‘No, what happens to my original body is irrelevant.’

It was an indescribable sensation.

It felt akin to possessing an indomitable strength capable of disregarding all, yet simultaneously like having utterly shed all fear. There was also a chilling sense that joy would forever elude her, as if even her very soul had been encased in ice.

A profound detachment, a serene calm, an unwavering rationality, and an unyielding aloofness—it was precisely the demeanor of Saintess Hai Zhu, as perceived by the world.

‘This must be an inherent effect of the doll itself, designed to ensure its user perfectly emulated the true Hai Zhu.’

Having meticulously analyzed the situation with a clarity and composure she rarely possessed, Xie Shenhong began to scrutinize the body she now inhabited.

Her gaze fell upon skin of pristine, translucent white, and slender, delicate hands, like newly sprouted spring onions.

Upon her chest, a pair of prominent mounds rose, substantial enough to partially obscure her downward gaze.

A light touch confirmed a softness utterly incomparable to any conventional artificial construct.

Accompanying this was a subtle, tingling sensation, unequivocally affirming that these forms were an inherent part of her current physical being.

‘The craftsmanship of this doll is exceptionally refined.’

No sooner had Xie Shenhong calmly arrived at this conclusion than the office door swung open.

A stern-faced woman, clad in the deep blue uniform of a knight, entered. Upon seeing Xie Shenhong, a troubled expression involuntarily creased her brow.

“Duanmu-daren,” the woman exclaimed, “Why are you still here? The press conference is about to begin!”

‘Ah, so it’s Yun-jie’s turn to control this doll today.’

“I have a small matter to attend to; I’ll be finished shortly. You may proceed ahead,” Xie Shenhong replied, her voice remarkably level.

The female adjutant sighed, gesturing pointedly at her wrist. “Duanmu-daren, only ten minutes remain. Can whatever you’re doing not be postponed?”

“Rest assured, I will be punctual,” Xie Shenhong stated, her tone utterly devoid of any discernible emotional inflection.

A subtle furrow, however, appeared on the female adjutant’s brow.

In her experience, Knight Commander Duanmu Yun possessed a fiery, passionate disposition; yet today, she presented an unusually distant and cold demeanor.

“What’s the matter?” Xie Shenhong asked with a mischievous grin, her expression brimming with playful anticipation. “Do you have some secret you wish to confide in me privately? I’m always available, you know.”

“I have no secrets to share, Duanmu-daren! Please prepare yourself without delay!” the female adjutant retorted, her voice sharp with exasperation, before turning abruptly and slamming the door shut behind her.

‘It seems my suspicions were correct; even within the professional confines of the workplace, Yun-jie has never shied away from teasing her colleagues.’

Xie Shenhong’s exquisitely beautiful features swiftly reverted to their usual glacial composure, and she began to survey the office’s interior.

‘So, this is where Yun-jie typically works?’

Though Duanmu Yun shared no blood ties with her, her care and concern had been comprehensive, leading Xie Shenhong to long consider her as her dearest kin.

Yet, this beloved kin, in the imperial invasion merely three months hence, would tragically perish for the nation, her body never to be recovered whole.

Even more lamentably, her demise would not elicit admiration or sorrow, but instead a torrent of calumny and vitriol from countless individuals.

All because a desperate populace would unjustly lay the blame for Saintess Hai Zhu’s passing squarely at her feet.

Consequently, upon her rebirth, Xie Shenhong’s foremost thought had been to reveal all future events to Duanmu Yun—a resolve that remained unshaken even now.

Indeed, not long ago, she had harbored anxieties that the kingdom was utterly outmatched, even by the empire’s spies.

However, with her consciousness now residing within the doll and her emotions restored to placidity, her thoughts had achieved remarkable clarity.

‘Even if the ultimate outcome is surrender to the Empire, preparing in advance is infinitely better than inaction.’

‘Moreover, there exists another path: to forewarn the three nations of the demon race’s presence, prompting them to set aside their conflicts, forge a unified human alliance, and coexist in equality.’

‘My rebirth, without question, possesses profound significance.’

‘The most crucial task now is to locate Yun-jie…’

No sooner had this thought formed than Xie Shenhong perceived a mysterious power unfurling from within her, expanding outwards.

Immediately thereafter, an image resembling a three-dimensional map materialized within her mind’s eye.

‘This doll actually possesses such a convenient function for locating individuals?’

Yet, Xie Shenhong, her mind now as tranquil as still waters, wasted no time on astonishment, immediately commencing her search for Duanmu Yun’s presence.

When she discovered the other person approaching the office, a frown involuntarily creased her brow.

‘Even after inhabiting a new body, is it still impossible?’

A searing, unbearable pain once more erupted within her chest.

‘What if I choose not to reveal the truth to Yun-jie, and simply return the doll to her?’

Yet, even this shift in thought brought no alleviation to the torment; instead, the agony intensified with Duanmu Yun’s proximity, growing ever more excruciating, until—

The door swung open, revealing an empty office. The blue-haired, crimson-eyed girl who had just entered from outside frowned subtly.

She swiftly summoned the anxious female adjutant.

“Duan—no, Saintess Hai Zhu-daren, has the matter been resolved?”

“What are you implying?”

The blue-haired, crimson-eyed girl keenly detected a subtle incongruity in the female adjutant’s words.

“Ah, when I came to urge you earlier, didn’t you tell me to go ahead, claiming you still had matters to attend to?”

“I uttered no such words…” the blue-haired, crimson-eyed girl interjected, her voice laced with urgency. “Who exactly did you see just now?”

As the female adjutant recounted the entire incident, omitting no detail.

A joyous smile bloomed on her face.

It was, in fact, the happiest she had been in five long years.

“Let’s cancel tonight’s press conference,” she announced. “It matters not; let them speculate as they please.”

Suddenly, the blue-haired, crimson-eyed girl’s eyes lost their luster, and she appeared to transform into a lifeless doll.

Behind it, a black-haired woman materialized from thin air.

Disregarding the female adjutant’s burgeoning panic, the black-haired woman gazed out at the moonlit window, sighing with profound relief.

“Finally, I’m back…”

****

‘Is something preventing me from contacting Yun-jie?’

Once she had departed the immediate vicinity of the Knights’ headquarters, the searing pain within Xie Shenhong’s body gradually began to abate.

‘It appears the cost of this rebirth is not merely tethered to my soul, but also prohibits any clever stratagems. Therefore, the only course of action left to me is…’

After a brief moment of contemplation, she turned and flew without hesitation in a different direction.

Before long, she spotted her target within a secluded alleyway.

“Greetings, Saintess Hai Zhu-daren!”

Witnessing the blue-haired, crimson-eyed girl descend from the heavens, Lyte, a member of the Deep Sea Vermilion Knights, instantly dropped to one knee.

Confident in his flawless performance, he left himself utterly exposed, making no attempt at defense.

Even if he had, it would have been futile.

The doll’s combat prowess was equivalent to that of a Battle Baron.

In three months’ time, Lyte would only barely attain the peak of Martial Baron, and that too with significant external assistance.

As things stood, she could dispatch Lyte with effortless ease.

Nevertheless, Xie Shenhong harbored no immediate intention of seizing this opportunity to strike.

Her hatred, held firmly in check by reason, accounted for one part of her restraint.

The other reason, as previously established, was her profound concern for the future of humanity.

Her current imperative, therefore, was to secure as much standing and leverage as possible for the kingdom.

“Reinhardt, do you acknowledge your transgressions?”

By, for instance, prematurely exposing Lyte’s true identity, she could both intimidate him and rattle the imperial agents who remained unaware of the Saintess’s true absence.

Predictably, at her words, Lyte’s body visibly trembled, and his face became etched with profound terror.

‘Excellent.’

Lyte’s subsequent actions would inevitably involve either groveling for mercy or vehemently denying everything with a myriad of convoluted excuses.

Regardless of his choice, her plan would be deemed a success—

“I am prepared to bear the full burden of this matter myself,” Lyte declared, his voice firm despite his earlier fear. “I only implore Saintess Hai Zhu-daren not to fault Count Huangfu!”

Following his initial terror, Lyte’s expression swiftly hardened into one of resolute determination, utterly devoid of hesitation.